《The Lone Wanderer [Book 1 Complete!]》 Chapter 1 – A strange experience ¡®Ugh! It feels like all my nerves were ripped out of my body and then stomped on for good measure!¡¯ The last thing Percy remembered was the thrill of finally reaching Orange after a decade of relentless effort. The jeers and sneers from his cousins and uncles had only pushed him onward. He¡¯d done it ¨C tripled his remaining lifespan and achieved a new level of power. He¡¯d made it! His first act had been to try tapping into his family''s bloodline once more. The Clone ability had always eluded him, but perhaps now, with his newly strengthened core, things would be different. He remembered the initial rush of mana and then... pain. A lot of pain. A world of pain. ¡®I¡¯m not exactly an expert, but I don¡¯t think excruciating agony is a common side effect of using a bloodline ability.¡¯ As he fought to open his eyes, he was greeted by a strange sight. A creature with humanoid features ¨C but certainly not human ¨C stood before him. Its skin was pale as milk, its eyes pitch black, resembling obsidian orbs that glimmered with an emotion Percy couldn''t quite discern. Worry, perhaps? The creature''s strained smile and tightly clenched fists at the edge of the crib betrayed its concern. There was another standing opposite the first, this one bulkier. A male? It was hard to tell. Both were hairless and wore baggy robes concealing any distinguishing traits. Percy raised his hands with difficulty, noticing they were tiny and the same pale colour as the giants around him. His skin was smooth as porcelain. ¡®What¡¯s happening? Who are these people?¡¯ He tried to speak, to ask a question, but no sound emerged. To his horror, he realized he couldn''t breathe. The female ¨C at least, he thought it was female ¨C panicked, moving a device to his mouth and casting an air spell. A breath was forced into his lungs and, though it hurt, it kept him conscious. Barely. Scanning his surroundings, he noticed the walls were sleek, made of some polished material. They definitely didn¡¯t have anything of the sort back on Remior. Strange decorations adorned the room ¨C there was a painting that seemed to have been drawn in three dimensions, somehow! Through the window, he glimpsed three suns ¨C green, yellow, and blue ¨C illuminating a turquoise sky. At any other time, Percy might have appreciated the novelty of the situation. Right now, however, it only brought him unease. Desperately, he turned to the only source of familiarity he could think of. His Status tab. He summoned it, hoping it still worked.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Guhat (Percival''s clone)
¡®What the hell?!?¡¯ His relief at being able to check his Status was quickly replaced by shock. Guhat was probably the name given to this body, but what did it mean by ¡®Percival''s clone¡¯? Wasn''t he the real Percy? ¡®Wait. Clone? I succeeded?!?¡¯ Under other circumstances, he would be ecstatic. His family had given him a ton of grief over his inability to use it. Everyone, Percy included, thought he simply hadn''t inherited it. But this wasn''t how it was supposed to work. Fuelled by their life affinity, the Avalon House''s bloodline allowed them to cultivate a biological copy of themselves to delegate dangerous or tedious tasks to. ¡®Did I inherit a mutated version? Or is it because I don''t have the life affinity?¡¯ Percy had never been sure of his affinity. The standard test at age five had shown nothing, but there was a slim chance he had a rare affinity it couldn''t detect. Of course, better tests existed, but his family hadn''t thought it worth the resources on a Red core like him. ¡®Let''s see what I''m dealing with here.¡¯ he thought, focusing on his Status once more.
Guhat (Percival''s clone) Mana cores: ???:
¡®WHAT?!?¡¯ Losing his Orange core stung given how long it took to get there. But it made sense since he was in a new, infant body. Two cores, on the other hand?!? He¡¯d never heard of anyone possessing more than one. Well, that wasn¡¯t quite right. Percy had never heard of a human possessing multiple cores, but he did vaguely recall a rumour of an alien race famous for precisely that. ¡®What were they called? Moi-somethings?¡¯ He couldn''t remember the exact name, but they stood out even among the countless species the Divine Order protected his world from. ¡®And now, I get to be one of them?!?¡¯ His eyes almost sparkled with hope, but he quickly quashed the optimism. What was he thinking? He was just a botched clone who wouldn''t survive much longer. His new body barely functioned. He couldn''t even breathe without assistance. Everything hurt, and he felt himself beginning to collapse. Even if he survived, both his cores were Red, leaving him at the bottom of the pecking order here as well. ¡®No! I can''t give up so easily! I want to live! I want a chance!¡¯ He clawed desperately at his fading consciousness. The pain was excruciating, as if he were being ground to dust, but he refused to give up. He didn''t care he was just a clone. He didn''t care his cores were Red. He had to fight with what he had. To live with what he had. To make the most of what he had. But sometimes sheer will wasn''t enough. The air affinity spell was beginning to hurt more than it helped. His heart felt like it was about to burst, darkness seeping into his vision. At the same time, an inescapable force pulled him, slowly prying him out of the broken body. As Guhat¡¯s eyes closed, the blurry silhouettes of the couple he guessed were his parents faded, their distraught cries replaced by silence. His final thought was a bitter one. ¡®I''m sorry for putting you guys through this...¡¯ Chapter 2 – Alive Percy was pulled towards a certain direction. It was as if a tight rope was glued to his back, forcing him to travel, to plunge through a seemingly infinite darkness, unable to resist. He couldn¡¯t tell how long it took. Maybe a week? A year? A century? Either way, his mind was murky, his thoughts failing to fully form. Perhaps, this was purgatory, his punishment for casting that ability. It¡¯s not like he¡¯d known what it would bring, but he appeared destined to pay the price all the same. At least it wasn¡¯t so bad. He was at peace. The pain was gone. Until it wasn¡¯t. A throbbing headache was the first new sensation, followed by warmth. He instinctively took a breath and then another, and a third, ecstatic to have functioning lungs again. Next, he tried prying his eyes open, but his sight was blocked by something wet. A towel? He tried lifting his hands, but his limbs were weak. In the end, he shrugged. Or he would have if he could. Instead, he just remained in that position, enjoying the rhythmic sound of his own heartbeat. ¡®Did they manage to fix me?¡¯ He opened his Status again, but what greeted him wasn¡¯t at all what he expected.
Percival Avalon Mana cores: Bloodline: ???:
¡®Holy shit!¡¯ The shock somehow gave him the energy to sit up, the wet towel falling from his face. Glancing around, he found he was back in his room. His human room. His human body. ¡®No ¡°Guhat¡± or ¡°Percival¡¯s clone¡±? I guess the clone¡¯s memories return to me when it dies¡­¡¯ He exhaled in relief. Not only was he somehow still alive, but it appeared he wouldn¡¯t be condemning a version of him to a horrible fate every time he used his bloodline. More importantly¡­ ¡®There it is. My Orange core is back. Also¡­ the Clone bloodline¡­¡¯ This was Percy¡¯s first time seeing his bloodline listed in his Status. Not because he didn¡¯t have it before now. Both bloodlines and core affinities were fixed from birth. Naturally, he had had Clone his whole life. He just hadn¡¯t known. The Status page wasn¡¯t omniscient. The only things it could detect through the simple test most kids underwent at age five were the starting grade of one¡¯s mana core and the common elemental affinities. As for rarer affinities and bloodlines, those required a more specialized investigation, which was only reserved for kids lucky to be born at Orange or higher. The rest had to either earn enough money to pay for the test, or to slowly discover their affinities and bloodline ¨C if they even had any ¨C on their own. ¡®But what is this section with the question marks?¡¯ He frowned. He had never seen or heard of anything like that. Still, most of its contents weren¡¯t new. This section seemed to contain three separate items. One was access to the Status itself, which everyone had. Another was the access to his bloodline. It appeared to be like a hidden section. ¡®Did it become visible because I brought this other thing back?¡¯The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Percy wasn¡¯t sure what to make of this. He seemed to have partially retained the unique trait of the alien body, but not the complete version. His second core was in a dormant state, at a grade below even Red. He wasn¡¯t sure if it could be salvaged. ¡®Either way, this is good.¡¯ His core had advanced to Orange. And it turned out he did have Clone despite what everyone told him. Finally, he probably had a rare affinity too. At least, he couldn¡¯t imagine doing what he¡¯d done with pure mana. ¡®Even if I can¡¯t get the second core to work, I¡¯m still better off than before...¡¯ Not that he wouldn¡¯t try of course. He was about to make a mental checklist of things he needed to do, when the door opened. ¡°PERCY!!¡± a female voice yelled. His ears were sensitive, the shout giving him a buzz. Still, he barely raised his arms to shield himself from the incoming aquamarine-haired missile. A silhouette leapt on top of him, the two bouncing on the mattress. She hugged him tightly, as if he was about to disappear. ¡°It¡¯s alright Elaine¡­ I¡¯m alright.¡± The girl hugging him, Elaine, was the only member of his family who didn¡¯t treat him like shit. In fact, the only reason he hadn¡¯t been kicked out entirely was probably because Elaine had been born at Yellow, which made her one of the more talented members of the House. Naturally, it gave her some sway with their grandpa. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re alright?!?!¡± she yelled. ¡°I found you on the floor! You¡¯ve been out cold for a week! I had to use my water magic to feed you soup!¡± Percy raised an eyebrow. He hadn¡¯t quite realised he¡¯d been unconscious for so long. He felt a pang of guilt for worrying her, but also a fuzzy feeling in his chest. If it wasn¡¯t for Elaine, they¡¯d have probably left him alone to die. That¡¯s assuming they even realized he was missing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I tried to use Clone upon advancing and it had a weird interaction with my affinity¡­¡± Elaine let go of him, covering her mouth in surprise. ¡°Advancing?!?¡± she asked as she closed her eyes, trying to sense his mana. ¡°Oh my god! You¡¯ve reached Orange!¡± Percy rolled his eyes at her reaction. He knew she was just happy for him, but it wasn¡¯t that strange he had advanced. Most people took about 10 years for their first promotion, so reaching Orange at 15 was pretty much expected of him. If anything, nobles typically had access to resources doubling their purification speed. All his cousins had advanced at 10. Sadly, those resources weren¡¯t abundant enough to be wasted on lowly Reds. The world of Remior was a cruel one, where the talented were showered with resources, letting them grow even faster, while the rest were left in the dust. Elaine who was roughly the same age as him had already advanced to Green years ago. In any case, it was only a few seconds later that she seemed to grasp the rest of what he¡¯d said. ¡°Wait, you said you have Clone?! And an affinity?! I told grandpa to test you properly before writing you off!¡± ¡°Yeah, right. As if baldy would waste a copper on his worst grandkid.¡± Percy chuckled. Elaine flicked his forehead, causing him to wince. ¡°Stop calling him that! I know he needs to start treating you better, but this isn¡¯t helping!¡± Percy wanted to protest that it was just a shorthand for the guy¡¯s name. Archibald. Baldy. Also, he didn¡¯t have a single hair on his head, so it fit. But they¡¯d had that conversation before, and he was too tired to get into it again. In the end, he shrugged. ¡°Well, this is all wonderful news. Have you figured out what your affinity is?¡± she spoke again. Percy shook his head. ¡°No, but I¡¯m 100% sure I do have one.¡± It wasn¡¯t just optimism speaking. Bloodlines were hereditary. Occasionally, somebody would fail to inherit one from their parents and on even rarer occasions their bloodline would mutate into a new direction. Still, for the most part they were passed along intact. Affinities were less hereditary. Sometimes, one would inherit one from their parents. Other times they wouldn¡¯t. But there were exceptions. The Clone bloodline his family possessed was strongly correlated with the rare life affinity. Most members of the Avalon House tended to inherit both, while few got neither. It was a potent combination which made their family one of the stronger noble Houses, even though they lacked a White core. Still, there had been instances over the centuries when individuals would be born with the Clone bloodline and a different affinity. And there had even been cases where people had the bloodline and no affinity. But no other combination ever did anything noteworthy. The only explanation for Percy¡¯s misadventure was that he had an affinity never before seen in his family. ¡°Then we need to ask grandpa to get you a proper test!¡± Elaine said, grabbing him by the forearm. He nearly stumbled as he was pulled, his legs still a bit wobbly, but he managed to follow her without falling. Truth be told, Percy wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled at the prospect of asking his grandpa for a favour. The man had never deigned to give him anything, despite the rosier version of him in Elaine¡¯s head. Still, he needed to figure out what his affinity was before he could even begin to understand how to use it. If he had to pay for the test himself it would take him several more years as he had already used up his savings for his advancement. So, in the end, he swallowed his pride and hoped his cousin would help advocate his case for him. Besides, baldy had something else he needed. ¡®A potent source of life mana, huh? I bet that qualifies.¡¯ Chapter 3 – A meeting with baldy ¡°Come in.¡± an authoritative voice said. Elaine opened the door, dragging Percy behind her. The two found a man sitting at his desk, the afternoon sun reflected off the top of his head. Despite his shaved scalp, he didn¡¯t look old, his appearance was that of a burly man still in his late twenties, even though he had lived for centuries. ¡°Grandpa!¡± the girl said, clearly eager to share the good news. Archibald lifted his eyes, his gaze briefly lingering on Percy, before it returned to the documents he was reading. The latter rolled his eyes, realizing this was already a lost cause, but his cheerful cousin didn¡¯t seem ready to give up just yet. She bit her lower lip for a moment before speaking again. ¡°Grandpa, Percy is ok! He¨C¡± ¡°The answer is no.¡± the man cut her short. ¡°Just hear me out. He has managed to¨C¡± ¡°Elaine.¡± Archibald stopped her again. ¡°I can tell he¡¯s at Orange. It doesn¡¯t matter. It doesn¡¯t change anything. You know that already.¡± The girl deflated, looking down at her feet. On Remior, the most important trait determining one¡¯s achievements in life was the grade of their mana core at birth. Sure, one could continue to advance throughout their lives, but each promotion was exponentially more difficult than the one before. The first typically required about a decade, the second a century, the third a millennium and so on. Having access to more valuable resources could halve each of those milestones of course, but that didn¡¯t affect the way they scaled. At the same time, each subsequent grade typically tripled one¡¯s physical and magical ability as well as their remaining lifespan. Somebody who spent their whole life at Red would only live about 80 years at most, while somebody at Orange would get 240. Naturally, this meant that somebody like Percy would never get to Green in his life. Having reached Orange at 15, he could maybe hope to reach Yellow by 115 and then remain stuck at that level until he died of old age at 400. Even if his grandpa decided to treat him to the same resources his cousins had access to and he reached Yellow by 65, he would only live to about 500, which wouldn¡¯t be enough for the next grade. By comparison, somebody born at Orange ¨C just one grade above Percy ¨C could potentially live for thousands of years and reach all the way to Blue ¨C two grades above him. As for those born at Yellow like Elaine and Archibald, they could even reach Violet and White, living up to 40000 years! Percy¡¯s grandpa was already at Violet, having lived for over 700 years, but he still had several millennia of lifespan left as well as the hope of reaching White. Elaine clenched her fists. ¡°He can still be of value to the family. His mana core and lifespan may be capped at Yellow, but he can still pass his bloodline and affinity on!¡± she said. For the first time since the two walked into the room, Archibald raised his eyebrows. He tossed another look at his grandson, this time not so quick to dismiss him. ¡°You¡¯ve used Clone?¡± he asked. Percy nodded. ¡°Actually used it? There have been others without the life affinity in the past, but water clones and pure clones just disperse.¡± Archibald asked again. ¡°It definitely did something interesting. As for what exactly, I don¡¯t fully understand it yet.¡± His grandpa furrowed his brow at the implications. Noticing that, Elaine was over the moon. ¡°See? Even if Percy can¡¯t become too powerful himself, his kids could start a new branch of the family! We should invest in him!¡± Archibald tapped his fingers on the mahogany desk for a few seconds, seemingly lost in thought. ¡°What you said makes some sense. We¡¯ve never had another useful affinity paired with Clone. If the new bundle is truly useful and easy to pass on, it could indeed be good for the family.¡± he said. Elaine clapped her hands, excited to receive a positive response, but her grandpa spoke again.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t mean we should spend cultivation resources on Percy. 400 years are more than enough for him to sire plenty of children. He doesn¡¯t need to be stronger to do that.¡± Percy gritted his teeth. As much as he would have liked those resources, he was more annoyed by the callousness of his grandpa, treating him more like an asset than family. Still, he had agreed to follow Elaine here for a reason, so he didn¡¯t let it get to him as he spoke again. ¡°I don¡¯t want your cultivation resources. I¡¯m only asking for a better affinity test. After all, that can help us both figure out how the bloodline works in my case.¡± The man looked him in the eyes for a while. ¡°Very well. Gawain will accompany you for the trip. Elaine too. She can use some experience.¡± Archibald turned back to the scroll, not leaving much room for debate. Still, this worked for Percy and Elaine too, so they rushed out of the office before their grandpa changed his mind. As they walked back to his room, he replayed the conversation in his mind, his hands balled into fists, drained of all colour. Faced with his grandfather¡¯s coldness, Percy had come this close to spilling the beans on his second mana core. He so wanted to see baldy¡¯s face twist as he learned the grandson he treated like trash had achieved something no human ever had. Not the White cores. Not even the lofty existences in the Divine Order could boast of such a feat. He had stolen the most important secret of one of the strongest races in the universe! He had done that! With a worthless Orange core. But he¡¯d held himself back. First of all, it sounded quite unbelievable, and he couldn¡¯t exactly prove it. Speaking of the event might have made his grandpa think he was lying about the whole thing and robbed him of the affinity test. More importantly, he owed him nothing. If it wasn¡¯t for Elaine, he would have left this shitty family already. Whatever his second core meant for him, he would discover on his own and forge his own path. His biggest regret was that he needed to get close to his grandpa¡¯s treasured tree. It was his family¡¯s most prized possession, and he hoped it was precisely the potent source of life mana he needed to germinate the seed. ¡®Let¡¯s leave it for now. If baldy was so stingy with the affinity test and the cultivation resources, there¡¯s no chance he¡¯d let me anywhere near the tree in a million years.¡¯ But it didn¡¯t matter. He knew where it was. He could figure out a way to sneak there later. Besides, he still needed to find a source of mind mana for this to work. Thinking of something, he grinned. As it so happened, the advanced affinity test would be held at precisely such a place. The duo were about to enter Percy¡¯s room, but he stopped at the entrance. This caused Elaine to look at him in concern. ¡°Percy¡­ Don¡¯t let this get to you¡­ If your affinity is really useful, we can convince him to give you more resources later.¡± He chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I¡¯ve just realized that I haven¡¯t even tried practicing with my core since it evolved. Between everything that happened with the bloodline, I never got the chance.¡± As he was about to head to the training grounds, she grabbed his arm again. ¡°Seriously?! You were in a coma for a week, and we are about to head out in a couple of days. What you need right now is to get some rest.¡± Percy looked her in the eyes as his lips curled and parted. Smiling he said, ¡°thanks.¡± Seeing her forehead crease in confusion, he hurriedly added, ¡°for caring. You¡¯re the only one who does. But I still need to do this.¡± Then he walked away, leaving her behind. It was true he could use some sleep. His mind was still exhausted, his body weak. But he had to get stronger soon. He understood there weren¡¯t many people he could rely on. No handouts for him. Everything he needed, he had to fight for. Soon, he reached the training grounds. Just a section of the garden really. He briefly paused to appreciate the birds chirping on the trees, and the squirrels bolting up and down their trunks. Then, he walked to the middle of the grass, facing a wide, dead oak tree that people typically used for target practice. Nobody else was around right now. His cousins rarely trained. They were mostly content lazing around and gulping expensive elixirs that cleansed their cores and lengthened their lives. They didn¡¯t need to practice their magic to be stronger than the likes of him. Shaking the irritating thoughts away, he raised his palm towards the aged trunk and willed his mana to accumulate in his hand. He held it, until the pressure in both his core and mind became unbearable and then he released it. A faint distortion phased through the tree but didn¡¯t do much else. Percy wasn¡¯t exactly surprised. His unknown affinity had done nothing back at Red, besides giving people a slight chilling sensation. It was to the point that nobody was sure he even had an affinity back then. But he now knew he did, so he was determined to make it count. He gathered more mana, this time holding it a moment longer and trying to condense it even further before firing. It still didn¡¯t do anything, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡®Again.¡¯ He kept firing, bolt after bolt, minute after minute, hour after hour. Every so often, he would take a break to refill his core, before resuming his practice. By the time he fell to his knees, the sun had already set. He had practiced as long as he could. And then some. But it wasn¡¯t enough. Not nearly enough. ¡®Not yet.¡¯ They all looked down on him. He didn¡¯t care about most of them. He was used to it by now. But he cared that Elaine looked down on him. Unlike the others, she didn¡¯t do it on purpose. She didn¡¯t do it maliciously. But she did it all the same. She had been surprised he had reached Orange at 15. As if it was some great achievement. She had pushed him to beg for scraps from their grandpa. And it stung so fucking much. But he¡¯d never given up on himself. He was the only one who knew. His heart too thrummed with ambition. And one day he would show them. He would show them all. Chapter 4 – Whistling Woods ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡± a man seemingly in his twenties said as he climbed on his horse. His hair was a light blue colour, like Elaine¡¯s. His face sported eight or nine points of similarity to hers too. He was Gawain, her father. Funnily enough, he had reached Green about the same time as his daughter, despite being around fifty years older. It was the inevitable consequence of being born at Orange and having a child more talented than he was. That, coupled with the fact his branch of the family hadn¡¯t inherited the bloodline, meant his status had only ever been slightly higher than the likes of Percy. At least until Elaine came along. ¡°Sure.¡± Percy nodded, getting on a second horse, with his cousin right behind them on a third. He didn¡¯t dislike this uncle of his like the others. They¡¯d never talked much, and it wasn¡¯t like Gawain had ever particularly shown any care for him, but at least he wasn¡¯t among the crowd mistreating him either. If he had to be escorted to the temple ¨C and he did have to, it was a long and dangerous trip ¨C then he wouldn¡¯t have picked anyone else. The horses galloped forward, Percy already feeling excited about their destination. He was still tired of course, having trained relentlessly over the last three days, but the thought of finally learning his affinity after being in the dark his whole life was invigorating. ¡®Not to mention the other thing waiting for me there.¡¯ he grinned. ¡°You seem to be in good spirits today.¡± Elaine chirped as her horse neared his. ¡°Well, your highness. Us lowborns don¡¯t get to leave the House very often.¡± he chuckled. This earned him a casual punch in the shoulder. He rubbed the ¡®injured¡¯ area in an exaggerated manner. He made it seem like a joke but truth be told, it did hurt some. Elaine had two grades on him, which translated to a ninefold advantage in physical strength. Even a light tap from her felt heavier than she realized. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re still as cheery after two weeks on horseback.¡± she replied with a smile of her own. The trio pressed onward for several more hours, with Elaine and Percy chatting at the back, while Gawain ignored them, riding a few paces ahead. Soon, they entered a forest. It smelled fresh, especially to Percy who hadn¡¯t ever breathed anything other than the stale air of the mansion. On each side of the path, he saw rows upon rows of tall and wide pine trees, their cones a strange oblong shape, their surface filled with small holes. Every now and then, a gentle breeze would blow, causing them to emit soft high-pitched sounds. It was precisely this unique variety of trees which made the ¡°Whistling Woods¡± famous in the region. Only when the sun began to set did Gawain stop, gesturing at them to help him set up camp. They¡¯d have to spend four nights in the forest, and another two along the grasslands on the other side, before reaching the foot of the mountain where the temple was located on the seventh. ¡°Uncle, how safe are these woods even?¡± Percy asked, as he gazed at the imposing trees which already looked much scarier than they had just minutes ago.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Gawain chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry kid. The most dangerous thing we can run into is a pack of wood goblins. A simple Crude spell from a Green core can easily kill a whole bunch of them.¡± Percy looked at his grinning cousin, his uncle¡¯s words reminding him that the innocent-looking girl was really a little monster in disguise. Shrugging, he finished preparing his tent, before sitting by the campfire with the others and eating some dried rations. The group dined in silence, as he and Elaine had already spent all day chatting. Next, his uncle went to sleep, leaving the two to take the first watch together. Percy was too weak to take a shift by himself. If they were ambushed, he might not be able to do much before waking the others. Consequently, Gawain and Elaine had to split the night between themselves, with Percy simply serving as a second pair of eyes for his cousin. In the end, their first night at the Whistling Woods passed uneventfully, as did the one after. It wasn¡¯t until the third day they stumbled upon a grizzly bear, but it actually fled from them on sight. Most animals on Remior ¨C even the ones which didn¡¯t possess magic of their own ¨C had evolved the ability to sense another¡¯s mana core, mostly to avoid danger. *** ¡®Geez, she fell asleep again.¡¯ Percy rolled his eyes. While Elaine had been a bit tense at the beginning, she had noticeably relaxed over the past few nights. This was the second time she dozed off an hour before their shift ended. He felt bad waking her up, especially since nothing would happen most likely. Still, he knew he couldn¡¯t protect the group by himself on the off chance it did. ¡°Elaine.¡± he muttered, trying to get her to hear him, without waking his uncle who was sleeping just a dozen yards further. Yet, he didn¡¯t even hear his own voice. Come to think of it, even the whistling sound of the wind passing through the trees seemed to have gone silent. He frowned. ¡°ELAINE!!!¡± he yelled again, this time not caring about waking Gawain by accident. Nothing. He felt his vocal cords vibrate, but not a sound came out of his mouth. Paling, he darted towards her, hoping to shake his cousin awake. An arrow landed soundlessly just in front of his foot, stopping him in his tracks. Another soon followed, this one whizzing by him, nicking him in the shoulder. Turning to look in the direction the projectiles had been fired from, he only spotted several pairs of bright yellow eyes glinting in the darkness. ¡®Shit.¡¯ he thought, right as a third arrow hit him in the thigh. Gritting his teeth, he resumed his dash to Elaine. She was only four meters away, though they now felt longer as he limped, barely dodging the fourth arrow by accident. He was about to reach her, when the fifth arrow hit his other calf, sending him tumbling on the dirt. Normally, the sound should have woken her up as he was only half a meter away, but something was still muting all noise in the area. Percy stretched his arm, trying to reach her foot as he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he saw a silhouette standing over him. It wasn¡¯t very tall, probably shorter than he was. Still, the savage look in its eyes, coupled with the glint of its weapon¡¯s edge ¨C some kind of hatchet most likely ¨C were enough to convince him of the danger it posed. As if by instinct, he turned his palm the way of the creature, repeating the same move he¡¯d been practicing over the days leading to the trip. He hurled the mana a second sooner than he would have liked. While he could have charged it some more, he had to stop his assailant before it swung its weapon. Not even waiting to see if it had any effect, he reached for his cousin, this time succeeding. The girl¡¯s eyes snapped open, as did her mouth. She tried to scream, but he couldn¡¯t hear her. Luckily, she regained her wits a moment later. Just in time too, as she was already surrounded by three more of the fiends. A quick flash of azure later, and the upper bodies of all four of the goblins ¨C including the one still standing motionless over Percy ¨C were cleanly separated from their legs. Another spell sent a bucketful of water splashing over her father, waking him up. Percy let out a breath he hadn¡¯t even noticed he was holding, as his relatives rounded up the remaining goblins. The creatures tried to run away of course, but their short legs couldn¡¯t possibly outrun a Green cored human¡¯s. Only now did he take the time to examine the arrows sticking out of his flesh. ¡®Riding a horse is going to suck so much tomorrow.¡¯ Chapter 5 – Affinities A young man rode his horse, his short black hair glistening with sweat. His forehead creased as he tried to keep his mind off the discomfort, focusing on the feeling in his palms. Every few seconds, he released the gathered mana, trying to gather a bit more of it with each attempt and to compress it to an even tighter ball before letting go. Riding made concentrating a challenge, but it was the only way he¡¯d found to keep his thoughts occupied. And he had managed to pull it off ¨C for the most part. At least until his horse stepped on something and the bump made him wince. Elaine hadn¡¯t said much over the last couple of days. Well, if he excluded her frequent apologies. She¡¯d already told him how sorry she was over falling asleep a million times. And here she was, approaching him for the million-and-first. A beautiful azure ribbon snaked towards him, gently caressing the wounds on his legs. It felt cool and soft, soothing the sting briefly. Still, it couldn¡¯t heal him. Back at home, life users were a copper a dozen, and any one of them could patch him up rather easily. Hell, it would take baldy less than a second if he deigned to waste his mana on him. Sadly, both of his escorts for this trip had the water affinity instead. Such was the cruelty of genetics. He¡¯d have to put up with this for another week. ¡°Percy¡­ I¡¯m so so, so sorry!¡± she said again, as he raised his hand to stop her. By now he felt a bit bad seeing her squirm. He was tempted to undersell his injuries to make her feel better. After all, the only reason she and her dad were accompanying him in the first place was because she had pleaded to their grandpa for his sake. But Percy wasn¡¯t the best actor. He couldn¡¯t downplay the pain. Besides, learning from this mistake would serve her well in the future. Even prodigies couldn¡¯t be careless in the wilderness. ¡°Just be careful from now on.¡± is what he ended up saying. However, upon seeing her downtrodden expression, he couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°It was an accident anyway. Who would¡¯ve thought we¡¯d run into a goblin mage of all things.¡± he added. Most of the creatures were born at Red which was one of the reasons his cousins had often called him ¡°goblin¡± among other names. A goblin born at Orange was actually rarer than a human born at Yellow. Even then, they wouldn¡¯t necessarily figure out how to use their magic. ¡®Huh, come to think of it, that one was probably more talented than I am.¡¯ he chuckled. Still, the most surprising part about the attack was the affinity it had used. According to Gawain, the silencing effect had most likely been the result of a Crude sound spell. Mana affinities typically came in four flavours. The five elemental affinities were the most common. About eighty percent of humans on Remior were born with fire, water, air, earth or lightning cores. Next were those born without an affinity. About one in five fell into this category. It sucked to be in this category. Not that pure mana was entirely useless. Concentrated, it could still pack a punch. Still, a blast of pure mana was typically about a full grade weaker than it was supposed to be. Less than 1% of the population was born with anything else. This number was further split into two groups. One included the rare affinities such as space, time, life, mind and so on. Those were generally difficult to pass on. His family was an exception, as their Clone bloodline allowed nearly half of them to be born with a life core. It was one of the reasons the Avalon House was so respected. The final group were those born with a composite affinity. It was nothing more than the combination of two elemental ones. The sound affinity the goblin had used was a result of air and lightning mana mixing.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. As for anything else? Well, nobody had ever heard of a triple elemental affinity or a double rare affinity. In any case, Elaine nodded, letting him return to his practice. Percy willed the mana to gather in his hand once more, as he recalled the moment he used it against the goblin. ¡®It definitely did something.¡¯ The blast hadn¡¯t left any visible injuries on the creature¡¯s body, but it had stopped it in its tracks for an abnormal amount of time. It had just stood still, waiting for Elaine to bisect it several seconds later. ¡®No sense in torturing myself thinking about it I suppose.¡¯ He¡¯d already waited fifteen years. He could wait another day. For now, he was better off just learning how to shape his magic. Bolt after bolt, he kept firing his mana randomly, working on both his cast time and potency. It wasn¡¯t until they rode up a hill that Elaine pulled him out of the trance again. ¡°Percy! Look!¡± Lifting his eyes, he saw it. A colossal shadow stretched across the horizon. It was faintly obscured by a strange rosy mist, but there was no mistaking it. ¡®The Oracle Mountain.¡¯ This was their destination. Or well, the temple located somewhere at its base was. The trio pressed on for another few hours, before setting camp at night. Elaine was visibly tense, hawking their surroundings as if her life depended on it. Percy chuckled at the sight. The grasslands could be more dangerous than the forest, as bandits typically roamed them, looking for easy targets. But not this close to the temple. According to Gawain, even the dumbest lowlifes knew not to provoke the affiliates of the Divine Order. His cousin didn¡¯t seem to know that, however. Her dad hadn¡¯t told her, probably still punishing her. Percy wouldn¡¯t interfere in their family matters. Looking back towards the mountain, he tried to make out the layer of mist surrounding it. But he couldn¡¯t see it. He knew it was still there, but it was invisible against the dark blanket of the night. He rubbed his hands in anticipation. Even though he¡¯d never had the opportunity to travel much, he¡¯d spent a lot of time in the House¡¯s library, reading all sorts of things about Remior and the upper echelons of the world. Those were the heights of magic he dreamt of reaching one day! The weirdly coloured fog was one of his targets for the trip. Supposedly, it was a gift from the titaness, Phoebe, the current leader of the Divine Order. Showering the mountain range, it trickled down the rocky slopes and accumulated at a basin, where it was used by the temple as fuel for the affinity test. Similar locations existed all around Remior. As far as he knew, the Order was interested in getting children evaluated early on, to fish out the talents among them, replenishing their ranks. But more importantly, Percy was interested in what the rosy mist was. Mind mana. And in just a few hours he would practically be bathing in it. Swimming inside a sea of it. Inhaling it with every breath. If this wasn¡¯t enough for his second core, he genuinely had no clue where to find a better source. He was almost tempted to jump on his horse and ride towards it right then and there. But he didn¡¯t feel like explaining to his cousin and uncle why he was so eager. It wasn¡¯t like the priests performed appraisals during the night. Plus, horseback was rather painful for him. In the end, he shrugged, resuming his practice as he formed a colourless blob of mana in his hand, squeezing it down into a transparent ball, about the size of a tangerine. He wasn¡¯t sure if he had improved at all. One typically needed weeks if not months of work before they noticed a difference. Not days. At least, he could train a lot more since his advancement. He was able to store more mana than before and to recover it much faster. Still, despite all his efforts, his Status page had not bothered to register his magic. Apparently, he hadn¡¯t even crossed the threshold of a Crude spell yet. ¡®Tell that to the goblin, rotting somewhere in the Woods.¡¯ Of course, Percy knew that if his magic hadn¡¯t registered yet, it probably meant he was using it incorrectly. It certainly didn¡¯t seem to have any physical effect, so he¡¯d considered it might be mind mana. That would explain how the blast had disoriented the creature. But that didn¡¯t sound right. His colourless mana didn¡¯t look anything like the rosy mist surrounding the mountain¡­ ¡®Ugh¡­ eight more hours, Percy. Just forget about it for eight more hours.¡¯ Chapter 6 – Pilgrimage Waiting in a queue must have been a novel experience for Elaine. There weren¡¯t that many people in their House. Being one of the chosen ones, she was generally given priority for most things. Strictly speaking, the same was true here. Just like everywhere else on Remior. Yellow-borns always went first. Still, the sheer number of people waiting their turn was simply staggering. Even the lucky groups who had a Yellow-born among them easily numbered in the triple digits, which meant the trio would have to spend the better part of the morning in the line. Percy on the other hand was amazed he got to skip most of the wait for a change. He flashed the Orange-borns behind him an apologetic expression, not too comfortable cutting in line. It wasn¡¯t like he particularly minded waiting at the back either. For one, he was already used to such things by now. More importantly, this was perhaps the only time he wished he could stay here longer. Well, ok. He was naturally eager to find out his affinity, plus his legs were killing him. Elaine was propping him up right now which wasn¡¯t exactly ideal. Still, he had another reason for taking his sweet time. Soon after entering the valley, he quickly verified his guess had been correct. Once the density of mind mana around him increased to the point where each breath carried with it a sliver of the rosy mist, he felt a part of his body stir. It wasn¡¯t his sternum, where his original core ¨C everyone¡¯s core ¨C was located. Instead, this was happening in his abdomen. He hadn¡¯t been able to examine his temporary alien body for long enough, but it seemed that¡¯s where the second mana core took root. ¡®Doesn¡¯t matter where it¡¯s located.¡¯ In any case, he¡¯d be happy to get one on his forehead if it meant giving him an edge.
The text in his Status read the same, as his abdomen continued to suck the mind mana like a gluttonous vortex. Percy even made a conscious effort to take deeper, more frequent breaths. He didn¡¯t know if it would help, but it couldn¡¯t hurt. Right? He had no idea how much mana the seed needed to ¡®germinate¡¯, although he hoped he would manage to collect enough by the time they had to leave. But he shook his head. This was too important to leave up to chance. ¡®I¡¯m not going anywhere until it¡¯s done.¡¯ If necessary, he¡¯d make up some excuse to get Gawain to wait here for a couple more days. He knew his uncle wouldn¡¯t be thrilled, but if he told him his injuries were acting up, the man would listen. Maybe. ¡®Hopefully it doesn¡¯t come to that.¡¯ Percy then looked around to pass the time. There were two types of people standing in the queue. Some wore finer clothes, much like them. They were nobles of various Houses. And he recognized many of their insignias, having stumbled upon them in his studies. All in all, there weren¡¯t too many prominent Houses on Remior, only about a thousand. Each required a Violet core at minimum to survive, and they didn¡¯t exactly grow on trees. Even Yellow-borns had to guzzle down expensive elixirs for several centuries and survive countless assassination attempts to get to that point. Only 1% of them did. Baldy was one of those. The second group were dressed in simpler clothes, ranging from worn linen outfits to dirty rags. Those were the commoners. They rarely had a bloodline of their own, and even the few who had one didn¡¯t particularly stand out, as it was obviously not powerful enough to help them establish a House. Still, even the poorest commoner could give birth to a Yellow cored baby. And the Divine Order made sure that all the talented kids were given a chance to rise in the world.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡®How nice of them.¡¯ he sneered. Both the nobles and the peasants had a few things in common. First, every group escorted at least one toddler, about five years old. Furthermore, all of those kids were Orange-born at a minimum. Percy¡¯s was the only group who escorted a Red-born teenager, earning him no small number of disdainful stares. ¡®Yeah, well. Fuck all of you.¡¯ As annoying as it was, it made sense really. Phoebe was powerful, but she couldn¡¯t fill the whole world with mind mana. Instead, she mostly focused it on places such as this temple which administrated the more advanced test. Beyond that, she also mass-produced a lot of trinkets, which smaller temples used for a more basic version of the test. Kids were typically brought to one of the minor sites at 5, where their Status was awakened, and the grade of the core measured. From there, all the promising kids would be brought to temples like this by their parents, to be tested further. It was possible for a Red-born to pay for an advanced test of course, but most of them didn¡¯t bother. After all, few had a rare affinity or a bloodline they couldn¡¯t identify on their own. Even fewer had the disposable income to waste on such a pointless endeavour. ¡®Well, unless you have rich parents who care enough to pay for you.¡¯ Sadly, Percy was out of luck in that department too. First of all, both his parents had been Red-born like him. Secondly, they had both been killed along with most of the other Red-borns of the family in a nasty attack from a rival House, only a couple years after his birth. He was only brought out of his thoughts when it was their turn to enter the temple. The structure looked even more grand from up close. It had a strange shape, its roof like a staircase of progressively smaller concentric rings, rising about a hundred meters to the sky. Each of those steps were lined with rows of marble statues, depicting various men and women, their features more beautiful than any mortal he had ever seen. The figures were polished and immaculate, clearly enchanted to weather dust and rain alike. ¡®The gods of the Divine Order.¡¯ Each of the temples supposedly depicted statues of every single god that had ever risen in the history of Remior. Apparently, whenever a new one emerged, another statue was added. Not that it happened often. ¡°The test is only free for Orange-borns and above.¡± a male voice said. Percy looked at the guard who had just spoken. He was a tall blond guy appearing to be in his late twenties, possessing a Green core like his uncle. He wore a funny-looking toga and a pair of sandals, holding an intricate spear that looked more decorative than suited for combat, as did the other guard opposite him. The two had crossed their weapons, blocking the way to the tall golden gate of the temple. ¡°Naturally.¡± said Gawain, handing him a heavy pouch filled with coins. The guard opened it to check its contents, allowing Percy to partially glimpse at their golden lustre. He swallowed hard, realizing the test was even more expensive than he¡¯d thought. If he hadn¡¯t convinced baldy to subsidize him, gods-knew how long he would have needed to pay his own way. A few steps into the temple, Elaine spoke. ¡°Dad, why do they charge so much for a simple test? Aren¡¯t they just making things difficult for Red-borns?¡± Gawain shook his head. ¡°Listen, Elaine. I know it seems unfair, but the Divine Order genuinely wants what¡¯s best for Remior.¡± ¡°But then why?! Isn¡¯t it best to help everyone figure out their affinity?!¡± ¡°In a perfect world, yes. But it takes a tremendous amount of mind mana to perform the test and Red-borns are 60% of the population. There just isn¡¯t enough for everyone.¡± Percy who was only partially listening to their conversation felt cold sweat trickle down his back. ¡®Shit, I hope nobody realizes how much I¡¯ve taken already.¡¯ The density of the mist had already tripled by the time they reached the temple, but that wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning compared to the changes upon entering it. Inside, it was easily a dozen times thicker, to the point where they could barely watch where they stepped. And even worse, the seed in Percy¡¯s abdomen didn¡¯t seem to care about optics, only doubling its efforts to absorb it. By now, he could even see the mist spiral around his mouth if he paid close attention. He was forced to slow down his breaths, trying to hide what was happening. So focused was he on doing so, that he failed to notice when Gawain stopped walking, crashing into his uncle. ¡°Ouch!¡± he said, rubbing his forehead. It felt more like he¡¯d bumped into a wall than a person. Gawain tossed a glare his way to shut him up, when Percy realized they weren¡¯t alone. Chapter 7 – The most ancient art A beautiful woman stood in front of them, dressed in elegant red clothes, wearing a tiara adorned with rubies on her head. Percy¡¯s Mana Sense revealed her core thrumming with an intimidating Blue colour ¨C a grade higher than the two attendants by her side. The High Priestess didn¡¯t seem to mind his previous lack of attentiveness, flashing him a bright smile, before gesturing at another golden door. It was half as tall as the other one. ¡°Please enter the pool inside and extract some mana out of your core. The enchantments will take care of the rest.¡± Percy frowned. ¡°Alone? Don¡¯t you have to¡­ I don¡¯t know, supervise people?¡± Gawain shook his head as the High Priestess tilted hers. ¡°Why? Are you planning to damage the sacred pool?¡± she asked. ¡°Er, no? I mean, definitely not! I just thought¡­ Isn¡¯t it too precious to leave unattended?¡± She chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you. The evaluation is a private affair. Nobody can force you to disclose the results against your will. As for the integrity of the pool, you don¡¯t need to worry about it. Even I can¡¯t put a scratch on the materials and nobody below Violet could possibly snatch any of the concentrated mana in there.¡± ¡®I guess we¡¯ll see about that.¡¯ Outwardly, he only nodded before limping towards the door. ¡°Do you need somebody to accompany you?¡± the High Priestess asked again as she saw his injuries. But he shook his head, cupping his fists politely. He really didn¡¯t want anybody watching¡­ whatever was about to go down in there. He rushed forward, as quickly as he could manage, wincing with every step. Luckily, nobody seemed to notice anything was off. It was probably normal for those undertaking the test to be excited. It was a significant turning point in their lives after all. However, that wasn¡¯t what Percy was thinking. He was holding his breath, trying to mask the suspicious flow of mist. As soon as the golden doors closed behind him, he looked at the only thing in the room. It was a circular basin, with a diameter of about 20 feet, filled to the brim with a dense red liquid that looked a bit like glowing blood. The liquid made a crisp sound, rippling as something fell in the middle of the pool. Looking up, Percy saw the mist swirl and gather at the ceiling. A decorated stalactite-like structure appeared to collect and condense it. Its edge was shaped like the beak of a large bird, as a droplet enlarged, held in the tiny gap between its two points. Once it grew large enough, it fell, sending another ripple. ¡®Cool. I hope it still looks like this after I¡¯m done with it.¡¯ he thought as he undressed. Sadly, that was nothing but wishful thinking. Not even a moment after he dipped his toes into the pool, all hell broke loose. The seed in his abdomen didn¡¯t bother waiting for him to inhale the mist anymore. A violent suction force emerged from his belly, directly causing the liquid to flow up his skin, making its way to it. Percy panicked. The commotion could easily draw the attention of the High Priestess. He tried to step back, but his foot was stuck in the flowing liquid. He put more strength, trying to extricate his body, causing the red material to stretch like rubber, before snapping back, pulling him into the pool. The sound was muted, as the fluid was already coiling around him. ¡®I can¡¯t breathe!¡¯ Not only was it travelling up and through his skin, but also down his throat. Percy used all his strength to stand up. It was hard and it took him several seconds to right himself. Even when he did, he couldn¡¯t bring his head out of the liquid, as he was covered from top to bottom like a crimson snowman. He tried to claw the material out of his face, but it didn¡¯t help. More kept flowing to replace it. Dizzy, he fell to his knees, his consciousness slipping. Percy thought he was a goner, when the flow suddenly eased up. It quickly lost its viscosity, falling back into the pool, trickling down his skin. But he wasn¡¯t out of the woods just yet. His second core was clearly a sloppy eater, having failed to clean up after its mess. The liquid outside his body had stopped hugging him, but that didn¡¯t help with the part still in his lungs. Percy desperately hit his chest, trying to cough the substance out, with limited success.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡®No, I can¡¯t drown during the damn test.¡¯ That would be such a dumb way to die. Thinking of something, he climbed out of the pool, feeling an attractive force tugging at the liquid in his lungs. The High Priestess wasn¡¯t kidding when she said nobody could steal it from this place. He opened his mouth, letting it flow out. But it was still slow, and he was running out of time. Suddenly, he had another bright idea. Reaching for the mana inside his first core, he followed the High Priestess¡¯s instructions, beginning the assessment in earnest. This was what he was actually here for after all. Soon, a few runes lit up on the walls and on the floor of the room, as the volume of the liquid still in his lungs began to decrease and the mana in his core to drain. The taste of air was so sweet when he could finally breathe properly again. Though he didn¡¯t get to enjoy it for very long, as somebody knocked repeatedly on the door, breaking him out of his thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s taking so long?! Are you ok in there?!¡± a female voice asked. Percy didn¡¯t recognize it. He guessed she was one of the attendants. ¡°Yeah, everything is fine! Sorry! It took me a while to figure it out!¡± The voice remained silent for a couple of seconds. Percy wasn¡¯t sure if she had bought his lousy excuse or if she was still trying to process it. Well, it was the latter. ¡°What¡¯s there to figure out?!?! Please tell me you haven¡¯t pissed inside the sacred pool!!¡± she yelled again, this time a hint of anger seeping through. He scratched his head, unsure what to say. ¡°What?! Of course not! Who do you take me for?!¡± was what he ended up going with. Next, he took another look at the pool. Its surface was a couple feet deeper than before. Evidently, he¡¯d already drained about a third of the volume. ¡®I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll wish I¡¯d only pissed in it...¡¯ he chuckled awkwardly. Then he raised an eyebrow. ¡®I mean¡­ It WOULD raise the water level again¡­¡¯ But he shook his head. He had desecrated the holy goo enough for a day. Next, he picked up his clothes, pulling up his Status as he dressed. Maybe he should have waited until he was safely out of this place before worrying about it, but he figured he might as well check it now in case they murdered him and he never got the chance.
Percival Avalon Mana cores: Bloodline: ???:
¡®Success!¡¯ The changes were small but important. Not only had he finally learned he possessed the soul affinity, but the trait granting him the second mana core had graduated from ¡°Fractured¡± to ¡°Incomplete¡±. It now only needed life mana, which meant Percy was merely a step away! Now he just had to make it out of the temple in one piece. Exiting the room, he found all five people giving him strange looks. ¡°What?! I¡¯m injured, it took me ages to undress.¡± he shrugged. The attendants eyed him suspiciously, but luckily the person who had the final word ¨C the High Priestess ¨C didn¡¯t dwell on it. ¡°Alright. I trust everything went well then?¡± she asked. Percy nodded. ¡°Great! As I said before, you don¡¯t have to disclose your affinity if you don¡¯t want to. Still, if you are willing to share it, we can give you some basic guidance.¡± Hearing that, he raised an eyebrow. It was indeed a tempting offer. A soul affinity was even rarer than others and he doubted he could learn much from the library. He opened his mouth to speak, when one of the attendants beat him to it. ¡°Mother! He¡¯s already wasted more than enough time!¡± Percy recognized the voice as the one that had spoken to him earlier. ¡°Erythea.¡± the High Priestess said in a stern tone. ¡°Basic guidance is a part of the service.¡± The attendant gritted her teeth. ¡°But he¡¯s just a Red-born! There are hundreds of kids waiting outside!¡± she protested. The second attendant didn¡¯t say anything, but Percy guessed he agreed with his colleague based on his expression. Luckily for Percy, the High Priestess didn¡¯t. ¡°And that¡¯s why he had to pay a hefty sum to be tested. Now that he has, he deserves the same treatment as everyone else.¡± Her daughter, or subordinate, or whatever Erythea was, clearly didn¡¯t like the response, storming off to the room he¡¯d just exited. ¡®Fuck! I hope she can¡¯t tell the difference¡­¡¯ Though the High Priestess didn¡¯t seem to pay her any heed. She turned to him, evidently still waiting for his answer. Percy looked at his uncle, wondering if it would be ok to reveal this information. After all, depending on how things went, it could easily become a secret of House Avalon. ¡°Go on. The High Priestess can be trusted.¡± Gawain said. He nodded at his uncle before speaking. ¡°Eh, yes. Some guidance sounds peachy. I have a soul affinity.¡± Everyone seemed surprised to hear that. ¡°Interesting.¡± the High Priestess said, before turning to Gawain. ¡°And I take it Archibald wouldn¡¯t have sent him here if he hadn¡¯t inherited the bloodline too¡­ Is House Avalon about to develop a new branch?¡± ¡°That is very much our patriarch¡¯s hope.¡± Gawain said. Percy was surprised his uncle hadn¡¯t hesitated for even a moment before replying. He couldn¡¯t tell if he knew her personally, or if all the Order¡¯s clergy deserved such trust. She seemed ready to offer a few words of advice, when a shriek came out of the room. A moment later, the gates slammed open, Erythea storming out, her face red like a ripe tomato. ¡°WHAT DID YOU DO?!?¡± she grabbed Percy by the collar, shaking him like a doll. The High Priestess grabbed her wrist to calm her down, but didn¡¯t speak, only flashing her a questioning gaze. ¡°Half the condensed mana is gone!!!¡± Erythea yelled, causing everyone¡¯s faces to fall. They all looked at Percy, demanding an explanation. Knowing he didn¡¯t exactly have that many options, Percy swallowed hard, before falling back to the most ancient art invented by mankind. ¡°I found it like that.¡± Chapter 8 – Soul Percy and his relatives barely managed to escape with their lives, leaping out of the wolves¡¯ den by the skin of their teeth. Ok, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration. The High Priestess let them go. Relatively easily. Not that Percy¡¯s hastily constructed lie was particularly believable, but at the end of the day there wasn¡¯t any evidence incriminating him. After all, she had said it herself. Nobody below Violet could steal the dense mind mana, let alone an Orange cored teenager. While she had certainly seemed somewhat colder during their subsequent interactions, in the end she did give him some tips on how to train with his affinity like she had promised. That was why he was squinting really hard right now, trying to peer into Elaine¡¯s soul. ¡°Cut it out, will you?!¡± she grunted in annoyance. ¡°What did you even do in there?¡± ¡°I tested for my affinity.¡± he shrugged. His cousin rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine, keep your secrets. Just try not to get us all killed next time.¡± Percy was about to comment on the irony of her statement, but in the end, he chose to let it slide. He was too busy to walk into another argument. The High Priestess had explained that the soul affinity could be used for offense. Even though it wasn¡¯t good at affecting physical objects, there were ways to shape it into a potent weapon against living things. What he had done to that goblin was proof enough it was possible, but it still didn¡¯t explain why Percy was so bad at it. After all, even a Red core could easily injure somebody with a fireball or a stone shard. Why had he needed to advance to Orange before he could stun a single goblin temporarily? Hearing his worries, she had advised him to start by developing something called a Soul Vision. Simply put, it was just a specialised version of the basic Mana Sense that everyone had upon awakening their core. Soul Vision made use of his affinity to observe another¡¯s soul directly. Once he managed to pull that off, he could more easily understand what he had been doing wrong with his magic. The trio finally made it to their horses, much to Percy¡¯s relief. As painful as riding was, it was several times better than walking. Only after they headed off did he resume training, willing the soul mana to build up in his eyes. This time, he focused on his uncle, to avoid his cousin¡¯s complaints. Getting some rudimentary version of Soul Vision to work wasn¡¯t too difficult. Even the slightest trickle of mana allowed him to see things he couldn¡¯t previously. The main challenge was fine-tuning the process, to make this new sense of his as effective as possible. If he used too little mana, Gawain¡¯s soul was barely visible, appearing as a few faint wisps of silver swirling around his chest. Using more than necessary on the other hand was like pulling wool in front of his eyes, as the excess soul mana itself obscured his sight. The trick was to get used to exactly the right amount, so that he could discern his uncle¡¯s soul without obstructing it. He knew it was just a matter of practice until he nailed it, but he did hope he could get it done by the time they returned to the Whistling Woods. He would need it for the next part of his training after all. ¡®Better make the next 3 days count then.¡¯ *** ¡®Just a little more.¡¯ Percy sent another clump of mana to his right eye. As that happened, Gawain¡¯s soul came into focus, letting his nephew spy on it more clearly. To Percy, human souls appeared like semi-amorphous flames contained inside one¡¯s body, spreading to roughly cover its entire volume. They did flicker a bit, so their shape constantly diverged from that of the person¡¯s flesh. Also, he had no idea what happened to somebody¡¯s soul after they died. Still, this was good progress in his book. And the best part was that he only needed a few seconds to fine-tune his Soul Vision by now. Not to say there wasn¡¯t any room for improvement though. Percy breathed hard as the mana dispersed from his eyes, returning his sight to normal. Sadly, he couldn¡¯t keep his new trick up for too long before having to stop. It took quite a mental toll, plus it did cost a fair amount of mana to maintain. That said, he figured both would improve over time. Perhaps, one day he would even be able to keep Soul Vision up indefinitely, although that was more of a long-term project. ¡®It¡¯ll do for now.¡¯ He looked up, at the rows of pine trees appearing in the distance. He had trained relentlessly over the last three days, and luckily, it had paid off. He had managed to get his Soul Vision to an acceptable level by the time they returned to the forest.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. It took some begging, but he had convinced Gawain to help him find some more goblins to practice on, now that he finally had the tool to figure out what was going on. His uncle had initially been resistant to the idea, but he¡¯d eventually relented. Percy wasn¡¯t sure if the man had warmed up to him, or if he was doing this because his daughter had asked him to. The young man appreciated it all the same. ¡°Just remember, we won¡¯t spend more than a week here.¡± Gawain reminded him. ¡°Have I mentioned you¡¯re my favourite uncle?¡± Percy asked. ¡°We both know that¡¯s a low bar.¡± Gawain rolled his eyes. ¡°And you¡¯ve passed it with flying colours!¡± Percy didn¡¯t let up. *** So, it turned out wood goblins were a lot tougher to find when one was actively looking for them. Well, either that or the trio had just been unlucky last week. In any case, it took them six full days to find one this time around. And that¡¯s only because they stumbled across an injured loner abandoned by its pack. Percy would have liked to put the poor thing out of its misery, but truth be told, the creature¡¯s misery was only about to begin. He did feel a little bad doing this, but he had to test his soul magic on something. Inanimate objects obviously wouldn¡¯t work, which left humans, innocent animals, or ugly goblins. And sadly, Percy¡¯s green pal was the most disposable of those targets. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯ll start easy.¡± he told the creature tied to a tree. Activating Soul Vision, he spent a few moments calibrating it, as the goblin¡¯s soul came into focus. It looked disturbingly similar to his uncle¡¯s, only slightly shorter. Percy didn¡¯t know if goblin souls were fundamentally different to those of humans, or if they only looked smaller due to having less space to expand to. ¡®Judging from how I managed to possess an alien body, I suppose souls of different species are somewhat interchangeable.¡¯ Or maybe not. His clone had fallen apart rather quickly. But he shook the philosophical thoughts out of his head. He couldn¡¯t keep his Soul Vision up for too long, so he had to make it count. Pulling some more soul mana out of his core, this time he gathered it in his palm. Normally, it appeared colourless, to the point he could barely see it with the naked eye. Not now. Through Soul Vision, it appeared like a bright silver orb, about the size of a cherry. Soon, he fired the bolt towards the goblin, carefully paying attention to the changes. As the projectile slammed into the similarly coloured silhouette of the creature, he saw it bend backwards and distort, its shape clearly rattled. Dispersing the mana in his eyes, he watched the goblin¡¯s physical form, curious to see what would happen to it. Percy¡¯s prisoner looked disoriented for a while, but its eyes regained their focus after a few seconds. He nodded. He¡¯d held back with the last attack, partly to conserve his mana and partly to avoid dealing permanent damage to the creature too early. The last blast had only been at the level of what a Red core would be capable of. Next, he repeated the process, this time charging the orb as long as possible, letting it reach the size of a tangerine before shooting it at the creature. The impact was a lot more violent than before, causing the goblin¡¯s soul to stretch, almost leaving its body. Then, it snapped back, shaking intensely for a few seconds, like a boat trapped in a storm. Still, it settled down eventually, without any permanent damage visible on the surface. Percy switched to his regular vision and observed the changes to the goblin. This time it remained out of it for longer than an hour, before eventually regaining its senses. It still appeared somewhat dizzy afterwards, but it didn¡¯t look like something a few hours of sleep couldn¡¯t fix. ¡®As I thought. My attacks barely do anything. Any other affinity I know of would be deadly at Orange¡­¡¯ He frowned, trying to work a way around the issue. The problem was that the goblin¡¯s soul was surprisingly resilient. And judging from his experiences growing up, human souls were even more so. Anyone he¡¯d ever tossed his mana against had shrugged it off without feeling more than a simple chill. Thinking back to his attacks, it was a bit like trying to punch a sandbag. No matter how much strength he put behind the blast, it would just deform to absorb it. ¡®Hmmm¡­ A sandbag, huh?¡¯ Percy willed his mana to gather in his hand again. This time, rather than shaping it into a ball, he focused it on his index and middle fingers, trying to make it as pointy as possible. This was his first attempt at something like that, so it took a while. The construct crumbled a few times, and he couldn¡¯t make it too sharp without it falling apart, but eventually he managed to get something about as pointy as a spoon¡¯s handle. He activated Soul Vision once more as he walked up to the goblin. As much as he would have liked to throw the new projectile, he knew it wouldn¡¯t survive the flight. He pointed his augmented fingers towards the goblin¡¯s chest and stabbed forward. His actual fingers stopped on the creature¡¯s skin, but the surrounding mana dug an inch deeper. ¡°EEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHH!!!¡± the goblin shrieked loudly, the sheer agony contained in its voice making Percy¡¯s hair stand on end. Covering his ears, he took a few steps back, but kept his Soul Vision active, trying to figure out what was going on. There was a small scar on the creature¡¯s soul. It was tiny, as if it had been nicked by a fingernail, but unlike the blunt damage from before, it wasn¡¯t recovering. Percy didn¡¯t know if it would, given enough time, but he could tell the goblin would be in a world of pain until then. The creature¡¯s cries instantly reminded him of his experience possessing the alien body. What the goblin was feeling right now appeared to be similar to what he¡¯d felt back when his clone fell apart. Maybe not quite as intense, but of a similar sort. He turned around just in time to catch Elaine heaving out her lunch, her father looking at her with concern. The two had been observing him during his experiments, also curious about his soul affinity. Percy walked back to the goblin. Even though the little buggers had shot him full of holes just days ago, watching the creature squirm churned up his own stomach. Besides, he¡¯d learned more than enough to plan out the next phase of his training. Pulling a knife out, he plunged it into the goblin¡¯s neck, putting an end to its suffering. ¡®A soul affinity, huh? Clearly not meant for the faint of heart.¡¯ Chapter 9 – Family Elaine helped Percy walk as they passed through the corridor leading to baldy¡¯s office. She hadn¡¯t spoken to him much during the last stretch of their journey, still shaken after watching him torture the goblin. He didn¡¯t think she held it against him or anything. Hell, he¡¯d watched her butcher plenty of goblins herself just days ago. Still, she¡¯d kept her distance from him every time he practiced since then, clearly having some newfound appreciation for the danger his affinity posed. And he didn¡¯t exactly blame her for it. ¡®Who would have thought such a small cut on one¡¯s soul would cause such suffering?¡¯ Truth be told, his mood hadn¡¯t been much better, but that didn¡¯t mean he could take a day off training. Those at the bottom of the ladder didn¡¯t have the luxury to stop climbing. Whenever they did, the rising tide drowned them. Consequently, he¡¯d spent the last few hours of their trip honing his projectiles into knives. They already looked much better than what he had stabbed the goblin with, and he could even throw them a short distance before they crumbled. Though they weren¡¯t ready for combat. Not yet at least¡­ Reaching the office, they knocked a couple of times. ¡°Come in.¡± The two entered, finding their grandpa much like they had left him. ¡®Does he even sleep, or has he spent the past 2 weeks in that seat?¡¯ ¡°Thanks Elaine. You may go.¡± Percy wasn¡¯t sure why his grandpa wanted to speak with him alone. Even stranger was how Elaine did as she was told, leaving the room without any protest. ¡®What¡¯s up with her today? Surely she¡¯s not just scared of my affinity?¡¯ He shook his head. He would talk to her later, but for now he had to figure out how to snatch baldy¡¯s magic tree. ¡°Come closer.¡± his grandpa spoke. He frowned, but ultimately obliged, curious to see what the man wanted. Archibald placed a hand on Percy¡¯s shoulder, as the latter felt a suffocating pressure emerge from the former¡¯s sternum. Activating his Mana Sense, he saw a bright Violet star thrum with activity in his grandpa¡¯s chest, as a film of vibrant green covered the man¡¯s arm in his regular vision. Percy instinctively tried to step back as he saw the life mana flow towards him, still not completely over the trauma from the temple, but Archibald¡¯s firm grip kept him in place. As the mana trickled down his body, the seed of his second core awakened once more, trying to pull it, making Percy fear the worst. He didn¡¯t think his grandpa had enough mana to suffocate him, nor was it nearly dense enough to do so, but the man could still notice something was off. Luckily, that didn¡¯t happen. Unlike the red liquid that had been kept in the pool for Phoebe-knew how long, baldy¡¯s mana was filled with his intent, rendering Percy¡¯s second core powerless to affect it. Ignoring the weak pull, the green river continued past his abdomen, reaching his legs, as Percy felt his wounds itch. And just a moment later, it was over. Archibald let go of him, as Percy tried moving his feet, finding not only the pain but even the soreness from the trip gone. He almost thanked his grandpa. He wasn¡¯t used to receiving much from him, but this was the second time in a few days. First, the hefty sum baldy had spent for his affinity test. Now this. Not that it seemed to take much effort to heal him, but it would save Percy weeks of annoyance all the same. Still, he bit his tongue. Archibald had only begun to give him stuff upon learning there was value in him. It was all a transaction. ¡°It¡¯s a handy trick.¡± is what he said in the end. Baldy nodded, looking at him silently for a few seconds. ¡°My son told me you have the soul affinity. Is there anything more I can help you with?¡± Percy suppressed a chuckle. ¡®Sure. I¡¯ll take all the mana from your magic tree, killing it in the process. Then I want twice as many elixirs as you give any of the others, to feed both of my mana cores. I¡¯ll let you know if there¡¯s anything else.¡¯ Naturally, he kept those thoughts to himself. ¡°No.¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll practice with my soul mana on my own for a few days and then I¡¯ll test Clone again.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Maybe his grandpa could offer a few words of advice, but it wouldn¡¯t amount to much. Percy was pretty much in uncharted territory. He would have to figure out how his bloodline interacted with his affinity by himself. Hopefully his new Soul Vision would help with that. ¡°Very well. Let me know once you learn more.¡± Percy nodded as well, walking out of the office. *** The young man looked at the tall oak tree, which honestly resembled a jade statue more than a plant. It exuded a thick green mist, reminding him of the mana around the temple. But it smelled nice. The mind mana had been odourless, while this gave each breath a fresh minty undertone. It had taken him about a week of planning to figure out how to make it here. Baldy clearly went above and beyond to keep it safe. It obviously hadn¡¯t been planted in the garden outside, as anybody could steal or damage it there. Instead, he had carved out a special location inside the mansion, for an inner garden. It was designed to only have a single entrance. Luckily, it had been several decades since the last time anybody tried anything funny, so some chinks had appeared in the tight security. From there, Percy only had to wait for his uncles Gareth and Balin to be paired on the same shift, which took a few days longer than he had hoped, but did happen eventually. The two idiots were among the laziest in the family, so they often left their post a few minutes earlier than they were meant to. ¡®No time to waste then.¡¯ Percy approached the tree, already feeling the seed in his abdomen beginning to draw in the mana. Standing next to the trunk, he stretched his hand, but paused just an inch from it. Once he started, there was no going back. If this was anything like what had happened during the affinity test, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop until his second core was satisfied. And Percy wasn¡¯t sure the tree even contained enough for that. It had a lot, but could it compare to the condensed mana of a titaness? One thing was certain though. Whether it was enough or not, the tree wouldn¡¯t survive. Based on what he¡¯d heard, this tree was actually a treasure gifted to his family by the Divine Order! It was a great help for life users honing their spells. Even his grandpa regularly used it. They were actually lucky none of the White cores leading the Great Houses had a life affinity, otherwise they would have long destroyed House Avalon to seize the tree by force. If Percy ruined it here, he¡¯d be dealing a severe blow to his own family. Even if he managed to escape their wrath, all his relatives might end up dying a few years from now, crushed by a rival House. All because of him. ¡®Why the hell should I care?¡¯ They certainly didn¡¯t care about him. Percy needed to awaken his second core if he was to ever be more than cannon fodder. It¡¯s not like he had a choice. Did he? He gritted his teeth. He had to do this. He HAD to! *** Percy entered his grandpa¡¯s office, not bothering to knock. His fists were clenched tightly, drained of all colour. He had been so close last night. Just a tap away from completing his new core. But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. Even now, he wasn¡¯t sure why. Archibald raised an eyebrow at his grandson¡¯s intrusion. Though he didn¡¯t say anything, waiting for him to speak first. ¡°I want the jade tree. It won¡¯t survive.¡± Percy said, fully expecting baldy to laugh him out of the room. At best. He didn¡¯t really think there was a chance baldy would agree. Still, he didn¡¯t dare to steal it, so asking for it was the only path left. Contrary to his expectations however, his grandpa wasn¡¯t outraged. He didn¡¯t laugh at him either. Instead, his response shocked Percy even more. ¡°I figured out that much.¡± Taken aback, the young man stared at him in confusion, before baldy gestured at a chair across him. ¡°How?¡± Percy asked upon sitting. ¡°Gawain told me what happened at the temple. You think he didn¡¯t notice how the mind mana was swirling around you? My daughter did too. You¡¯re lucky her attendants didn¡¯t, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t have managed to cover your ass.¡± ¡°Your daughter? The High Priestess?!¡± Percy asked. Archibald nodded. ¡°She¡¯s your aunt, Guinevere. She¡¯s only a few years older than Gawain, but she¡¯s a Yellow-born.¡± ¡°I thought you needed as many Yellow-borns as possible, to increase the chances of getting more Violet cores for the family. Why would you send her away?¡± ¡°We do need every Yellow-born we can get.¡± Archibald sighed. ¡°Even then, there¡¯s no guarantee one will be ready to succeed me if I die. But having strong ties to the Divine Order is just as important.¡± Well¡­ this was all fascinating, but Percy had more pressing concerns at the moment. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t explain how you knew I needed life mana.¡± Baldy chuckled. ¡°Please. I¡¯m 50 times your age. You think I wouldn¡¯t notice you trying to snatch my own mana right in front of me?¡± Percy smiled awkwardly. He really was out of his depth here. ¡°I still have no clue what you needed all the mind mana for, but as soon as I healed you, I knew you weren¡¯t done. I paid closer attention to you since, and you didn¡¯t disappoint.¡± The young man fell back weakly, letting his neck sink into the silky headrest as he stared up at the ceiling. He had been so foolish to think he could outsmart the old fox. ¡°Why are we even having this conversation then? Just execute me, or banish me, or whatever.¡± Baldy fell back as well, his own expression morphing into something Percy didn¡¯t quite recognize. His grandpa almost looked sad, but he¡¯d never seen him like that, so he wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Percy. Do you hate our family?¡± The young man frowned. Where was this coming from all of a sudden? His first thought was to reply ¡°obviously¡±, but he figured he could take his time answering. Most of the people in his House were, frankly, assholes. Present company included. But then there was Elaine who he got along with. And his parents who he didn¡¯t really remember. Was it fair to hate his parents, just because of their surname, without even knowing them? Hell, he was part of the family too. Did he hate himself? Perhaps, it was its management he hated. His grandpa. But the man was pragmatic, and honestly, not a bad leader. His decisions were always calculated. ¡®Even though I always get the short end of the math.¡¯ Still, it wasn¡¯t like he never got anything from them. At least, he had food and a roof over his head. He even had his own room. But so what? Was he supposed to just forget everything else? To forgive them? To love them? ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± he said after a long time. Archibald nodded again. ¡°Here¡¯s an easier one then. Do you resent me?¡± Chapter 10 – Archibald ¡°Who is asking? The head of the family? Or my grandpa?¡± ¡°Does it matter?¡± baldy asked. Percy shrugged. ¡°Percy¡­ I am the third head of the House. I¡¯ve been in charge for less than 200 years. Our family has existed for nearly ten times as long.¡± This wasn¡¯t exactly news to the young man. He had read about the family¡¯s history. So, he just waited to see what the man was getting at. ¡°I¡¯m sure you knew most of that already, but what you might have not read about in your books, was that the second head ¨C my great-grandpa ¨C died about 20 years before I advanced to Violet.¡± Percy swallowed a mouthful of saliva. On Remior, a noble House without a Violet core at the helm was like a tasty meal lying on the ground. He could imagine all the alliances, conflicts and betrayals that must have happened during those two decades. They had probably been some of his family¡¯s darkest years. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± ¡°I want you to appreciate how precarious our situation is. How it has always been. Out of the 1000 Violet cores on Remior, how many do you think will make it to White?¡± ¡°You tell me. 20? 50?¡± Percy threw a guess. Archibald chuckled bitterly. ¡°We¡¯ll be lucky if one or two do. The rest are mostly hoping they can get another Violet in their family before they die, otherwise they¡¯re screwed. Every time I make a choice, every time I allocate resources, it can make the difference between our House surviving or dying out.¡± This time Percy lost his patience. ¡°Look, I get it! You don¡¯t have to explain that at this late stage. But why couldn¡¯t you just treat me like a grandson?!¡± Archibald¡¯s eyes wavered for a moment. Who would have thought that emotionless prick could even feel things? ¡°Because it¡¯s easier that way.¡± he sighed. ¡°Have you any idea how many people I¡¯ve buried? Uncles, brothers, cousins, children, grandchildren¡­ The less attached I am, the more impartial I can be.¡± his voice was soft. It cracked many times, as the powerful Violet core struggled to form his words. Percy truly looked at his grandpa for the first time. What was he even supposed to say to that? ¡°Now, will you tell me what you need all that mana for?¡± Archibald asked. Percy smiled. It wasn¡¯t like their brief chat could magically erase a lifetime of bitterness, but he saw no point in hiding the truth either. ¡°Remember how I said my version of Clone did something interesting? I may have undersold how interesting it was.¡± he chuckled, before elaborating. ¡°I didn¡¯t understand it at the time, but I believe it allowed me to send a fragment of my soul to possess somebody outside Remior.¡± ¡°Somebody with two cores.¡± he added after a second. Archibald¡¯s eyebrows would have hit the ceiling if they weren¡¯t attached to his face. ¡°The Moirai!!!¡± he exclaimed.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡®Ah, right. I knew it was moi-something!¡¯ ¡°In any case, my clone brought back whatever it is that gives them their second core, although it was broken, and it needed fixing.¡± Archibald remained silent for a few minutes. Percy didn¡¯t rush him either. ¡°And how close are you to fixing it?¡± he eventually asked. ¡°If the jade tree has enough mana¡­ 5 minutes.¡± the young man replied. Archibald nodded. ¡°Wait, what?! Are you actually giving me the tree?! Just like that?!¡± Percy couldn¡¯t conceal the shock in his voice. Baldy looked him in the eyes before replying. ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Percy would have strangled him if he could. Why was he playing with his feelings like that?! Yet Archibald wasn¡¯t done. ¡°Listen, Percy.¡± he said in a serious tone. ¡°A human having two cores is unheard of. And who knows what else you can get through your bloodline? Even though it might not be enough to bridge the gap between you and an Orange-born right now, I¡¯m willing to invest in your potential. From now on, you will have access to the advanced elixirs.¡± The young man¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The advanced elixirs would let him reach Yellow in 50 years. That¡¯s half a century saved! If it was one month ago, he would be jumping up and down. However, there were other things he wanted more now. ¡°But I can¡¯t even use my second core without the tree.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t give up the tree on a gamble. Let alone you, even if it was Elaine having a second core, I couldn¡¯t do that. The tree might help me protect our family next year. Your second core might need centuries to pay off, if it ever does.¡± Percy deflated as he listened to his grandpa. Still, he couldn¡¯t argue with his logic. ¡°But¡­ that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re giving up on it either.¡± baldy added, rekindling a spark of hope in his grandson¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will get you a different source of life mana.¡± *** Percy reluctantly opened his eyes, not fully awake yet. He was tempted to tell his visitor to piss off, whoever it was. But he didn¡¯t. Few people ever wanted anything from him, so it could be important. Getting up, he yawned, slowing making his way to the door. On the way, he glanced out the window. It was still dark. ¡®What¡¯s so urgent it couldn¡¯t wait a couple more hours?¡¯ Turning the handle, he pulled the door open, seeing nobody but his grandpa standing at the entrance. Percy blinked a couple of times. Then, he massaged his eyelids. Baldy was still there when he was done. The realization jolted the last traces of sleep out of the young man¡¯s system. ¡°You brought it?! The life source?!¡± Archibald wasn¡¯t holding anything. Percy looked behind him, trying to see if there was an attendant carrying something. Yet the corridor was empty, other than his grandpa who was dressed in his training robes. ¡°Are you done?¡± the man asked in irritation. ¡°May I come in?¡± Percy shrugged, making way for him. He gestured towards his bed as he didn¡¯t have any other furniture to offer. Archibald sat there, patting the space next to him. The young man joined his grandfather, still curious to see what he wanted. ¡°We don¡¯t have any other potent life treasures in the family.¡± baldy said. Percy was about to voice a protest, but Archibald stopped him, patting his shoulder. ¡°Instead, I¡¯ll be your life source.¡± Then, he repeated his actions from last week, sending the potent mana in his grandson¡¯s body. Only this time, he didn¡¯t target Percy¡¯s legs, but directly focused it on the young man¡¯s abdomen, relinquishing control over it as the seed absorbed it. Percy creased his forehead. Truth be told, his feelings were mixed. ¡®Stingy old man. If he didn¡¯t want to give me the tree, he should have just left it at that. What do I make of this?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t appreciate the elixirs and this gesture. That was a lot more than he¡¯d ever expected from his grandpa. Still, how would it help him? Not that Archibald was weak. Not even close. A Violet core was 4 grades above Orange. This meant the man possessed about 81 times as much mana as him. The gap was insane. ¡®But far from enough.¡¯ Forget about the liquid in the sacred pool. That was the concentrated mana of a titaness. Even the tree contained within it countless times more than his grandpa¡¯s core. In fact, Archibald would be hard-pressed to produce as much mana as a single leaf. And sure enough, five minutes later baldy was completely tapped out, breathing heavily. Had this been before their meeting, Percy might have voiced a snarky comment, but right now he wasn¡¯t in the mood. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± he said. ¡°For trying, at least.¡± Archibald gave him a strange look as the corner of his lips twitched. ¡°Huh? How little do you think of me? You think I¡¯m trying to cheat you out of our deal?!¡± He chuckled. ¡°Of course I can¡¯t match Phoebe¡¯s pinkie toe in mana capacity, but that¡¯s only if we compete fairly.¡± he said. ¡°But what if I keep emptying and refilling my core? 10 times? 100 times? 1000 times?!¡± Baldy flashed his grandson a resolute look. ¡°Percy¡­ I¡¯ll repair your second core no matter how long it takes.¡± Chapter 11 – Cracks Percy sat on his bed, next to his grandpa. It had been two weeks since baldy started filling his second core. Sadly, they didn¡¯t have anything to show for it yet, not even a hint they were getting closer. Still, the young man was feeling some newfound appreciation for his grandpa. Not only because he was practically showering him with affection for the first time in his life, but also due to his sheer dedication and discipline. Frankly, the man was a monster. Every day, he showed up before sunrise, and didn¡¯t leave his room until hours past sunset. Well, besides a few mandatory breaks of course. ¡®I guess you don¡¯t reach Violet by accident.¡¯ Having delegated the family¡¯s management to his sons and daughters, baldy didn¡¯t slack at all. It took him nearly five minutes to empty his core and about twenty to refill it. He spent over 18 hours per day in Percy¡¯s room and the young man once counted a total of 42 refills. Percy had almost expected him to give up after the first week, but Archibald showed no intention of doing that. Pressing on, he seemed determined to follow his words through to the end. And watching him work hard, Percy was also motivated to keep his training up. For the first few days, he¡¯d continued honing the sharpness and integrity of his constructs. When he began experiencing diminishing returns, he switched to increasing their range. That said, his room wasn¡¯t that large, so he had to stop when they reached the walls. Naturally, his soul mana could phase through, but he didn¡¯t want to hit somebody on the other side by accident. However, the weirdest thing was how his grandpa had started talking to him since the second day. In hindsight, it shouldn¡¯t have surprised Percy. After all, the two would be stuck spending all their time together for who-knew how long. It would be stranger if they never talked. Still, he wasn¡¯t used to casual chats with baldy, the two having limited their past interactions to the bare minimum. As for what they talked about? Well, at first his grandpa offered him tips and guidance on how to better manipulate and recover his mana. A few days later, however, they graduated to more idle chatter, even gossiping about Percy¡¯s aunts and uncles, or teaching the young man about the other families on Remior. Stuff he couldn¡¯t find in books. Percy knew the man was overcompensating, largely because of the harsh things he had spoken during their meeting, but he didn¡¯t say anything to stop it. It was embarrassing to admit, but this felt¡­ nice. *** He formed the daggers in his hand for the billionth time. They didn¡¯t look very elegant. Their shape was irregular, closer to sharpened stones than finely crafted knives. Percy wouldn¡¯t be winning any art competition with them, that was for sure. Still, they were sturdy, and he was confident they would be useful in a fight. Having reached an acceptable shape and range, he¡¯d even learned to produce two of them with each hand at once. Today, he was planning to try forming a third, when his grandpa suggested something different.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Maybe you should figure out how your bloodline works.¡± Percy knew he was right. Creating that soul clone had been the greatest turning point in his life. If it hadn¡¯t been for that, he might have never found out his affinity or gained access to better elixirs. He certainly wouldn¡¯t have a second core to work towards and he might have never gotten to know his grandpa better. And that was just the start. How many more mysteries lied out there in the cosmos? What else could he bring back to Remior? ¡®I suppose I should stop postponing it then.¡¯ The reason he¡¯d been so hesitant, was because he wasn¡¯t keen on experiencing the agony of splitting his soul again. Frankly, it was something he wouldn¡¯t wish on his worst enemy. Yet, it was the only way forward¡­ He activated Soul Vision, this time glancing down at his own soul. After all, that was the starting point for everything else. A sea of silver blinded him, causing him to shut his eyes. He reduced the concentration of mana before opening them again. Fine-tuning the ability to work at such a close distance took him about an hour. This was because he also wanted more detail than he usually got, to more closely examine his soul. As the flame underneath his flesh came into focus, Percy¡¯s eyes widened. For the most part, it was similar to every other he had looked at. However, there was one important difference which sent shivers down his spine. The semi-amorphous silhouette flowing under his skin was covered in countless cracks! Each was far narrower than the one he had inflicted on the goblin, their thickness akin to a hair¡¯s. However, they were many times longer, one even stretching across his entire forearm. His soul was like a broken vase, held together by spit and wishes! ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Archibald asked in concern. Percy explained the situation. ¡°I see. You must have really messed your soul up. It¡¯s lucky you survived.¡± The young man nodded, his expression grim. ¡°What now? Do souls recover over time?¡± he asked. He didn¡¯t even know why it didn¡¯t hurt right now. Maybe it was because the cracks were too narrow, or perhaps it was all relative. Experiencing his soul clone crumbling apart might have raised his tolerance to the point his current state didn¡¯t bother him. Either way, he wouldn¡¯t risk using his bloodline like this. ¡°Hmmm¡­ For the time being, I suggest you observe your soul for a few days to see if it can heal by itself. Also, check if you can speed up the process with your mana.¡± *** Another two weeks passed by in a flash. During this time, Archibald had continued pouring mana into his grandson¡¯s abdomen, with no end in sight. Calculating everything, he should have already passed 1000 refills a while ago, but the seed showed no signs of being satiated. Luckily, Percy had found more success with regards to his cracked soul. Fortunately, it turned out it did recover by itself, albeit slowly. Adding the weeks before he began observing it, Percy estimated it would have needed a total of about three months to fully recover. Even better, focusing his soul mana on the wounds had proven exceptionally effective, accelerating the process threefold. In a couple more days, it should be as good as new! ¡®It¡¯s a pity it hurts so fucking much.¡¯ Indeed, the only downside was that this approach seemed to agitate the injuries. It was a bit like rubbing salt in a wound, only a hundred times worse. Suffice to say, the last couple of weeks had been far from pleasant. Still, it was a small price to pay if it meant he could use his bloodline again that much sooner. ¡°Next time you shouldn¡¯t activate it randomly.¡± his grandpa said. Percy frowned. ¡°Well, how else am I supposed to do it?¡± Baldy appeared to think for a few minutes before replying. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that. The bloodline works differently in your case. Nobody but you can answer that question. However, what I can do, is to give you some inspiration. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll take a break from pouring mana into your core.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Percy asked. ¡°I¡¯ll need it for something else. I¡¯m going to demonstrate our family¡¯s most fundamental technique. It has been passed down and refined for over 1700 years.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Archibald nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you how to efficiently cultivate a life clone.¡± Chapter 12 – Clone Percy opened the door, finding his grandpa outside as usual. This time, however, baldy wasn¡¯t alone. He was accompanied by somebody who looked almost identical to him. Like a twin brother. The only differences to the naked eye were that the second baldy wore different robes and had a vacant expression. Percy made way for the two to enter, but his grandpa shook his head. Instead, he gestured for the young man to follow him to the garden. As soon as they reached the training grounds, baldy and his clone stopped at the same time, which looked a bit creepy. ¡°What do you know about the Clone bloodline?¡± Archibald asked. ¡°The normal version, I mean.¡± Percy dug through his memories for all the information about the ability. Truth be told, his understanding of it was quite comprehensive. After all, it wasn¡¯t exactly a great secret that his family had it. Plus, his cousins never stopped boasting about it. ¡°They take a while to make, but that decreases with one¡¯s grade, so I suppose it should be much faster for you. The clones can¡¯t think for themselves, and they can¡¯t even use magic, but they can be given simple commands. Supposedly, they make great labourers.¡± Baldy nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the gist of it, but there are a few more key points to consider. First, use your other senses to examine it.¡± Following his grandpa¡¯s instructions, Percy activated Mana Sense. While there was some life mana flowing through the clone¡¯s body, it didn¡¯t have a core whatsoever. There was nothing but a slightly denser concentration of mana in its sternum. This pretty much aligned with what he expected. Next, he switched to Soul Vision. He should have probably seen this coming too, but the clone didn¡¯t have a normal soul either. There was only a small silvery wisp burning in its chest. It looked like a gentle breeze could blow it out at any moment. Percy had a lot of questions now. ¡°Are they even useful?¡± If it couldn¡¯t use magic, why invest so much time and mana to make one? Archibald smiled. The clone walked to the oak tree by the centre of the garden and threw out a punch. BOOOOOOM Percy¡¯s ears buzzed as he stared at the devastation in shock. A large circular hole now pierced through the trunk, its diameter about half the width of the tree. The clone pointed its fist towards Percy, showing him that there wasn¡¯t even a scratch on it. ¡°As you can see, the clones inherit the physical capabilities of their creator. At Violet, each of my clones has over 240 times the speed, strength and durability of somebody at Red.¡± Archibald explained. ¡°Not just that, but the number of clones one can have also scales similarly. I can have 243 of them active at the same time. Although they drain my mana constantly to exist. Normally, I only keep about 60 of them, so that I still have enough for other things.¡± Percy swallowed hard. ¡®243 monsters like that¡­ That¡¯s a freaking army!¡¯ His grandpa was even scarier than he realized. ¡°But we aren¡¯t here for me to brag. What we want is for you to watch me make one.¡± Then, Archibald stretched his palm towards the clone, visibly draining his mana back. As the green ribbons flowed out of its orifices, its visage shrivelled like a mummy. Soon, it collapsed on the ground, its flesh desiccating at an alarming rate. It wasn¡¯t long before it was nothing but a sack of skin and bones. And moments later, even that collapsed into a pile of fine dust.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡®Geez. Thank Phoebe I haven¡¯t eaten anything.¡¯ Percy wasn¡¯t generally squeamish, but watching what looked like his grandpa wither into nothingness like that was more than a little disturbing. Archibald chuckled. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think your version is going to end up much prettier?¡± Right. Percy had to figure out how to keep the worst of that from happening to his soul. ¡°Before we begin, do you have any other questions?¡± baldy asked. The young man looked back to where the clone had stood just moments ago. ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re going to burn those robes.¡± *** The two had returned to Archibald¡¯s office. Baldy would rather sit while doing this and Percy wanted none of this taking place inside his room. Currently, the young man had Mana Sense active, carefully observing everything happening between his grandpa¡¯s hands. There, a green bubble was suspended, pulsing like a heart at regular intervals. A dark silhouette was faintly visible beneath its surface, its shape resembling that of a fetus. And it was growing fast. Really fast. It had only been about 10 minutes since baldy began his demonstration. At the start, the glowing sphere had only been about as large as a pea, but it had already reached the size of a tangerine. According to his grandpa, it would only take about an hour for it to grow to a baby, at which point the bubble wouldn¡¯t be necessary anymore. This was all bizarre. Percy had seen other clones in the past, but this was his first time watching the gestation process. As much as his cousins loved to parade them around, nobody had time to show him how they were made. A Red core had to spend nine months to grow a clone, not unlike a normal pregnancy. From there, each grade cut that time to about a third. This meant most of his relatives needed anywhere between a little over a week to a full month to do this! Luckily, his grandpa would be done by tomorrow, so he could resume the arduous task of filling his second core up. ¡°Percy. I suggest you focus on what I¡¯m doing, as I¡¯m not repeating this for you.¡± baldy snapped. ¡°Right.¡± the young man agreed, tapping into his Mana Sense again. This time, he didn¡¯t look at the bubble but focused on his grandpa¡¯s body instead. That¡¯s where all the interesting things were happening. Baldy¡¯s core thrummed, sending waves of mana rippling through every muscle, every bone, every vein. Once they reached the man¡¯s skin, they bounced back, but they did so at an angle. This seemed to create another stream of waves of a different shape, which flowed towards his hands. ¡®Yeah, ok. I still don¡¯t know how exactly I did what I did two months ago, but it wasn¡¯t nearly as¡­ organized as this.¡¯ Percy spent a couple more hours carefully observing his grandpa¡¯s handiwork, marvelling at the sheer elegance and refinement of the technique. Only after the clone had already reached the size of a toddler did he deactivate his Mana Sense. Not that he was bored. Far from it! He could have kept watching this for ages. Plus, he didn¡¯t want to waste his grandpa¡¯s efforts. The reason he had stopped was because at some point, an idea took root in his head. Gathering the mana in his eyes, Percy activated Soul Vision. He watched the clone carefully, searching for something specific. Even though the clone lacked a complete soul, he remembered spotting a faint wisp in the one earlier. The young man knew life users didn¡¯t create them intentionally. After all, not even his grandpa had any way of manipulating soul mana. ¡®No. It¡¯s likely just a side effect.¡¯ Watching the flow of life mana had certainly been informative, but if he could also observe how that silvery wisp came into being, it could give him some more insight into his own version. *** Percy was back in his room, resting on his bed. The sun was still out, as the duo had stayed up all night, his grandpa not finishing the demonstration until late in the following morning. Apparently, it was possible to pause the process and resume later, which other people had to do, as they couldn¡¯t keep it up for several months at a time. Archibald on the other hand, preferred to make each clone in a single session. He said it helped minimize the mana losses. Either way, his grandpa¡¯s habits weren¡¯t what was going through the young man¡¯s head right now. ¡®How does that even make sense?¡¯ Percy had devoted the last 15 or so hours of the demonstration trying to figure out how that tiny soul wisp had formed. And he did have an answer. He just struggled accepting it. The formation of the clone¡¯s body had been straightforward. The life mana had first travelled through baldy, embedding all the necessary information before being passed to the clone. Once there, it had turned into the building blocks making up its flesh, guided by the accompanying information. There was a clear link between Archibald and the clone¡¯s bodies! But that wasn¡¯t the case when it came to their souls. At no point had Percy seen any soul mana leaving his grandpa. Yet, the clone¡¯s tiny soul had kept growing regardless. It was as if the two were entirely independent entities. As if the clone had developed its own soul, as a natural consequence of being alive. ¡®This isn¡¯t what I want to be doing.¡¯ Percy didn¡¯t want his own clones to be dumb as bricks. His affinity clearly didn¡¯t want that either, which was why his version of the ability involved splitting up his own soul. ¡®I suppose I¡¯m gonna have to perform a lot of tests.¡¯ But that was tomorrow¡¯s problem. For now, what he needed was some sleep. Chapter 13 – Cousins Percy marvelled at the intricate vial pinched between his thumb and index finger. For something so valuable, it wasn¡¯t that large, its height and thickness not exceeding that of his pinkie. At least, he didn¡¯t have to worry about breaking it if he dropped it by accident. Its hardness wasn¡¯t a joke. It was made of a hollowed-out sapphire shard. A bit overkill in his opinion, using such a precious material for a simple container, but at the end of the day it didn¡¯t really matter. After all, the vial¡¯s contents were easily fifty times more expensive than the gemstone. Probably more. ¡®Plus, it can be reused.¡¯ He shrugged, downing the elixir. The liquid was cool and soft as it trickled over his tongue and through his throat, giving him a refreshing feeling. It was bitter, though a hint of apple had clearly been added, to make it easier to swallow for the stereotypical noble able to afford it. Percy chuckled. ¡®I¡¯d drink this even if it tasted like shit.¡¯ Next, he pulled some mana from his sternum, gathering it in his stomach. Only after allowing it to simmer there for a few minutes did he move it back to his core. It stung every time he reabsorbed it, but he gritted his teeth and kept going, repeating the process over a dozen times before stopping. The whole cleansing took about half an hour, and his core burned when he was done, as if he had dipped it into a vat of acid. ¡®It¡¯s worth it.¡¯ Percy was still getting used to the new elixirs, despite having used them for the past month. They hurt more than the heavily diluted version he¡¯d drunk growing up, but they were more potent too. The good news was, they couldn¡¯t be used more than once a day, to avoid injuring oneself, which was great for his sanity. And his pocket. Supposedly, it was possible to advance one¡¯s grade via other means, but nobody did that, as it took way too long for it to be worth it. Plus, the cheap elixirs were essentially the same substance as the expensive ones but mixed with water in a ratio of 1:100, which just about made them affordable even for commoners. Well, assuming they didn¡¯t horribly mismanage their finances. Either way, thanks to his grandpa¡¯s generosity, Percy could now hopefully cut down the time needed before his next advancement in half, although fifty years were still nothing to scoff at. Perhaps, his second core would benefit from this treatment sooner. ¡®If it ever forms.¡¯ The young man stood up, stretching his limbs. Baldy wasn¡¯t going to visit him today. Even though the plan had been to resume their sessions after the demonstration, it turned out he had shirked his responsibilities for a bit too long. Thus, he had told Percy he¡¯d be extending their break by another day or two, to get everything back in order. If this was a month ago, he might have thought his grandpa was only making excuses to bail on him, but right now he wasn¡¯t concerned about that, seeing Archibald in a new light. ¡®Let¡¯s just enjoy the day off.¡¯ Walking out of his room, he headed towards the main hall. That was where his family members picked and turned in missions. The same was true for Red cores, although they could only select low-level missions that involved cleaning or doing other chores inside the House, as they weren¡¯t strong enough to survive outside.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. If it was up to Archibald, he wouldn¡¯t have let the Yellow-borns out either, as they were too important to risk something happening to them. Still, he understood they wouldn¡¯t grow without adversity. In any case, Percy wasn¡¯t going there to pick a mission. He wouldn¡¯t have enough time to finish it before his training resumed anyway. No, the young man just wanted to meet people. Anybody would do. Not that he was particularly fond of his cousins, but after staring at baldy for every waking moment over the past month, he itched to look at a different face. ¡®Preferably one with hair.¡¯ Perhaps, he should have been more careful of what he wished for, however. Soon after entering the hall, his attention was drawn to two loud voices joking and laughing by the counter. And he recognized them. ¡®Ugh¡­ Not them, of all people¡­¡¯ Hector and Tristan were only a couple years older than him, but they were both Orange-borns, having advanced to Yellow a long time ago. At least, he had slightly closed the gap ¨C for now ¨C but he didn¡¯t think that would stop them from giving him crap. Each of his cousins was accompanied by two identical copies of themselves, dressed in simpler, more practical clothes. Last time he¡¯d seen them, they¡¯d only had one. ¡®I guess even they have to put some effort in every now and then.¡¯ Part of him wanted to bolt back to his room. Percy wasn¡¯t afraid of them, but he wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with this right now. Still, it would look pathetic if he did that. Plus, he did want to get some fresh air for a change. In the end, he shrunk to a corner of the room, trying not to draw much attention. His cousins were chatting with their older sister, Laudin, who worked behind the counter. Percy didn¡¯t know if they were there to pick or turn in a mission, but they sure took their sweet time either way. There were others in the hall, but not too many. It was late in the morning so the ones heading out had already left, while the ones coming back wouldn¡¯t be here until later. He was about to pick one of the least annoying relatives to approach, when his luck ran out. ¡°Well, well¡­ If it isn¡¯t the little goblin!¡± Hector said, keeping his voice loud enough to make sure everyone heard it. Percy rolled his eyes, pretending he didn¡¯t hear him. ¡°What?! He¡¯s still alive?!¡± Tristan played along. ¡°I heard he passed out during his promotion! I haven¡¯t seen him for a couple of months, so I thought he died in his sleep!¡± Turning to face them, Percy activated Soul Vision and imagined himself testing his new spell on his idiot cousins. Yellow or not, the buffoons wouldn¡¯t even see the knives coming before they pierced some nasty holes through their souls. Of course, he wasn¡¯t petty enough to torture somebody over some teasing. Not even them. Still, he wasn¡¯t above entertaining himself with the thought. ¡°Seriously?! Who even faints when advancing to Orange?!¡± Hector emphasized his grade on purpose. Percy heard a few chuckles from the others in the room, but he didn¡¯t look. He wouldn¡¯t give them that. ¡°Morning assholes.¡± he said as he approached the duo. ¡°I see you haven¡¯t been slacking off yourselves.¡± he added, pointing at the clones with his chin. ¡°Of course. This is our family¡¯s prized bloodline, after all. The pride of our House.¡± Had this come from somebody else, Percy might have thought it was a joke, but seeing Tristan inflate like a pufferfish, he knew the guy meant his words. He shook his head, suppressing a chuckle. Passing by them, he walked to the board, wanting to browse through the missions, partly to extricate himself from the situation and partly out of genuine curiosity. But his cousins weren¡¯t done with him yet, it seemed. Four silhouettes approached him from behind, nearing him uncomfortably. Turning to face them, he noted the clones¡¯ soulless gazes were even more creepy from up close. ¡°Percy! We have the perfect mission for you. One suitable for your talents.¡± Hector sneered. ¡°Right. Help us test out our new clones in the garden. We tried to hunt some goblins in our last mission, but they were too weak. Maybe you can do slightly better.¡± Tristan added. The corner of Percy¡¯s eye twitched. He¡¯d been trying to not let them bother him too much, but they were starting to grate on his nerves. He wasn¡¯t going to seriously harm them over something this trivial, but perhaps they did deserve to be taught a lesson. The dysfunctional soul wisps burning in the clones¡¯ chests should be easy to snuff out, setting his cousins back by a couple of months. Maybe they would think twice before annoying him in the future. However, the soul mana had only begun to coalesce in his fists when he caught a bright flash of azure from the corner of his eyes. Chapter 14 – Elaine The four clones fell like marionettes with their strings cut, awkwardly hitting the floor. If these were normal people, they might have ended up with some nasty bruises, but their bodies were at Yellow. Plus, healing them wasn¡¯t that hard. ¡°Why do you keep messing with others?!¡± Elaine yelled. She let the glowing whip fizzle out into a harmless spray of water, soon forming a faint puddle on the marble tiles. Then, she glared at her cousins, scoffing when they took a step back. The cowards only dared to bully those weaker than them. Turning to Percy, she dragged him out of the hall as he looked at her in amusement. He wasn¡¯t as defenceless as he used to be. She knew that. Still, seeing those morons treating him as their lesser irked her to no end. ¡®He deserved to be born at a higher grade than them. No. He deserved to be born at a higher grade than me.¡¯ So absorbed was she in her thoughts that she was taken by surprise as Percy stopped abruptly. ¡°Where have you been over the last month?¡± he asked, scanning her. She looked down at her body too. Her arms were covered in bandages, a few scrapes and bruises visible on her skin. ¡°I was out doing missions.¡± ¡°For a whole month?!¡± he frowned. Then, he winced. That¡¯s when Elaine remembered she was still holding him. Letting go, she quickly noticed the skin on his wrist was pink. ¡®Shit! I must have put more strength than I realized.¡¯ ¡°I took a bunch of them at once to save time.¡± she answered. He nodded. ¡°I see. Must be convenient, serving as target practice for archers right after trekking through a jungle. I¡¯ll try it sometime too. Why waste time healing in between?¡± She chuckled. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad. Grandpa will fix me up in no time.¡± Percy turned around, gesturing at her to follow. Only after they¡¯d made a quick stop by Archibald¡¯s office to get her patched up did they head back towards the garden. ¡°Grandpa seemed really swamped today. Has anything happened while I was gone?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe he needs to manage his time better.¡± Percy scratched his head, looking at her rather awkwardly. Elaine narrowed her eyes but didn¡¯t say anything else. After exiting the mansion, they found a nice spot on the grass to sit. It was calming, listening to the crickets chirping, as faint shadows of clouds brushed over their heads. The garden was admittedly less exotic than the vibrant forests and swamps she''d recently travelled through, but she didn¡¯t have to worry about an ogre or a basilisk sneaking up on her here. ¡°Care to tell me what happened?¡± he asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I know testing my magic on that goblin wasn¡¯t the prettiest sight, but you could have talked to me instead of avoiding me.¡± She frowned. ¡®Is that what he thought?¡¯Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding you¡­¡± she muttered weakly. ¡°Really?¡± he raised an eyebrow. ¡°Because you barely said anything on the way back. Then you vanished for a month, putting yourself through a mission gauntlet.¡± She sighed. That wasn¡¯t it. Not at all. But she couldn¡¯t tell him. What was she supposed to say? That she felt guilty watching him struggle? Did that even make sense? Back when she found him on the floor, she took care of him for a week. She¡¯d known he¡¯d done something dangerous with his ability, but she didn¡¯t realize just how dangerous until the test. ¡®A soul clone!¡¯ Percy had ripped his very soul apart! The mere thought made her skin crawl. Still, it wasn¡¯t until she heard the goblin¡¯s shriek that she truly came to terms with the severity of the situation. Watching the creature squirm over the tiniest scratch, she couldn¡¯t fathom what Percy had experienced after tearing the whole thing up. Yet, after waking up, he spent the next few days training! Even while travelling, he kept practicing on horseback! Even after his injuries! ¡®The ones he got because I couldn¡¯t stay awake half an hour longer.¡¯ Despite all the odds stacked against him, he never stopped pushing forward, doing everything he could to get stronger. Meanwhile, here she was, with her Green core, everything handed to her on a silver platter, getting treated like royalty by her whole family just because she¡¯d been born lucky. The irony made her sick to her stomach. ¡°Elaine?¡± Percy looked at her with concern. She might have stayed silent for too long. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just figured I should train a bit harder. To live up to grandpa¡¯s expectations.¡± He nodded. ¡°You were right, you know.¡± Percy said. She tilted her head. ¡°About baldy. He¡¯s not that bad once you get to know him.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been spending time together!¡± she raised an eyebrow. ¡°Some.¡± he grinned. ¡°That¡¯s great! What do you talk about?¡± He fell back, resting his head on the grass before replying. ¡°All sorts of things really. Like how many times he caught uncle Gareth skipping on his shift. Or more recently, he¡¯s helping me figure out how to use my bloodline.¡± Elaine felt her jaw tighten upon hearing that, clenching some dirt in her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t use your ability again.¡± she struggled to get the words out, her voice cracking. Percy gave her an odd look. ¡°Elaine¡­ My ability is all I have. I can¡¯t give it up.¡± ¡°What¡¯s even the point?!¡± she snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t want to sound harsh! I really, really don¡¯t! I don¡¯t want to sound like them!¡± She felt hot streams trickle down her cheeks. ¡°But why do all this to yourself?! Even if you become the strongest Yellow core on Remior, it won¡¯t mean a damn thing!!!¡± The moment the last word left her mouth, she felt her gut churn. She¡¯d always hated herself just for thinking those things. ¡®And now I told him to his face.¡¯ Elaine kept her gaze fixed on the ground, absentmindedly tracking a ladybug as it walked up a blade of grass. She didn¡¯t look at him. She couldn¡¯t. She knew what she¡¯d just said was plain cruel. Maybe Percy would never speak to her again. The thought hurt, but it was ok. ¡®As long as he listens.¡¯ The silence stretched on for a couple of minutes, even the crickets¡¯ chirps now sounding muted, as if they understood they should pipe down a notch. ¡°If that¡¯s all I ever amount to be¡­ then so be it.¡± Percy said, his voice calm. Elaine lifted her eyes. He was looking up at the sky. No. His gaze seemed to pierce through it, searching for something beyond. He wasn¡¯t upset or angry. Then his eyes met hers. He smiled. ¡°Either way, I won¡¯t be satisfied until I¡¯ve done everything I can.¡± *** Elaine was in her room, her eyes closed. Resting on a proper bed after a month in the wilderness was nice, but her thoughts were locked in her earlier conversation with Percy. By now she¡¯d be a fool to believe she stood a chance of changing his mind. Still, it was comforting to know their relationship hadn¡¯t soured. In any case, there wasn¡¯t much point in ruminating over things she couldn¡¯t change. Instead, she should focus on those she could. ¡®Then, I won¡¯t be satisfied either...¡¯ She opened her eyes, staring up at the ceiling with resolve. Elaine was a Yellow-born. She would reach Violet, no matter the cost, to support her grandpa and her family. But she shook her head. ¡®No.¡¯ Not nearly good enough. If it was Percy in her shoes, he wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with that little. ¡®I won¡¯t stop until White, elevating the Avalon House to one of the Great Houses.¡¯ Percy wouldn¡¯t live long enough to see her reach Violet, let alone White. The thought made a lump form in her throat. But it was ok. She could at least take care of others like him. Having made up her mind, she closed her eyes again. She would give herself this one night¡¯s sleep. She also had to restock her supply of elixirs before heading out. Training and missions couldn¡¯t speed up her advancement, but she could still hone her spells. It had been a long time since her Status registered her Crude magic. ¡®It¡¯s about time I take the next step.¡¯ Chapter 15 – Soul clone ¡®What¡¯s gotten into her?¡¯ Percy had no idea what had brought on that outburst from Elaine yesterday. At least she¡¯d seemed more concerned than hostile, which was good news. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t heed her plea to stop using his bloodline. Especially now that he¡¯d finished mending the cracks and could finally begin cultivating his first proper clone in earnest. Using Soul Vision, he scanned his soul carefully, willing his ability to activate. Unlike the previous time, he held back significantly, only allowing the tiniest strand of mana to seep out of his core. ¡°Careful.¡± said baldy, sitting next to him. Starting today, the two had resumed their training sessions, though his grandpa was currently focused on Percy¡¯s experiment, ready to intervene if necessary. Under the influence of his bloodline, the mana leapt out of his core more violently than usual, like a claw grasping everything in its path, pushing itself out of Percy¡¯s chest. The sudden pain made him wince, causing him to grab the mattress tightly, nearly ripping a hole in his bedsheets. Despite his preparations, he wasn¡¯t quite ready for this. He hurriedly deactivated his ability before it did any further damage. ¡°Are you ok?¡± baldy asked. It was only a few minutes later that the young man steadied his breath, calming down enough to answer. ¡°No wonder I passed out last time. Back then, I pushed all my mana into it like an idiot.¡± He shook his head, reactivating Soul Vision to assess the situation. His soul was in much better shape than his previous attempt, but it hadn¡¯t exactly made it out scot-free either. A few new cracks had appeared near his chest, where the ghostly claw had tried piercing out of his body. They would only take a couple more days to heal, but it meant he had to slow things down again. At least, that gave him the chance to come up with a better plan. *** Three days later, Percy pushed mana out of his core, letting it ripple through his soul. He¡¯d already mended the new batch of cracks, but he wasn¡¯t ready to tap into his ability just yet. Instead, he was trying to replicate his family¡¯s technique, to see what effect it might have in his case. His grandpa had made it look easy during his demonstration, but Percy quickly discovered that getting the waves of mana to flow properly was rather tricky. Where almost all of baldy¡¯s mana had reflected uniformly off his skin and towards his hands, Percy¡¯s instead bounced randomly from one corner of his soul to the other. He struggled to get even a tenth of it to head in the correct direction. Whenever he adjusted the intensity or the angle of the flow to make one side of his soul work, the rest fell out of phase. Though Percy wasn¡¯t deterred, knowing a lot of it came down to practice. After all, Archibald had been using this technique for centuries. Still, there was another issue. Life mana was meant to flow through one¡¯s physical body, which was relatively rigid. This wasn¡¯t the case for Percy, who was channelling it through his soul, flickering around like an amorphous flame. That said, it wasn¡¯t all gloom and doom. ¡®Let¡¯s hope this works better.¡¯ He and Archibald had modified the technique slightly, hoping to make it more suitable for him. Rather than gathering the mana in his hands, forming the clone between his palms, they figured it would be easier to concentrate it near his chest, just an inch from his sternum. After all, that was clearly where his ability wanted it to go.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Percy pulled mana from his core, sending it randomly in all directions. Some was reflected towards his sternum right away, while the rest bounced around a few times. Overall, about a quarter eventually made it to his chest where he wanted it, albeit at different intervals. Most of it, however, either leaked from his pores, or got reabsorbed into his core. ¡°Hmmm¡­ We might be on to something. Try playing with the timing until the waves converge.¡± his grandpa advised after being brought up to speed. Percy nodded. *** The young man stared intently at the small silvery bump right in front of his core. He¡¯d spent a long time observing how the mana got reflected, playing with it as he fired it in various directions, eventually managing to gather about 40% of it at once. It had taken him another week to get here, and he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be able to improve much more in the short term. Thus, he and Archibald had agreed to try and make do with this current version of the technique. Percy repeated his actions, observing the changes. As soon as the waves gathered, they caused his soul to swell in that spot for an instant. ¡®I almost look like a pregnant lady.¡¯ Except he wasn¡¯t a lady. Plus, the bump was in his chest, not his belly. And in his soul, not his flesh. It also didn¡¯t last long before deflating. Ah, and he wasn¡¯t trying to carry a baby, but a ghostly clone he could send out to uncover the secrets of the universe. Still, close enough. ¡°The biggest problem is that it reverts right away, so I don¡¯t have enough time to make progress. If only I could hold it there for a moment¡­¡± Baldy scratched his chin. ¡°Well, why can¡¯t you?¡± The young man pondered over his grandpa¡¯s question. It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t considered it, but there were a few issues with that. The first was that his soul flowed about an inch under his skin, so it was harder to grab a hold of. ¡®I suppose if I time it right, I can catch it when it bumps.¡¯ The other problem wasn¡¯t as easy to solve, however. He¡¯d need to use his mana to interact with his soul, which was dangerous. If he wasn¡¯t careful, he might injure himself. He sighed. ¡°No pain, no gain¡­¡± *** Once more, Percy fired the mana from his core, letting it bounce all over. At the same time, his eyes remained glued to the area right in front of his sternum. The moment his soul bulged, he closed his fingers around it, grabbing the protrusion as softly as he could. Over the past five days, the young man had learned to coat his hand in a layer of soul mana. At first, it had looked like a glove, though it hadn¡¯t taken him long to realize he didn¡¯t need to cover his whole palm. Only his fingertips ever came in contact with his soul. Right now, his right hand looked like he had stabbed five silver cherries with his fingers. It was a bit silly, but he didn¡¯t care about optics. ¡®Just a little more.¡¯ Percy pulled his soul gently, letting it stretch like an elastic fabric. Everything was going well, at least while the silver flame remained within the confines of his flesh. The moment part of it exited his skin, however, all hell broke loose. ¡°AAAAARRGGGHHH!!!¡± His soul squirmed, frantically struggling to return inside his body where it belonged, plunging Percy into a world of agony in the process. Soldiering through it, he held on to the bump, as tears formed not only where he touched it, but in other parts of his soul. At least it wasn¡¯t his first time going through something like this. Though souls were surprisingly resistant to blunt damage, that only seemed to be the case while they remained within the safety of their body. Once removed, they apparently turned a lot more fragile. Still, Percy had never expected to use his bloodline painlessly. His only goal had been to optimize the process as much as possible, to minimize the risks involved. ¡®Can¡¯t make a soul clone without a few cracks.¡¯ A few seconds later, the young man¡¯s lips curled up as the situation stabilized somewhat, the pain becoming more bearable. A few tears continued to form, but not as quickly as before. Next, he used his family¡¯s technique again, sending more waves of mana around his soul. This time, he allowed the new cracks to absorb whatever mana they could, to offset some of the damage. Percy remained in that position for several hours, slowly feeding the nascent clone while struggling to keep his soul from falling apart. The trickiest part was that he ran out of mana every so often, forcing him to hold everything still until he recovered enough to continue. ¡®It¡¯s going well, all things considered¡­¡¯ The bump in his hand had already quadrupled in size, though he wasn¡¯t sure how much he needed for a functioning clone. Shrugging, he let go of his soul, watching it snap back into his body. It sucked to give up on the last five hours of work, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to complete his clone during this session. Sadly, he couldn¡¯t pause and resume his progress like the others, which meant he¡¯d have to do the whole thing in one go. ¡®I seem to be on the right track. I¡¯ll go for it after a good night¡¯s sleep.¡¯ Next, he wiped the sweat off his brow before turning to baldy. He was about to explain his thought process, when he found his grandpa staring at him with a shit-eating grin plastered all over his face. ¡°What¡¯s up with the creepy look?¡± ¡°Percy. I didn¡¯t want to interrupt you earlier, but your second core stopped accepting mana two hours ago.¡± Chapter 16 – Second core It took him a few moments to truly register baldy¡¯s words. Then, it was as if the floodgates opened, a wave of vigour washing away his fatigue. His heartbeat sped up, as he willed his Status to appear.
Percival Avalon Mana cores: Bloodline: ???:
¡®Finally!¡¯ It had taken months ¨C although they¡¯d felt closer to centuries ¨C but it was finally over! Of course, Percy would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t slightly disappointed. He had secretly harboured hope of the new core awakening at a higher grade. If only it could have started off at Yellow, it would have changed everything. But alas, there was no point letting his greed spoil an otherwise good thing. ¡°Well?¡± baldy asked. Percy looked at his grandpa. His expression was also bright, painted with curiosity and excitement. ¡®This is all because of him.¡¯ He wouldn¡¯t forget the countless hours Archibald had spent filling his core up, one drop at a time. How could he? The man had competed with a titaness! And won! Well, ok... It was more of a tie. And he cheated. Still. Few could boast of the same! ¡°Thanks.¡± Percy said. ¡°For everything.¡± Some moisture gathered in the corner of his grandpa¡¯s eyes. But then he blinked, and it was gone. Next, he raised his hand towards Percy¡¯s forehead and¡­ flicked him. ¡°Ouch!¡± the young man exclaimed. ¡°What was that for?!¡± ¡°If you want to thank me, stop torturing me and tell me what your Status says.¡± ¡®Still a prick though.¡¯ Percy rolled his eyes. ¡°What is there to say? It¡¯s at Red which sucks. The affinity has question marks.¡± Baldy nodded. Then, he took something out of his robe. It was a long bandage, covered in all sorts of strange glyphs. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Percy frowned. ¡°It¡¯s warded to conceal mana. From now on, make sure to always have it around your waist. It will hide your second core from Mana Sense, although only while it¡¯s idle. Don¡¯t use it in front of others.¡± Percy accepted it, before wrapping it as per his grandpa¡¯s instructions. ¡°Well then¡­ Can you feel it inside your body?¡± baldy asked. ¡°Try using it.¡± The young man didn¡¯t need to be told twice, also eager to put his new toy in action. Closing his eyes, he recalled his experience sensing his original core for the first time, right after his awakening. Turning his senses inward, he scanned the area around his abdomen, searching for the new organ. Perhaps, he could have used Mana Sense to speed up the process, but he didn¡¯t mind taking a bit longer. Frankly, this all felt nostalgic, and he wanted to savour it.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Pinpointing the core¡¯s location with any certainty took a few minutes. The new vessel was empty, without a hint of mana flowing in or out, making it hard to spot. ¡®I guess that makes sense.¡¯ Percy¡¯s first course of action would be to fill it. With some mental prodding, he managed to stir it up. Repeating the exercises he had been taught as a child, he tried to pull the first strand of ambient mana into it. It was difficult. Like pushing honey through a blocked pipe. Of course, the young man wasn¡¯t a novice in mana manipulation, having done this daily for the last decade. Still, he normally used the core in his sternum for that, and an entirely different set of mana channels. Learning everything again would take some time. ¡°I¡¯ll need a couple of days to get it to a useable state.¡± *** A week passed, which was a bit longer than his estimates. Having gone through all of this before certainly helped, but it wasn¡¯t exactly smooth sailing either. It was like learning to write with his left hand. ¡®Well, if I only found out I even had a left hand five minutes ago...¡¯ That said, he eventually got there. He could now reliably draw mana into his new core ¨C albeit clumsily. Catching up to the other one would take longer though. In any case, he had finally filled it up. Its capacity was a bit lacking due to its grade, but that didn¡¯t mean he was without gains. As soon as Percy drew the first sliver of mana, he noticed an immediate change in his body. His muscles surged with strength, his senses sharpening as he felt more¡­ alive. He¡¯d expected this, having experienced something similar during his recent promotion. The changes were more subtle this time around, but it did confirm his second core would also influence his body and ¨C with some luck ¨C his lifespan. While he didn¡¯t know how it would all scale, he guessed raising both to Yellow might even let him live long enough to reach Green. ¡®That¡¯s in the distant future though. For now, let¡¯s see what I can do with it.¡¯ During the past week, Percy hadn¡¯t pulled any mana out of his second core. He had only focused on clearing the first few channels and filling it up. It was finally time for the main event. ¡°Hopefully we can figure out its type without another assessment.¡± baldy said. Hearing his grandpa, Percy¡¯s feelings on the topic were complicated. Having another rare affinity would be amazing, but it would indeed raise some complications. He couldn¡¯t exactly go back to the temple, could he? How would he explain it? ¡°Fingers crossed for a life affinity.¡± It was one of the few rare affinities they wouldn¡¯t have trouble identifying on their own. Also, it would let him use the regular form of his bloodline too. The duo activated Mana Sense, as Percy pulled some mana towards his hand. The flow was partially obstructed ¨C another channel he would have to clear later ¨C but not right now. A blob of cyan soon coalesced inside his palm. It felt nothing like soul mana. First, it was visible to the naked eye, its colour close to Elaine¡¯s. But it wasn¡¯t a water affinity, this was a couple shades paler. Another difference was that it had substance. Unlike the ethereal wisps of soul mana which he now knew he could only hold with his soul, he could feel this new energy pressing against his skin as he squished it in his fist. His expression stiffened, a bad premonition bubbling up. He turned to baldy, only to see his smile had also soured. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Percy.¡± The young man¡¯s heart sank as he opened his Status once more, reading the new word that had appeared next to his second core¡¯s grade.
The Status was a strange thing. While the affinity tests were a guaranteed way to fill in many of the blanks, a lot of the information could also be revealed based on one¡¯s comprehension. It was why common affinities were so easy to identify, as everyone was familiar with them. Had Percy known more about soul mana, he could have even recognized it on his own, saving him the trip. For the same reason, it wasn¡¯t very difficult to identify his newest mana type. Not that he was particularly happy about that¡­ ¡®What sort of bullshit is this?!?¡¯ Somehow, his second core had ended up at an even lower starting point than his first! Not only at Red, but also lacking an affinity! Percy doubted he¡¯d get much use out of it. Even when he raised it to Orange ¨C five years from now ¨C it would at most let him produce some weak attacks at the level of a Red core. Baldy placed his hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. ¡°Don¡¯t let this get to you. It¡¯s still a good thing.¡± The young man remained silent for a minute. ¡°Grandpa, have you ever heard of a way to change one¡¯s affinity? Or to raise one¡¯s grade faster?¡± Archibald sighed. ¡°Neither of those things exist on Remior¡­ But I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they do on some distant world. The universe is vast.¡± Percy¡¯s eyes regained some lustre, though baldy¡¯s subsequent words quashed the rising hope. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t count on that.¡± Archibald shook his head. ¡°Even bringing back a second core from the Moirai was an exceptional stroke of luck. You may never stumble on another treasure on that level.¡± The young man clenched his fists as he read his Status once more. At least the physical enhancements from his second core would help. Also, his soul projectiles should be close to registering as a proper Crude spell. But he was still a long way from bridging the gap with his peers. There was only one way forward, albeit riddled with uncertainties. ¡°I¡¯ll send out my next clone tomorrow¡­ I¡¯ll comb the ends of the universe if I have to, until I find another way to get stronger¡­¡± Chapter 17 – A painful endeavour Today was the day. Percy had finished mending the new cracks, restoring his soul to a pristine condition. He¡¯d also refilled both cores and got a good night¡¯s sleep. Adding to that, baldy had arranged for his children to manage the family, freeing himself to oversee his grandson¡¯s venture. Admittedly, Percy felt a little guilty over it. Somehow, their strained relationship had evolved to the point of him monopolizing his grandpa¡¯s time, which he knew was precious. The man was a Violet with an entire House to run and hundreds of people to look after, yet here he was, focusing his efforts on a Red-born teenager. ¡®I¡¯ll make it up to him.¡¯ Even if he couldn¡¯t find a way to get stronger, he had to bring something back for his family. Going over all the steps in his mind once more, Percy cleared his thoughts, beginning the process. First, he activated Soul Vision, tuning it to look at his own soul. Gathering mana on his fingertips, he placed his hand right in front of his sternum. Next, he sent a pulse of mana through his soul, letting it reflect off its edges. The moment it all returned to his chest, he seized the opportunity to grab the newly formed bump. He slowly pulled it outwards, ignoring the painful tears that started to form as the silver flame left the boundary of his flesh. Only after it stabilized did he send another pulse of mana from his core, trying to reinforce the damaged regions as he forced the protrusion to enlarge. ¡®So far, so good.¡¯ *** Wave after wave, refill after refill, hour after hour, Percy continued to cultivate the ethereal substance in his hand. It was the very fabric he would craft his clone from. Soon after starting, he¡¯d been elated to discover his soul was more durable than last time! He guessed the awakening of his second core had influenced it. Neither Percy nor Archibald had ever heard that one¡¯s grade affected their soul, but then again, they hardly knew much about soul affinities to begin with. In hindsight, it wasn¡¯t that odd either. The fact that promotions strengthened one¡¯s body was common knowledge. It would be stranger if they didn¡¯t have a similar impact on other aspects of one¡¯s existence. If this hadn¡¯t been the case, a Red core with a soul affinity would be able to kill a White with a sneaky spell, which was absurd to imagine. Either way, the young man gladly welcomed all the help he could get. And it did help, as his soul was noticeably more resilient, the tears forming just a touch more slowly. Waiting for his core to refill for the umpteenth time, he tossed a quick glance out the window. ¡®The sun is about to set¡­¡¯ Apparently, he¡¯d been at it for over twelve hours. The orb in his hand was already larger than an apple. He was getting tired too, the concentration and pain taking a toll on his mind. His original plan had been to pull an all-nighter, gathering as much of his soul as possible before cutting out the clone. But that didn¡¯t seem very realistic now. While he could push himself to go on, it appeared there was a limit to how much of his soul he could pull out at once. The more he accumulated, the greater the pressure was, causing the cracks to appear faster. Right now, the damage was piling up more quickly than his newly strengthened soul and his manual reinforcement could handle.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡®Ok then. Let¡¯s move to the next phase ahead of time.¡¯ As soon as his core was refilled, he pulled the soul mana again. Unlike before, he didn¡¯t send another pulse, instead gathering it manually inside the blob. For the next two hours, Percy filled the orb with as much mana as he could manage, causing it to glow more brightly, until even baldy could faintly see it. Moving the mana directly into it resulted in fewer losses, but the bump didn¡¯t grow in size. Unless the mana travelled through his soul first, it didn¡¯t have that effect. That was clearly an aspect of his bloodline he¡¯d inherited from his family. The reason he was adding more mana to the orb was to give his clone some means of protecting himself later. He didn¡¯t know what circumstances he¡¯d find himself in, but he figured having a stockpile of mana to fall back to might be handy. ¡®Or maybe not.¡¯ he shrugged. ¡®But it¡¯s worth a shot.¡¯ Finally, he refilled his core one last time and ¨C after giving his grandpa a resolute look ¨C he fully activated his ability. The ghostly claw violently bolted out of his sternum, heading straight towards the thrumming blob. Wherever it passed, it carved nasty gouges in the silver flame, causing Percy to experience a world of agony. Not just that, but the tears that already existed widened, making the situation worse. Only after the claw entered the blob did something change, as it began to sizzle, the orb swelling and contracting around it a couple of times. Then¡­ SNAP A loud shockwave rippled through Percy. The last thing he saw before his eyelids fell shut was a silver comet blasting out of his bedroom¡¯s wall. ¡®Go¡­ Soar through the cosmos little me¡­¡¯ *** ¡°Fuck.¡± was the first word that came out of his mouth. The original Percy¡¯s that was ¨C not the clone¡¯s. His head ached as if it had been split in half. And if not, perhaps he should consider it. It might be an improvement. He was lying on his bed, in a pool of sweat, the sheets sticking to his back. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± baldy asked, sitting on a chair next to him. The man¡¯s hand was raised, a gentle green glow radiating from it. Not that it did much, as the source of Percy¡¯s pain wasn¡¯t something life mana could help with. Still, he did appreciate the gesture. ¡°Like I¡¯ve torn out a part of my soul.¡± the young man grinned. ¡°How long was I out this time?¡± ¡°Just the night.¡± Percy exhaled in relief. This was good. Not only had he recovered much sooner, but he¡¯d done so before his clone returned ¨C which was progress. Evidently, his efforts over the past few weeks hadn¡¯t been for naught. But thinking of a possibility, he paled. ¡®Unless the clone crumbled earlier than the last one?!¡¯ Panicking, he tried pulling some mana to his eyes, to check his soul¡¯s condition. He frowned. His core was surprisingly empty. It should have recovered on its own by now, since he¡¯d slept for a long time¡­ Over the next few minutes, he meditated to speed up his regeneration, managing to manually gather some mana, eventually. Turning Soul Vision on, he examined himself, his features soon twisting at the sight. His soul was in even worse shape than the first time he¡¯d ever laid eyes on it. Technically, it wasn¡¯t too surprising. Back then, it had already had weeks to heal on its own before he learned about his affinity. Still, the sight was unsettling to behold. The tears were too wide and too deep to be described as ¡®cracks¡¯ anymore. Some regions looked like they were held together by a few scant strands, about to break off any moment now. But the worst part was the hole in his chest. It was as if a giant had scooped out a huge chunk of his soul with an oversized spoon, as the edges in the crater squirmed, leaking mana. ¡®That explains why my core is empty.¡¯ Apparently, his soul was frantically sucking the mana out of his sternum, trying to hold itself together. Yet, it wasn¡¯t all bad news. Stretching out of the hole in his chest, Percy felt something extending into the distance. It was invisible even to Soul Vision, somehow even less corporeal than soul mana. If he had to describe it, it was as if somebody had grabbed an idea and rolled it up into a rope. Like an umbilical cord, letting him sense that his soul clone was still out there, somewhere. Only then did he let out the turbid breath he¡¯d been holding. ¡®At least, it wasn¡¯t all for nothing.¡¯ He sure hoped his clone would survive longer than the other one. And if he was lucky, even bring back something useful when it was done. For now, he could find comfort in the fact he was awake and could do other things while waiting. It didn¡¯t seem he could practice his soul magic, as his mana was still busy trying to keep his soul together, but perhaps he could feed his second core elixirs and get a bit more used to it over the next few days. ¡®Back to the grind, I suppose.¡¯ Chapter 18 – Wanderer His thoughts were groggy, taking ages to form. Or maybe seconds? He couldn¡¯t tell. Actually, Percy couldn¡¯t tell much of anything at the moment. He was blind and deaf. His sense of touch was gone too. The last thing he remembered was activating his bloodline, watching it tear his soul up. ¡®Either I botched it and killed myself, or I¡¯m the clone.¡¯ Both conclusions sounded possible, though he felt it was more productive to assume the latter. At least, it was good he retained some sense of self this time. On his previous attempt, this had only happened on the way back. It was certainly nice to have some control over the process. Well, assuming he could figure out what was going on¡­ ¡®Let¡¯s focus on what I can tell.¡¯ The most prominent feeling was something attached to him, pulling him towards a certain direction. The force it exerted was currently weak, but it was strengthening very, very slowly. For now, it didn¡¯t affect him much, but he knew it would become irresistible eventually. Perhaps it had to do with how much strength the clone ¨C him ¨C had left? Or maybe with how badly his main body wanted him back? Or something else entirely? Either way, he should try finding a vessel before that happened. ¡®If only I could see...¡¯ His normal senses didn¡¯t work, but there had to be something he could do. Concentrating outwards, he filtered out the attraction of his body, trying to grasp at anything else. For a long time, there was nothing. Then, something appeared at the edge of his consciousness. Curious, he focused on it, causing it to expand and expand until¡­ BUMP Percy felt an impact, shaking his very existence. ¡®What the hell?!¡¯ Whatever it was, it was now getting more distant. Making a mental note to approach things more slowly in the future, he wondered why he¡¯d been rejected. Was there a reason he couldn¡¯t possess that person? ¡®Actually, was that even a person?¡¯ Unable to tell, he resumed the experimentation. He repeated the same steps for some time, until another object appeared. Proceeding with more caution, he limited himself to fleeting glimpses. Each time he looked, it grew larger. Stopping when he was close enough, he went over what he understood about it, making sure not to focus too hard, to avoid crashing into it again. It felt like a soul, although it was his first time encountering one in his present state. He¡¯d seen plenty of them before via Soul Vision, but that was nothing like his current perspective. That said, this object gave him a conflicting mix of familiarity and strangeness. On one hand, it resembled his original self, still tugging at him through the connection. On the other, this was clearly somebody else. Also, there was a sense of rejection. Whenever he stopped ¡®looking¡¯, he felt himself drift further and further¡­ ¡®I suppose I wouldn¡¯t want to be possessed either.¡¯ Nor did he want to do that to somebody else, actually. He still felt guilty over possessing that baby. He¡¯d rather approach things differently this time if he could help it. Once more, he scanned his surroundings, struggling a little as the soul obstructed his senses. Instinctively, he wished to move away from it, which seemed to work, the object shrinking in his ¡®vision¡¯. Percy continued until he was satisfied with the distance. It only took a second. Or did it? Come to think of it, he hadn¡¯t a clue how long it had been, nor how far he¡¯d travelled. But he guessed it should be measured at a cosmic scale. After all, he¡¯d essentially sleepwalked out of Remior last time. ¡®Focus Percy.¡¯ The young man ¨C or perhaps the even younger soul fragment ¨C felt the pull of his main body growing stronger. He still had time ¨C relatively speaking ¨C but he needed to make some progress.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He reached outwards once more. A third soul appeared, but he didn¡¯t approach it just yet. He kept concentrating until a fourth and a fifth joined it. Before long ¨C or maybe after long ¨C a sea of souls surrounded him from every direction. It was nice to have some choice, assuming he could pick from those of course. Still, it was annoying he couldn¡¯t examine them too closely, lest he approached one by accident. Instead, he had to tiptoe around the swarm, trying to learn about them without looking directly. As he allowed his senses to softly brush over the myriad lights, a strange thought crossed his mind. ¡®This is beautiful!¡¯ He didn¡¯t fully understand what laid in front of him, but he suddenly realized he didn¡¯t want to rush things. Perhaps no human had ever experienced anything like this. Percy felt a bubbling urge to take his time, appreciating the exotic scenery. To truly understand it. Even if he failed to find a body today, he would learn a lot for his next attempt. Thus, he relaxed, letting go of his previous urgency. The ¡®lights¡¯ came in all shapes and sizes. Lacking anything to measure them with, he could only compare them to one another. Some were tiny. There were countless of them clustered together, and he felt they were so weak he could snuff them out even in his current state. ¡®Bugs maybe.¡¯ The brightest of them outshone the sun, the mere thought of approaching sending a wave of terror through his splintered consciousness. ¡®Those must be gods.¡¯ Still numerous ¨C given the scale of the universe ¨C but far scarcer than the other types. Percy had never seen a god in person. Not even back on Remior. Though he¡¯d seen plenty of statues and illustrations. And stolen a titaness¡¯s mana. That said, he didn¡¯t want anything to do with these alien deities. Most of them were probably hostile to his species. Instinctively, he wished to move away, but he didn¡¯t know which way to go. There was one no matter where he looked. ¡®Calm down Percy. They can¡¯t find you here.¡¯ Pressing down his fear, he considered categorizing the souls using something other than their ¡®brightness¡¯. Once more, he scanned them, looking for a different way to tell them apart. That¡¯s when he sensed a rather peculiar soul. Curious, he approached. In terms of potency, it was far more powerful than the insects, and infinitely weaker than the gods. ¡®Well, duh.¡¯ Sadly, that was about the extent of what he could discern. Beyond that, Reds and Whites didn¡¯t look too different. Hopefully that would change with more practice. In any case, this wasn¡¯t the aspect he was interested in. Unlike the others, this soul felt wrong, somehow. It was fluttering erratically and dimming quickly. Then, Percy made a mistake. In his attempt to learn more about it, he focused on it a little more than he¡¯d meant to, causing him to approach it rapidly. Growing nearer, he averted his ¡®gaze¡¯, trying to stop. It was difficult! For some reason, this one wasn¡¯t rejecting him! It was pulling him in! Intensifying his efforts, Percy actively steered away, eventually managing to slow down. Just in time too, as he had come this close to getting sucked right in. A moment later, the light fizzled out of existence, disappearing forever¡­ ¡®Wow. I think the poor guy just died.¡¯ At least that solved the mystery of how to possess somebody. Evidently, only those on the verge of death seemed to lower their defences, allowing others to approach. Perhaps it was some desperate, last-ditch effort to survive. It was a little morbid, but it was comforting to know he hadn¡¯t taken over and killed a healthy baby. The alien he¡¯d possessed had probably been a stillborn or something. Suddenly, Percy was dragged out of his thoughts, as he found himself on the move again. Another soul was pulling him! However, this one wasn¡¯t some dying stranger. It was his main body! Apparently, his time here had ran out. The force wasn¡¯t very strong just yet. He could still resist if he wanted, but he knew that wouldn¡¯t be the case for long. Truth be told, he wasn¡¯t too bummed out. Even though his original mission had failed, he¡¯d learned a lot about this place, which would greatly help him in his future ventures. ¡®Still, the main body will be so disappointed¡­¡¯ Focusing outwards once more, he decided to check one last time, to see if he could find a good target. The pull was somewhat distracting, but he eventually managed to peer into the sea of souls again. Having a clearer idea of what to look for, he scanned through them much faster than before. He ignored those too powerful or too weak, and he didn¡¯t spare the healthy ones a second glance either. Eventually, his attention landed on another dimming light. But he didn¡¯t approach it. It was dying even faster than the one before. Whatever had killed it had done a thorough job. It would suck to possess a body only to find out it had been beheaded. ¡®I need something a bit more on the fence so that I might survive. And I need to do it fast.¡¯ The pull from the main body grew stronger, this time forcing him to actively exert effort to resist it. Percy found a few more damaged souls, but they didn¡¯t fit. One was too powerful, three were dying too quickly, one was too tiny. It didn¡¯t seem like it was meant to be. But it was ok. At least he¡¯d tried. Percy was close to accepting his failure, when he suddenly spotted another dying light. It was a bit stronger than he would have liked. He didn¡¯t know if that would be a problem. Also, it was fading a touch too fast. Even if he possessed it, he¡¯d probably die again soon. An unpleasant thing to experience for nothing. Still, he didn¡¯t have much to lose. Well, hopefully not. ¡®Ok, let¡¯s do it.¡¯ Mobilizing every iota of his will, he resisted his body¡¯s pull for the briefest of instants, reaching for the dying light. The next moment, he felt it enlarge. Then, he was gone. Chapter 19 – Possessed Percy found himself in an odd state. He was still unable to see or hear anything, but he had finally stopped moving. His body¡¯s pull was much fainter too. It was there, yet it couldn¡¯t pry him out of¡­ wherever he was. His attempt to possess the dying light had clearly done something, though he wasn¡¯t sure what. ¡®It¡¯s like my limbs are twisted and stuffed inside a messy crate.¡¯ Well, assuming he even had limbs. Logically this body should have something of the sort, but he couldn¡¯t move a muscle just yet. Percy tried shifting around. He appeared to still be in a soul-form. His very existence slipped through the nooks and crannies of a cramped container. Suddenly¡­ One of the objects he was in contact with gave way under the pressure, shattering into nothing. ¡®The other soul! It¡¯s not completely gone!¡¯ Percy tried to untangle himself from his host¡¯s spirit, feeling more pieces crumble. At the same time, the pull strengthened slightly. Apparently, he couldn¡¯t afford to damage it too much or there would be nothing left to anchor him to this place. ¡®Can you fucking stop that?!?!¡¯ that wasn¡¯t his thought. The words echoing through his mind were foreign, spoken in some language he¡¯d never heard of. Still, he could understand them, as they seemed to be conveyed alongside their underlying meaning. Percy would have frowned if he still had lips. ¡®Who are you?¡¯ he asked. A wave of amusement intruded into his mind. ¡®Who do you think?! Or did you walk into my body by accident?¡¯ Ok, that was a dumb question. In Percy¡¯s defence, he hadn¡¯t expected he¡¯d be sharing. Nothing of the sort had happened that one other time. ¡®Then again, the last body WAS an infant.¡¯ ¡®YOU MONSTER!! YOU POSSESSED A BABY?!?¡¯ the soul yelled in outrage. Percy found himself at a loss for words. He hadn¡¯t meant to share that. ¡®For what it¡¯s worth, it was an accident. Also, it was dying already¡­ I think.¡¯ ¡®GET OUT YOU FIEND!!!¡¯ This time, the other soul was the one to shift around, trying to push him out. The only thing it managed, however, was to damage itself even more. A wave of pain assaulted Percy, but it wasn¡¯t his own. ¡®Cut it out! Are you trying to destroy yourself?¡¯ ¡®SILENCE, DEMON!!!¡¯ the soul yelled. ¡®I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN LET YOU DEFILE MY BODY!!!¡¯ Percy was about to swear but paused. Perhaps this was the normal reaction to getting possessed. If there was even such a thing as ¡®normal¡¯ in this situation. Still, it would be a waste to die within three minutes of getting here. ¡®Can we talk about this first?¡¯ he asked. ¡®I promise I¡¯ll leave on my own if we can¡¯t come to an agreement.¡¯ ¡®What is there to discuss?!? I¡¯ve lived my whole life as a proud warrior of Huehue! I won¡¯t let my death change that!!¡¯Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Percy focused on the most interesting piece of information his soulmate had shared. ¡®Huehue? Is that the name of this world?¡¯ This time, a wave of shock hit him, giving him a bad premonition. Somehow, he¡¯d made the already precarious situation even worse. ¡®YOU DON¡¯T EVEN KNOW THAT?!?! OUTSIDER?!?!¡¯ The soul doubled its efforts to evict him. At this rate, it would only be a few moments until it fell apart. Even the second-hand pain reaching Percy through the connection was difficult to endure. Whatever his host was going through must¡¯ve been a dozen times worse, but it didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡®What do you have against outsiders? I didn¡¯t even know about this place before now!¡¯ he said. ¡®LIAR!!! IT¡¯S PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO RUINED EVERYTHING!!! I¡¯D SOONER LET MY BODY BE POSSESSED BY A KROKA¡¯ROCH THAN SCUM LIKE YOU!!!¡¯ Percy was about to give up. The pull was starting to pry him off the body and it didn¡¯t seem like its owner could be reasoned with. Still, he tried one last time. ¡®Look, I have no clue who these outsiders you hate are, but why would they take over your body? Do you have anything they want?¡¯ Against all odds, that did seem to slow the soul¡¯s efforts slightly, as it appeared to ponder over Percy¡¯s question. Though it didn¡¯t drop its resistance entirely. ¡®Who knows? You people have already taken everything! Our world, our heritage, our freedom! Perhaps you decided it wasn¡¯t enough anymore and you want our dignity too!¡¯ The soul¡¯s words were scathing, but Percy felt something more than fury behind them. An indescribable sorrow. ¡®I¡¯m sorry those things happened to you.¡¯ he replied. ¡®I have no interest in possessing somebody by force. If you would like to live a little longer, I can try holding whatever¡¯s left of you together for a while. I won¡¯t do anything else without permission.¡¯ This time, the spirit stopped fighting. However, many of the fragments had already shattered. Percy found it difficult to hold on. Especially as he treaded a narrow line between anchoring himself and not squeezing the pieces too tightly. ¡®How do I know you¡¯re telling the truth?¡¯ it asked after a while. Percy sent what he hoped would come across as a mental shrug. ¡®You can always kick me out later if I try anything funny.¡¯ The soul remained silent for a while. He was about to remind it they were running out of time, when it spoke. ¡®Can you even do as you claim?¡¯ ¡®Beats me. Your earlier tantrum certainly made things harder. Still, unless you have a better idea, I can do my best.¡¯ The spirit didn¡¯t say anything, which Percy assumed was a ¡®yes¡¯. Of course, what he had promised was easier said than done. His host had already been dying when he found it, suggesting its body and soul hadn¡¯t been in great shape to begin with. Now, it was even worse. Not to mention that he could hardly even touch the fragments without destroying them¡­ ¡®Although, it¡¯s been a while since the last one shattered¡­¡¯ he realised. Perhaps, the fact his host had tentatively agreed to work with him had somehow raised their compatibility? In any case, he had to work fast. Shifting his own soul around, he wrapped the shards as gently as possible. Unlike before, each time he touched one, memories flashed through his mind. The darkness of a damp cell, the taste of rotten meat, the sting of nasty wounds, the thrill of victory, the bitterness of defeat, the pride of a broken people, the pain of betrayal¡­ It was too much, but Percy pushed it all aside. He could ask questions later ¨C if they survived. For now, he kept stretching all of himself, trying to use what he was, to fill in the gaps of what the spirit was missing. At some point, he¡¯d shrouded many of the shards, hugging them gently but firmly. They anchored him here, and he hoped he¡¯d act as a bridge between them. The result was a mixed bag. At least, the damage had stopped mounting, but his host wasn¡¯t exactly functional. Furthermore, Percy couldn¡¯t tap into the body¡¯s senses either. ¡®Why was it so much easier with the baby?!¡¯ Maybe it was because the latter had lacked a will, making it more malleable, easier to meld with. Out of options, the young man thought back to the bundle of soul mana his main body had generously bestowed him. He hadn¡¯t used it yet. Of course, he wasn¡¯t sure it would do anything, but it wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d need it if he failed anyway. Allowing it to unravel, he felt the mana flow outwards. The substance eagerly rushed to the edges of his fragmented soul, beginning to do what it did best ¨C repairing it. And as luck would have it, it ran into another soul in dire need of mending at those exact spots! Like glue, it lodged itself between the cracks, bringing the souls closer together as the spirit¡¯s memories flooded him with greater intensity. There was way too much to sift through, though Percy focused on one thing specifically as they reached equilibrium. His new pal¡¯s name. ¡®Mictlantecuhtli.¡¯ Chapter 20 – Micky ¡®I¡¯m not calling you that. How about Micky?¡¯ ¡®Suit yourself. I doubt we¡¯ll survive in this state for very long anyway.¡¯ Various senses assaulted Percy, from the external ones such as the thick odours of moss and excrement, to the internal ones like his chest heaving up and down, or the cold numbness of narrowly-missed death crawling along his limbs. His body felt unfamiliar, plus he wasn¡¯t in control. He could try taking over ¨C if he really wanted ¨C but he¡¯d promised not to. Besides, their soul wouldn¡¯t take another round of infighting. Micky blinked as a drop landed in his eye. When he next opened it, Percy paid more attention to their surroundings. It was dark, the only source of light being the fluttering flame of a mounted torch somewhere in the distance. They were in a closed space that looked a bit like a cave, only one side covered in thick metallic bars. He recognized this place! It was the cell from Micky¡¯s memories! ¡®Is this where you live?¡¯ ¡®It is. For the latter half of my life at least. And the first part of my afterlife too, it seems.¡¯ Percy felt a pang of amusement seep through their connection. Then, his host stood up, the pain making both of them wince. That was when the young man remembered their body was a mess. ¡®Fuck. Dying isn¡¯t a joke.¡¯ ¡®Tell me about it.¡¯ Many places hurt, but none as much as a region right above their stomach. There appeared to be a gaping hole, perhaps the very wound that had claimed Micky¡¯s life. Even the slightest shift rattled their innards, making Percy sick. It was lucky he wasn¡¯t in charge, or they might have thrown up by now. The most annoying part was that his host clearly didn¡¯t give a shit, stretching his legs as if everything was fine. ¡®Are you sure you should be moving around so much? I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed, but you¡¯re not in the best shape.¡¯ Micky made a weird guttural sound that trailed off a bit like a cackle. ¡®I¡¯m well aware of my injuries. I was there when they happened.¡¯ Next, he flexed his arms, shocking Percy, who just now registered they had a couple too many. ¡®Must be convenient having four hands.¡¯ ¡®Why? How many do you have?¡¯ ¡®Just two.¡¯ ¡®Huh, you wouldn¡¯t be able to play the kik¡¯lit.¡¯ The image of a long flute-like instrument with dozens of holes appeared in his mind. It was wide like a trumpet on one end, though two shafts lead to it. He still couldn¡¯t understand Micky¡¯s language, but their link made communication convenient at least. If a bit intrusive. ¡®Now what?¡¯ Percy asked. ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ ¡®What do you mean ¡°what do I mean¡±? Isn¡¯t there anything you want to do with your extra time? Somebody you¡¯d like to speak to?¡¯ His host remained quiet for a couple moments before replying. ¡®You really don¡¯t know anything about Huehue, do you? I¡¯m sorry if you were expecting to be a passenger on some exotic vacation. The only thing your little stunt has bought us are a couple more fights before we die again.¡¯ ¡®Fights?¡¯ Micky shook his head ¨C a universal gesture it seemed. He didn¡¯t bother explaining. Returning to the spot where they¡¯d woken up, he looked at a small puddle on the ground. The water dripping from the ceiling was mixed with blood, but Micky wasn¡¯t deterred, scooping some with his lower-left hand before bringing it to his face.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Under other circumstances, Percy might have berated his host over his lack of hygiene. Right now, however, he was too busy gawking at the guy¡¯s reflection, faintly visible on the surface of the murky water. For the most part, he resembled a human, even his skin colour not too dissimilar to his own ¨C if a couple shades tanner. Though it was covered in all sorts of tribal tattoos, some depicting various celestial objects, while others showed Micky¡¯s people in various poses. ¡®Is it some kind of traditional dance?¡¯ Not all the symbols were easy to make out, partly due to the poor lighting, and partly due to the crisscrossing scars of all shapes and sizes marring Micky¡¯s body. His build was bulky too, his muscles toned, but Percy chalked those up to the harsh life he¡¯d clearly lived. There were other more glaring differences too, of course. Besides the obvious mismatch in the number of limbs, Micky¡¯s nose and mouth were fused together into a long, pointy beak. While his eyes and scalp weren¡¯t very different to Percy¡¯s, his ebony hair looked a little odd, reminding the young man of the fluff he often saw in newborn birds. His host moved again, shaking Percy out of his thoughts, as he walked to a wall before plopping down, resting his back on the coarse stone. It was cold and hard, except for a spot that felt a little grimy ¨C a patch of moss most likely. Not the cosiest seat, though it still felt unbelievably sweet right now, considering how unpleasant standing had been. Equally unpleasant was the terrible stench that assaulted their nostrils, which only intensified as Micky grabbed its source, bringing it to his mouth! ¡®Please¡­ for the love of all that is holy¡­ tell me you aren¡¯t going to eat this¡­¡¯ Percy begged. His host frowned, glancing at the ¡®meal¡¯ in confusion. ¡®Why not?¡¯ It was the half-eaten corpse of some kind of rodent, twice as large as a rat. Though it also had six limbs and its face was more flat. ¡®For starters, you have a hole in your stomach. Can you even eat?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not IN my stomach.¡¯ Micky rolled his eyes. ¡®Besides, I¡¯d very much like to have one more meal, even if it kills me.¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s there to LIKE?!? It¡¯s rotten!!!¡¯ Micky made the cackly sound again. Percy wanted to strangle him so damn much. ¡®What are you, some kind of princess? Don¡¯t tell me you only eat fresh kills where you¡¯re from?¡¯ The bastard didn¡¯t even wait for a reply before pecking a chunk off the corpse. Percy hurriedly summoned his Status. He¡¯d been itching to do that since getting here and he desperately needed a distraction from the¨C Yeah. He needed a distraction.
Mictlantecuhtli (Percival''s clone)
¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ Micky asked, a bone snapping inside his beak. Percy wanted to swear. ¡®I¡¯ll tell you if you stop eating.¡¯ His annoying host shrugged, tossing the rest of his meal inside his mouth, chewing it a couple of times before guzzling it down. ¡®There, all done.¡¯ It took Percy over a minute to recover. His main body would have nightmares of the spoiled rat meat for years. ¡®It¡¯s my Status. Do you not have it here?¡¯ Micky shook his head. Percy hadn¡¯t known it was something exclusive to Remior. Either way, he read the rest, eager to find out if there was anything of value in this place.
Mana cores: ???:
¡®The fuck?¡¯ ¡®What?!¡¯ Both exclaimed at the same time. ¡®Why do I have a second mana core?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯d very much like to know that myself!¡¯ Percy said. ¡®It¡¯s something I picked up from that baby I mentioned. It followed me home, but I didn¡¯t realize all my clones would have it too.¡¯ ¡®But why is it ¡°Incomplete¡±?¡¯ Micky asked again. Indeed, why was it? Percy would have understood had it been ¡®Fractured¡¯ instead, requiring both mind and life mana like the first time. Apparently, the former part had stuck with him for whatever reason¡­ ¡®Does it matter?¡¯ is what he ended up saying. ¡®More importantly, can you think of a source of life mana we can tap into?¡¯ A spark of annoyance passed through their bond. ¡®Do I look like I can get life mana?¡¯ Micky gestured at his wound. ¡®Good point.¡¯ At the end of the day, they didn¡¯t really need to awaken their second core. They wouldn¡¯t live long enough to use it anyway. Percy was more disappointed by the lack of another of those mysterious perks he could bring back to Remior. This trip was swiftly turning into a dud. ¡®At least tell me you know your mana type.¡¯ ¡®Of course I do! All the natives of Huehue have a pure affinity!¡¯ Micky replied proudly. But the young man wasn¡¯t impressed. ¡®No wonder they were enslaved¡­¡¯ he thought, before realizing his gaff. ¡®Fuck. I¡¯m sorry. That was such a shitty thing to think.¡¯ However, his host hadn¡¯t taken offense. ¡®You¡¯d think that, yet it wasn¡¯t weakness that turned us into targets. It was something else.¡¯ Percy wanted to ask, but he didn¡¯t want to be insensitive. ¡®It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t mind talking about it.¡¯ Micky seemed about to elaborate, when they heard footsteps. Percy felt a wave of disgust oozing from his host as soon as the figure stepped into their sight. He appeared to be of the same species as Micky, though he lacked the tattoos and scars, dressed in clean, expensive clothes. The guard stopped by the entrance, searching through the keys strapped to his belt. ¡®Actually, scratch that. It¡¯ll be easier to show you why my people got enslaved.¡¯ Micky said, before adding, ¡®My next fight is about to begin.¡¯ Chapter 21 – Dance As Micky followed the guard through a long corridor, Percy was reevaluating his life choices. How had he found himself hitching a ride on a walking corpse, escorted to a fight through a dungeon? Not to mention, this place had somehow turned out even crueller than Remior. Micky might be their prisoner, but these people didn¡¯t seem to know nor care he¡¯d just died. ¡®Surely, they could give him a day off!¡¯ Oblivious to his thoughts, the guard soon brought them to a large barred gate, an ominous red light seeping through the gaps. Stopping, the man made some kind of whistling sound. And a few moments later, Percy heard a loud metallic noise. It was grating, like a rusty chain grinding against something hard. At the same time, the gate was slowly lifted by the mechanism. Micky stepped through as the guard stayed behind. He walked into an open space, to the cacophony of jeers and boos, which only intensified upon their arrival. Percy¡¯s host scanned their surroundings slowly, which he figured was done for his sake. The stands surrounded them in all directions, stretching up for over a hundred meters. And they were filled to the brim with eager spectators, clearly itching to enjoy the barbaric event. Most of the crowd was too far to make out, but many of those closest appeared to be the same species as Micky, albeit lacking the tattoos again, like the guard. ¡®Why do this to one of your own?¡¯ His host had a visceral reaction to that thought. Percy felt phlegm accumulate in their throat, before Micky spat out the half-chewed head of the rodent, covered in thick bile. ¡®Please¡­ never do this again¡­¡¯ ¡®Your fault! For calling this trash ¡°my own¡±!¡¯ Micky snapped back. Then he looked up at a sky painted red, reminiscent of a sunset back on Remior. Yet here, it was the middle of the day. The local sun was at its apex, bathing Huehue in a dim crimson light. The sand blanketing the arena was red too, but a different, brownish shade. Mixed with the blood of countless combatants, it was coarse and sticky, with the occasional bony shard jutting out. Micky ignored those, as they failed to pierce his calloused feet, making his way to the centre of the arena. ¡®Can you even fight like this?¡¯ His host shrugged. Then, Percy felt the muscles in their abdomen tense, forcefully closing the injury. It hurt like a bitch, causing them to wince, though it was practical. Next, the core in their sternum stirred, flooding their body with potent mana. Having recently acquired a pure affinity himself, the substance felt somewhat familiar to Percy. Still, it was weird coming out of his chest rather than his abdomen and at a higher grade than he was used to. Soon, it gathered on the wound, further sealing it in a film of pale cyan. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it would do. ¡°ROOOAAAR!!!¡± A thunderous bellow came from the other end of the arena, as faint tremors reached their feet. And they grew more fierce over the next few seconds as another gate opened, revealing their opponent. It was a large bear-like creature, taller than Micky even on all six. Its green fur was long and curly, which might have made the creature look cute, if it hadn¡¯t been for its curved claws and twisting horns. Its snout was wide, with sharp fangs protruding out of its mouth, making it resemble a crocodile¡¯s maw. Micky activated Mana Sense, letting the two examine its grade. ¡®Yellow.¡¯ Percy wasn¡¯t happy. Beasts were generally dumber than sentient beings, but they possessed a special affinity that made up for it. Greatly strengthening their bodies with each promotion, it turned them into fierce opponents even for somebody at their grade. And that was assuming that person had a proper affinity themselves. Micky pulled mana from his core again, this time to his hands, forging it into four short staves. He hit them together a couple of times, nodding in satisfaction as he verified their hardness. Still, that did little to assuage Percy¡¯s worry. It wasn¡¯t like pure mana was completely useless. It could still form proper spells and there were people who ascended all the way to godhood with it. But it hadn¡¯t earned its reputation as the weakest affinity by accident either. It was far less flexible than water or air, and not nearly as sturdy as earth, or as lethal as fire and lightning. Even calling it a jack-of-all-trades was an overstatement. Perhaps a jack-of-no-trades was more apt. Adding Micky¡¯s suboptimal condition and Percy wasn¡¯t optimistic about their odds. Not wanting to negatively affect his host, he tried to steer away from those thoughts, but they must¡¯ve seeped through.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Micky chuckled. ¡®I know what you¡¯re thinking. And you¡¯re not exactly wrong. Lacking any affinities, Huehue used to be one of the weakest worlds, constantly losing ground to others.¡¯ Then, their calves tensed like steel coils, as Micky jolted towards the monster with shocking speed. He was quicker than a Yellow had any right to be, clearly having honed his body to its very limits. His technique was nothing to scoff at either, perfectly timing the swings of his upper arms to close into the beast¡¯s head from both sides. However, the croco-bear was no slouch either, raising a paw faster than its bulk should have allowed, slashing down violently. Percy felt their bones creak, as the shockwave sent ripples through their skin. Bent under the tremendous weight of the claws, one of the rods was already cracked. They¡¯d all shatter the next instant! But Micky never gave them the chance. Having expected the parry, he stabbed forward with his lower arms, hitting the creature¡¯s chin. The impact sent its head up by a few inches, a few bloody fangs spluttering out. Yet, it was far from enough. Enraged, the beast swiped with a second paw, this time slashing directly at Micky¡¯s chest. Percy felt all four elbows bend, the mana flowing to reinforce the damaged weapon, as the rods moved to block the incoming blow. It was even heavier than the one before, but Micky loosened his footing at the last second, letting himself slide back a dozen metres to lessen the impact. Two of the staves had still snapped in half. As the young man had thought, his host was at a severe disadvantage. He just couldn¡¯t see a way out of this. Micky pulled some more mana to repair the weapons but didn¡¯t stop there. He pushed it into his channels, keeping it in his body. Then, he took a deep breath as Percy felt the strands of ambient mana enter their lungs, swirling like water down a drain. Their core had previously been at half its capacity, Micky having already exhausted much of his reserves, though it began refilling rapidly as he continued to pump mana into his pathways. At this rate, it would take less than a minute to max out! ¡®My ancestors laboured over countless generations to develop a technique that made us famous in the cosmos.¡¯ Percy¡¯s eyes would¡¯ve widened had he been the one in control. The beast was already charging at them, but Micky didn¡¯t appear concerned. He continued to absorb mana as his channels swelled. Countless thin threads like veins began glowing under his skin. As soon as the monster was upon them, Micky pivoted on his heel, narrowly avoiding being impaled by its horns. Then, he stomped hard with his other foot, all the muscles in his body bulging ¨C somehow even more than before. The mana burned its way through their lower arms, making the weapons glow brighter as they lunged upwards. Percy felt the beast¡¯s ribs give way under the fierce strike, the force even lifting its giant visage an inch off the ground. It growled again in fury, before its maw snapped shut, droplets of boiling spittle falling in all directions as the creature seethed. This time it swiped sideways with two of its paws. Or tried to, at least. Micky¡¯s movements were too fast for Percy to fully track, though he seemed to have struck one of its knees with a staff, stopping it before it picked up momentum. As for the second paw, he¡¯d failed to see how his host had dodged it, as Micky tiptoed around the monster, his footwork elegant like a dance. Then, he leapt backwards, putting some distance from the disoriented beast. ¡®At its highest level, the technique allows one to fight a full grade above their own.¡¯ Only then did Percy realize their core was about to reach full capacity. With one last breath, it hit its limits. But still, Micky didn¡¯t stop inhaling mana. The pressure was intense, making Percy fear both the core and the channels were about to burst, when the glowing lines on their skin shone even more brightly. Percy had only managed a fleeting glance, but the mana seemed to flow in certain patterns, tracing along the tribal tattoos, hinting at the order in which they were meant to be read. A few scarce motes of cyan leaked out of their body, as the rods felt hotter to the touch. ¡®It made up for our shortcomings, finally letting our gods stand tall against others, giving the technique its name.¡¯ The beast regained its bearing, glaring at them with unconcealed fury. Though it wasn¡¯t as quick to attack this time. Instead, it was Micky who dashed forward. Before he even reached the creature, he took a few strange steps, twisting his path. The monster¡¯s attack hit empty air as Micky delivered three swift strikes from various angles. Every time a rod landed, a bone shattered. Saying that Percy had a front row seat to the spectacle would be an understatement. Inside Micky¡¯s body, he could feel every muscle flexing, every wisp of mana moving, every pivot of their feet, every sharp swing of the weapons. But even then, he could barely track a tenth of Micky¡¯s actions. His host wasn¡¯t only manipulating the staves with his hands. They bounced off his elbows and even his knees, as they swished through the air erratically, stabbing and crushing and slashing at the creature from seemingly random angles. At one point, Micky even kicked the bottom of a rod with his heel, slamming the other end right onto the monster¡¯s horn, smashing it into splinters. Five minutes later, the beast was lying on the ground, its pained cries having softened, its breaths slowing down. It was battered, its limbs bent in all the wrong directions, countless craters tearing into its flesh. Percy stared at the monster in horror. A short while earlier he¡¯d been wondering how they could possibly escape its clutches, only to watch it slaughtered in such a brutal manner. Then, Micky spoke again. ¡®It¡¯s called the Dance of the Savage Gods.¡¯ Chapter 22 – Kik’lit The two were back in the cell, the foul smell of blood now dominating the earthy scents of the cave. Micky didn¡¯t seem bothered, however, as he pecked chunks off the croco-bear¡¯s severed leg. Being allowed to eat their kills was apparently one of the few joys afforded to the prisoners of the colosseum. Not that Percy particularly enjoyed the taste of the still-bleeding meal ¨C he preferred his food cooked. At least this one was fresh. Surprisingly tender too. A Yellow beast¡¯s flesh was supposed to be tougher, but his host had softened it quite a bit after that massacre of a bout. ¡®So, I take it your people were attacked out of greed?¡¯ Micky nodded. ¡®Originally, our enemies only wanted our resources. Upon perfecting the Dance, my ancestors managed to turn the situation around for a few millennia, regaining some of the lost territories. But the only thing we achieved was to give our foes an even greater reason for coveting our world. Eventually, they joined forces with a few other races to conquer Huehue.¡¯ ¡®But why? Does it even work with other affinities?¡¯ Fighting above one¡¯s grade was certainly valuable, but if it only worked with pure mana then the advantage would be offset by its weakness. In that case, it would be priceless for the people of Huehue, yet not quite as much for others. ¡®Sadly, yes.¡¯ Hearing that, Percy¡¯s feelings were mixed. Part of him did want it to work solely with his second core, to finally make it worth it. Stumbling upon a powerful technique that only worked because of his affinity sure sounded better than one that did so despite it. But he shook those thoughts away, knowing they were silly. ¡®It¡¯s better this way. I can use it with both cores.¡¯ The only question now was whether Micky would be willing to pass his people¡¯s heritage to an outsider... ¡®Might as well.¡¯ Percy thought he¡¯d heard wrong. ¡®Just an hour ago you were willing to destroy your own soul to keep me out of your body.¡¯ Micky shrugged. ¡®Well, by now it¡¯s obvious you aren¡¯t related to our enemies. I don¡¯t mind helping you out. It¡¯s not like I have anything better to do either.¡¯ ¡®But what¡¯s in it for you?¡¯ ¡®You¡¯ve already given me everything I could ask for. Which isn¡¯t much really. It¡¯s not like I have some grand ambition. I figured it would be nice to have a couple more fights. And if I¡¯m lucky, maybe another shot at the bastard who killed me.¡¯A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The young man was at a loss for words. ¡®You¡¯re already getting those things for free. Why put in the effort?¡¯ Micky chuckled. ¡®This is the part where you thank me and quit while you¡¯re ahead. Are you trying to get me NOT to teach you?¡¯ ¡®Well, no. Of course I¡¯m happy to take the freebie. I just thought it¡¯s a little too easy.¡¯ His host sighed. ¡®Percival¡­ Had you visited Huehue 10000 years ago asking for our technique, I¡¯m sure my ancestors would have skinned you alive¡­ But right now, all the people I hate the most already have it. As I see it, passing it to somebody else before I die is my best chance at preserving my legacy and spiting my enemies.¡¯ Micky coughed, Percy feeling the taste of iron accumulate in their mouth, before his host wiped something sticky off the bottom of his beak. This blood wasn¡¯t from the food. ¡®How long do you think we even have?¡¯ ¡®Beats me.¡¯ Micky shifted in his seat, the movement sending another jolt of pain through their body. Unlike before, he had to use one of his lower hands to keep the wound closed. Despite the measures he¡¯d taken during the fight to protect it, it had still widened by about an inch. While powerful, the Dance of the Savage Gods clearly took a toll on its user. Carelessly tossing the naked bone away, Micky pushed himself up, walking to a different corner of the cell. The dim light of the torch didn¡¯t reach that spot, so Percy hadn¡¯t noticed there was something here earlier. Reaching down, his host picked up a strange piece of bone, crafted into some sort of intricate tool. No, not a tool. An instrument. It looked a little like an ivory flute, but it had two shafts, way too many holes and was wide like a trumpet on one end¡­ ¡®That¡¯s the thing you mentioned earlier! A kriki-tick!¡¯ ¡®A kik¡¯lit, but yes.¡¯ Micky rolled his eyes. ¡®My mother played one for me as a child. A few years ago, I convinced the wardens to let me craft one after winning a lot of matches in a row.¡¯ Next, he sat down again, moving the object to his face. That¡¯s when Percy understood that, unlike a trumpet, one was supposed to blow at the kik¡¯lit from the wide end ¨C the beak going inside the hole. Which frankly made sense, given the locals¡¯ physiology. The young man figured his host would have a tough time playing with one hand occupied, yet Micky seemed to manage just fine. If anything, he appeared quite skilled with it too, his fingers moving swiftly but gently, tapping some of the holes while brushing over others. Then, he blew a strained breath into the kik¡¯lit, causing it to emit a soft tune. The melody was crisp and strangely uplifting, like something a mother would play for her child to cheer them up. For a second, Percy almost forgot he was still inside a corpse, trapped in a cell atop a broken world. Yet, a second tune subtly underscored the first. A kid would have missed this one, and perhaps Percy might have too, if not for Micky¡¯s emotions seeping through their connection. This hidden layer spoke of struggles against adversity, and of the fight for one¡¯s place in the world. Like a people cursed without an affinity, trying to protect their home. Or a boy born with a Red core, looked down upon by all¡­ Micky played for hours, the mellow notes bouncing off the cold walls. Every few minutes a cough interrupted the music, each time sounding worse. Still, it always resumed soon after, as if it would be a crime to rob Huehue of even this minor consolation. So absorbed was Percy in the melody, he nearly failed to register the warm trickle down his cheek. It slowly flowed down his face, before dripping off his chin. The tears sputtered on his chest, curving around the wound, almost caressing it. But Micky wasn¡¯t the one crying. Without meaning to, and for the first time since their meeting, Percy had broken his promise¡­ Chapter 23 – Circulation A zigzagging trail of shallow prints formed on the sticky sand. They were erratic and barely visible. Nearly soundless too. Had Percy relied on his eyes, he would have failed to track the creature. Still, the Orange orbs shimmering inside his Mana Sense made this easy. With a horizontal movement of his upper-right arm, he slammed the rod into the critter¡¯s side, feeling little resistance as he catapulted its body a dozen meters away. A small crater formed on the ground, as the skin of the fox-like animal regained its colour. ¡®Careful, there¡¯s another behind you.¡¯ Micky warned. The young man had already noticed, swinging his left to intercept it. But his movements were clumsy. The only thing he managed to hit was his own back, fumbling with the weapon as the Orange blur streaked toward his throat. His bottom-left elbow jerked upwards at the last second, the staff¡¯s lunge sending the beast flying. It didn¡¯t land until a couple seconds later, the impact sending a splash of bloody sand in every direction. The rest of the pack growled at him, but didn¡¯t rush to attack, learning from their companions¡¯ mistakes as they circled him cautiously. ¡®It¡¯s harder than you made it look.¡¯ Percy said. ¡®You¡¯ll get there.¡¯ Micky replied before chuckling. ¡®Just don¡¯t start crying again.¡¯ Percy felt his cheeks heat up. ¡®Shut up about it already! For all we know it was you!¡¯ Then, he resumed his stance, his focus returning to his opponents. A sliver of cyan leaked out of his sternum, tracing along an arm to repair one of the rods. Micky was in charge of their core, as Percy wasn¡¯t proficient enough with pure mana to form stable constructs. The second pair of arms too, as the young man didn¡¯t need to learn how to use those. ¡®Your technique is downright atrocious, but I suppose it would be unreasonable to expect otherwise. If you¡¯re used to my body, we can turn things up a notch.¡¯ Percy nodded. The Dance of the Savage Gods was a complex technique with many moving parts. Mastering each would be a time-consuming process, but a lot of them he could work on by himself. For example, training his body to withstand it was relatively straightforward. Forming the weapons too. That said, there were some aspects he couldn¡¯t learn without guidance. Micky pushed more mana out of their core, flooding their channels. Unlike the last time, he deliberately slowed down the process, making it easier for Percy to follow. The young man paid close attention to the specific pathways the mana was flowing in. Normally, over 95% of a mage¡¯s mana was contained in their core. Their channels weren¡¯t meant for storage, but for efficiently transmitting it outside as quickly as possible. Consequently, most people only bothered to clear out the channels that began at their sternum and spread out to their extremities. Micky¡¯s technique was very different. It used every channel in one¡¯s body ¨C even the seemingly useless ones looping around pointlessly. Percy would have to clear a lot of new pathways later. Not just that, but he¡¯d have to temper all of them, including the ones he normally used, until they could stretch more than normal. This would let him contain twice as much mana as before. The flow was also necessary, to keep the mana evenly spread out, so that he could draw on it quickly where it was required. The deep breaths too, which would constantly refill his pool, maintaining his strength. ¡®Sadly, I can only teach you the first half of the art, as I never learned the rest.¡¯If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡®What?! This is only half?!?!¡¯ This was news to Percy. Once more, he felt his muscles brimming with strength, as glowing cyan lines became visible on his skin. This much had already allowed Micky to utterly dominate a previously insurmountable opponent. Just how powerful was the full technique?! ¡®From what I understand, the last step involves some direct manipulation of ambient mana outside your body. Unfortunately, you¡¯ll have to figure it out by yourself. Still, once you master Circulation, your strength should shoot up by half a grade.¡¯ *** They coughed again, but they didn¡¯t bother wiping the blood off their beak this time. There was no point ¨C they were covered all over already. ¡®That¡¯s enough. I think I¡¯ve got the basics down.¡¯ Micky nodded. With a sudden spin, he delivered a powerful blow on one of the remaining critters, crushing its skull. Then, gathering strength in his calves, he sprung forth like an arrow, swiftly dispatching the last one too. Only after they were alone in the arena did he finally let go of the excess mana, falling with his back on the sand, his chest heaving up and down as the cyan lines faded from his skin. He was using both of his lower hands to keep the wound from opening more than it had to. By now, it had doubled in size and his body was much paler, having lost a ton of blood. ¡®How are you holding up?¡¯ Percy asked. He could feel the agonizing pain of course, but he figured his host had a better understanding of his own body. ¡®I think the next fight will be our last.¡¯ Perhaps they could have made it a couple days longer if they took things slower, but they¡¯d overexerted themselves against the invisible foxes. Normally, Micky wouldn¡¯t have needed more than a minute to slaughter them all. The only reason he¡¯d persisted for over an hour had been to show Percy the ropes. It wasn¡¯t nearly enough time for him to learn the technique, but he¡¯d at least begun to grasp the underlying concepts. As their breath evened out, the young man noticed the crimson sun was still at its apex, having never moved from that very spot. ¡®Are days really long on Huehue?¡¯ Micky raised an eyebrow. ¡®What¡¯s a ¡°day¡±?¡¯ Percy thought he was being pranked. Still, he showed his host images of the sun setting and rising on Remior. ¡®Fascinating¡­¡¯ Micky said after a while. ¡®Huehue always faces Tonatiuh with the same side. The warmth is barely enough for us to survive, but the back of our world is stuck in eternal darkness.¡¯ Then he chuckled bitterly. ¡®Though I suppose this side isn¡¯t much better now.¡¯ A few moments later, they pushed against the sand, struggling to stand up. Only then did Percy register the crowd¡¯s boos, startled by their intensity. Evidently, their bloodthirsty audience wasn¡¯t pleased he and Micky had dragged the fight out for so long. ¡®Not entertaining enough for you, you pigs?!¡¯ he glared. Micky shook his head. ¡®You learn to filter it out after a while in here.¡¯ The rusty gate made a groaning sound somewhere behind them. They looked back, seeing the guards gesturing impatiently. ¡®Percival¡­ Do you mind if I do something dumb?¡¯ For some reason, the young man felt his heart clench, but didn¡¯t say anything. This was Micky¡¯s life. The tiny sliver he had left. And he¡¯d already used up much of it for his sake. Whatever he wanted to do, Percy wouldn¡¯t stop him. Receiving a tacit agreement, Micky ignored the guards¡¯ shouts, slowly trudging to the other side of the arena. The boos only grew louder as the injured gladiator stumbled his way to one of the walls. Next, he looked up. Percy examined the crowd as his host¡¯s eyes brushed over them. There were people of all ages ¨C men, women and children ¨C dressed in all kinds of clothes he¡¯d never seen before. From sleeveless shirts with silken ties, to colourful dresses that left little to the imagination, to flamboyant hats and intricate accessories¡­ Under other circumstances, he might have appreciated the exotic fashion of Huehue¡¯s locals. Right now, however, it wasn¡¯t nearly enough to suppress the sheer disgust he felt towards them. Eventually, Micky¡¯s gaze lingered on a man somewhere in the first row. He lacked the tribal tattoos and scars ¨C much like everyone else ¨C but, unlike the rest, his build was muscular. ¡®A fighter.¡¯ Percy realized. He was surrounded by a few more men like him, but Micky didn¡¯t pay them any heed. Raising his hand, he manifested a new cyan rod before pointing it at that person. Only after getting a nod back did he let the construct crumble, his arm falling weakly by his side. Finally, he turned back towards the gate, ignoring the even louder boos buzzing in his ears. *** The cell¡¯s door slammed shut as the guard left with what Percy thought was the equivalent of a sneer. ¡®Mind telling me what that was all about?¡¯ Cusping a handful of water from the puddle, Micky gulped it sloppily before plopping down on the cold stone. ¡®That guy in the stands¡­ He¡¯s Mixcoatl. The one who killed me.¡¯ Percy¡¯s eyes widened, but Micky wasn¡¯t done. ¡®And I¡¯ve just challenged him to a rematch.¡¯ Chapter 24 – Mixcoatl ¡®What¡¯s up with those people anyway? Aren¡¯t they also natives? Why aren¡¯t THEY locked up in a cage?¡¯ Percy felt his features twist into a grimace. ¡®They are¡­ They¡¯re just too dumb to see it¡­¡¯ Once more, Micky reached for the kik¡¯lit. With a trembling grip, he moved it to his beak, exhaling a soft breath into the instrument. The sound was off tune. He tried again but his fingers shook, unable to close the holes properly. His lungs hurt with every attempt too. After a few more failures, he let his arm fall, the intricate piece of bone rolling half a circle away. ¡®When it became obvious we were going to lose the war, some of our ancestors switched sides. They volunteered the technique and our resources to the enemies, helping them accelerate their conquest.¡¯ ¡®So, the spectators¡­ the guards¡­ the wardens¡­?¡¯ Percy could already guess the answer. ¡®Their descendants.¡¯ Micky nodded. The young man pondered over the implications. This certainly explained the bad blood between the two sides. Still¡­ ¡®Why would that guy agree to a fight? Can you challenge the wardens whenever you want?¡¯ Micky sighed. ¡®There¡¯s no official rule allowing or prohibiting it¡­ but why wouldn¡¯t he accept? The very reason our enemies even built these colosseums is to humiliate us¡­ and to rub the bitter truth in our faces.¡¯ ¡®What truth?¡¯ ¡®That their ancestors chose right, and mine wrong.¡¯ The two remained silent for a while. Eventually, Percy spoke again. ¡®Can you beat him?¡¯ Back in the arena, he¡¯d caught a glimpse of Mixi-coco-whatever¡¯s core. The guy was at Yellow ¨C the same grade as them. Sure, Micky was injured badly¡­ but maybe if he was more skilled¡­ ¡®Not a chance.¡¯ Micky said. ¡®He has the full technique. Even when I was healthy, he won easily. Let alone now.¡¯ Percy was shocked. ¡®Then why challenge him?! Not now, I mean. I get now. But why did you do it the first time?¡¯ ¡®Same reason, really.¡¯ Micky replied. ¡®I was running out of time.¡¯ ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ Micky closed his eyes, softly tapping the back of his head against the wall. ¡®I was born at Yellow. Some over 80 years ago.¡¯ Percy raised one of their eyebrows. He didn¡¯t know how long a year was on Huehue, but he figured that should be plenty of time for Micky to have advanced at least once, yet he hadn¡¯t. Of course not. Who would waste precious resources on prisoners? The wardens on the other hand¡­ ¡®Mixcoatl is an Orange-born, but he¡¯d already reached Yellow by the time he rounded us up, butchering my mother and sister right in front of me, dragging me into this shithole.¡¯ ¡®¡­¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m so sorry Micky.¡¯ Micky chuckled, but it sounded hollow. ¡®I¡¯m not an idiot. I knew I wasn¡¯t his match. But I¡¯ve heard he is close to Green now. Unless I went for it when I did, the gap would widen even further, and I¡¯d lose my chance forever. Say what you will, but even throwing my life in the gutter was worth it if I could just land ONE good hit on that fucker¡¯s face¡­¡¯ ¡®Did you?¡¯ Micky raised an eyebrow. ¡®Land a hit I mean. Did you?¡¯The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡®Huh. Nope.¡¯ Micky said, clenching his free fists. ¡®He toyed with me¡­ gave me a nasty stab and then¡­ he had me sent here to bleed out¡­ And you know the rest¡­¡¯ Percy was at a loss for words. ¡®But hey, it¡¯s not all bad!¡¯ Micky said, the skin by the base of his beak curling a touch upwards. ¡®Thanks to you, I get to try again!¡¯ *** They stood in the arena¡­ for the final time. Whatever the outcome of the match, Percy knew his adventure on Huehue was about to end. The horrific wound now extended all the way to Micky¡¯s chest, his flesh barely held together by the lower pair of arms and as much mana as he could spare. His legs wobbled. Even making it out of the long corridor had been a challenge. Percy thought the gate in front of them might have opened, but it was hard to say for sure through their blurry vision. It wasn¡¯t until Micky¡¯s opponent stood just a few yards away that they could make out his mocking expression. Their only consolation was that the ringing in their skull made it impossible to hear the crowd¡¯s jeers. ¡®Percival¡­ Whatever happens, I want you to know it was nice having somebody to talk to.¡¯ ¡®Not ¡°whatever happens¡±! You have to land a hit, remember?¡¯ Micky nodded. Both combatants took a deep breath, standing still for a couple moments. Percy felt power flood through their mana channels, though it hurt this time. Wherever it passed, muscles tore and bones creaked, as blood gushed out of their chest like a river. Bright cyan lines lit up on their opponent¡¯s skin as well, as the two sides summoned their weapons. Micky clenched the ill-shapen rods tightly in his free hands, one threatening to crumble already. Mixcoatl had an easier time, leisurely assuming a loose battle stance, only bothering to lift one of his four javelins to point at their throat. Micky dashed forward. Not that he could afford to move much, but waiting would only make things worse. The twin rods closed into Mixcoatl¡¯s face from either side like a pincer. But the attack was too slow. Too telegraphed. Too weak. With a swirl of his javelin, the warden sliced both staves in half, kicking Micky squarely in the chest. Multiple bones broke as his ribcage caved in. Percy felt a wet cough escape their beak as they were sent flying back, skidding and rolling, before sliding on the dirty sand over a long distance. Luckily, their core hadn¡¯t shattered under Mixcoatl¡¯s foot, but mana still leaked out of their pores as Micky struggled to keep the technique going. Seeing this, the warden also allowed the glowing lines to fade away. Apparently, he deemed it unnecessary to exert the effort. Just like that, Micky had been defeated again, this time without Mixcoatl even having to resort to the full Dance! Percy felt his soul untangle from his host¡¯s. The makeshift patches he¡¯d hastily fashioned out of soul mana were rapidly coming undone as his connection to Micky grew more distant. Over the last couple of days, he¡¯d almost forgotten how precarious the condition of their soul was. Like two broken vases, joined together with spit and wishes, it was even more fragile than their physical form. The tether to his main body was already pulling him, trying to pry him out of Huehue. ¡®No. Not like this.¡¯ Micky had lived a shitty life¡­ and he¡¯d died an even shittier death¡­ Percy would be damned if he let him die another! He prodded his mana again, tightening the patches, trying to restore his connection to Micky ¨C their connection to the battered body. It seemed to work. His buddy¡¯s bitter thoughts seeped through him once more, as he barely managed to open their eyes in time to see Mixcoatl looming over them. The warden¡¯s beak moved, but Percy couldn¡¯t register the words. Then the man lifted his foot and stomped their knee. Hard. Just like that, one of the patches Percy had fixed with so much effort instantly fizzled out, a part of Micky¡¯s soul shattering with it. It was pointless. Even if he clutched onto their fading life for a moment longer, the end would be the same. There was no way Micky could fight back. So, Percy stopped trying to hold on to their life. Instead, he did something crazier. He didn¡¯t have his soul core with him, but this was still his mana. His main body had bestowed it to him to use it as he pleased. It was filled with his will. The young man allowed many of the patches to disperse, ordering the mana to fall in line. There wasn¡¯t much of it left. His main body had charged him up with a few refills before sending him off, but most was already gone. Some had been absorbed, trying to mend their broken souls. A lot had just leaked out or drifted away. ¡®It¡¯ll have to do.¡¯ Mixcoatl was a full grade higher than him, but he wouldn¡¯t see this coming. The fool had even disabled the Dance. Commanding the mana with all his might, Percy gathered it into one of his lower hands, one of the two still keeping their organs from spilling out of the wound. The young man had spent countless hours practicing this spell, but he wasn¡¯t happy with it. It had to be sharper. Much sharper. Tougher too. He¡¯d only get one shot, and he REFUSED to waste it! The warden lifted his foot again, crushing the other knee. It didn¡¯t matter ¨C it was already limp. Percy had already drained all the mana from their lower body, allowing half of Micky¡¯s remaining soul to crumble away. Then, Mixcoatl switched to the arms. Luckily, he only bothered with the upper ones ¨C the ones sprawled out on the sand by his sides ¨C not the one Percy needed. Two seconds later, they were also shattered. With a savage glint in his eyes, the warden raised his javelin, finally done torturing his prey. He pointed the tip at their neck, ready to end this. It was now or never. Percy summoned as much strength as he could and flicked his hand towards the warden¡¯s chest. His movement was slow¡­ so slow¡­ Mixcoatl had reacted before the young man even let go of the mana. The warden stabbed Micky¡¯s throat with a javelin, the other three crossed in the projectile¡¯s path. Percy wasn¡¯t sure if the warden could see it. He should be able to ¨C if he was using Mana Sense. Either way, his hand¡¯s motion had betrayed the dagger¡¯s trajectory. But it didn¡¯t matter. The bastard should have dodged instead! The last thing Percy saw as his vision faded to black were Mixcoatl¡¯s eyes glazed over, as he plopped down, deader than dead. [Congratulations! You have mastered a new spell: Parting Gift ¨C Crude!] Chapter 25 – Spells The Status was a strange thing. It didn¡¯t notify one when they identified their affinity or a bloodline. In fact, it didn¡¯t even say a word when their grade advanced. However, there was one thing it did actively inform its user of. Mastering a new spell. The people of Remior weren¡¯t sure why it worked like that. For the most part, the Status was just a tool of convenience, to help its users keep track of their progress. Still, that didn¡¯t explain why spells got special treatment. A widely accepted hypothesis was that it was meant to guide mages into honing their magic. Letting them know when they reached a significant milestone might be a way of doing that. Classifying spells into various ranks could be another. Either way, Percy had waited his whole life for his first Crude spell to be announced. He should have been ecstatic to see it finally happen. But he wasn¡¯t. In fact, he couldn¡¯t care less about that right now. His mind was preoccupied with something more important. ¡®Micky!!! Can you hear me?! We did it!! That asshole is dead!! Micky!!!¡¯ The young man¡¯s time on Huehue had been short, but unforgettable. Despite what he¡¯d thought at first, he¡¯d even gained a lot. Mastering his first spell, understanding how his soul clones interacted with dying bodies, learning the fundamentals of the Dance¡­ However, Percy would gladly give all that up to talk to his friend one last time. To tell him they¡¯d killed the man who ruined his life. To bid him farewell. But alas¡­ Their connection had been severed, his main body already ripping him out of the battered corpse. ¡®No. There must be something more I can do.¡¯ The young man felt for the fallen gladiator¡¯s soul. There wasn¡¯t much of it left. Just some random pieces here and there. Percy gently wrapped himself around them, enveloping and gathering them like a satchel. He couldn¡¯t establish a link with them right now, and the last drop of soul mana had been used up in that attack. His only option was to try and take the shards back to Remior with him. The rope on his ¡°back¡± tightened, Percy¡¯s soul stretching like a rubber band. Still, Micky¡¯s fragments refused to budge. They were pinned in place, anchoring them both to Huehue still. Just like Percy¡¯s soul belonged on Remior, Micky¡¯s belonged here. As broken as it was, its world refused to let it go. Percy felt something tearing, followed by a wave of pure agony. Pulled between two worlds, his own soul wouldn¡¯t last long. ¡®Shit! At this rate we¡¯ll both die!¡¯ Of course, his main body was probably going to be fine, safe as it was, back in the Avalon House¡¯s mansion. That said, permanently losing the clone couldn¡¯t be a good thing. Not seeing any way of carrying all the pieces back, Percy loosened his hold on them, letting a couple of the smaller shards slip through the gaps. The dying wisps instantly shattered upon leaving his embrace. His hope was beginning to evaporate when he felt the rest of the pile fidget slightly. It was working! But it wasn¡¯t enough. ¡®Fuck, I¡¯m sorry Micky!¡¯ Percy left a few more fragments behind, until only a couple remained ¨C his friend¡¯s soul now being even tinier than his own! At least, the gamble seemed to pay off, as the young man¡¯s desperate move tipped the scales in Remior¡¯s favour. The persistent pull finally dislodged them both out of the four-armed corpse, plunging them into an infinite sea of darkness. The pressure on Percy¡¯s wisp was immense, his friend¡¯s soul feeling heavy in his grasp. Huehue might have lost the tug-of-war, but it appeared it wasn¡¯t quite ready to give up pulling! ¡®Is it even worth it?¡¯ The young man was tempted to let go. What was the point? So little of Micky remained, he doubted it could be salvaged. But he held on. Even if the odds were abysmal, he had to try. He owed him that much¡­ *** Percy swung the cyan dagger against the trunk. He only managed to carve about an inch into the aged wood before the mana construct broke apart. Plopping down on the grass, he rested his back against the tree, breathing heavily. He considered refilling his core to try again, but it was dark already and he¡¯d been at it all day. Perhaps he should resume tomorrow. ¡®Man, I miss training with my soul mana.¡¯ Using his second core wasn¡¯t as fun. Its lower grade meant he couldn¡¯t practice for nearly as long before running out. Furthermore, its lacking affinity made for flimsy constructs that shattered easily. Sadly, his soul mana was still being funnelled into his injuries to keep him stable. At least, many of the smaller cracks had already closed, while the rest had shrunk significantly. It was only the massive crater in his chest that looked about the same. Or well, at least he thought it did. Had there been any improvement, it was too small to notice. At this rate, it would take years to fully heal. ¡®How long until that clone is done?¡¯ Around three weeks had passed since he activated his ability. On one hand, this wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. It meant the clone was being productive somewhere out there. Still, it did leave him a bit crippled until he returned.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. He shook his head. ¡®I guess I shouldn¡¯t be impatient. Besides, practicing with my second core is something that needs to be done.¡¯ While it wasn¡¯t very useful right now, it would be such a waste to write it off so quickly. Especially after all the trouble he¡¯d undergone to repair it. Standing up, he was about to head to his room, when he felt a tug at his chest. He looked down, but there was nothing. Percy frowned, not connecting the dots until a couple moments later. Actively gathering enough mana for Soul Vision took a while longer, but he got there. Normally, the thread linking him to his clone was invisible even in his augmented sight. However, he could clearly see his soul trembling in unrest as the ethereal cord vibrated. The pull itself wasn¡¯t much stronger than it had been just an hour ago. The attraction had been steadily rising over the past three weeks. Still, this was the first time he sensed the connection shaking, as if it was attached to a boat sailing in a storm. ¡®It¡¯s happening! It¡¯s coming back!¡¯ Percy was over the moon. Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths, manually gathering some soul mana. It was hard, as his injuries fought to drain it, but he persisted, hoping to fill his core up by the time the clone returned. Naturally, he hadn¡¯t a clue how long it would take, or even what state the clone would be in. That said, he guessed it might be handy to have some soul mana available, just in case. *** A good idea, it turned out to be. The clone hadn¡¯t returned right away. Percy had to wait a few hours, even after refilling the core. Annoyingly, he had to keep meditating to keep the mana in. ¡®Should I just call it a night?¡¯ It was tempting. For all he knew, the clone might not arrive until tomorrow. Right when he was seriously considering heading to his room, he felt a powerful impact slam onto his soul, a potent wave of vertigo nearly knocking him off his feet. At the same time, a flood of memories invaded his mind, one after another. A dark expanse, a sea of souls, a fight over a body, a damp cell, a blood-stained arena, an ancient dance, a heart-felt melody, a bitter story, an unlikely victory, a painful death¡­ There was plenty to sift through, but Percy brushed all of it aside, focusing on what mattered. ¡®Micky!¡¯ Activating Soul Vision, he fought against the nausea to check his friend¡¯s condition. Upon tapping into his core, a lot more soul mana gushed out than he¡¯d intended. Only a trickle flowed to his eyes, the rest pouring into his chest by itself, trying to attach the new chunk back to the rest of his soul. But Percy pressed it back into his core, suppressing his body¡¯s instincts. He might need every last drop to save his friend! Examining his chest, he found three separate entities at play. One was the main part of his soul, still with a large crater right around his sternum. However, this hole was no longer empty. Inside, there was another piece, about the size of a grapefruit, already stuck to the larger section in a few spots. Finally, inside the ball representing his clone, there was a third soul ¨C a foreign one. There wasn¡¯t much left, and the pieces were swiftly being assimilated. ¡®Crap! I¡¯m going to kill him if this goes on!¡¯ Back on Huehue, the two had been at an equilibrium. Both souls had been fragmented, though Percy¡¯s had his ability to back him up, while Micky¡¯s had quantity and the home advantage. Right now, however, they were in Percy¡¯s body, his soul being much healthier and ¨C for the most part ¨C intact. Sporting an overwhelming advantage, the young man watched his own soul gnaw at the last shards of Micky¡¯s, causing it to shrink at an alarming rate. ¡®I need to move him elsewhere.¡¯ It was easier said than done. Percy had already learned that healthy souls tended to reject others. What he needed was a dying body. He looked around with his Soul Vision still on, though he was alone in the garden. ¡®Please! I must find somebody! Fast!¡¯ Grasping for any idea he could think of, he forced more soul mana into his eyes. He¡¯d never tried this before, but it should work. His soul constructs could phase through walls, so perhaps he could see through them too, right? His guess seemed to be on point, as a few wisps of silver became visible from somewhere inside the mansion. Then, he slapped his forehead. That was such a dumb idea. He could scan his house all he wanted, but what were the odds he¡¯d find somebody dying right now? Nobody was on their deathbed as far as he knew! Of course, he wasn¡¯t very close to any of them, but he¡¯d have heard something like that. Plus, even on the off chance he found one, what was he going to tell the others? ¡®I¡¯m sorry everyone. I know uncle Balin is dying and everyone is knee-deep in tears, but can I borrow his body real quick to shove an ALIEN inside? It¡¯ll only take a moment!¡¯ Finding a human body for Micky was obviously out of the question. Examining his surroundings again, he inspected the critters scurrying about on the grass. Shoving his friend¡¯s soul inside a caterpillar would be such a crappy move, but it was all he could think of. ¡®Better than a plant at least.¡¯ And he did find a few candidates. The training grounds were teeming with ants, worms, ladybugs, butterflies, snails and all sorts of other not-so-great options. Not many of them were on the verge of death, but that could easily be arranged. The question was whether he could do better. Five minutes later, Percy noted he was running out of time. Micky¡¯s soul was dissolving into his own, like an ice cube dropped in a cup of tea. The largest body he¡¯d found was a praying mantis. It was healthy, so injuring it just enough would be a little tricky, yet it sounded like his best option at this point. He was about to go for it, when a stroke of inspiration led him to toss one last glance at the tree. There! A faint wisp of silver flickered somewhere atop its naked crown. It was weak, but the young man had a hunch it was worth looking into. Climbing up was a challenge considering his splitting headache and the lack of purchase on the trunk, but he made it there eventually ¨C after an embarrassing fall or two. Reaching the top, he spotted an old bird¡¯s nest. It was abandoned. Its owner had either died or forgotten about it. Still, it wasn¡¯t empty. Percy counted six eggs, five of them already dead. In fact, three of those were already cracked and hollow. But the last one wasn¡¯t fully gone yet! ¡®Good enough.¡¯ Percy didn¡¯t exactly know what he was doing. It had taken him ages to figure out how to craft that clone in the first place. Bringing Micky¡¯s soul back to Remior had also been a fluke. Still, he had to try. Stirring his bloodline again, he skipped the whole procedure. He didn¡¯t have the time to slowly grow and carve out a proper clone. Luckily, he didn¡¯t need to. The last one had just returned, so the grapefruit-sized ball was only loosely attached to its surroundings. The ghostly claw hungrily pounced upon it, snapping it violently from the rest, twisting his and, most importantly, Micky¡¯s souls into one before shooting out of his chest again. This time, Percy was ready for it, having angled his sternum just above the egg. With the last trace of lucidity, he fell backwards, unwilling to crush the nest under his body as he passed out. He didn¡¯t know if he had succeeded, or what the repercussions of his reckless move would be, but he¡¯d done his best... [Congratulations! You have mastered a new spell: Secret Art: Familiar ¨C Crude!] Chapter 26 – Secret Arts Percy opened his eyes, a flash blinding him. It soon died down into a mix of colours, but still too blurry to make out much. The off-white of his bedroom wall was predominant, although there was something else by his side. It looked like the silhouette of a person. Or maybe just a piece of furniture. ¡°¡­¡± He thought he heard them say something. It was muffled, as if they were underwater. ¡°¡­¡± The furniture-person tried a few more times ¨C with some minor permutations ¨C but Percy still couldn¡¯t understand them. Soon, they gave up, disappearing from his sight. His eyes fell shut again¡­ *** Once more, he faced what he thought was his wall, this time with two silhouettes surrounding him. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± They made more sounds, the first one chirping at a higher pitch than the second. Percy tried to shift but found himself unable to even twitch his fingers. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The silhouettes kept speaking to him ¨C at least, that¡¯s what he assumed was happening. However, he just couldn¡¯t filter them out of the buzz. Tired as he was, he wanted to doze off again, though he forced himself to stay awake. One of the blurs moved, enlarging in his vision. They tugged his chin, the touch prickling him as if he¡¯d been stabbed by needles, before pulling his mouth open. Then, something bland and lukewarm flowed down his throat. It left an aftertaste akin to chicken soup, but it was muted like the rest of his senses. It stopped after a while as they let go of him. The two remained with him, chatting every now and then. It took a while, yet he noticed the figures had grown a bit more defined at some point. One of them ¨C the one with the chirpy voice ¨C was aquamarine near the top. He recognized it. Her. ¡®¡­Elaine¡­¡¯ Percy tried muttering her name, but he couldn¡¯t even open his mouth without assistance. As for the other blur? Well, the only candidates would be Gawain or Archibald, though he wasn¡¯t sure who. ¡®What happened?¡¯ Digging through his memories, he tried to recall how he ended up in this state. He remembered training. Lots of training. Practicing with his pure mana hadn¡¯t been very pleasant, but it was all he¡¯d been able to do while waiting for something¡­ ¡®Right, the clone.¡¯ He was in the garden when it returned and then¡­ Pain. Nausea. Panic. Frustration. Desperation. The clone brought something with it. Something important. ¡®No, not something. Someone.¡¯ He tried to help them. Percy remembered looking around for something. A vessel to place them in. To place Micky in. Right. ¡®Micky.¡¯ A gladiator. A teacher. His teacher. His friend. He couldn¡¯t find a suitable body¡­ until he did. Percy climbed a tree, and then¡­ ¡®The egg!¡¯Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. The memories sobered him up. His vision was still blurry, but he understood now. He remembered. Once more, he tried to speak, but his mouth refused to budge. He willed his body to move. Any part of it. He needed to get Elaine¡¯s attention. To ask her what happened to Micky. His finger twitched. Soon, the silhouettes shifted too. They must have noticed. ¡°¡­Percy¡­ ok?¡± This time, he caught a couple words. It wasn¡¯t much but it was a start. Then, he felt his strength leaving him again. ¡®No. I have to tell them first.¡¯ Talking seemed impossible. His mouth wouldn¡¯t open ¨C Percy took his time bludgeoning it into shape. Pushing the air out of his lungs wasn¡¯t much easier. He wouldn¡¯t get many words out, so he had to choose them carefully. Just two of them. They¡¯d have to do. ¡°¡­care¡­ egg¡­¡± Only after he was certain he saw Elaine nod did he allow himself to pass out again. *** It took a few more sessions like that until he could properly communicate with his cousin and grandpa. They appeared relieved he¡¯d woken up, but also quite pissed off at him. Percy didn¡¯t blame them. He¡¯d gone to great lengths to learn how to use his bloodline safely, yet he¡¯d tossed all that out of the window by activating it for the second time, not even letting his soul recover first. Right now, he couldn¡¯t even examine it, as he was unable to gather a sliver of soul mana. But that was probably for the best. He¡¯d been unconscious for a whopping three weeks this time, and was still bedridden now, after waking up. Still, he told his relatives of his time on Huehue ¨C of the circumstances that had led him to do something so reckless. In fact, he and baldy even brought Elaine up to speed on his second core, not seeing much reason to keep it from her. ¡°Is the egg alright?¡± he asked. Baldy gestured to his granddaughter to bring something, before speaking. ¡°Percy¡­ I found you unconscious in front of a bird nest. Naturally, I assumed those eggs were important to you, even before you told us.¡± His cousin walked to a corner of the room, picking a small object up before returning. Resting atop her hands was a nest made of dried branches, filled with broken eggs and discarded shells¡­ and¡­ something else. There was a tiny creature, sleeping soundly in the middle of the nest. A black chick small enough to fit in his palm. ¡°This little guy hatched just a couple of days after you passed out. We took care of him ever since. The rest we kept just in case.¡± she explained. Percy nodded, gently picking the bird up. ¡®Was this a mistake?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if there was anything left of his friend in the creature. Even if Micky was in there, would he appreciate being shoved inside a newborn critter on a distant world? ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ Percy shook his head. This wasn¡¯t the time for regrets. What was done was done. His priority right now was to make sure it survived. The rest, he could figure out later. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s in great shape.¡± he said. Even after being picked up, it remained asleep. Its breaths were soft and laboured. ¡°It was better when it hatched, but it¡¯s been getting worse. We¡¯ve been feeding it insects. It improves for a while every time it eats, but it never lasts long.¡± baldy explained. ¡°Waking it up is getting harder. The last time I managed was two days ago.¡± his cousin added. Percy furrowed his brow. He wasn¡¯t sure where the problem lied. It might be due to its body, as the egg had been abandoned for who-knew how long. It should¡¯ve been on the verge of death too, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t have accepted the soul. Then again, its soul was probably in a sorry state as well. Perhaps even worse than his own. After all, it was a patchwork of three different existences. The bird¡¯s, Micky¡¯s and his. And each had been through hell and back by the time they mixed inside the egg. ¡®I wish I could use Soul Vision.¡¯ It was still impossible to accumulate more than a wisp of mana in his sternum before it got drained. Percy had no idea how long this would last. Perhaps, he¡¯d crippled himself for life¡­ The only thing that might shed some light in this situation was his Status.
Percival Avalon Mana cores: Bloodline: Spells: ???:
The only thing that had changed was the new section listing his spells. Percy had nearly forgotten about it. All his efforts in honing his soul constructs coupled with his desperation had culminated in the deadly strike he¡¯d killed Mixcoatl with. Though he¡¯d been too busy at the time to celebrate. It was the presence of a second spell that surprised him, however. This one, he didn¡¯t remember being notified about. Still, it should have happened when he pushed Micky¡¯s soul into the egg. Nothing else made sense. ¡°Grandpa, what¡¯s a ¡®Secret Art¡¯?¡± Baldy raised an eyebrow. ¡°Have you created one?¡± Percy nodded, telling them of the new additions to his Status. Elaine listened too, clearly interested as well. ¡°I see. Well¡­ simply put, a Secret Art is like a regular spell. The only difference is that it also involves your bloodline.¡± The young man had suspected it was something along those lines. Strictly speaking, what he¡¯d done with the egg wasn¡¯t very different from creating a regular clone. ¡®Come to think of it, I do feel a connection to Micky!¡¯ It was the same kind of sensation his clones and main body experienced, linking them to one another. Though he couldn¡¯t observe his soul right now, he didn¡¯t need to. Allowing his thoughts to sink into the cord, Percy¡¯s eyes widened as a new Status page manifested in his vision.
Mictlantecuhtli (Percival''s familiar)
Chapter 27 – Beast affinity
Mictlantecuhtli (Percival''s familiar) Mana cores: ???:
There was a lot to unpack there. Seeing the familiar had inherited his friend¡¯s name gave him some relief. With any luck, it meant Micky was indeed buried somewhere inside the bird. Well, it was also possible it meant nothing. Perhaps the Status had simply picked that name out of convenience, as that was how Percy thought of the creature. ¡®Hopefully it¡¯s the former.¡¯ Another thing that caught his eye was how his prolific second core had spread out once more. Though it was back to Fractured again ¨C for some reason. By now, he was pretty sure this thing was glued to his soul. After all, his soul was the only thing he¡¯d brought back from the Moirai. However, it seemed to have more components to it as well. Perhaps one rooted in his body and one in his mind, explaining the two other types of mana needed to repair it. Once he had, his mind followed his soul to Huehue, which was why his clone had only lacked the life part. But now, his mind didn¡¯t seem to be present in the familiar, downgrading it by another step. ¡®In any case, this is a project for the future.¡¯ The next thing he noted was that the mysterious section with the question marks was missing two of the usual culprits. It wasn¡¯t that strange the small critter didn¡¯t have a bloodline, but Percy was surprised it didn¡¯t have a Status either. ¡®Then how am I reading it right now?¡¯ The only answer he could come up with was that Micky¡¯s Status was currently just an extension of his own, which he could view through their connection. ¡°Well? Any idea what¡¯s wrong with it?¡± baldy asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. Percy shook his head. There wasn¡¯t enough information to identify the problem. That said, he did have an idea on how to solve it. ¡°Have you tried feeding it anything bigger than insects?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a newborn chick! What else could it eat?¡± Elaine asked back. ¡°He doesn¡¯t mean the meat. Just the cores.¡± baldy explained to his granddaughter before turning to Percy. ¡°It has the beast affinity I imagine?¡± The young man nodded. They wouldn¡¯t be needing any tests to confirm that. Every non-sentient animal in the universe had the beast affinity by default. Beast mana was unique in that it couldn¡¯t normally leave one¡¯s body, rendering its owners incapable of casting spells. However, that didn¡¯t make it weak. In fact, it was the opposite. It had the unique property of strengthening its users to such an extent they could compete against mages of the same grade with nothing but brute force. And this was just the start. This affinity gave animals another colossal advantage that made sentient races envy them greatly. They could advance naturally, without having to resort to things like expensive elixirs. Beast mana was great at consuming and assimilating other mana types, which meant its users could evolve extremely quickly simply by hunting and devouring others. Had it not been for their general lack of intelligence, beasts might have become the dominant force in the cosmos. Well, there was also the fact that each promotion required a ton of food, which wasn¡¯t exactly sustainable. For example, merely to advance from Red to Orange required the consumption of hundreds of Red cores. This made Blue and Violet beasts extremely rare. As for White? Percy doubted there were any on Remior. Still, the young man didn¡¯t care about Micky¡¯s bright future prospects right now. Hearing the bird improved whenever it ate made him think better quality food might be the answer. After all, insects had Brown cores ¨C a special grade below even Red. It was exclusive to them, as larger creatures couldn¡¯t survive with something that weak. Perhaps what Micky needed were a few Red cores¡­Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t considered it. Though I don¡¯t think the issue is a lack of mana.¡± baldy said. ¡°But we can give it a shot if you want.¡± Percy insisted. He didn¡¯t necessarily disagree with his grandpa¡¯s assessment, yet it wasn¡¯t like they had a better option. *** Elaine opened the door, entering Percy¡¯s room. Suspended above her hand was a bubble of water, with something squirming inside. It was a mouse, clawing desperately to escape its liquid prison. Unfortunately for it, its efforts weren¡¯t going to bear fruit today. Still, Elaine had made sure its head was above the surface, to avoid drowning the animal a minute too soon. It had taken her a couple of hours to procure Micky¡¯s meal. The Avalon House had no shortage of meat, but mana cores tended to crumble away and dissipate shortly after one¡¯s death. They needed a fresh kill for the bird. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took a while. I had to search the fields for ages to find one.¡± A powerful Green cored mage could naturally capture vermin rather easily, but that was precisely why there weren¡¯t any inside the mansion. ¡°Come on buddy. You need to eat.¡± the young man said. Percy had been told it was getting harder to wake the bird up, but he hoped to get through to it via their connection. Focusing on the ethereal cord as he gently spoke to his friend seemed to work after a few attempts. The chick moved its head groggily. It needed help standing up. Elaine lowered the glowing bubble into Percy¡¯s other palm as the young man brought his hands together. The girl tightened the sphere, snuffing the life out of the mouse, closing her eyes in the process. Percy knew she didn¡¯t like doing it, which only made him appreciate her help more. Then, she pulled the mana away from the rodent, tossing the splash of water aside as the tiny corpse landed in front of Micky. Percy rolled the body over with his thumb, pointing at the animal¡¯s sternum. After some more prodding, the bird finally pecked at it, causing Elaine to look away again. Even Percy wrinkled his nose in disgust, though he didn¡¯t avert his gaze. Instead, he activated Mana Sense, unwilling to miss anything important. With his sixth sense, he followed the orb of Red as it rolled down the bird¡¯s throat, swiftly dissolving in its stomach. A gush of mana soon flowed through Micky¡¯s body, causing him to perk up before resuming his meal with more vigour. ¡°It does seem to do something.¡± baldy said. Percy nodded, still observing his friend, relieved to see his condition improve however briefly. He and Archibald kept watching the bird, both raising their eyebrows as it continued getting better with each peck. Micky couldn¡¯t possibly eat more than a third of the carcass in one sitting and, even then, it would take him a while to finish. Naturally, each bite was no larger than a grain of rice, yet ¨C for some reason ¨C the mana never stopped spreading out of the familiar¡¯s stomach. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Percy asked. ¡°Most of the mana should¡¯ve been inside the mouse¡¯s core. Where¡¯s the rest coming from?¡± His grandpa appeared just as perplexed as he was. Each bite gave Micky less mana than that first one, but still not nearly as little as they would have expected. Meanwhile, the bird¡¯s mood greatly improved, as the familiar pecked more and more frequently, like his life depended on it. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me?!¡¯ Percy¡¯s eyes widened as he harboured a guess. It was only a couple minutes later that Micky¡¯s condition stopped improving. The bird was still eating gluttonously, but the meat had stopped releasing mana at some point. ¡°We¡¯re going to need more mice.¡± Percy said, flashing his cousin a sheepish grin. *** ¡°Please tell me this is the last time I¡¯m doing this.¡± Elaine spoke with a grimace. Percy scarcely registered his cousin¡¯s words, his attention focused on the floor. There, Micky was skidding around happily, having already finished eating another two mice, currently heading towards the third. Well, ¡®finished¡¯ might not be the best word, as the bird seemed to grow disinterested in each carcass after a minute or two, consuming less than a tenth of the meat. Only after his third victim stopped providing him any mana did Micky pause. This time, he wasn¡¯t in a rush to reach the next one either. ¡°I think he¡¯s full.¡± baldy said. ¡°Micky, I know you¡¯re stuffed, but can you keep going? Just one more.¡± the young man pleaded through their connection. The bird tilted its head in confusion. Percy wasn¡¯t sure if it had understood his instructions. Maybe it just didn¡¯t get why it had to continue eating when it wasn¡¯t hungry. Still, it listened after a moment, walking to the fourth mouse. Though its steps were clearly a touch less eager than earlier. Like before, some mana was soon released inside Micky¡¯s stomach, flowing through his channels, filling his body. Unlike before, however, the bird¡¯s frame was already saturated, rendering it unable to absorb any more. The familiar looked unwell, as if he was about to be sick, having no outlet for the excess. The Red glow rose up his throat and towards his beak, about to spill out, when Micky stubbornly held it in, unwilling to throw up his food. Yet more mana manifested in his stomach, mounting up the pressure, making Percy stare at his friend in alarm. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Just let it g¨C¡± The young man was about to stop him, when something strange made him swallow his words. For seemingly no reason, a chunk of the excess mana instantly vanished from Micky¡¯s body, as a subtle flow trickled through their connection. It wasn¡¯t much, but Percy recognized it, his eyes widening. ¡®Soul mana!¡¯ Chapter 28 – A peculiar diet There was no mistaking it. The excess mana spilling out of Micky was soul mana! They hadn¡¯t been able to identify it earlier because Mana Sense couldn¡¯t differentiate between various affinities. The only thing that determined its appearance in that case was purity and density ¨C in other words, its grade. That was why everything had appeared Red previously. Only with Soul Vision could Percy have noticed the difference¡­ ¡®Right, Soul Vision!¡¯ The young man tried to tap into the trickle sent over by his familiar, to direct it to his eyes, but his broken soul quickly snatched it too. ¡°Keep going, Micky! Eat!!¡± He did catch the strange looks Elaine and baldy gave him, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He could explain later. Heeding his request, the bird dove back into the mouse¡¯s flesh, as Percy took a deep breath. And then another, trying to refill his first core. The mana regenerated slowly at first, but soon another stream flowed through the cord, Micky having discovered how to relieve himself of the excess pressure already. It took all of Percy¡¯s willpower to gather enough in his eyes, but he managed to augment his sight at last. As soon as Soul Vision activated, he tossed a quick glance down his own soul. Saying it was a mess wouldn¡¯t do it justice. The crater in his chest had greatly expanded. As for the rest, it almost resembled minced meat, held together by numerous thin threads. ¡®No wonder I can barely even stand.¡¯ He shook his head. The priority right now was to figure out what Micky was doing. Turning to his familiar, he saw his soul wasn¡¯t much better. It was made of three distinct pieces that had been hastily twisted together like a yarn ball. At least, his body was filled to the brim with soul mana, which constantly latched onto the damaged soul to mend it. Of course, it would take ages for it to be fully repaired at this pace, but this was promising. Next, his attention shifted to Micky¡¯s beak. His soul was gathered there, sharpening the edges, making them glint in Percy¡¯s Soul Vision. It reminded the young man of the daggers he constructed with his soul mana. Every time the bird pecked at the dying embers of the mouse¡¯s soul, a chunk of glowing silver slid down its throat along with the flesh, dissolving into soul mana in its stomach. The sight of the hatchling gleefully devouring another¡¯s soul as if it was little more than kibble sent a chill down Percy¡¯s spine. ¡®Wow. How is he even doing this?¡¯ His best guess was that Micky¡¯s nature as a familiar had bled into his instincts as a beast, giving rise to this frightening ability. Either way, Percy knew at this moment that this would be the key to repairing both of their souls. *** ¡°I¡¯m going to throw him!¡± Percy yelled. He was sitting on a branch, holding a bird with both hands. The bird was naturally Micky, who had grown twice as large as before, his feathers a slick black, absorbing the sunlight like uncut onyx. ¡°Go for it! I¡¯ve got him!¡± Elaine replied. She stood below him, an azure net fluttering in the air in front of her. Rather than rope, it seemed to be made of numerous interlocking streams of glowing water. Upon receiving a positive reply, the young man tossed the bird up. It fell rapidly, sending waves of panic through their connection.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it CAW! ¡®You¡¯ve got this!¡¯ Percy sent back. Betrayed by its only family, the bird had no option but to frantically flap its wings in a desperate attempt to right itself. At first, its movements were clumsy. Still, just a couple of feet before hitting the net, its speed seemed to slow, as its direction shifted slightly, letting it glide over the net, landing softly on the ground a few metres away. CAW! CAW! Percy smiled as he saw his companion turn back his direction, giving him what was probably intended as a furious glare. Still, he could tell through their link the cute look contained more pride than anger. ¡®Show off.¡¯ It had been a month since they discovered Micky¡¯s ability. For the first week, Percy had relied on his cousin to bring food for the bird, as he had personally been too weak to walk. A dozen meals later, however, both their conditions had improved significantly. By then, Percy was able to move around on his own, allowing him to take care of his friend by himself. Every morning since then, Percy went on a stroll a couple miles away from the mansion, with Micky perched on his shoulder. The young man used those opportunities to stretch his legs, while simultaneously setting all sorts of mouse traps and rabbit snares in the surrounding fields, collecting the previous day¡¯s haul in the process. Then, he fed his familiar for an hour or two, as they both used the influx of soul mana to hasten their recovery. ¡°We should head back. Grandpa is waiting for us.¡± Elaine said. Percy nodded. Today was the day he¡¯d been looking forward to for a while now. He¡¯d finally recovered enough to add another important item to his daily routine. The two returned to Archibald¡¯s office where they found their grandpa dressed in training robes. He gestured them to follow him, as he led the teenagers to a spacious room somewhere inside the mansion. They had chosen this location over the outdoors training grounds as privacy was paramount for what they planned to do. Next, both baldy and Elaine looked at Percy expectantly. After all, he was going to be their teacher during these sessions. The young man cleared his throat, assuming the role of a sagely scholar as his relatives rolled their eyes. ¡°So, the first thing we need to do is straightforward strength training to push our bodies to their limits.¡± Without waiting for them, he dropped to the floor, beginning a set of push ups. Baldy and Elaine didn¡¯t say anything, joining him just a moment later. Of course, a simple workout wasn¡¯t nearly demanding enough for the powerful mages. To truly challenge themselves and benefit from the training, each of them had strapped weights all over their bodies, raising the intensity of the exercises sharply. Obviously, baldy¡¯s were by far the heaviest, as he lifted a couple tons with each repetition. Even Elaine¡¯s were no joke at a couple hundred kilos. Meanwhile, Percy¡¯s were much more modest by comparison. Either way, if it hadn¡¯t been for the numerous runes glowing on the floor, he was sure the wooden planks would have collapsed under the pressure, the commotion drawing the attention of the rest of his family. A lot of silencing wards covered the walls too. About an hour later, all three were lying on their backs, breathing heavily, their bodies drenched with sweat. Naturally, the trio were here to practice the Dance of the Savage Gods ¨C or at least the parts that Micky had been able to show him back on Huehue. Percy could have kept the powerful art to himself of course, but there were many reasons why he¡¯d chosen to share it. Firstly, both Elaine and Archibald had done a lot for him, so he¡¯d decided to bring something back for them even before sending out that clone. Secondly, as much as Percy wished he were strong enough to survive on Remior on his own, he understood he currently had no choice but to hide under his House¡¯s insignia. For the time being, his safety hinged entirely on baldy¡¯s ability to defend their family from their enemies. Consequently, helping his grandpa grow stronger would benefit them all. Finally, Percy actually needed his grandpa¡¯s help once again, to practice the technique more efficiently. ¡°Ready to resume?¡± the young man asked. Physical training essentially involved breaking down and repairing one¡¯s muscles. Humans could only exercise for a few hours per day, lest they injured themselves, doing more harm than good. At least, that was the case if one didn¡¯t have a grandpa with a life affinity and a Violet core healing them. ¡°Alright.¡± baldy said. The young man felt an intense pressure radiating out of his grandpa¡¯s core, as a wave of vibrant green flashed through the room. A few seconds later, his muscles stopped burning, his stamina having fully recovered. He didn¡¯t even hesitate before restarting his workout anew. It was tough, of course, but the memory of the wounded gladiator¡¯s savage dance kept him going¡­ Chapter 29 – Mana channels ¡°Please tell me we¡¯re done for today.¡± Elaine groaned. The trio were sitting on the floor, baldy having already healed them for the dozenth time that day. ¡°We might as well stop here. I can help us recover again but we still need to eat properly to build muscle.¡± Archibald said. Elaine didn¡¯t even wait for the second part before waving her hand, manifesting three bubbles of water in the air. Each was about twice the size of a watermelon. They flew over their heads as she let go, the blobs soon splashing on their bodies. Sniffing a couple of times, she scrunched up her nose. ¡°Remind me to bring soap tomorrow.¡± she said, already pushing herself up. ¡°Is there anything else we need to be doing?¡± baldy asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Percy nodded. ¡°Try to spend a couple hours every night clearing your mana channels.¡± ¡°Any specific ones?¡± ¡°Nope. We need all of them. Only after our bodies have stopped improving and all our channels are cleared and tempered to their limit can we move to the next step.¡± The others nodded in agreement. Percy had already explained the details of the technique before, so nobody felt like complaining. They all understood what a bargain they had struck. As Percy was about to leave the room, he crouched to pick Micky up from the floor. The bird gave them strange looks after spending all day watching them train. The young man had brought the familiar along as he wasn¡¯t comfortable leaving him alone just yet. ¡°You¡¯re the one who taught me this stuff, buddy. I promise I¡¯ll do everything I can to help you remember it one day.¡± *** Percy was resting on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. It felt nice his training was finally back on track. His reckless move with Micky had cost him a lot of time, though he didn¡¯t regret it. ¡®I¡¯d do it all again.¡¯ he thought as he looked at the bird sleeping soundly on a cushion, in a corner of the room. Even if Percy put his friend¡¯s wellbeing aside and looked at everything from a pragmatic perspective, his gamble would probably pay off in the long term. Micky¡¯s potential was difficult to quantify. Right now, he was young and his core only at Red but, with a beast affinity, he would outgrow Percy in no time. The young man wouldn¡¯t be surprised if his familiar became his secret weapon at some point. Sure, his stunt had set him back by a few months, as he¡¯d been unable to begin practicing the Dance before now. Not just that, but his soul core was still out of order. He couldn¡¯t use it, or even feed it elixirs and it would be a while until he could send out another clone. But, all things considered, the benefits probably outweighed the costs. ¡®I guess teaching him how to hunt by himself should be one of my priorities.¡¯ Right now, Percy had to spend a few hours each morning helping the bird out. It was terribly inefficient as they only moved as fast as he could walk, and his traps only caught a handful of meals each day. If Micky could fly around looking for food by himself, he would probably do much better. It would not only accelerate their souls¡¯ recovery but also the familiar¡¯s advancement to Orange. Plus, it would free up more of Percy¡¯s time to spend on his own magic. ¡®That¡¯s tomorrow¡¯s problem though. For now, let¡¯s focus on clearing some channels.¡¯The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. He sat cross-legged, closing his eyes. Stirring the core in his abdomen, he pulled some mana to his arm. It flowed around his abs and then below his pectoral muscle before turning downwards at his shoulder. It was easy to think of mana channels as magical veins, as the former facilitated the circulation of mana much like the latter did with blood. Still, the analogy wasn¡¯t quite correct, as mana channels weren¡¯t physical tubes. It might be more accurate to describe them as the path of least resistance for the mana. Clearing a pathway involved using it repeatedly, wearing down all the obstructions over time to make the flow smoother. This meant one¡¯s mana channels differed depending on their affinity. After all, each type had different properties, subtly affecting how it flowed through the body. Consequently, the path of least resistance for, say, fire mana wasn¡¯t necessarily the same as that for air mana and so on. For most people, it didn¡¯t really matter. So, what if their mana channels looked slightly different to one another¡¯s? They could still clear them and use their magic all the same, right? ¡®But it does affect me.¡¯ Percy had two cores with different affinities. This meant he also had two entirely separate sets of mana channels. Even if he cleared all his pure pathways, he would have to do it again later for his soul ones. Not just that, but his soul affinity introduced another challenge the others wouldn¡¯t have to deal with. Most affinities interacted with one¡¯s body, meaning the corresponding mana flowed through it. Percy¡¯s soul mana however, flowed through his soul instead. ¡®Can I even use the Dance with it? How would I strengthen my soul enough to do that?¡¯ He shook his head. This was a problem for after he was done repairing it. Right now, he could focus on mastering it for his second core. Returning his attention to the flow on his arm, he cut it off at the shoulder, instead diverting it towards his other shoulder. It now had to pass parallel to his collarbone, curving through the space between his spine and lungs. The mana resisted at first, as it wasn¡¯t used to travelling along this route. Normally, when Percy wanted to shift mana from one arm to the other, he¡¯d send it through his core first. ¡®This is more efficient.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just about increasing his capacity. This was simply a faster way to move it through his body. Most people didn¡¯t bother, as the channels they normally used were only a fraction of the total. They didn¡¯t consider this minor speed-up significant enough to waste months opening the additional pathways. Though clearly, this mindset was wrong. It had blinded everyone to the possibilities Micky¡¯s people had stumbled upon. *** Percy was broken out of his concentration by the gentle rays of the morning sun seeping through the window, brushing softly along his face. ¡®Shit. Don¡¯t tell me I was up all night.¡¯ So focused had he been on clearing his channels, that he¡¯d lost track of time. At least, he¡¯d discovered and opened over a dozen new ones. Still, plenty remained in his body. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s not too late for a short nap.¡¯ CAW! CAW! Guessing his thoughts, Micky ¨C who¡¯d woken up already ¨C flapped his wings angrily as he leapt on the bed. ¡°Fine! We¡¯ll go get your breakfast! Just let me drink my elixir first.¡± Percy uncorked the elegant vial, gulping its contents in one go. He began the daily ritual of cycling his pure mana between his stomach and core as he fought to keep his eyes open. He sure wasn¡¯t looking forward to another twelve hours of physical training with baldy after an all-nighter. CAW! ¡°Right! Right! I¡¯m awake!¡± the young man said, having totally fallen asleep at some point. Getting up, he opened the door, dragging his feet outside the mansion. The morning breeze gave him goosebumps. It wasn¡¯t pleasant, but at least the chill and the fresh air helped flush the last traces of sleep out of his system, leaving only the exhaustion behind. Micky jumped onto his shoulder, content with enjoying his free ride as Percy prepared his food for him. That¡¯s when the young man paused, flashing the bird a mischievous grin. ¡°Starting from today, you¡¯ll be flying alongside me, looking for more mice.¡± His familiar tilted its head, playing dumb, but Percy knew Micky understood him. CAW! CAW! The bird continued to protest, but Percy refused to take another step until it began pulling its own weight. It took another ten minutes of arguing, but Micky eventually took off, resigned to his fate. He hadn¡¯t stopped mouthing off what Percy could only assume were curses though. Only then did the young man resume his stroll, gathering some pure mana in his hand, trying to form it into a solid shape. This was pretty much the only time he had during the day to practice his magic, so he wouldn¡¯t waste it. He might have been born at Red, but now he¡¯d finally accumulated a few advantages of his own. Unlike his peers who only had a single core to worry about, he essentially had four between himself and his familiar. He couldn¡¯t afford to slack. Percy sighed. ¡®I suppose I¡¯ll just have to work four times as hard then.¡¯ Chapter 30 – One year Micky sent an image of a shadow sneaking through the bushes. He was perched atop a branch, gazing at their surroundings from the high vantage point, scouting the area. The crow was already fully grown by now. Percy felt it practically salivating through their bond as it eyed their misguided ambushers. ¡®Thanks. I see them now.¡¯ Percy pulled most of his mana to his channels, nearly emptying his core before taking a deep breath to refill it. The motes spiralled into his lungs like a vortex, as an even denser river gushed through his body. But he wasn¡¯t done yet. He pumped even more mana through his pathways, feeling them swell and burn, his muscles brimming with strength, his frame threatening to pop like a pufferfish. An arrow shot out from behind him. The young man only tilted his head slightly, dodging the projectile as the wind brushed harmlessly by his ear. Another mouthful of mana later, he saw faint cyan lines glow under his skin. The pattern wasn¡¯t exactly the same as Micky¡¯s. Even though they shared their affinity, their cores were located at different points, forcing Percy to modify the technique slightly. They shone less brightly too. There was definitely some room for improvement, but the Status had still been kind enough to register the technique a couple months back. ¡®You chose the wrong guy to attack.¡¯ Percy smirked. Then, he stomped hard, his foot making a loud sound as it cracked the dried dirt, catapulting him towards the goblins. More arrows flew his way, but he easily weaved out of their path, causing the goblins¡¯ eyes to widen. They switched to their melee weapons in a hurry. Their knives and hatchets had all been crafted out of bone. Rather poorly too. Percy¡¯s core had nearly refilled already, but he drained it again, this time gathering the mana into his right hand, squishing the blob of cyan into something solid. By the time he reached his opponents, his weapon had fully formed. It was a staff, about as tall as he was, its thickness the same as his thumb¡¯s. He spun it through the air as his momentum carried him between two of the creatures, where he hit each with a different end of the staff, slamming one to the ground while sending the other flying. Of the remaining five goblins, only three were brave enough to gang up on him, as the other two fled in terror. Still, their lunges felt slow in his Mana Sense. He easily tiptoed around their attacks with some well-placed footwork. He swung his weapon again. It had cracked after the previous attack ¨C his Red core not doing him any favours ¨C but he¡¯d already finished repairing it as the mana continued to accumulate inside his body. Two swings later, three more goblins were rolling on the ground, as Percy finally allowed the staff to crumble. Another image flashed through the connection. Micky had already intercepted one of the escapees, having torn out its throat with his talons. The bird was currently feasting on the goblin¡¯s soul, as Percy felt the mana flowing through the link. Activating Soul Vision, he spotted the last of the creatures. It had stopped moving, crouching quietly behind a tree some thirty yards away. Perhaps it thought it was safer to hide than run. ¡®Big mistake.¡¯ Percy took another breath, this time focusing on his first core instead. The two sources of soul mana soon gave him just enough for the spell as a silver dagger formed in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, the Parting Gift pierced soundlessly through the air, doing so even more rapidly than the arrows had, before phasing through the tree¡¯s trunk. A moment later, the goblin¡¯s stiff body landed on the ground. *** ¡°Start with the dead one before its soul dissipates.¡± Percy tossed the corpse in front of his familiar, who¡¯d just finished consuming the previous goblin. The other five were merely knocked out, as the young man had taken extra care to keep them alive. Feeling the mana in his eyes dissipating, he hurriedly tossed one last glance down at his soul before Soul Vision deactivated. Micky had supplied him more than enough to keep it active for longer if he wanted, but he¡¯d rather invest the limited resource towards their recovery. His soul didn¡¯t look that great, still resembling a pile of minced meat held together by thin threads. That said, the chunks were fewer and larger than before, and they were attached to one another more firmly too. The crater in his chest had also shrunk a lot since last year. That¡¯s right.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A little over a year had passed since Micky¡¯s first flight. Percy had even had two birthdays in that time. He was seventeen now. He still couldn¡¯t gather much soul mana without the bird¡¯s assistance, but he healed faster and faster as Micky grew up and their hunts became more rewarding. As early as a few months ago, the two had graduated from rats and rabbits, turning their sights towards the goblins in the nearby Whistling Woods. It wasn¡¯t ideal, as the forest was a few miles away from his House¡¯s mansion. It meant they had to spend several hours per day just travelling back and forth. But it couldn¡¯t be helped, as it was too dangerous to camp the night there by themselves, and they harboured a few too many secrets to be working with strangers. Neither baldy nor Elaine had the time to babysit them for weeks on end. That said, it wasn¡¯t all bad. Percy¡¯s free time had increased sharply ever since his training sessions with his relatives stopped, so he could afford to do this. Plus, hunting was good for honing both his magic and his teamwork with Micky. Finally, even though the goblins were notoriously difficult to find, their larger cores and much more developed souls made the endeavour worthwhile. ¡®At least Micky is doing better.¡¯ While Percy¡¯s soul was still some distance from a full recovery, preventing him from cleansing his first core or sending another clone, his familiar¡¯s had grown a lot more stable. The bird could even go a few days without a meal before it began to get affected. Shrugging, the young man¡¯s attention turned to his Status, as he had no interest in watching his friend stuff his face with goblins.
Percival Avalon Mana cores: Bloodline: Spells: ???:
Not much had changed, besides the two new spells he¡¯d registered. The first ¨C Quarterstaff ¨C was perhaps the most unassuming entry in his entire Status. Being nothing more than a Crude spell cast from a Red core with a pure affinity, it wasn¡¯t nearly as eye-catching as all the other stuff in there. Still, Percy was proud of it, as it had taken him a lot of hard work to hone it to its current state. Plus, it was his very first registered spell with his second core, so that had to count for something. At first the young man had tried to go for a couple of shorter rods, one in each hand, to more closely mirror Micky¡¯s style. Eventually, he realized dual wielding felt a bit unnatural to him. He appeared to have a personal proclivity towards a single, longer weapon. The construct wasn¡¯t very sturdy, but it was good enough for the goblins. The other new entry was a lot more impressive, however. Although still a step short of the full Dance, Circulation was Percy¡¯s first Refined spell. As a mage¡¯s grade increased, so did their mana capacity and regeneration, as well as their control and reflexes, allowing them to master more intricate spells. Generally, people between Red and Yellow mostly focused on Crude spells, whereas Refined spells were seen as the hallmark of Greens and Blues. There were exceptions of course. Sometimes, a talented Yellow would master a Refined spell ahead of time, or a lazy Green would fail to do so before advancing. Still, Percy was only at Orange. Not just that, but he was technically using Circulation with his Red core. Suffice to say, his circumstances were essentially unprecedented. News of his achievement would probably cause some waves if they leaked. He wasn¡¯t exactly surprised Circulation was ranked that highly either, as it involved many difficult and demanding steps to master. Frankly, he knew he couldn¡¯t have done this without cheating. Extensively. His grandpa¡¯s help had allowed him to get the equivalent of half a decade of physical training in only half a year. That, coupled with his dedication in clearing his channels meant he had started tempering his pathways faster than the others. In addition, the final step ¨C circulating the mana and overcharging both his core and his channels ¨C was by far the most difficult. However, he¡¯d already experienced the art under Micky¡¯s guidance, severely lowering the barrier of entry for him. Even baldy hadn¡¯t mastered the spell until a month after Percy. As for Elaine, she was still struggling with the last part. ¡®Let¡¯s not get complacent though. They can still wipe the floor with me with their hands tied behind their back...¡¯ Percy sighed. At least, he¡¯d grown strong enough to survive by himself at a semi-dangerous place like the Whistling Woods. That said, the road ahead was long and uphill¡­ Suddenly, some unexpected thoughts seeped through the link, drawing his attention. The young man lifted his eyes, looking at his familiar with concern. For some reason, the bird had stopped eating after the third goblin. It was sitting on the ground, occasionally twitching, as if in pain. ¡®Micky! What¡¯s wrong?!¡¯ No reply. Percy activated Mana Sense, anxious to figure out what was happening to his bond. The bird¡¯s frame was glowing more brightly than ever before, its entire silhouette shimmering in a vibrant Red colour. More and more mana was released from its stomach, as its flesh shook and squirmed. The core in Micky¡¯s sternum thrummed more frequently and violently than he¡¯d ever seen it do before, glowing a shade brighter than the rest of his body. Logically, his friend should have already started sending him the excess mana to relieve himself. However, he was instead holding everything in for some reason, letting it accumulate to a dangerous level. The young man panicked, unsure how to help his familiar. He was about to call to him again, to ask him to let go of the mana, when he caught something odd through his sixth sense, giving him pause. As the core pulsed more and more intensely, its colour shifted. It was subtle at first, but Percy became more and more sure of what was going on as he kept watching. His previous fear was now replaced by excitement and even anticipation. Micky was advancing to Orange. Chapter 31 – Leaving the nest Micky complained loudly, much to Percy¡¯s dismay. The bird¡¯s screeches were far more piercing than ever before, echoing through the dark forest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry buddy. You¡¯re too big to sit on my shoulder now.¡± The actual advancement had taken less than an hour, but that was just the start. Saying the crow was starving afterwards would be the understatement of the century. Mere minutes after the promotion, Micky had devoured all seven goblins, not leaving a single bone behind. In fact, he ate their weapons too! Gone were the days when he only selectively sampled his victims¡¯ souls and cores, leaving most of their flesh untouched. Evidently, the bird¡¯s advancement had placed its body in a state of rapid mutation, requiring a ton of nutrients in a short period of time. Percy had watched his friend grow visibly with each bite as they scoured the forest, looking for anything even remotely edible. The two had remained in the Whistling Woods all night, desperately fuelling Micky¡¯s insatiable appetite. It wasn¡¯t until the first rays of sunlight pierced through the dense thicket that the bird seemed to be done eating, its frame now twice as large as before. ¡®Oh well¡­ I bet he¡¯s a lot stronger.¡¯ Other than his size, Micky¡¯s appearance hadn¡¯t changed much. The only other notable differences were his beak and talons being even sharper than before. Their edges now glinted in a pale silver light, even outside Soul Vision. Percy sure pitied whoever ended up on the receiving end. Overall, the most welcome surprise was the improvement to his familiar¡¯s soul, however. It had stabilized a lot even before the promotion, but this new step took everything to a whole new level. Micky¡¯s soul was still an assortment of multiple parts, but they¡¯d grown closer together. The delineation separating the three souls was much fainter, resembling old scars more than fresh wounds. ¡®Maybe they¡¯ll fuse completely after another evolution or two.¡¯ Either way, the bird would not only harvest more soul mana from its victims, but it would also need a lot less for itself, sending the lion¡¯s share to Percy. Like this, he was optimistic he¡¯d fully recover in a couple months. Then he smiled wryly. Not everything was good news. He¡¯d already felt the two had outgrown the Whistling Woods for a while now. To fully take advantage of Micky¡¯s improvements, they¡¯d need to leave the safety of the mansion and venture to more dangerous regions. And there was another, more immediate problem. ¡®How do we explain you?¡¯ he frowned, looking at his pal flying circles above him as he stepped out of the dense undergrowth. Before, they¡¯d used the excuse he¡¯d found Micky abandoned and raised him as a pet. It wasn¡¯t that strange as Red beasts were essentially regular animals. Reaching Orange, however, not only made them stronger, but far more aggressive. The thrill of advancement whetted their appetite, making them all but impossible to tame. Suffice to say, his relatives would be asking a lot of questions if they returned home like this. *** ¡°Ok. Remember to stay away until I say otherwise.¡± Percy imparted the same instructions for the fifth time as they neared his family¡¯s estate. KRA! KRA! Micky protested but didn¡¯t disobey, taking off to look for a snack or something. The young man made his way to the mansion, heading straight to baldy¡¯s office before knocking at the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Percy stepped inside, ready to deliver the news, when he noticed somebody else in there. He was a black-haired man who looked to be in his early twenties, dressed in an elegant buttoned-up shirt and silken trousers. His core was Blue. He was Galahad, Archibald¡¯s oldest living child currently in the family. A Yellow-born over 400 years old ¨C House Avalon¡¯s second in-command, only below baldy himself. In fact, he was the one who had the highest chance of reaching Violet, on track to do so in about a century. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve been wasting too much of father¡¯s time, boy?¡± Galahad asked, his nose wrinkling in disgust. Percy grimaced but didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he turned to his grandpa. ¡°I was hoping to speak to you alone. It¡¯s urgent.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me, you brat!¡± his uncle snapped. ¡°You should be grateful we¡¯ve wasted so many elixirs on you already! I still don¡¯t get what your grade has to do with passing your affinity!¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. He looked about to keep going, but baldy raised his hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Galahad. I don¡¯t need you to manage my schedule for me, or to tell me which of my grandkids to spend time with.¡± Archibald¡¯s tone was calm but firm. Galahad raised an eyebrow. He probably hadn¡¯t expected his father would reprimand him in front of the likes of Percy. He only spared the young man a cold glance as he walked out of the office, though Percy didn¡¯t miss his uncle¡¯s clenched fists, drained of colour. ¡®I¡¯d almost forgotten what an asshole he was.¡¯ Between his injuries, his training and his ventures into the forest, Percy hadn¡¯t run into his relatives as much over the past year. His amiable relationship with Elaine and Archibald had shifted his overall perspective on his family, but the truth was most of them still looked down on Red-borns like him. That much hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°What is it?¡± baldy asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. ¡°Right!¡± Percy exclaimed before approaching the desk. He covered his mouth before whispering, ¡°Micky has advanced.¡± Archibald¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Already? This is even faster than I expected¡­¡± ¡°What do we do? I can¡¯t exactly bring him here.¡± His grandpa sank back into his chair, remaining silent for a few minutes. Eventually, he spoke. ¡°We¡¯re heading back to the forest. It¡¯s a temporary solution but I¡¯ll stay there with you for a week until we come up with something more permanent.¡± *** A grimace marred Percy¡¯s face. By the time he met baldy he¡¯d already been up for nearly thirty hours, having spent all night hunting with Micky. Staying awake as his grandpa arranged for his impromptu absence had been pure torture, and the young man wasn¡¯t happy travelling to the woods again. Still, this had to be done if he was to keep his secrets. He doubted anybody in his family was a spy or traitor, but there were hundreds of people in the Avalon House. If a few more learned of his second core or Micky, it wouldn¡¯t be long before that number doubled, and then quadrupled, until the entire mansion knew. And then, it would only take a mistake for the rest of Remior to find out too. In fact, those two secrets were still relatively benign. Anything pertaining to the Dance, on the other hand, was far more dangerous. Even in its incomplete state, it could instantly raise the strength of an entire House by half a step, placing them right behind the Great Houses. As much as it would benefit his family if they all learned it, a single mishap could easily invite disaster. ¡®Just like what happened to Micky¡¯s people¡­¡¯ Consequently, baldy had strongly emphasized to him and Elaine the importance of keeping everything under wraps. As much as it sucked to be looked down on by people like Galahad, knowing he could change everyone¡¯s view of him with a few words, Percy understood what a thin line he was treading. ¡°Percy¡­ I¡¯m sorry you have to take all this shit from everyone.¡± baldy said as he walked alongside him, a dozen of his clones marching silently right behind them. ¡°Truth be told, you¡¯ve already done more for our family than almost anyone else¡­¡± The young man waved the apology away. ¡°We knew it would be like this since the beginning.¡± Archibald nodded. ¡°So, what do you plan to do now?¡± Percy pondered over his grandpa¡¯s words carefully before replying. ¡°I¡¯ll head out. I need to find a good place for Micky to hunt, to avoid stunting his growth. I also need to get my soul repaired as soon as possible to resume sending clones. Though, I suppose those go hand in hand.¡± Baldy didn¡¯t seem surprised, having probably expected that answer. ¡°Any idea where specifically?¡± The young man didn¡¯t reply for a while. This was the part he hadn¡¯t figured out yet. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe I should take lots of missions like Elaine and only come back once every few weeks to restock on elixirs.¡± Baldy¡¯s face fell. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to talk to you about the elixirs, actually. As you know, our family is fully transparent with who gets them and who doesn¡¯t. This policy has served us well for centuries, as it bolsters trust.¡± Percy nodded, but he didn¡¯t like where baldy was going with this. ¡°Normally, it doesn¡¯t really matter, as the rules are fairly simple: Orange-borns and Yellow-borns get them. Red-borns don¡¯t.¡± Archibald continued. ¡°Until me.¡± Percy realized. ¡°Yes. So far, I¡¯ve used the excuse of your soul clones being a promising thing for the family to justify giving you elixirs, but nobody knows the details. They have no idea how useful your clones are. Neither do they have a clue why I¡¯ve been spending so much time with you. Galahad¡¯s outburst from earlier is actually a common sentiment among the family¡¯s management.¡± The young man frowned. Indeed, between the weeks baldy had spent filling his second core up, the several months of training together for the Circulation spell, and all their other interactions, they had really spent a lot of time together. Even now, his grandpa was going to be with him the whole week. This should all seem suspicious to the rest of their family. ¡°Surely, they understand there must be a reason for it, right? Even if they don¡¯t know what.¡± Baldy shook his head. ¡°What reason could there be? Nobody could possibly imagine what your ability does. Sending your soul to other worlds?! Most of them believe I¡¯ve grown too attached to you for purely sentimental reasons. They think I¡¯m just finding excuses to spoil you rotten.¡± Percy¡¯s jaw slackened upon listening to his grandpa. He was glad his relationship with baldy had improved, but he didn¡¯t know their actions had given rise to such a wave of discontent among his relatives. ¡°So, what does this mean?¡± Baldy sighed. ¡°I can continue supplying you with a single set of elixirs. They won¡¯t like it, but it¡¯s within the limits of what I can justify based on your bloodline¡¯s importance. However, a second one is currently out of the question.¡± ¡°What?! But I¡¯ll need it when my soul is repaired!¡± He hadn¡¯t started cleansing both cores yet, as he¡¯d created that clone soon after repairing his second core. Since then, his injuries had prevented him from maintaining the necessary mana, despite Micky¡¯s help. But he was very much looking forward to changing this soon. ¡°Is there no other way?¡± Baldy¡¯s next words gave him hope, however. ¡°I can only think of two possible solutions.¡± Chapter 32 – Two solutions The young man looked at his grandpa expectantly, prompting him to speak. ¡°The first option is to spill the beans on some of your secrets. Naturally, not Circulation. That one could destroy our House if it leaks. But if we let the others know about your second core and Micky, they will understand.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a good idea?¡± Percy asked. ¡°Not really, no.¡± baldy said before elaborating. ¡°I advise you not to do this. Even though others can¡¯t immediately benefit from your second core, it will still make our family a target. However, these are ultimately your secrets. If you want to go through with it, I won¡¯t stop you. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to hinder your growth like that.¡± Percy nodded. He didn¡¯t much like the idea of bringing trouble to his House either, but he¡¯d consider it if it was the only way. ¡°What about the second option?¡± ¡°This one actually circles back to our earlier discussion.¡± The young man perked up. ¡°I can think of a place where you¡¯ll find plenty of beasts for Micky to eat. At the same time, you can earn as many elixirs as you need. But I must warn you that it¡¯s neither guaranteed, nor easy.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°The Alchemists¡¯ Guild.¡± Percy frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t that where they make the elixirs? You want me to become an alchemist?¡± ¡°Yes. That place works with a system based on contribution points. You earn them by performing various tasks and you can spend them on elixirs, ingredients or alchemy lessons.¡± The young man creased his brow, considering his grandpa¡¯s words. Becoming an alchemist wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d ever imagined doing, but if baldy thought it was a good idea, he wasn¡¯t necessarily against it. ¡°Do they let anyone join?¡± ¡°Not anyone. The Alchemists¡¯ Guild is one of the most important places on all of Remior. Everyone needs the elixirs ¨C even the Divine Order. Consequently, the Guild is completely neutral, and nobody is allowed to stir trouble there. They only accept people recommended by a noble House.¡± Ok, perhaps this was an even bigger deal than Percy thought. ¡°Won¡¯t the others be against it? They¡¯re already unhappy I get elixirs. Now I¡¯m going to be brewing them?¡± Baldy shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not the same thing. It won¡¯t really affect our family either way. We still have to buy the elixirs at full price. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s any discount for having a relative there. As for anything you earn on your own, that¡¯s between you and the Guild.¡± ¡°So, is it common to send Red-borns?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not. Not that there¡¯s any rule against Red-borns, but your lower grade will make it difficult to get points. Also, your shorter lifespan means people will generally view it as a waste of time for you to learn the art.¡± Percy would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t bothered. It seemed there wasn¡¯t anywhere on Remior he could go where he wouldn¡¯t be looked down upon. ¡°What about my affinities? Are they suitable for alchemy?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t really matter. Water and fire help with some parts of the brewing process, though that¡¯s only a minor convenience. Life mana is good for growing herbs faster, but you can just buy those.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°That only leaves Micky then. How will I explain him?¡± This was by far the most important thing. He wouldn¡¯t leave him behind. After all, his friend was one of the main reasons why he¡¯d even bother going in the first place. ¡°You won¡¯t. The Guild is right next to where you¡¯ll be hunting the beasts. It¡¯s where the main ingredient for the elixirs comes from. Micky will live there by himself and you¡¯ll join him whenever you can to hunt together. That way, you¡¯ll help him get his meals and he¡¯ll help you earn contribution points.¡± ¡°But is it going to be safe? What if someone attacks him?¡± Baldy shook his head. ¡°The hunting grounds are separated into various levels. Most of the people there are at a higher grade than you. Nobody ever goes to the bottom level as the beasts there are weaker than Micky, and not worth killing. Even if somebody meets him by accident, they won¡¯t have any reason to bother him.¡± Percy didn¡¯t immediately reply. He was still tired, and this was a big decision. He¡¯d rather sleep on it and give his grandpa his answer later. The two met up with Micky, before continuing to the forest. However, they didn¡¯t stop upon reaching the Whistling Woods. Instead, they kept walking for another hour. ¡°Ok, I think this is far enough.¡± baldy said. Percy began setting camp, as Micky flew down, landing in front of Archibald. Baldy took a deep breath. Soon, the young man felt a terrifying amount of ambient mana flow towards his grandpa. It wasn¡¯t until a few seconds later that numerous green lines lit up under the man¡¯s skin. Their pattern looked very different from Percy¡¯s. Rather than simple curved lines, the ones on baldy¡¯s skin swirled and branched out, making them resemble vines. Then, Archibald placed his hand on Micky¡¯s head, before a suffocating torrent of green gushed out of his body, flowing down to the familiar¡¯s abdomen. This was the main reason why baldy had arranged to spend a week with them in the forest. Ever since he mastered Circulation, Percy¡¯s grandpa volunteered to help the bird repair its second core. He wanted to thank Micky for giving them the technique. Plus, the increased capacity and regeneration made the process much faster than it had been the first time around. Of course, they still had no idea where to get the mind mana. Percy couldn¡¯t exactly bring Micky to the temple. The mist outside was much thinner too, so they¡¯d have to lurk there for months ¨C assuming the Order even let them. Finally, finding a friendly Violet core with a mind affinity willing to dedicate several weeks to help wasn¡¯t realistic either. Consequently, they hadn¡¯t rushed, only spending a couple of hours each day whenever Percy and Micky returned home. Assuming the bird¡¯s core needed the same amount of mana as Percy¡¯s, they estimated they were already about two thirds done. And Archibald planned to complete the project by the end of the week. *** Percy watched his grandpa fill up Micky¡¯s core. They¡¯d already been in the forest for six days, yet the process wasn¡¯t done. He sure hoped they hadn¡¯t miscalculated as he¡¯d rather not have to look for a different source of life mana as well, for the final stretch. In any case, he¡¯d worry about that later. Right now, baldy¡¯s words still echoed in his mind. Going to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild would be a huge commitment. He didn¡¯t know anything about alchemy! Maybe he¡¯d hate it! Or he¡¯d suck at it! Even if he enjoyed it, who knew if he¡¯d ever amass enough contribution points to cover his needs. His grandpa had emphasized he¡¯d be at a massive disadvantage. Perhaps, he wouldn¡¯t even have enough elixirs for one of his cores, putting him at a worse position than before. Then, there was the issue with Micky. Despite baldy¡¯s reassurances, Percy knew it would still be risky. This was Remior after all. There were plenty of unreasonable people out there, who would harm a beast for sport. Hell, it would be hypocritical of him to even criticize them. He¡¯d killed plenty of goblins himself just to get stronger. He knew he wouldn¡¯t care much about a random bird either if it wasn¡¯t his reincarnated friend. At the end of the day, everything boiled down to one simple fact. Despite the discrimination he¡¯d faced growing up, Percy had spent his whole life under his grandpa¡¯s protection. The closest he¡¯d ever come to losing his life had been due to his own recklessness when creating his familiar. But this would be different. There would be no certainties. Everything would depend entirely on his own ability. And his luck. Then, he looked at baldy. Perhaps his grandpa had been lucky enough to be born at Yellow, but he¡¯d still made himself into the man he was today. He wasn¡¯t dependent on others. Others depended on him. ¡®I want that¡­ To be my own person.¡¯ The young man nodded. He finally had his answer. He was about to tell baldy, when he saw him stop pouring mana into the bird. It was done. Smiling, he opened Micky¡¯s Status to check it one last time, before heading to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild.
Mictlantecuhtli (Percival''s familiar) Mana cores: ???:
Chapter 33 – Trouble It was a two-week journey on horseback to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild. At least, the dirt road only passed through grasslands and barren fields, saving Percy the trouble of trekking through more forests or mountains. Not that the trip was without dangers. Baldy had given him a month¡¯s worth of elixirs, so that he wouldn¡¯t fall behind on his second core¡¯s purification. Unfortunately, the excessive amount of wealth was a double-edged sword, turning him into a juicy target for any aspiring robbers. The young man knew bandits frequented places like this, so he found it difficult to sleep at night. His family didn¡¯t have any justification to send escorts this time, making him easy prey for the criminals. Sure, he was the owner of a promising bloodline but, as far as his relatives were concerned, he should have stayed locked up at home like a good little Red-born ¨C not risk his life on needless adventures. His only consolation was that he wasn¡¯t completely alone. Micky flew nearby, a couple miles away, ready to help if something happened. Of course, that came with its own set of challenges as Percy didn¡¯t want to be seen too close to the bird, to avoid drawing suspicions. ¡®Just five more days of this. Nothing bad will happen.¡¯ The good news was that they had already travelled nearly two thirds of the trip without getting into trouble. Perhaps he shouldn¡¯t have been so quick to jinx it though¡­ *** ¡®Shit, I think they¡¯re following me.¡¯ Four men rode just a couple hundred meters behind him. Normally, it wouldn¡¯t have necessarily meant much, as this was a popular road. Maybe they were regular travellers or merchants heading the same route. However, their movements were rather suspicious. Thanks to Micky, Percy had noticed them before they saw him. At the time they had been riding much faster, but they slowed down as soon as he came into view, staying a fixed distance behind him ever since. They were still too far for him to examine their grades via Mana Sense, but it was easier for his familiar to pass over them and sneak a couple of glances before flying away. ¡®Three Orange cores, one Yellow.¡¯ Percy frowned. The only thing in his arsenal capable of harming a Yellow was his Parting Gift. Even though his first core was at Orange, his soul affinity was disproportionately geared towards offense. It was invisible, making it difficult to spot without Mana Sense. Fast too, making it hard to dodge if it caught them by surprise. It also phased through objects, making it nearly impossible to block. And lethal. Very lethal. If the stars aligned, he could definitely kill a Yellow with it, as Mixcoatl had learned the hard way. ¡®But that¡¯s a big if¡­¡¯ His soul magic downright sucked defensively, as he couldn¡¯t block incoming attacks either. It would be just as easy for his opponents to injure him, if not even more so. Plus, he couldn¡¯t gather soul mana right now, unless Micky ate something first. Then, there was the rest of his magic. Circulation barely made up for his pure affinity, but his second core was still Red. If it wasn¡¯t for his higher physical strength, he wouldn¡¯t be confident holding his own even against an Orange core. As for Micky¡­ he might be able to keep one of them busy¡­ at most. He shook his head. ¡®We can¡¯t confront them directly.¡¯ His only option was to run, and hope his horse was both faster and less tired than theirs. He looked at the pouch strapped to his waist, hearing the gem bottles clinking with each bump. Archibald wasn¡¯t na?ve. He obviously understood the perils of the trip. Right before Percy set off, he told him to ditch the elixirs and bolt if he got into a situation like this. The bandits only wanted his money. They didn¡¯t give a damn about his life. Losing the bottles would sting, but they weren¡¯t worth dying over.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Percy smiled bitterly. Leaving the pouch behind was the most logical course of action. He could always earn more elixirs later. But he was unwilling. This whole trip was a gamble. They didn¡¯t even know if he could make it in the Guild. It was all a desperate attempt to earn enough elixirs for both of his cores. Was he really supposed to give up twenty doses before he even got there? ¡®Screw that. I¡¯m not going to run from a bunch of lowlifes.¡¯ Having made up his mind, he slowed down his horse. ¡®Micky. Whatever happens, stay away unless I say otherwise.¡¯ he spoke through the connection. When the bandits reached him, they seemed quite surprised. They quickly hid their confusion though, replacing it with amiable-looking smiles as their leader approached him. He was probably going to pretend he was just a harmless traveller or something, but Percy wasn¡¯t interested in the charade. Before the criminal even spoke, the young man tossed over the pouch, eliciting a strange look from the former. Still, the bandit opened it, his eyes widening as his expression morphed into one of greed. ¡°I¡¯ve got something even more valuable than those, if you leave me alive.¡± Percy said. ¡°Hahaha!¡± the bandit laughed. ¡°Kid, you seem to really understand what¡¯s good for you. Most people waste our time running away just to get killed a couple hours later.¡± Percy shrugged. ¡°So, are you interested in hearing me out?¡± The leader only chuckled, gesturing at him to speak. Receiving the affirmation, Percy slowly lifted his shirt, revealing a strange bandage wrapped tightly around his stomach. Multiple runes were engraved on the fabric. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°My family has developed a technique that lets us grow a second core. I keep it hidden for obvious reasons.¡± The bandit gave him an odd look, probably thinking he was a lunatic, but didn¡¯t stop him, watching him unwrap the bandage. ¡°Just use your Mana Sense, and you¡¯ll know I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± A few seconds later, the criminal stared at him with his mouth agape. The others had also approached at some point, now flashing each other incredulous looks. ¡°And anybody can learn this?¡± Percy nodded. ¡°There are a few steps, but as long as you have somebody guiding you, you¡¯ll all have a second core in a couple of months.¡± Internally, he smirked. The first part of the plan had gone smoothly. He could already see the bandits salivating with greed. He wouldn¡¯t have to worry about them killing him anytime soon. Now, he just had to make sure none of them lived long enough to speak of his secrets¡­ *** Three more days passed as Percy travelled with the group. At first, they¡¯d been suspicious of him, thinking he was up to something. He didn¡¯t exactly blame them either ¨C because it was true. He seriously doubted they¡¯d ever run into another target half as cooperative as he was. The leader had repeatedly questioned the validity of his words, warning him not-so-subtly things wouldn¡¯t end well for him if he tried anything funny. But they did appear to relax around him over time. He was sure part of it was because he made no attempt to escape. Not even when they pretended to give him an opening. Another part was due to his demonstration of Circulation. The bizarre technique was impressive enough on its own, as Percy showed them how it increased his strength sharply. Then he went into detail, explaining how it worked and how they could learn it, even guiding them into clearing their mana channels. In fact, he¡¯d been truthful too, instructing them in earnest. ¡®Well¡­ for the most part¡­¡¯ The only lie he¡¯d added was that Circulation would grant them a second core once mastered. Revealing two of his secrets like that had been a risk, but a necessary one. His second core was the bait he¡¯d needed to entice them on the first day so they wouldn¡¯t kill him on the spot. As for Circulation, it was to convince them to keep him alive, as it was too complicated to learn without guidance. But there were a couple more hidden objectives he¡¯d achieved. By explaining how he used the bandage to hide his second core, he¡¯d diverted their attention from anything else he might do with it. Furthermore, by showing them his pure affinity coupled with Circulation, he¡¯d impressed them with its potential, while also making himself appear weaker than he was. Right now, they probably believed his first core lacked an affinity too. And the time to act was swiftly approaching, as one of the bandits left the group to pee behind a hill. Knowing this was probably the best chance he was going to get, Percy subtly wrapped the bandage around his right hand a couple of times. This was it! He took a deep breath, before speaking through the connection. ¡®Now, Micky!¡¯ Chapter 34 – Unexpected boon The crow glided soundlessly just a meter above the grass as it approached its prey. Micky¡¯s black feathers turned him nigh invisible against the dark blanket of the night. Soon, a man enlarged in their shared vision. He was looking the other way, performing his business without a care in the world. They could already hear the soft stream pitter-pattering against the stone. Percy held his breath. If the ambush failed, his life would be forfeit! With one powerful flap of his wings, Micky shot through the last 15 or so feet, landing on the man¡¯s head. The poor bandit barely managed to turn around, before a talon clamped his mouth shut, as the other clawed his throat out. The young man exhaled the turbid air in his lungs as subtly as he could manage, trying not to alert the others. ¡®So far, so good.¡¯ Then, Percy inhaled deeply again, directing the pure mana towards his abdomen, before pumping it through his channels. As for the soul mana, he gathered it in his sternum, fighting against his soul¡¯s pull. He walked towards the leader ¨C Rick, if his memory served him. Assassinating the Yellow core was just as important as the previous ambush, if not doubly so. Accumulating soul mana was difficult at first, but a new stream gushed through the ethereal cord, helping him amass it more easily. ¡®This is a lot more than expected¡­¡¯ The largest things Micky had eaten in the past were the wood goblins. Being semi-sentient creatures, their souls were a lot more developed than the rats and snakes they had hunted before. Still, they couldn¡¯t possibly compare with a human at Orange. Percy didn¡¯t keep the mana in his core for very long though, swiftly drawing it into his fist instead. There, he willed it to condense under the cover of the bandage. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rick asked. Percy stopped a few meters away. ¡°I was thinking¡­ Are you guys going to let me go once I¡¯ve taught you everything? Surely, you won¡¯t need anything else from me at that point, right?¡± Hearing him, the bandit gave him the most amiable smile in the world, almost like an older brother reassuring his sibling that everything would be ok. ¡°Of course! You¡¯ve been a huge help, kid! Just keep cooperating and we might even let you join our gang!¡± Rick¡¯s casual acting sent a chill down Percy¡¯s spine. He was fairly certain they wouldn¡¯t let him go. It would be much safer to kill him than leave behind a trail for his family to latch on. Then, the young man grinned back. ¡®But I suppose I have no intention of letting you scumbags go either¡­ So, I guess we¡¯re even.¡¯ Percy had already gathered enough soul mana, though Rick couldn¡¯t see it. Even if he activated Mana Sense, the bandage would take care of it. Next, the young man willed it to harden and take the shape of his insidious weapon, before sending another message to his familiar. ¡®Draw their attention!¡¯ A shadow shot up from behind the hill, the heads of the remaining bandits all snapping in that direction. Percy didn¡¯t care about that, however, as he bolted towards Rick, flicking his hand towards the man¡¯s torso. Noticing him at the last moment, the bandit leader pulled up a thick sheet of stone with a wave of his finger. But it wouldn¡¯t help him.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Diverting a trickle of soul mana to his eyes, the young man watched the silver dagger phase through the rocky barrier unobstructed, piercing a hole through the man¡¯s soul as if it was a sheet of paper. The wound continued to widen even after the projectile popped out the other side. By the time Rick fell to his knees, his soul already sported a hole wider than a fist, his head making a sickening thud as he collapsed forward onto his own wall. The remaining two bandits took a few moments to catch on to what was happening. By then, the cyan lines had already lit up underneath Percy¡¯s skin, as the young man held the Quarterstaff in one hand, a smaller version of the Parting Gift already forming in the other. He rushed towards one of the bandits. The other was about to help his buddy when Micky dove down, trying to gouge out his eyeballs. While he failed to do so ¨C the bandit having managed to roll to one side at the last moment ¨C the familiar had successfully prevented him from reinforcing Percy¡¯s opponent. The young man on the other hand was having some trouble at first. His footwork did allow him to dodge most of the fireballs, but the few he was forced to parry made his weapon bend and crack, as the dispersed heat scorched his skin, making him wince. At least, this was the case for a few moments, until his second weapon took shape. Ignoring the sweat and the blisters, he dashed towards the bandit, weaving between the incoming spells, closing the distance. A well-timed throw later, the third man was on the ground, his eyes glazed over like the two before him. Micky wasn¡¯t having an easy time pinning down the last one. The criminal¡¯s air affinity was a bad match for the bird, preventing it from reaching him. Still, the tables swiftly turned once Percy joined the fight, the duo eliminating the final opponent not long after. The young man plopped down on the bloodied dirt, breathing heavily. This had been his toughest fight yet. The first real one too. But he¡¯d done it! He¡¯d defeated a Yellow core by himself and even took his henchmen out with him! ¡®And all of that without dying in the process¡­¡¯ KRA! KRA! Percy winced as his familiar pecked his shoulder in protest. ¡°Ok, ok. We did it together.¡± he smiled. ¡°Now go eat Rick¡¯s soul and core before they dissipate.¡± CAW! Micky wasn¡¯t entirely placated, but heeded the instruction, clearly thrilled at the prospect of such a gourmet meal. The young man rested on his back, a flood of mana soon filling his body. Shocked as the pressure intensified, he activated Mana Sense, only to be blinded by the bright Yellow colour filling his frame. Unable to discern anything, he switched to Soul Vision, but the intense silver glow wasn¡¯t much easier to peer through. ¡®I guess this must be how Micky felt before learning to get rid of the excess mana.¡¯ It was a lot to absorb at once, but Percy didn¡¯t ask his friend to stop eating. He knew such an opportunity was hard to come by. Rick¡¯s digested soul was by far the richest, most abundant source of soul mana they would come across anytime soon. It was a potent tonic, greatly accelerating his soul¡¯s recovery. Squinting, he just about managed to see his gruesome injuries closing in real time. The sight almost reminded him of the time his grandpa healed his physical wounds in mere moments. Micky stopped producing soul mana about ten minutes later, but fully processing it took them a couple hours longer. By then, only the crater in Percy¡¯s chest remained, and even that had shrunk to the size of an apple. ¡®Wow, maybe I should thank Rick for targeting me.¡¯ Percy estimated he¡¯d only need one more fight like this to fully recover. Of course, he had no intention of chasing more bandits or provoking other Yellow cores, but even the Orange beasts they would be hunting at their destination should do the trick in a few more weeks. In fact, he figured he could probably refill his core without Micky¡¯s help right now. CAW! ¡®You¡¯re right. Better keep moving.¡¯ The young man was spent, so resting for a few hours before resuming his journey didn¡¯t sound too bad. Sadly, the longer he remained here, the greater his odds of running into more trouble were. Getting to the Guild as soon as possible was probably the wisest choice. Luckily, the bandits had travelled in the same direction, so he hadn¡¯t lost much time. Calculating the distance, Percy estimated he should be within a day of his destination. Standing up, he quickly scanned the corpses for anything valuable. ¡®Nothing¡­¡¯ The poor bastards were broke. Retrieving his elixirs, he climbed onto his horse. Only one dose was missing from the pouch. Naturally, it would have been too wasteful for them to use the elixirs in their concentrated state. Percy¡¯s entire stash would have barely lasted them a week. Their next promotion had probably been decades away, so the elixirs wouldn¡¯t have made a dent like that. Instead, they had planned to dilute them all, making each dose last the group for nearly a month, the entire stash well over a year. ¡®And just for that one tiny bottle, they paid with their lives¡­¡¯ He sighed. This was the true Remior, away from his House¡¯s walls. A jungle, where the lowborns like him had to place their lives on the line every single day for a small chance to survive. ¡®But I will¡­ No matter what.¡¯ Chapter 35 – Scorpions The azure flash sliced through the thick carapace as if it was butter. It might as well have been, against the spell of a Green. Elaine swung her arms a few more times, three whips lashing out with each move, dicing the rest of the creatures into pieces. ¡°Careful not to damage their stingers or their venom glands. It¡¯s what we¡¯re here for.¡± Enid said. The blonde girl was having a bit more trouble at Yellow, but her earth magic kept the enemies at bay at least. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about her, Enid. Princess knows what she¡¯s doing.¡± Aleyn said. Having inherited the bloodline, the boy¡¯s life affinity didn¡¯t help him much in a direct confrontation. Still, he reduced the pressure on his cousins by distracting the beasts with his clones. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is, each scorpion is worth four silver. It would be a waste to lose some.¡± ¡°Alright, stop bickering. I think we managed to preserve most of them.¡± Elaine said. She wiped the sweat off her brow as the last of the creatures fell limp on the sand. Next, she walked to one of the more intact carcasses and sat against it. Drawing the last drops of mana from her core, she manifested a mouthful of water to quench her thirst. The worst thing about the desert was the suffocating heat. To add insult to injury, it wasn¡¯t particularly suited to her affinity either. Refilling her reserves took twice as long here. Still, she took deep breaths to recover as much as she could while resting. Enid soon joined her, also in need of a break. It wasn¡¯t like they hadn¡¯t considered helping Aleyn harvest the loot, but the boy had volunteered to delegate the menial task to his clones. Instead, she summoned her Status.
Elaine Avalon Mana core: Spells:
She sighed. Her Status irked her every time she looked at it. Her first and only Crude spell had registered several years ago, yet the upgrade still eluded her. ¡®Reaching White my ass.¡¯ she smiled bitterly. She¡¯d resolved to obtain a Refined spell even before Percy¡¯s return from Huehue, yet here she was, with nothing more than a single Crude one over a year later. Not just that, but her cousin had achieved what she failed to, while still being at Orange! And he had three other spells too! Yet, despite being two full grades above him, Elaine couldn¡¯t even manage it with Percy holding her hand, walking her through the process! Strengthening her body and tempering her mana channels had been fine, but she just couldn¡¯t figure out the correct pattern for her affinity. ¡®Such an embarrassment.¡¯ The only thing she could do was to resume taking mission after mission, focusing on her Whip instead. At least, she could now summon a whopping six constructs at once. Sadly, sheer quantity didn¡¯t a Refined spell make... ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all of them.¡± Aleyn said, breaking her out of her thoughts. Four men stood behind him, each with a face identical to his own, save for their soulless gazes. They didn¡¯t utter a word of complaint, despite the heavy-looking sacks they were holding over their shoulders, filled to the brim with grimy scorpion parts. One even had a stinger sticking out of the bag, passing just inches from the clone¡¯s cheek, but he didn¡¯t seem bothered in the slightest. ¡°Finally!¡± Enid jumped to her feet excitedly. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to take a bath and sleep on a proper bed!¡± She looked at Elaine expectantly, silently urging her to get a move on. Faced with her cousin¡¯s eagerness, the latter acquiesced, pushing herself up as the corner of her lips curved upwards. Aleyn and Enid were both Orange-borns, but they didn¡¯t waste their time wallowing in self-pity. What right did she have to be unhappy? The trio was about to head out, when a sudden burst of sand blinded them. Elaine opened her eyes just a second later, only to be greeted by a gruesome sight. Three figures were lying on the ground, pinned down by long stingers. Each was twice as thick and thrice as long as those of the regular scorpions, making them resemble lances more than monster parts. They were a deep purple colour, dripping with droplets a shade paler. SSSSSSUnauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Every time the liquid landed on the victims¡¯ skin, it sizzled, releasing smoke that carried a putrid smell with it. The appalling scene made Elaine tremble in abject terror for a moment. Luckily, she soon regained her wit. Those three weren¡¯t her real cousins. Just clones. Aleyn and Enid were both ok, lying a few meters away, fortunate enough the abomination hadn¡¯t targeted them. ¡°Get up! Fast!¡± she yelled, already stirring the mana in her sternum. She¡¯d only managed to recover about a third, but it would have to do. Her cousins heard her, scrambling to stand. Sadly, they weren¡¯t fast enough. A second mound of sand exploded just under where Aleyn was, a deafening sound ringing in their ears. As soon as the cloud settled somewhat, Elaine saw a colossal pincer pointing towards the sky, chunks of wet gore hanging off its serrated edges. Its base was drenched in a crimson pool which kept deepening as the blood gushed out of the two halves of her cousin¡¯s lifeless body. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!¡± Enid¡¯s scream was the only thing that stopped Elaine from throwing up on the spot. Prying her eyes off Aleyn¡¯s corpse, she turned towards her last surviving teammate. A second pincer had pierced through the sand at some point, but luckily it had missed. Although shaken, Enid was still in one piece. Elaine dashed, ignoring the protests of her tired legs, picking her cousin off the ground as she kept running, trying to put distance from the monster. She felt the sand shake as a tremor coursed through her surroundings. Resisting the urge to look back, she activated her Mana Sense instead. A bright Green star thrummed in the beast¡¯s frame, as multiple streams of the same colour flowed through its visage. It was using its pincers to pull itself up, its body already halfway above the surface. This scorpion was the size of an elephant, with three long tails flailing above it. Being the same grade as the creature, Elaine knew she should be able to defeat it normally. But not with so little mana and not while keeping Enid safe. Right now, her best course of action was to flee. Unfortunately, the beast wasn¡¯t quite ready to let them go, however. As soon as it was done unlodging itself from the makeshift tunnel, its three pairs of legs began stabbing and pushing against the sand, the scorpion¡¯s heavy frame accelerating towards them. Like a battering ram, the abomination crashed through the dunes, barely slowing down. ¡®It¡¯s catching up.¡¯ Elaine grimaced. There was no way she could outrun the monster in its own element. Certainly not while carrying somebody. She summoned all her strength to toss her cousin as far ahead as she could manage. Perhaps the fall might have injured a regular human, but the girl was at Yellow, so she just rolled harmlessly on the soft sand. Not that she would survive long if Elaine failed to kill the beast. Hopefully, this would keep her out of the fight though. Turning around, Elaine took another deep breath, briefly entertaining the thought of breaking through the last barrier and mastering Circulation right then and there. Then, she chuckled bitterly. ¡®Not a chance.¡¯ Even if she could miraculously come up with the burst of inspiration she needed, the arid desert air made this the worst possible place to circulate water mana. No. She¡¯d have to make do with the only spell she had. Her measly reserves wouldn¡¯t last for a prolonged fight either. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to kill it in one shot.¡¯ The scorpion approached rapidly. Its massive body was only a dozen meters away when a wave of calm took over her, a strange thought passing through her mind. ¡®Is this what Percy feels like every time he gets in a fight?¡¯ Elaine had completed countless missions, but she couldn¡¯t remember coming this close to dying before. Most of the time, her Green core was enough to make quick work of the Orange and Yellow beasts she hunted. Even the few Green ones she¡¯d faced had been under better circumstances. Was this how it felt to put her life on the line? She shook her head. This wasn¡¯t the time for silly thoughts. Drawing all the mana from her core and summoning all the strength in her muscles, she spun her body towards the beast to build up as much momentum as she could manage. She figured every little bit might make the difference. Three whips formed in each hand, but she didn¡¯t stop there. She willed them to turn even firmer, even sharper than before, as a fourth one began to manifest. By the time the shadow of the scorpion loomed over her, she could hardly even see it. It was all a blur, the spinning blades of azure dominating her sight, as they whistled shrilly, slicing through the air. The impact she did feel, however. The whips bent, a couple of them even snapping as a mountain collided with them. Having absorbed most of the weight, her constructs saved her from being squashed into paste, but the wind was still knocked out of her lungs, waves of pain rippling through her body. Her joints buckled, her bones creaked, and she could feel her soles burn as she and the monster both slid through the scorching sand. But she didn¡¯t stop spinning. She kept focusing on her whips ¨C her only way out ¨C as she commanded them to reform, to sharpen even more, to carve out anything in their path. SHRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII¡­ The grating sound intensified as she picked up speed. The mana was dwindling at a frightening rate, the whips thinning into mere threads¡­ but they still felt stronger than before, somehow. Elaine didn¡¯t stop. She couldn¡¯t stop. A moment¡¯s hesitation would mean her death. Enid¡¯s too. She kept spinning in place, her world consumed into a whirlwind of azure, as all other senses vanished. [Congratulations! Your spell has evolved: Whip ¨C Crude -> Kraken¡¯s Gambit ¨C Refined!] It wasn¡¯t until a long time later she realized she was no longer sliding through the sand. The grating screech had stopped too. There was nothing pushing against her. But she didn¡¯t let go of the mana right away. She didn¡¯t want to risk it. ¡°¡­Elaine!¡± At some point, she scarcely registered a voice. Enid¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s over! It¡¯s dead!¡± her cousin added after a moment. Only then did she allow the spell to fizzle out, plopping down weakly. Yet, it wasn¡¯t the dry mound of sand she was expecting. Her everything still spun, though she scarcely registered a greenish chunk of wet chitin in front of her eyes. She tried shifting around. All her muscles hurt. She felt more of the goo around her with every movement. She was practically swimming in the stuff. ¡°I¡¯ll need some help getting home¡­¡± Chapter 36 – Fungal Spire Technically, baldy HAD explained what they would find at their destination. Perhaps, Percy shouldn¡¯t have been so taken aback by the sight before him. Yet here he was, blinking repeatedly, struggling to believe his eyes. Maybe they were playing tricks on him, tired as they were from the long journey. ¡®CAW! CAW!¡¯ ¡®Yeah, I didn¡¯t realize it was going to be this big either.¡¯ The Alchemists¡¯ Guild was situated next to an extraordinary structure resembling a conical tree. An impossibly tall one too, its tip lost above the clouds. It was adorned from top to bottom with bright lights of all colours, making it appear man-made, seemingly erected for some grand festival. Yet, this assessment couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. To start with, this was no plant at all. Strictly speaking, it was a mountain. Its ¡®trunk¡¯ was really a narrow column of rock, several miles long, thrusting towards the sky like a giant¡¯s spear. There was nothing artificial about it either. Countless huge mushrooms grew all over the steep slope, their stems bending upwards. As a result, their caps faced the stars, forming platforms hundreds of meters wide. These titanic protrusions constantly released mana of all types, giving the place its varied glow. ¡®So, this is the Fungal Spire...¡¯ According to his grandpa, it was among the greatest natural treasures on Remior. Also, one of the main reasons other races targeted them. Multiple underground rivers of mana converged beneath it, allowing the monstrous fungi to flourish. This, in turn, had given rise to a truly bizarre ecosystem where the main ingredient for the elixirs could be found. The Guild, where Percy would be living, was built at its base, while the hunting grounds, where he and Micky would spend most of their time, were the giant mushrooms themselves. ¡®CAW!¡¯ Reminded by his familiar¡¯s cry, the young man gently tapped the horse¡¯s side with his heel, urging it to gallop faster. There would be plenty of time for sightseeing later. He shouldn¡¯t delay and risk getting attacked again. *** His relief was palpable as the Guild¡¯s entrance came into view. At last, he was safe! ¡®The lack of a queue is a welcome bonus too.¡¯ Not that this wasn¡¯t a popular destination. Quite the opposite, in fact. Aspiring alchemists and merchants travelled to the Guild all year round. Still, it couldn¡¯t compare with the traffic to the Order¡¯s temples, where a third of Remior¡¯s children were brought to take the test. Certainly not this late at night. ¡®Everything ok on your end?¡¯ Percy had bid his familiar farewell a few minutes ago. The bird couldn¡¯t follow him into the Guild proper, so the plan was for Micky to circle around and find a place to stay on the other side of the trunk. Apparently, the base of the Spire was designated as the bottom level of the hunting grounds, mostly populated by Red beasts. There, the bird could fly around unobstructed, with nothing daring to approach. Of course, the Guild had numerous squads patrolling the perimeter of the structure, to prevent intruders from entering without authorization. That said, they wouldn¡¯t care much about a lone beast passing through the bottom level. ¡®CAW!¡¯ After receiving confirmation from his friend that he was alright, Percy walked up to the guards. The two men wore green robes ¨C the same colour as their cores. The clothes were neat, but not nearly as over-the-top as the funny-looking togas and sandals of the guards at the temple. They were half-asleep ¨C one even startled by his appearance ¨C probably not expecting any visitors past midnight. Still, they were professionals. Without complaint, they requested his official documents backing his purpose at the Guild. Percy took out his grandpa¡¯s letter, which one of the guards skimmed through rather quickly, before handing him a wooden badge.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°This is only for guests. You¡¯ll have to register properly inside the third building to your left. But it¡¯s not open at this time. For now, keep going until you reach the building with the blue door and then head right until you get to the inn. You can stay the night there for free. The stables are next door.¡± Percy nodded, walking inside, his horse in tow. As soon as he entered the settlement, his eyes widened. Motes of light danced in the wind, like colourful snowflakes painting everything in joy and wonder. He¡¯d seen some outside too, but they were much denser here. Probably thanks to some large-scale enchantment keeping them within the Guild¡¯s perimeter. The tiny orbs faded into nothingness every time they touched an object ¨C a red one startling him as it landed on his nose. ¡®They must all be coming from the mushrooms.¡¯ Instinctively, he tilted his head up, gawking at the blinding sea of colours slowly descending from the sky. Even more numerous than stars, they shifted and mixed, forming ever-changing patterns of raw magic. A question suddenly popped up in his head. ¡®Can I absorb them?¡¯ He took a deep breath, letting the motes spiral into his lungs as he directed the mana to his two cores. His regeneration was slightly faster than outside ¨C maybe by 20% or so ¨C but that was about it. It would make fighting atop the giant fungi slightly more convenient. That said, the difference wouldn¡¯t be great. Micky might be able to get some mind mana for his second core too, although it would be negligible. It couldn¡¯t even compare with the red mist outside the Order¡¯s temple, so it would take the familiar years to amass enough at this rate. Percy would still have to find a different source, which was one of his goals for the near future. Then, he shook his head. ¡®That¡¯s tomorrow¡¯s problem. Let¡¯s get some sleep now.¡¯ Following the guard¡¯s instructions, he slowly made his way towards the inn, all-the-while appreciating the sights around him. The architecture was very different to what he was used to. Unlike his family¡¯s mansion which was mostly made of wood, all the buildings here were made of stone. Not just that, but they all appeared to be in pristine condition, as if they had only been built days ago. Of course, this wasn¡¯t the case. The Alchemists¡¯ Guild was even older than the Avalon House. Many times so, in fact. Percy wouldn¡¯t be surprised if these houses and shops had been here for tens of millennia already. ¡®They must be enchanted with preservation runes.¡¯ The young man didn¡¯t miss the numerous glyphs dimly shimmering along the polished surfaces. The symbols shone a touch more brightly every time one of the colourful motes landed on them, before fading a moment later. Soon, he found the inn. He skipped it for now, entering the stables instead. Luckily, they were open, manned by a clerk in a uniform like that of the guards, although his was yellow. There weren¡¯t many horses inside. Not many people used them on Remior, as travelling on foot was easier once you reached Yellow. With nine times the speed and endurance of a regular human, the only reason for a Yellow or higher to ride a horse would be if they were escorting somebody at a lower grade. Even then, they technically had the option of carrying that person themselves, although it would look awkward and downright silly. Percy chuckled, imagining Gawain giving him a piggyback ride. Or Rick stacking his three lackies on his back like sacks of rice. ¡°How long do you want us to keep it for you?¡± the clerk asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. Percy felt some heat gather in his cheeks upon realizing he¡¯d looked like a maniac, laughing to himself. Then, he shrugged. ¡°Can I sell it instead? I¡¯m not going to be leaving anytime soon.¡± It would be cheaper to buy another horse when it was time to go ¨C if he even needed one by then. Strictly speaking, Percy had no idea how long he was going to stay. It would depend on many factors he couldn¡¯t account for at the moment, such as his success or failure in the Guild, or whatever treasures his future clones managed to bring back to Remior. Still, he estimated he¡¯d be here for at least a year or two. The man nodded, slamming a red coin on the counter, prompting Percy to raise an eyebrow. ¡°Ha, I guess you¡¯re new here. This coin is worth 1 contribution point. The colours follow the same pattern as grades, with orange coins worth 10, yellow 100 and so on. You¡¯ll need them for everything you buy or sell in the Guild.¡± The young man picked the coin up, examining it for a couple of moments in intrigue before tossing it in his pocket. He was about to flood the clerk with a ton of questions, but the guy beat him to it, raising a hand. ¡°Look, kid, I know you want to ask me more stuff, but they¡¯ll explain everything at the orientation when you register tomorrow. For now, go get some sleep. You look like crap. No offense.¡± Percy wasn¡¯t bothered, realising the clerk was most likely right. He thanked him before leaving. Entering the inn, he showed his wooden badge to the guy there, before being led to his room for the night. It wasn¡¯t the most luxurious place, but it was clean at least, probably enchanted for that. It sure beat Micky¡¯s cell on Huehue. His own room back at home too ¨C though not by a huge margin. ¡®I guess this is my home now.¡¯ Percy would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t worried. He knew he¡¯d be safe inside the Guild, and he¡¯d already checked up on his familiar six times since entering the settlement. Still, he had no idea what tomorrow would bring. Would he thrive in this place, or sink to the bottom and be forgotten? ¡®Only one way to find out, I suppose.¡¯ Chapter 37 – Registration As soon as the first rays of sunlight entered his room, Percy¡¯s eyes bolted open. The young man practically leapt to his feet, eager to register as an alchemist and begin hunting right away. He was still tired, having only barely managed to catch a couple hours of sleep. Not that he hadn¡¯t tried to rest some more, but his anxiety and anticipation had narrowly won over his exhaustion. That said, he was at least functional right now and he didn¡¯t want to leave his familiar alone out there a moment longer than necessary. ¡®Micky, how are you doing?¡¯ The response came delayed and strained. ¡®CAW¡­¡¯ With it, Percy received a close-up image of a tree¡¯s branches ¨C presumably where the bird had nested for the night. The young man hadn¡¯t missed the hint of annoyance contained in his friend¡¯s reply either. Micky should have just woken up. Percy chuckled. ¡®I¡¯m sorry buddy. Had to make sure you were ok.¡¯ Exiting the inn, he briefly paused to appreciate the scenery. The colourful motes looked different than before, glinting as they fluttered in the soft light, but they were just as beautiful as last night, if not more so. There was some movement in the streets too, although not as much as he expected. ¡®I guess most people don¡¯t wake up this early.¡¯ The few he did see all wore the Guild¡¯s uniform, with varying colours matching their grade. Most were Yellow but he did spot a couple Greens and even a Blue at some point. As for anything lower, he had yet to see one. ¡®Hopefully it¡¯s not compulsory to wear it. I¡¯m gonna stick out like a sore thumb if I¡¯m the only one in orange robes¡­¡¯ he grimaced at the thought. Retracing his steps from the night before, he recalled the guard¡¯s instructions, trying to find the registration office. He did make it there eventually, albeit after having taken a couple wrong turns and being forced to ask a passerby. ¡®I blame the fatigue.¡¯ Luckily, the building was already open, sparing him the torture of waiting outside. A clerk greeted him with a smile. ¡°Good morning! We¡¯ll need your guest badge, your recommendation letter and some details about yourself.¡± he said, passing him a piece of paper and a quill. Percy handed him the wooden badge and his grandpa¡¯s letter before examining the document. It was a form, meant to be filled with all sorts of personal information. ¡®My name, age, family, grade at birth, current grade, affinity, bloodline, reasons for joining the Guild, prior experience with alchemy¡­¡¯ It all looked standard, although he wasn¡¯t comfortable with all the fields. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t reveal anything about his second core, but he had to be truthful about his first one. ¡°Is anything wrong?¡± the clerk asked after a minute. ¡°Well, I was just wondering¡­ What do you need all this information for?¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The man chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t be so stressed. I know it¡¯s a jungle out there, but you don¡¯t have anything to worry about as long as you¡¯re within the jurisdiction of the Guild. We need to know some basic things about the people who work here to make sure everything is in order. However, nobody will leak details of your bloodline or use any of the information you provide to harm you.¡± Percy nodded, albeit reluctantly. This was in line with what baldy had explained, but it still felt weird being so open about his soul affinity and his ability. Logically, he understood nobody would piece together its function. And even if somebody wanted to hurt him, it wasn¡¯t like they needed this information to do so. Still, he felt his stomach churn after he was done, as if he had been stripped naked in front of a stranger. ¡°Great! It will take about an hour to process your registration and prepare your new badge and clothes. In the meantime, please follow me.¡± The clerk was already walking down a corridor by the time he finished speaking. Percy hurriedly caught up. ¡°About the robes¡­ Is wearing them mandatory?¡± he asked with some hope in his eyes. The man tossed him an apologetic look, probably realizing the source of his concern. ¡°Afraid so. Still, I assure you that your lower grade won¡¯t affect your ability to access any of the Guild¡¯s facilities. If you suspect anyone has refused to accommodate you just because of that, make sure to report them to the Guild¡¯s management.¡± Percy¡¯s expression fell at the beginning of the clerk¡¯s response, although he had to admit he did feel better by the end. Soon, they reached an open door. It led to a small room with a few sets of desks and chairs facing a blackboard. There were two people already sitting in there, neither of them wearing the Guild¡¯s robes. ¡°To save time, we explain everything to you in batches.¡± the clerk said. ¡°Please wait in this room for now. Your orientation will begin once a few more people gather.¡± After he left, Percy looked at the other newcomers. Both appeared around his age, although it would be misleading to make any assumptions based on that alone. Having reached adulthood, it would take them decades for any physical changes to show given their Yellow cores. They also checked him out at first, but quickly frowned and grew disinterested upon noticing his grade. Despite what the clerk had said, people wouldn¡¯t stop looking down on him just like that. At most, the Guild¡¯s rules forced people to not decline him any important services, but their thoughts were still their own. ¡®Ok, fine. No talking then. Let¡¯s all wait in silence.¡¯ And wait they did, for several more hours. Three more people were brought in by the clerk at various points, but he didn¡¯t seem keen on beginning the orientation just yet. Percy entertained himself by peering through his familiar¡¯s eyes, watching the bird hunt some black wasp-like creatures, stuffing its face full of Red cores. The others in the room didn¡¯t have that option, however. ¡°How much longer until we start?! I¡¯ve been here for six hours!!¡± one of them yelled at the clerk the next time he showed up. ¡°I apologize for the delay. Usually, we do this in groups of seven. Unfortunately, it¡¯s been a slow day today. If nobody shows up in the next hour, we¡¯ll start anyway.¡± The reactions were mixed. Some were visibly annoyed hearing they had to wait longer, while others appeared relieved to finally have a concrete timeframe. As for Percy, he was a bit more neutral on all this. He still itched to head out and begin hunting of course, but he was no longer worried about Micky. It was hard to be, after watching the bird play around all morning. Either way, the clerk returned just a few minutes later to put them out of their misery, with the seventh person in tow. She was a girl in her late teens, her tousled dark hair barely reaching her shoulders. It matched the colour of her eyes, half-hidden behind glasses. Her frame was petite, dressed in casual clothes. Not exactly what one would expect from a noble lady. In fact, unlike the others in the room, Percy failed to recognize her House¡¯s insignia. ¡®Must be a new family.¡¯ Either way, she was at Yellow, like everyone else besides him. He figured they were all Orange-borns too. It fit with their appearances. They didn¡¯t look old enough to be Red-borns or young enough to be Yellow-borns. At least, the new girl didn¡¯t look at him with ridicule like the rest. Well, technically she didn¡¯t even spare him a glance at all ¨C or anyone else for that matter. Ignoring all the annoyed glares aimed her way, she sat at the nearest chair, before resting her face down on the desk. Evidently, she was only going through the motions, still half-asleep. ¡®It¡¯s past noon already! She¡¯s even worse than Micky!¡¯ The clerk cleared his throat, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. His gaze lingered on the drowsy girl for a moment, but he didn¡¯t dwell on her. ¡°I apologize again this took so long, but we can finally begin.¡± Chapter 38 – Orientation The first part of the clerk¡¯s explanation wasn¡¯t anything too eye opening. He went over some mundane things like how they were expected to conduct themselves within the Guild. The summary was that they were pretty much allowed to do whatever they wanted, as long as they wore the uniforms, treated others politely and didn¡¯t kill, steal or cheat. Each of them was going to be handed 5 contribution points to start with. It wasn¡¯t a huge sum, but it was more than sufficient to cover their food and accommodation for their first month. Beyond that, they would have to pay for their expenses out of their own pocket. That said, the bare necessities weren¡¯t difficult to earn enough for. The clerk even gave them a quick overview of the settlement, showing them where to find shops, inns, restaurants and other important facilities on a map. ¡®So far, so good.¡¯ Percy thought, suppressing a yawn. It was the next part of the orientation that caused his eyes to widen. This was what he was interested in. ¡°The reason most of you are here are naturally the elixirs we all need to advance. Our Guild is where they are produced. You can learn to brew them yourselves, but you can also buy them with contribution points.¡± ¡°How much does a dose cost?¡± somebody asked. The clerk smiled bitterly. ¡°400 points.¡± His response elicited sharp breaths from the audience. ¡°Per day?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough to buy food and accommodation for 7 years!¡± After waiting for the chatter to die out, the clerk spoke again. ¡°It¡¯s indeed expensive, but you knew that already. It¡¯s not any cheaper to buy it from the Guild than elsewhere. However, you can find all sorts of opportunities to earn contribution points here.¡± The room remained quiet, prompting him to continue. ¡°There are many ways to get them. The simpler ones are jobs like what I¡¯m doing right now.¡± he smiled. ¡°Although these posts don¡¯t pay that well. We typically treat them as a vacation, for when we want to take things easy for a couple of weeks.¡± ¡°Then, what¡¯s the most profitable method?¡± an initiate asked. ¡°Alchemy obviously! After all, it¡¯s the Guild¡¯s specialty! There is no better way to earn points than to brew your own elixirs and make a killing selling the excess to others¡­ But I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s a catch.¡± Nobody looked surprised by his words. If it was that easy, nobody would bother with anything else. ¡°Learning the art is a time-consuming process and a colossal money sink. You¡¯ll have to spend months if not years to get any good at it. You¡¯ll need to throw a warehouse of ingredients down the gutter too. Until then, you¡¯ll be losing more points than you earn.¡± Everyone¡¯s faces fell, but he continued. ¡°Consequently, I advise you to forget about alchemy for the time being. If you have lofty aspirations to live a life of luxury and wealth, it might be something for you to work towards in the long-term. For now, your best bet is to venture out into the Fungal Spire and hunt the Starry Wasps.¡± ¡°What does that involve?¡± a young man asked. Percy recognised him as one of the two people who¡¯d arrived earlier than him. The clerk proceeded to explain how the hunting grounds worked. Essentially, the Fungal Spire was segregated into five levels, based on the grade of the beasts living there. The higher one ascended, the stronger the wasps got. At the ground level, where Micky was currently staying, you could only find Starry Drones, which had Red cores and were about as large as a man¡¯s fist. Further up, one could find Starry Workers, Soldiers, Knights and Commanders, which progressively increased in both size and grade, all the way to Blue.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. There was even rumoured to be a Starry Queen with a Violet core hiding somewhere in the depths of the Fungal Spire. However, nobody could verify if this was true, as entering the structure was strictly prohibited. The number of insects living inside the Spire vastly eclipsed the few that wandered outside. Still, the Guild¡¯s foremost priority was to preserve the local ecosystem, so people were only allowed to freely roam and hunt on the giant mushrooms. ¡°What you want to harvest is the special gland that all types of wasps share just a few inches below their core.¡± According to the clerk, this unique organ contained a few drops of nectar ¨C the primary ingredient for the elixirs. The amount of nectar contained in each gland depended on the grade of the creature. Apparently, the Starry Drones at the bottom level usually carried 5 drops, with each higher grade having three times as much as the one below. Each drop of nectar was valued at precisely 1 contribution point ¨C or perhaps it might be more accurate to say it was the other way around. Clearly, the entire economy of the Alchemists¡¯ Guild had been built around the exotic substance. ¡°At the end of the day, it all comes down to your combat ability. If you¡¯re good, you can kill a lot of wasps per day and make a ton of points. Sadly, it means that some of you may be at a bit of a disadvantage.¡± Percy didn¡¯t appreciate how everyone turned towards him after that statement. ¡®They aren¡¯t wrong though.¡¯ Most of these people would be hunting the Starry Soldiers on the third level, while he and Micky would have to make do with the workers on the second one. Still, this wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. He actually liked the idea of having an entire level to himself. After all, he had many secrets. Hunting in a crowded area would be inconvenient. ¡°Any questions?¡± the clerk asked after finishing. Only one person raised her hand. It was the girl with the glasses who had arrived last. She¡¯d spent the entire orientation face down on the desk, so Percy assumed she¡¯d slept through the whole thing. The clerk didn¡¯t look very pleased either, creasing his brow. He probably thought she was going to ask about something he¡¯d already explained. Still, he didn¡¯t stop her. ¡°Are we obligated to hunt or brew?¡± The man raised an eyebrow, not expecting that question. ¡°Well, no. Nobody can tell you what to do. If you want to stick to other jobs and only pay for your expenses, you¡¯re technically allowed to do that. But, you won¡¯t be able to afford the elixirs that way. Why even come to the Guild if you aren¡¯t willing to do those things?¡± Drowsy girl nodded absentmindedly, seemingly satisfied with the answer. She didn¡¯t say much else, instead falling back to her desk, resuming her nap. The clerk spent another 5 minutes giving them a few more tips and instructions. Next, he politely asked them to leave the room to make space for the next batch after handing them their badges and robes. Finding a place to stay wasn¡¯t difficult. The Guild was full of empty houses, all made of the same enchanted stone, waiting for new members to claim them. Percy picked a spot near the back gate of the settlement, for easier access to the Spire. He only needed to press his badge against a rune on the door to register himself as the new owner, allowing him to enter and lock as he pleased. At the end of each month, he¡¯d have to pay rent at a designated spot to get the badge recharged. After a quick look inside, he took a shower before changing into the orange robes. It was still annoying he had to wear them everywhere, but at least they felt comfortable enough to hunt in. Having not had a chance earlier, he gulped down his daily dose of the elixir, leaving the last few vials in his possession back home, before heading out for some shopping. Despite being quite hungry, he didn¡¯t buy much, settling for a loaf of bread. He munched on it on the way back, figuring he could return for more stuff later. Right now, he¡¯d rather avoid wasting more time. It was already late in the afternoon. He¡¯d accepted he wouldn¡¯t get much hunting done today, but he wanted to at least meet up with Micky and explore the first level to familiarize himself with the area. Leaving through the back gate, he ignored the suspension bridge leading up the first mushroom. That was the way to the second level, which he¡¯d worry about tomorrow. Remaining on the ground, he began circling around the mountain. The entire trip would have taken him several hours, but he¡¯d already asked his familiar to meet him halfway. The bird flew much faster than he walked too. Although Micky had kept him updated throughout the day, the young man couldn¡¯t help but exhale in relief after seeing him in person. This was the longest they had ever spent apart. CAW! CAW! Evidently, the familiar felt the same way. ¡°So, care to show me around your new home? I want to see what these Starry Wasps are all about.¡± Chapter 39 – Starry Drones It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t searched for the bugs on the way, but he hadn¡¯t found any. The colourful motes impaired visibility and even interfered with Mana Sense. CAW! The bird threw a quick glance around, before flying a certain direction. A few moments later, it returned with something squirming in its beak. Its shape wasn¡¯t much different from a regular wasp¡¯s, but it was much larger. For the most part, its carapace was black. However, Percy didn¡¯t miss the numerous tiny dots glittering along the slick chitin, resembling the motes in their surroundings. ¡®Ok, so they blend in the environment. How did you find it so easily?¡¯ Micky hadn¡¯t struggled much to locate the oversized bug, seemingly unaffected by its camouflage. The familiar pointed to its eyes with a wing. CAW! CAW! Percy smiled wryly. ¡®Not very helpful. I wouldn¡¯t be able to spot one further than 20 feet away¡­ Unless¡­¡¯ Gathering some soul mana into his eyes, three silver flames of various shapes and sizes came into view. His own was the largest, followed by Micky¡¯s. The wasp¡¯s wasn¡¯t nearly as bright, merely a wisp on the verge of being snuffed out, but it was there nonetheless. This was good news. Due to his nature as a familiar, Micky had manifested some unique abilities allowing him to interact with the souls of others. At the beginning, it had only affected his beak, letting him consume the souls of his prey. Following his advancement to Orange, however, it had extended to his talons and eyes. Evidently, while the colourful motes affected both Mana Sense and regular sight, they weren¡¯t alive and thus could be filtered out through Soul Vision. ¡®It¡¯s nice to know we have at least one advantage over others.¡¯ Still, Percy failed to spot any other wasps nearby. Apparently, they were somewhat scarce. Despite having the ability to see them, he and Micky would have to move around a lot. ¡®Eat its core but be careful not to damage anything else.¡¯ The bird heeded his instructions, swiftly putting the wasp out of its misery, cawing in satisfaction after swallowing the tasty snack. Pulling a knife out, Percy carefully sliced open the bug¡¯s thorax vertically, before placing his fingers inside, searching for something. A few moments later, he pulled out a soft, squishy ball about half the size of a cherry. Taking a small vial out of his pocket, he uncorked it with his mouth before cutting a small hole into the gland and squeezing it above the bottle¡¯s opening. A drop of a viscous liquid fell inside. It glowed in a rich amber colour ¨C looking a bit like magic honey. ¡®On second thought¡­ isn¡¯t that precisely what this is?¡¯ The young man compressed the gland more firmly, until he counted five drops. This was already worth as much as what the Guild had given him. Clearly, the clerk wasn¡¯t kidding when he said it would be easy to make a living. ¡®Still, I need 800 drops per day for both of my cores¡­¡¯ It was a huge sum. Percy wasn¡¯t sure if it was even possible to get that much. Micky and Soul Vision would certainly help, but they¡¯d need to hunt 160 Starry Drones on average. ¡®Micky. Let¡¯s play a game. Whoever finds the most wasps in the next 2 hours wins.¡¯ *** CAW! The familiar was over the moon, having barely eked out a victory in their little competition. Percy wasn¡¯t nearly as excited on the other hand. Although, his loss wasn¡¯t what soured his mood.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡®As expected, hunting on the first floor isn¡¯t very efficient.¡¯ The two had only found another five wasps by the end. Extrapolating, he estimated that even if they spent all day doing this from now on, they¡¯d only get about 200 contribution points ¨C barely half a dose. A quarter of what he needed. It was not all bad, however. Killing the drones was easy as they didn¡¯t put up much of a fight, making the ground floor quite safe. He was also certain nobody in their right mind would ever bother with it either, meaning he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about his secrets leaking. Finally, he was confident he and Micky would improve with some more experience, increasing their harvest after a few more weeks. ¡®Still, it won¡¯t be enough.¡¯ he shook his head. But that was fine. He hadn¡¯t expected this to work. His goal had always been the second level, the Starry Workers there being more suitable for their grades. Even if he ignored the fact they possessed three times as much nectar as the drones, their Orange cores would accelerate Micky¡¯s advancement and their souls would do the same for his own recovery. Squeezing the rest of his loot into the vial, he shook it a few times, marvelling at the expensive liquid swirling at the bottom. It wasn¡¯t nearly as much as he needed, but it was a start. His goal for tomorrow would be to do better. Percy bid his familiar farewell, before heading back towards the settlement. The sun had already set a while ago, but according to the clerk the shops shouldn¡¯t have closed yet. The young man hoped to get some supplies for his new abode. He would be staying there for some time, after all. He might as well make it comfortable. *** Percy was carrying four paper bags full of groceries. While he had come across a lot of exotic spices and ingredients they didn¡¯t have back at the mansion, he had kept his shopping fairly barebones. He¡¯d only gone for things like bread, milk, eggs and some fruit. After all, he¡¯d never learned to cook, and he doubted he¡¯d have the time for a new hobby anytime soon. ¡®Maybe one day.¡¯ He was only a couple blocks away from his new house when an interesting smell caught his attention. It came from his left, where a small stall stood. It was operated by a plump guy lighting a stove with fire magic. This was the first person Percy had seen wearing an orange robe. He looked a bit older than the others too, seemingly in his mid-thirties. ¡®A Red-born.¡¯ The guy noticed him as well, waving at him to approach. ¡°First day here?¡± ¡°What gave me away?¡± ¡°Nothing really. I just haven¡¯t seen you before.¡± He handed Percy something warm, wrapped in a piece of parchment. The young man sniffed a couple of times, trying to discern what it was. It looked a bit like a pancake, dripping with honey. However, it had been rolled up and it was crispy too. Percy struggled to keep himself from drooling. ¡°What is it? It looks delicious.¡± ¡°It tastes even better!¡± the guy grinned. ¡°I call them Honey Rolls.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Percy asked, reaching into his pocket. The guy shook his head. ¡°First one¡¯s on the house. Think of it like a welcome gift. Or Red-born solidarity if you prefer.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± If the guy was offering, Percy wouldn¡¯t stand on ceremony. He bit a chunk out of the Honey Roll. The dude wasn¡¯t kidding. This was heaven. The thin crust gave way, crunching under his teeth, as the flavour of the honey blended with the warm dough. Maybe he was a little biased, having lived off dried rations for two weeks followed by some bland bread. That said, he¡¯d bet money this would still taste good tomorrow. Suddenly, a strange thought crossed his mind. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re using nectar?¡± ¡°Ha! As if! What moron would waste an elixir¡¯s worth of nectar on a snack?!¡± the plump dude chuckled. ¡°Besides, I doubt it would even taste that good. This is just regular honey.¡± he added after a moment. Percy nodded. That made sense. ¡°Name¡¯s Freddy.¡± the plump guy said, extending his hand. The young man hurriedly wiped his on the parchment a couple of times, before reciprocating. ¡°Percy. Are you also doing this as a ¡®vacation¡¯? The clerk from the orientation said you can¡¯t afford the elixirs without hunting wasps or learning to brew.¡± Freddy¡¯s face fell at his question, making Percy realize he might have asked something inappropriate. He was about to apologize but the guy spoke first. ¡°He was right. My Honey Rolls are rather popular if I may say so myself. Still, nowhere near enough.¡± He remained silent for a few seconds, before continuing. ¡°But I¡¯ve given up on hunting. Even after busting my ass, I could barely make 300 points on a good day. It would still be enough to get the expensive elixir every other day or something, but I figured it wasn¡¯t worth the trouble. Right now, I¡¯ve settled on the diluted ones.¡± Percy felt the urge to protest ¨C to tell Freddy not to give up. But he suppressed it. ¡®What do I even know? I just got here.¡¯ The two chatted for a few minutes, switching to some more light-hearted topics, before Percy left. His expression was downtrodden by the time he got home. Freddy was a nice guy. A Red-born like him, who had probably come to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild harbouring the same dream. And the cruel reality had chipped away at it for years, until nothing remained. Percy¡¯s final thought before he dozed off was a resolute one. ¡®I won¡¯t let this happen to me.¡¯ Chapter 40 – Starry Workers Percy had experienced a few peculiar things in his relatively short life. More than the average person on Remior, at least. After all, how many could boast of traversing the space between worlds with their soul, or fighting in an alien arena? Still, walking atop a giant mushroom just HAD to make the list. And it wasn¡¯t the first one today either. Each level of the Fungal Spire contained hundreds of them, the smallest being wide enough to fit a minor village. As for the largest ¨C it was bigger than the Alchemists¡¯ Guild! ¡®It makes me feel like an ant.¡¯ Well, the fact he was here to hunt giant bugs didn¡¯t help much either. In any case, despite the novelty of this all, moving up and down the colossal structure was straightforward. Numerous suspension bridges had been built, linking the giant fungi together for everyone¡¯s convenience. What was more annoying was that he still had to circle a couple miles away from the entrance to the second level, as he didn¡¯t want Micky anywhere near the crowded places. Only after he estimated to have travelled far enough did he call to the bird. ¡®Over here.¡¯ Luckily, his friend didn¡¯t need bridges to navigate the Spire. It only took him around fifteen minutes to reach him. As soon as they had regrouped, Percy activated Soul Vision, looking for the wasps. Sadly, there didn¡¯t seem to be any around. ¡®Can you scout ahead?¡¯ CAW! Micky didn¡¯t need to be told twice, shooting out like an arrow. And hardly another ten minutes passed before Percy received news of two nearby targets on the same mushroom, only a couple bridges away. ¡®Wait for me. Don¡¯t attack them.¡¯ Percy knew Micky could probably handle one of the Starry Workers by himself. He was an Orange beast too, plus he was smarter and had some unique abilities giving him an edge. In fact, he figured they would have to split up in the future, to hunt the creatures more efficiently. That said, today was their first day, so it was probably unwise to undertake any unnecessary risks before learning more about the bugs. They¡¯d still try fighting individually, but they¡¯d remain close to one another, to intervene if necessary. ¡®CAW! CAW!¡¯ Micky didn¡¯t sound very happy about it. He¡¯d waited two days to get his talons on some tasty snacks fitting for his grade. Still, he listened to the young man, albeit begrudgingly. Once Percy arrived, he reactivated his Soul Vision, locating their target. The Starry Worker was much larger than the drones. At about the size of a fox, it was still on the smaller side as far as Orange beasts were concerned. Still massive for a bug though. What gave Percy pause was a rather nasty stinger sticking out of the wasp¡¯s abdomen. It was longer than his index finger. ¡®Let¡¯s not get stabbed by that.¡¯ CAW! From what he¡¯d heard, the creatures were venomous. At least, their acid wasn¡¯t very potent, so it wouldn¡¯t be lethal unless they got hit in a vital area. It¡¯d still be rather unpleasant though.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Redoubling their caution, they spread out by a few paces, as he took a few deep breaths, drawing the mana to his second core while guiding even more into his channels. Less than a minute later, his muscles were brimming with strength, and his body spilling out mana, as he could practically feel the cyan lines thrumming underneath his skin. ¡®At least the robes are long-sleeved.¡¯ It was one of the few saving graces of the Guild¡¯s uniform. It only left his face and hands exposed and the latter he had fixed by putting on a pair of gloves. Of course, he still very much hoped that nobody would pass through this remote region, but they¡¯d be hunting around here for months. It was best to minimize the risk. ¡®Let me handle the first one by myself.¡¯ With everything in order, Percy gathered some soul mana in his hand, before tossing the Parting Gift towards the wasp. It missed. Although annoyed, the young man wasn¡¯t surprised. Unfortunately, the insect wasn¡¯t sitting still. It was whizzing around, feeding on the colourful motes falling from the mushrooms above. Naturally, hitting it mid-air had been a long shot. It also hadn¡¯t been subtle. Beasts had keen senses, making it somewhat harder to catch them by surprise. It must have had its Mana Sense active, noticing the translucent dagger flying past it. BZZZZZZZZZZ Before Percy knew it, the creature was upon him, and it appeared enraged. It tried to finish him directly by lunging straight towards his throat. It almost succeeded too, as it was faster than expected, making it difficult to sidestep even with Circulation active. However, it wasn¡¯t as hard to divert the stinger with a flick of his Quarterstaff. Still, the construct bent and cracked, barely shifting the trajectory of the stab by a couple inches ¨C a bit too close for comfort. Rotating his right wrist anti-clockwise, Percy tried to use the rebound force from the parry to slam the other end of his weapon on the wasp, but he hit nothing but empty air. The creature flew around him erratically, looking for another opening to attack. ¡®It¡¯s really annoying.¡¯ Percy¡¯s kit was not very suitable against this kind of opponent. His lack of defensive magic didn¡¯t afford him the luxury of blocking hits. He¡¯d lose if he got stabbed even once. Of course, the combination of Circulation and his second core put his reflexes solidly above a regular Orange, meaning he could prevent that if he remained alert. Still, he didn¡¯t exactly have a good means of killing the slippery creature either. His staff was too weak, unless he landed a good blow on the wasp¡¯s wings. As for his Parting Gift, it was certainly powerful enough to finish the insect, but it wasn¡¯t easy hitting the bug with it. It cost a lot of mana and time for each shot so he couldn¡¯t launch it very often either. ¡®Just stop moving, will you?!¡¯ Twenty minutes and twice as many Parting Gifts later, the wasp was finally dead. The young man was lying on his back, drenched in sweat, his chest heaving up and down. CAW! CAW! Percy grimaced, hearing the crow¡¯s ridicule. ¡®What?! Think you can do better?! Why don¡¯t you try taking on the other one by yourself then?!¡¯ Another twenty minutes later, it was Micky¡¯s turn to lie with his back on the giant mushroom, as Percy stood over him with a grin. Flying in a straight line, the crow was much faster than the wasp, but that didn¡¯t account for the difference in agility. The bug could fly horizontally or vertically too, making it difficult for the familiar to pin it down. It was also rather dangerous, as the insect¡¯s manoeuvrability along with the stinger¡¯s greater reach had almost cost Micky dearly a few times. Eventually, Percy had been forced to intervene, taking advantage of the situation to finish the creature. CAW¡­ ¡®Yeah, we both suck.¡¯ Percy agreed. Their first two kills on the second level hadn¡¯t been easy. It would be a while until they got any good at it. ¡®Let¡¯s try to hunt as many as possible for today.¡¯ Depending on how bad it was, it might be better to stick to the bottom level. The young man sure hoped it wouldn¡¯t be necessary, but it would all come down to how much nectar they could harvest here and how much room for improvement there was. After emptying their spoils into a vial, they took off. Like before, Micky headed out first, scouting for their next target. However, they wouldn¡¯t try fighting separately anymore. It might be something worth considering in the future, but Percy understood their best bet for today would be to team up against the bugs. ¡®The next 15 hours are going to be soooo much fun¡­¡¯ Spoiler alert: They weren¡¯t. Chapter 41 – A poor showing The young man wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve for the billionth time. Luckily, it trickled down the enchanted fabric without being absorbed, else he would be soaking by now. ¡®At least the robes came with self-cleaning runes.¡¯ Percy was trudging down the final bridge linking the first and second levels, his eyes half-closed and his breath rugged. The wind caused the flimsy structure to sway every so often, but he¡¯d grown used to it by now, having walked several miles on the bridges already. That said, the exhaustion made keeping his balance more challenging. He briefly considered using his Quarterstaff as a walking cane, but that would only take more effort. ¡®Let¡¯s just treat it as another obstacle to overcome.¡¯ he shrugged. Today''s hunt had been gruelling, and the results abysmal. He and Micky had only managed to kill fourteen wasps in total, averaging less than one per hour. Evidently, the Starry Workers were on a whole different level than the drones ¨C both literally and metaphorically. Finding them wasn¡¯t that hard. If anything, their larger size made them spottable from further away, but they were slightly less abundant than their weaker relatives, so it worked out about the same. Killing them was a different story, however. The best strategy they had come up with involved Micky distracting the wasps while Percy fired Parting Gifts, praying they landed. Despite reducing the size and increasing the quantity of the projectiles ¨C launching three smaller daggers with each shot ¨C hitting the beasts came down to sheer luck. He also had to take extra care not to hit his own familiar with the deadly spell, complicating things further. Another issue was that he couldn¡¯t keep Circulation active all day. Everything had progressed relatively smoothly during the morning, but it all went downhill once he grew too tired to use the technique in the afternoon. The final nail in the coffin was that he had only harvested 12 of the 14 glands, as they had accidentally ruined a couple while fighting the creatures. ¡®We made even less nectar than on the ground floor.¡¯ Percy frowned. Although he had only tested it for a couple of hours, he had estimated they could reliably hunt around 40 drones per day, which would get them about 200 drops of nectar. Today, they had only earned about 180 from the workers! ¡®But there¡¯s more room for improvement here.¡¯ The difficulty in killing the Red variants was non-existent, so the only issue was finding them. Perhaps, they could get better at that after learning the ropes, but they would still be capped by how fast they could travel. Meanwhile, there was more at play on the second level. There, they could also work on their combat ability and teamwork to increase their gains. ¡®Let¡¯s give it a couple of weeks. If we don¡¯t improve much, we can consider downgrading.¡¯ Soon, he reached the gate, waving at the guards who returned the gesture. Entering the settlement, he headed straight towards Freddy¡¯s spot, craving another Honey Roll. However, he paused upon seeing another new stand that had popped up at some point. ¡®This wasn¡¯t here last night.¡¯ Of course, the roads inside the Guild¡¯s camp were filled with all sorts of stalls with people bartering and trading. Not all were open this late, but plenty still were. That said, there was a reason why this one caught his eye. Percy recognized the owner! A strange phenomenon considering how few people he had met. It was a petite girl dressed in a brand-new yellow robe. Her tousled hair was black and only barely reached her shoulders. She wore a pair of glasses too.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡®The drowsy girl from the orientation¡­ but what is she doing?¡¯ True to the nickname he had given her, she was resting face-down on the counter once more. Right next to her, there was a translucent jar with five red coins ¨C she clearly hadn¡¯t spent any of her allowance yet, nor had she made any effort to earn more. ¡®She seems to be serious about not hunting or brewing.¡¯ Percy shook his head. Next, he glanced down at a hastily made sign she had nailed on the stand. ¡®BUYING INFORMATION ON THE THIRD LEVEL¡¯ The handwriting was sloppy too. Percy¡¯s jaw dropped at the sight. She wanted to buy information with her measly five points? What for? If she had no intention of venturing out, then how would it help her? Also, what if people lied to her? She¡¯d just be wasting her money! ¡®It¡¯s none of my business anyway. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll wise up in a couple of days. Besides, losing a handful of points isn¡¯t a big deal.¡¯ Ignoring her, he continued to Freddy¡¯s stall. ¡°Hey Percy! Any luck out there?¡± the plump guy asked with a smile. ¡°Not really. I only managed to kill seven workers today.¡± he replied, halving the number to hide Micky¡¯s involvement. ¡°That¡¯s quite good for your first proper hunt. A bit better than average too.¡± Freddy nodded. ¡°Really? I thought it was on the lower side.¡± Percy raised an eyebrow. ¡°Most people find the best level to hunt at is the one matching their grade. Locating and killing the wasps can be tricky, so newcomers usually average about five glands per day. If you have a suitable affinity and with some experience, you can get to twenty.¡± Percy frowned. This arrangement would work well for people at Yellow. After all, twenty kills on the third level would get them 900 contribution points which was more than double what they needed. However, this wouldn¡¯t cut it for him. Even if he and Micky improved enough to hunt twenty workers each, they¡¯d only get 600 points, still short of his second dose. ¡®Let¡¯s not get ahead of myself. For now, I should focus on earning the first dose before I run out of elixirs. After that, I can look into alchemy to make the difference.¡¯ He thanked Freddy for the information and the food before leaving. Just two blocks from his house, however, he was rudely shoved aside by a passerby. ¡°The hell?!¡± The guy didn¡¯t bother apologizing or even glancing back. He kept walking next to another person, the two seemingly locked in a heated conversation. ¡°Nobody mentioned these fucking things would be so hard to find!¡± the first guy yelled. ¡°At least your fire magic is among the best for the job!¡± the other replied. ¡°Do you have any idea how annoying it is to toss stones at them until they hit?!¡± Both wore yellow robes and Percy recognized the second guy ¨C the one who hadn¡¯t pushed him. He¡¯d also been in his orientation. ¡®I guess I¡¯m not the only one having trouble with this.¡¯ Percy smiled wryly. Of course, these people were much closer to their own targets. They were earning more and needed less. Still, knowing he wasn¡¯t alone struggling was a little reassuring. Reaching his house, he took a shower before sitting on his bed. Next, he drank another dose of the elixir, noting he only had sixteen vials left. Adding in the ones he could buy with his current income, he calculated they¡¯d last him a month. ¡®We need to kill 27 workers per day so that I can sustain one core. That should be my current goal. I have to get there in a month.¡¯ Having made his mind up, he activated Soul Vision, examining the state of his soul. ¡®It¡¯s not all bad.¡¯ the corner of his lips curled up. Despite their subpar performance, the soul mana Micky had gathered from the wasps had done wonders for Percy¡¯s recovery. The crater in his chest had visibly shrunk some more. There was still some distance to cover, but his healing speed would increase too as they raised their hunting efficiency. ¡®I can probably generate enough mana to feed my first core diluted elixirs already. At this rate, I¡¯ll be able to resume sending clones soon!¡¯ Not only that, but honing his combat skills was a noteworthy benefit in and of itself. Percy would have sought out an environment like the Fungal Spire to train in, even if his advancement wasn¡¯t dependent on it. At the end of the day, adapting his fighting style to his nimble opponents was a welcome challenge. ¡®Let¡¯s see if I can come up with a couple new spells for this.¡¯ Chapter 42 – Adjusting tactics ¡®I¡¯m jumping in!¡¯ Hearing the warning, the crow changed direction at the last second, briefly confusing the wasp. Percy dashed towards it, swinging down his staff. Still, the agile bug caught on quickly enough, dodging the telegraphed blow, before lunging forward to deliver a hit of its own. The young man flicked his hand, parrying the stinger. Bending dangerously, the cyan weapon appeared about to snap. Percy understood by now that a quarterstaff wasn¡¯t great against the creatures. Coming up with a better use for his pure mana was definitely something on his to-do list. That said, this wasn¡¯t his focus right now. He stabbed forward with his other hand, the silver point just barely missing the wasp. ¡°Fuck! I almost got it!¡± he groaned. The insect was about to counterattack, but Micky dove towards it, nearly clipping its membranous wings with his talons, engaging it into a new round. Activating Soul Vision, the young man looked at his new weapon again. Its shape hadn¡¯t changed much, but it was twice as long as before. Perhaps it resembled a rapier more than it did a dagger by now. Over the last couple of days, Percy had thought about the greatest shortcomings in his offensive capabilities. While the Parting Gift packed quite a punch, it was frankly overkill in most situations. The difficulty in landing it coupled with the long preparation time meant he left himself defenceless for much of the fight. If he didn¡¯t have a second core to rely on, he would have probably died already. Even if he had found another way to escape from Rick¡¯s group, the Starry Workers would have stabbed him full of holes by now. Consequently, he had come up with two possible solutions. The first was to continue increasing the number of projectiles he could shoot at once. If he gave his spell a wider spread, he¡¯d be able to hit the wasps more frequently. However, it would still leave him powerless between shots. That¡¯s why he¡¯d gone with the second solution instead. His current plan was to devise a close-combat variant of the Parting Gift. It wouldn¡¯t dissipate after each strike, so his opponents would think twice before approaching ¨C or pay the price. ¡®Although, it¡¯s not perfect either.¡¯ he frowned. While it would keep the bugs at bay ¨C making him safer ¨C it wouldn¡¯t help him land the hits. If anything, it would make it even harder. That said, he reasoned he could amend that with more practice. The soul constructs were weightless, so he could swing them faster than any corporeal weapon. As long as he worked on his timing, he¡¯d be able to slay the Starry Workers with some well-executed counterattacks. ¡®Perhaps a rapier isn¡¯t the best shape though.¡¯ Due to the extreme lethality of his soul mana, he only needed to nick a corner of the bugs¡¯ souls to defeat them. Even if the first strike didn¡¯t kill them, it would stop them in their tracks long enough for him to finish the job. Consequently, a slashing weapon might be more useful than a stabbing one. It wasn¡¯t piercing power he lacked. ¡®Should I go for a hatchet or cutlass?¡¯ He didn¡¯t like the idea of the former as he¡¯d have to waste a lot of mana on the handle. The latter sounded better, but he¡¯d still prefer something with a wider blade. Something the wasps couldn¡¯t evade so easily. ¡®Hmmm¡­ what if I bend the edge a little too¡­¡¯ ¡®CAW!¡¯Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Micky complained, snapping him out of his thoughts. ¡®Right. I¡¯m going back in.¡¯ He quickly summoned his weapons, but one looked different. As before, the scuffle ended without success, the wasp dodging the modified spell effortlessly. However, he didn¡¯t let it get to him, as he knew realizing his new idea would take a couple more days. Percy grinned, beginning to reform the blade once more, adjusting the shape again. ¡®You bastards are in for a nasty surprise.¡¯ *** He took a deep breath, as the cyan lines shone underneath his skin. Over the past week, Percy had focused on adapting his Parting Gift rather than killing as many wasps as possible. Logically, this should have caused their daily gains to drop even more, yet it hadn¡¯t. Without realizing, the young man had grown better at maintaining Circulation. This had allowed him to fight in his top form for a couple hours longer per day. ¡®Today our kill count is going up too.¡¯ Soul mana gathered in his hand once more, coalescing into a solid. The blade extended and curved and¡­ kept extending and curving still. By the time it finished taking shape, Percy had exhausted every last drop of mana in his sternum, his weapon spanning an arc three times the radius of his fist. The new version of the Parting Gift required the full capacity of his core to cast, taking the form of a sickle! ¡®Stay out of this one, buddy.¡¯ CAW! Stomping hard, he bolted towards the wasp. The worker noticed him before he reached it, diving for the counter. Percy sidestepped the stab, feinting with his staff. Not the sharpest tool in the shed, the wasp bought the fake out, flying to one side, as Percy swung the rod for real this time, nearly glancing the bug too. BZZZZZZZZZZZZ That seemed to have pissed it off, as it launched a barrage of lunges towards him, trying to turn him into a pin cushion. It wasn¡¯t hard to evade most of them with his footwork, parrying the rest with the Quarterstaff. The construct protested, but it held ¨C for now. Another narrow dodge later, the bug seemed to have run out of steam, as it tried to put some distance. Percy didn¡¯t let it, instead stepping forward, putting some pressure on the creature with his rod. Realizing it couldn¡¯t keep this up, the bug went for another desperate counterattack, forcing Percy to sacrifice the Quarterstaff for one last parry. This was it! The attack left the bug staggered! Having anticipated it, Percy¡¯s left hand was already on its way to the wasp¡¯s side. It tried to pull back diagonally, but he only had to let the weapon travel a few inches horizontally before releasing his grip, letting the sickle spin as it flew towards the creature. The slash didn¡¯t make a sound, but the young man didn¡¯t miss the bug¡¯s silvery soul being cleanly bisected through his Soul Vision. Percy allowed what remained of his staff to crumble away, but he didn¡¯t move. The lifeless carcass of the Starry Worker crashed on the cap of the giant mushroom, one of its wings nearly snapping as it bent in a weird angle. ¡®It¡¯s done.¡¯ he stared at it in disbelief. He wasn¡¯t even out of breath yet! The fight had only lasted a few minutes! Of course, he¡¯d already spent a week working towards this, but pinning down the slippery creature by himself ¨C without relying on luck or distractions ¨C had seemed like such a distant goal. But he¡¯d done it! He¡¯d held his own, anticipating the bug¡¯s moves, dodging its blows and seizing the right opportunity to strike back! CAW! CAW! Micky flew over him, sharing in his excitement. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± the young man burst into laughter. ¡°Help yourself buddy!¡± he gestured to the corpse. There was still plenty he could do to make their trips more efficient, but this was the first massive step forward. He smiled. ¡®Let¡¯s see how many we can get today.¡¯ *** ¡®19!¡¯ he counted, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. Percy had just finished squeezing the last of today¡¯s glands into a vial. This was their best record so far! This time, he had filled nearly three tubes with the precious nectar, indicating he was getting closer and closer to his goal. Naturally, he was still 8 kills short, but that didn¡¯t seem so unattainable after what he had achieved over a single week. The new form of the Parting Gift was extremely effective against the creatures. He had already killed a few with it in both melee range and from a distance, proving it was about as versatile as he¡¯d intended. It was still a pain whenever he threw it and missed, as it left his first core completely empty for a time. Luckily, Micky could always jump in and keep the bugs occupied until he recovered. ¡®It sucks the Status hasn¡¯t bothered to recognize it though.¡¯ That said, he had expected that. The new variant wasn¡¯t sufficiently different from the original to be listed as a new spell, and neither was it profound enough to be elevated to a Refined classification. ¡®Although, I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter what it¡¯s called.¡¯ Percy shrugged. ¡®Tomorrow I¡¯ll work on a replacement for the Quarterstaff.¡¯ Chapter 43 – Aleyn The atmosphere was sombre as the crowd of hundreds stood outside, clad in black robes. A deep silence might have been more appropriate for the occasion, but nobody had let the crickets know to stop chirping, or the birds to avoid carelessly flying over the garden. Perhaps, the sky should have looked gloomier too, but Remior¡¯s sun still shone brightly, oblivious to the bitter sobs of the grieving mother, and the occasional crackles of firewood snapping in the pyre. Archibald let out a turbid breath, held inside for a touch too long, as he watched Seryna ¨C his daughter-in-law ¨C scatter her son¡¯s ashes in the wind. Fortunately, Aballach was not here to mourn the boy, having died in the tragedy years ago, along with the other Red-borns. Truth be told, Archibald had a personal preference for burials over cremations. The idea of having a grave to visit ¨C a way to keep the deceased always close ¨C just sounded better. In fact, many of the younger families still performed them to this day. Sadly, this wasn¡¯t an option for the older ones, like the Avalon House, who had bid farewell to thousands of members over their millennia-long history. If they buried everyone, their mansion would be little more than an island amidst a sea of graves by now. No, the Avalons wouldn¡¯t get a grave¡­ They¡¯d all have to settle for a few words in a book, listing their relationships and achievements. The Yellow-borns who lived the longest would get a full page. Some ¨C like Archibald himself ¨C might even get a couple. As for the Red-borns and Orange-borns who died young¡­ they¡¯d have to make do with a paragraph. ¡®Was I wrong?¡¯ It was precisely because things like this kept happening that he had maintained his distance from the family. He had to be a leader! Could he afford to break down every time he lost somebody? Putting his own emotions aside was what was best for everyone. If anything, it helped reduce losses such as today¡¯s. ¡®Little good it did Aleyn though.¡¯ Archibald¡¯s interactions with Percy had made him reconsider his stance. Perhaps, his role as the cold patriarch of the family served their House well ¨C for the majority of people ¨C but what about those few who received the short end of the stick? If Aleyn had been destined to die young, hadn¡¯t he deserved a grandpa in his short life? ¡®Heck, didn¡¯t I deserve to know my grandson before he was gone?¡¯ Elaine walked over, breaking him out of his thoughts. Her expression was downtrodden ¨C she hadn¡¯t spoken a word since Enid helped her back a few days ago, carrying a sack with Aleyn¡¯s remains in the other hand. ¡®She must be blaming herself.¡¯ He placed his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. By all accounts, this could still be considered a positive outcome for the family. Elaine ¨C the only Yellow-born in the team ¨C had not only survived, but returned home with a new Refined spell. In fact, the pragmatic leader in him should have been overjoyed. Perhaps, they should even be celebrating rather than mourning. Yet, the mere thought made his stomach churn. ¡°Grandpa¡­ Where is Percy? I haven¡¯t seen him since I got back.¡± A lump got stuck in Archibald¡¯s throat. Breaking more bad news to the girl was the last thing he wanted. ¡°He left a few weeks ago. He should be in the Alchemists¡¯ Guild by now.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°What?! Why?! He didn¡¯t even say goodbye!¡± she exclaimed, only catching herself a moment later after seeing the others giving her weird looks. ¡°What happened?¡± she whispered a moment later. ¡°The boy probably grew a conscience.¡± another voice interjected. A gallant man approached them, the air around him crackling with power as he stopped just a meter away. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?!¡± Elaine scowled at him. ¡°It means you and father have already spoiled that Red-born for long enough. It¡¯s best he tries to pay his own way in the world. He¡¯ll fail of course, but that ought to teach him that precious resources aren¡¯t meant for his ilk.¡± Galahad replied in a casual tone, his words sharp like knives. But he wasn¡¯t done. ¡°My only worry is that he¡¯ll embarrass our House in the eyes of others, but I suppose that¡¯s a small price to pay to stop pouring elixirs down the drain.¡± The girl looked ready to snap at her uncle, but Archibald squeezed her shoulder a bit more firmly to stop her. ¡°That¡¯s enough son. This is not the time or the place to be badmouthing anyone, let alone your nephew. Besides, I think you might be surprised the next time you meet Percy.¡± He didn¡¯t like Galahad¡¯s callousness, but it would be hypocritical of him to get angry. After all, he was the one who had moulded his son into this, preparing him into a future leader of the House. Strictly speaking, Galahad simply embodied the principles he had taught, nothing more, nothing less. In fact, one might even argue the man adhered to them even more closely than Archibald himself, not allowing compassion to seep into his thought process. Soon, Galahad left. It wasn¡¯t until an hour later that the rest of their relatives had too. ¡°Is he going to be alright?¡± she asked once they were alone in the garden. He nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. Micky advanced to Orange and they needed a good place to hunt and earn elixirs. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll thrive there.¡± His words seemed to ease the tension in her eyes. Although, it wasn¡¯t gone entirely. ¡°Elaine. It wasn¡¯t your fault. Scorpion Kings are rare, and you couldn¡¯t have prevented the ambush.¡± he said after a moment. ¡°But it was my fault¡­ If only I¡¯d learned Circulation like you and Percy¡­ Maybe¡­¡± she stammered, the corners of her eyes glistening with tears. Archibald shook his head. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have even managed to activate it in time to save Aleyn. Dwelling on it doesn¡¯t help anyone.¡± Elaine didn¡¯t say anything, looking down at her feet. The two remained there for another few minutes, before he spoke again. ¡°What are you planning to do now? Will you keep going on missions?¡± The girl tilted her head up, giving him a firm look. ¡°No. Perhaps you are right. Even if I had mastered Circulation, maybe it wouldn¡¯t have made a difference. But it might the next time. Or the one after.¡± She clenched her fists before continuing. ¡°I won¡¯t leave the mansion until I master it too.¡± *** Archibald was sitting cross-legged in the inner garden, basking under the gentle radiance of the jade tree. Tossing the prized treasure a glance, he remembered what he had told Percy over a year ago. ¡®I can¡¯t give up the tree on a gamble. Let alone you, even if it was Elaine having a second core, I couldn¡¯t do that. The tree might help me protect our family next year. Your second core might need centuries to pay off, if it ever does.¡¯ The words already rang hollow as they echoed in his head, making him chuckle. Mere months after he¡¯d said that, Percy had brought Circulation back from Huehue, helping him grow far stronger than he ever would through the tree. ¡®Let¡¯s not waste it then.¡¯ Taking a deep breath, he spent a moment appreciating the refreshing fragrance with its minty aftertaste, before guiding the dense mana to his channels. Not long after, green lines glowed under his skin, swirling and branching out like vines. Next, he placed his palms against each other, as he sent a wave of mana rippling through his body, before bouncing off his skin and towards his hands. Soon, a small verdant bubble the size of a pea formed, softly pulsing like a tiny heart. Archibald normally only maintained 60 clones ¨C a mere quarter of what he was capable of ¨C to ensure he still had access to 75% of his mana reserves at any given time. However, now that he had the option of falling back to Circulation in a pinch, he had decided to double the number of clones he had on standby. The fact he could create them faster using the technique was a nice bonus too. As for the tree ¨C its main purpose was providing inspiration to life users when developing their spells. Archibald already possessed a top-tier Secret Art combining his magic and his bloodline, but with Circulation and twice as many clones, he was aiming to improve upon it. ¡®You kids won¡¯t be the only ones getting stronger¡­¡¯ Whatever happened, he was the patriarch of the family. He¡¯d keep them all safe at any cost. As for the next poor fool who decided to mess with them¡­ He was in for a nasty surprise. Chapter 44 – Opportunity The thing about quarterstaffs was they were two-handed weapons. Suffice to say, dual wielding one with a sickle was more than a little awkward. Detrimental even ¨C as it got in Percy¡¯s way more often than not, preventing him from landing sure blows with his deadlier tool. Of course, he couldn¡¯t help it either. He had considered simply not using it, but the Parting Gift couldn¡¯t block incoming attacks, so the flimsy rod was essentially his only defence against the venomous stingers of the Starry Workers. Although he was currently working on changing that. ¡®I¡¯m not going to bother with a different weapon.¡¯ The reason he¡¯d even created it to begin with, was Micky¡¯s influence still fresh on his mind after Huehue, coupled with his first core being unavailable for a long time. The staff had been his only means of attack back then, and it had served him well against the wood goblins. However, his fighting style was still rough around the edges, pieced together out of whatever scraps he could recall from his friend¡¯s demonstration. His lacking pair of limbs didn¡¯t help much either. Not to mention his grade being much lower than Micky¡¯s too, so the poor excuse of a weapon just wouldn¡¯t cut it against the wasps. He reasoned it might be worth revisiting the Quarterstaff in the future, after his second core advanced to Orange, but for now he¡¯d rather retire it. ¡®This time, let¡¯s go with something purely defensive.¡¯ Strictly speaking, his requirements for the replacement were rather modest. He only needed something to block a blow or two, to give him a chance to counterattack. Something that wouldn¡¯t get in the way as much. The thought of forming some kind of armour with his pure mana was appealing, though he understood he lacked the capacity to cover his whole body. Instead, he settled for something smaller. ¡®Will this even hold?¡¯ he frowned, looking at his right fist coated in a film of cyan. The construct was poorly made. It was more akin to a cast than a glove right now as he couldn¡¯t twitch a single finger in it, but he¡¯d rather confirm it worked as protection before trying to improve its design. He lifted his eyes, gazing at the bug locked in an aerial confrontation with his familiar, before shrugging. ¡®Only one way to find out, I suppose.¡¯ Activating Circulation, he dashed in, telling the crow to disengage. The wasp didn¡¯t seem to mind either, more than happy to switch targets. Percy could have dodged the incoming lunge but didn¡¯t. Instead, he swung his hand to brush the stinger aside, bracing himself for the worst. Had this been his first day on the second level, he would have missed, as it was much harder to time the parry with such a small surface area than it was with the rod. However, he¡¯d grown used to the bugs¡¯ movements by now, so the blows connected without issue. He felt the material crumble under the pressure, but it held better than the staff. That was promising, considering his new construct still had plenty of room for improvement. Pushing the wasp away, he tossed a fleeting glance at his hand. The impact had left a deep and wide groove into the construct. Percy directed more mana to repair the cast before taunting the bug to attack again. The two exchanged blows for about ten minutes, as the young man tested the limits of his new spell, before his stamina began to decline. Only then did he finally seize the next opening, finishing the bug with his sickle. He gestured Micky to enjoy his meal, before plopping down on the mushroom¡¯s cap, analysing what he¡¯d learned.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s safe to block a direct stab with it, but brushing the stingers from the side is more than doable.¡¯ The cast lasted a couple of blows before it came close to shattering. It was only when Percy had pushed for a third in a row without fixing it that he¡¯d risked getting injured. It cost less mana to form and repair, plus it let him use the sickle better too. ¡®It¡¯s definitely worth working on it, but it¡¯s going to take a while to perfect.¡¯ He¡¯d never made anything this intricate with mana before. The finalized glove would involve lots of interconnected pieces, to protect all the joints in his hand without impairing their movement. ¡®Still, if I can use both constructs with the same hand it¡¯s going to make everything a lot easier.¡¯ *** By nightfall, the duo had taken 20 wasps down, surpassing their previous limit once more. Just over a week after joining the Guild, Percy had already reached the higher end of what was viewed as possible for an Orange core. He was still far from his goal, but at least his new constructs were much better suited for hunting the bugs. Moreover, he was getting more accustomed to both their fighting style and to keeping Circulation active for longer. And his personal kit wasn¡¯t the only thing he was working on. Micky had yet to kill a single wasp by himself, but he was getting closer. His agile opponents were a terrible match for the crow, which was why Percy was still reluctant to let him fight unsupervised. That said, the familiar had not gotten himself in trouble over the last couple of days, having grown better at dodging the last-minute lunges of the bugs. In fact, he¡¯d almost managed to clip their wings a few times. Percy estimated the crow would achieve his first solo kill before long, at which point they could split up and adjust their strategy. Entering the settlement, his attention was drawn to a crowd that had gathered around somebody. He counted a couple dozen people, most of them in yellow robes ¨C not very surprising as they made up the majority of the Guild members. Still, he spotted a handful of Green and Orange cores too. ¡®What¡¯s this about?¡¯ Percy raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. Approaching them, he noticed everyone held a leaflet, chatting loudly. ¡®Must be a good thing to get them so excited.¡¯ In fact, they seemed to be in such a good mood they didn¡¯t even frown upon seeing him, instead letting him pass unobstructed. ¡®Ok, now it¡¯s getting weird.¡¯ The person at the centre of the crowd ¨C a Blue core holding the stack of leaflets ¨C handed him one with a smile. ¡°Free introductory lesson to alchemy?¡± Percy¡¯s eyes widened as he read the heading aloud. ¡°Seriously?¡± The guy nodded. ¡°Normally, each lesson costs about 1000 contribution points, but the Guild likes to sponsor them every now and then to encourage people to get into it. After all, alchemists are precious, and we need as many as we can get.¡± Percy smirked. ¡°Then why even charge people in the first place?¡± ¡°Because this isn¡¯t a charity. Those giving the lessons are just regular members of the Guild and they expect proper compensation for their time.¡± The man sighed before continuing. ¡°That said, I do think my fellow alchemists should strive to be a little more selfless for everyone¡¯s sake. Teaching is even more lucrative than brewing. You can make tens of thousands per day doing it, but you need to be an experienced alchemist already to qualify. I guess some of them are either a tad too greedy or they just don¡¯t want to build up the competition.¡± Percy nodded, albeit reluctantly. It¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t understand the concept, but it really made it difficult for people like him to get into the field. ¡°Aren¡¯t there any books on the topic?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes, there are plenty in the library, free to read. They cover the basics but, without guidance, it¡¯ll take you ten times longer to learn. Plus, the priciest part of alchemy is the ingredients, not the lessons.¡± That made sense. All these Yellows wouldn¡¯t have trouble saving up a thousand points, but if they had to waste months¡¯ worth of nectar before they got any good at it, it would indeed be a huge barrier of entry. ¡°Anyway, are you interested in signing up?¡± the Blue core asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. ¡°Yes, when is it?¡± Percy didn¡¯t hesitate. Perhaps he couldn¡¯t afford to become a proper alchemist just yet, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to learn more now that the opportunity presented itself. The knowledge might influence his future plans, after all. ¡°Tomorrow morning. Just show up at this building at ten.¡± the guy indicated a certain spot on the leaflet, on a hand-drawn map of the Guild. Percy thanked him, before leaving. ¡®Besides, I could use a break from hunting.¡¯ Chapter 45 – Introduction to alchemy Percy struggled to find a seat. The lecture theatre was packed to the brim with people. Naturally, the Orange cores like him were meant to sit at the very back, but even those rows were full. Shrugging, he picked the least crowded corner to stand. It wasn¡¯t the most comfortable solution, but he wouldn¡¯t have trouble hearing the lecturer. Soon, a man in blue robes walked in. He was actually the same guy who¡¯d given him the leaflet. It was weird for one at that level to waste time advertising his own lecture. Couldn¡¯t he have paid somebody to do it? ¡®Then again, he did seem passionate about teaching.¡¯ ¡°Good morning everyone!¡± the guy said. Percy paid more attention to his lecturer¡¯s appearance today. He looked middle-aged which meant he was probably an Orange-born who¡¯d lived for several centuries already. ¡®I should have been more respectful last night.¡¯ he realized. ¡°Judging by your presence here, it¡¯s safe to assume you¡¯re all beginners, so I¡¯ll start with the basics. First of all, the field of alchemy contains more than just the elixirs we know and love. It essentially spans any potions, poisons or medicine brewed with natural ingredients.¡± Percy nodded, having heard that before. ¡°However, most of those things are secondary products of alchemy. Even the best healing potions can¡¯t hold a handle to a Yellow core¡¯s life mana. Similarly, the most potent venoms and poisons we can concoct won¡¯t do much to one of the strongest mages. If you want to assassinate a Blue, you¡¯re better off just using a Starry Commander¡¯s venom.¡± he chuckled before continuing. ¡°And if you¡¯re above Orange you¡¯re unlikely to get sick, meaning even medicine isn¡¯t particularly useful.¡± The room broke into some chatter. ¡°I know what you¡¯re all thinking ¨C if these things are so ineffective, then why would anybody bother? And you¡¯re not wrong. While there is a place for these products in any noble family¡¯s warehouse, they are but secondary pursuits for bored alchemists with too much money and time in their hands. I would advise you to not bother with them for now. Consequently, we aren¡¯t interested in anything but elixirs during this lecture.¡± The young man shrugged. Hearing that alchemy was so underdeveloped on Remior was a little sad, but this arrangement suited him just fine. After all, the Avalon House was full of people with the life affinity, so they had even less need for these auxiliary resources than others. ¡®Although, I suppose they¡¯d still be somewhat useful for me due to my lower grade¡­¡¯ ¡°In any case, the first thing you need to understand about elixirs, is how they work. Does anyone know?¡± A brave girl in a yellow robe raised her hand. ¡°They break down the impurities in our cores over time, allowing them to reform at a higher grade.¡± The lecturer smiled. This was indeed common knowledge. ¡°Yes. The elixirs owe this miraculous property to their main ingredient ¨C the nectar you¡¯ve all probably come across by now. But can somebody tell me what that is?¡± This time, nobody answered. Everyone in the room had likely hunted the wasps before, yet nobody seemed to understand what exactly made them so special. ¡®Wait¡­ the wasps¡­ don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ ¡°Simply put, the nectar is the only known example of beast mana capable of existing for an extended period of time outside a beast¡¯s body. People have tried to make elixirs out of beast cores, but nobody has ever succeeded. At least, not on Remior.¡± Sharp breaths were drawn across the room.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. It was well understood that beasts refined their cores naturally by eating, without needing any external resources. Evidently, this was because they already possessed the main ingredient of the elixirs within their very cores. As it turned out, alchemists did nothing more than imitate them, harnessing their ability for humanity¡¯s sake. ¡°Sir, if that¡¯s true then how do other races advance their grades? Are there Starry Wasps on every world?¡± somebody asked. ¡°That¡¯s an excellent question. I¡¯m not a member of the Divine Order, so what I can say with certainty on the topic is rather limited. Still, as far as I know, Starry Wasps are native to Remior.¡± the lecturer replied. ¡°Then how?¡± another person asked. ¡°Well, every world has different resources and natural treasures. Some are unlucky enough they lack the means of advancing, while others have their own methods. I¡¯d wager most of those methods involve an alternative source of beast mana, however.¡± This explanation made another thing click in Percy¡¯s mind. ¡®So that¡¯s why the Fungal Spire is considered so important. It¡¯s our only practical means of advancement and there are races who don¡¯t even have something similar!¡¯ The young man developed some newfound appreciation for the colossal mushrooms above their heads. ¡°Ok, so now that we¡¯ve established that, the question is how do we process the nectar into elixir?¡± the lecturer asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard there are multiple recipes.¡± somebody said. The alchemist nodded. ¡°Indeed, while the nectar is irreplaceable, all the other ingredients have several alternatives ¨C with similar functions. It all comes down to transforming the nectar from raw beast mana ¨C which would only run berserk inside your cores and injure you ¨C into something stable, which will harmlessly cleanse away the impurities alone. Strictly speaking, you only really need to focus on a single recipe and strive to get good at it, although it can be useful to come in contact with a couple more, for when you have limited access to the ingredients you need. Still, most approaches are rather similar, so it¡¯s not that hard to switch to a different recipe once you understand the process.¡± Percy felt the urge to laugh. All this time, alchemy had sounded like a mystical and profound profession¡­ but... according to everything they had been taught today, didn¡¯t it all seem rather inane? The potions, poisons and medicines were borderline useless, and even the elixirs merely involved harvesting a single raw ingredient they were lucky enough to find on Remior, transforming it into a slightly different form. If the Fungal Spire was destroyed, wouldn¡¯t that leave all the alchemists without a job overnight? But he shook his head. ¡®Obviously, the actual brewing process must be complicated, or it wouldn¡¯t be so hard to do it.¡¯ The lecturer¡¯s next words confirmed that. ¡°There is one reliable metric that can be used to define an alchemist¡¯s skill: Their brewing yield. Simply put, this is just a percentage indicating how many drops of elixir they can produce out of a hundred drops of nectar.¡± Percy ran the calculation in his head. As far as he could tell, the finished product was four times as expensive. ¡°Some of you seem to have mathed it out already. Indeed, the turning point that qualifies somebody into a full-fledged alchemist is a 25% yield. That¡¯s the cutoff where you stop losing money as you brew. The most talented and experienced alchemists in the Guild can boast of yields as high as 56%. For anyone wondering, my personal best is only at 44%.¡± The young man had to swallow his saliva, to avoid drooling. Didn¡¯t that mean their lecturer nearly doubled his money every time he brewed a batch? ¡°It¡¯s still a time-consuming process, so there¡¯s a limit to how much elixir we can brew per day. Our output is still lower than the input and also lower than Remior¡¯s needs, which is why we need more alchemists in the Guild. If we could convert all the available nectar with a 45% yield, we might have enough for everyone on Remior ¨C including the Red-borns.¡± Now, this bit of information was even more shocking to Percy. His whole life, he¡¯d suffered from his low grade, preventing him from advancing as fast as others. If it hadn¡¯t been for this shortage, he would have reached Orange five years sooner! And the lecturer claimed it could all be solved if they¡¯d just bothered to train a few more alchemists? ¡®Then, why the fuck don¡¯t you?!¡¯ Percy struggled to keep his thoughts to himself. The lecturer sighed. ¡°Despite what my idealistic words might suggest, this is easier said than done. It will take you a few months and a lot of wasted nectar before your first successful batch of elixir. Even then, you¡¯re unlikely to start with a yield higher than 15%. It won¡¯t be until the end of the year you get to 25% and it only keeps getting harder. You¡¯ll get to about 30% if you keep at it for another year or two. Reaching 40% is usually a matter of decades and 50% centuries. Perhaps, the White cores leading the Great Houses, or the gods of the Divine Order could surpass that, having lived for tens of millennia, but their time is much more valuable spent elsewhere than brewing elixirs.¡± The new influx of information did calm Percy down. Evidently, they¡¯d need to train an army of Blue cored alchemists for centuries to provide for everyone. And for what? Just so that Red-borns like him would get elixirs? They still wouldn¡¯t live past Yellow! It wasn¡¯t worth the time. But he¡¯d heard another thing of interest. A 30% yield was a realistic goal after a couple of years. That was already enough to make a profit. ¡®As soon as I can sustain one core, I¡¯ll start siphoning the excess time and points into alchemy.¡¯ Chapter 46 – An idea It was early afternoon by the time the alchemist¡¯s lecture ended. Advertised as a mere introduction, it didn¡¯t really delve into the topic too deeply. After explaining the basic concepts, the guy talked about a few of the most popular recipes, giving them an overview of how the secondary ingredients worked and what tools they needed to use. Percy did feel some anticipation. Not only due to the stacks of contribution points waiting at the other end of his alchemical journey, but also because the whole thing seemed fun. The idea of playing around with magic juices and challenging himself to increase his yield sounded like something he would enjoy. Still, he had to reign in his excitement until he raised the funds to actually dip his toes into the field. ¡®Better get back to hunting then.¡¯ Half the day was gone, but that was no excuse to slack for the rest of it. ¡®CAW!¡¯ Apparently, Micky agreed, as he¡¯d been urging him for some time. ¡®I know, I know¡­ I¡¯m on the way already!¡¯ Nearing the gate, he saw the drowsy girl¡¯s stand was still there, over a week after he first spotted it. The owner was too, sleeping on the counter as usual. ¡®Has she not given up yet? I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s the laziest or the most persistent person I know. Probably both.¡¯ For many days, nobody had paid her any attention, although Percy did notice her coins were gone last night. And since then, she¡¯d nailed a new smaller sign, adding more words to the advertisement. ¡®BUYING [AND SELLING] INFORMATION ON THE THIRD LEVEL¡¯ So that was her brilliant plan? Purchasing information from experienced hunters to sell to newcomers? Something like where the best spots for hunting were? Or how to find and kill the Starry Soldiers more efficiently? Percy didn¡¯t know if anyone would take her up on that. It sounded a bit iffy to spend money on. ¡®She should have at least bothered to make a new sign instead of patching it.¡¯ he shook his head. Half an hour later, he met up with Micky somewhere on the second level. Not the same place as yesterday. They liked to switch things up every day to let the bugs repopulate. Percy wasn¡¯t sure it mattered, as the interior of the Spire was supposedly filled with them. More were constantly deployed outside to harvest the dense mana from the mushrooms and to bring back nectar to the nest. Suffice to say, he doubted they would run out anytime soon. Still, he could use any advantage he could get. However, they didn¡¯t begin hunting just yet, as Percy wanted to test an idea he came up with during the lecture. ¡®Micky, can you try passing me some of your mana through our link?¡¯ The crow tilted its head in confusion. CAW? Micky hadn¡¯t eaten anything all morning, so he lacked the soul mana to send. ¡®Not the one you get when you eat. The one from your core.¡¯ Percy explained. While beast mana couldn¡¯t normally leave one¡¯s body or form regular spells, it could still freely circulate through its owner¡¯s channels, passively nourishing their flesh. This was the source of the beasts¡¯ strength after all.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. After learning that nectar was essentially just beast mana that could be transferred outside, Percy had considered the possibility of taking advantage of the ethereal cord to achieve something similar. Of course, even if it worked, he wasn¡¯t sure how to benefit from it. The alchemist had already told them they couldn¡¯t purify their cores with raw beast mana. He¡¯d have to find a way to process it into an elixir inside his body. Still, he was curious enough to give it a shot. It took some guidance from him, but Micky eventually understood the task. Through Mana Sense, the young man observed the Orange glow leave the crow¡¯s sternum, moving towards the connection. However, nothing happened. It just accumulated there with nowhere to go. Unsure whether Micky had done something wrong or if this was just a peculiarity of the beast mana, Percy next tested whether he could send his own mana to the familiar. Transferring a trickle of soul mana worked, confirming the ethereal cord was a two-way connection, but it didn¡¯t accept any of his pure mana either. ¡®I suppose it makes sense. It¡¯s linking our souls together, so why would it allow any other type to pass?¡¯ He shrugged, not too disheartened. CAW! CAW! Micky was getting more impatient, sending him an image of a Starry Worker he¡¯d just spotted. Percy activated Circulation, before gathering the cyan mana into his right hand, resuming work on his new project. Today, he¡¯d focus on forming the glove with an open hand, increasing its surface area. As soon as everything was in order, he engaged the worker, testing his spell¡¯s durability as he looked for an opening to finish the creature. A few minutes later, it was lying motionless on the surface of the mushroom, both its core and nectar gland already harvested. Micky had flown ahead to scout for their next target, as Percy sat next to the carcass, eyeing it in contemplation. ¡®You¡¯re some really special things, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ His world¡¯s survival hinged entirely on these bugs. If they went extinct, everyone on Remior would be stuck at the grade they were born with. Perhaps, they could try other means of cleansing their cores, but they¡¯d be lucky if they even advanced once in their lives that way. But more than his world¡¯s situation, Percy couldn¡¯t help but consider what this meant for him. Would he have to stay in the Alchemists¡¯ Guild his whole life? Even if he managed to provide for his two cores eventually, what would happen when he left? He couldn¡¯t exactly take the wasps with him¡­ Then, he creased his brow. ¡®Or can I?¡¯ His thoughts lingered on the ethereal cord linking him to Micky for a moment. He hadn¡¯t created the familiar with the intention of raising his own strength. It had all been an accident, brought upon by his desperate attempt to save his friend. However, the advantages the crow brought him were undeniable. Percy would be lying if he said he hadn¡¯t considered creating more of them in the past year. After all, how powerful would he be if he could cultivate an army of Green or even Blue beasts, all loyal to him? It would take even less time than reaching those grades himself! The only reason he hadn¡¯t tried it yet was that his soul hadn¡¯t been in a good enough state before now. But that was swiftly changing with every soul Micky devoured. ¡®And, what if my next familiar is a Starry Wasp?¡¯ Not only would he have another companion to fight alongside him, but he¡¯d also have his personal nectar factory! Its production wouldn¡¯t be much at Red or Orange, but what about Green or Blue? Maybe he could sustain his cores indefinitely one day! The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. That said, there were many details he needed to figure out to make this work, as his first success had been a bit of a fluke. For example, could he injure a wasp and shove a part of his soul inside it to create a familiar? It didn¡¯t seem to be that simple, because that tended to produce regular clones in his experience. From what he¡¯d learned, newborn souls were more malleable than developed ones, making them easier to meld with. That¡¯s why the Moirai baby had not given him as much trouble as Micky had, and why the crow chick had proven a suitable host for his familiar. That only raised more questions, however. Where would he even get a Starry Wasp egg? Would he need to venture into the depths of the Fungal Spire? That was a place filled with beasts at Blue or even higher! Not just that, but entering it was a serious crime! And even then, it wasn¡¯t guaranteed to work. The crow egg had produced a familiar, but the Moirai baby had simply died as a short-lived clone. Was it because the latter had been in a worse condition to begin with? Or was it because he brought another passenger along ¨C Micky ¨C in the case of the bird? He¡¯d need to come up with answers to all those questions if he was to succeed¡­ which led to another problem. ¡®Baldy and Elaine aren¡¯t here to take care of me if I mess up. I should probably stick to regular clones for a while until I¡¯m sure I know what I¡¯m doing.¡¯ Having already lost a ton of time due to his reckless experiments with his soul, Percy was going to take this slow. ¡®Besides, I won¡¯t need the new familiar until it¡¯s time to leave the Guild.¡¯ Chapter 47 – Healed A month went by in a flash. Percy and Micky had grown a lot better at hunting the wasps, but today he didn¡¯t care about that. Something else was going through his mind as he sat on his bed, gazing down at his soul. ¡®It¡¯s finally healed¡­ well, sort of¡­¡¯ It had stopped absorbing more mana, although it wasn¡¯t back to 100% yet. The hole in his chest had mostly closed, but not completely, leaving a circular scar about the width of a strawberry right where the ethereal cord linked him to Micky. ¡®I suppose this is as good as it¡¯s going to get.¡¯ It didn¡¯t look like it would recover entirely, as a part of him still existed within the bird. Perhaps he could fix it by retrieving the missing piece or severing the connection ¨C he wasn¡¯t sure which ¨C but he had no intention of doing either. Hopefully, this injury wouldn¡¯t affect him too much when creating more clones. Especially since that was exactly what he was planning to do right now! It was early in the morning, although Percy¡¯s room was currently pitch black, as he had closed the curtains. The last thing he needed was somebody seeing what he intended to do today. ¡®Micky, start hunting!¡¯ ¡®CAW!¡¯ The familiar was roaming the base of the Fungal Spire, searching for Starry Drones to munch on. He could already kill a couple Starry Workers by himself, but it took too long, and it was dangerous to let him hunt on the second floor by himself. Percy would have to settle for the less potent soul mana they could gather from the Red bugs. Still, between the crow¡¯s help and the increased regeneration brought about by the colourful motes, he estimated he would have a much easier time forming his new clone. Pressing down his bubbling enthusiasm, he began by sending pulses of soul mana through his channels, letting them bounce off his soul¡¯s edge. Not wanting to interfere with his connection to Micky, he had adjusted the angle slightly, so that the mana would gather a few inches below the previous spot after being reflected. By the time that happened, he was ready to grab a hold of the bulge, pulling it out of his skin. ¡®Fuck. I sure didn¡¯t miss the pain.¡¯ he winced, as the strain cause some tears to form. However, he quickly raised an eyebrow after examining them for a couple of seconds. ¡®Is it me, or is the damage less extensive than last time?¡¯ This was strange. If anything, he would have expected his injury to have negatively impacted the integrity of his soul, making it more fragile than before. That didn¡¯t seem to be the case. It was hard to say for sure, but the cracks appeared both less numerous and less serious than the last time he¡¯d done this. ¡®Has my soul grown stronger in the past year?¡¯ Why would that be the case? He¡¯d spent all this time recovering¡­ Then again, wasn¡¯t that how muscles and bones worked? Exercising essentially involved damaging and repairing one¡¯s body repeatedly. Perhaps, the same principle applied to his soul! ¡®Then, maybe I can strengthen my soul enough to use Circulation with my first core if I keep sending clones!¡¯ This was an issue that had troubled him for a long time. Although the technique he¡¯d learned on Huehue had served him well until now, he greatly lamented only being able to use it with his second core. After all, it was much weaker than the one in his sternum, both in grade and affinity. Evidently, the solution had been right under his nose all along! In his excitement, the young man nearly let go of the bulge. ¡®Shit. Focus Percy.¡¯ It was a project for the future. While it was a nice surprise, it wasn¡¯t worth ruining his current attempt. Shaking the distracting thoughts out of his head, he sent another pulse through his soul, which soon caused the bulge to grow. More soul mana began flowing into his core a few minutes later too, as Micky had already taken down the first drone.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡®Keep it up buddy!¡¯ *** Eight hours later, Percy was holding an outstretched chunk of his soul larger than an apple. Thanks to his familiar¡¯s diligent efforts, he had reached this step four hours sooner than the last time! ¡®I can keep going, but it¡¯s best not to risk it.¡¯ This was already the same amount he¡¯d used for his previous clone, so he knew it was enough to survive for a couple days. Perhaps, he could increase that if he gathered more of the silver flame before cutting it off, but he didn¡¯t want to damage his soul more than he could handle. ¡®Moving to the next phase then.¡¯ Pulling the mana out of his core, he directed it all straight into the bulge, filling it up like a waterskin. Taking deep breaths, he strove to gather even more, as his familiar intensified his efforts to support him. ¡®Let¡¯s give the clone more mana than last time.¡¯ Back then, Percy had done this out on a limb, without knowing if it would help in any way. Still, that had obviously been the correct decision. His clone had greatly relied on the stashed mana multiple times during his adventure ¨C whether to bond with Micky¡¯s soul initially or to deliver the killing blow to Mixcoatl near the end. Suffice to say, the young man didn¡¯t mind investing a few more hours to overcharge his clone again. *** It wasn¡¯t until another four hours later that Percy stopped. Right now, the bulge had bloated up by about 50% of its previous volume. It still contained the same amount of his soul as before, but its surface stretched due to the dense quantity of mana sealed within. The young man briefly considered pushing some more into it, but at this rate he might cause the clone to burst before he even sent it out. Plus, the mana was already slowly leaking, as his willpower was scarcely sufficient to keep it contained. ¡®It actually resembles baldy¡¯s clones somewhat.¡¯ Unlike his previous attempt, the soul mana was so concentrated it was fully visible even to the naked eye, appearing like a silver bubble pulsing akin to a beating heart. This reassured Percy somewhat. All this time he¡¯d been fumbling in the dark with his bloodline, mostly doing whatever he instinctively felt made sense. Still, the more his efforts looked like what his family did with their version, the more confidence he had that he was on the right track. ¡®Ok then. Now for the really painful part.¡¯ After refilling his core one last time, he tossed another glance at his handiwork, nodding in appreciation. Then, he stirred his bloodline, feeling the ghostly claw forming in his sternum. ¡®Please go where I want you to go¡­¡¯ If it insisted on heading to the previous spot, it could harm his connection to the familiar. Percy focused all his willpower to direct it slightly lower, towards the thrumming bubble he had spent all day cultivating. Luckily, the ghostly claw didn¡¯t need much prodding either, as it gladly acquiesced, pouncing on the bulge like a cat would a mouse. Percy gritted his teeth in agony as all the tears in his soul widened. He held his breath, watching the ghostly claw clamp the soul and mana alike, twisting them and pulling them out of his body. And with an audible popping sound, accompanied by a violent shockwave rippling through his very existence, Percy felt his world tremble as the silver bubble was ripped out of his stomach, shooting off like a meteor. By the time his head sank into the pillow, his eyes had already closed shut. *** ¡®¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­AW!¡¯ ¡®CAW! CAW!¡¯ Percy¡¯s eyes bolted open, a splitting headache making him dizzy. ¡®Fuck, I¡¯m alive.¡¯ was his first thought. Wait, no. That was supposed to be a good thing. ¡®CAW!¡¯ the familiar called to him again. Percy could practically taste the palpable sense of panic oozing through their bond. The realization simultaneously gave him a fuzzy feeling at having somebody who cared, but also a pang of guilt in his chest. ¡®It¡¯s ok, buddy. I¡¯m ok. I¡¯m sorry I worried you.¡¯ Getting off his bed was tough, but it was promising he was even capable of standing. Pulling the curtain open, he noted it was dark outside. ¡®How long was I out?¡¯ He knew it shouldn¡¯t have been more than a day or two, otherwise he would have starved. Well, he was feeling a little peckish, but not quite starving yet. ¡®CAW!¡¯ Micky sent him an image of a single sunset, though no sunrise. It was still the same day. This was good. He couldn¡¯t afford to knock himself out for a week every time he sent out a new clone. Walking was a hassle, but he made his way to the door. He sure hoped Freddy was open, as he was too tired to cook, and he could use a Honey Roll right about now. Suddenly, he lost his balance, falling to his knees, his consciousness sucked right out of his body. One moment he was still in his room, the next he felt the wind press against him, colourful motes whizzing by from all directions. He was diving towards a bug, its carapace pitch black, with bright spots glistening all over the sleek chitin. ¡®A drone? I¡¯m Micky?!¡¯ They felt dizzy, banking towards the left. Flapping their wings at the last second, they barely managed to soften their landing, narrowly avoiding a nasty crash on the ground. ¡®What the hell?¡¯ he thought, as he returned to his own body, lying against the cold stone of his room¡¯s floor. More came gushing through the cord. Images, feelings, memories, thoughts. He felt his familiar¡¯s confusion, as his mind drifted back and forth between the bodies a couple more times. ¡®Are you doing this?¡¯ he asked the bird once the situation seemed to stabilize. ¡®CAW¡­¡¯ The reply was strained. Micky didn¡¯t seem to understand much more than he did. What was going on? Chapter 48 – Limit ¡°What?¡± Percy asked. Freddy gave him a concerned look. ¡°I said, are you sure you¡¯re ok?¡± he repeated. The young man felt his mind slipping again, but he resisted the pull. ¡°Yeah, sorry. It¡¯s been a long day.¡± he forced himself to say. It was only now he remembered he was holding a Honey Roll. ¡®Thank Phoebe I haven¡¯t dropped it.¡¯ Not that he was in the mood to eat, but it would have looked strange. He searched his pocket for some change, but his friend stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s on the house today. Just look after yourself man. You¡¯re the only one I see who¡¯s hunting 18 hours a day, no breaks. Clearly, it¡¯s not sustainable.¡± Percy nodded, thanking Freddy before leaving in a hurry. Going out in this state hadn¡¯t been his brightest idea. It wasn¡¯t until he got back home that he allowed himself to fall on the bed, leaving the snack on a table for later. Soon, another episode hit him, but he allowed himself to sink into Micky¡¯s body this time. They were pecking the core out of the drone when he joined him. Percy had watched the bird hunt, as Micky had inadvertently sent him the images. He¡¯d nearly got stung too, having lost his concentration during what would have otherwise been a trivial kill. As the soul got digested in the familiar¡¯s stomach, Percy¡¯s mind followed the soul mana back to his own body. He quickly forced it to his eyes, to see what the hell was going on with him. ¡®Nothing too weird there.¡¯ he frowned. His soul didn¡¯t look much different from the time he went to Huehue. There was the small scar near his sternum, a grapefruit-sized crater above his stomach, and a bunch of cracks all over. Fewer than before too, due to his increased resilience. ¡®It¡¯s not due to excessive damage...¡¯ This was different than even the time he¡¯d woken up after creating the familiar. Rather than pain or weakness, it felt more like his sense of self was shaken. As if he had trouble remaining himself. ¡®Is it because I have two connections at the same time?¡¯ This didn¡¯t bode well for his ambitious plan of forming an army of familiars. At this rate, he¡¯d be lucky if he could keep sending out clones. ¡®Hopefully, the clone isn¡¯t affected.¡¯ *** And there it was ¨C the good old infinite nothingness he fondly remembered. Unlike the last clone, this one accepted his identity promptly, beginning the search for a body without delay. He knew this was one of the most critical parts of the journey. During his previous attempt, three weeks had passed on Remior, but he shouldn¡¯t have spent longer than a couple of days on Huehue. This could only mean one of two things. Either there was a huge mismatch in the flow of time from one world to another, or he had spent most of it in the space between them. Consequently, the faster he moved here the better. Retracing his actions, he allowed his senses to expand outwards, touching upon the sea of souls. Brushing over them without focusing too intently was a little tricky at first. Percy had grown rusty, having not done this in over a year, but he soon got a grip on it. ¡®Too powerful¡­ too weak¡­ too powerful again¡­ too broken¡­ too broken¡­ too weak¡­¡¯ He couldn¡¯t tell how long it took, but he eventually picked one he liked, reaching towards it without missing a beat. A moment later, he found himself lodged between the nooks and crannies of the dying soul. It was more cramped than last time, but that was a good thing. It meant his new host was in a better condition than Micky had been in. And, having learned from his past experience, he was a lot more careful moving around, trying not to exert much pressure on the fragments before the new guy accepted him. ¡®Hello? Anybody home?¡¯ No reply. Nothing verbal, at least. A sense of panic and pain assaulted him. Also, hunger¡­ and cold¡­ indescribable cold. Percy¡¯s very soul shivered. ¡®Did this person freeze to death?¡¯If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. His host felt distant. They didn¡¯t seem aggressive ¨C at least, they didn¡¯t push him away yet. But they cowered in a corner, trying to avoid being touched. ¡®I¡¯m not here to hurt you. Can you talk?¡¯ The creature didn¡¯t understand him. Its intelligence seemed even more rudimentary than his familiar¡¯s had been right after hatching. ¡®A beast perhaps?¡¯ That put Percy at a bit of an impasse. He couldn¡¯t begin the process of patching up their souls into something workable unless his host opened up. But they couldn¡¯t even communicate properly. The only clues he had were that it was afraid, in pain, starving and really cold. ¡®Well, I don¡¯t know how to deal with the fear or the pain¡­ I could send it the taste of a Honey Roll, but I don¡¯t even know what this thing eats.¡¯ There was only one thing he could do. He dug through his memories for anything suitable. The first one he found was a time he was nestled in a blanket, enjoying some hot soup during the winter. He couldn¡¯t even tell how old he was. Maybe 4 or 5? It was after his folks died, and the blanket was cozy, almost reminding him of his mother¡¯s hug. A weird thing to replace one¡¯s parents with, he knew, but he was willing to cut himself some slack. It wasn¡¯t like toddler-Percy had anybody else in his life back then. He hadn¡¯t grown close to Elaine until later. ¡®Does this work for you pal? I¡¯ll help you find warmth like that too if you let me in.¡¯ Suspicion. Percy counted it as progress. You¡¯d only get suspicious about something you hoped was true. Well, not that it was true of course. It was an empty promise. He had no idea if he could deliver. He¡¯d try to make good on it if possible, but he wasn¡¯t going to cry if he ended up lying to the animal either. ¡®Better keep this last part to myself.¡¯ At least, he was more in control of what he allowed to leak through the connection this time. The bond was more intrusive when he possessed something than it was with his familiar, but he¡¯d still gained enough experience over the past year to filter his thoughts somewhat. A few more carefully picked memories and some placating later, the creature opened up enough to let him move around without harming it. ¡®The hard part is over.¡¯ His soul wisp expanded and twisted, stretching through the gaps and touching as many of the broken shards as possible. Only then did he unleash his sizeable stash of soul mana, letting it do its thing. Like glue, the potent substance forged a bridge between the two entities, as they came closer together than ever before. Memories flashed through Percy¡¯s mind, one after another¡­ Hatching through an egg, a nest full of tiny gecko-like things, cannibalism, running away, hiding from giant shadows, scavenging for scraps, cold, cold, shivering, FREEZING COLD¡­ Oh, and they were all monochrome. ¡®Great, because who needs colours?!¡¯ Percy tried opening his new eyes. They refused to budge. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was signalling the wrong muscles or if the problem lied elsewhere. ¡®Any help? Can you open our eyes?¡¯ Silence. The beast was still in there somewhere, but it refused to come to the surface, happy to observe from the background. ¡®Ok, fine. Thanks for the body I guess¡­¡¯ Unable to figure out how to control this thing, he fell back to his Status instead.
Percival''s clone Mana cores: Spells: ???:
Percy would have frowned if he could. Nothing special there. His clone didn¡¯t have a proper name this time, which frankly made sense. An Orange core was decent. Not too high, but it could have been worse. Only his Parting Gift was listed under spells, because it was the only one he could currently use. The beast affinity and the incomplete second mana core were also expected. ¡®So, what do we do with you?¡¯ There wasn¡¯t a question mark thingy to bring back to Remior and he didn¡¯t think the lizard knew any profound techniques to teach. He also doubted it would make a good familiar, nor had he any intention of crippling himself again to try. ¡®Yeah¡­ This one is definitely a lost cause.¡¯ He¡¯d thought the exact same thing on Huehue, only to be proven wrong. Still, he was willing to bet good money it was true this time. He could walk around, hoping to find something interesting, but he hadn¡¯t a clue how to even bring it back. Were there even any sentient races on this world? ¡®Maybe I can try finding a life source and learn what happens when a beast gets a second core.¡¯ That sounded like a plan. It would be a good datapoint, so he¡¯d know what to expect from Micky. Not the most rewarding venture, but probably the best he could get out of the creature. ¡®Assuming this body is even capable of moving, that is.¡¯ It didn¡¯t respond to any commands. He couldn¡¯t even hear his own heartbeat. Frustrated, he grew less gentle with it. Its owner didn¡¯t seem to care, so why should he? He willed any muscle to move. He tried to give himself a panic attack. Anything¡­ A twitch. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was the first sign of feedback. Capitalizing on it, he redoubled his efforts, trying to expand on the sensation. Something cracked. More twitches followed. A muscle group. He could feel a limb unfold slowly. A foreleg ¨C if he understood the lizard¡¯s physiology correctly. The cracking sounds intensified. Every time a joint moved, something broke. ¡®Are we frozen solid?¡¯ It would certainly explain his host¡¯s aversion to cold and their impairment. Why didn¡¯t it hurt though? Were they numb? A couple frantic spasms later, Percy received his answer. He didn¡¯t get the chance to celebrate his newly freed limb before it began burning, as if on fire. ¡®Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!!!¡¯ That didn¡¯t make him give up though. If anything, it was proof his efforts were paying off. He figured the pain would stop either when he froze completely again, or when he fully thawed. And the latter seemed preferable. He ignored the other limbs, focusing inwards. The sooner he jumpstarted their heart the faster his torture would come to an end. ¡®Assuming we even have one at the usual spot.¡¯ Fortunately, they did, as he found out a couple minutes later. Its beats were soft and infrequent. He thought there was something wrong with the organ, or that it would take a while to get back to normal. But it never did. At some point, he was forced to accept that this was normal for the lizard. In any case, the pain had receded slightly. Even more importantly, he realized ¨C to his great joy ¨C he could finally open their eyes. A flash of white greeted him, which soon died down to¡­ ¡­an everything else of white. Chapter 49 – Frozen expanse Snow covered the ground below like a white blanket. Percy was standing on a steeply inclined surface ¨C a boulder or something. ¡®This world must have harsh winters.¡¯ Not used to looking at everything sideways, he climbed down from the rock. He noticed his host didn¡¯t weigh much, their feet not sinking very deep, their steps barely leaving some shallow prints. ¡®Good. Let¡¯s not attract any predators so soon.¡¯ Examining his surroundings, he realized his host wasn¡¯t the only unlucky lizard. Countless more geckos stood motionless all around him, having met the same fate. Either some extinction level event had occurred in this region, or it was normal for his species to go through cycles of freezing and thawing with the seasons. ¡®Oh well¡­ You don¡¯t mind me eating their cores, do you?¡¯ he asked his new pal. Percy had already experienced some of the lizard¡¯s memories. He¡¯d watched his host devour its own siblings, so he doubted it cared. That said, he figured it was polite to ask. No reply. Shrugging, he activated Mana Sense, noting most of the creatures were not only still alive, but also at Orange like him. Approaching the nearest one, he dug its core out with his claws, before swallowing it whole. ¡®It didn¡¯t even taste that bad.¡¯ Normally, Percy wasn¡¯t a huge fan of raw meat, especially when frozen solid. That said, his new tastebuds appeared to have a thing for blood-flavoured snow. Another pleasant surprise soon followed. A burst of mana was released in their stomach, warming them up. This was finally enough to elicit a satisfied reaction from his host. Although, the timid lizard quickly faded to the background again, happy to let Percy do all the work. ¡®It¡¯s that passive attitude that screwed you up in the first place.¡¯ Percy reprimanded the gecko, before moving to the next statue. He had no idea how close the lizard was to advancing, but it wouldn¡¯t take that long to eat all the cores. It was a bit of a gamble but ¨C if he got lucky ¨C he¡¯d have a much easier time travelling at Yellow. As he continued slaughtering one gecko after the other, a strange thought crossed his mind. The lizards looked rather similar to what one could find on Remior, making him wonder whether he¡¯d even left his world. A quick glance at the sky gave him his answer. ¡®Never mind. Definitely a coincidence.¡¯ There was only one sun ¨C its colour unknown ¨C but that was where the similarities ended. Percy counted as many as 17 moons of various sizes, and guessed there should be more that weren¡¯t visible right now. And those were just the semi-intact ones. Many more broken, irregular chunks of stone littered the sky, making it look like a cosmic cesspit. ¡®I wonder what the story is there. Did they just collide against each other, or did somebody do this?¡¯ The mere thought sent shivers down Percy¡¯s reptilian spine. He had no idea if a god was even capable of such a feat, and he¡¯d rather not find out. He wasn¡¯t keen on meeting a being capable of tossing moons around like pebbles. After all, what else would such an existence be capable of? Detecting souls, maybe? Eager to get the hell out of this world, he picked up the pace, guzzling down one core after another, uncaring about the lizard genocide he was committing. Of course, he still had to take frequent breaks, to digest the mana every time his body reached saturation. While he couldn¡¯t devour the geckos¡¯ souls like Micky, the beast mana contained in their cores still accumulated rapidly after eating so many in quick succession. *** ¡®This is the most boring clone I¡¯ve ever made.¡¯ he thought as he sat on the snow waiting once more. It had been several hours since he managed to thaw his host, and he¡¯d already consumed hundreds of cores in that time. The sun had set too, but luckily his eyes turned out less useless than expected, as they appeared to possess some level of night vision. Percy¡¯s core was still at Orange, although more than two thirds of the lizards remained. At his current rate, it would take him another day to finish the rest.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡®Hopefully it won¡¯t be a waste of time.¡¯ His fear wasn¡¯t the only thing rushing him. Given the relatively good condition of his body coupled with the ungodly amount of soul mana he had used to patch it up, he was confident he could easily survive for a week or two. However, sending out clones was a zero-sum game. Every day he spent here meant delaying the next clone by just as much. Consequently, if there was nothing of value on this world, it was in his best interest to leave early. ¡®Let¡¯s not dilly dally then.¡¯ Standing up, he walked to the next lizard, about to resume his feast. Not that he had much of an appetite left. While the first dozen or so had tasted alright, he¡¯d grown sick after spending the whole afternoon stuffing his face full of them. Also, the statues looked much creepier at night. Either way, he never got the chance to take another bite, as he saw movement off the corner of his eye. ¡®What the fuck is that?!¡¯ he thought, as a wave of primal terror overcame his host. A massive shape was slithering some distance away, its pale colour barely discernible against the frozen expanse. Much like the geckos, the serpent also vaguely reminded Percy of something he might encounter on Remior, but it was his first time seeing a snake covered in fur. ¡®Shit. It¡¯s at Green.¡¯ He had no idea how large his host was compared to a human, but the abomination appeared colossal to his current eyes, its girth four times his own. As for its length, it was impossible to estimate as it zigged and zagged through the army of statues, swallowing them whole, one after the other. ¡®What do I do?!¡¯ Percy briefly considered playing dead. A moment later he realized how idiotic the idea was. Even if the snake somehow missed the trail of footprints behind him, the thick stench of blood coming from him or his elevated body temperature, it certainly couldn¡¯t miss the sea of mana coursing through his channels. But more importantly, the serpent clearly wouldn¡¯t stop until it devoured every last one of his kin. Whether he stood still or not, his end would be the same. ¡®Oh well. Worst case scenario it eats me.¡¯ Out of options and without much to lose, Percy waited for the snake to look the other way before sprinting as if his life depended on it ¨C which it did. He didn¡¯t even dare to look back, only using Mana Sense half a minute later to check if the monster was in hot pursuit. It wasn¡¯t. Only then did he stop, turning around. The snake was still busy eating the other geckos a few hundred meters away. ¡®What, am I not tasty enough for you, you bastard?!¡¯ Percy wasn¡¯t sure whether to be relieved or offended. He was certain the creature had noticed him, but it hadn¡¯t bothered giving chase. Then again, it wasn¡¯t that surprising. Why waste time going after the lone survivor when it had a veritable feast laid out in front of it? ¡®I doubt it would be willing to share though.¡¯ Perhaps the serpent didn¡¯t care much about a single gecko slipping away, but it was probably not going to take too kindly to him returning. ¡®Great! All those hours wasted!¡¯ Frustrated, Percy entertained the thought of going back to confront the snake. He knew he was no match for a Yellow beast, let alone a Green one, so he¡¯d definitely die. That said, ending this farce a moment sooner might be his best course of action right now. But he shook his head. He realized he¡¯d been spoiled by his past clones'' successes. His current situation was likely more indicative of what he should expect going forward. The odds of stumbling upon a treasure trove every time weren''t high, so giving up after the first setback would be unwise. ¡®Let''s wander around for another day or two. If I can''t find anything interesting, I''ll leave.¡¯ As for what "something interesting" might be, he wasn''t sure. He guessed he''d know when he found it. Perhaps a potent life source for his second core, another cluster of frozen lizards he could eat, a village of sentient lifeforms, or any other rare treasure might qualify. Just as Percy made up his mind, a loud screech caused him to tilt his head up. The only thing he managed to see was a shadow blotting out the sky. He didn¡¯t even get the chance to examine it with Mana Sense, before an elongated maw snapped shut around his head. At least it didn¡¯t hurt, the pain not yet registering, as his face rolled inside something slimy, before plunging into a pungent swamp. And with that, his vision faded to black, an irresistible force prying him out of the gecko¡¯s flesh, bringing his third adventure to an abrupt end. ¡®Worst. Clone. Ever.¡¯
[Author¡¯s Note 1: I know many of you were probably eagerly waiting for Percy to resume sending clones and might be disappointed his first one in a while went down like this. I just want to clarify that I typically won¡¯t be showing failed clones ¡°on-screen¡± moving forward. I only included this one to give you a taste of what his average clone experience is like. From now on, Percy will be sending clones regularly, but I¡¯ll only show the interesting ones where he gains something useful. Apologies for the wait.] [Author¡¯s Note 2: Some of you might be wondering why the lizard could perceive colours through Mana Sense when its vision is monochrome. Mana Sense is NOT the same as regular eyesight. People use colours to describe grades out of convenience, but if you notice I always capitalize them when viewed through Mana Sense. (Red, Orange, Yellow etc)] Chapter 50 – The hunt resumes ¡®I¡¯ll be there in 10 minutes.¡¯ Percy was running along a bridge, Circulation active, with a wasp corpse the size of a fox slung over his shoulder. The stinger pointed forward, ensuring he wouldn¡¯t accidentally stab himself. ¡®CAW!¡¯ The crow was flying at half its usual speed with another worker hot on its trail. Ten minutes later, they met up. Percy tossed the carapace in front of his familiar, before gathering both types of mana in his right hand, forming a cyan glove and a transparent sickle. He dashed towards the bird, who circled around him. Micky dug into the corpse¡¯s sternum for its snack, as Percy engaged his pursuer. The fight was short. Percy dodged the first few stabs before a well-executed parry with his backhand doubled as a lethal counterattack, swiping the Parting Gift across the bug¡¯s torso. As soon as the second wasp died, he ignored it, letting Micky deal with the corpse once he finished his current meal. Instead, Percy moved toward the third target, conveniently located on the same mushroom. A minute later, it met the same fate. Just in time too, as Micky arrived at Percy¡¯s location, gently holding two glands in his talons. ¡®How far to the next batch?¡¯ Percy asked while squeezing the nectar into a vial. CAW! CAW! The bird showed him the locations of three more workers, the nearest over half an hour away, eliciting a groan from the young man. ¡®Ok. I¡¯ll go there. You bait that one. We¡¯ll meet up here.¡¯ he said, getting a nod back. Their current hunting strategy was a lot different from what Percy had originally envisioned. Based on what others had told him soon after he joined the Guild, he¡¯d thought he and Micky should ideally grow proficient enough to split up and hunt separately. After all, they could cover more ground like that ¨C on paper. And indeed, both of them had improved a lot after a month, to the point Micky could even kill a few wasps on his own by now. However, their strengths and weaknesses had developed rather disproportionally to one another. On one hand, Percy was quite adept at killing the bugs with his glove and sickle, often dispatching them within seconds. As much as his familiar had improved in this department, he doubted it would get as good as him anytime soon. On the other hand, Percy was held up by his slower travelling speed. Even if he knew where the bugs were, he still needed several minutes to reach each one ¨C let alone when he had to blindly search for them. Yet, scouting was precisely where Micky excelled. Consequently, he had concluded that the most efficient strategy should make use of both their talents, while covering their shortcomings. Micky would locate the bugs and bait the more distant ones over, while Percy was in charge of putting them down. Like that, they had reached an average of 29 daily kills by the end of the month! ¡®Still not enough though.¡¯ Percy smiled bitterly as he crossed the bridge. Strictly speaking, he could now earn over 400 contribution points per hunt, which was just barely enough to cover for one of his cores. However, that was under the assumption that he¡¯d hunt every single day without fail. Unfortunately, some downtime was unavoidable. His third clone had needed three full days for the round trip, forcing Percy to remain idle in that time.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. At first, he had intended to keep hunting while his clone was away. Due to his soul¡¯s injuries, he knew it would be harder to accumulate soul mana by himself, but he could still form the sickle with Micky¡¯s help. Sadly, he couldn¡¯t have accounted for the unexpected issue with his soul¡¯s integrity, caused by having two ethereal cords simultaneously. Hunting in that state was ill-advised as a single moment of weakness could cost them dearly. ¡®I guess we just need to raise the bar a bit more to cover for the idle days.¡¯ There was a little room for improvement, but not a lot. Percy estimated they¡¯d cap out at 32 kills after some more experience, but that was it. He couldn¡¯t get much quicker at killing the bugs, and neither could Micky fly any faster. The only thing he could help was getting Circulation to work for the rest of the afternoon. ¡®I wanted to siphon the excess profits into alchemy, not to cover for my clones¡¯ adventures¡­¡¯ he smiled bitterly. Of course, he could just stop creating clones. He shook his head. As annoyed as he was when his first clone in over a year came back empty-handed, Percy had no intention of giving up on his ability entirely. He¡¯d always known this would happen. Not every dying body in the universe held some profound magical secret, but he¡¯d never find the few diamonds in the rough if he stopped looking altogether. Perhaps, somebody else in his shoes might have grown content with a second core and a familiar, but Percy understood his current kit wasn¡¯t sufficient to reach the pinnacle. ¡®Sending clones is the one thing I can¡¯t compromise on. Even if it slows down my advancement.¡¯ *** Percy entered the settlement, after another exhausting hunt. In the end, they¡¯d only harvested 29 glands again. The same as yesterday. And the day before. His efficiency had only dropped slightly a couple hours before sunset, when Circulation failed him. Still, it was hard to extend its duration any further and he couldn¡¯t figure out a better way to use his mana than his current glove-sickle combo. It didn¡¯t help that he woke up tired every morning, as five hours of sleep didn¡¯t seem to cut it. ¡®Maybe I should look into recovery potions.¡¯ They weren¡¯t very good, but he only needed the tiniest boost. It would all depend on their price though. He was about to head to one of the official buildings to exchange his nectar, when his gaze landed on the drowsy girl¡¯s stand. ¡®Huh. She¡¯s still growing.¡¯ he chuckled. Contrary to his expectations, her information trade had not only survived over the past month, but even boomed somewhat. Percy had been shocked to see her jar steadily filling over time, until she had amassed enough money to expand her business. Her sign now read: ¡®BUYING [AND SELLING] INFORMATION ON THE THIRD [AND FOURTH] LEVEL[S]¡¯ Much to Percy¡¯s annoyance, she hadn¡¯t even bothered to nail a new plank with the changes, instead sticking a couple pieces of paper to patch in the new words. Yet, the five jars on the counter, all filled with red and orange coins were proof enough that she knew what she was doing. ¡®Maybe I should try something like this too.¡¯ Percy¡¯s eyelid twitched as he listened to the girl snoring without a care in the world. At the beginning he¡¯d felt happy for her, but it was starting to irritate him. She was making nearly as many points as he was, while sitting around all day. In fact, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she surpassed him before long. But he sighed a moment later, realizing it wouldn¡¯t work for him. ¡®Forget it. I have no idea how to broker information. There¡¯s clearly some secret behind her success, otherwise everyone would be doing it.¡¯ Ignoring her, he walked to Freddy¡¯s for his daily Honey Roll. Eating the delicious snacks after each hunt had grown into a bit of a ritual by now. Also, Freddy was currently his only friend in the Guild, and it was nice having somebody to talk to. Only ten minutes later did Percy leave, trying to catch the official buildings before they closed for the night. ¡®I wish I didn¡¯t have to go through so many hoops though.¡¯ The most annoying part was that he had to visit two different shops, in opposite corners of the settlement. He only sold half his loot at each location, and alternated which one he bought his elixirs from, to avoid unnecessary questions. He knew he was probably just being paranoid, as nobody had ever asked him where he got his nectar. Even if somebody figured out that an Orange core was somehow making over 400 points per day, they wouldn¡¯t care too much. Still, he did prefer to take any precautions he could. ¡°Anything else I can help you with?¡± the clerk at the second shop ¨C a brunette clad in green ¨C asked after handing him a vial of elixir. Percy was about to shake his head absentmindedly, when he thought of something. ¡®Since I¡¯m here, I might as well.¡¯ ¡°Do you sell potions?¡± Chapter 51 – Potions ¡°Of course!¡± the clerk replied, before scratching her head. ¡°Although, I¡¯m forced by Guild regulations to inform potential customers that the potions¡¯ potency is rather limited.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve been told. But how limited are we talking about exactly?¡± ¡°Well, they work as advertised, but don¡¯t expect any miracles on par with the elixirs.¡± she elaborated, before furrowing her brow. ¡°Although I suppose they¡¯ll be somewhat effective for you. No offense.¡± Percy nodded. ¡°None taken. I¡¯d like to have a look if it¡¯s not too difficult.¡± The clerk shrugged, before leading him to an adjacent room. She pressed her badge against a symbol on the wall, causing a different rune to light up on the ceiling, illuminating the place. It wasn¡¯t a large room and ¨C if the dust on the shelves was any indication ¨C it was rarely used. ¡®I guess nobody cares enough to inscribe self-cleaning runes in the potion room.¡¯ ¡°As you can imagine, not many of our alchemists bother brewing potions, and even fewer customers ever buy them. Still, we currently have four different varieties of sufficient quality to be approved for sale by the Guild.¡± Seeing Percy remain silent, she continued. ¡°The most popular ones ¨C relatively speaking ¨C are the healing potions. They can help mend injuries for people below Yellow. Just minor stuff though. No raising the dead or regrowing limbs.¡± ¡®It might be worth having one or two of these on me, for an emergency.¡¯ So far, Percy had survived his first month on the Spire without getting stabbed by the wasps, so he doubted he¡¯d get in much trouble anytime soon. Still, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have something to fall back to in case of an accident. ¡°How much?¡± The clerk smiled. ¡°Just 10 points per dose. If we went solely by the price of the ingredients and the expertise required to brew them, they¡¯d be a lot more expensive. However, the supply far exceeds their demand. Our senior alchemists only bother with them whenever they want a break from elixirs. The same is true for the other potions.¡± ¡®Lucky me.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll take three of these then.¡± Percy said. He didn¡¯t have much money to splurge on them, but if it was a one-time thing he could afford it. He doubted he¡¯d need them replaced anytime soon. The clerk handed him three glass vials. Apparently, the gemstones were too precious to be used for cheap potions. Percy could see a glowing green liquid swirling inside. Probably some life mana somehow processed into this form. In any case, this wasn¡¯t what he was here for. Tossing the potions into his pockets, he paid the clerk three orange coins, before asking her about the rest. ¡°Next we have magic potions.¡± she gestured to a row of vials, their contents shimmering in a light blue colour. ¡°Their main ingredient is a flower with pure mana properties, and they can refill your core once consumed. However, they only contain enough for an Orange core, and the conversion rate to other affinities is abysmal.¡± Percy made an odd expression. On paper, it sounded like these potions were tailor made for him. He had a Red core with a pure affinity, which meant there was nobody else on Remior who could benefit more from these potions than him. A single dose could refill his core thrice over! Still, Circulation boosted his mana regeneration the most, so he couldn¡¯t recall ever getting in a situation that couldn¡¯t be resolved through his Refined spell. In the end he shook his head, prompting the clerk to continue.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°These are called enlightenment potions. Please pardon us for the tacky name ¨C it is a bit on the nose considering their subpar effect ¨C but they do help you focus for a couple hours after consuming them. They are best used before studying.¡± she said, pointing to a shelf of bright red potions that looked a bit like glowing blood. Percy¡¯s eyes widened. They might be handy for him if he decided to read up on alchemy, but that wasn¡¯t what surprised him. ¡°Do they contain mind mana by any chance?¡± he asked, trying to mask his inner turmoil. He probably did a poor job at it, as the clerk chuckled upon seeing his expression. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure you see the pattern by now. Our alchemists have drawn inspiration from elixirs, trying to brew other affinities into potions, although their results leave much to be desired. None of them exceed what an Orange core is capable of.¡± Percy quickly ran some calculations in his head. Baldy had needed around 1800 refills to germinate his second core. If these enlightenment potions contained as much mana as an Orange core, he¡¯d need somewhere around 110,000 doses for Micky. He smiled wryly at that conclusion. ¡®That¡¯s over a million contribution points. Do they even have that many in stock?¡¯ Even if he somehow managed to amass the outlandish sum, he¡¯d have to find a way to buy the potions without arousing suspicion. Still, this was his first lead, so it was something to keep in mind for the future. ¡°Do you want to buy some?¡± the clerk asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. ¡°Not right now.¡± Micky aside, he definitely wanted to hit the library in the next couple of days. Perhaps the enlightenment potions would be handy at that time, but they weren¡¯t a priority at the moment. Shrugging, the clerk moved to the final shelf filled with brown potions. This time, she had to brush some cobwebs aside, speaking volumes as to the last time anybody bought any of these. ¡°This is the final item ¨C and the least popular I¡¯m afraid. They are called rejuvenation potions and you¡¯re meant to drink them before going to bed. Supposedly, they help you rest more overnight, but the difference isn¡¯t huge and it¡¯s not like sleep deprivation is a serious issue in the Guild.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem very keen on promoting your merchandise.¡± Percy noted. The clerk hadn¡¯t really painted any of the potions in a positive light since he got here. It was his first time experiencing something like this in a shop. She chuckled. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I get a commission based on sales. Besides, all the prices in this shop are fixed according to Guild rules. Also, the profits from the potions are peanuts compared to the elixirs and the demand for those is set in stone, regardless of my conduct. Thank Phoebe for it too. People only volunteer for these posts to relax. Nobody would bother if it was a hassle. So yeah¡­ I might as well be honest with the customers.¡± This arrangement suited Percy just fine. ¡°So, what mana do these contain?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t quote me on this, but I believe it¡¯s a mixture of life and mind mana. However, they are designed to have a more delayed effect compared to the other potions. They basically work by augmenting your body¡¯s natural recovery over a longer period of time. So don¡¯t try relying on them in a pinch, but they¡¯ll probably give you more value for your points overnight.¡± ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll take one of these for now.¡± Percy said. Truth be told, none of the potions seemed revolutionary, but the brown ones sounded like the most suitable to his situation. He¡¯d try one tonight to see if it helped. A single dose was worth less points than a Starry Worker, so if it let him get an extra kill tomorrow it would pay for itself. He left after thanking the clerk. Returning home was a pain in the ass, as the shop was in the other side of the settlement. ¡®Shit, I have to wake up in five hours. And I still haven¡¯t taken today¡¯s elixirs.¡¯ he grimaced. Picking up the pace, he made it to his house in a rush, only lamenting the fact that he couldn¡¯t activate Circulation in the middle of the Guild. Not many people were out and about this late, but it wasn¡¯t worth the risk just to sleep a few minutes longer. As soon as he entered his room, he downed the expensive elixir before getting into the shower. To save time, he circulated his pure mana between his stomach and abdomen while the warm water splashed on his shoulders, washing the grime off him. The mana burned wherever it passed, as he had overused his channels again. On top of that, his body¡¯s soreness made it a struggle to even stand, but he gritted his teeth to see this through. Half an hour later, he was in his bed, drinking a dose of the diluted elixir. ¡®Micky, can you eat the bug now?¡¯ For the next couple of weeks, Percy would need some help generating enough soul mana for the elixirs. They¡¯d arranged for Micky to keep a half-dead Starry Drone by his side, with its stinger broken and its wings clipped, to be eaten on demand. ¡®CAW¡­¡¯ The familiar appeared half-asleep, but a modest trickle of mana still flowed through the connection a few moments later. Percy took deep breaths to reinforce it, as he circulated it between his stomach and sternum. By the time he finished, there were less than four hours left before sunrise. Picking up the rejuvenation potion, he gave it a swirl, gazing at the brown liquid as if it was the most precious treasure. He uncorked the vial with his mouth, carelessly spitting the lid on the floor, before gulping the potion down. It wasn¡¯t bitter like the elixirs. It was sweet, reminding him of thinned syrup. ¡®I really hope it does something, or tomorrow is going to suck so fucking much.¡¯ Chapter 52 – Time management Percy woke up feeling¡­ alright. He stretched out on his bed, before glancing around the dimly lit room. Just enough sunlight seeped through the curtain to cast soft shadows on the walls. Percy wasn¡¯t exactly fully rested, and he¡¯d gladly sleep for another hour if it were an option. As the shopkeeper had said, the effect of the rejuvenation potion was rather modest. ¡®Still impressive though¡­¡¯ All things considered, Percy had barely slept four hours, yet he was less tired than the previous mornings. His soreness remained, but it was muted. Pulling some mana from his abdomen also revealed that his channels had somewhat recovered ¨C at least they didn¡¯t burn as much. Percy was tempted to keep buying the brown potions if only to improve his quality of life. Not feeling like crap had to count for something. ¡®No, let¡¯s make sure it gets me some tangible results first.¡¯ he decided, getting up. Tossing his robe on, he opened his house¡¯s preservation box, taking a bottle of milk out. Next, he hurriedly drank two mouthfuls before rushing out of his house with a loaf of bread held by his teeth, eager to begin hunting. If he managed 30 kills today, he¡¯d absolutely use that as an excuse to justify buying the potions. Half an hour later, Micky tilted his head upon seeing him, clearly noticing he was in a good mood. CAW? Percy chuckled, feeling a rare lightness in his steps. Even the colourful motes slowly falling on the mushroom looked prettier than usual. ¡®It¡¯s a secret.¡¯ he smirked, acting all mysterious. CAW! CAW! The familiar pecked him a few times. ¡°Ah-Ouch! Fuck! Ok! It¡¯s a thing that made me sleep better!¡± Percy broke rather easily, rubbing his arm. That only seemed to pour oil in the fire, however. CAW!! CRAAAA!!! CAW!!! Percy shielded his face with his elbows, curling on the ground to cover as much of his body as possible. ¡®Why are you even complaining?! I¡¯m the one who has Circulation active all day!¡¯ CAW! Micky sent him the memory of being woken up in the middle of the night. ¡®Fine! If they prove useful, I¡¯ll CONSIDER buying you some too.¡¯ Only then did the bird stop torturing him, a satisfied glint in its eye. ¡®You extortionist¡­ Have you at least found any wasps on the way here?¡¯ he exhaled in defeat. Micky remained silent, only sending him a few images of Starry Workers on some nearby mushrooms. Nodding, Percy took a deep breath, and then another¡­ Next, he sprinted towards their first target for the day as the cyan lines shone under his skin. *** ¡®CAW! CAW!¡¯ Micky reminded him of his promise as he crossed the final bridge connecting the second level to the Spire¡¯s base. ¡®Alright, a deal¡¯s a deal. I¡¯ll bring you one tomorrow.¡¯ the young man replied. His steps were uneven, as were his breaths. However, a shit-eating grin was plastered all over his face, despite the exhaustion. Today, they had managed to harvest 31 glands, proving the efficacy of the rejuvenation potion! Well, ok. Perhaps part of it was just luck, another part a placebo. Still, Percy was quite certain his recent purchase had contributed to some extent. After all, once the mana began burning his channels and Circulation started feeling heavier, he was able to push through, keeping the technique active until the end. He doubted he had achieved this through sheer willpower. Overall, he was satisfied. Not only with the potion but also his improvements since joining the Guild. He and Micky had started with a laughable 14 kills on their first day, yet they had more than doubled that number since.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. His only regret was that there didn¡¯t seem to be any room for further improvement. At least not on the second floor. And he wasn¡¯t confident in risking their lives or their secrets on the third one. This meant he had to make do with 465 contribution points per hunt for the foreseeable future, assuming he could keep this up. ¡®It¡¯s enough for one core, even if I account for three days of downtime per month.¡¯ Of course, it was possible one of his clones might need longer but, in that case, he¡¯d just have to accept the loss and hope he got something worthwhile in return. More importantly, this would also leave him enough change for two potions per day. One of those had to be his daily dose of the rejuvenation potion ¨C it was already indispensable in his mind. The second slot placed him in a bit of a dilemma though. On one hand, he wanted to get brown potions for Micky, to compensate the crow for helping him recover soul mana. He needed his help both to use the diluted elixirs with his first core, but also to begin clearing the corresponding set of channels. On the other, he had to start reading up on alchemy. Saving 1000 points for each lecture was out of the question, so his only option was to hit the library and hope the enlightenment potions helped. And there was another problem. ¡®Why can¡¯t there be more than 24 hours in a day?¡¯ Percy felt like tearing his hair out. His hunting trips already lasted 18 hours ¨C of which one was spent just travelling to and from the mushrooms. He couldn¡¯t cut the time down, else his income would also drop. Of the remaining six hours, one was spent at home drinking elixirs. His other activities ¨C such as socializing with Freddy or exchanging his points ¨C only ate into his sleep. Suffice to say, he couldn¡¯t reduce that any further either. ¡®The only way is to learn how to use the elixirs while walking.¡¯ It might take some practice, but it would save him an hour per day. He could spend that either in the library or at home unblocking his channels. ¡®Let¡¯s alternate between the two. I¡¯ll do the same with the potions.¡¯ Having settled on a plan, Percy entered the settlement, stopping by Freddy¡¯s for a few minutes. Next, he went to the official shops, this time buying his elixir from the other one. He also got two doses of the rejuvenation potion, one for himself and one to hand to his familiar tomorrow. Only then did he head home, taking a shower and downing one of the new potions before going to bed. He didn¡¯t drink any elixirs today, as he had to adjust the time he took them. *** Percy got up, feeling even better than yesterday. Evidently, an extra hour of sleep got him even more value out of the potion. After dressing and eating a tomato ¨C no time for a salad ¨C he ran out of his house, taking two doses of elixir with him ¨C a regular and a diluted one. However, he didn¡¯t drink them just yet. His plan was to take the diluted dose in the afternoon, on the way back. At that point, his body and core would be full of soul mana, right after the hunt ended. This meant he had to cleanse his pure core in the morning, but he couldn¡¯t do that in plain sight. People might notice the mana circulating in his abdomen. Consequently, he waited until he reached the second level to finally swallow the expensive elixir. ¡®It¡¯s tougher than I thought.¡¯ he groaned. Cleansing one¡¯s core required a lot of focus and it was his first time trying it on the move. Making a mistake wasn¡¯t necessarily dangerous, but it could easily waste some of the elixir¡¯s efficacy. ¡®At least the Starry Workers don¡¯t attack unprovoked.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if it was different on the upper floors, but he didn¡¯t have to worry about them bothering him right now. By the time he met up with Micky, the elixir in his stomach had been used up. Percy estimated he¡¯d wasted about 20%, which wasn¡¯t ideal. He sure hoped he¡¯d get better at this soon. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s a useful skill to have anyway.¡¯ Most experienced mages learned this at some point. People like baldy couldn¡¯t afford to waste half an hour sitting still every day. ¡®Come to think of it¡­ Can¡¯t I also unblock my channels on the move?¡¯ It would be impossible to do that during a fight, but most of his time was spent travelling atop the giant fungi. In fact, whenever they finished a batch of wasps, Micky provided him with a ton of mana, so his current difficulty in regenerating it by himself wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Of course, he needed the soul mana to recover, but it wouldn¡¯t be lost when he unblocked a channel. It would still be in his body, available to be used later. ¡®Doing that while having Circulation active is going to be such a chore though.¡¯ he grimaced. Like this, Percy would essentially be using every second productively. Waking up. Travelling to the Fungal Spire while cleansing his second core. Killing a batch of wasps. Clearing his channels while moving to the next batch. Repeating the last two steps for the whole day. Returning to the Guild while cleansing his first core. Exchanging his points and buying potions and elixirs. Spending an hour in the library. Sleeping. His routine would only change slightly once a month when he sent out a new clone. At that point, he¡¯d have to take a break from hunting, but it would also be his best chance to put more time into studying, so he wasn¡¯t going to waste it. He frowned. Strictly speaking, this was arguably torture. However, if he stuck to it, he¡¯d be making rapid progress towards multiple goals. Whenever he reached one of them, he¡¯d be able to relax somewhat. Eventually, using the elixirs while walking would become effortless. Also, after mastering Circulation with his second core, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it either. Plus, he could reconsider hunting on the third level at that point. And these were just the short-term milestones. One of his clones was bound to stumble upon something interesting sooner or later. Not to mention that once he became an alchemist, he might be able to stop hunting entirely. And even if everything else failed, his second core should advance to Orange in a little over three years too. Although he sure hoped another of his projects would bear fruit before then. Percy grinned. ¡®Pain is temporary. Gains are forever.¡¯ Chapter 53 – Three pillars One of the Guild¡¯s largest buildings stood before Percy. It was made out of the same polished stones as all the houses and shops, covered from top to bottom in intricate glyphs, shimmering faintly whenever the colourful motes landed on them. He¡¯d walked past the library many times since joining, although he¡¯d never entered. And he wasn¡¯t alone in that. Apparently very few people ever bothered, as it wasn¡¯t the easiest way to learn alchemy. ¡®Let¡¯s do this then. My time here is limited after all.¡¯ At least the place was always open, so he wouldn¡¯t have to tailor his schedule to any inconvenient opening hours. He only needed to press his badge against a rune to be allowed inside. As soon as he gazed upon the countless towering bookcases, his heart began racing. ¡®Gods, I¡¯ve missed reading!¡¯ It used to be his main pastime growing up, but he¡¯d been too busy over the last couple of years. Glancing around the room, he saw two middle-aged men dressed in blue, sitting on different tables. Each had a pile of books by their side. However, both had stopped what they were doing, giving him strange looks. ¡®What? Did I do something wrong?¡¯ On closer inspection, one of them was the guy who¡¯d given him the introductory lecture a month earlier. Percy never caught his name, but he did feel grateful for the freebie. He walked up to him, with a smile on his face. In his experience, the man was approachable, and he could use some help finding what he needed. ¡°Good evening, sir!¡± he whispered to avoid bothering the other guy who¡¯d returned to reading by now. ¡°Did something happen outside?¡± the alchemist asked in concern, skipping the pleasantries. Percy furrowed his brow. ¡°No? Why do you ask?¡± The man stared at him in confusion for a few moments. ¡°I see¡­ It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t remember the last time I saw anybody under a century old in here.¡± Percy smiled wryly. ¡®Yeah, no shit.¡¯ ¡°Well, I¡¯m currently broke, so this is my only means of getting into alchemy.¡± he said. ¡°Actually, I wanted to thank you for that lesson you gave recently. I was hoping you could point me to some suitable books for beginners. If it¡¯s not too much trouble of course!¡± The man¡¯s expression brightened like the morning sun as soon as alchemy was brought up. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it! As I said back then, the Guild can use as many alchemists as we can get. It brings me great joy whenever I see young people willing to delve into the field.¡± Standing up, the man hurriedly walked to a certain corner of the room, motioning him to follow. ¡°Sadly, these are all the books we have on the subject.¡± he gestured to an old, dusty bookcase. ¡°Seriously?¡± These were less than 5% of the books in the building. Pretty neglected too ¨C compared to everything else. ¡°What about the rest?¡± The alchemist chuckled. ¡°History, geography, politics, novels¡­ Those are a lot more popular. Only old people frequent this place, and most of them are already experienced alchemists after all.¡± Percy nodded. The thing about a world as old as Remior was that there was never a lack of material for people to read and write about. Countless wars took place every year between the various noble Houses. Alliances, betrayals, epic battles¡­ If there was one thing authors and bards alike never had to worry about, it was sources of inspiration to draw from.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I suggest you start with these for now.¡± the man said, breaking him out of his thoughts. Next, he handed him four leather-bound tomes, one after another. The stack might have felt heavy if he was still at Red. ¡°Feel free to ask me if you have any questions. I spend most of my nights in here.¡± The implication made Percy¡¯s heart skip a beat. It would be rude to keep bothering the alchemist if he never offered, but now things were different. Between the books, the potion and the elder¡¯s help, wasn¡¯t this like getting another free lesson? ¡°Thank you, sir! I really appreciate it.¡± ¡°Just call me Orin.¡± the man replied, already returning to his table. Following suit, Percy picked another vacant spot, before setting down the books. Next, he removed them from the pile, laying them side by side, before blowing at them, raising a cloud of dust in the process. ¡®When was the last time anybody read these?¡¯ he thought amidst coughs. In any case, he could finally make out their titles. ¡®Common reagents: flowers, herbs and minerals¡¯ ¡®Known recipes for elixirs¡¯ ¡®A guide to brewing¡¯ ¡®The three pillars of nectar purification¡¯ Percy decided to start with the last one, assuming it was the most fundamental. With less than half an hour left, he doubted he¡¯d get far tonight, so he didn¡¯t waste the enlightenment potion. Opening the tome, he quickly skimmed through the fluff in the first few pages before his eyes settled on something interesting. ¡®¡­and thus, the central idea is to process the nectar into a form more suitable for core purification. In its raw state, the beast mana would run amok, causing great damage over a few seconds. What we want instead, is to alter some of its properties, so that it can be used safely and effectively. These transformations are separated into distinct categories, which are formally called the three pillars¡­¡¯ Percy was glad to have started with this one. He still didn¡¯t fully understand what the brewing process involved, so learning about specific ingredients and recipes should come later. Reading on, he soon found the definitions he was interested in. ¡®The first pillar is the pacification of the nectar. Simply put, it involves a class of materials that cause the beast mana to act in a delayed manner, allowing the elixirs to be slowly used over several minutes instead of rampaging in one¡¯s core within a handful of seconds.¡¯ ¡®Huh, I bet it¡¯s the same thing they use to make the rejuvenation potions work overnight, contrary to the healing potions.¡¯ Percy realised. But there was more there, so he continued. ¡®The second pillar is the redirection of the nectar. This step involves adding materials which make the beast mana react more strongly to the impurities found in a core, rather than the core itself. As for the third pillar, it is called deattunement. If it wasn¡¯t for this, the beast mana would counteract the user¡¯s mana, wasting the effect of the elixir before it even reached one¡¯s core. Deattunement allows the nectar to blend peacefully with another affinity, so that it can be safely guided from one¡¯s stomach to their sternum.¡¯ Percy reread the text a few more times to make sure he understood everything. ¡®Pacification, redirection and deattunement. I guess all the various recipes just substitute a different ingredient for each of the three pillars.¡¯ Almost out of time, he quickly dove back into the book to make as much progress as possible. ¡®Naturally, each of the three pillars is essential to the brewing process, but they do not come without a cost. Every time the nectar is mixed with a different ingredient, some of the beast mana is lost. And this exchange has to occur thrice in each session. Beginners often struggle to get past even one of the steps without wasting the nectar. An alchemist¡¯s skill is quantified based on how much elixir they manage to retain by the end of the third one.¡¯ The book went on to divulge some general information about the three pillars and what types of plants tended to fall into each category. As expected, dozens of known ingredients were suitable for each step, giving rise to thousands of recipes. That said, about 80% of the process was transferable from one recipe to another. Some plants required special handling, introducing some additional variable, but for the most part there was no clear ¡®winner¡¯ among the recipes. It was just a question of what materials were available and what the alchemist was most familiar with. ¡®I wish I could stay longer.¡¯ he sighed. Even though he had yet to delve into alchemy proper, Percy had still enjoyed reading up on the theory. Sadly, he couldn¡¯t extend today¡¯s session without affecting tomorrow¡¯s hunt. Returning the books to the shelf, he gave Orin an apologetic smile before leaving. The man frowned upon seeing him go so early. A few minutes later he made it home. After showering, he drank the rejuvenation potion and went to bed. Staring up at his ceiling, he thought back to Orin¡¯s disappointed expression as he bade him farewell. ¡®Huh, he probably thinks I got bored after half an hour.¡¯ Percy smiled bitterly. But there was nothing he could do about it. Actions spoke louder than words and besides¡­ ¡®I¡¯ll be back.¡¯ Chapter 54 – Orin Lukewarm. If Orin had to pick a word to describe his life, it would be that. He enjoyed what he did of course ¨C enough to forget about the bitterness in his past, but his daily routine hadn¡¯t changed much in a long time. It had been several centuries since he left home to join the Guild as an aspiring alchemist. He still missed his family from time to time, his House having long been destroyed. Not being there for his parents and sister in their final moments was one of his few regrets. Still, he understood he couldn¡¯t have changed much even if he¡¯d stayed. Born with an Orange core, Orin hadn¡¯t even reached Green back when the disaster struck. His only solace was he didn¡¯t have to worry about the brutality running rampant across Remior as long as he remained within the walls of the Guild. Nobody dared to stir trouble under the noses of both the Divine Order and the Great Houses. Even better was he¡¯d found his true calling here. Harnessing nature for humanity¡¯s sake, using the raw nectar to refine elixirs ¨C Remior¡¯s lifeblood ¨C was Orin¡¯s greatest passion in life. Something about the art truly resonated with him. Perhaps it was the respect it garnered from mortals and gods alike. Maybe it was the satisfaction he drew knowing he personally contributed to his world¡¯s survival. Or it could just be that challenging himself to improve every day, to find new ways of increasing his yield was a ton of fun. In fact, if there was one thing the old codger liked as much as brewing, it was mentoring youngsters and passing along the art to the next generation. ¡®If only they cared half as much to learn.¡¯ The Guild didn¡¯t exactly lack manpower. Sure, they couldn¡¯t provide for the Red-borns of Remior, but who cared about them anyway? There were plenty of elixirs to go around for the Orange-borns and above. Plus, new members kept joining the Guild in droves. Most of them picked up alchemy too ¨C sooner or later. Even the lazier ones eventually managed to save up enough points. However, Orin had a soft spot for the rare few who bothered learning the art properly ¨C paying as much attention to the underlying theory as they did for demonstrations and lessons. That was why he¡¯d been so excited when he first saw Percy in the library. Sure, the boy had probably been driven there by his empty pockets ¨C not a pure appreciation for the subject. Still, it warmed Orin¡¯s heart to see somebody diving into the books in earnest. The others who only blindly copied their elders rarely surpassed a yield of 35%. They also never brought any new insights into the field, causing it to stagnate. So great had his enthusiasm been, that his dejection had been equally grand seeing the boy give up mere minutes after starting. ¡®Huh, just like the rest of them.¡¯ he¡¯d thought at the time. But to Orin¡¯s great shock, the boy had returned the next day, at about the same time ¨C if a few minutes earlier perhaps. Percy had picked up the books again, resuming exactly where he had left off. The old alchemist hadn¡¯t missed the youngster swallowing a dose of a red potion too. He¡¯d recognised it of course ¨C Orin had brewed a lot of the Guild¡¯s potions personally. Not many of his peers cared much about this lesser branch of alchemy. ¡®Smart. This is one of the best uses for the enlightenment potions.¡¯Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. It was only at that point Orin realized Percy hadn¡¯t left the previous night out of boredom, but necessity. Over the following few days, he paid more attention to the context clues. Percy always arrived at the library at around the same time ¨C just before midnight. He never stayed longer than an hour, but he always had a distraught expression when leaving. Clearly, the boy wanted to keep reading, but had to cut his trips short. His eyes were also tired the whole time. There was never a speck of dust on the young man¡¯s orange robe ¨C the self-cleaning runes doing their job admirably ¨C but Orin didn¡¯t miss the traces of dried sweat all over his face. ¡®He spends all day hunting!¡¯ Orin had realized. It wasn¡¯t that strange for a new member to spend a lot of time on the Spire. It was common for newcomers to do that. After all, it was the easiest way to save up enough points before switching to alchemy. That said, the vast majority were Orange-borns who didn¡¯t need more than 8 to 10 hours of work to cover their needs. This was his first time meeting a boy who was not only willing to learn the art the hard way, but who struggled to find enough time for it. The revelation made his heart quiver, to the point he no longer minded offering to answer Percy¡¯s questions. Originally, Orin had regretted the words as soon as they¡¯d left his mouth. He¡¯d volunteered to mentor others in the past, but that never went well. The youngsters tended to ask simple questions at first. However, they kept demanding more and more, until eventually it all turned into a one-to-one lesson, with Orin spoon-feeding them everything. But that wasn¡¯t what Percy did. For the most part, the boy had done his best to study by himself. Even when he seemed stuck, he went back to the books, trying to figure out the answer on his own. Very rarely did he take Orin up on his offer and, even then, he only asked specific questions related to the problem he was facing. Over time, the old man truly came to appreciate Percy¡¯s work ethic and his dedication. The boy never missed a day, although he only used a potion every other night. Apparently, it was the most he could afford. Once a month, the young man seemed to take a break from hunting for a few days. Orin was curious, but he didn¡¯t ask, respecting the boy¡¯s privacy. Percy almost lived in the library during those days, taking the opportunity to get a lot more reading done than usual. Sadly, he didn¡¯t use the potions at that time, as they didn¡¯t last very long, and he didn¡¯t have the funds to keep guzzling them down one after another. He also seemed to endure some headaches during those days. Maybe he suffered from some chronic illness? In any case, Orin had come to lament Percy¡¯s lower grade. He felt it was a true injustice that such a hard-working young man was cursed with the lowest birthright on Remior. Then again, perhaps it was a blessing. Maybe the boy wouldn¡¯t have been so passionate about learning if he¡¯d grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth like the rest. Either way, the young man kept visiting the library, night after night, month after month. Through the scarce scraps of time he could invest into alchemy, Percy slowly devoured all the books Orin recommended, even rereading a couple of them. Eventually, the old alchemist watched the boy return the final book to its shelf, his expression an odd cocktail of triumph and dejection. ¡°Congratulations Percy!¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ve read everything we have on alchemy!¡± ¡°Thank you, sir. I couldn¡¯t have made it this far without your help.¡± Orin shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much. I barely gave you a couple tips here and there. What do you plan to do next? I bet you¡¯re itching to try brewing an elixir yourself, aren¡¯t you?¡± The boy smiled bitterly but didn¡¯t say anything. He didn¡¯t need to. ¡°Six months.¡± Orin said. Percy tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯ll provide the materials you need for the next six months, four hours per day. You can keep any elixir you manage to brew too, so even if your yield is horrible at the start, you might be able to make up for the shorter hunting trips in due time.¡± The boy¡¯s jaw slackened. Orin chuckled at the sight. Only about a minute later did Percy seem to find the words. ¡°Sir, I can¡¯t express how grateful I am¡­ But may I ask why?¡± Orin shrugged. ¡°Why not? I¡¯m filthy rich. It won¡¯t really affect me if I buy you some nectar.¡± Percy still appeared confused. ¡°I mean, I get that. Still, wouldn¡¯t it be cheaper if you gave some more free lectures like before? That way, a lot more people would benefit than just me.¡± The old alchemist scoffed. ¡°I could do that, but why bother? Most of those kids can afford the lessons and the materials by themselves if they put a tiny bit more effort. I¡¯d rather help the one who actually needs it.¡± Percy¡¯s eyes glistened with tears. He looked like he was about to hug him too. Orin chuckled, placing his hand on the boy¡¯s forehead to keep him at bay. ¡°But I meant it when I said it¡¯s only for six months. There¡¯s no guarantee you¡¯ll manage to brew any elixir by then.¡± ¡°What you get out of this is up to you.¡± Chapter 55 – A message from a god Percy¡¯s past few weeks had been rough ¨C to say the least. His last clone had been another dud, just like the five before it. He¡¯d found himself in the body of a fish that barely survived an hour before getting eaten. ¡®By a fucking crab too!¡¯ the memory still made his blood boil. At this point, he wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d been lucky with his first two clones, or unlucky with the rest. Probably both. However, that was where the bad news ended. Last night, he finished the alchemy books, and Orin generously offered to sponsor him for half a year. It really was like the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, as he¡¯d been trying to figure out how to fund his studies for a while now. His hunting trips had capped out at 32 kills per day since three months ago, with no further improvements in sight. At least, he could now afford both Micky¡¯s rejuvenation potions and the ones he needed to study, but he still struggled to save up any more points past that. At this rate, he¡¯d be stuck until he managed to use Circulation with both cores. That said, he¡¯d made some progress towards that. He¡¯d already finished clearing the rest of his channels and even mastered drinking the elixirs while moving. His soul had also grown a lot stronger after sending so many clones. Right now, using his bloodline didn¡¯t cause any new tears to form ¨C other than the large chunk he carved out deliberately of course. The only steps left were to temper the channels to their limits and figure out a suitable pattern for the soul mana to flow in. Of course, there were some issues there, but he hoped he¡¯d solve them in due time. Still, Orin¡¯s help was the key to delving into alchemy a lot sooner than he could have otherwise. Percy hoped his strong theoretical background would let him reach the minimum thresholds more easily than other newbies. ¡®I have to make Orin¡¯s funding count. I need to reach a 15% yield by the end. Losing only half the value of the materials is going to sting less.¡¯ Percy stopped in front of a stone house, slightly larger than his own. Senior alchemists who had contributed a lot to the Guild were given an upgraded home with its own private alchemy lab. The rest had to make do with the public ones. Luckily, Percy¡¯s mentor had offered him his own. He was even going to guide him through the process! Well, only for his first few attempts, but it was still massive. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m finally doing this for real.¡¯ Reading about alchemy for so long without being able to put the lessons to practice had been quite frustrating to say the least. It was like baking cakes without being allowed a bite. ¡®Or in my case, I suppose I wasn¡¯t even able to bake the cakes. Just memorizing the recipes¡­¡¯ he chuckled. He was about to knock on the door, when something unexpected happened. A shockwave coursed through him, making all the buildings around him tremble slightly. A gentle but firm breeze soon followed, sending all the motes in the air flying to the south. Percy squinted as a few landed in his eyes in quick succession. ¡®What¡¯s going on?!¡¯ Orin¡¯s door opened, the man walking out of his house with an equally perplexed expression. The same happened with a few of his neighbours ¨C the ones who were at home presumably. Everyone just stood outside, trying to make sense of the event. Percy had never seen anything like this since joining the Guild, and from what he gathered, neither had these seniors. ¡°Is somebody dumb enough to attack us?¡± he asked his mentor. It was only now that the old alchemist even registered he was there. He gave him a reassuring smile, before shrugging. ¡°I doubt it, but even if some House has gone crazy, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. We have 5 Violet cores stationed here, so even a Great House would struggle to do much.¡± Percy nodded, but he still wasn¡¯t fully convinced. ¡°Attention, denizens of Remior! This is a message broadcast by Hermes, one of the 12 gods of the Divine Order!¡± a booming voice said.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The young man couldn¡¯t tell where the sound was coming from. It was as if it came from everywhere and nowhere, all at once. As if each pebble on the ground and each speck of dust in the air was eager to relay the god¡¯s will. ¡°Today is a joyous day for our world!¡± Hermes continued, oblivious to Percy¡¯s thoughts. ¡°As you all know, our Order is constantly at war with other races ¨C A war over land, lives and resources. Usually, these conflicts do not spill over to the rest of you ¨C the mortals of Remior ¨C but a recent development has granted us a grand opportunity that we can share with some of you.¡± Awed exclamations followed from the alchemists surrounding Percy. Everyone knew the Order often came across unique treasures with miraculous powers. However, they tended to monopolize them among themselves. Some people weren¡¯t happy with that arrangement but, honestly, Percy understood where the gods were coming from. After all, they were the ones who fought tooth and nail to protect them all. Plus, they were their spoils of war, so they did deserve to keep them. ¡°You may be wondering why we¡¯re being so generous all of a sudden, but that will become clear once I describe the properties of this bizarre item we have recently procured. It¡¯s called the Lotus of a Myriad Rivers. Although, strictly speaking it¡¯s not the lotus itself we¡¯re in possession of, but the seed of one. In any case, as you may imagine, this object is not native to Remior. It¡¯s something we¡¯ve competed against rival races to obtain from a recently vanquished world. And its effect is something you¡¯ve all dreamt of at some point in your lives. No, scratch that. This is something that WE¡¯VE all dreamt about ¨C including many of our gods. After all, once the lotus fully blossoms, it can change one¡¯s affinity!¡± It was Percy¡¯s turn to draw a sharp breath at that revelation. This was something that had truly bothered him ever since he discovered his second core¡¯s affinity. He¡¯d long hypothesised he might be able to find a solution out there in his travels. But he couldn¡¯t have predicted the solution would present itself to him back at home, in such a manner! ¡®I have to get this at all costs!¡¯ ¡°Now here¡¯s the catch. As the name of the plant implies, you can¡¯t exactly get whatever affinity piques your fancy. Once consumed, a petal of the lotus will add a water affinity to one¡¯s core. According to our current understanding, it won¡¯t do anything if you already possess the water affinity. Neither will it work with the rare or composite ones. However, it does work with other elemental affinities, merging with them. In other words, if you have a fire or earth affinity, you will end up with steam or mud respectively, and so on.¡± Percy grimaced at that. Those who lacked an affinity like him were already 20% of the population, but now he¡¯d also have to compete with those with fire, earth, air or lightning. It meant about 84% of the people on Remior would want a petal¡­ ¡°Yes, as you have probably realized, almost everyone you know can use it. As fate would have it, there¡¯s plenty of it to go around, however! Once again, the name of the treasure might have already clued you in, but the lotus will generate a total of 10,000 petals when it blooms. And ¨C lucky you ¨C we currently only have about 7,000 members in the Order who can benefit from it. In theory, we could delay planting the seed until we have more people, but nobody knows how long that would take, as we can¡¯t exactly control the rate by which talented individuals are born. Plus, we are firmly of the philosophy that the treasure won¡¯t do us any good if we keep it in storage forever. So, we have already planted it ¨C and the petals will be available for us all in five short years. A blink of an eye for us gods, and even the more competent of you mortals. Still a long time for the Red-born runts though.¡± The god chuckled. Percy didn¡¯t appreciate somehow being the butt of a joke even during a divine transmission, but he was excited enough to let it slide. ¡°Ah, and just in case you smartasses think we haven¡¯t considered storing the excess petals for later ¨C surprise! We are not as dumb as you think! Sadly, they will wither away into nothing exactly 23 days, 7 hours, 12 minutes and 45.2 seconds after the plant blooms, no matter what we do. There is no preservation array that can change that. Even time dilation won¡¯t work. It¡¯s actually the first time we ¨C Remior specifically ¨C got our hands on this bad boy, but other races have documented trying to cheat the system, only to end up crying over the wasted petals.¡± This time, the crowd around Percy erupted into cheers. Of course, everyone understood they probably wouldn¡¯t be among the lucky few to get a petal, but there was still plenty to be excited about. The news that the Divine Order had achieved another important victory gave them all some peace of mind. And, after this, their world would grow stronger still! ¡°Yes! We are amazing and all that!¡± Hermes said after a couple of minutes. ¡°In any case, I¡¯m running out of juice for the spell, so let me wrap this up real quick. To summarize, we have this neat thing in the oven that will give anyone with a pure or elemental affinity an upgrade five years from now. There are about 3,000 spots we are willing to share and around 1,000 noble Houses on Remior. We could have tried to come up with a more elaborate system to decide who gets them but, frankly, we don¡¯t give a shit. So, we¡¯ll just hand three petals to each House and they can do whatever with them. Even if you¡¯re a commoner it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean you are screwed. You can still try buttering up one of the Houses if you¡¯ve got anything of value to give them, but that¡¯s your problem, not mine. Ba-bye!¡± Chapter 56 – Calm before the storm ¡°Careful. Careful! Stir it! STIR IT!!!¡± Percy followed his mentor¡¯s instructions, picking up the pace. However, before he even got the chance to celebrate the broken lumps, more bubbles began to form in the cauldron. ¡°Shit!¡± It took him a couple seconds too long to remember what he was supposed to do. Brushing his fingers over the rune controlling the temperature, he hurriedly dialled it down a notch, but the mixture was already threatening to boil over. SSSS A few drops landed outside, soon evaporating into wisps of steam, causing Percy¡¯s heart to clench. Each of those was a wasted contribution point! Pinching a touch of powder from a bowl, he tossed it into the concoction, causing the bubbles to die down more quickly. Of course, this wasn¡¯t without cost. Every mistake he made either killed some of the elixir¡¯s efficacy directly or delayed the process ¨C indirectly resulting in a lower yield. ¡°Well, that was positively atrocious.¡± Orin said a few minutes later, staring at the useless sludge in the cauldron. Percy plopped down on a chair, before wiping the sweat off his brow. He was too embarrassed to look his mentor in the eyes. The alchemist chuckled, patting him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t let this get to you kid. This was your first time trying this. You should have seen me back when I was starting out. It took me a month just to get through the pacification step. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get it down within the week.¡± Percy sighed. Brewing an elixir was nothing like reading about it in a book. There were a ton of things that could go wrong with each attempt, and it was an alchemist¡¯s job to deal with any issues that came up promptly and effectively. If he had to explain alchemy to an amateur, Percy would liken it to a song played by two clueless musicians ¨C the nectar and the secondary ingredient. In this analogy, the alchemist was like the conductor, who had to somehow fix the shoddy performance, blending the dissonant tunes into something acceptable. No matter what he did, it would never sound good, but he could minimize both the duration of the piece and the number of mistakes that slipped through, to spare the audience¡¯s ears from the pain. ¡®Or in this case, to spare my wallet from the loss.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like the recipes outlined everything perfectly either. The nectar was an organic product, and it wasn¡¯t homogeneous from one vial to the next. There were subtle differences not only between wasps, but even a pair of drops coming from the same gland. Consequently, no two brewing sessions would ever go the same. Percy had to learn to recognize problems before they even manifested, relying on various clues such as faint odours or minor changes in the colour of the mixture. ¡®And I have to preserve over two thirds of the nectar after each step, if I want to end up with a 25% yield.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for today. Technically, we¡¯ve got some time left, but I can see you¡¯re still rattled by the god¡¯s message.¡± Orin said, breaking him out of his thoughts. Percy didn¡¯t deny it. He¡¯d known about the existence of gods his whole life, but he¡¯d never seen one in person. Well, that was still true of course, but he had experienced one¡¯s spell today, and it was truly eye opening. Hermes had somehow affected the whole world with his magic! Sure, it wasn¡¯t some apocalyptic spell bringing ruin and destruction on Remior or anything crazy ¨C just straightforward transmission magic. However, Percy still had difficulty picturing the insane amount of mana it should have required.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. And then, there were the god¡¯s words. The deity definitely seemed a little long-winded and downright eccentric ¨C Percy didn¡¯t know if that was a common side-effect of divinity. That said, it was the substance of the message that interested him the most. ¡®In five years, I¡¯ll have a chance to fix my second affinity!¡¯ It was still going to be difficult ¨C but not impossible. He didn¡¯t have to worry about the 7,000 petals the Divine Order would keep to themselves, or the other nearly 3,000 handed to the rest of Remior. He merely had to snatch one of the three spots in his own House! The good news was, of the 500 people in his family, about 60% had been born with the life affinity. He only had to compete with the remaining 200. In fact, there were even fewer, considering 16% already had a water affinity. Elaine and Gawain came to mind. However, there weren¡¯t many Red-borns left in their family. Most of those 170 eligible people had a stronger claim to the treasure than him. ¡®Yeah, fuck that. If it comes down to it, I¡¯ll trade Circulation for it.¡¯ He¡¯d rather not deal with the fallout of such a rash move, but he wouldn¡¯t pass up a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity just to keep a secret. In any case, he had five years to figure something out. ¡°Sir, are you going to compete for a petal too?¡± Orin appeared to ponder over his question for a few moments. ¡°I could. But I don¡¯t think I will, no.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Well, Hermes didn¡¯t say anything about giving the Guild any petals. That¡¯s probably because all our members are nobles, so they can all just go back to their family for the event. However, my House was destroyed a long time ago.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a senior alchemist! And forgive me for putting it so bluntly, but you¡¯ve said it yourself that you¡¯re loaded! Surely you can cut a deal with one of the smaller Houses!¡± Orin nodded. ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s why I said I could do it. And truth be told, it would be fun to upgrade my fire affinity to steam. It would certainly give me a fun toy to play around in my old age. Hahaha!¡± ¡°But it won¡¯t affect my alchemy, and I can¡¯t even remember the last time I got into a fight. I don¡¯t really need this, so I¡¯d rather leave it for somebody who does. What about you?¡± Percy smiled wryly. ¡°I have a soul affinity already. Also, I can think of an uncle or two who would lose their shit if a Red-born like me got a petal.¡± Lying to his mentor ¨C even if only by omission ¨C felt wrong. Especially given how much Orin had done for him. But Percy hadn¡¯t known him for long, so he couldn¡¯t risk telling him about his second core. He¡¯d already reported his soul affinity to the Guild too. On paper, he had neither the need nor the means to compete for a petal, so he¡¯d have to play the part. ¡°Percy.¡± Orin spoke in a sombre tone. ¡°Don¡¯t leave the Guild in the next five years.¡± ¡°Huh? Why not?¡± the young man asked. ¡°This announcement sounds like a good thing¡­ And, well¡­ It IS a good thing, for the most part.¡± the old alchemist said, before elaborating. ¡°However, it will also bring a lot of chaos in the foreseeable future. It¡¯s better to stay out of trouble until it all blows over.¡± Percy wasn¡¯t sure he understood. Back when he heard the message, he did consider the noble Houses might intensify their conflicts over the petals. However, he quickly concluded they wouldn¡¯t. After all, Hermes said every House would get three of them. He didn¡¯t say you¡¯d get more if you destroyed a rival family. That would be a barbaric message to send, wouldn¡¯t it? ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but there are plenty of ways to tiptoe around it. For example, what if one House annexed another without destroying it? Or kidnapped important hostages to use as leverage? People have done worse things than that over the centuries. There¡¯s no telling how low some families are willing to stoop in the face of such a treasure.¡± Percy swallowed a lump of saliva. If this was true, the world outside the Guild¡¯s walls was going to become even more dangerous than usual. After all, the majority of Blue and Violet cored mages on Remior could instantly grow stronger with a petal, elevating their House¡¯s status. Naturally, they¡¯d do everything to get more of them. ¡°Thanks for the warning, sir. I have no intention of going anywhere anytime soon.¡± Percy said. Another half-truth. He¡¯d have to return home before the five years were up. However, that was some time away. He wasn¡¯t even remotely close to meeting his goals in the Guild just yet. In fact, he¡¯d barely even begun tackling them. After bidding his mentor farewell, Percy leisurely strolled to his place. Since the brewing session had finished earlier than expected, he had some time to kill. It wasn¡¯t enough to go back to the Spire and he was already used to sleeping less, so he didn¡¯t feel the need to go to bed either. Instead, he was going to deal with something else that had been bothering him for a while. Chapter 57 – Nesha A ray of sunlight pierced through the blockade, causing her eyelid to twitch. Evidently, even the extra layer of clothes she had clumsily draped over the curtain wasn¡¯t perfect. But alas, she couldn¡¯t be asked to adjust it. The girl ignored the disturbance, shifting on her pillow. A couple seconds later, she was asleep again. It was noon the next time she woke up. The intensity of her headache clued her in. Nesha was a bit of an expert in that department. Her body refused to remain asleep any longer, regardless of how hard she pushed. She¡¯d already rested way longer than necessary, but it wasn¡¯t like there was a point to getting up. With a shrug, she remained there, staring at the ceiling for another hour. Only when her stomach grumbled did she begrudgingly reach for the glasses on the nightstand. Practically dragging her feet along the stone floor, Nesha made her way to the preservation box. She grabbed a couple oranges ¨C the first things she saw ¨C before peeling them with her mana. Tossing a segment into her mouth, she bit down a little too hard, accidentally sending some juice down her chin. It was a bit too sour for her taste, causing her brow to pucker up. She was also getting sick of eating the same five things over and over. Technically, Nesha knew how to cook. Her father ¨C the patriarch of the Veritas House ¨C had made sure her maids taught her. ¡®A lot of good it did me.¡¯ she chuckled. ¡®Or him.¡¯ Born with an Orange core, she¡¯d never been destined to succeed Janos as the new leader, nor to become a powerful mage. That said, she did have two gifts that were of value to her family. The first was the bloodline. It didn¡¯t matter how high her grade was, or what affinity she had, the Truthseeker ability worked the same way regardless. That¡¯s why she had been brought up learning about trade and psychology. The second was that she was a woman, and she could have made for a useful chip to be given away in a political marriage. Sadly for Janos, things hadn¡¯t gone according to plan. Backstabbed by his allies, the man had seen his House crumble before his very eyes. His last ¨C and one of the few ¨C acts of love towards his daughter had been to send her to the Guild to seek asylum. It took Nesha another half an hour to dress up and reach the door. ¡®Why do I even bother?¡¯ she wondered as she headed toward her stand. Nesha didn¡¯t really care about the contribution points. Her core¡¯s advancement wasn¡¯t a priority for her, nor had she any interest in alchemy. Supposedly, her space affinity could have made her good at hunting, but there was no way she¡¯d ever be powerful enough to hurt her enemies ¨C the ones who ruined her life ¨C by herself. Perhaps, she harboured hope of finding a different way to enact her revenge. Maybe, deep down, she believed she could hire assassins or something if she amassed enough wealth. Either way, it was a pipe dream, but she could work on it in her own way. She wasn¡¯t going to waste her time killing the wasps one at a time to collect nectar like a brute. Nor was she going to get her hands dirty brewing elixirs. If there was one thing she was confident about, it was her ability to get rich in a more sophisticated manner. ¡®Slow and steady¡­¡¯ And yeah, she wasn¡¯t exactly in a rush either. Reaching her stand, she took out five jars filled with orange and yellow coins, placing them next to her. Nesha could have emptied them at home of course, but she¡¯d brought the money here intentionally. She understood giving the appearance of a successful business was the key to attracting even more customers. It was why it had taken her longer than she¡¯d liked at the beginning. Then, she rested her face on the counter, forcing herself to take another nap.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. A few minutes later, a young man in yellow approached. Nesha caught him eyeing the jars, but she wasn¡¯t worried. Nobody was stupid enough to steal in the Guild in broad daylight. ¡°Selling or buying?¡± she asked. The man smirked at her. ¡°Selling. I found a place with dozens of Starry Soldiers clustered together somewhere on the third level. I can tell you the exact location for 50 points.¡± Nesha didn¡¯t even spare him a glance. ¡°Not interested.¡± She resumed her nap. The guy slammed his fist next to her. ¡°What bullshit business are you running, you slut?! Are you buying information, or not?!?!¡± Nesha didn¡¯t bother with him. Neither did any of the passerbys. Everyone was familiar with his type. After not getting a reaction for several seconds, the asshole clicked his tongue before walking away. More people approached her in irregular intervals. Many tried to sell ¨C but very few of them were honest. Some were willing to spend a few coins on information. Almost everyone was interested in the third level. It wasn¡¯t like there weren¡¯t Green cores in the Guild, but most of them were veterans who knew the ropes well. Nesha hadn¡¯t made much money from them since she expanded her business to the fourth level. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s time to switch things up.¡¯ She¡¯d known from the beginning brokering information on the Spire wouldn¡¯t be very profitable. That said, it had been less of a hassle to start with. At least, it didn¡¯t require an initial capital nor too much effort. Still, Nesha had amassed more than enough money for her next step. At this point, she was just procrastinating. ¡®Fine, I¡¯ll do it¡­¡¯ Another guy approached, drawing her attention. She recognized him. Although she hadn¡¯t socialized much in the Guild, the boy had made a slight impression as the only Red-born in her orientation. Since then, she often watched him walk by. He almost never missed a day from hunting. Nesha couldn¡¯t recall seeing him leave ¨C he probably tended to head out early ¨C but she did spot him on the way back nearly every night. ¡®What does he want though? Is he going to offer me information on the second level? Who would even buy that?¡¯ The young man stopped before her. He was holding something under his arm ¨C a wide plank of wood. ¡°Hello there. I¡¯m Percy. You might not remember me, but we joined on the same day.¡± Nesha nodded, still waiting to see what he wanted. ¡°In any case, I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve been using this shoddy sign for a while. I had some free time today, so I figured I could help a peer out.¡± He then shifted the plank, showing her its contents. It basically read the same as her current one, but the words had been carved with more care, and it did away with the patchwork. She raised an eyebrow. In her experience, there were only two reasons he¡¯d do this. Either he saw her business growing and wanted to ingratiate himself with her¡­ Or, like a typical guy, he wanted to get in her pants. And frankly, Nesha wasn¡¯t interested in either. ¡°Why?¡± she asked, barely masking her irritation. The boy ¨C Percy ¨C exhaled before speaking. ¡°Ok, I know it will sound weird, but I have something to confess.¡± Nesha smirked. ¡®And there it is. Just spill it out so I can tell you to fuck off.¡¯ ¡°So uhm¡­ I keep seeing your sign every time I return from the Spire and¡­ It kinda irks me.¡± he smiled wryly. ¡°I mean no offense or anything, but I¡¯d rather look at this one.¡± Her jaw slackened at the revelation. She was about to call him out on his bullshit excuse, but her bloodline corroborated his words. The madman was telling the truth! ¡°Hello? I hope I haven¡¯t overstepped or anything. You don¡¯t have to use it if you don¡¯t want.¡± he said after a while. ¡°Ah, no! Leave it. Ehh¡­ Thanks I guess.¡± ¡°No worries!¡± The young man waved at her, already walking to the plump guy¡¯s stand. ¡®What a strange boy¡­¡¯ Shrugging, she picked up the new sign. It really did look better than the other one. Also, there was more space at the bottom. Pulling the nails from the stand, she removed the previous sign, replacing it with the one Percy had given her. Then, she flipped the old one around, as she carved some new words on it with her mana, before clumsily patching it under the new sign. Giving it one last look, she nodded in satisfaction. It read: ¡®BUYING AND SELLING INFORMATION ON THE THIRD AND FOURTH LEVELS [ALSO GAMBLING]¡¯ Chapter 58 – Soul channels ¡®I can¡¯t believe she couldn¡¯t even wait a week.¡¯ Carving that sign for the drowsy girl hadn¡¯t taken him longer than ten minutes. It wasn¡¯t a big deal for him, but it had only proven just how lazy she was, having not bothered to do it herself after so many months. In any case, Percy had considered it a great investment of his time. The sheer satisfaction he¡¯d draw by not having to look at that abomination every day would pay dividends for a while. Or so he¡¯d thought. One could only imagine his shock upon seeing his work desecrated with a new patch the very next morning. ¡®At least I got some useful information out of it.¡¯ Apparently not one who liked owing people, the girl had called him over the following night, giving him a free tip to thank him for the donation. She¡¯d informed Percy of a location on the northwestern side of the Fungal Spire to be wary of. On a map of the second level, she¡¯d circled a couple dozen mushrooms, telling him to avoid wandering there by mistake. In terms of elevation, those platforms were much higher than the rest of the second level, bringing them closer to the third. Consequently, Starry Soldiers were known to roam those mushrooms, making them extremely dangerous for an Orange core like Percy. However, they were considered part of the second level on paper, because they could only be accessed from below. Their closest neighbours on the third level were too far away, making it impractical to build bridges between them. ¡°Good to know.¡± he¡¯d grinned at the time. The girl ¨C Nesha ¨C had only told him out of concern for his safety, but Percy had heard something entirely different from what she¡¯d intended. He could hunt Starry Soldiers on the second level! His profits had plateaued for a while now, and he was already considering giving the Yellow beasts a shot sooner or later. What worried him the most was he wouldn¡¯t be able to hunt them while keeping all his trump cards secret, and the third level was always crowded. The location Nesha had so graciously shared would let him do it with the same privacy he¡¯d come to enjoy! ¡®I¡¯m still not ready though.¡¯ Percy understood the soldiers would rip him to shreds as he was. He¡¯d only consider approaching them once he could use Circulation with both cores. Sadly, his results in that department were rather mixed. He¡¯d already finished clearing his second set of channels and he was currently busy tempering them. This was the easiest step, as it only involved pushing mana through them, forcing them to expand little by little, until they couldn¡¯t grow any wider. It was the next and final step that stumped him, however. ¡®Is it even possible to use Circulation with soul mana?!¡¯ Percy had known from the very beginning that each affinity introduced its own variables into the technique, requiring some adjustments to be made. Elaine and Archibald had already learned the hard way, having unblocked a very different network of channels to his own. They¡¯d also been forced to discover the correct pattern for their mana by themselves. In fact, his cousin had still not managed to solve the issue by the time he¡¯d left the Avalon House. Consequently, he¡¯d already expected his soul affinity would come with its own set of challenges. However, he couldn¡¯t have predicted just how many roadblocks he would encounter in his quest. First, there was the issue with tempering his soul rather than his body, but luckily his clones had passively helped him do that. More problems popped up back when he began unblocking the channels though. Each affinity might have its own set of pathways, but at least they were typically fixed in place. This wasn¡¯t the case for Percy.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡®They¡¯re like intestines!¡¯ he¡¯d noted when he first tried opening them. The ones he had cleared as a child were still ok, as they branched out from his sternum to his soul¡¯s extremities. In other words, both their ends were anchored in set locations, making these channels relatively static, much like other affinities. In his analogy, they were like the large intestine. However, the rest of his channels ¨C the ones that looped around his soul ¨C were a lot more fluid. Like the small intestine, they shuffled around with each ¡®bowel movement¡¯. Their connections were still fixed in relation to one another, but there was a lot of leeway for them to bend and turn, making the entire network look very different from one moment to the next. ¡®How am I even meant to find the correct pattern like this?!¡¯ Locating and clearing a single channel wasn¡¯t that hard, but to use Circulation he had to look at all of them at the same time and find a pattern that took the whole system into account. ¡®CAW! CAW!¡¯ Micky sent him an image of his next targets, pulling him out of his thoughts. Shrugging, he began running towards the bridge. ¡®I suppose I¡¯ve still got some time left to figure this out.¡¯ It would be a few more months until he finished tempering his channels. He sure hoped he¡¯d work out the correct pattern by then. Over the next several hours, Percy absentmindedly hunted the Starry Workers along with his familiar. By now, he¡¯d been doing this for so long the arduous task was firmly embedded into his routine. Keeping Circulation active with his second core. Tempering his soul channels. Rushing from one mushroom to the next. Forming his weapons. Executing the bugs swiftly. Feeding them to the crow. Extracting the nectar from their glands. None of it required much focus, allowing him to keep thinking about the issue. ¡®Maybe what I need is a change in perspective. I¡¯ve been thinking of my soul affinity in the same terms as my pure affinity, but it¡¯s clearly a different beast.¡¯ From his experience travelling between worlds, Percy knew that disembodied souls tended to perceive time and space very differently from living people. In that state, a single moment could stretch into days, while a single step could bridge unfathomable distances. In the same vein, it was perhaps a mistake trying to fit his soul and its corresponding channels into the same mould as his body¡¯s. He grimaced. ¡®That¡¯s easier said than done¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t tried sensing his soul more deeply in the past. However, inhabiting his own body was very different than drifting outside Remior, or fighting to possess others with his clones. In the latter case, his soul was but a fragment, free to move within a much larger vessel, in constant contact with an external ¨C often hostile ¨C soul. Here, his soul existed alone, in its rightful vessel, without much space to move or anything else touching it. ¡®CAW!¡¯ Micky called out to him once again. Percy checked the four vials in his pocket. Three were filled to the brim with nectar as the fourth one was a little over halfway there. The sun was also about to set. ¡®Shit, I¡¯m going to be late.¡¯ Handing his familiar a rejuvenation potion, he bid him farewell in a hurry, before drinking a diluted elixir and rushing back to the Guild. It was still his first week brewing under Orin¡¯s supervision and he didn¡¯t want to keep his mentor waiting. After entering the settlement, he sprinted to the old alchemist¡¯s house. He did grab a Honey Roll, only because he was so hungry he might faint during the session otherwise, but he didn¡¯t have time for a chat with Freddy tonight. Nor would he visit the official stores today. Due to alchemy eating into his schedule, he was already earning less than 400 points per hunt, so he no longer needed to stop by every night. He barely managed to swallow the last bite of his meal by the time he made it to Orin¡¯s door. He downed the enlightenment potion too while waiting for the man to open. ¡°Another busy day?¡± his mentor asked with a smile after seeing his student out of breath once more. Percy nodded, having already flushed out all thoughts of souls and mana channels out of his mind, replacing them with a different set of problems. Right now, the only thing he was thinking about was how to mix those damn ingredients properly. Making his way to the cauldron, he rolled up his sleeves, fully aware he was going to get his ass kicked here too. But he wouldn¡¯t let this bother him. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself before tossing the ingredients in. ¡®I¡¯m going to reach the top, one step at a time.¡¯ Chapter 59 – Floating Percy¡¯s feelings towards his clones had shifted a lot over time. His first attempts had been defined by pain and confusion, as he hadn¡¯t had the slightest clue how his bloodline was supposed to work back then. Yet oddly enough, those very trips to the Moirais¡¯ world and Huehue had proven his most successful ones by far. Suffice to say, by the time he¡¯d developed a proper understanding of his ability, his greed and anticipation had reached an all-time high. Of course, that had only led to disappointment during his crappy adventure in the gecko¡¯s body, which was soon followed by several equally fruitless trips. That said, things had flipped around once more since then. No, he hadn¡¯t found anything else of value, but that was precisely why he had learned to lower his expectations, to the point the shitty bodies and gruesome deaths no longer bothered him. If anything, he had slowly come to appreciate the novelty of his adventures. Initially, Percy had pitied his clones, who had to endure all those hardships just so he could benefit. Nowadays, he was beginning to think it was his main body who had drawn the short end of the stick, however. ¡®I¡¯ll take freezing to death and getting eaten by crabs over picking apart one more bloody wasp. Or brewing another pot of sludge.¡¯ And it was with this mindset that clone #13 had embraced his new holiday. Things were looking up for him too! He¡¯d found a suitable body fairly quickly and it hadn¡¯t even resisted much ¨C unlike clones #9 and #11 who had imploded before even doing anything. In fact, his new host was even more zen than the lizard, happy to relax and give him the reins. Not out of fear ¨C just pure, unmitigated chill. ¡®Why am I spinning though?¡¯ Percy tried looking down at his body, but failed to even glimpse at his limbs. A curved wall of grey fur was in the way. ¡®Ok¡­ Another beast. Shocker. But why is it so FAT?!¡¯ Getting dizzy, he tried to stop rotating. There was nothing to grab against! Though he wasn¡¯t underwater ¨C he¡¯d already experienced that, and this was different. ¡®What the hell is going on?! Did we fall off a cliff or something?!¡¯ After experimenting for a few minutes, he realized he could slow down by stretching his limbs. He still couldn¡¯t see them, but they seemed to respond to his commands all the same. He also had some damn powerful lungs, as he managed to completely halt his movements by blowing the other way! By now, he¡¯d also verified he wasn¡¯t falling. If he were, he¡¯d have splattered on the ground already. No, his host was floating! In the sky! ¡®That¡¯s a new one.¡¯ Paying more attention to his surroundings, he soon noticed he couldn¡¯t see very far. A light brown fog partially obscured his vision. At first, he wondered whether his host had suffocated or been poisoned to death by the substance. However, he instinctively felt there was nothing wrong with it. As if inhaling the gas was the most normal thing in the world. ¡®Come to think of it, it tastes a bit like strawberry juice.¡¯ Percy took a few deep breaths, enjoying the flavour. Even if it was harmful¡­ Who cared, right? Next, he remembered his purpose here, opening his Status.
Percival''s clone Mana cores: Spells: ???:
He nodded, not seeing anything out of place. His host was at Yellow too, making him one of the luckier clones so far.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Although, if there was anything of value here, he¡¯d have to look for it. His best means of navigating the environment was to propel himself by blowing air. He didn¡¯t know if the beast had something better in its arsenal, but it refused to share if it did. Since his eyes couldn¡¯t peer through the fog, Percy activated Mana Sense, soon getting a couple readings. They were at Orange, so he wasn¡¯t too concerned. Not that he had any clue how to fight in his current body, but the creatures hopefully wouldn¡¯t attack unprovoked. He cautiously approached the nearest one, a bizarre animal appearing in his sight. It looked very different to anything he¡¯d seen, but the closest match would be a cat. Maybe. Not really. Its body was round like a ball, covered in long, pink, curly fluff. It actually looked ridiculous as it rotated slowly, without a care in the world. Every time its head spun his way, it watched him curiously, with its three eyes half-opened and its four ears lazily hanging aside. ¡®Is it the same species as me? Is that what I look like?¡¯ That should be it. After all, why else would it remain so calm when approached by a beast at a higher grade? Although it did appear smaller. Half his radius maybe? Less? Percy inched closer, trying not to startle it. His worries were unfounded though, as the furball wasn¡¯t fazed in the slightest. When he was in front of it, he shifted slightly. Roughly estimating where his paw was, he gave it a gentle shove. Was that rude? He didn¡¯t know, nor care. The creature didn¡¯t mind either, continuing to inhale some fog of its own as it drifted away. ¡®Am I definitely a clone? Maybe this is just a dream...¡¯ Well, dream or not, he fully intended to get his time¡¯s worth. Falling back to Mana Sense, he moved around, examining a dozen more creatures. They all looked the same, but their fur was either pink, brown or black. He¡¯d yet to find another grey one like himself. And they all had Orange cores. ¡®Hmmm¡­ Maybe my host died of old age? It would explain the different colour and grade.¡¯ In any case, he had to get out of the fog. Harmful or not, he could barely see past his nose. That kinda went against his goal of finding something useful. He decided to descend to the ground, when another question popped up in his mind. ¡®Does this world even have a ground? Or is it all sky?¡¯ If there was any gravity, he couldn¡¯t differentiate it from the buoyancy holding him up. Not seeing any other solution, he exhaled as much air as he could, causing his body to shrivel slightly. That seemed to do the trick as he began falling a certain direction. After falling a few metres, he inhaled again to slow down. He had no idea how high he was, but he¡¯d rather not turn into meat paste so soon. Luckily, his situation changed after a while. ¡®Now we¡¯re getting somewhere.¡¯ The brown fog thinned as he descended, letting him see further. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but he could now vaguely spot land underneath him, as well as some rocky peaks in the distance. He saw more of his species floating around too. Shrugging, he continued his controlled fall with more confidence than before, stopping when he was a dozen metres from the ground. The fog still surrounded him, but it wasn¡¯t as intrusive. ¡®It¡¯s also less tasty¡­¡¯ he frowned. No wonder the rest of the cat-thingies preferred floating higher. But this wasn¡¯t the time to indulge in alien delicacies, so he simply began moving towards a random direction, parallel to the ground. Hopefully his higher vantage point would help him find something interesting soon. *** This was getting annoying. Percy had to blow opposite to where he wanted to go, so he was forced to turn around every few seconds. It had already been a few hours since he descended, and he¡¯d travelled a fair distance. His higher grade helped some, although his host didn¡¯t seem to be the fastest flyer. Well, either that or he was doing something wrong. ¡®Maybe these things move by farting?¡¯ He briefly entertained the idea of giving it a shot, but he shook his head. Inconvenient or not, he¡¯d rather keep his dignity. Percy hadn¡¯t found anything either. It was just more rocky plains and hills all around him. He had no idea how far they stretched, and he hadn¡¯t seen any other living beings either. Well, besides the furballs. His species seemed to be extremely abundant in this world. Or this region at least. The only slight oddity he spotted was a higher concentration of both the fog and the cats somewhere in the distance. It was difficult to make out, but it appeared there was some large vent there, spewing the brown gas into the air. ¡®I guess it¡¯s a natural phenomenon. It all comes from the ground. Should I check it out?¡¯ Judging from everything he¡¯d seen to that point, not only was the substance not harmful to him, it was beneficial even. If he approached, he might find something interesting there, or at least he¡¯d get a better taste of the strawberry vapor. ¡®But it¡¯s going to be a pain to navigate out of it.¡¯ In the end, he decided to circle around it for now. He could consider returning later if he found nothing else. SHREEEEEEE Hearing a shrill cry, he snapped his head to the right. A shadow was approaching rapidly, bringing up some bad memories. ¡®Not this again!¡¯ Whatever it was, he knew he couldn¡¯t outrun it, so he began blowing downwards to gain elevation. His only hope was to ascend high enough to lose it in the fog. However, the monster was getting closer much faster than he climbed. He¡¯d never make it in time! A few seconds later, he could already make out its features. It was a fierce lizard-like creature, with its two forelimbs ending in large membranous wings. He thought he saw three ruby-like eyes glinting on its face too. And it was five times his size. ¡®Whatever, I guess it¡¯s another bust.¡¯ Resigning to his fate, he stopped struggling after noticing the Green core thrumming in the creature¡¯s frame. Yet, when he was sure the monster was about to pounce on him, something strange happened. It just circled around him, continuing on its way, ignoring him entirely! ¡®What¡¯s the deal with this place?!¡¯ Chapter 60 – Docile Beasts didn¡¯t just ignore tasty meals. Not all of them were cannibals, but if they encountered prey of a different species and a lower grade, their reaction was essentially set in stone. So, Percy had no clue why the flying lizard decided to spare him all of a sudden. ¡®Come to think of it, there was something off with its mana.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t cared at the time, but the creature¡¯s core burned less intensely than it should for its size. The flow in its channels also appeared stilted and the colour muted. ¡®Is it sick? Blind even?¡¯ If it hadn¡¯t seen him nor used Mana Sense, it would explain how he got lucky. Then again, that didn¡¯t sound right. Percy was pretty sure the creature had gone out of its way to avoid him. Not attacking had been a conscious choice. ¡®Maybe everything here is docile. Could be something in the fog.¡¯ His own species were the least aggressive beasts he¡¯d ever seen, and they seemed to thrive off the substance. Either way, there wasn¡¯t enough data to tell for sure. In any case, Percy wasn¡¯t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Since he got a second chance, he resumed his journey, this time flying higher to more easily escape to the clouds in a pinch. A while later, he found something else worth noting. Splitting the plain in half, a river gushed through the stone. It was wider than the Guild¡¯s settlement, and he couldn¡¯t tell what lied at either end as it trailed off in the mist. He wasn¡¯t even sure if it was water flowing through it. The liquid was a light brown colour. If it was water, it was polluted by the same substance permeating the air. ¡®Great! Progress!¡¯ Percy¡¯s feline heart skipped a beat, as he began tracing the river upstream. If this was drinkable, it should lead him to something alive sooner or later. And it turned out to be sooner. He didn¡¯t need to fly higher either, as the new creatures he ran into were land-dwellers this time. One was a mix between a praying mantis and a beetle. The other resembled a scaled leopard. Both were larger than him, glaring at each other with their three eyes, apparently getting ready to tear each other to shreds. ¡®Definitely not docile.¡¯ Approaching them cautiously, he stopped just near enough to check out their cores. They were both at Green, afflicted by the same ailment as the last beast. In fact, they had it even worse. A third of the leopard¡¯s channels were completely inactive. On closer inspection, Percy saw the corresponding hindleg was half-rotten. The beast avoided leaning on it too, the paw being suspended an inch off the ground. The bug didn¡¯t look much better, its pathways also a patchwork of holes and dim links. ¡®Are my species the only ones immune to the fog?¡¯ Thinking of something, he ascended to the clouds, looking for another of his kin. He flew above the first furball he saw before blowing air the other way, accelerating towards it. Slamming against his much smaller relative, he sent it flying downward. The creature didn¡¯t even resist, just passively letting him push it around. It took them a few more bumps and a couple of minutes to return to his previous location. The Green cored beasts were still trying to intimidate each other, but they had yet to make a move. Apparently, they judged they weren¡¯t in a good enough condition to fight. ¡®I¡¯m sorry pal. This is for science.¡¯ Percy flashed the smaller furball an apologetic grin, before shoving it one last time towards the leopard. The much larger beast tilted its head, giving them both a curious look, but didn¡¯t do much else. It just allowed the cat to bounce off the ground right next to it ¨C within striking distance even ¨C without touching it.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡®Ok. So not only are we immune to the fog, it seems we¡¯re the only ones the other beasts won¡¯t attack. Are we poisonous or something?¡¯ Then again, the leopard¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d expect if a highly toxic creature brushed right next to it. It had merely eyed it in amusement before looking away. ¡®Maybe we just taste REALLY bad.¡¯ Shrugging, Percy continued following the river. He had yet to fully solve the mystery, but at the end of the day he didn¡¯t even know if it mattered. They didn¡¯t have the brown substance back on Remior and even if they did, he couldn¡¯t exactly bring this body back with him. It took several more hours until he saw something new. However, this discovery truly made his breath quicken. For the first time in over two years, one of his clones stumbled upon sentient life! The village was small, the humble huts made of stone. Not the polished, enchanted sort he was used to. Just rough chunks, stacked against each other to form the most rudimentary shelter. Whoever lived here was clearly primitive. And he did get a closer look at them, soon enough. These people were mostly humanoid, although their skin was a richer pink. They also had four pointy ears and three eyes, one in the middle of their forehead, much like everything else in this world. ¡®At least they aren¡¯t naked.¡¯ Not that the patches of beast skin they draped on themselves were particularly fashionable, but it was something. Percy internally debated how close he wanted to get to the natives. He wasn¡¯t sure if they¡¯d be as indifferent towards him as the wild beasts. Not that it would be the end of the world if they killed him, but it had taken him nearly a dozen clones to find some semblance of civilization. He didn¡¯t want to miss learning something useful by being careless. Who knew how long it would be until he had another chance? ¡®Then again, do they even know anything? They can hardly build a house¡­¡¯ In the end, he chose to err on the side of caution. He ascended to the clouds once more, before returning with another sacrificial furball to test the waters with. Approaching the village, he shoved the creature in there, this time prompting some exclamations and amused reactions from the crowd. Some pointed at him while a few chuckled or talked to one another. Percy figured they just weren¡¯t used to his species being so¡­ animated. All the ones he¡¯d seen had been a lot more sluggish. ¡®Well, as long as they¡¯re not hostile, I don¡¯t care.¡¯ Nobody moved to attack him, or the one he¡¯d tossed their way. A kid ¨C a girl maybe ¨C ran up to the furball as it bounced a few times on the ground. She watched it curiously before extending her hand to pet it, when an adult hurriedly grabbed her arm, shaking his head. He spoke a few words Percy didn¡¯t understand, before the girl nodded, continuing to stare at the creature from a distance. ¡®Touching us must be taboo.¡¯ In any case he¡¯d confirmed it was safe, so he moved closer, inspecting the locals with Mana Sense. He spotted Red, Orange and Yellow cores, in approximately a 40-40-20 ratio. That made them a lot luckier than the people of Remior, as they got Yellow cores twice as frequently. However, Percy didn¡¯t feel any envy towards them. Many of the older-looking folk were still at Red. ¡®They don¡¯t have any means of advancement! They¡¯re stuck at whatever they were born with!¡¯ And that wasn¡¯t even where the bad news ended. The villagers seemed to suffer from the same condition as the beasts, all their cores appearing somewhat dysfunctional. The kids had it a bit better than the adults, reinforcing Percy¡¯s guess that the ailment was brought on by their chronic exposure to the fog. ¡®I guess the reason we¡¯re held at such a high esteem is because we purify the air, making things easier for all the other creatures.¡¯ Well, this was all fascinating and everything, but that still didn¡¯t answer the question of what he should do. One option was to accept that this clone was another dud and leave early. He¡¯d already spent several hours travelling here, and it didn¡¯t look like these people had much to give him. But he was disinclined to pick this. While wasting time was something he generally preferred to avoid, this was his first time finding sentient life since Huehue. Even though this particular village didn¡¯t seem to contain anything valuable, it did raise the worth of the clone in his eyes. At least, his last ten or so clones hadn¡¯t lived half as long or found anything remotely as interesting. Even if he spent a few days longer than expected, it wouldn¡¯t hurt the main body much. ¡®Ok. I¡¯ll keep going. But do I stay in this village or try looking for a bigger one?¡¯ Percy doubted the 40 or so people here were the entirety of their species. There were bound to be more out there. That said, he had no idea where to find them, or if they¡¯d have anything more useful. ¡®Hmm¡­ Let¡¯s observe them for one full day. If I can¡¯t find anything worth my time, I¡¯ll head out.¡¯ Chapter 61 – Holy ball of fur Over the past several hours, Percy had learned a lot more about the dynamic between his species and the natives of this world. While they were prohibited from touching him for any reason, he wasn¡¯t. He had approached and tapped the villagers many times over, always eliciting a smile from them. They seemed to see his presence as a good luck charm, treating him like a guest of honour ¨C no, a sacred creature even. ¡®A bit weird but I could get used to it.¡¯ In any case, this only made his life easier. Between their overt friendliness and the fact he could survive on nothing but the brown fog, Percy was free to float around the village and observe it to his heart¡¯s content. Their understanding of magic was as poor as expected. They appeared to possess the same common affinities he was used to, although he hadn¡¯t seen them cast anything more complex than a Crude spell. He also had no idea if they could be born with rare or composite affinities. Less than 1% of the population had them back on Remior. His sample size here was too small. Either way, Percy could see how they survived in such a hostile environment. Even though he¡¯d spotted several Green beasts on the way to the village, such a large group of Yellow and Orange mages shouldn¡¯t have much trouble taking care of themselves. He sighed. ¡®I suppose it¡¯s time to leave.¡¯ As relaxing as it was floating around and being worshipped, Percy was confident there was nothing to gain here. He was about to wave the villagers farewell, when some commotion drew his attention. ¡®No harm in checking it out before I go.¡¯ Flying above the crowd, he saw a distraught father carrying his unconscious daughter in his arms. She looked to be in her mid-teens, although Percy wasn¡¯t sure how well his pre-conceived notions about aging translated to this place. More importantly, the girl was afflicted with the worst instance of the disease he¡¯d seen yet, her Yellow core seemingly on the verge of dying out. The man hurriedly brought her to one of the largest huts, before kneeling by the entrance. He then spoke in an anxious tone, probably pleading with somebody. ¡®Ok, colour me intrigued.¡¯ Percy wanted to watch how the natives mitigated the poison. Whatever they did was clearly nothing more than a half-measure, as none of them were in perfect condition. Still, he¡¯d be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t curious. Someone walked out of the house. An old lady. She was only at Orange, but her core was among the healthiest he¡¯d seen, despite her age. She held two small bowls ¨C carved out of bone presumably. Leaving one on the ground, she tilted the girl¡¯s head up with her free hand, before placing the other bowl under her nose. A green liquid was swirling inside, emanating thick smoke of the same colour. Some of it entered the teen¡¯s nostrils, as Percy paid closer attention, using both his regular sight and Mana Sense. Nothing changed in the girl¡¯s core, but she soon creased her brow as if in pain, before opening her eyes weakly a few moments later. ¡®That¡¯s not the cure. It was just to wake her up.¡¯ The old lady picked up the second bowl again. This one contained a fine cyan powder. She spoke a few words to the girl, seemingly explaining something as she pointed first to the bowl and then to her stomach. Next, she gestured to a man in the crowd, who manifested a few drops of water above the powder.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Nodding, the girl picked up the bowl, mixing the contents into paste with her fingers before swallowing it. What followed made Percy¡¯s eyes widen. He saw the mana flow from the girl¡¯s core to her stomach and then back, much like what he did on Remior whenever he used an elixir. ¡®But that¡¯s not what this is.¡¯ The purpose of the paste was very different. Every time it washed over the core, the latter regained some of its lustre. The change was minute, almost imperceptible. Percy would have certainly missed it if he wasn¡¯t actively looking for it. Even several minutes later, after she was done, the girl¡¯s situation had barely improved. Still, the tension on her forehead seemed to ease slightly. She was also able to stand, albeit with her father¡¯s support. ¡®They can¡¯t do anything to remove the poison, but they can mend some of the damage.¡¯ The father and daughter both bowed their heads to the old lady, as the former said something in a sombre tone. She didn¡¯t reply, but she made a gesture with her hand Percy didn¡¯t recognize, before returning to her hut. It didn¡¯t take long for the rest of the crowd to disperse. ¡®Now what do I do?¡¯ Percy was reconsidering his decision to leave. Strictly speaking, all of this was irrelevant to him. The brown fog wasn¡¯t something they had to worry about back home. Furthermore, the effect of the cyan powder was quite underwhelming. He couldn¡¯t figure out what it did, nor did he know if it could be used for anything else. But that was exactly what made him want to learn more. This was the first thing the natives did he didn¡¯t fully understand. ¡®I must at least find out where they get it from.¡¯ Having made up his mind, he descended next to the old lady¡¯s hut, peeking inside. It was a little creepy spying into her home like that, but he doubted she¡¯d take offense. The woman was sitting on a piece of stone roughly shaped like a cube, sipping some orange broth from a cup. As expected, she only gave him a smile upon noticing him, not bothered by his intrusion in the slightest. ¡®If only I could fit through the door¡­¡¯ Being larger than the rest of his kin, Percy¡¯s host was as tall as one of the adult villagers. However, he was much wider than them, his frame closer to a bear¡¯s than a cat¡¯s. Shrugging, he plopped down, taking a seat on the ground outside. He nearly rolled on his back too, just barely managing to grab the stone wall to keep himself upright. The old lady failed to stifle her laughter at his antics, choking on her soup as some came out of her nose. Percy rolled his eyes, but internally suppressed a chuckle of his own. He knew he looked ridiculous. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯ll stay here until I see where she gets the cyan powder from.¡¯ Feeling a little peckish, he took a couple deep breaths, greedily sucking all the brown fog he could, savouring its flavour. A few minutes later, the air inside the hut already looked cleaner, as the old lady bowed her head in appreciation. She said something Percy didn¡¯t understand, although he did recognise some of the words of gratitude the girl¡¯s father had spoken earlier. ¡®Ah right. I almost forgot I can help them like this.¡¯ Percy made an odd expression. In theory, nothing stopped the locals from kidnapping a few of the furballs to lock in their houses. It wouldn¡¯t fix everything, but they could at least improve their quality of life that way. Would these people rather die than disrespect his kin? ¡®Well, I can do whatever the hell I want.¡¯ Getting up, he took another deep breath before exhaling downward, taking off. A few minutes later he returned to the village with two of his younger relatives in tow. The creatures didn¡¯t even struggle as he threw the first in the old lady¡¯s hut, before locating the sick girl¡¯s house and tossing the second one in there. Percy ignored the villagers cheering him on as he ascended again, repeating his actions a few more times. Only when he had stuffed a furball in each hut did he return to his spot by the old lady¡¯s entrance, clumsily sitting down again. More people surrounded him, eager to express their thanks. However, it wasn¡¯t their gratitude he wanted. Sadly, he didn¡¯t understand their language and he suspected he couldn¡¯t speak it anyway. His rotund frame made it difficult for him to relay his request via gestures too. Furthermore, it probably didn¡¯t help he was immune to the poison, thus having no reason to be interested in its remedy. ¡®I¡¯ll have to be patient until they show me what I need by themselves¡­¡¯ Luckily, he didn¡¯t have to wait for long. Chapter 62 – Crystal It wasn¡¯t easy telling day and night apart on this world. Percy had no idea how many suns there were, as the brown clouds perpetually obscured the sky. Still, it was never dark, as the light seemed to be absorbed and then disseminated by the substance, giving it a permanent glow. Suffice to say, he didn¡¯t know how the natives kept track of time. But he guessed it was their equivalent of a night when he saw the old lady go to sleep on the floor, not long after he¡¯d begun observing her. The rest of the village soon grew quieter too, as he turned around to show some common courtesy. He didn¡¯t think she¡¯d mind being stared at, but it felt downright creepy to do that as she rested. Several hours later, people started waking up. What drew his attention was a young girl walking his way. She was actually the one who¡¯d tried petting the furball when he first arrived here, only to be scolded by an adult. She seemed to have learned her lesson too, as this time she stood some distance from him, eyeing him curiously without daring to move closer. Feeling bad for the girl, Percy patted her head, prompting her to smile brightly, two dimples forming on her cheeks. A few minutes later, more kids arrived. This time it was a pair of boys, slightly older than the girl. Probably siblings too, as they¡¯d come together from the same house and looked identical to one another. In fact, Percy was being conservative. He was confident they were twins, but maybe he wasn¡¯t that good at telling the natives apart. In any case, they joined the first girl outside the hut. Soon, the old lady also woke up, inviting them all inside. All four of them sat down on the floor, forming a circle. It was quite cramped in there ¨C especially with the cat-creature floating just inches above their heads ¨C but they still left enough room for one more person. Nobody spoke as they waited for the final member to arrive. It wasn¡¯t until half an hour later that the man from last night helped his daughter along, escorting her to the old lady¡¯s hut once more. Only after the teenager joined the others in the circle did her father leave. ¡®Is she teaching them how to become healers?¡¯ This suited Percy just fine, as he looked forward to the lesson. After exchanging a few words with the newcomer, the old lady addressed the rest of the kids. Next, she pulled some mana from her core, forming a cyan blob in her hand. The students followed her lead, although the sick girl seemed to have more trouble controlling her mana. Despite having the highest grade in the hut, her condition wasn¡¯t doing her any favours. However, this wasn¡¯t what Percy was focused on. ¡®They all have a pure affinity!¡¯ he¡¯d rub his paws together if he could. Doubling his concentration, his gaze locked onto the old lady¡¯s palm, unwilling to miss whatever she was about to do. Her first move was to will the blob into a solid, forming a cyan sphere the size of a tangerine. Percy nodded. This wasn¡¯t very different from his own constructs. However, what she did next made him furrow his brow. She placed her other hand on top of the ball, and then began pressing them both together, trying to squeeze the sphere tighter. The kids also mirrored her actions, but he didn¡¯t pay them any attention, preferring to learn from the expert. The strangest part was that Percy wasn¡¯t exactly sure what she was doing. Her muscles were tense and her face red, suggesting some level of physical activity. Yet, her core was also shining a touch more brightly, which typically happened when somebody was using their mana to form a spell. ¡®She¡¯s exerting both physical strength and willpower!¡¯The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. At first nothing changed, making Percy wonder whether they were pulling his leg. However, a minute or two later he noticed the sphere had shrunk somewhat. It contained the same amount of mana as before, but it was denser. The old lady kept going. She was already drenched in sweat, but her focus didn¡¯t waver. She was probably used to doing this. Over time, the ball continued to shrink, until it was roughly half its original size an hour later. Only then did she stop, letting the ball roll out of her hand. The marble made a crisp sound as it hit the floor, bouncing once before rolling to the centre of the circle. ¡®What the hell?! It¡¯s stable!!!¡¯ In his experience, whenever he stopped paying attention to his constructs, they instantly crumbled into motes of mana before dissipating. But that wasn¡¯t what happened here. The old lady had already forgotten all about the ball, as she was talking to her students, pointing out their mistakes. Yet, the sphere was sitting idly on the floor, giving no signs of breaking anytime soon. ¡®How does that even make sense?! Our cores already contain denser mana, yet it doesn¡¯t crystallize like that!¡¯ The old lady only had an Orange core. An injured one at that. Her mana capacity couldn¡¯t compare to a Yellow, let alone a Violet or White, so why did the substance transform this way just by being compressed by about 50%? Thinking back to her actions, Percy tried to figure out what she had done to cause this. She had first pulled the mana out of her sternum, manifesting the cyan blob in her hand. At that point, it was still in its fluid state, as that was how mana was stored in one¡¯s core. When in that state, mana could be compressed countless times, which was essentially the difference between different grades. By purifying their core, mages reinforced it, allowing it to withstand more pressure and store denser mana. ¡®But she created a construct before squeezing it!¡¯ After turning into a solid, the mana resisted the compression more strongly, requiring a lot more effort for even the tiniest deformation. The old lady had probably done this her whole life, yet she¡¯d still needed an hour before the crystal was stable. Percy¡¯s attention returned to the kids. It had taken them longer than their teacher, yet most of their spheres had barely shrunk by 20% ¨C a far cry from their goal. The younger girl was actually the best, but even she had only compressed hers by about 25%. All of them were breathing heavily too, their hands shaking. One of the boys was the first to make a mistake, his sphere shattering into a cloud of dust. Percy almost thought he had made it, but the powder faded away into nothing not long after. The rest of the kids soon followed, none of them leaving behind much evidence of their efforts, other than a shallow pool of sweat by their seat. After giving them a couple minutes to catch their breath, the old lady spoke to them in a consoling tone, seemingly giving them a few words of advice. Only then did she remember the marble on the floor, picking it up before flicking it a couple of times with her fingernail. It made crisp sounds, but showed no signs of breaking, making the children nod in appreciation as Percy considered the implications. ¡®It looks like it takes a lot of effort to learn, but it could be worth my time. If I can form my constructs out of this crystal, I can make them a lot strong¨C¡¯ He didn¡¯t even get a chance to complete that thought, when the old lady smashed the ball with a rock, splitting it in two. She then tossed the pieces in a bowl, before proceeding to crush them both into powder. ¡®Ok, scratch that. It¡¯s useless in a fight.¡¯ Perhaps the crystal was slightly harder than his regular constructs, maybe not. But it was certainly extremely brittle. Even if Percy ignored the effort required to create it, he doubted his weapons would take more than a hit or two before breaking. ¡®It won¡¯t be easy to repair them either¡­¡¯ With his hopes dashed, he had no choice but to keep watching the lesson to its end. The old lady continued to mercilessly pound the crystal for a while longer, until she was left with a pile of the same cyan powder he had seen before. She then picked up an oblong piece of bone from the corner of the room. It was hollowed out, looking a bit like a vase. She poured a few drops of water into the bowl, before handing it to the sick girl. The teenager then mixed the powder into paste once more, before repeating her actions from the previous night. Half an hour later, the old lady said a few more words to her students before sending them on their merry way. ¡®I guess they can¡¯t make enough powder to keep up with everyone¡¯s poison.¡¯ Even if every person with a pure affinity learned to do this as proficiently as the old lady, it wouldn¡¯t be enough. In any case, Percy fully intended to observe for a few more days. He had a hunch this trick could help him with alchemy back home. Unfortunately, he had no way of knowing what repercussions this decision would have on his main body¡­ Chapter 63 – Emergency This was going to be the one. Percy had already preserved enough of the nectar through both pacification and redirection. In fact, deattunement was going great too. Just a couple more minutes and he¡¯d finish brewing his first drops of elixir! Suddenly, he felt the ethereal cord tense, his consciousness nearly sinking into his familiar¡¯s. He resisted. Percy had grown somewhat better at handling the episodes after nearly a year in the Guild. Still¡­ The mixture boiled over, as the few remaining drops of elixir began to dwindle. Even a couple moments of inattention were more than enough to ruin his efforts. Percy tried his best to salvage some of it, but only slop remained in the cauldron. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re ok?¡± Orin asked in concern. ¡°Your¡­ illness has lasted a lot longer this time.¡± The old alchemist had stopped supervising his attempts for the past few months, letting him experiment and learn by himself. However, he¡¯d resumed observing him recently, as his sponsorship was nearing its end and he wanted to evaluate his student¡¯s progress as well as offer some final advice. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s going to pass sooner or later.¡± Percy said. ¡°If you want, I¡¯ve got a friend with a Blue core and a life affinity in the Guild. I can ask him to give you a check-up.¡± Orin didn¡¯t relent. ¡°Thank you sir, but it won¡¯t be necessary. We have plenty of those in my House and none of them could do anything about my situation.¡± he replied vaguely. Orin creased his brow but didn¡¯t insist. They bid each other farewell before parting for the night. ¡®What is that clone doing?!¡¯ Percy wondered on the way to his place. It had been gone for over a week! Of course, he knew this was technically a good thing. It meant he¡¯d finally stumbled upon something interesting enough to warrant looking into. Percy had been over the moon when he first realized his latest venture was a success. That said, the delay was really screwing with both his alchemy and hunting in the meantime. Entering his house, Percy was about to take a shower when the connection pulled him again. Instinctively he fought back, but a wave of powerful thoughts and emotions also seeped through the bond. ¡®CAW! CAW!!¡¯ Micky was distraught. Afraid. In pain. Panicking, Percy was tempted to peer through the crow¡¯s eyes, to see what was happening. Still, he didn¡¯t want to interfere with his familiar in case he was fleeing from something. Without wasting a moment, he grabbed all the healing potions in his room, clumsily splitting them into his pockets, hoping the cheap vials wouldn¡¯t break. Next, he bolted out of his house, sprinting towards the Spire, ignoring the soreness and exhaustion. ¡®Micky, what¡¯s going on?!¡¯ ¡®CAW!¡¯ The bird couldn¡¯t spare him much attention, but it still managed to relay some fragmented images. A figure in a yellow robe. Stones flying. An injured wing. Micky hadn¡¯t given him much, but it was enough. Percy already knew where the familiar tended to nest for the night. ¡®Hold on! I¡¯m on my way! Try to escape towards me!¡¯ Despite his reassuring words, he was a lot more conflicted internally, however. ¡®Shit! What do I even do in this situation?!¡¯ Percy had no idea what madness had driven the Yellow core to roam the first level so late at night. Nor what stroke of misfortune had caused him to attack his familiar. Still, technically that person hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. Sometimes, other beasts besides the Starry Wasps wandered into the Fungal Spire and there weren¡¯t any rules against killing them. But if Percy harmed him, he¡¯d be the one in trouble.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Even if he came clean with his secrets and explained the situation to the Guild¡¯s management, he doubted it would solve much. Micky might not be a regular beast, but the truth was in many ways worse. He was a member of a foreign race that Percy had smuggled into Remior! Some might even consider it an act of treason. They wouldn¡¯t take kindly to him attacking a member of the Guild ¨C a native ¨C over such a creature. Percy shook his head. ¡®What am I even thinking?! It doesn¡¯t matter what the consequences are!¡¯ Micky wasn¡¯t just a beast. Or an alien. Or a creature¡­ He was his friend! His family! By the time he¡¯d resolved himself to doing whatever it took, Percy was outside the settlement. Ignoring the bridge leading up to the second level, he ran towards Micky while activating Circulation. ¡®Are you still there? What¡¯s the situation?¡¯ ¡®CAW¡­¡¯ Micky¡¯s thoughts were sluggish. He was desperately fleeing from his pursuer, but he couldn¡¯t fly very high nor very fast. Every beat of his wings hurt, and he felt cold ¨Chaving lost a lot of blood. At least, the Yellow guy didn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry, only leisurely chasing the bird, knowing it wouldn¡¯t get very far. Percy gritted his teeth, picking up the pace. He might have decided to do whatever he could to save his friend, but he had yet to settle on his best course of action. ¡®I can¡¯t handle a Yellow core in a direct fight...¡¯ As things stood, he only had two viable options. He could try reasoning with that person, getting him to back off peacefully. This was the most civilized approach, but also a rather shitty one. There were many details he¡¯d have to gloss over while negotiating, and he had no idea what the other party¡¯s personality was like. If the talks failed, he¡¯d be giving up the element of surprise. The other option was a sneak attack. It had worked in the past, but there was no guarantee it would again. Especially given the circumstances. Having freshly sent out a clone, Percy still had some trouble regenerating soul mana by himself. Micky was in no condition to help either. Perhaps he could gather enough for a Parting Gift in the next few minutes, but that would limit him to a single shot. If he missed, he¡¯d be screwed, and it would be too late for negotiations. ¡®I can give Circulation another try.¡¯ He¡¯d already failed to find the correct pattern for his soul affinity countless times, but there was still some distance from Micky, so he could afford another attempt. Intensifying his breaths, he began filling his first core. His injuries pulled the mana, trying to pry it from his control. And he let them. As the mana flowed into his channels, the newly formed vacuum enhanced his ability to draw more from the air, as the colourful motes swirled into his body even more forcefully. Soon, an equilibrium was reached, with mana flowing both into and out of his sternum at equal measures, as the hole in his soul began to fill up. This lasted until the injury was saturated. It needed some time to absorb the mana, which caused the drain on his core to weaken temporarily. Still, Percy didn¡¯t allow it, continuing to push the mana into his channels, this time intentionally directing it along the latest pattern he had devised. Locating the correct pathways inside the mess was tricky, but he managed to get a grip on them eventually. At first, things were going alright, as the soul mana flowed through his soul unobstructed, his body and mind strengthening. However, the channels soon drifted again, making him almost mess up, nearly sending the mana down the wrong pathway. Gritting his teeth, he adjusted his control, focusing on maintaining the correct pattern as the channels continued to shift around. ¡®I won¡¯t be able to fight like this.¡¯ Percy would have to constantly pay attention inwards to keep the technique up. It wasn¡¯t practical, but he didn¡¯t want to give up just yet. Sadly, he made a mistake a few moments later. Having missed a connection, he sent the mana down the wrong turn, causing the entire flow to collide against itself. An entire section of his soul swelled near his right shoulder, causing some tears to form, as an excruciating wave of agony washed over him. ¡°AAAAAARGGGHH!!!¡± Percy stumbled, falling on the ground before rolling a dozen meters in the dirt. Still, he didn¡¯t let go of his control just yet, trying to restore the correct pattern. However, another complication emerged. The soul mana now wanted to flood the newly formed cracks, creating a third flow to compete against the other two. And it all went downhill from there. More clashes occurred, causing more injuries and just as many rogue flows of mana, soon forcing him to relinquish the technique before it led to irreparable damage. ¡®It was worth a shot¡­¡¯ he smiled wryly. Pushing himself up, he resumed running towards Micky, allowing part of the mana to flood the new injuries as he gathered the rest in his core. At least, he had enough for the Parting Gift now. A few minutes later, he finally caught a glimpse of his familiar, flying in an irregular path towards him. In fact, it might be more accurate to say it was leaping from tree to tree, inadvertently banking to his injured wing with each beat. ¡®I¡¯m here. Bait him over.¡¯ Percy ignored Micky for now, hiding behind the nearest tree, pulling a trickle of soul mana into his eyes, sending the rest to his hand. He felt the sickle form, as the pursuer¡¯s silver silhouette casually approached the bird. ¡®Just a little closer¡­¡¯ Percy didn¡¯t bother circling around the tree, instead launching the sickle through it. He held his breath as the blade spun soundlessly through the air. It was about to hit its mark! At the last second, the pursuer was startled, clumsily leaping out of the way. He only had enough time to move slightly, the sickle still carving a nasty groove on his upper arm. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAGHH!!!¡± the man fell down, clutching his injury. However, before Percy had the chance to celebrate, his enemy was back on his feet. This time, he was looking his way. Through Mana Sense, Percy spotted three Yellow masses gathering in the air next to the man, taking the form of spears, pointing towards the tree. The sneak attack had failed. Chapter 64 – Maelstrom The spears pierced through the tree like it was made of cotton, barely giving Percy a chance to dodge. But his trouble had just begun, as more Yellow mana gathered under his feet. Tilting his body at the last second, he narrowly escaped impalement, though not without a gnarly gash on his upper thigh. If this had been higher up on the Spire, his opponent wouldn¡¯t be able to manifest his earth constructs through the surface of the giant fungi. Sadly for Percy, the ground on the first floor was made of dirt and rock. At least, Mana Sense gave him the chance to react a fraction of a second early, but even with Circulation, keeping up with a Yellow core was a tall order. ¡°What the fuck gave you the confidence to attack me?! And what¡¯s up with the weird mana flow around your abdomen?!¡± the man asked without pausing. Percy was too preoccupied trying to survive the barrage of javelins to reply. Another two landed next to his feet, almost pinning him in place. Luckily, he¡¯d managed to step out of their path just in time. ¡®I can¡¯t keep this up forever.¡¯ Squarely at a disadvantage, he tried dodging backwards whenever possible in a desperate attempt to put some distance between them. It would give him more time to react, not to mention giving his familiar an opening to escape. However, even the physical capabilities of his opponent eclipsed his own, letting him casually keep up with him while continuing his relentless onslaught. ¡®Shit. Micky can¡¯t help. The quarterstaff will snap like a twig. The glove might as well be made of paper. I can¡¯t close the distance for a physical blow either¡­¡¯ A javelin brushed over his head. It would have stabbed through his skull if he hadn¡¯t ducked. The earth mage made the next one pop up from the ground at an angle, leaving another deep cut right under Percy¡¯s ribs. ¡°AAAAAAGH!!¡± Returning to the Guild wasn¡¯t an option either. It was too far to outrun him. Percy gritted his teeth. Soul mana was the only thing that could save him, but it took too long to recover normally. Still, realizing it was only a matter of time until he made a fatal mistake, he took a deep breath, not giving the mana a chance to settle in his core before pushing it into his channels. He didn¡¯t even bother trying to control where it went this time. He couldn¡¯t. Most of his attention was glued to his opponent. His only option was to let it rampage freely until he had enough for another sickle. A javelin headed for his eye. This one Percy saw too late. He tried parrying with his backhand. The glove shattered on impact, blood splattering from his left hand as the bones inside cracked, sending a visceral wave of pain through his body. Percy suppressed a groan, as he continued to evade whatever he could, trying to minimize the damage. Several seconds later, enough mana had gathered in his channels to begin clashing with itself. Tears formed on his soul, the new surge of agony utterly dwarfing that of his physical wounds. But he didn¡¯t stop it. He didn¡¯t have the luxury to grab a hold of the flow or to delay the accumulation. If he failed to craft his weapon, he was done for regardless. The flow shifted towards the new cracks, putting more strain on his soul. ¡®Just a little more.¡¯ Wherever the mana clashed, more tears opened. Each fresh wound created its own flow, in a vicious cycle that could only end in a horrific death. Percy was too absorbed to care. He dodged spear after spear, the cuts continuing to accumulate on his flesh every time he made a mistake. Some were shallow, others deeper, as both his body and soul were on the verge of collapse. At this point, he couldn¡¯t even keep track of how much mana he had gathered. Maybe it was enough for the sickle, maybe not. He lacked the mental capacity to form the spell anyway. He could only keep evading. Soon, his vision became a blur. He couldn¡¯t make out his surroundings and his heartbeats dominated his hearing. The only thing he had left was Mana Sense, barely providing him enough information to keep dodging by the skin of his teeth.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. The mana still raged in his channels. By now he couldn¡¯t stop the flow even if he wanted. It rampaged ceaselessly through his soul, tearing and repairing it with each violent gale. Percy wasn¡¯t sure he was even alive anymore. He hoped his muscles still responded to his input, but he couldn¡¯t feel them. By now he struggled to even remember the shape of his body. For a second, he even forgot where he was, almost thinking he was another clone, trying to possess somebody else. The ethereal cord tightened, his consciousness nearly stripped out of his head. Luckily, he was still lucid enough to resist. If he let this happen now, his death would be guaranteed. ¡®No¡­ I must stay in my own body¡­¡¯ He succeeded, his opponent¡¯s Yellow core coming into focus once again, as he sidestepped another construct. ¡®Huh, it was a little slower. Is he finally tired?¡¯ Something new appeared in his vision. Surrounding the Yellow glow in the man¡¯s body, a silver silhouette gradually formed. ¡®Soul Vision? I don¡¯t remember activating it.¡¯ More spears. Some flew directly towards him. Others tried to block his escape. A few stabbed from the ground up, in all sorts of insidious angles, trying to catch him unprepared. Percy dodged one after another. Fewer scraped him than before. Soon, he noticed something interesting. Right before each attack, the silhouette changed. Silver flicker. Yellow glow. Dodge. Javelin. Another flicker. Another glow. Dodge again. Spear. ¡®I can begin dodging before the glow!¡¯ Silver flicker. Dodge! A Yellow glow. The spear changed trajectory at the last second, but evading it was still easier than before. This time the silver silhouette wavered! He was surprised! Percy didn¡¯t care, he just continued dodging as best as he could. The man¡¯s intent betrayed his actions before they were complete. The spells grew slower too. At some point, dodging them was effortless. Another new sensation took root in Percy¡¯s mind. His hearing. But it wasn¡¯t regular sound. Howls of pain. It was his own soul, screaming at him in agony. Only then did he remember what he was doing. He tossed a fleeting glance at his body. The sight shocked him. His soul thrummed in a bright silver, raging torrents rampant through his channels. New tears kept forming. His pathways kept shifting. The flow randomly changed, never remaining constant for longer than a moment. Like a maelstrom. Percy¡¯s eyes widened in horror. ¡®How am I still alive?!¡¯ He dodged another couple of spears before checking his soul again. More tears formed each second, but they were tiny. Every time the potent mana washed over them, they disappeared! At some point, he¡¯d began to outheal the damage, to the point the injuries only managed to change the flow before fading! He grinned, shifting his attention to his opponent. Another spear stabbed through the ground. Percy tilted his head slightly to avoid it. A torrent of mana gushed to his hand, forming the Parting Gift. It was twice as large as it normally was. The silver silhouette trembled. One more spear pierced underneath Percy¡­ but he was ready for it. Falling forward, he let it stab the air behind him, before kicking it with his right foot. Propelling himself, he dashed towards his opponent, with two types of mana empowering his body. More javelins formed. Some stabbed at him directly, others tried to cut him off. They all missed. Percy stepped around them, weaving and pivoting and¡­ dancing! ¡°Please, don¡¯t!¡± a shaky voice begged. However, the sickle sliced soundlessly through the air without stopping. And just like that, a soul was cleaved in half. As soon as the lifeless body hit the ground, Percy wanted to plop down himself. But there were things he needed to do first. ¡®Micky?!¡¯ No reply. They had put some distance from the familiar during the fight, and he should have passed out from his injuries. Percy felt the crow¡¯s location through the cord, before tossing the corpse on his shoulder and running towards it. While moving, he threw his body another glance. Both his flesh and soul were covered in nasty wounds from head to toe. Fortunately, the adrenaline combined with two instances of Circulation gave him enough energy to stand. For now at least. He reached for the healing potions in his pockets. ¡°Ouch!¡± He tried again after covering his hands with cyan gloves, grabbing a pile of wet shards. Only one of the vials had survived, the rest having shattered during the fight. In hindsight, it wasn¡¯t that surprising considering even his robes were in tatters. Reaching the crow, he pushed a crapload of soul mana through the connection, waking it up. He drank half the potion, before feeding the rest to the bird. It wasn¡¯t that potent, but they¡¯d have to share given the circumstances. ¡®Eat him.¡¯ he said, carelessly tossing the body on the ground. Even ignoring how valuable a Yellow core was, they had to get rid of all the evidence of what happened. Percy hadn¡¯t forgotten he¡¯d just committed a serious crime. As the bird feasted on the corpse, Percy searched the man¡¯s possessions for anything of value. He found a pouch containing about a dozen elixirs and a couple thousand contribution points. Next, he buried everything else a few meters deep by the time Micky was done. Only a third of the corpse had been consumed, the bird not being large enough to devour the whole thing in one sitting. He¡¯d have to finish the rest tomorrow. The two found the nearest tree, before plopping down at its base. Their situation was still precarious given the partially eaten body and the hundreds of stone spears littering their surroundings. If somebody stumbled upon them, they¡¯d get in a world of trouble. However, neither of them could summon enough strength to clean up right now. They¡¯d have to do so in the morning, assuming the potion did its job. Chapter 65 – Aftermath Beasts tended to heal fast. Between drinking half the healing potion and consuming a fresh Yellow core, Micky was alright by morning. Percy on the other hand¡­ Not so much. ¡®I suppose I¡¯m in better shape than the other guy¡­¡¯ he consoled himself, looking at the half-eaten corpse of his enemy. At least, he wasn¡¯t dead or in chains. Percy had never been more grateful for the desolation on the lower levels than he was in that moment. His wounds had stopped bleeding too, so he wasn¡¯t in any immediate danger. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed against the tree to stand up, before walking to the nearest stone javelin. He only activated Circulation with his weaker core, as he wasn¡¯t in the mood to start tearing his soul again. His channels still burned, but he needed the extra boost to crush the constructs to dust. And there were plenty of them. ¡®Micky, you must eat the rest of the body. Do whatever you have to, but it needs to be gone by the afternoon.¡¯ CAW The crow wasn¡¯t pleased, as the remains were already devoid of mana. But it accepted the assignment without complaint. Percy stomped the first spear to powder, before moving to the next one. There were hundreds in the area where they had fought, plus he¡¯d have to retrace the guy¡¯s steps from when he was chasing Micky. The bastard had paced himself well, launching the projectiles about as fast as he recovered his mana. Even without Circulation, he¡¯d unleashed a lot of attacks without tapping out. It was already dark again by the time Percy was done. He¡¯d destroyed most of the evidence of the battle and Micky had eaten the last traces of the corpse. They¡¯d even looked for any lingering bloodstains, burying them underground. If somebody passed through the area in the next couple of days, the freshly dug dirt might look suspicious, but they couldn¡¯t do much about that, other than letting time take care of it. Another problem was the tree the earth mage had pierced through at the beginning of the scuffle. Percy couldn¡¯t make the whole thing disappear, so his next best move had been to cut it in half and trim the trunk. At least, that way it wouldn¡¯t be so obvious what had damaged it. It was probably overkill, but he didn¡¯t know if somebody was familiar with the guy¡¯s magic. ¡®I wonder what Orin is thinking.¡¯ This was his first time missing an alchemy session in the past five months. He¡¯d have to make up a story by tomorrow, but he doubted his mentor would suspect he¡¯d spent the day covering up a murder. Then, there was the issue with his current appearance. Between his battered body and tattered clothes, he needed a believable excuse before returning to the settlement. Fortunately, the bandage wrapped around his abdomen still seemed to work, despite a few holes here and there. At least, Micky couldn¡¯t detect the second core through Mana Sense. CAW! Next, the bird led him to a pile of Starry Drones. He¡¯d hunted them on his own while Percy was busy clearing the evidence. Not for the contribution points of course. They¡¯d already decided to take it easy for the next few days. No, they needed the dead wasps for something else. ¡®This is going to suck so fucking much.¡¯ Ripping a strip of fabric from his robes, Percy rolled it up before placing it in his mouth. He bit down, holding a carcass over a wound on his arm. Next, he squeezed its abdomen, causing a drop of purple liquid to drip down from the stinger, splashing along the cut.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. SSSSS A sharp pain instantly assaulted him as he watched his own flesh sizzle and blacken. Intentionally pouring acid into his injuries wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d ever imagined doing, but he had to make them look like they¡¯d been inflicted by the bugs. Percy¡¯s body had gone through a lot of torture over the past day, but his mind wasn¡¯t faring much better. Even now, he couldn¡¯t help but second guess his decisions. ¡®Was this really the best course of action?¡¯ The guy he¡¯d killed wasn¡¯t a bandit like Rick. Just a fellow member of the Guild, hunting on the Fungal Spire. An innocent person. Percy had attacked without even trying to communicate first. He¡¯d done that to maintain the element of surprise, but the sneak attack had failed anyway. He didn¡¯t regret doing his best to save his familiar, but he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would¡¯ve happened had he given that person a chance. Even if negotiations had led nowhere, the fight would have pretty much developed in the same way. But what if he¡¯d agreed to let Micky go? Sure, Percy would have still ended up in a difficult situation, with another person knowing at least one of his secrets. That said, it wasn¡¯t necessarily worse than worrying about his crime being discovered. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll never know¡­¡¯ It was past midnight by the time he finished mutilating his wounds. Percy was glad he didn¡¯t have a mirror on him, as he was too scared to look at his body. At least, there wouldn¡¯t be too many people awake in the settlement right now. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t meet anybody besides the guards. *** ¡°Gods! What happened to you?!¡± one of the men asked. Percy scratched his head. ¡°I was an idiot. I heard of a place with Starry Soldiers on the second level and I was dumb enough to try fighting them.¡± The two gave him incredulous expressions. ¡°Hunting Yellow beasts with an Orange core?! What madness possessed you to do that?!¡± ¡°Kid, you¡¯re lucky to be alive!!¡± Percy chuckled bitterly. He then tried walking through the gate but one of them stepped in his way, blocking his path. Outwardly Percy gave him a questioning look, but internally he was sweating buckets, afraid he¡¯d overlooked something. The guy didn¡¯t seem to notice, however. Instead, he searched his pocket before handing Percy a vial. ¡°Use this. I¡¯ve had this for ages, but I doubt it will do me much good. It might work better on you. It¡¯s a healing potion.¡± Percy was moved. He was already planning to buy a few tomorrow to fix his body, but the sooner he began recovering, the less unwanted attention he¡¯d draw to himself. He looked for some change in his pouch, when the guard stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s on me kid. Just try to be more careful out there.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Percy nodded in appreciation before downing the green liquid on the spot. He felt his wounds itch for a few seconds, already looking a bit better by the time the effect wore off. Luckily, he saw nobody else on the way home. All the stands had already closed for the night. Not that he didn¡¯t crave his daily Honey Roll ¨C Percy was practically starving ¨C but he¡¯d rather not give Freddy a heart attack. Reaching his house, he first stopped by his preservation box, stuffing his face with anything edible he found. Only then did he enter the shower, still chewing on a slice of cheese. Peeling what remained of his robes was painful, the fabric already stuck to his wounds in several spots. Many scabs fell out, making him wince. Washing the acid off his injuries wasn¡¯t much better. ¡®The good news is I have another set of robes.¡¯ It had cost him 200 points ¨C a hefty sum ¨C most likely due to the self-cleaning enchantments inscribed on the garments. Still, given his secrets, he¡¯d decided it was worth investing in some spare clothes in case of an emergency. Thank Phoebe too. He wouldn¡¯t have to walk around naked tomorrow. ¡®If I wake up at sunrise, I can get to the official shop as soon as it opens.¡¯ He¡¯d give the clerk the same excuse as the guards ¨C if she asked ¨C and patch his body up with another potion or two. By then, he¡¯d look as good as new. That way nobody else would see his wounds. He¡¯d only have to repeat his story twice more ¨C to Orin and maybe Freddy, before returning to his routine. Overall, he was happy with his odds of getting away with it. Murder was a serious crime in the Guild, but only if he got caught. Nobody ever bothered checking up on people. The chances anyone would notice the Yellow core was missing were abysmal. Not to mention somebody going out looking for him ¨C and on the first floor, of all places. Beyond that, it would all come down to Percy¡¯s luck. Chapter 66 – Hemarakah Having been around for nearly two weeks, #13 was Percy¡¯s longest-lived clone so far ¨C at least in terms of time inside a body. Of course, he still fell a little short compared to his predecessor¡¯s trip on Huehue, but most of that guy¡¯s days had been spent shopping for a host, so they hardly counted. Either way, Percy confirmed once more that his clones were inherently unstable. No matter how peacefully he possessed their bodies or how much soul mana he invested, they wouldn¡¯t last long before collapsing. Perhaps it also depended on the circumstances of their deaths. At least when it came to old age, there was only so much he could do to stretch their remaining lifespan. Consequently, his time observing the primitive village was also nearing its end. ¡®Not that there¡¯s much more to learn here.¡¯ The crystallization technique was straightforward. Percy had only needed a couple days to understand how it was performed and what the effects of the cyan powder were. Essentially, it was a matter of exerting one¡¯s control over mana to compress the constructs into a denser state. The locals used their physical strength to supplement their willpower ¨C something he would have an easier time doing due to his second core and Circulation. That said, this component wasn¡¯t necessary. Advancing to a higher grade would naturally make the technique easier, so he estimated he would eventually be able to perform it without getting his hands dirty. Sadly, this simply wasn¡¯t an option for the locals. Either way, the rest of his time had been spent estimating how long he¡¯d need to master the art. It was an important datapoint that would determine whether it was worth focusing on this once he returned home, or whether he was better off waiting until he advanced. And the results were mixed. ¡®The kids have barely improved since I got here. At this rate, it¡¯ll easily take me a year. Maybe longer.¡¯ His only consolation was that he was both more hard-working and healthier than the local children, giving him some hope of integrating the cyan powder into his alchemy before it was time to leave the Guild. Percy had also grown a little fond of the locals. Every world he had ever experienced had its own share of hardships, but he¡¯d never met anybody as pitiful as these people. The very air they breathed was poison! The sick girl¡¯s situation in particular was a true tragedy. Born at Yellow, she would have enjoyed a long and comfortable life in most places. Here, she was destined to die before reaching adulthood¡­ ¡®At least these people are kind.¡¯ If this had been any noble House on Remior, her tribemates would have written her off as a hopeless case and left her alone to die a long time ago. But that wasn¡¯t what the villagers had done. They seemed to have a policy of devoting all their cyan powder to the person who needed it the most. Many others were also sick, but the old lady kept all her efforts focused on the girl. Not that it helped much. ¡°Hemarakah!¡± her father shouted when she collapsed again. That was the girl¡¯s name as Percy had come to learn. Despite everyone¡¯s sacrifices, her episodes had grown both more frequent and more severe. At this point, he wasn¡¯t sure if his host would die before she did. The man brought her to the old lady¡¯s hut once more. However, the healer was at a loss. The green concoction was no longer enough to wake the girl up and she couldn¡¯t use the powder if she was unconscious. A gloomy mood overcame the small village as a crowd gathered around them. Nobody spoke, but the children¡¯s cries and even the occasional sobs of the adults broke the sombre silence.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. As Hemarakah¡¯s breaths slowed down and whatever was left of her core began to dim, her father grew even more desperate. Grabbing his daughter, he began shaking her, trying to wake her up. Another person had to intervene to stop him. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!¡± the grieving father¡¯s guttural scream was the most heart-wrenching sound Percy had heard in any of his lives. Someone patted the man¡¯s back, trying to console him. He didn¡¯t react. He just stared at his unconscious daughter, his body trembling. He was either unwilling to miss her final moments, or unable to accept they were forthcoming. Suddenly, he stopped shaking. Raising his head, the man looked at Percy. His eyes were bloodshot, a crazy glint shining in his pupils. But there was something else there too. Hope. Leaping to his feet, the father sprinted towards him, before falling to his knees right underneath the floating clone. ¡°Sah kar, el di kin! Di kin!!¡± he screamed, his voice cracking. Percy didn¡¯t understand the words, of course, but it wasn¡¯t that hard to infer their meaning. ¡®Is there anything I can do?¡¯ Truth be told, he still didn¡¯t know the full extent of his species¡¯ abilities. Could they do more than just filtering the air? The old lady soon approached the man, trying to pull him away. He resisted. ¡°Di kin!! Di kin!!!¡± he kept yelling. He knocked his head on the ground over and over, a trickle of blood flowing down his forehead, mixing with tears on his chin. The sight made Percy wince, especially considering these people had an eye on their foreheads. Exhaling, Percy floated down, gently stopping him with his paw. He then made his way to the girl. Her life was already hanging by a thread. Percy had no idea if he could help, but what was there to lose? ¡®Worst case scenario, I fail. Both of us are dying anyway.¡¯ Patting Hemarakah¡¯s arm, he quickly noted it was cold. He already knew her sternum was filled with the brown mist. The question was how to get it out of her core. ¡®Any insight you¡¯re willing to share?¡¯ Percy asked his host. The original owner of his body had remained silent over the past two weeks. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was still even there. Against all odds, a response came through! Foreign thoughts soon crossed Percy¡¯s mind. He suddenly had some idea of what he was supposed to do. ¡®Alright. Here goes nothing.¡¯ Looking at the girl¡¯s father who¡¯d already joined him by now, he gestured for him to open his daughter¡¯s mouth. He then lowered his own, before softly inhaling, focusing his Mana Sense on her core. Nothing happened. Percy drew a second breath and then a third, in a desperate race against time. Every moment risked being Hemarakah¡¯s last. A dark wisp emerged. It was the thickest, deepest brown he¡¯d seen since coming to this world. It was even denser than the clouds above, or the vents spewing the poison into the air. Another wisp followed, as the girl¡¯s core stopped dimming. A wet cough escaped her throat, as a viscous sludge splattered all over Percy¡¯s face. Part of him flinched, wanting to move away from the discharge. Another part of him, however, the one stemming from his host¡¯s instincts, prodded him to remain in place. If the brown fog tasted like strawberry juice, the sticky liquid was more akin to strawberry jam, its flavour heavenly to his alien tastebuds. ¡®I¡¯m not sure if this is the best thing I¡¯ve ever eaten, or the most gross. Probably both.¡¯ Either way, the girl kept improving the more of the substance he extracted from the core, as the Yellow light burned brighter with every breath. ¡°HAHAHAHAHA!!!¡± the father burst into joyous laughter, as the rest of the villagers erupted into cheers. A few minutes later, Hemarakah had the healthiest core he had seen since coming here, but Percy didn¡¯t stop just yet. ¡®If I¡¯m going to do this, I might as well clean it up completely.¡¯ He kept going, until the core was restored to over 80% of its full capacity, when something unexpected happened. Amidst the bright Yellow glow, a faint Green strand emerged, causing Percy to raise an eyebrow, as the locals gasped and exclaimed in awe. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ Intensifying his efforts, he took breath after breath, as more poison was sucked out of the girl¡¯s core and more strands of Green appeared, one after another, until they began to dominate. By the time Hemarakah coughed out the last drop of sludge out of her throat, a Green core thrummed with power in her chest! ¡®Holy shit. The poison must contain beast mana.¡¯ It clearly wasn¡¯t pure like the nectar they had on Remior, as even the beasts he¡¯d encountered were suffering from the poison. His species were the only ones equipped to fully process the substance. The mana was also rather thin, as it wasn¡¯t visible through Mana Sense. Still, it had to be there, as that was the only explanation for Hemarakah¡¯s advancement. ¡°Kerez dim laat!!¡± the man said, drawing Percy¡¯s attention. His daughter soon echoed his words. Nodding, Percy then looked at the rest of the villagers, noticing all their eyes were sparkling as they gazed at him. He chuckled. ¡®Oh well, I suppose I still have a few hours left.¡¯ Chapter 67 – Vent It took Percy several more hours to cure the rest of the villagers. Not all of them advanced like the girl, but many did. Especially the older ones or those with the most poison accumulated in their cores. By now, Percy was in a lot of pain, his host¡¯s soul already beginning to crumble. He had to keep shifting his soul mana around the dying vessel to hold it together just a little longer. Despite the pain, a content grin tugged at his lips. He hadn''t known these people for long, and his efforts hadn''t permanently solved their problems, but even this small act of kindness brought him a sense of satisfaction. ¡°Kerez dim laat!! Kerez dim laat!!¡± they chanted over and over, their joy surpassing even his own. Waving them farewell, Percy took off, determined to accomplish one more task before his body gave out. He doubted it would make much difference, but he wanted to help the locals one last time before returning home. Retracing his steps from two weeks prior, he flew along the river. Before long, his destination came into view ¨C the giant vent spewing brown gas into the air. Guessing this was the closest source of pollution to the village, Percy¡¯s plan was to filter as much of the substance as possible before his host expired. As he approached the colossal geyser, he noticed more of his kin ¨C this time including a few larger ones with Yellow cores. However, none had the distinctive grey fur of his host, indicating that the creature he was inhabiting was likely an elder, even among others of the same grade. ¡®Hopefully we¡¯re close to a promotion too.¡¯ Drawing nearer, Percy¡¯s vision was soon obscured by the dense cloud of gas, but he managed to orient himself toward the hole by tasting the concentration of the toxic substance around him. By now, he had to rely on Mana Sense to locate the other furballs, the population of which grew denser the closer he came to the source of the gas. At least, that was the case at first. Past a certain point, the strawberry flavor in the air grew overwhelming, almost reminiscent of the syrupy sludge he¡¯d extracted from the villagers¡¯ cores. As he pressed on, the number of Orange cored beasts began to dwindle. Here, the fog was so thick it was beginning to hinder his movements, the current pushing him back. The sweetness in his mouth gave way to a spicy sensation as his core began to burn. ¡®Wow, I guess even our species have their limits.¡¯ Not that he cared much about his health ¨C he only had minutes left anyway. Unlike his Yellow cored kin, who were unwilling to venture further, Percy pressed onward, diving deeper against the flow. Ignoring the pain in his sternum, he took deep breaths, trying to rid the world of as much of the toxic gas as he could manage as a final gift to the villagers. The remnants of his host¡¯s soul began to shatter, the knots of soul mana unravelling. Percy could already feel the ethereal cord linking him to his main body on Remior pulling him back. He resisted for as long as he could, until it seemed he was about to lose the battle, when something changed. His body began to burn more intensely than before, internal pressure threatening to tear him apart. Percy grinned, recognizing the sensation ¨C one his familiar had experienced in the past. Looking inward, he quickly confirmed his suspicion. His body was saturated with dense Yellow mana, though parts of it were dimmer than others. His organs were fighting a losing battle, struggling to purify the toxin into a state his core could handle. However, something began to shift as strands of Green mana started to form in his sternum. As he had hoped, his host had lived just long enough to reach the boundary of his next promotion. The reckless baptism in the toxic fumes had proven to be precisely the catalyst required to push them over the edge.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Soon, the Green strands coiled together, consuming the Yellow mana around them, as his core shifted colours, burning more fiercely than ever before. ¡®Keep it together old cat!¡¯ Usually, a core advancement was a joyous occasion. However, this was perhaps one of the few cases where it wouldn¡¯t do anyone much good. The creature¡¯s remaining lifespan would be tripled, but three times zero was zero. It was still going to die within the next minute. As for Percy, his host¡¯s advancement only complicated matters, hastening the unravelling of the fragile bonds joining their souls. That said, he hoped to last long enough to harness this opportunity to do some real good. ¡®Just a few more seconds¡­¡¯ he smiled wryly. Now that the furball had advanced, they could consume a tremendous quantity of the toxic gas. Strictly speaking, the vent was too large for a single creature to filter by itself, whether it was at Green or even Blue. However, there was one critical exception where a beast could consume far more than normal. At the moment of its advancement! Back when Micky had evolved to Orange, Percy and the crow had spent all night scouring the Whistling Woods, feeding the bird anything they could find so it could rebuild its body to suit its new grade. This time, the furball had advanced to Green ¨C two grades higher ¨C and its diet consisted entirely of the toxic brown gas. Just how much of it would it need to consume to complete its transformation? Well, Percy intended to find out. Fighting against his crumbling body, Remior¡¯s pull and the pressure from the vent, he opened his mouth, inhaling the gas as forcefully as he could. Normally, his lungs would have filled in an instant, but now his body hungrily absorbed every bit of material that entered, breaking down the toxins into nutrients necessary for growth. Soon, the clone transformed into a ravenous vortex, greedily sucking in the brown fog like a drain at the bottom of a tub. He could feel his body swelling at an alarming rate, doubling in size within half a minute as the remaining shards of the dying soul grew just as quickly as they crumbled. This pace wouldn¡¯t last long ¨C his vessel was already nearing its new limits ¨C but the massive intake of mist triggered another change. The pressure from the vent was no longer enough to push him back, his expanding body beginning to accelerate toward it. Having absorbed enough nutrients, the flow of gas began to slow, but Percy refused to let it. He forced his body to continue drawing in every last particle of poison it could, even as he hurtled dangerously toward the ground. He slammed into a stone wall with a deafening crash, feeling both bones and rock shatter as the impact knocked the air from his lungs and sent his body rebounding. More impacts followed, each collision wreaking havoc on his flesh as well as the surrounding environment. Percy heard more stones crashing down as sections of the vent¡¯s walls crumbled, but he didn¡¯t pay that any heed, focusing solely on maintaining his grip on the dying soul and inhaling more fumes with every ounce of willpower he had left. By now, every bone in the furball¡¯s body had turned into mush, as a bunch of boulders fell on top of him, pushing him down. Percy¡¯s lungs felt like they were on fire, the pungent substance overwhelming even his newly upgraded constitution. ¡®I hope that was enough¡­¡¯ he thought, his consciousness finally slipping out of the dying vessel. Percy knew his actions didn¡¯t truly amount to much. The furballs he had placed inside the villagers¡¯ houses would leave sooner or later. The cores he had cleansed would eventually end up polluted again, and the poison he had consumed inside the vent would hardly make a dent. And even if he ended up helping out the people in that village, just how many more villages like that were scattered around this world? But he didn¡¯t regret trying. Everything he¡¯d done would buy these people some precious time. With higher grades, a cleaner environment and healthier bodies, the ones with the pure affinity would be able to produce more cyan powder too, extending everyone¡¯s lives even more. They might still die, but the few years he had bought them mattered. They mattered just as much as when he¡¯d killed Mixcoatl, or when he¡¯d preserved his friend¡¯s soul to create his familiar. Percy wasn¡¯t strong enough yet to free the people of Huehue, or to cleanse all the poison in this world¡­ But he would do what he could, to help as many as he could¡­ Why? Because he felt like it. Micky was his friend, and he¡¯d grown fond of the natives here too. Wasn¡¯t that what magic ultimately was? The power to exert one¡¯s will on the world! ¡®I¡¯ll keep growing stronger and¡­ one day, I¡¯ll have the power to make a lasting impact.¡¯ Chapter 68 – Alchemist Percy stirred the concoction at a modest, yet steady pace. A few bubbles began to form, but not too many. Instead of panicking, he continued going as he had, only carefully adjusting the temperature slightly with his free hand. A few seconds later, the foam died down, the mixture settling into a transparent gel at the bottom of the cauldron. Carefully pouring the substance onto a membrane over a vial¡¯s mouth, he watched it distilled into a clear liquid. The droplets made crisp sounds, splashing inside the sapphire bottle one after another. ¡°65 drops! Congratulations Percy! That¡¯s over 16%! You¡¯ve improved again!¡± Orin said. Letting out a breath he¡¯d been holding, Percy also felt a sense of triumph rising over his achievement. It had already been two weeks since his clone returned, and he¡¯d been able to brew some elixir every day since. His yield had started off at a modest 15%, but it was already slightly higher than that. There was still some way to go before he could be considered a fully-fledged alchemist, but at least the losses were small enough he could stomach them on his own now. A good thing too, as today was his final session sponsored by his mentor. ¡°Thank you, sir! I owe everything to your kindness.¡± he said. ¡°How many times do I need to tell you to just call me Orin? And no, given how hard you¡¯ve been working, I¡¯m sure you would have reached this point sooner or later. I only helped you get started.¡± Percy chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s still massive. It would have taken me years to gather enough points by myself.¡± Orin patted his shoulder before speaking. ¡°In any case, I¡¯m sure you can reach 25% if you keep at it for a few more months. Just promise me you won¡¯t pull off another reckless stunt.¡± The young man gazed down at his feet, unable to look the alchemist in the eye. ¡°Percy¡­ promise me.¡± Orin had bought his lie about getting injured by the Starry Soldiers. That much was unavoidable, as the alternative was confessing to murder. However, what exacerbated Percy¡¯s guilt was that he planned to start hunting the Yellow bugs for real. Now that he¡¯d settled his previous concerns, he intended to put his new strength to work. ¡°The most I can promise is to be more careful in the future.¡± he replied after a few seconds. Orin didn¡¯t say anything, instead just patting his shoulder again. The two bid each other farewell as Percy left his mentor¡¯s place for the night. Moving forward, he was still allowed to use the old alchemist¡¯s lab, but he wouldn¡¯t be provided with any more free materials or supervision. Thinking back to his gains over the past month, he couldn¡¯t help but grin. During his clone¡¯s absence he¡¯d lost a lot of time from hunting, which meant he¡¯d collected much less elixir the normal way. However, adding in the amount he¡¯d looted from his unfortunate victim, as well as the ones he¡¯d brewed himself, he still had over forty vials left. Each brewing session started with 400 drops of nectar and currently took him around an hour from beginning to the end. Over the last two weeks he¡¯d reliably earned over 60 drops per session, for four sessions per day, meaning that Orin had allowed him to keep over a month¡¯s worth of elixir. However, his income would take a massive drop now that he had to pay for his own materials. After all, he was still brewing at a loss. He sure hoped his new targets would be profitable enough to cover the difference.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. *** Percy was breathing heavily as he reached the Starry Worker. At least, dispatching it wasn¡¯t that hard ¨C it only took a single swipe of his sickle. He owed his exhaustion to something else. Over the past few days, the young man had practiced activating both types of Circulation at the same time and keeping them going for longer. At first, it had been somewhat tricky to recall how he¡¯d managed to get his soul mana flowing that night. The circumstances at the time had been rather unique. Still, he was able to replicate his success after some trial and error. In fact, by now he could even do it without injuring his soul too much in the process. Unlike the cyan lines of pure mana forming static patterns on his skin, their silver counterparts constantly moved around in a chaotic vortex, resembling a maelstrom centred around his sternum. In any case, the new version of the art further enhanced his physical capabilities, letting him run even faster atop the giant mushrooms. That alone would have increased the number of glands he harvested, but he figured he¡¯d get the most benefit by taking down the stronger variants. Sadly, the Starry Soldiers were located on the other side of the Spire, so he¡¯d have to spend a few hours running back and forth every day. At least, he and Micky could minimize the wasted time by killing the Orange variants en route to their cousins. ¡®I should start learning the Crystallization technique too.¡¯ Percy groaned. Killing the workers wasn¡¯t very difficult, so there was no better time to practice new spells than while travelling. The only issue was this particular technique required him to compress his mana over longer sessions. The frequent interruptions every time he had to kill a bug would be annoying. Still, even if it wasn¡¯t very efficient, he could work on it over time. Overall, Percy doubted he¡¯d have enough nectar for over two hours of alchemy per day, which meant he would have about 16 hours to hunt on the second level. Of those, one was needed for the round trip from the settlement, while six more would be spent traveling to and from the location Nesha had told him about. He estimated he and Micky could get around 12 workers in that time. That left him about nine hours to hunt the Yellow cored bugs, and he¡¯d need to kill at least seven of those per day to make as much nectar as he normally would. ¡®And I should try teaching Micky Circulation too.¡¯ The crow still couldn¡¯t speak, but Percy guessed it was likely because it didn¡¯t need to. The bird was already more intelligent than a human child by now ¨C not something a two-year old beast should be capable of. Even more importantly, due to beasts constantly fighting with their bodies, Micky didn¡¯t need any physical training. He only needed to clear his remaining pathways, to temper them and then find the correct pattern for the mana to flow in. Given how smart he was and with Percy guiding him, he should be able to get it down within a few months. In fact, he harboured some hope the process would jog his friend¡¯s memories, making him learn faster, or helping him remember who he was. ¡®If all else fails, it¡¯s still worth it for the powerup.¡¯ So once again, Percy had ended up with quite a few projects to work on in parallel. The increased profits from his lucrative prey would hopefully offset the losses from his subpar brewing, allowing him to continue funding one of his cores. He¡¯d keep at it until he surpassed a 25% yield, at which point he¡¯d switch to full-time alchemy. That should eventually get him enough points to cover for both of his cores. In the meantime, he¡¯d keep feeding his familiar wasps, working on both Micky¡¯s advancement and his own recovery, so that he could resume sending out clones once a month. The bird would also focus on learning Circulation, which would allow it to hunt the workers on its own when mastered. That would let them split up, focusing on different tasks. At the same time, Percy would work on Crystallization, eventually incorporating the cyan powder into his alchemy. He still wasn¡¯t sure what the exact result would be, but he had a hunch he could use it to improve the elixirs in some way. ¡®No time to waste. There are only four-and-a-half years left until the lotus blooms.¡¯ Percy understood he still had a long way to go until he was strong enough to have a real voice in his family. Well, if he wanted to accomplish that without spilling his secrets or hugging baldy¡¯s thighs, at least. CAW! CAW! Micky suddenly pecked his shoulder, breaking him out of his thoughts. ¡®You¡¯re right. I¡¯m thinking too far into the future. For now, let¡¯s focus on what¡¯s right in front of us.¡¯ They were there. They had finally reached the location of the Starry Soldiers. Percy grinned. He was about to have his first proper fight against a Yellow cored beast. And with his own body at that. Chapter 69 – Starry Soldiers As soon as Percy overcame the shock of seeing a wasp as large as he was, he thought he¡¯d have an easy time slaying the overgrown bug. Its slick black carapace still glittered with colours like its smaller cousins, but the soldier was large enough that its camouflage was essentially useless. After all, the motes of light slowly falling from the mushrooms above couldn¡¯t possibly conceal the man-sized creature, nor could they obscure the dense Yellow shape thrumming within Percy¡¯s Mana Sense. So, with nowhere to hide and with such a bulky frame, how hard could it be to hit it with his sickle? Well¡­ Near impossible it turned out. ¡®I really need to stop jinxing everything.¡¯ The soldier¡¯s stinger was about the shape and length of a rapier, delivering a barrage of lunges, trying to turn his head into a kebab. Strictly speaking, Percy didn¡¯t have much difficulty dodging the blows ¨C they were more forgiving than the mage¡¯s stone javelins. Especially with the bug¡¯s soul betraying its intentions ahead of time. Still, it was landing his own attacks that proved challenging. Unlike his human opponent who had stood in place like a sitting duck, Percy couldn¡¯t pin the wasp down. Despite its larger frame, the soldier was even more agile than the Orange variants. Hitting it from a distance was a tall order. Then, there was the strategy Percy had used against the workers at the beginning. Back when he was weaker, he¡¯d resorted to well-timed counterattacks to dispatch the bugs. Sadly, that wasn¡¯t applicable right now. His only means of defending himself had grown obsolete once more. And there wasn¡¯t much he could do about that. ¡®There¡¯s no way to block a Yellow beast¡¯s attacks with pure mana from a Red core.¡¯ Until it advanced to Orange, he¡¯d have to retire his second core entirely. Its only use at the moment was the passive boost to his physique. Although he did have another advantage. Side-stepping a stab, Percy tried to bisect the wasp¡¯s soul with his left. It moved horizontally to dodge, but that gave him a chance to throw the second Parting Gift held by his right. Thanks to Circulation, he could summon and maintain two of the weapons now! That said, the wasp flew up to avoid the second attack. Next, it only stared at him for a moment before diving back to unleash another rain of lunges, trying to take advantage of his missing weapon. Not that he had much trouble evading them, but a similar scene repeated once he finished replacing his second sickle. Half an hour later, the two were still at an impasse. The bug attacked whenever Percy was one weapon down, putting him on the backfoot until he recovered. Whenever he did, it was his turn to go on the offense, but the soldier was just as good at evading. If necessary, Percy could keep Circulation up with both cores for a couple more hours. Still¡­ ¡®How do I create an opening?¡¯ Having Micky distract the creature was out of the question. Percy had already asked his familiar to remain at a safe distance and he had no intention of letting him anywhere close to the monster. As Percy was evaluating his options, the soldier suddenly did something different. It flew a few meters above his head, before pointing its stinger down. ¡®Oh, fuck me!¡¯ A purple blob emerged from the stinger¡¯s point, soon expanding to a blanket shrouding his view. Leaping to the side, Percy barely managed to roll out of the way as the sludge rained on the mushroom.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. SSSSS The surface of the giant fungus sizzled as a wall of brown gas rose to the sky. The small amount that reached Percy¡¯s nose burned his nostrils, even coating the back of his throat with an acrid aftertaste. However, that was just the start, as the wasp fired two more liquid projectiles. This time, it was harder evading them, some of the acid landing on his leg. SSSSS ¡°AAAAAAGH!!¡± Percy hadn¡¯t expected to experience this again so soon. Luckily, it didn¡¯t corrode much deeper than his skin. The substance had spread rather thin during its flight, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be surprised seeing his entire limb melted into a puddle ¨C bones and everything. Not that it made his situation much less precarious. He barely got the chance to roll out of the way of the stinger, as it stabbed just inches from his face. Lodged into the mushroom, the wasp appeared stuck, but it still tried to crush his throat with its limbs, forcing him to keep crawling away. Only when he was a couple meters from the bug did he get the chance to stand up, before dashing towards the soldier, taking advantage of its immobility to finally kill it. ¡®That was a close one.¡¯ Percy had thought his latest improvements would make this a walk in the park, but he couldn¡¯t have been more wrong. The acid rain attack was something he¡¯d never seen the Orange variants do. It could have easily spelled his doom if the bug wasn¡¯t limited to three consecutive shots. In fact, if the soldier hadn¡¯t stupidly trapped itself, the fight might have not even ended. ¡®You live, you learn.¡¯ he shrugged. At least, this did give him an idea as to how he could use his pure mana against these creatures. Although it wasn¡¯t strong enough to block their blows or pierce their carapace, maybe he could protect himself from the acid rain with it. ¡®Micky! Come eat the core!¡¯ The familiar didn¡¯t need to be told twice. Tearing into the hard exoskeleton took the bird a bit longer than usual, but it still managed to claw a hole soon enough. It first dug the gland out of the torso, throwing it to Percy with its talon. Then, it dove back into the bug¡¯s sternum, looking for the tasty snack. Percy grabbed the gland. Ignoring his feasting friend, he took a vial out of his pouch. Next, he sliced it open with a knife before squeezing the nectar into the gemstone. ¡¯45!¡¯ he counted with glee. He¡¯d already known how much nectar the soldiers had on them of course. Still, actually seeing half the vial filled with amber fluid after a single kill was truly satisfying. ¡®And to think the commanders on the top level have over 400 drops on them. That¡¯s enough for a dose of the elixir!¡¯ Not that anybody hunted there of course. Most Guild members were already alchemists by the time they reached Green, let alone Blue. By then, they could earn a lot more points brewing than hunting. ¡®Oh well. I¡¯ll get there too. Soon.¡¯ *** ¡®Here it comes again.¡¯ The wasp fired a blob of acid like the last one. This time, Percy was prepared. Through the passive Soul Vision granted by his Circulation, he dodged the spray before it was even unleashed. He could have easily evaded the next two shots too, but he intentionally remained within the splash zone to test something out. Pure mana gushed out of his pores as he swiped his arm, brushing the droplets aside with a wave of cyan. The purple liquid rapidly dissolved the flimsy defence, some of it making it to Percy¡¯s skin. Still, most of it had been blocked. ¡®Success¡­ kinda.¡¯ he made a weird expression halfway between a grin and a wince. He¡¯d rather dodge the attacks entirely than rely on this, but it was nice knowing he had one last layer of protection. Next, the soldier dove down in an attempt to poke his eye out. Apparently, this one wasn¡¯t dumb enough to get itself trapped like the last bug. Dodging, Percy tried to land a melee blow, hitting nothing but empty air. Not getting discouraged, he quickly threw a handful of silver knives towards the creature. While he¡¯d kept one of the Parting Gifts in the shape of a sickle, he¡¯d decided to branch out by reverting the second one to a bunch of projectiles. Two of them missed, but the last one grazed its side. The silver silhouette shook, the wasp¡¯s movements growing erratic. Finishing the injured creature only took a couple more minutes. ¡®Ok. Progress.¡¯ At least, Percy didn¡¯t come close to dying this time. Also, incorporating some level of variation in his arsenal looked promising. Still, he estimated he wouldn¡¯t kill more than six soldiers today. Surpassing his previous spoils would take a few more weeks. But he wasn¡¯t too disappointed. ¡®It¡¯s going to be worth it in the long-term.¡¯ His gains had been modest when he began hunting the workers too, yet they¡¯d quickly eclipsed what was possible on the first level. Percy couldn¡¯t help but rub his hands in anticipation. After a year in the Guild, his original goal was finally within reach. ¡®I¡¯m going to have enough elixir for both of my cores soon.¡¯ Chapter 70 – Second year in the Guild More time passed as Percy worked hard on all fronts, improving both his hunting efficiency and his brewing yield. A month after his first fight against a Starry Soldier, he could already reliably kill around 10 of them per day. The difference was rather modest, but he welcomed the opportunity to hone his combat skills once more. Before, his efficiency had plateaued as he could already slay the workers near instantly, and his profits had been capped by his travelling speed. Now, he finally had the chance to work on both his stamina ¨C extending Circulation to last all day ¨C and the potency of his magic ¨C learning how to better slaughter the bugs. He also grew better at alchemy, raising his yield to 18%. Between earning 630 drops of nectar per trip and converting most of that into elixir, he could finally fully support one of his cores while still getting a lot of brewing practice. But he didn¡¯t stop there. Five months later ¨C or about half a year since the end of his funding ¨C Percy was able to hunt 14 soldiers per trip, while his yield had increased to a whopping 23%. He estimated he could have crossed the 25% threshold if he had continued spending four hours on alchemy per day, but sadly he only had enough nectar for about two. Still, he was on the verge of supporting both of his cores when another interesting development occurred. Micky finally mastered Circulation! As Percy had come to learn through the numerous beasts his clones had possessed, a beast affinity was very uniquely suited for the technique. In fact, that was an understatement. Apparently, blood was the best medium for beast mana to flow in, making one¡¯s blood vessels synonymous with their channels! Even more importantly, since beasts didn¡¯t use conventional spells, they didn¡¯t fall into the trap of only clearing the channels branching out from their cores to their extremities. Instead, they passively cleared and tempered all their pathways, their mana constantly flowing through their whole body, always empowering it. Percy had been shocked by that discovery, realizing beasts already used Circulation ¨C albeit a weaker version of it. It had essentially been the truth behind their strength all along! It didn¡¯t take a genius to find the correct pattern for the mana to flow in either. It was identical to one¡¯s circulatory system. However, that didn¡¯t mean Micky couldn¡¯t learn to use the full scope of the technique. It only meant Circulation for a beast was equivalent to supercharging their blood flow, a bit like a steroid, drawing even more strength out of their bodies than usual. Beasts also couldn¡¯t exactly replenish their mana by breathing like mages did, because ambient mana didn¡¯t contain the beast affinity. They could still slowly draw some mana of other affinities from the air, converting it to beast mana, but it was much less efficient than it was for Percy. In Micky¡¯s case, Circulation drew its power from the crow¡¯s flesh and blood. It broke down the body, converting matter to strength. At first, Percy had worried this would have an adverse effect on his familiar. After a few tests, however, he concluded it wouldn¡¯t. Perhaps it might be an issue for a beast living in an environment where food was scarce. For Micky who had more wasp meat than he knew what to do with, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. It only meant he had to eat some more of his preys¡¯ bodies per day, and he¡¯d wake up fresh the following morning. The only reason it had even taken the bird so long to master the technique was due to its reluctance. It had needed a lot of convincing from Percy before it was willing to endure the strain of the spell. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant experience, but the familiar quickly came around after enjoying the benefits of the technique.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. And naturally, that was a game-changer for them. Micky had already been able to easily find the workers before ¨C he just hadn¡¯t been great at killing them. However, his efficiency soared after his upgrade. The crow could now hunt the Orange variants way faster by itself, as Percy only slowed the bird down. On his first day roaming the second level alone, Micky took down over forty wasps, brutally shattering their previous record! At that point they split up, with Micky spending all day hunting the workers by himself, while Percy was free to focus on Crystallization as he travelled to the soldiers. They also gathered over 1200 contribution points per day, not only giving Percy enough for both cores, but even letting him save some. Four months later, their hunting trips hadn¡¯t improved much, with Micky capping at around 43 kills per day, and Percy unable to get past 15. Still, his brewing yield finally reached 26%, making him a fully-fledged alchemist. According to Orin, he could even take a test if he wanted, to be officially acknowledged by the Guild. It would raise his status if he left one day. It still wouldn¡¯t be on par with a Yellow-born, but he¡¯d receive better treatment than Orange-borns who had never dabbled in alchemy. It wasn¡¯t a huge deal, and Percy didn¡¯t see a reason to bother just yet, but perhaps he could consider it when it was time to leave. More importantly, he could now brew elixirs at a profit, and he even had a lot stashed in his house. He had enough to last as a buffer for two months once he stopped hunting. It was finally time to make the transition to full-time alchemy! At first, it would be less profitable than his current hunting trips, but that would be temporary. By brewing 18 hours per day, he would improve rapidly, meaning he¡¯d continue increasing his yield several times faster. And sure enough, another two months later ¨C or one year after Orin¡¯s funding stopped ¨C Percy reached a 30% yield! That was when the improvements truly slowed down, but it was enough. Each brewing session only took him about 40 minutes now, and with such a yield it meant he could now earn 2160 points per day! That was without even including the 645 points Micky got! ¡®Finally¡­¡¯ His two original goals in coming to the Guild had already been met. He could now fund both of his cores, and Micky had a perfect environment to keep hunting Orange beasts to his heart¡¯s content. Even better, Percy was making over three times as much money as he needed, so in theory he could fall back and relax for a while. He chuckled. ¡®As if¡­¡¯ Percy might have met his initial targets, but there were still many projects he had to worry about. He had continued sending his clones out about once a month, although they¡¯d all returned empty-handed. A couple of them had ended up possessing sentient creatures again, but neither of them had access to anything that couldn¡¯t be found on Remior. Not that it was a bad thing, as he had yet to fully process his gains from the primitive village. By now, he could compress the cyan constructs by about 40%. It was still a little short of what he needed, and his improvements had slowed down as he hadn¡¯t had much time outside alchemy to invest in the technique over the past couple of months. Still, now that he was free, he decided to only brew as much elixir as he needed for the next few weeks, spending the rest of his time on Crystallization. He had a hunch it would let him take an important step forward once mastered. His other long-term projects included the creation of a Starry Wasp familiar and repairing Micky¡¯s second core. The former still stumped him, as there were way too many impossible problems he had to overcome. Having two ethereal cords at once was already difficult, so he couldn¡¯t even consider creating another familiar without losing the ability to send out clones. Not to mention the issue with stealing a wasp egg from the depths of the Fungal Spire under the noses of Blue and Violet beasts. As for repairing Micky¡¯s core, that was more doable. The 1 million contribution points he needed were a lot, but given his current income, they were no longer impossible to amass. Even without any further improvements, he¡¯d get there in less than two years if he saved up all his excess money. Though he still hoped his gamble with Crystallization would pay off beforehand. ¡®Let¡¯s do it then. I need to compress the damn crystal by the end of the month.¡¯ Announcements Hi everyone, First of all, I want to thank you all for this amazing month! It has been a great Rising Stars run, thanks to each and every one of you for giving my book a chance :) Writing The Lone Wanderer was a ton of fun even when I was doing it alone and nobody knew about it. That said, having thousands of people reading and enjoying it alongside me just feels different. With that out of the way, I promised you big announcements, so here they come: 1) Double releases are EXTENDED by one week, until Nov. 7th!Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. As you all know, the double releases were originally only meant for October, so they were technically supposed to end yesterday. However, as a celebration of the past month, I''ve decided to work hard to keep them up for a week longer. (Also it turns out there''s a writathon starting and I want the badge ;|) 2) New (lower) Patreon tiers Admittedly, I should have had these options from the beginning, but hey, better late than never, right? There are now three paid tiers in total (and the free one). So yeah. That''s about it for today. The next chapter is coming out in 1 minute, so just refresh the page a couple of times if the next button is greyed out. And remember that Percy''s adventure has only just begun. I promise you that he will continue growing as a mage, just like I will continue growing as a writer, for many, many, many chapters to come. The ideas I have for the story are positively endless, and I can hardly wait to write them all, so stay tuned! Best, PathOfPen Chapter 71 – Crystallization A vein throbbed on Percy¡¯s forehead, his skin already a deep crimson colour. His eyes were shut, to shield them from the annoying streams of sweat pouring down his face. His body shook, his muscles having already been locked in their current position for over an hour. A palm was placed on top of the other, both squeezing hard on a glowing sphere with all their strength. Two sets of bright lines pulsed underneath his flesh. The cyan ones were static, drawing orderly curves on his body, while the silver ones constantly shuffled, outlining a violent maelstrom swirling around his sternum. ¡®Just a little more!¡¯ Percy gritted his teeth. He couldn¡¯t estimate how close he was exactly, but he felt he¡¯d been on the verge of compressing the pure mana into a crystal for the past few days. Today, he¡¯d resolved himself to doing whatever it took to finally cross the threshold. And just like that, the young man felt something snap in place, as the cyan marble stopped fighting back a few minutes later. But Percy wasn¡¯t in a hurry to quit, unwilling to risk wasting his efforts. Luckily, he received some additional confirmation of his success not long after. [Congratulations! You have mastered a new spell: Crystallization ¨C Crude!] ¡®Wow, it¡¯s been a long time since my Status registered something new.¡¯ Finally free to deactivate Circulation, Percy let go of the orb, plopping back on the cold stone weakly. His chest heaved up and down, as he watched the crystal roll away on his room¡¯s floor. Perhaps it would have been more comfortable to do this on his bed, but he didn¡¯t want to get his mattress all sweaty. In any case, he was done! His lips curled upwards as the last motes of mana seeped out of his pores. It had taken him over a year, but the new spell was finally ready. Opening his Status, he spent the next couple of minutes gawking at it in silent appreciation.
Percival Avalon Mana cores: Bloodline: Spells: ???:
¡®Six spells!¡¯ Percy was pretty sure nobody else on Remior had this many at his age. If it hadn¡¯t been for the various opportunities granted by his bloodline, he knew he would have only mastered a single one by now. The Status never bothered registering variants of the same spell if they weren¡¯t sufficiently different from one another. This was why there was only a single mention of Circulation. Also, why his Parting Gift was only listed once, despite all the slight permutations he could cast. In fact, the two most similar spells listed separately were his Quarterstaff and his Glove. Strictly speaking, both were just regular constructs of pure mana, although their purpose was very different to one another, as were the principles of their design. He still wasn¡¯t sure what the Status was for. He guessed it was meant to encourage mages to branch out, developing distinct lines of magic. As for the spells¡¯ classification, it was probably there to push people to delve deeper into each one.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡®So, whoever created it wants us to develop multiple, powerful spells. But what for?¡¯ In the end, he shrugged. This wasn¡¯t something he could figure out right now. Nor did it matter too much to him at the moment. Pushing himself up, he walked to the marble before grabbing it. It was warm to the touch, but he guessed that was just an artifact of his lingering body heat ¨C from holding it for so long. It was a little sticky too ¨C drenched in sweat ¨C prompting him to wipe it on his robes a few times. Only then did he lift it in front of his eyes, examining it more closely. It was about the size of a cherry, its smooth surface shimmering with a pale cyan light. Percy was tempted to keep the first one as a memento, but his anticipation won out in the end. He¡¯d already looked forward to testing its effects for so long! Making his way to the kitchen table, he sifted through his alchemy equipment for a pestle and mortar. Tossing the marble inside, he gave it one final glance, before sealing its fate. Without his willpower and his hands pressing on the sphere uniformly, it shattered rather easily, the brittle material quickly giving way under the weight of the bronze tool. Less than a minute later, Percy was looking at a small pile of powder, reminding him of his short time in the primitive village. ¡®I wonder how those people are doing.¡¯ Had their cores succumbed to the poison once more? They must have. The brown fog was both abundant and fast-acting. Shaking the distracting thoughts out of his mind, Percy walked to the tap, opening it slightly to let a few drops of water into the pestle. Recalling Hemarakah¡¯s actions, he mixed the contents with his fingers, before gulping down the cyan paste. Next, he pulled some soul mana from his sternum, letting it swirl inside his stomach for a couple minutes, before moving it back. Originally, his core still burned a little. It had only been a few hours since he consumed today¡¯s elixirs. However, as soon as he pushed the enriched mana inside it, the ethereal organ itched, the discomfort easing slightly. ¡®Holy shit! It works!¡¯ Percy hadn¡¯t been certain it would, as his circumstances were somewhat different from the natives of that world. Still, he had persisted in his madness, recognizing the underlying principles behind the two situations were similar. The villagers Percy had encountered had relied on the cyan paste to mend their cores, letting them survive the poison longer ¨C despite lacking the means of purging it entirely. Strictly speaking, the damage caused by the brown mist wasn¡¯t that different from what the elixirs did. Of course, the effect of the elixirs was more surgical, designed to target the impurities. Still, the process always left the organ injured, forcing people to wait 24 hours for it to recover after each dose. But if the powder could speed things up¡­ ¡®I can accelerate my advancement!¡¯ The question was how much more frequently he could drink the elixirs. ¡®I¡¯m gonna have to test a couple things.¡¯ *** A few days later, Percy already had some answers. The cyan paste seemed to merely provide the nutrients his core needed. A single marble was more than enough for his recovery, so consuming more than one didn¡¯t do anything. In other words, he couldn¡¯t spam the process to mend the core instantly. No matter what, he was limited to one dose of powder after each dose of elixir. As for the exact recovery period, it seemed to fluctuate depending on when he used the paste. The sooner he did, the fresher the wounds in his core were, making the powder more effective. When he consumed the paste right after the elixir, his core recovered twice as fast as normal! ¡®I can advance both my cores in half the time!¡¯ his heart skipped a beat. Of course, it would also be twice as expensive. Not just that, but he¡¯d also need about six hours to condense enough crystals. That would only leave him about twelve hours to spend on brewing. With his income dropping sharply and his costs doubling, he estimated he would barely keep up with his needs. Suddenly, he felt a little envious of the old lady. ¡®She only needed about an hour for each marble¡­¡¯ Percy groaned. Granted, her core had been at Orange, giving her an edge when it came to controlling pure mana. She was a lot more experienced than him too. Still, he had his own advantages, so he figured he¡¯d catch up soon enough. ¡®Actually, this is all temporary anyway.¡¯ Calculating the time he¡¯d already spent on his second core; Percy was over two thirds into his next promotion. If he began consuming four elixirs per day, he would get there in under a year! At that point, condensing the crystals would become much easier too. And there was another thing that gave him pause¡­ ¡®There should be a way to drink the elixirs and the paste at the same time.¡¯ Since the effects of the powder improved depending on how soon it was used, Percy had naturally tried consuming both substances simultaneously. The elixir and the paste had mixed in his stomach without issue, but the moment he added his own mana, it all reacted violently, eliminating the potency of both materials before he even had the chance to draw them back to his core. That said, Percy wasn¡¯t too discouraged. He already had an idea as to how he could fix this ¨C he¡¯d just need some time to work on it. If he succeeded, he could speed up his advancement even further! ¡®I guess I can delegate all my excess income into modifying the recipe over the next few months.¡¯ Chapter 72 – Unexpected visitor ¡­DRIP. DRIP. DRIP. Tossing the empty gland aside, Percy picked the next one, carving a small incision into the soft tissue before squeezing it over the vial. A few seconds later, he threw another one to the pile ¨C which contained hundreds by now ¨C before moving on. Gone were the days when he and Micky spent all their time hunting together on the Spire. Over the past several months, Percy had focused on his alchemical endeavours, leaving the crow alone to tend to its own needs. Nowadays, they only met up once a week, for Percy to retrieve the glands stashed by his familiar, handing him rejuvenation potions in return. CAW! CAW! ¡®There you are! Running a little late today?¡¯ the young man grinned. He waved at the crow flying rapidly towards him, a small pouch held in its beak. Percy returned to the task at hand, emptying the last couple of glands by the time Micky reached him. The bird landed on the dirt right next to him, as the amber lines on its plumage faded. Next, Micky gently placed the linen bag on the ground. Handing a different pouch to the crow, Percy watched his familiar fly excitedly to a nearby tree, the gem vials making clinking sounds as they tumbled inside the cloth. Having learned from his mistakes, Percy now carried even the cheaper potions in the expensive vials, to prevent them from breaking. Micky dropped his new supplies in an oversized nest, as the young man opened the pouch the familiar had brought, picking another gland from the fresh batch. ¡®Keep up the good work buddy. I¡¯ll get you the mind mana as soon as I can.¡¯ CAW! If Percy dropped everything else and merely focused on making as much money as possible, he could amass enough enlightenment potions in under two years. However, not only would that slow down his own progress, but he also strongly suspected it wouldn¡¯t even be the quickest way. He had a hunch he could make a lot more money once he figured out how to profit from the cyan paste. Of course, there were a few obstacles to overcome. First, he couldn¡¯t sell it in its raw form, as that would risk people figuring out how to reproduce it. After all, the only thing one needed was a pure affinity, which was extremely common on Remior. In fact, Percy was surprised nobody had discovered the usefulness of the powder before. His guess was that it took too much effort for people under Blue to crystallize their mana. They were unlikely to stumble upon the spell by mistake. As for those above, they were already too fixated on their ways by the time they reached Blue, so even if they accidentally condensed their mana, they wouldn¡¯t necessarily realize the implications. The natives in that world had probably tried everything they could to alleviate their poisoning, stumbling upon this secret out of sheer desperation. ¡®Or luck.¡¯ But people weren¡¯t dumb. If Percy sold the paste directly, it wouldn¡¯t take them long to figure it out. Consequently, he¡¯d have to incorporate it inside the elixirs before profiting off it. The next issue was finding a suitable location for his experiments. He couldn¡¯t work on the new recipe in the public labs, so he¡¯d have to come clean to Orin. Percy greatly respected his old mentor, but he also had no idea how the alchemist would react to such a revolutionary discovery. Finally, even if everything went well, he¡¯d still have to find a proper avenue to sell the product safely and secretly. After all, he wouldn¡¯t be able to create too much of the improved elixir by himself. If knowledge of it leaked and he couldn¡¯t meet the demand, the Divine Order would skin him alive for the recipe.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡®Oh well, if I mess things up, I¡¯ll just publicize it and wash my hands of the mess.¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t be ideal, as he¡¯d be giving up on his advantage, but it would be better than losing his life. Unlike his other secrets, he could claim he had just stumbled upon Crystallization by accident. It wasn¡¯t nearly as exotic as a second core or Circulation, so he wouldn¡¯t have to spill the beans on his bloodline. ¡®It¡¯s such a pain, keeping so many secrets.¡¯ he grimaced. ¡®At least nobody came to me asking about the missing guy. I suppose it¡¯s safe to assume I got away with it by now.¡¯ Bidding his familiar farewell, Percy returned to the settlement. On the way to Freddy¡¯s, he tossed a quick glance at the spot where Nesha¡¯s stand used to be. It had already changed hands multiple times, the current owner being a Yellow core with a life affinity, offering cheap healing services. As for Nesha, she had rented a stone building a long time ago, opening a proper gambling den. It was quite impressive too. Based on what Percy had heard, the Guild charged a lot more when leasing buildings for commercial reasons than they did for accommodation. Not that there was a shortage or anything, but they did it on purpose, to discourage small business owners from renting buildings they didn¡¯t really need. In any case, it only spoke to how much money the girl was making. Percy was confident she was even wealthier than him, despite his recent success. ¡®Good for her.¡¯ he shrugged. At least the new owner of the stand had spent a lot more effort on the sign. ¡°Oh! Hi Percy!¡± Freddy greeted him with a smile, which quickly morphed into a mischievous grin. ¡°I thought it was your time of the month again.¡± Percy snorted. His friend had been teasing him about this for a while now. In hindsight, he should have realized altering his schedule for a few days per month would lead to¡­ misunderstandings. Not that he could do much about it. This was simply the most convenient timing to send out his clones, taking into account the average length of his trips and the impact they had on his main body. In the end, he¡¯d given up, simply playing into the joke. ¡°No, my period is next week.¡± he shot back. They stared at each other silently for a couple of seconds. Freddy was the first to burst into laughter, Percy joining him a moment later. ¡°There you go man.¡± the plump guy handed him the steaming snack, as the young man paid him a brown chip ¨C worth a tenth of a contribution point. Percy held the Honey Roll with both hands as if it was the most precious treasure, biting a huge chunk out of it. He closed his eyes to savour it too, as the crispy dough blended with the warm honey in his mouth. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t watched you eat them every night for the past two years, I¡¯d have thought it was your first one.¡± Freddy said. ¡°Haven¡¯t you grown sick of them yet?¡± ¡°Never!¡± Percy protested in shock a few seconds later ¨C but only after swallowing. The two chatted for a while longer. It was mostly Freddy gossiping, really, as Percy didn¡¯t have too much to talk about, since he tended to spend most of his days holed up in a lab. At the end, the young man waved his friend goodbye, but not before buying a second Honey Roll to take home. Part of it was to make a statement, while the rest was just because the things were that damn good. It was late by the time he reached his place. Shockingly, he saw a woman in green standing outside. ¡®The hell?!¡¯ Percy paled. He never got visitors, so his mind instantly went to the worst-case scenario. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me I¡¯ve jinxed myself again!¡¯ Part of him wanted to run, but it would only make things worse. Maybe she was here for something else. ¡°Hello? How may I help you?¡± he asked, trying to sound calm. It was only now the woman seemed to notice him. ¡°Are you Percival Avalon?¡± she asked, prompting him to swallow hard. ¡®Geez, calm down Percy. Even if they learned about the missing guy, how would they link it to you after a year?¡¯ In the end, he just nodded silently. The woman didn¡¯t say anything either, approaching him instead. She placed her hand in her pocket, searching for something. Right when Percy expected her to pull out a pair of handcuffs, she took out an envelope instead, handing it to him. ¡°It¡¯s a letter from your House.¡± she said. Then she left without even waiting for the reply, as Percy watched her walk down his porch, his mouth agape. ¡®Seriously?! Have you people never heard of mailboxes?! You almost gave me a heart attack!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t until a few minutes later that he had calmed down enough to look at the sender¡¯s name. ¡®Elaine Avalon¡¯ Chapter 73 – House Tantalus Entering his room, Percy gobbled up his Honey Roll swiftly, before taking a quick shower. Only after he was done with today¡¯s chores did he allow himself to sink into his bed, finally taking the letter out of its envelope. ¡®Huh, talk about going all out.¡¯ he chuckled. The penmanship was immaculate, and the light indigo paper smelled of lavender. His cousin had clearly poured a lot of effort into this. ¡®Dear Percy, I hope this letter finds you well! No, really! You left without even saying goodbye and haven¡¯t bothered writing in over two years! To the point we aren¡¯t even sure you made it to the Guild safely! So, if you are reading this ¨C thank Phoebe! ¨C but also, please know you are a massive jerk¡­¡¯ ¡®Ouch.¡¯ Elaine¡¯s scathing words stung, but Percy couldn¡¯t exactly argue against them. At the very least, he should have let her and baldy know he was alright. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like you wrote me either!¡¯ Still, he decided to contact them more frequently from now on, before diving back to the letter. ¡®¡­Now that we got that out of the way, I wanted to bring you up to date on our House¡¯s news. One of my missions ended really badly right around the time you left. Our cousin, Aleyn, passed away. But I don¡¯t want you to worry about me. Things were a little rough for a while, but I¡¯m doing much better now. I managed to upgrade my Whip spell, and I recently perfected those dance moves you showed me too. Oh, and my mother is expecting! I¡¯m going to be a sister in a few months!...¡¯ Percy nodded. He didn¡¯t really know Aleyn that well, but he could tell his death still weighed heavily on Elaine¡¯s conscience. ¡®I should ask baldy about the details the next time we meet.¡¯ Either way, the rest of his cousin¡¯s news were much more positive. The ¡®dance moves¡¯ she mentioned were obviously code for Circulation. Percy wasn¡¯t sure how secure these letters were, but Elaine clearly wasn¡¯t willing to take any chances ¨C which suited him just fine. That meant she had at least two Refined spells listed in her Status now. That ought to have made her a force to be reckoned with. Even without a bloodline, he doubted any noble their age would be a match for her. However, the letter wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡®¡­Broadly speaking, things have been peaceful around here ¨C although House Tantalus is beginning to stir up trouble again. They¡¯ve already messed with a few of our people out on missions. Thankfully, they haven¡¯t done anything too drastic yet, but grandpa thinks it¡¯s only a matter of time before they escalate¡­¡¯ ¡®House Tantalus¡­¡¯ Percy gritted his teeth. Those were the same people who¡¯d attacked them when he was young. The ones who¡¯d killed his parents. He didn¡¯t know what exactly the deal was between the two Houses. It seemed to be a complicated mix of an old grudge, territorial disputes and also some drama around their bloodline. But yeah, it didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out why Elaine had decided to contact him all of a sudden. ¡®¡­So, I just wanted to warn you against travelling by yourself anytime soon. Definitely not to our House, but also in general. Ever since that god¡¯s announcement, all the noble families have gone crazy. Commoners too, actually. From what I hear, a lot of people are turning into bandits, hoping to kidnap somebody important to trade for one of the petals¡­¡¯Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. This was in line with Orin¡¯s speculations. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like I was planning to leave soon. There should still be over three years left until the lotus blooms. Besides, I can get an escort back if I need it.¡¯ Elaine¡¯s next words corroborated that. ¡®¡­That¡¯s not to say you shouldn¡¯t visit! According to Grandpa, you¡¯ll be safe if you travel with the Guild¡¯s envoys. Nobody in their right mind would attack them¡­¡¯ Due to the widespread need for elixirs, most noble Houses had frequent dealings with the alchemists. Percy knew his own family needed thousands of doses per month, so a group of Blue cores was given the job of delivering them three times a year. No bandit group had the power to mess with such a force. In theory, a rival House could, but none of them were dumb enough to try. Attacking the Guild¡¯s people was tantamount to declaring war on all of Remior. Sadly, the next delivery had been months away back when Micky advanced, so Percy had chosen to take the risk rather than waiting. Returning to the letter, Percy quickly noted it contained some more coded messages. ¡®¡­Finally, we¡¯d like to know how you¡¯re doing. Have you been able to dive into alchemy yet? Grandpa has been feeling guilty we couldn¡¯t give you the elixirs you wanted back home. He says he¡¯ll figure out a way to convince the rest of the family if you still need them. Also, he said he¡¯ll take some time off his schedule to brew your favourite tea if you want. In any case, make sure to keep in touch this time! Lots of love, Elaine¡¯ ¡®My favourite tea, huh?¡¯ Percy grinned. Naturally, he had nothing of the sort. Baldy was clearly talking about the petals. He should have realized Percy would want one, and he was subtly telling him he¡¯d try to make it happen. ¡®Still, it won¡¯t be easy for him.¡¯ If it was that simple, Percy wouldn¡¯t have needed to travel all the way to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild for elixirs ¨C not to mention something as miraculous as the petals. But Archibald obviously understood this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so he didn¡¯t want his grandson to miss it. Percy felt a fuzzy sensation in his chest. Having people who genuinely cared for him was a novel feeling. Though it did exacerbate his guilt over not contacting them sooner. That said¡­ ¡®I¡¯m not as helpless as I used to be.¡¯ His relatives¡¯ intentions were good, but they had no idea how much he had progressed over the past two years. He wasn¡¯t powerful enough to travel around the world freely, but he could still handle the average bandit group in a direct confrontation. If he ran into someone like Rick and his goons, he was confident he could beat them without relying on his familiar or resorting to a sneak attack this time. Percy could brew his own elixirs too, although he had yet to find a way to do it away from the Guild. The nectar wasn¡¯t exported outside the Fungal Spire, so he¡¯d lose his main source of income once he left. Still, if he succeeded in creating a wasp familiar, he could fix that too. Even when it came to the petals, he already had something in mind. ¡®I can trade Circulation for it.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it would be easier than exchanging it for elixirs. While a petal was more valuable, it was also a single-use consumable. He just had to convince one of the three recipients to part with it. It was better than handing the spell to everyone in his House¡¯s management and getting them to keep giving him elixir forever. In the latter case, he¡¯d also have to reveal his second core, and his secrets were more likely to leak the more people he told. ¡®Galahad will probably get one.¡¯ The man had a lightning affinity, which could be elevated to acid with the petal. His status in the family was the highest too. Still, as much of a prick as he was, he¡¯d probably recognize that Circulation would help him more. Especially if Percy managed to figure the final step of the technique. ¡®If not him, one of the other two will agree for sure.¡¯ There was also the cyan powder. Getting another Violet core sooner would be massive for his family. Though Percy would rather not spend the next seventy years of his life feeding his uncle the cyan paste twice a day. ¡®At least, I have options now.¡¯ He also had plenty of time to decide. Shrugging, he quickly searched through his cupboards for something to write with, eager to get back to his cousin. He did manage to find a quill and a half-empty bottle of ink. Remnants from the previous owner of the house obviously, as he¡¯d never bought any. Percy confirmed the ink was still usable, when he realized he didn¡¯t have anything to write on. ¡®I mean¡­ I COULD write on the back of Elaine¡¯s letter¡­¡¯ He smiled wryly, before shooting the idea down. There was definitely enough space there, but it would be crass of him. ¡®Don¡¯t do it Percy... Don¡¯t be a Nesha. Let¡¯s just buy some paper tomorrow.¡¯ Chapter 74 – Gabe The state of his latest host shocked Percy. On one hand, he¡¯d spent way too long searching for a body, so he had no choice but to compromise. This person¡¯s condition was much worse than he¡¯d like. However, as broken as it was, this was still one of the strongest souls any of his clones had come across. ¡®Probably a sentient. Also, a higher grade than usual.¡¯ Knowing that a good first impression was half the battle, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to reach out. Instead, he took a moment deliberating how to best introduce himself, unwilling to spook an otherwise promising host. Though he never got the chance. The stranger spoke first. ¡®Wow, sending ghosts now? You guys are getting really creative.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t among the reactions Percy was expecting, but he didn¡¯t sense any hostility, which was a good sign. ¡®I¡¯m not a ghost. Just a soul clone.¡¯ he explained. ¡®What¡¯s the difference?¡¯ his host asked. Percy would have creased his brow if he had one. While he¡¯d never thought of his clones like that, they were invisible, incorporeal and could possess bodies. Functionally, they did fit with what he imagined a ghost to be. ¡®Ok, I can see why you¡¯d call me that. Still, I should clarify that I wasn¡¯t sent by whoever you think sent me.¡¯ ¡®Oh really?¡¯ the spirit sounded amused. ¡®Are you not here to uncover the magical secrets of this world?¡¯ The response left Percy stumped. ¡®Alright. You got me again. But how could you possibly know that? I¡¯ve only been to a few places so far. Rather remote too. Do you often get visited by foreign souls?¡¯ he asked. ¡®Souls, no. That¡¯s why I was surprised by your approach. But lots of people want a piece of our world. Sadly for them, infiltrating this place is impossible. Or well¡­ it used to be, I suppose¡­¡¯ his host explained. The spirit¡¯s words made Percy want to rub his hands. This was shaping into quite the treasure trove already. A powerful host he could communicate with, and a rich world coveted by all. But their body was deteriorating fast, and this person seemed suspicious of him. ¡®Look, I admit you got me figured out. I guess I am a ghost, and I am also here in search of knowledge to make myself stronger. However, I¡¯m not some powerful god, nor is there any organization behind me. I¡¯m just a random guy with an Orange core, wandering blindly around the universe, picking up whatever crumbs I find.¡¯ he said. ¡®My point is, I couldn¡¯t really do too much damage to your world even if I wanted to. Which I don¡¯t!¡¯ he hurriedly added. His host sent him something akin to a mental shrug. ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­ I may have inadvertently given you the impression I care. The truth is, I have no loyalty to this place. Even if you were sent by our enemies to hurt us, I wouldn¡¯t give a shit.¡¯ Percy was surprised once more. He wasn¡¯t the most altruistic person either, but he wouldn¡¯t be so indifferent if an outsider tried to use him to take down Remior. Still, his host¡¯s callousness made him easy to work with. ¡®Alright, then perhaps we can strike a deal. I¡¯ll patch your soul up for a while, and you¡¯ll let me learn whatever I can in that time.¡¯ A pang of laughter rang in their shared consciousness, but it sounded hollow. ¡®That¡¯s a great start, but it seems to me you¡¯re getting the better end of the bargain.¡¯ the spirit protested. ¡®How so?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll still be dead in a couple of days. Meanwhile, you get to return home, enjoying your gains for the rest of your life.¡¯If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Percy remained silent for a few seconds. It was true his offer was lopsided, but he couldn¡¯t help it. ¡®Look¡­ As I mentioned, you¡¯re not the first person I possess. Sadly, I can¡¯t fix you permanently. The most I can do is hold your broken soul together for a while.¡¯ ¡®Then there¡¯s nothing in it for me. Or do I look like a charity?¡¯ They appeared to be at an impasse. ¡®So, are we going to waste this? Can¡¯t you think of a way to make it work?¡¯ Percy asked again, unwilling to lose this chance. ¡®Well, I know how to fix my body, at least. But it won¡¯t be easy. Plus, it¡¯s basically squandering an otherwise valuable opportunity. Originally, I was hoping to use it for something else. Do you think that¡¯s enough to save me?¡¯ Percy considered it for a few moments. Despite what his new host might believe, he wasn¡¯t exactly an expert on souls. Everything he knew were just bits and pieces he¡¯d discovered by accident. Still, he took this seriously. Technically, he could lie to get what he wanted, but deceiving a dying person didn¡¯t sit well with him. ¡®Honestly, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ he ultimately said. ¡®I¡¯ve never managed to heal my hosts¡¯ bodies before, so I have no idea what that does to their soul. At a minimum, it should slow down its degradation, buying us more time. As for anything beyond that, I can only promise to do my best to help you.¡¯ The spirit didn¡¯t reply right away, taking a few minutes to contemplate Percy¡¯s words. Eventually, he probably realised this was the best he was going to get. ¡®Fair enough. Name¡¯s Gabriel by the way. Friends call me Gabe though. Or well¡­ they would ¨C if I had any.¡¯ Percy felt the natural resistance of his host disappear, allowing him to move more freely in the damaged vessel. Seeing that their condition was critical, he stretched his soul wisp, touching as many fragments as he could without delay. Only then did he release some of the stashed mana, letting it flow to the cracks, gluing himself to Gabe. Having already sent out over thirty clones, Percy was a bit of a veteran by now. He¡¯d grown somewhat proficient at patching his hosts up efficiently, meaning he didn¡¯t need to use all his mana right away. The rest, he kept as a trump card, in case Gabe needed a follow-up treatment. ¡®Percy.¡¯ he replied. Finally able to tap into the body¡¯s senses, a bizarre sight greeted him. He found himself lying face-up in a spacious room, its ceiling as high as its sides were long. It appeared to be a dark grey cube, over 50 meters wide, entirely made of a smooth metal. Bright runes covered all its surfaces, their combined glow more than sufficient to illuminate the place. They were smaller, denser and far more intricate than anything he¡¯d seen before. The symbols were joined together with all sorts of geometric shapes and curved lines. If this magical script could be likened to a detailed painting from a talented artist, then everything they had back on Remior ¨C including the glyphs in the Alchemists¡¯ Guild ¨C were nothing more than a toddler¡¯s scribbles. ¡®Ah, shit!¡¯ shifting a little made him wince, the pain breaking him out of his daze. It hurt all over, though this wasn¡¯t his first rodeo. Soon, he filtered out the unpleasant sensation, before gazing down at his body. ¡®Geez, what are we?! Some kind of man-shaped jellyfish?!¡¯ While Gabe was vaguely humanoid, his flesh was transparent. Through their skin, Percy saw an assortment of strange organs decorating the interior of their torso. A pale sphere-like thing pulsed rhythmically like a heart in their chest. It was right behind the bright blue star burning in their sternum. Percy didn¡¯t know what affinity it was, but a quick activation of Mana Sense revealed the core was at Green. As for the rest of the squirming organs, their colours varied from turquoise to deep purple, and Percy couldn¡¯t name any of them if his life depended on it. He also had four limbs ¨C his favourite number to have ¨C but they all ended in just three digits. ¡®Workable, I guess.¡¯ More concerning was the lack of clothes ¨C other than a pair of brown shorts ¨C and the numerous cuts all over their body, all oozing out a clear, viscous liquid. ¡®Please tell me that isn¡¯t your blood.¡¯ Seemingly oblivious to the novelty of his guest¡¯s situation, Gabe didn¡¯t even register his words, clearly impatient to get himself healed. Without even giving Percy a chance to read his new Status, he spoke. ¡°Cube. Restart the ¡®swarm¡¯ challenge. Green level. User ID: 004527945512.¡± ¡°Authorization granted. Restarting ¡®swarm¡¯ challenge, Green level. The user has already cleared wave 5. Do you wish to resume at wave 6? WARNING: Wave 6 contains elite enemies.¡± a soulless voice boomed from all around them. ¡°Yes.¡± Gabe said, not missing a beat. ¡°Choice confirmed. Wave begins in 18 rits.¡± ¡®Whoa! Slow down man!¡¯ Percy protested. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t you bring me up to speed before diving into a challenge?¡¯ Gabe shrugged. ¡®What for? You said it yourself ¨C your main body is only at Orange. Unless you¡¯ve possessed another Green core with a fire affinity in the past, you won¡¯t be much help. Just let me handle this. Besides, time is too precious, and waiting is only going to worsen my condition.¡¯ ¡°Wave begins in 12 rits.¡± Percy wasn¡¯t sure how long a rit was. He estimated it was a little longer than a second, which meant they were running out of time. Fast. ¡®At least tell me you can handle this.¡¯ ¡°Wave begins in 6 rits.¡± ¡®Probably. I was this close last time, but the attacks from the mini-bosses caught me by surprise. The injuries will make it harder though.¡¯ Gabe¡¯s words didn¡¯t sound particularly reassuring, but Percy had no choice but to trust him. ¡°Wave begins. May your challenge be successful!¡± Chapter 75 – Wings A strange gelatinous liquid oozed out of the walls, the black droplets of sludge pooling at their base. Bulky appendages rose from the tar-like substance, before solidifying, making metallic groans as they pushed against the floor. An army of obsidian golems slowly took shape, pulling themselves out of the swamp, each of them as tall as a man. Their features became increasingly defined over time, a series of shallow indentations forming on their surface, before ultimately lighting up in a dim Yellow colour. ¡®Holy shit! How many do we need to fight at once?!¡¯ Percy asked. He lost count after thirty. Plus, the dark liquid was still pouring down the sides of the cube, showing no sign of stopping anytime soon. ¡®The small ones aren¡¯t a problem. Those at Green are the issue.¡¯ Gabe replied. And just as he said that, Percy noticed a few larger silhouettes coming to life a couple rows back. Even while hunched over, they were twice as tall as the weaker variants, their long arms thicker than a tree¡¯s trunk. One of the giants took its first step forward, inadvertently crushing a smaller golem under its fist, a series of bright green inscriptions lighting up all over its smooth surface. The others soon followed, each of their strides sending a tremor through the floor. But Gabe was too preoccupied to worry about that right now. The first batch of Yellow golems was already upon them. As for Percy, he understood he¡¯d only get in his host¡¯s way, so he relaxed, relying on Gabe to handle them. And handle them he did. Before the nearest golem reached them, Gabe¡¯s core lit up, as Percy watched a torrent of blue mana gush through their transparent arms. A bright flash emerged from their palms, soon expanding into a fiery tornado, grinding against a dozen golems, their metallic frames melting like candles under the intense heat. Seemingly unconcerned about the devastation, more of the constructs walked into the hellish flames, only to share the grim fate of their predecessors. By the time the fire died out, over twenty golems had been reduced to a second puddle, surrounding Gabe like a donut. Unlike before, a red-hot sheen coated the substance, which showed no intention of returning to life. ¡®Neat!¡¯ Percy was ecstatic. The spell was a lot fiercer than expected. Of course, it wasn¡¯t his first time seeing fire magic cast by a Green core, but Gabe¡¯s flames looked different. Hotter too. He wanted to ask his host about it. However, he suppressed his bubbling curiosity, recognizing their situation was still dire. Gabe had used up a quarter of his reserves already, barely putting a dent in the swarm. ¡®Now what? You won¡¯t last if you keep going like this.¡¯ Percy felt their lips part into a savage grin, as the ambient mana flowed towards them. At first, he thought Gabe was trying to recover a little before the next batch reached them, but he soon noticed that wasn¡¯t it. The mana didn¡¯t enter their lungs ¨C or whatever the equivalent organs were. Instead, it gathered on their back, the region below their shoulder blades heating up. A moment later, another flash blinded them, a blue light reflecting off the smooth walls of the cube. ¡®What the hell?!¡¯ Judging from its intensity, Percy guessed the new spell should have completely drained their core. However, he quickly noted he was wrong. It was still at 75%, not a single drop missing compared to a second ago. By the time the light died down, he realized they were hovering a few meters off the ground, a pair of wings flapping rhythmically behind them, holding them up. ¡®Are they fuelled entirely out of ambient mana? How is that possible?!¡¯ Oblivious to Percy¡¯s questions, Gabe remained in that position a little longer, arrogantly staring down the golems below. Then, he tilted his body, flapping his wings more violently than before, diving with great ferocity towards his enemies. He rolled in the air once, forming another fiery tornado, narrower but denser than the previous one.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. And¡­ BOOM The blazing wings slammed down on the metallic floor, crushing and melting more of the golems, leaving a shallow dent on the ground. Percy felt one of their ethereal appendages crumble under the rough landing, but more ambient mana rushed to repair it. Not that Gabe gave it the chance, as he leapt towards the nearest golem, pivoting on his foot to spin, the half-formed wing slicing through it like butter. Suddenly, a tall silhouette loomed over them, its shadow blanketing their vision. The first Green golem¡­ it was here. Its massive fist descended, Gabe barely folding his one remaining wing at the last second, to shield their torso from the impact. Half of it was torn off, as Gabe was sent sliding back. Their bare feet burned from the friction against the metal, the blood rolling in their chest, the blow having knocked the breath out of their lungs. Still, the wing had done its job, protecting them from any serious damage. And it was already recovering, as was the other one. A wet discharge escaped their lips, as Gabe wavered for a second. While his wing had endured the brunt of the blow, his previous injuries weren¡¯t doing him any favours. Still, he regained his bearing a moment later, throwing a quick glance around the room, scanning the army of golems as his gaze briefly lingered on the bigger ones, memorizing their locations. Then, he made use of his newly repaired wings, diving back towards the smaller constructs. Over the next several minutes, he methodically took them down one after another, this time making sure to avoid getting close to the taller variants. Things seemed to be going well too. A while later, he finished clearing out the cube without any further mishaps, leaving only the Green golems standing. Luckily, they were too slow to catch up. The walls had stopped oozing sludge at some point too. ¡®What are we going to do about those?¡¯ Percy wondered. As much as their situation had improved, he guessed the challenge wouldn¡¯t be over until they destroyed the rest. Suddenly, one of the giants stepped in a pool left over from its molten brethren. The construct raised its massive arms, stretching them towards Gabe. At the same time, black tar began flowing towards its bulky legs, visible bumps travelling up its body. More of the liquid accumulated in the outstretched limbs, as Percy watched them swell, in preparation for something nasty. Gabe was clearly expecting that, as he started running to a wall, circling a different golem, to use its body as cover. But he was a moment too late. The golem¡¯s hands exploded into a rain of black needles, pelting their location, trying to rip them to shreds. Sparks flew wherever they landed, most of the projectiles bouncing off the smooth floor, as some pierced through, lodging themselves in place. Gabe raised his wing to block them, though it clearly wasn¡¯t going to last long. The burning appendage was already full of holes a second later, a couple shards having opened fresh wounds on their body. Luckily, they managed to make it behind the construct a moment later, prompting the other to cease firing. Just in time too, as the remaining two golems reached puddles of their own, preparing to join their comrade. ¡®This¡­ was how they got me last time¡­¡¯ Gabe explained between pants. ¡®I didn¡¯t know they could do this¡­ so I tried to stay airborne to buy time¡­ I was forced to terminate the challenge as soon as they started firing¡­ but the damage was already done¡­¡¯ Percy shuddered, picturing four of the golems shooting at once. In any case, it was good they were better prepared, but that still didn¡¯t solve their immediate problem. Their ¡°cover¡± was nothing more than another enemy. It was already slowly walking towards them, forcing them to step back, nearing the wall dangerously. They couldn¡¯t escape any other direction, as the other three were waiting for an opening to shoot. And to make matters worse, there was another puddle in the golem¡¯s path. As soon as it reached it, it would be able to unleash a barrage of its own. Thinking of something, Percy moved a trickle of soul mana to their eyes. Gabe raised an eyebrow, but didn¡¯t say anything, letting his guest try this. Sadly, Soul Vision showed nothing. The constructs didn¡¯t have a soul he could target. In fact, they didn¡¯t have a mana core either. Apparently, they were powered entirely through their inscriptions, drawing mana from the cube. ¡®Any other brilliant ideas?¡¯ Gabe asked. ¡®Nope. You¡¯re the one who said to leave it to you.¡¯ Percy shot back. ¡®Whatever. I guess I¡¯ll have to hit them with everything I¡¯ve got and hope it¡¯s enough¡­¡¯ Percy thought there were more issues to solve than just offensive power¡­ There was also the matter of endurance. Would their mana last for all four of the golems? Also, how would they reach the other three amidst the barrage of needles after losing their cover? But he remained quiet, not wanting to discourage his host before they even got through the first hurdle. Shrugging, Gabe ran towards the approaching golem, in a rush to intercept it before it stepped into the pool. A huge chunk of mana flowed out of his core, this time supplementing the ambient mana in his wings, causing them to burn even more fiercely than before. Gabe winced, as Percy felt the skin on their back blister from the heat. And a moment later, Gabe stepped in front of the construct, pivoting on his foot as a white-hot wing cleaved towards the golem like a giant axe. Chapter 76 – Complications The blazing spell made a grating sound as it clashed with the golem¡¯s fist, encountering far more resistance from the Green construct than it had from its lesser brethren. Percy felt a sharp ache in their back, the torque threatening to rip the ethereal wing to shreds. But it held somehow, digging into the material inch by inch, the dark metal slowly parting under the burning blade. More ambient mana surged to repair the axe. Sadly, the same couldn¡¯t be said about Gabe¡¯s own mana, his core already dry. The wing gradually reverted to blue, much of its power gone. Gritting his teeth, Gabe didn¡¯t give up. With a final push, he sent the upper chunk of the golem¡¯s arm flying, before delivering a diagonal slash to its torso. The axe had lost a lot of its heat and momentum, but it still managed to dig halfway through the construct¡¯s chest before crumbling into wisps of blue. Exposed and at the golem¡¯s mercy, Percy braced for impact, fully expecting to get pounded to a pulp the very next second. Gabe must have thought the same, as he closed his eyes, preparing for the worst. But nothing happened. They reluctantly opened their eyes to see the golem¡¯s colossal frame still looming over them, unmoving. The green lines on its surface were already dark. ¡®Holy shit! I thought we were done for!¡¯ Percy said. His host only nodded in agreement. While they¡¯d failed to bisect the golem as intended, the final slash had still been deep enough to put it out of commission. Yet... Not giving them a chance to celebrate, the other three golems launched a joint round of fire, no longer concerned with the integrity of their fallen comrade. Gabe barely managed to use the golem¡¯s leg as cover, but the relentless needles were already eating into the metal. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they reached them, assuming the corpse didn¡¯t collapse on them first. ¡®Shit! Bring the wings back! We need them!¡¯ Percy urged. Heeding his guest¡¯s advice, Gabe pulled the ambient mana once more, igniting a blue flame under his shoulders. ¡®Now what?¡¯ Gabe asked. ¡®Push against the golem with your hands so it doesn¡¯t topple over! Wrap your wings around the leg to slow down the damage! And start taking deep breaths! FAST!¡¯ Gabe¡¯s eyes widened in understanding as he followed the instructions. The golem¡¯s corpse was heavy, but they only needed to support a fraction of its weight to keep it balanced. Gabe was at Green, so his physical strength was just about enough. The wings barely lasted a second against the torrent of shrapnel, but Gabe kept flooding them with ambient mana, to buy more time. And with their situation temporarily stable, he inhaled, sending a trickle of mana into the empty core, slowly refilling it. Of course, this wasn¡¯t sustainable. At this rate the leg would be eaten through, or the golem would crush them before the core was even halfway full. Percy was racking his brain for a plan when something changed. Suddenly, the cacophony of the metallic rain eased slightly, seemingly taking pity on their eardrums. ¡®What happened?¡¯ he wondered. ¡®One of the golems must have run out of juice!¡¯ Gabe guessed. Sure enough, a series of thunderous steps sent tremors through the floor, as the giant started walking around the room, probably searching for another puddle to use as ammunition. ¡®This is our chance!¡¯ Percy said. ¡®Are you crazy?! There are still two of them shooting at us! We should wait until another one taps out!¡¯ Gabe protested. ¡®What if the first one recovers by then?! This might be our best shot!¡¯ Percy felt their features twist into a grimace. Still, his host didn¡¯t argue back, likely agreeing with his logic. He pulled his wings, hiding them behind to let them recover, allowing the needles to grind through the leg faster. The half-eaten limb began to buckle, as the golem¡¯s weight shifted, straining their arms dangerously. Their bones creaked and groaned, threatening to break within the next few seconds.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Out of time, Gabe pushed some of his newly recovered mana into the wings, turning them white once more. A powerful flap sent him half-way across the cube, well on his way to the next golem. He¡¯d aimed for the one not shooting at them, roughly estimating its location by the sound of its steps. The other two quickly turned to him, as Gabe split his mana between the wings, using one to shield himself from the projectiles while aiming the other downward. The golem barely raised its arm in time, but Gabe¡¯s momentum allowed him to slice right through it. His axe carved vertically into the construct, splitting its head down the middle, before fizzling out at the base of its neck. And just like that, the second golem was dead, Percy and Gabe finding themselves behind new cover. ¡®Cool! Let¡¯s stick with this tactic!¡¯ Percy said. Their core was empty again, but with one less golem shooting at them, they had more time. Reforming the wings, Gabe hid behind a leg, coating it in a layer of blue flames. Then, he inhaled. Or tried to. It was only then they realized they hadn¡¯t escaped unscathed. The adrenaline had masked the pain, but now they noticed several needles had penetrated through their defences. Plenty were sticking out of their body, their left side resembling a porcupine. Worst of all was a shard deeply lodged in their lung, making it much harder to recover mana. Percy was momentarily unsettled by the alien taste in his mouth. The flavour was metallic but, unlike the sweet undertone of iron, it left a hint of bitterness lingering at the back of his throat. ¡®Damn, you have to push through it, or we¡¯re done for!¡¯ he grimly told his host. They couldn¡¯t damage the remaining golems with the wings alone. Without Gabe¡¯s own mana empowering the spell, they had no hope of cutting through the hard material. Gabe nodded. Each breath hurt and, with only one functioning lung, it took way longer to gather mana. Still, thanks to the weakened barrage, they eventually managed to refill half their core. Percy was ecstatic when another of the golems ran out of juice, though he couldn¡¯t help but frown a moment later. His host wasn¡¯t moving. ¡®What are you doing?! Go!¡¯ he urged again. No reply. Only then did Percy notice Gabe¡¯s condition had grown critical. By now, they¡¯d lost a ton of blood, and their vision was blurry. His host lacked the strength to execute the manoeuvre. ¡®I don¡¯t think I can.¡¯ the latter said weakly. While he had made it look easy, Percy understood it took a lot of focus to combine the two sources of mana. Reshaping the wings into weapons probably required some effort too. ¡®What if I take over the ambient mana? Can you do the rest by yourself?¡¯ he asked. He still had no idea why Gabe had this ability, but he¡¯d observed him long enough to figure out how to keep it going. ¡®That could work, but we won¡¯t be able to fly. It takes a lot of practice. Just focus on maintaining the wings and run towards the golem. I¡¯ll take it from there.¡¯ Without missing a beat, Gabe relinquished control of the ambient mana, passing the reins to his guest. It was a somewhat novel experience for Percy, but he quickly realized it felt vaguely familiar. ¡®It¡¯s a bit like when I create my clones! Are the wings Gabe¡¯s bloodline? I thought those were exclusive to Remior!¡¯ But he shook the distracting thoughts out of his head. This wasn¡¯t the time. Gabe soon added his own mana to the wings, reshaping them into a white shield and axe, as Percy sprinted towards the next target. More shards dug into the wing, but with only one golem shooting, the damage was more bearable. Once they reached the construct, Gabe swung the tattered wing to brush its fist aside, before slashing at its neck with the other one. Its head landed heavily a couple meters away, as its inscriptions dimmed, making this one of their cleanest kills yet. Plopping down, Gabe rested against the leg, not even bothering to coat it with his wings this time. It would take the last golem ages to pierce through the cover by itself, letting them concentrate on recovering. Every time one of them was on the verge of passing out, the other shook him awake, as they waited for the construct to exhaust the liquid pool by its feet. And finally ¨C after what felt like forever ¨C the golem stopped shooting. Not in a rush to exacerbate their wounds, they casually strolled towards it, delivering one last strike, ending the challenge. ¡®Wow! We actually did it!¡¯ Percy said. ¡®Are you sure we can get healed now?¡¯ ¡®We¡¯d better¡­ We should be eligible for more than that¡­¡¯ Gabe replied, before falling to his knees. Suddenly, the symbols all over the room lit up, as the cube started repairing itself. The remains of the golems ¨C both the small and large variants ¨C all liquefied, seeping into the floor. Even the shards sticking out of their body melted, trickling down their skin, as more of Gabe¡¯s clear blood gushed out of the wounds. ¡®Ugh¡­ Couldn¡¯t they be a little gentler?!¡¯ Percy groaned. A few seconds later, every last drop of sludge had disappeared, the cube¡¯s surfaces having reverted to their former condition, with no sign of the previous dents and scratches. ¡°Congratulations! Wave 6 has been cleared! Calculating rewards¡­¡± the soulless voice was back. ¡°Awarded credits: 6000. Current balance: 28563.¡± ¡°Wave 6 is a special milestone. Bonus reward is available. Please voice your request. NOTE: Bonus reward is limited to the Green grade.¡± ¡°I want my body healed up completely.¡± Gabe strained himself to speak. ¡°Evaluating request¡­¡± ¡®My goal was to ask for a tome on fire magic¡­ I¡¯m working on improving my spell¡­ It¡¯s such a pity to waste it on healing¡­ Oh well¡­ I suppose the tome won¡¯t do me much good if I¡¯m dead...¡¯ Gabe explained. However, Percy didn¡¯t pay him any attention. He was busy thinking about something else. It was only now he realized their recovery might be riddled with¡­ complications. ¡°Evaluation complete. The request falls well within the parameters of your reward. The excess value will be converted to credits.¡± ¡°Accumulating life mana. Healing begins in 6 rits.¡± And that about confirmed Percy¡¯s fears. ¡®Shit.¡¯ Chapter 77 – Decree Multiple green symbols lit up underneath their feet. Together, they formed an intricate circle, woven out of the same script decorating the rest of the cube. Gazing up, Percy noticed a similar shape forming on the ceiling right above them, as a beautiful gem glistened in its centre. It fell, flying through the air like a verdant droplet, before landing on their forehead. The liquid was cool to the touch, swiftly seeping into their skin. Percy felt an itch snaking down through their body, as cuts and scrapes closed in its wake, the pain fading a moment later. By the time its effect was exhausted, all the injuries above their chest had healed entirely, the discomfort replaced by a gentle chill. Only then did they look up again, watching a second droplet about to coalesce. However, things didn¡¯t go so smoothly this time. As the soothing sensation lingered in their torso, latching itself to some of the many wounds marring it, something else stirred inside their body. ¡®Ah, there it is¡­¡¯ Percy grimaced. An all too familiar vortex awakened right around their abdomen, exerting an attractive force on the mana. At first it was weak, unable to sway the substance off its path. But it was nothing if not persistent. The pull kept intensifying, until a trickle was finally pried from the wounds. And the very moment the mana reached its new home, all hell broke loose. While the minuscule snack wasn¡¯t remotely sufficient to satiate the vortex¡¯s hunger, it was more than enough to fully whet its appetite. The force instantly quadrupled in strength, as the rest of the mana was violently snatched from its original purpose. ¡®What¡¯s going on?!¡¯ Gabe asked, only now registering something was wrong. ¡®Well, now we pray this cube of yours isn¡¯t cheap enough to skimp on your reward¡­¡¯ Percy said, knowing there was no stopping what was about to occur. The third droplet barely landed on their head, before getting sucked right into their abdomen. But the inscriptions appeared too proud to accept their loss, tossing more life mana at their patient, trying to outmatch their new competitor. Little did they know that it was only getting started. The new droplets were gone as soon as they landed. The inscriptions were enraged! They blinked furiously for several seconds, before rapidly expanding. They didn¡¯t stop until their diameter had doubled! More mana accumulated inside the circle on the ceiling, but it didn¡¯t fall just yet. This time, it waited, gathering more and more of the syrupy liquid, a viscous blob swelling to fill the entire shape. ¡®Oh boy¡­ I suggest you take a deep breath¡­¡¯ Percy advised his host. Luckily the hole in their lung was one of the few injuries the first couple of droplets had managed to reach. It wasn¡¯t completely healed, but it didn¡¯t hurt as much when Gabe inhaled. And he was just in time too. Having gathered enough fluid, the inscription finally let go of the monstrous blob, as the mother of all droplets rapidly enlarged in Percy¡¯s vision. It was heavy, but not enough to knock a Green core off his feet. The sound was strangely muted too, as the liquid instantly wrapped around their body, hugging it tightly. It seeped through every orifice and pore, desperate to do its job before it got consumed. But the vortex never gave it the chance. Almost as if it knew its tasty feast would end the moment the healing was complete, it stubbornly devoured every single hint of mana, much to Gabe¡¯s growing frustration. Worse still, the liquid blocked his air canals, making it impossible to breathe. Gabe didn¡¯t seem to appreciate the minty taste in his mouth either, clawing the bubble out of his face. Sadly for him, more flowed to replace it. ¡®Give up. It won¡¯t stop until its done.¡¯ Percy explained. Much like the crimson fluid back in Phoebe¡¯s temple, it was far denser than anything a mortal could produce. This was clearly a god¡¯s mana! And just like back then, the liquid had been in storage for who-knew how long. The will of its original owner had long dissipated, rendering it powerless to resist the gluttonous vortex. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing. Well, assuming it leaves enough mana for you to heal afterwards.¡¯ Percy said. But Gabe didn¡¯t seem convinced. He kept squirming, desperate to shake the substance off. At some point, he even tried summoning his wings, but the bubble blocked the flow of ambient mana.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡®Conserve your breath. It¡¯s going to be over soon.¡¯ This was Percy¡¯s third attempt at placating his host. Out of options, the latter finally paid attention. ¡®How soon?!¡¯ Gabe asked. ¡®Hopefully before we suffocate.¡¯ Percy shrugged. Resigning to his fate, Gabe sat cross-legged, letting the vortex enjoy its meal. And indeed, the flow died down about a minute later. Freed at last, what remained of the liquid returned to its original job. Though only a fraction was necessary to complete their recovery. The rest, they had to expel the good old way, as the circle on the floor drained whatever mana reached it. Before they were even done spitting out the leftovers, the cube spoke once more. ¡°Healing complete. Calculating excess value¡­¡± ¡°Excess value: -2432. Deducting credits. New balance: 26131.¡± ¡®The hell?! Care to explain what the actual fuck just happened?! Why did it take credits instead of adding them?! What have you done?!¡¯ Gabe snapped. ¡®Geez, calm down! It¡¯s because you used up way more life mana than you were meant to. But I promise you, you got your money¡¯s worth.¡¯ Percy felt their brow crease. ¡®How so?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s easier to show you.¡¯ Percy said, pulling up his Status. Though he got interrupted before even reading half-way through.
Gabriel (Percival''s clone) Mana cores:
¡®Wow! You never mentioned you¡¯re a Moirai!¡¯ Gabe exclaimed. ¡®Oh? You¡¯ve heard of them?¡¯ Percy asked back. ¡®Who hasn¡¯t?!¡¯ Well, Micky hadn¡¯t. Then again, the gladiator hadn¡¯t been privy to much gossip from inside his damp cell. The rest of the places Percy had visited hadn¡¯t been much better. However, this world seemed even more developed than Remior, so it wasn¡¯t that surprising Gabe was better informed. ¡®I¡¯m not a Moirai. I just snatched their thing. Much like how I passed it over to you.¡¯ he said. ¡®You¡¯re kidding right?!¡¯ his host asked. ¡®Why is it so hard to believe?¡¯ Percy shrugged. ¡®You¡¯re telling me you managed to steal the Moirais¡¯ Decree from under their noses?!¡¯ Percy raised an eyebrow. ¡®Decree? What¡¯s that?¡¯ A wave of shock reached him through their connection. ¡®You don¡¯t even know THAT?! It¡¯s only the highest tier of spells in the entire universe! The holy grail of magic!¡¯ Gabe explained enthusiastically. He remained silent for a couple seconds, before adding, ¡®learning to cast one marks the difference between a regular god and a titan!¡¯ Percy¡¯s eyes widened. He¡¯d never come across this tidbit of information in his studies. It seemed the Divine Order didn¡¯t publicize everything. Then, was that the secret behind the mysterious section in his Status? Did it list all the Decrees affecting him? One of them was what granted him the ability to view his Status in the first place. Was that a Decree in and of itself? Plus, Phoebe was a titaness. And she clearly had a connection to the Status and the affinity tests. Was it her Decree? Then what about the one granting him a bloodline? Who did that come from? All those were things he¡¯d have to investigate when he returned to Remior. For now, his best course of action was to learn as much as possible from his host. ¡®What¡¯s so special about them anyway?¡¯ he couldn¡¯t help but ask. Gabe gasped, seemingly taken aback by his question. Almost offended, even. ¡®Decrees differ from the lower tiers of magic in two major ways.¡¯ he said. ¡®First, they are self-sustaining, meaning their effect persists without any conscious effort from their caster. Even if the titan in question dies, the Decree remains active.¡¯ Percy was already shocked but didn¡¯t interrupt. ¡®The most important characteristic, however, is that a Decree is powerful enough to affect an entire world, changing it forever.¡¯ For the next few minutes, Percy pondered the implications. Indeed, all the Decrees he had come across fit the criteria. Every person on Remior had access to a Status and the chance to inherit a bloodline. And the same was true for the Moirai, all of them born with a second core. Decrees were truly world-altering! ¡®I understand.¡¯ he eventually replied. But his host shook his head. ¡®You really don¡¯t!¡¯ Gabe said before elaborating. ¡®Every time a new titan emerges, they grant their world a permanent advantage. Naturally, all Decrees are impressive. That said, not all of them are created equal.¡¯ ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ Percy frowned. ¡®Some aren¡¯t as rare or powerful as others. For example, we have one granting us a bloodline in this world. It basically lets us inherit some unique ability from our parents. That¡¯s a common type. Many worlds have something similar, though the exact details may vary slightly.¡¯ Percy nodded. He had already suspected Gabe¡¯s wings to be a bloodline. Unaware of his thoughts, the latter continued. ¡®The one which lets you view information about yourself is relatively widespread too ¨C though we don¡¯t have that here.¡¯ ¡®Then, I take it the Moirais¡¯ Decree is on the more valuable end of the spectrum?¡¯ Percy asked. ¡®That¡¯s quite the understatement! You can¡¯t even fathom how many different gods have tried to recreate it! But the circumstances under which it came to be are almost impossible to replicate. From what I¡¯ve heard, only one faction has ever come close, yet even their version is but a pale imitation ¨C ridden with drawbacks.¡¯ Once again, Percy came to appreciate just how lucky that first clone of his had been. Of all the places in the universe, it had ended up in quite the spot! He grinned, before turning to his host again. ¡®Congratulations are in order then! I thought you¡¯d be happier with your new toy!¡¯ Chapter 78 – Blessing ¡®You mean I get to keep this after you¡¯re gone?!¡¯ Gabe asked. ¡®I imagine so, assuming you survive. After all, it¡¯s already taken root inside your body. Though it¡¯s hard to say for sure. I¡¯ve never come this far with one of my hosts.¡¯ Percy replied. Gabe frowned. ¡®But I don¡¯t feel any different.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s because it¡¯s still inactive. As soon as you fill it up for the first time, you¡¯ll experience an all-around improvement ¨C not unlike a promotion. If we¡¯re lucky, it might even help us fix your soul. Its effect should be significant too, since it¡¯s only one grade lower than your first core.¡¯ Saying that, Percy felt a little envious of his new pal. Why did Gabe¡¯s second core start off at Yellow, when he had to climb from the very bottom? ¡®Are you a Yellow-born by any chance?¡¯ Gabe nodded absentmindedly, apparently lost in thought. Confirming his guess, Percy wasn¡¯t very happy. All three of his datapoints suggested one¡¯s second core began at the same grade as their first. It meant Micky¡¯s would be Red too. In any case, that was his main body¡¯s problem. Right now, his job was to make the most of his time here. Thinking of something, he turned to Gabe again. ¡®How do you guys discover your affinity?¡¯ It should be more complicated without a Status or Phoebe¡¯s tests¡­ ¡®How else? If it¡¯s not a common element, we buy a book on rare affinities and find which one matches.¡¯ Ok, that didn¡¯t sound very difficult. Percy couldn¡¯t help but wonder why they didn¡¯t have books like that back on Remior. Then again, all the important people got tested for free. Besides, listing their grades and affinities was nothing more than a convenience. The main purpose of the Status was to help them develop their spells. Shrugging, he pulled Gabe¡¯s information again, eager to read the rest.
Gabriel (Percival''s clone) Mana cores: Bloodline: Blessing: Spells: Decrees:
Most of it was as expected. Percy was happy his new understanding of Decrees was reflected in his Status. It might not seem like a big deal that a couple of question marks had been replaced by words, but it was massive. He now knew what to look for during his travels. After all, these divine perks were some of the most valuable things he could obtain. What shocked him the most, however, was the blessing. It finally explained the odd colour and increased potency of his host¡¯s flames, but that wasn¡¯t what surprised Percy. He didn¡¯t need to ask what a blessing was, as they actually had them back on Remior. No, what left him flabbergasted was what it implied about Gabe¡¯s heritage. ¡®You¡¯re the son of a god?!¡¯ It was the only way to obtain a blessing. A god¡¯s offspring wasn¡¯t much different from a mortal¡¯s. Their grade, affinity and bloodline were still determined based on the same rules as everyone else¡¯s, and with the same rates. Their only advantage was the chance of inheriting a blessing. For that to happen, they needed to share the affinity of their divine parent and, even then, it wasn¡¯t guaranteed. If they got lucky enough to inherit one, it essentially allowed them to passively tap into one of the concepts their parent had mastered, permanently empowering their magic.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. In Gabe¡¯s case, it turned his flames hotter, but that wasn¡¯t the only blessing one could inherit from a fire god. Somebody else might have flames that spread more easily or lasted longer. Each element was associated with multiple concepts, though a mortal could only ever possess a single blessing. ¡®It¡¯s not a big deal. Nearly everyone in our world has at least one divine parent. We mortals are forbidden from procreating amongst ourselves.¡¯ The revelation left Percy flabbergasted. ¡®What?! Why?!¡¯ Gabe shrugged. ¡®I suppose it¡¯s about time I told you what sort of place you¡¯ve found yourself on, since you don¡¯t seem to have the slightest clue¡­ Welcome to the Vault of Magic! The largest artificial world in the cosmos!¡¯ ¡®Artificial?!¡¯ Gabe sighed. ¡®Let me explain on the way to my place. It¡¯s been a long day ¨C considering I died and everything.¡¯ Gabe walked to a wall, as a few symbols shined brighter, forming the outline of a square. SSSSS By the time he reached it, a burst of steam spewed out of its edges, the thick slab of metal sinking into the floor, allowing them to leave the room. The sight outside was unlike anything Percy had ever seen. They found themselves inside an even bigger cube ¨C this one downright colossal. Its sides were so far away they appeared blurry, the walls taller than mountains. The top of the room was closed too, the ceiling akin to a sky of grey metal. Countless inscriptions decorated the structure¡¯s surfaces like stars. Percy spotted many of the smaller cubes around him, similar to the one they¡¯d just exited. A few people queued up in front of each, probably waiting for their turn to start a challenge. Gabe ignored them, as he began walking. ¡®This place started off as a small research facility. Our founder, Metatron, was a god who abandoned his original world, having grown tired of the wars and politics. His only wish was to uncover the secrets of magic. Anything else, he viewed as a distraction.¡¯ Over the next few minutes, Gabe explained the Vault¡¯s history to Percy. Apparently, this Metatron possessed a space affinity, and was pretty good with it too. He originally hid the Vault in some remote corner of the universe. Finding it was no easy task, and even the few times it was spotted, it hadn¡¯t been too difficult to move it elsewhere. Away from everyone, the god was free to continue his research in peace, spending countless millennia holed up in his humble abode. Eventually, something changed. At some point, Metatron grew powerful enough to finally cast a Decree, making him the Vault¡¯s first titan. It allowed him to grant others access to the Vault, letting them open a portal to the artificial world from anywhere across the universe. That moment marked the beginning of the Vault¡¯s rapid expansion. Through the Decree, it was possible to recruit more gods without compromising the world¡¯s safety. After all, they could enter it even while it was hidden or on the move. The portals were one-way too, so it was much easier to join than leave. Not that it was impossible for a god to exit if they really wanted, but that was beside the point. Even then, they wouldn¡¯t necessarily know the location of the Vault, and by the time they had the chance to betray Metatron, he would have long moved it elsewhere and revoked their access. ¡®It¡¯s ingenious!¡¯ Percy said. ¡®Yes.¡¯ Gabe nodded. ¡®Giving people the ability to open a portal isn¡¯t as direct a boon as a bloodline or second core. Not exactly what comes to mind when you think of a Decree. Still, its impact is undeniable. It functioned as an extra layer of security, allowing the Vault to become what it is today.¡¯ Of course, that was not to say Metatron didn¡¯t vet his peers the good old way too. He had to use all the means at his disposal ¨C both mundane and magical ¨C since many of them came from shady backgrounds. Some were criminals, exiled from their own worlds. Many were refugees with nowhere to go after their homes were destroyed or conquered. Only a few were researchers at heart, sharing his own passion for magic. ¡®Well, that certainly explains the diversity of races here.¡¯ Percy noted. On their way to his host¡¯s house, they saw people of all sorts. They ranged from Gabe¡¯s own species, to hulking humanoids twice his height with two horns sticking out their temples. There were even some green-skinned folks with pointy ears who barely reached his knees, scurrying about like kids. ¡®The gods didn¡¯t start having children until much later though.¡¯ Gabe explained. Through all his security measures, Metatron had ensured the Vault¡¯s safety, as more and more gods joined. Many of them brought new knowledge with them, helping him upgrade and expand the artificial world, until it became the marvel of magical technology it was today. Of course, it still paled in comparison to a natural world, in both size and content. Though they did eventually manage to implement a habitat that could support a larger population of mortals. ¡®But that still doesn¡¯t explain why you have this weird rule about procreating.¡¯ Percy said. ¡®Huh, that¡¯s because you have yet to understand what we are to our parents¡­¡¯ Gabe chuckled bitterly. They reached another cube, much larger than the one they had undergone the challenge in. Gabe pressed his hand on its surface, as a circle lit up around it. SSSSS A moment later, the metal parted like before, letting them inside. Gabe walked through a relatively narrow corridor. It was wide enough for them, but Percy guessed the horned creatures would probably have to crouch to fit. Every time they came across a resident, they had to squeeze against the walls to pass each other. Percy didn¡¯t miss the faint square indentations tightly packed along the walls, guessing they were probably doors. Several corridors and flights of stairs later, they eventually stopped before one, pressing their hand on its cold surface once more. Gabe¡¯s room was tiny. It was actually smaller than Micky¡¯s cell on Huehue! There was a bed, barely large enough for him. Right next to it, there was a toilet and a shower, with nothing but a thin glass panel to shield the rest of the room from the moisture. ¡®We are not products of love. We aren¡¯t even treated as people¡­ Our parents only see us as a resource for their experiments.¡¯ Chapter 79 – Natural selection ¡®Experiments? What could gods possibly gain from us mortals?¡¯ Percy raised an eyebrow. ¡®Lots of things, actually.¡¯ Gabe shrugged. ¡®The most obvious benefit is getting more people to ascend to godhood, expanding their ranks.¡¯ While the chances of any one child reaching divinity were laughably minuscule, it was ultimately a numbers game. Especially for immortal beings who could keep pumping out kids for millennia on end. ¡®But that¡¯s just a matter of luck, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Percy asked. Gabe shook his head. ¡®It¡¯s true a child¡¯s grade is random, which means it¡¯s not possible to control the emergence of new gods directly. However, an indirect solution is to simply have children more often.¡¯ ¡®Having more kids means you need more space to house them, and more food to feed them. How is that sustainable?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not. At least, not if you care about what happens to the failures.¡¯ Percy¡¯s eyes widened. Resource management was a problem all worlds had to deal with. That said, it was even more pronounced in the Vault of Magic, due to its smaller size and barren environment. Consequently, it could only support a small number of mortals. This meant the gods had to be a lot more deliberate when choosing which of their kids to keep around. ¡°Cube. I wish to purchase one portion of sizian meat. User ID: 004527945512.¡± Gabe suddenly said. ¡°Authorization granted. 1 portion of sizian meat is valued at 1 credit. Current balance: 26131. Proceed with purchase?¡± the soulless voice answered again, as the colourful symbols blinked along the room¡¯s walls. ¡°Yes.¡± Gabe said. ¡°Confirmed. Deducting credits. New balance: 26130. Delivery in 6 rits.¡± Percy couldn¡¯t help but wonder what happened if one tried using somebody else¡¯s ID. Though, he seriously doubted the gods in charge had been dumb enough to overlook such a glaring loophole. SSS A small circular hole opened in the ceiling a few seconds later, before an amber object fell on the bed. ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ Percy asked. ¡®Lunch.¡¯ Gabe said, before picking it up. The alien snack was irregularly shaped and about as large as Gabe¡¯s fist. Taking a bite, Percy quickly noticed its texture was rough, its taste bitter. Between this and the spoilt rodent meat he¡¯d eaten back on Huehue, he couldn¡¯t help but reevaluate the food they had on Remior. His world might be far from perfect, but if there was one thing he couldn¡¯t complain about was their cuisine. At least, he¡¯d yet to stumble upon anything on par with Freddy¡¯s Honey Rolls during his travels. As soon as Gabe finished eating, he began circulating his mana between his sternum and stomach, in a manner very familiar to Percy. And about half an hour later, the meal¡¯s efficacy was exhausted, leaving a burning sensation lingering inside the core. ¡®Now I¡¯m confused. Is this your food, or how you cleanse your cores?¡¯ Percy asked. ¡®Both.¡¯ Gabe replied, before elaborating. ¡®As you can imagine, the Vault can¡¯t exactly support a diverse ecosystem, so the gods in charge had to carefully choose what flora and fauna to cultivate. They ended up importing sizians, which are a bunch of reptiles that store beast mana in their flesh. It makes their meat both nutritious and ¨C after some processing ¨C suitable for core purification, killing two birds with one stone.¡¯ ¡®But isn¡¯t it expensive? What about those who can¡¯t afford the advancement?¡¯ Percy asked in protest. ¡®They starve, making space for more people.¡¯ Gabe said. Percy grimaced in disgust. What sort of monsters would treat their children like that?!Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡®It¡¯s even worse than you think. They make us fight for our food. The challenges are the only way to earn credits, but Red-borns and Orange-borns can¡¯t keep up with their needs.¡¯ ¡®Why?! Do those bastards get off watching you struggle?!¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not for entertainment. You see, they don¡¯t just want to increase the quantity of new gods. They want to improve their quality too.¡¯ ¡®The bloodlines?¡¯ Gabe nodded. In the context of the Vault ¨C and even Remior ¨C one of the most important factors influencing the ¡®quality¡¯ of a god was whether they had a powerful bloodline or not. After all, bloodline abilities had all sorts of weird effects, often letting one do things even gods couldn¡¯t otherwise replicate. Percy himself was a prime example of this. So, while a bloodline wasn¡¯t a requirement for divinity, a god who had one was generally stronger than one who didn¡¯t. ¡®Yes, everyone born under Yellow is left to starve, while the rest of us are thrown into challenges to test our bloodlines. The ones who make it further are granted the ¡°honour¡± of mating with our own parents, to create the next generation of children. That way, they maximize the odds of breeding people with both a blessing and a powerful bloodline. On one hand, the challenges are there to motivate us ¨C since we¡¯d starve or fail to advance without them. On the other, they¡¯re our opportunity to develop unique spells, revealing which bloodlines are worth keeping in the process, weeding out the weaklings.¡¯ Percy remained silent for a while, contemplating the implications. Strictly speaking, Remior¡¯s gods weren¡¯t much better than this. True, they didn¡¯t treat low-borns nearly as badly and, they also didn¡¯t sleep around to spread their blessings all over the place. That said, their approach to bloodlines was more or less the same. The constant war rampant between the noble Houses was clearly something that suited the Divine Order. After all, it would only take Phoebe a word to stop it, since nobody would dare oppose her. In other words, letting Remior¡¯s nobles continue killing each other was their version of the challenges, to keep recycling the population, allowing more gods to emerge and powerful bloodlines to mutate. ¡®Though even those at the bottom can still have some semblance of a life there.¡¯ Percy thought. By comparison, the Vault¡¯s deities were downright cruel, treating their own offspring as nothing but livestock. ¡®Well, as much as we all hate their guts, I guess I can¡¯t argue with the results.¡¯ Gabe shrugged. Indeed, Percy¡¯s latest host was clearly one of the lucky ones, having inherited the full package. ¡®You still died though, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ he couldn¡¯t help but point out. ¡®I suppose.¡¯ Gabe said, before adding. ¡®Now that you bring that up, what are we going to do about it? You did promise to help.¡¯ ¡®Right. Like I said, this is a long shot, though I guess it¡¯s been going well for us so far.¡¯ Percy replied. ¡®Meaning?¡¯ ¡®Meaning that healing your body DID greatly slow your soul¡¯s deterioration. It¡¯s still a mess, but between your second core and my stashed mana, we have a lot more time than I previously thought.¡¯ Percy felt a wave of hope inadvertently seeping through their connection, but Gabe quickly quashed it. ¡®I sense a ¡°but¡± coming.¡¯ the latter said. ¡®But it¡¯s not a permanent solution. You need a lot more soul mana than I have left for a decent shot at a complete and rapid recovery. And I guess only a god¡¯s mana is dense enough to be stored for a long period of time.¡¯ he explained. Naturally, Percy wasn¡¯t certain about that last part, but all his experiences seemed to corroborate that deduction. ¡®Seriously?!¡¯ Gabe was flustered. And rightfully so. While life and soul affinities were both categorized as rare, the former were much more common than the latter. The Vault of Magic clearly possessed at least one god with a life affinity willing to donate some of his mana. However, there was no guarantee they had what Gabe needed. ¡®Is it impossible to get any?¡¯ Percy asked. ¡®I don¡¯t know. Even if we have it ¨C and that¡¯s a big if ¨C it¡¯s definitely in the restricted lists. You can¡¯t buy a god¡¯s mana with credits alone, otherwise we wouldn¡¯t have had to go through that challenge to fix my body in the first place. The only way is to get another bonus reward.¡¯ ¡®So?¡¯ Percy didn¡¯t understand what the problem was. ¡®It should be easier to complete another challenge now that you¡¯re healed.¡¯ But Gabe shook his head. ¡®You don¡¯t understand. You only earn a bonus reward every 6 waves. The ¡°swarm¡± challenge is the one I¡¯m best at, because my wings essentially grant me unlimited endurance. Even then, it took everything I had to clear wave 6. The next reward is at 12.¡¯ Percy swallowed hard. He had no idea how the difficulty scaled, but he couldn¡¯t help but picture an army of Green golems like the ones from earlier surrounding them. ¡®What about the other challenges?¡¯ he asked. ¡®There are only two more types. The ¡°magiscript¡± challenge doesn¡¯t involve any combat, but nobody under Blue bothers learning the art, as it takes decades to make any progress. Right now, I couldn¡¯t place down a single glyph to save my life. And that¡¯s just the Red version of the challenge. The Green one involves much more complicated inscriptions. You can only earn rewards for your own grade.¡¯ Gabe said. As much as Percy would¡¯ve loved to dip his toes into the field, he didn¡¯t argue back. Not only had he promised Gabe he¡¯d try saving him, they also didn¡¯t have enough time for this. Even with their newly repaired body, he estimated they¡¯d last a month or two at most. ¡®And the other one?¡¯ he asked. ¡®The ¡°gauntlet¡± challenge is admittedly the only one we might stand a chance at. Still, beating the third wave was tough. I can¡¯t see myself clearing three more, especially since the last one will be on a whole different level¡­¡¯ It definitely sounded like a tall order, but Percy wasn¡¯t one to give up easily. ¡®Then, I guess we¡¯ll have to be on a whole different level too.¡¯ Chapter 80 – Preparations ¡°Evaluating request¡­¡± ¡®Are you sure there is no other way?¡¯ Gabe asked. ¡®Hey, don¡¯t complain! Tattoos might hide the core from Mana Sense, but people would still be able to see it through your skin. And you obviously can¡¯t wear a shirt either due to your wings.¡¯ Percy replied. Before they could begin filling up Gabe¡¯s second core, they needed to ensure it was concealed. Based on what Percy had come to learn about the Vault of Magic, the last thing they needed were the gods in charge finding out such a juicy specimen had fallen in their grasp. Of course, Percy had inadvertently left plenty of evidence of his presence already ¨C whether it was Gabe¡¯s miraculous survival or the extraordinary amount of life mana they had used up. Adding all the things they were planning to do over the next few weeks, the cat was already halfway out of the bag. Though most of it couldn¡¯t be avoided, they could at least take care of the rest. ¡°Evaluation complete. Custom item is valued at 37 credits. Current balance: 26130. Proceed with purchase?¡± the soulless voice asked. Percy felt Gabe¡¯s heartache through the connection. ¡®I get it! But does it have to be so expensive?!¡¯ he groaned. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like a lot. It will barely put a dent in your balance.¡¯ Percy said. ¡®That¡¯s because it hasn¡¯t been too long since I reached Green. I still have most of my rewards from the fresh batch of challenges.¡¯ Gabe explained. ¡®But I have to be mindful when spending them. Getting more won¡¯t be easy.¡¯ Percy nodded in understanding. It should indeed be the case that a resident of the Vault earned the majority of their resources shortly after advancing. The first few waves in each grade shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. Though Gabe was already struggling to climb much further. His current credits would have to last him all the way to Blue, which was presumably several decades away. ¡®Just do it. Or would you rather some god cut you open on an operating table?¡¯ Gabe grumbled some more, but he ultimately acquiesced. ¡°Yes.¡± he spoke. ¡°Confirmed. Deducting credits. New balance: 26093. Delivery in 900 rits.¡± Percy raised an eyebrow. That should be over fifteen minutes. A lot longer than that piece of meat had needed. Then again, the latter was probably an off-the-shelf product they had plenty of in stock. As for the object they¡¯d just requested, it would have to be manufactured on the spot. All things considered, it was already quite impressive the Vault¡¯s system could accomplish the task at all ¨C let alone in such short notice. A testament to their advanced technology. Soon enough, a circular hole opened on the ceiling once more, before the requested object landed on the bed. It was a rolled-up strip of cloth, cut out of an exquisite midnight blue fabric, densely covered in embroidered symbols a few shades lighter. Percy picked it up, noting it was still quite warm ¨C probably because it was fresh out the oven. It was soft to the touch, made of the finest silk he¡¯d ever come across. Next, he unravelled it, marvelling at the intricate script decorating it. This bandage was both thinner and much shorter than his own, which only served to drive home the insurmountable gap between the Vault¡¯s enchanters and Remior¡¯s. A quick tug revealed it was also somewhat flexible, yet still strong. It wouldn¡¯t be an issue if it had to stretch a little, and it was unlikely to tear easily. In any case, Percy couldn¡¯t help but study the runes a little longer. Due to all his secrets, it would serve him well to learn how to craft this type of enchantment by himself. Gabe didn¡¯t bother him either, letting him concentrate for a few minutes ¨C probably a gesture of goodwill, considering how much Percy had done for him already. Still, the latter didn¡¯t get very far. He had to begrudgingly give up after failing to understand anything. His host clearly hadn¡¯t lied when he said magiscript was a demanding field. Not letting this get to him too much, Percy wrapped the bandage around their abdomen a couple of times, before tying the loose ends behind their back.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡®There, all done¡­ I think.¡¯ Between the cube being stingy with the fabric and his host¡¯s transparent skin, the core was barely concealed, but it would have to do. ¡®How do I explain it?¡¯ Gabe asked. ¡®For the first couple of months, I could wrap a regular bandage on top and claim I was injured, but people will eventually start wondering why it¡¯s taking so long to heal.¡¯ ¡®Sorry, but I¡¯ll be gone by then. You¡¯ll have to figure that part out by yourself. For the time being, I suggest you focus on actually surviving until then.¡¯ Percy replied. ¡®Fair enough. So, what¡¯s the plan?¡¯ Percy thought about it for a while before speaking. ¡®Let me handle your second core for now. It took me about a week to get mine filled up, but I¡¯m sure I can do it even faster this time around.¡¯ Without wasting a moment, he activated Mana Sense, looking inward for the new organ. His host¡¯s physiology was different to his own, but Percy was a bit of an expert in locating cores and mana channels in all sorts of alien bodies by now. ¡®What should I do in the meantime?¡¯ Gabe asked. ¡®Hmmm¡­ Can you dig up any information the Vault has on the Moirai?¡¯ Ever since he obtained his second core, Percy had been winging it, mostly using his two affinities independently of one another. However, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling he was missing out on something important. An entire culture of people with two cores should have developed some more esoteric arts to fully exploit them ¨C yet Percy had never had the opportunity to learn them before now. ¡°Cube. What do you have on the Moirai? Also, while you¡¯re at it, check if you have any soul mana stored. User ID: 004527945512.¡± Gabe said. ¡°Authorization granted. Evaluating request¡­¡± ¡°Evaluation complete. There are 452 books, 1121 research logs, 9 encyclopaedias and 32653 news reports that mention ¡°Moirai¡±. Part of the selection is restricted for your grade. Only 321 books, 354 research logs, 6 encyclopaedias and 7564 news reports are available for purchase. Total cost: 35431 credits. Current balance: 26093.¡± The response elicited different reactions from Percy and Gabe. The former couldn¡¯t help but rub his hands. He wanted to purchase everything and make his host binge read it, but he knew that wasn¡¯t realistic. As for the latter, the shocking price nearly gave him a heart attack. But the cube wasn¡¯t done quite yet. ¡°Evaluation complete. Soul mana is listed on the restricted section for Green grade. It is only available through a bonus reward.¡± As expected, they still had to work through the challenge, though it was nice to have confirmation the mana actually existed. ¡®Try filtering out the fluff?¡¯ Percy suggested, returning to the previous item. Gabe hesitated for a moment, probably thinking it would still be more than he¡¯d be willing to pay, but ultimately heeded Percy¡¯s request. ¡°Get rid of anything on the Moirais¡¯ world, politics, history and geography. Only leave behind things related directly to their magic.¡± ¡°Evaluating request¡­¡± ¡°Evaluation complete. There are 78 books, 185 research logs, 2 encyclopaedias and 67 news reports available for purchase. Total cost: 6597 credits. Current balance: 26093.¡± That did seem to cut out a lot of encyclopaedias and news reports, but not as many research logs ¨C which frankly made sense. Still, it was way too pricey. ¡°Ignore everything relevant only to gods or specific affinities and bloodlines. Focus on general information about how the average Moirai mortal uses their two cores.¡± ¡°Evaluating request¡­¡± ¡°Evaluation complete. There are 24 books, 93 research logs, 0 encyclopaedias and 67 news reports available for purchase. Total cost: 2597 credits. Current balance: 26093.¡± ¡®It¡¯s still way too much. Besides, we don¡¯t have enough time to read all that.¡¯ Gabe said. Percy creased their brow. ¡®Why do I feel you¡¯re leaving out something?¡¯ ¡®Look, it¡¯s possible to request the system to summarize the information, compiling it into a much shorter document while getting rid of redundancies. It will add a charge for the service, though it should also give us a discount due to the eliminated information. That said, I doubt it¡¯s going to end up below 2000 credits¡­¡¯ Gabe explained. Hearing that, Percy wanted nothing more than to slap his host. He only held himself back because he knew it would hurt him too. ¡®No, YOU look, you stingy piece of shit!!!¡¯ he fired back. ¡®I¡¯m doing my best to save your ass here, and you¡¯re skimping on me over a bunch of credits!¡¯ ¡®Hey, I have to think about my life after you¡¯re gone too!¡¯ Gabe replied. ¡®What¡¯s there to think about?! I gave you a second core! You¡¯ll live twice as long and clear plenty more waves with it! A couple thousand credits are the least you can invest! You¡¯ll make them back in no time!¡¯ Percy didn¡¯t let up. But his host shook his head. ¡®I¡¯ll also need twice as much sizian meat as before. It¡¯s not as simple as you make it sound!¡¯ Well, that was true¡­ Also, Percy would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t thinking about himself too. Still, he firmly believed this was in Gabe¡¯s best interest. The credits wouldn¡¯t matter if they failed to fix his soul, plus Percy genuinely thought the insight contained in those books would pay for itself. ¡®Gabe¡­ the system has already confirmed it contains the soul mana you need. And you¡¯ve admitted you can¡¯t get to the next bonus reward as you are. We need to get you a lot stronger in a short amount of time. At the end of the day, it¡¯s your money and your life, but if you ask me, you¡¯ll have to take a gamble.¡¯ Gabe remained silent for a few seconds, considering his options. ¡®Fine.¡¯ Chapter 81 – Gabe’s second affinity Percy figured he¡¯d been in the Vault for about a week, though keeping track of time was always difficult outside Remior. It had only taken him a few days to clear enough mana channels to fill up his host¡¯s second core. Piling onto the good news, the event had also gone down surprisingly smoothly. Sure, an elemental affinity wasn¡¯t the flashiest one to have, but it was definitely more useful than pure mana. Also, activating the core did strengthen Gabe¡¯s soul, causing the broken shards to swell, filling up more of their vessel. Sadly, the shift did cause their bond to loosen, forcing Percy to expend the last of his stashed mana to repair the connection. Though it wasn¡¯t that great a loss, since the golems were immune to his Parting Gift anyway. And today, Percy felt he¡¯d cleared enough pathways to use the new core in a fight. Not that he was anywhere close to using it with finesse, but they should still be ready to tackle the fourth wave. As much as they¡¯d love to prepare a little longer, their time was finite, and they needed to assess their situation. *** The white-hot axe slashed against the octagonal shield, the impact sending a shockwave reverberating through the room. However, the empowered flames barely carved an inch into the black metal before dimming, as the green inscriptions on its surface flashed brighter. Worse still, the construct easily brushed its left arm aside, tearing one of Gabe¡¯s wings to shreds, throwing him off balance in the process. And taking advantage of the opening, it lunged forward with its sword. Percy¡¯s host barely managed to leap to the side at the last second, escaping with a shallow cut on his upper arm. Not ideal, but definitely preferrable to getting cleanly ran through by a blade wider than his thigh. Gabe clumsily walked backwards, putting some distance from the giant golem, each step awkwardly splashing through the viscous liquid covering the cube¡¯s floor all the way up to his knees. The construct simply stood in place, watching him disengage. It clearly wasn¡¯t in a rush to give chase. Some of the tar-like substance flowed to the golem, mending the small cut on its shield within mere seconds. ¡®How the hell are we supposed to beat this thing?!¡¯ Gabe asked. But Percy didn¡¯t have a good response either. Unlike the ¡°swarm¡± challenge which involved lots of weaker enemies, the ¡°gauntlet¡± instead focused on singular, elite opponents. Their current foe was technically ¡°just¡± another Green golem, not unlike the four constructs they had defeated during Percy¡¯s first day in the Vault. Still, its strength was nothing like those. It stood at twice Gabe¡¯s height ¨C much like the previous golems ¨C though this one was a fair amount leaner. Its shield was neigh-impregnable ¨C even harder than the bodies of the last ones ¨C while its speed was nothing to scoff at either. Percy estimated it was faster than the Starry Soldiers back on Remior. Plus, this was still only the fourth wave. He wasn¡¯t looking forward to whatever monstrosity the challenge would throw at them during the sixth one. To make matters worse, Gabe¡¯s kit wasn¡¯t as well suited to this challenge. Sure, his bloodline and blessing did augment both his offense and defence to a degree ¨C making him much stronger than the average Green core. That said, these advantages couldn¡¯t compare with the boost to his endurance, which was what had ultimately carried him through the other one. And these challenges had clearly been designed taking into account that most of the Vault¡¯s surviving mortals were bred elites. ¡®I guess we expected as much. At least this one doesn¡¯t seem to have any ranged attacks.¡¯ Percy said. ¡®Should we pull out our secret weapon?¡¯ Gabe wrinkled his nose. ¡®Normally, I wouldn¡¯t be keen on letting somebody experiment with my body, playing around with new spells in the middle of a fight. Certainly not against such a monster. But I suppose I¡¯m dead anyway ¨C unless we can get this to work. Are you sure you won¡¯t make things worse though?¡¯ While Gabe would have to figure out how to use his second core by himself after his guest was gone, they had agreed to leave Percy in charge of the new affinity for now. ¡®Well, I¡¯ll do my best to not get in your way at least. I¡¯ll focus on supporting you.¡¯ Percy said. Nodding, his host prepared the wings again, taking to the air. Reinforcing them with mana from his first core, he dove down towards their opponent. The golem raised its shield to block with practiced ease, though it was in for a small surprise this time. Right when they had covered about half the distance, Percy drew some mana from their second core, expelling it from their feet. The manoeuvre was a little rough around the edges, but it did work as intended. Picking up speed, they arrived a moment sooner than the construct was expecting, as Gabe delivered another brutal blow.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Like before, he failed to deal much damage, but he did land the attack at an angle, deflecting the shield to the side as he spun, opening the way for a second slash right at the golem¡¯s neck. Taken off-guard, the construct still managed a last-second parry with its sword, though not before Gabe carved about an inch into its neck. The golem was even forced to take a step back. Sadly, the wound wasn¡¯t nearly deep enough to cause any lasting damage. The construct didn¡¯t miss a beat, slamming its shield right where they stood the very next second. It nearly crushed them into paste too ¨C as Gabe still hadn¡¯t recovered his footing, having gone all out in that last exchange. It certainly didn¡¯t help they were essentially fighting in a swamp. Luckily, Percy intervened once more, pushing their body out of the impact zone with another burst of mana. The shield caused the tar to part for a moment, sending a tall wave of liquid metal slamming against the room¡¯s walls. It also pushed Gabe a few meters back, but that worked in their favour, helping them disengage sooner. ¡®Ok¡­ Not a terrible first try.¡¯ Percy said. Gabe hesitated briefly before nodding, reluctantly agreeing with that assessment. ¡®Try to weave the bursts of speed into all my moves.¡¯ he suggested. ¡®Alright. I¡¯ll let you know which way I¡¯m pushing you a moment before I do it.¡¯ Percy said. Repeating the same sequence, Gabe dove against the golem once more, with Percy accelerating his descent behind the scenes. Better prepared than before, the construct firmed its stance while waiting for the attack to arrive. But it never did. ¡®Right.¡¯ Percy said, diverting their flight to the side at the last second. The unexpected turn allowed them to circle around the golem¡¯s massive shield, as it awkwardly moved it, trying to trace their trajectory. Still, it was a little slower than them, allowing Gabe to roll in the air before landing a vertical slash on its scalp. Before he had the chance to split its head open, the shield was finally in the way to resist the attack, but Percy wasn¡¯t going to let their opponent have its way. ¡®Down!¡¯ he said, adding momentum to his host¡¯s cleave. Swinging the shield up, the golem managed to throw them off by the time they¡¯d cut about a third into its face ¨C right around where the bridge of its nose would have begun if it had one. A wave of disappointment overcame the duo, though it faded once they noticed their opponent¡¯s inability to follow-up with a counterattack. It was still on its feet, but the last blow had obviously done something. Not wasting the opportunity, Gabe tried to land another blow with his second wing. ¡®Forward!¡¯ Percy released more mana from their back, clearly on the same page. The burst of wind was more modest than the ones before. Their second core¡¯s lower grade, coupled with Percy¡¯s inexperience with the air affinity had already dried out their reserves. In fact, Gabe wasn¡¯t doing much better with his first core, having already exhausted most of his fire mana during the previous attack. That said, the golem wasn¡¯t in top shape either, its grip shaking after that desperate block and the nasty wound on its noggin. Expecting another attack to its neck, the construct tried to intercept with its sword, but Gabe had seen through its moves by now. Taking advantage of their shorter stature, he crouched below the swing, before cleaving at the golem¡¯s wrists. The hand holding the weapon was cleanly separated, though the wing fizzled out before it got through the other one too. As the heavy chunks of metal landed in the liquid, they sent a tall wave towards Gabe. A second one also rose when the construct lifted its foot to stomp them. Luckily the viscous sludge impaired the golem¡¯s movements as much as it did Gabe¡¯s ¨C if not even more so due to its increased bulk. Out of mana and wings both, the duo barely rolled out of the way. At least, the powerful current helped. However, the golem didn¡¯t stop after the first step. It stomped its way towards them, trying to pulverize them before they recovered, its previous nonchalance nowhere to be seen. The scene might have looked a little comical to an outsider, but neither Gabe nor Percy were in the mood to laugh, as they frantically dodged the golem¡¯s furious footfalls, trying to sneak in a few breaths in between. Some mana barely trickled into their cores, as a little more made its way to Gabe¡¯s back, reigniting the wings. Though they weren¡¯t the only ones recovering. The sludge kept flowing to repair the construct, the wound on its head already halfway mended. In fact, Percy didn¡¯t miss how the discarded sword had already melted down, as the severed hand and weapon were already reforming on the golem¡¯s arm. It was currently little more than a broken shard attached to a hilt, but it wouldn¡¯t be long before it was back to its former glory. Suffice to say, Gabe had no intention of letting his opponent complete its recovery. ¡®It¡¯s all or nothing!¡¯ he said, getting a mental nod back from Percy. Leaping back to avoid another stomp, Gabe tensed both calves, before springing forward like a coiled cobra, bolting through the space between the golem¡¯s knees. And, using whatever air mana he¡¯d managed to recover, Percy added to his host¡¯s momentum, as the latter reinforced his wings once more. The duo knew they wouldn¡¯t get through their foe¡¯s defences had they aimed for its torso or head, so they hadn¡¯t bothered trying. Their current goal was to sever another limb or two. The golem¡¯s shield was already on its way down, in a last-ditch effort to crush the pesky vermin by its feet before they completed their stunt. But it was too late. It wasn¡¯t just the shield, but the construct¡¯s entire upper body that landed in the black tar. It raised the tallest wave yet, submerging Gabe who was still in the process of climbing back to his feet. The golem squirmed, trying and failing to right itself. The liquid rushed to repair it, dirtying its previously polished surface with sludge. Gabe and Percy were out of mana again, though time was on their side for once. They estimated they would recover long before the construct did. And sure enough, they were able to finish the golem a couple minutes later without any surprises. ¡®And you said we need to beat two more of these things?¡¯ Percy asked grimly. Gabe grimaced too, before nodding. ¡®Two stronger ones¡­¡¯ Chapter 82 – Fifth wave ¡®Any progress with that book?¡¯ Percy asked. Another week had passed since their narrow victory against the fourth wave, though they had yet to challenge the fifth one. Acknowledging their inadequacy, they hadn¡¯t been in a hurry to move on, taking their time to get stronger, as they fought against the same opponent again and again. Challenging a previously beaten wave didn¡¯t reward any credits, but it was still good practice, letting them hone both their magic and their teamwork. Though Gabe was currently back in his room, as the two of them had plenty of work to do even during their downtime. ¡®A little.¡¯ he replied, before elaborating. ¡®The gist is we can supposedly fuse the two elements, much like a composite affinity. In fact, since both of my cores have elemental mana, the result will be exactly like a composite affinity. However, there are a few complications.¡¯ ¡®Such as?¡¯ Percy asked. ¡®Well, if you have a composite core, the two types of mana merge automatically inside it, without requiring any effort from its user. In my case, I¡¯ll have to expend a lot of willpower to replicate that feat.¡¯ Gabe explained. ¡®But there¡¯s two of us! Shouldn¡¯t that make it easier?¡¯ Percy asked. However, his host shook his head. ¡®That¡¯s actually a bad thing. It makes it harder to blend the mana if there are two separate minds in charge. Also, the mismatch between my cores¡¯ grades and the fact that only my fire mana is enhanced by a blessing will create an imbalance of power.¡¯ Percy frowned. If this was true, they¡¯d struggle to get the trick down in time. A possible solution was for Gabe to learn how to use his air magic by himself, but that would put too much pressure on him during the fight. Percy knew first-hand how difficult it was to keep track of two cores at once. It could easily take his host a couple months to get there. Especially since Gabe was in charge of the wings too¡­ ¡®The wings!¡¯ Percy exclaimed. ¡®What about them?¡¯ Gabe raised an eyebrow. Percy grinned. ¡®Perhaps we don¡¯t have enough time to master the Moirais¡¯ art, but I have another idea to give us an edge in the fifth wave.¡¯ *** The golem stood motionless at the other end of the room, its cold gaze locked on Gabe. It looked exactly like the previous one, though its shield had been replaced by a second sword. On paper, that should mean it had sacrificed some defence for the sake of offense, but Percy doubted that was the case. ¡®I bet it¡¯s even better at parrying.¡¯ he noted, getting a nod back from his host. That said, the two of them weren¡¯t the same as a week ago either. Percy had improved the most, having cleared plenty more channels and grown far more proficient with air mana. He¡¯d even briefly considered working towards Circulation, though he¡¯d quickly shot the idea down. Meeting the requirements of the Refined spell would take him way longer than they had. Oblivious to his guest¡¯s thoughts, Gabe summoned his wings, before readying his stance. Ironically, he was the one who¡¯d improved the least, despite being the actual owner of the second core. Still, he¡¯d grown more accustomed to fighting alongside Percy against the elite golems.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡®Give it a try.¡¯ he suggested. Percy acquiesced, focusing his senses on the flow of ambient mana. He¡¯d already experienced Gabe¡¯s bloodline ability before, having briefly taken command of the wings back during his first day in the Vault. However, his plan was to do something slightly different today. The idea was fairly simple ¨C the only reason Gabe¡¯s wings manifested out of flames was because of his original affinity. Now that they possessed another core, there was no reason why they couldn¡¯t dig even more value out of the bloodline. Indeed, Percy identified a portion of the ambient mana being ignited at Gabe¡¯s back. He tugged at the flow to pry it from his host¡¯s control, as the latter fought to remain in charge. One of them focused on the blazing heat burning in their sternum, as the other imagined the softer air mana dancing in their abdomen. Responding to their thoughts, the river of ambient mana split into two components, one continuing to fuel the wings right below Gabe¡¯s shoulder blades, as a smaller stream was pulled a few inches lower, forming a second pair below the first. ¡®Success!¡¯ Percy was ecstatic, feeling the new ethereal limbs respond to his command. ¡®Wow, I can¡¯t believe this actually worked!¡¯ Gabe said. Percy sensed some mixed feelings from his host. The latter was happy he could use his bloodline with both cores at the same time, though he wasn¡¯t looking forward to juggling all these tasks by himself in the future. But this wasn¡¯t Percy¡¯s problem. Focusing back on the new wings, he quickly noticed they were both smaller and weaker than the other pair. It made sense. While the ability was fuelled by ambient mana, its strength was correlated with the corresponding cores¡¯ grades. Percy¡¯s control was a little clumsy too, but it would have to do for now. After spending a few minutes to adjust to the new appendages, the two looked back at the construct. It was still patiently waiting for them to make the first move. ¡®I¡¯m going in.¡¯ Gabe said, flapping his wings once, soaring halfway to the ceiling. Meanwhile, the second set remained folded behind their waist. Percy didn¡¯t want to interfere with his host¡¯s movements, so he¡¯d reserve the new limbs for a time when they actually needed them. For now, he simply augmented Gabe¡¯s speed the good old way. That said, their cooperation had grown a lot more refined over the past week. The air mana flowed underneath Gabe¡¯s wings, giving him an even greater boost than if Percy had tried to propel their body directly like before. And just like that, they dove upon the golem, finally beginning the battle. Surprising no one, the construct raised its swords to parry the white-hot axes, before trying to land a blow of its own. Gabe ducked and weaved to dodge the colossal blade by a hair¡¯s breadth, as he tiptoed around the golem, looking for an opening. The construct was even faster than the previous one, but Percy expertly unleashed small bursts of air around their body, elegantly augmenting his host¡¯s every move, using the minimum amount of mana each time. Two figures ¨C one man-sized, the other colossal ¨C danced amidst the flurry of slashes, the black ones parting the viscous tar in their passing, as the white-hot ones raised the temperature to a dangerous level. The axes were even hotter than before, with Percy¡¯s air mana adding more fuel to the flames, while sharpening them and accelerating them further than Gabe could manage on his own. By now, their skin was blistering and peeling, as a red sheen coated the obsidian golem. Every now and then, the weapons collided, sending loud shockwaves bouncing around the walls of the cube, throwing the previously calm surface of the swamp into turmoil. No side seemed to gain an advantage, as neither combatant managed to land a single blow. At least, that was the case until Gabe and Percy¡¯s mana was exhausted a minute later, leaving them at the golem¡¯s mercy. A massive sword descended, its edge sinking halfway through the floor, though Gabe was already a few meters back, Percy having saved their asses with the first flap of their new wings. The golem returned to its default state, giving them a chance to recover. Percy had yet to fully understand what the condition was for the constructs to bother chasing. His best guess was that disarming it would do the trick. ¡®Do you want to keep going like this?¡¯ he asked his host. While they seemed equally matched with the golem at the moment, they possessed an advantage their opponent sorely lacked. The ability to grow. Right now, they could only use their newer limbs as a way to disengage, but it wouldn¡¯t be long until they weaved them into their fighting style. Plus, it would only be a matter of time until they grew accustomed to the golem¡¯s movements too. ¡®Sure.¡¯ Gabe shrugged. ¡®Let¡¯s take it nice and easy with this one.¡¯ Chapter 83 – Moment of truth ¡°Cube. Start the ¡®gauntlet¡¯ challenge. Green level. User ID: 004527945512.¡± ¡°Authorization granted. Starting ¡®gauntlet¡¯ challenge, Green level. The user has already cleared wave 5. Do you wish to resume at wave 6? WARNING: Wave 6 contains a far more powerful opponent.¡± ¡®Are you ready for this?¡¯ Gabe asked his guest. Another month had passed since they first cleared the last wave, breaking Percy¡¯s record for the longest-lived clone, and by a huge margin at that. By now, they¡¯d already grown rather skilled at seamlessly weaving their two types of mana and both sets of wings into their fighting style. Though their strength was beginning to plateau. The only avenue that still left them a lot of room for improvement was mastering the Moirais¡¯ trick, fusing their affinities into one. Gabe and Percy had actually made some progress in that department, but the result wasn¡¯t quite ready to be relied upon during the fight. ¡®Go for it.¡¯ Percy replied. ¡°Yes.¡± Gabe spoke out loud. ¡°Choice confirmed. Wave begins in 18 rits.¡± While it would have certainly been more prudent to wait longer, the two were already running out of time. Despite their relatively healthy body, Gabe¡¯s recent promotion, and the crazy amount of soul mana Percy had invested, the patches holding their souls together were finally beginning to come undone. Their most optimistic estimates gave them a few more days together ¨C though they figured it was best not to cut it too close. ¡°Wave begins in 12 rits.¡± All in all, they weren¡¯t particularly happy with their odds, but it wasn¡¯t like they¡¯d miraculously get stronger if they held on for another day or two. Naturally, the thought of turning Gabe into a familiar had crossed Percy¡¯s mind. While his stingy host wasn¡¯t always the most pleasant to be around, Percy had still grown fond of the jellyfish-person after spending so much time fighting alongside him. That said, he¡¯d rather not resort to that before exhausting all the alternatives. While Percy had never regretted creating his crow familiar, the jury was still out on whether he¡¯d done right by the original Micky, as his pal had yet to recover any of his old memories. ¡°Wave begins in 6 rits.¡± Not to mention the personal cost involved with his secret art. Perhaps, he could get Orin to take care of him for a few weeks if he ended up in a coma again, though he wasn¡¯t looking forward to explaining everything to the alchemist afterwards. Then there was the question of whether he¡¯d even find a suitable body for Gabe in the middle of the Guild¡­ ¡®I¡¯ll only do it if we¡¯re out of options.¡¯ ¡°Wave begins. May your challenge be successful!¡± Black metal poured down the cube¡¯s walls once more, the level of the liquid rising to Gabe¡¯s knees soon enough. Only then did a blob of sludge swell on the floor about a dozen meters in front of them, as their latest opponent started forming. Of course, Gabe and Percy had tried attacking the golems in this vulnerable state in the past, but they¡¯d only wasted their time. Despite the cube¡¯s words, the challenge wouldn¡¯t officially begin until the construct was done taking shape. Not that it took very long, as the new golem stood tall before them mere moments later. This one had two pairs of arms, reminding Percy of the natives on Huehue. Each of its four hands held a curved sabre, their edges fanning out in a ferocious stance, tilted slightly towards Gabe. Even more unsettling was the construct¡¯s gaze, which seemed no less piercing than its weapons¡¯ tips, flooding the room with a palpable sense of oppression. ¡®I have a bad feeling about this¡­¡¯ Percy didn¡¯t wait for the golem¡¯s inscriptions to finish lighting up, hurriedly pulling the ambient mana towards their back. Following his lead, Gabe did the same, as the stream split off, coalescing into two pairs of nascent wings. The upper ones were the widest and most majestic, made of scorching blue flames. The others were more modest, elegantly crafted out of swirling gusts of wind, carrying a faint green tint. In any case, it was a good thing they hadn¡¯t waited¡­Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. This time, the golem didn¡¯t give them the chance to attack first, seizing the initiative instead. It pounced towards them like a tiger, a short-lived crater forming in the swamp where it had stood just a moment ago. Its visage rapidly enlarged in their vision as it flew mere inches above the black substance, two of the sabres carving waves into the formerly-serene surface of the liquid metal. As for the remaining pair, they were crossed in front of the golem¡¯s face, clearly impatient to taste Gabe¡¯s blood. Flapping all four of the half-formed wings, they barely managed to escape diagonally to their right, though not before losing both left wings and getting a nasty cut below their ribs. ¡®What the hell?!¡¯ Percy moved their bottom-right wing opposite the upper-right one, to balance it out. It was a nifty trick they¡¯d come up with in the past few weeks, taking advantage of the fact their wings weren¡¯t actual body parts, allowing them to be shifted around somewhat freely. Their flight was a little lopsided, but hovering for a while longer wouldn¡¯t be an issue. ¡®I suppose this one won¡¯t let us recover between rounds.¡¯ Percy said as they rose higher, putting more distance from the ground. ¡®Geez¡­ Real dick move to change up the golems¡¯ tactics with no warning!¡¯ Gabe groaned. Had the gods in charge made the previous constructs passive out of kindness? Or had it all been a ruse to lure challengers into a false sense of security? Either way, their trouble had only just begun. Before the severed wings were done recovering, the golem tilted its head up, its eyes flashing a shade brighter, sending a chill down their spine. Then, it moved again! It tossed its sabres in well-spaced intervals, the colossal blades spinning as they sliced through the air towards them. Even in his current state, Gabe didn¡¯t have much difficulty manoeuvring around the projectiles, but that was beside the point. The shockwaves Percy had expected to hear never came, the weapons spluttering into blobs of liquid the moment they made contact with the cube¡¯s sides, rolling down the smooth walls. And the sludge constantly flowed to the golem¡¯s feet, its sabres reforming one after another, ensuring the construct would never run out of blades to throw. ¡®Shit! It¡¯s going to tire us out eventually!¡¯ Percy noted. The barrage was a lot more forgiving than the rain of needles in the ¡®swarm¡¯ challenge, but it seemed like it could go on forever. While the wings didn¡¯t use up any of Gabe¡¯s mana, keeping them active and flying around was still mentally taxing. ¡®I guess we have to go on the offense.¡¯ Gabe shrugged. ¡®Yeah. I suppose that was the plan all along.¡¯ Percy nodded. ¡®It¡¯s not like we can get the reward you need by dodging.¡¯ Their wings had recovered by now. They took a moment to rearrange them into their original configuration, before circling the golem cautiously. The good news was that the moment it threw each of its weapons, it was left with just two-and-a-half sabres, giving them a slight opening to attack. Though it wouldn¡¯t be long before the construct was back to its top shape. ¡®Let¡¯s use all our mana at once.¡¯ Percy suddenly suggested. ¡®There¡¯s no sense in rationing it, as it won¡¯t give us a chance to disengage anyway.¡¯ Gabe raised an eyebrow. ¡®But what if we fail? We¡¯ll be completely defenceless.¡¯ he protested. ¡®You can still verbally terminate the challenge, can¡¯t you?¡¯ Percy reminded him. That was how Gabe had tried to escape from the ¡®swarm¡¯ challenge when things had gone downhill, though he¡¯d been a moment too late, leaving him riddled with fatal wounds by the time Percy found him. ¡®Right¡­ ok. I¡¯m going in.¡¯ the former replied. As soon as they dodged the next incoming sabre, Gabe reinforced the upper pair of wings with fire mana, turning them white before flapping them. Percy mirrored the motion with the lower pair, while also skilfully distributing the air mana throughout their body. Their vision blurred for a moment, but they¡¯d done this so many times in the past month they didn¡¯t need to see where they were going. Reaching the golem, the first of their blazing axes cleaved at its neck, leaving a distorted afterglow in its wake. The concentrated mana burst into a wave of force and heat upon impact, spreading outwards from the point of collision. Gabe had to actually close his eyes to shield them from the flash, rendering the duo unable to gauge the extent of the damage they¡¯d dealt. Still, they felt their opponent¡¯s sabres bend and crack, though the attack ultimately failed to pierce through. But that was ok ¨C the second wing was just behind the first. This one finished the job, as shards of metal flew in all directions, the white blade slicing through the damaged weapons before delivering a diagonal slash on the golem¡¯s torso. The construct staggered, its inscriptions even dimming for a moment¡­ But it didn¡¯t collapse. Soon, the runes on its polished surface shone brightly again, as it swung the broken sabres towards Gabe. Percy slammed the second pair of wings against one another, right in front of their chest. The burst of wind pushed them backwards, letting them narrowly dodge the fragmented edges of metal thirsting for their flesh. ¡°C-cube¡­ Abort wave¡­ End challenge!¡± Gabe barely got the words out as the golem was already airborne, falling rapidly towards them. The two stumbled backwards in their desperate attempt to buy an extra fraction of a second, the shadow of the golem¡¯s visage shrouding their vision, as the viscous sludge enveloped their back, hugging their sinking body. Their pupils widened as they stared in horror at the colossal fist just inches from their face, about to smash their head open like a watermelon! Chapter 84 – Persistence The sickening sound of their skull cracking never came. Gabe thought it might have already happened ¨C too fast for them to register ¨C but Percy had experienced enough deaths to be confident this wasn¡¯t it. Still, they held their breath, remaining motionless under the surface of the dark swamp, unsure whether the challenge had stopped in time, or whether the golem had simply lost track of them. It was most likely the former, but neither of the two was feeling brave enough to check. Sure enough, the liquid¡¯s level dropped soon, draining into the floor, exposing their body once more. Only then did they reluctantly open their eyes, before bursting into laboured breaths a moment later, their chest heaving up and down. ¡®Well¡­ That sure sucked¡­¡¯ Gabe said. ¡®Next time we fail ¨C and there will definitely be a next time ¨C PLEASE say the words faster.¡¯ Percy berated him. Gabe didn¡¯t respond, focusing on refilling his cores for a while. Only after they¡¯d fully recovered did he speak again. ¡®How are we going to get through this?¡¯ Sadly, Percy had no good answer for his host, feeling just as lost. Of course, they¡¯d encountered many difficulties during the previous waves too, but they¡¯d had plenty of options at the time. They¡¯d adjusted their tactics, honed their cooperation and magic, or grown more used to their opponents¡¯ moves. This time, things weren¡¯t as simple. They had no idea how to improve enough in the next couple of days, plus the golem¡¯s response had been too fast to read. They¡¯d basically attacked it blindly, at a speed they could hardly even grasp, yet that hadn¡¯t been enough. It had parried their offense rather easily. Despite going all out, they¡¯d barely broken through its defences, and even then, it had deflected the trajectory of their slashes enough that they¡¯d no longer posed a threat to its integrity. ¡®You¡¯re not going to like this, but I suggest we keep doing the exact same thing and hope we get lucky.¡¯ Percy said. Gabe¡¯s jaw slackened. ¡®That¡¯s the shittiest plan ever!¡¯ he complained. But Percy shook his head. ¡®It¡¯s all I¡¯ve got. Feel free to suggest something better.¡¯ Gabe groaned as he pushed himself up, his body hurting all over. While they¡¯d healed perfectly after the ¡°swarm¡± challenge, they¡¯d accumulated a lot of new injuries over the past few weeks. The peculiar thing was most of them had been self-inflicted. While he and Percy had done a commendable job dodging most of the golems¡¯ attacks, the intense heat of their own spells had caused plenty of nasty burns all over their skin. Naturally, mages possessed high innate resistance to their own magic. That said, Gabe¡¯s blessing and bloodline already pushed his spells close to his limits. Adding the extra air mana into the mix, and the flames had grown a little too hot for comfort. Unfortunately, beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers. They¡¯d needed every bit of firepower to even get this far. Plus, although Gabe had been forced to splurge a few credits on ointments and other remedies ¨C to his great dismay ¨C none of these injuries were life-threatening, so they¡¯d chosen to endure them. ¡®Let¡¯s do it then. I haven¡¯t gone through all this crap just to fail at the last juncture.¡¯ he said resolutely. Soon, they began the challenge anew. Knowing what to expect, they¡¯d already prepared beforehand, waiting for the golem to toss a couple of sabres their way, before diving in for an attack. Again, the clash had been too quick and far too hectic to fathom, though it had gone slightly better than the previous one. While the construct was still alive, this time it had lost two of its arms. Perhaps, this would have been the perfect opportunity for Gabe and Percy to finish it¡­ if they had any mana left ¨C which they didn¡¯t. ¡°Cube. Abort challenge.¡± the former spoke with a heavy heart once more, not giving their opponent the chance to retaliate. And about half an hour later, they went for their third attempt, managing to land a good blow on the golem¡¯s head, slicing a corner off. In fact, the injury had even left it disoriented for nearly half a minute, making them think this was their lucky break. Unfortunately, just when they repaired their wings enough to go for the finisher, the golem attacked, nearly beheading them before they hurriedly ended the challenge. ¡®Again.¡¯ Percy said. This time, they tried to sneak up on the golem from behind. To their great horror, they discovered it possessed eyes at the back of its head too! Not only that, but it could easily spin its arms around, causing the clash to go no better than the previous ones! Fifth attempt. Abort. Sixth. Seventh¡­ Tenth!This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Abort. Abort¡­ Abort! Gabe was sitting by the side of the cube, resting against the wall. They¡¯d recovered a few minutes ago, but they weren¡¯t in a rush to try again. Verbally terminating the challenge and restarting whenever it suited them might seem like a great loophole ¨C and it was, to an extent ¨C yet it wasn¡¯t without cost. Recovering their mana between rounds wasn¡¯t difficult, but they had no way to heal their wounds. By now, Gabe was a complete mess, his skin peeling and bleeding, his flesh battered and sore. Not to mention the risk of incurring much more serious injuries with each attempt. Two tries ago, they came this close to losing an arm, narrowly getting away with a nasty gouge on their shoulder. And Gabe couldn¡¯t just ask for more life mana if they succeeded. He needed the soul mana, and he seriously doubted the cube would be generous enough to give him both. Also, they were running out of time. Fast. Percy could feel the patches falling apart one after the other. By now, he had to get creative, shifting around the mana, trying to keep their soul from crumbling before its time. ¡®Let¡¯s try fusing the affinities again.¡¯ Gabe suggested. ¡®I know it¡¯s a long shot, but it¡¯s the only thing we haven¡¯t tried.¡¯ Percy considered it for a few seconds. ¡®It¡¯s more than a long shot. The best we¡¯ve managed was weaker than your air mana alone. And we need something more destructive than your all-out attack¡­¡¯ Gabe grinned. ¡®As a wise man once said, ¡°feel free to suggest something better.¡±¡¯ ¡®Fine¡­ but let¡¯s practice for a couple hours without starting the challenge. No sense in testing a new spell while having an angry golem trying to slice us into strips¡­¡¯ *** Whether it was Remior or the Vault of Magic, less than 1% of the population was born with a composite core. That said, these affinities were well understood, as they represented elements abundant in nature, such as mud, steam, or magma. So, while neither Gabe nor Percy had personally seen someone use the light affinity before, they had a pretty good idea what to expect. Sadly, that didn¡¯t seem to help them much in mastering it. ¡®Steady¡­ keep going.¡¯ Percy said, focused on the rotation and integrity of the small tornado between their palms. Gabe, on the other hand, was doing his best to lower the intensity and temperature of his own fire mana, trying to match his guest¡¯s output. ¡®I think we¡¯re nearly there.¡¯ he said, watching the flames spin. The air mana provided fuel for the fire, turning it hotter, while the heat allowed the air to move even faster. The two components were rapidly consumed, generating an effect more potent than the sum of its parts. The blue vortex grew brighter, though this wasn¡¯t due to Gabe¡¯s blessing. He was still doing his best to hold it back for now. Perhaps, they¡¯d need to add it to the finished product later, but for now their focus was on blending the affinities together. And as the scorching winds shrunk into a ball, their shape and colour shifted, turning the tornado into something different. A white sphere. It was so bright, it caused Gabe to look away. In fact, it seemed even hotter than his strongest flames, though it had lost much of its substance, turning matter into pure energy. ¡®So far so good.¡¯ Percy nodded. He couldn¡¯t help but salivate over the prospect of fusing his own mana back home. He knew it would be harder as neither of his affinities was elemental, which meant their fusion was inherently unstable. Still, the Moirais¡¯ books suggested it was possible. ¡®Stop daydreaming and focus on the sphere!¡¯ Gabe snapped him out of his thoughts. ¡®Right.¡¯ Percy replied as his attention returned to their project. This wasn¡¯t their first time getting to this point, but they needed to pour a lot more mana into the spell, and to control it much better before it could be used against the golem. The two coordinated to increase their input at the same rate, slowly expanding the radius of the sphere, as its blinding rays grew more intense. Gabe¡¯s eyes watered even through his closed eyelids, though they didn¡¯t stop. They needed this to work. Running out of ideas, they tried to divert the beam away from their body. Partial success. About 70% of the light was directed to the front, though the remainder still hurt them. Even worse, the higher output combined with their rough attempts at manipulating the spell affected its stability, causing it to blink rapidly, putting it on the verge of fizzling out. ¡®I can¡¯t keep this up.¡¯ Gabe winced, before allowing it to come apart. Smoke was coming out of their palms, which had received the full brunt of the fused mana. ¡®Man, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve improved in the last few hours at all¡­¡¯ Percy noted. ¡®Me neither¡­ how are our souls doing?¡¯ Gabe asked. ¡®Not great. I¡¯ve had to actively expend my willpower to keep the patches stable for a while now. If we start fighting the golem again, we¡¯ll only last a few more tries¡­¡¯ Gabe plopped on the ground weakly, as Percy felt despair seeping through their connection. ¡®It¡¯s over. It was all for nothing.¡¯ the former said. ¡®It wasn¡¯t¡­ there¡¯s still one more thing I can try doing for you if we fail to beat the golem. Though you won¡¯t like it.¡¯ Gabe raised an eyebrow, prompting Percy to explain how his familiars worked. ¡®So, you¡¯re telling me I¡¯ll lose all my memories and potentially end up reincarnated as some vermin, small enough to fit in my palm? And that¡¯s the best-case scenario, assuming all the stars align? What¡¯s even the point?!¡¯ he asked. ¡®I know it sucks. It¡¯s why I didn¡¯t mention it earlier. Still, it¡¯s on the table if you want to try it.¡¯ Percy said. His host didn¡¯t respond immediately, taking some time to consider his options. Eventually, he spoke. ¡®Alright. If all else fails, I¡¯m willing to give it a shot. However, I¡¯d like to test one last thing before we resort to that.¡¯ he said. ¡®I¡¯m listening.¡¯ Percy replied. ¡®Well, it¡¯s nothing too revolutionary. Just a final gamble. So far, we¡¯ve split our efforts between making the spell powerful enough to damage the golem while also controlling it to keep ourselves safe.¡¯ Percy understood what his host was getting at. ¡®You want to ditch the second part.¡¯ Gabe nodded. ¡®I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll succeed, or what state my body will end up in, but it might be better than becoming an amnesiac critter.¡¯ ¡®Alright. Start the challenge then.¡¯ Naturally, they¡¯d only get one chance, as they didn¡¯t have the luxury of injuring themselves repeatedly to hone their suicidal attack to perfection. Gabe went through the motions, restarting the wave, as the two summoned their wings and took to the air. The duo looked ahead as the black metal began pouring down the walls of the cube, watching their opponent form once more. And this time, there would be no giving up. In a few short minutes, Percy would finally return to Remior. The only question was whether he¡¯d do so alone, or with company¡­ Chapter 85 – Gabe’s gamble Gabe¡¯s palms burned as the white sphere expanded between them. The dark blob rapidly took shape right below the duo, putting pressure on them to fuse their mana faster. Naturally, they¡¯d already abandoned all caution, willingly accepting the painful cost of the technique. Their eyeballs felt like they were melting in their sockets, the entire front side of their body peeling. ¡®We need to time this right.¡¯ Gabe said. ¡®We¡¯ll only get one shot.¡¯ Percy nodded. ¡®Yes. There¡¯re three things we need to do at once. We have to push the rest of our mana into the sphere, while at the same time unleashing your blessing to raise the temperature even further. Meanwhile, I¡¯ll try to direct as much of the explosion towards the golem and away from our face.¡¯ ¡®Make those four things then. Let¡¯s also try tossing our wings into the mix. Even if the ambient mana fails to add to its strength, it might shield our body from some of the damage.¡¯ With the plan set in stone, the duo held their breath, focused on their opponent¡¯s form. Of course, they couldn¡¯t gaze at it directly, as their head was tilted away from the radiant star thrumming between their hands, but they could still observe it through Mana Sense. The vague outline of Green finally finished taking the shape of the golem, complete with four sabres tightly grasped in its fists. Not wasting a moment, the two rushed to their tasks before their enemy started hurling weapons at them. First, they stopped flapping the wings, only slightly adjusting them to maintain their orientation, allowing themselves to fall closer to the construct. Pushing all the mana out of their two cores, they let it gush through their channels, soon flooding the spell with an influx of fuel, causing it to burn brighter than ever before. The golem finally reacted, tossing the first sabre towards them. But they were ready for that. They dodged with a quick flap of their upper wings, before returning to their previous position using the second pair. Next, estimating they were already close enough to the golem ¨C hardly three metres away ¨C they finally folded all four wings to their chest, dipping the tips into the sphere. To nobody¡¯s surprise, the mana from their sternum had already dominated its counterpart, technically making the attack more of a fire affinity spell laced with hints of something else. Its temperature had already surpassed anything they¡¯d tried before, as it happily devoured part of the wings too. They heard the golem throw another blade, but they didn¡¯t care. This one never reached their body, melting mid-flight, unable to withstand the intense heat of the sphere. SSS A few scorching droplets landed on Gabe¡¯s skin, causing him to wince as his flesh sizzled even faster in those spots. If it hadn¡¯t been for his passive resistance to heat, he would have long turned to ashes by now. But the two were already far too deep to back down. When they were mere inches above the golem¡¯s head, they finally let go of the mana, doing their best to divert it away from their body. Making a shrill, high-pitched sound, the sphere burst out in every direction. The shockwave itself wasn¡¯t that powerful, as the spell¡¯s focus was its luminosity and heat. The last thing Gabe and Percy saw through their closed eyelids was a flash of white, as a warm trickle rolled halfway down their cheeks, before evaporating. They could also tell when their left hand literally crumbled into dust. The entire front side of their body felt like it was dropped on a frying pan. Yet, despite all the pain and worry, Percy couldn¡¯t help but feel some fleeting pride over the sheer power of the spell he¡¯d just helped cast. It had truly pushed the upper limit of what a Green core should be capable of. That said, his Status remained silent, as this wasn¡¯t something he could reproduce on his own. Though, had he been the one responsible for naming it, he did have an idea what to call it¡­ The light affinity spell, Collapsing Star. Luckily for them, the viscous tar coating the room¡¯s floor cushioned their landing, sparing them from further injuries. Of course, the bubbling liquid was rather hot to the touch, but it couldn¡¯t compare to the attack they¡¯d just eaten to their face. Though it did aggravate their burns some more. Sinking to the bottom, they remained motionless on the floor, waiting with hope for their victory to be announced. And soon enough, the viscous metal was drained out of the room, as the soulless voice spoke again. ¡°Congratu¡­ cleared¡­ rewards¡­¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The two had some trouble making the words out through the ringing in their ears, but there wasn¡¯t any question as to their contents. Oblivious to Percy¡¯s thoughts, the system kept speaking. ¡°Awarded¡­ Current¡­¡± ¡°Wave¡­ Bonus reward¡­ request¡­ limited¡­¡± ¡®Gabe! You¡¯re up!¡¯ Percy prodded his host after realizing he¡¯d remained silent for a few seconds too long. ¡®W-What happened?¡¯ the latter asked, apparently only now regaining consciousness. ¡®We¡¯ve done it! Get it to heal you! Remember to ask for the soul mana first.¡¯ Percy advised. Gabe tried nodding, but even this slight motion hurt. ¡°H-Heal¡­ my soul¡­ and my body.¡± he spoke in a hoarse voice. ¡°Evaluating request¡­¡± Percy sure hoped the cube had heard the message clearly. It would be so stupid to fail at the last stretch because of a simple miscommunication. Luckily his worries had been misplaced, though the response wasn¡¯t the ideal one. Not that they heard it in its entirety, but they still made out the gist of it. ¡°Evaluation complete¡­ outside parameters¡­ only eligible¡­ one type of mana¡­ prioritize soul¡­?¡± ¡®It¡¯s your call Gabe. My offer is still up. What do you want to do?¡¯ Before coming to the Vault, Percy had no intention of creating a second familiar anytime soon. While he¡¯d grown somewhat used to having two connections at the same time, it would inhibit his ability to send out more clones for the foreseeable future. Of course, it would be worth it if it was part of his project to get a Starry Wasp familiar, but that wasn¡¯t on the table right now. Sadly, he had no idea how to get his hands on a suitable egg. Still, he wouldn¡¯t abandon his new friend for his own convenience. ¡®What do you think about the state of my body?¡¯ the latter asked. Naturally, Gabe understood his own physiology better, but he knew Percy had possessed dozens of dying bodies in the past. Evidently, he could use a second opinion. Percy remained silent for a few moments, considering it. Every now and then, he tried moving a muscle, gauging the condition of his host¡¯s various body parts. ¡®I don¡¯t think your wounds are quite lethal, but they aren¡¯t exactly minor either. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed some of the most egregious injuries already.¡¯ Gabe sent a mental nod back. He¡¯d lost both eyes and one hand. What wasn¡¯t as clear was whether the remaining limbs could be salvaged. Even if they could, the numerous burns on his body would easily take several months to heal. At first, Percy had thought his friend could just look for a mortal with the life affinity to heal him, but Gabe had already explained that was unlikely to work. Mortals in the Vault were highly competitive, as the available resources were limited. There was no sense of camaraderie between them, plus the gods liked things this way, as it helped them cultivate the strongest ones. Sadly, Gabe would only have himself to rely on. Worse still, his next opportunity to fix his body was decades away, at best. Even if he mastered the rest of his arsenal after Percy left, he couldn¡¯t reach the twelfth wave in either the ¡°swarm¡± or ¡°gauntlet¡± challenge. Probably not even if he¡¯d been healthy. Certainly not in his current state. Plus, getting into magiscript would be much harder now that he was both blind and crippled. In fact, advancing to Blue didn¡¯t exactly guarantee he¡¯d clear the sixth wave either. It was entirely possible he was stuck like this forever. ¡®I¡¯d still rather give this a shot¡­ I don¡¯t think reincarnation is my cup of tea¡­¡¯ he spoke after a while. Percy didn¡¯t say anything, respecting his host¡¯s decision. ¡°Heal my soul.¡± the latter said. By now, the ringing in their ears had subsided somewhat, letting them hear the cube¡¯s next words more clearly. ¡°Accumulating soul mana. Healing begins in 6 rits.¡± Though they¡¯d been working towards this very moment for weeks, Percy was suddenly overcome by a wave of panic, realizing they were mere seconds away from parting for good. What was he even supposed to say to a friend he might never see again?! A crisp sound broke him out of his thoughts, as something soft brushed through the air. The familiar feeling of a cool droplet landing on their forehead was soon followed by a refreshing sensation spreading through their soul. Wherever it passed, the cracks in Gabe¡¯s soul rapidly closed. Not wishing to waste their last few moments, Percy said the first thing that came to mind. ¡®I¡¯m so sorry for leaving you behind in such a shitty state.¡¯ Perhaps he should have gone with something more positive, but he did feel strongly about this. While Percy had only promised to do his best to help Gabe, returning to Remior without knowing whether he¡¯d succeeded didn¡¯t sit well with him. Especially since he was leaving his friend crippled, and with a heavy secret to bear. However, a wave of amusement soon seeped through their bond. ¡®What are you apologizing for?¡¯ Gabe asked. ¡®It¡¯s not your fault I got myself killed before we met. As far as I¡¯m concerned, you¡¯re leaving me better than you found me.¡¯ Another droplet fell, causing Percy¡¯s soul wisp to recede even further down the mending cracks. The patches he¡¯d been struggling to hold together continued to fizzle out, no longer required. And as he started getting pushed out of the vessel, Percy noticed the pull of his main body had grown extremely strong, trying to pry him out of this world. But he wasn¡¯t thinking about that. His mind was focused on Gabe¡¯s words. Hearing his friend didn¡¯t blame him lifted a weight off Percy¡¯s chest. ¡®Then I suppose the only thing left is to wish you a quick recovery. And¡­ who knows? Maybe I¡¯ll visit again sooner or later!¡¯ Gabe chuckled. ¡®Huh, as if it¡¯s so easy sneaking into this place¡­¡¯ ¡®Hey, who do you think you¡¯re talking to?! I¡¯m the sneakiest guy in the universe!¡¯ Percy snapped back in mock outrage. ¡®In fact, all I need is some kind of compass and I can stop wandering around blindly!¡¯ He was part-joking around of course, though he did mean what he said. Percy fully intended to find a proper way of navigating the cosmos eventually. There already were one or two places he¡¯d like to return to, and he was sure there would be even more in the future. And just like that, the third droplet landed, the divine mana soon sealing the last few injuries in Gabe¡¯s soul, pushing Percy out. As the powerful cord on his back tensed, he was finally pulled away, as Gabe¡¯s final message echoed in his mind. ¡®Thanks, Percy¡­ For everything.¡¯ Chapter 86 – BUMP The moment Percy was dragged out of Gabe¡¯s body, and before he had the chance to pick up much speed, something strange happened. BUMP ¡®What the hell was that? Did I hit something, or did something else collide with me?¡¯ It was weird because the only things he had ever interacted with in this disembodied state had been other souls. Plus, it had always been him running into them ¨C if not intentionally then at least knowingly. Though he didn¡¯t think much of it, continuing on his way to Remior, not feeling any different after the collision. Instead, his thoughts were occupied by his recent experiences in the Vault. While the place was positively rich with magical secrets, Percy had only managed to scratch the tip of the iceberg. Magiscript was arguably the Vault¡¯s most valuable art, but he had lacked the funds and the time to study it too deeply. After all, he couldn¡¯t have asked his dying friend to waste his limited credits on books and tutorials for his sake. ¡®That stingy jellyfish wouldn¡¯t have agreed anyway¡­¡¯ Consequently, leaving without learning how to inscribe a single rune was Percy¡¯s second greatest regret in this trip, only narrowly beaten by the bittersweet ending of Gabe¡¯s challenge. However, that was not to say he was without gains. ¡®I can¡¯t wait to apply everything we¡¯ve learned about the Moirai!¡¯ And soon enough, the wisp was back in its rightful body, the two sets of memories now blending into each other. The process took a little longer than usual, probably due to the greater volume of divergent memories he had to sift through. In fact, the memories themselves were fine ¨C it wasn¡¯t very difficult to logically arrange them. The bigger issue were the emotions. As it turned out, Percy¡¯s clone and main body had developed some distinct feelings during their time apart, some of them even in conflict with one another. For example, the main body had spent several months compressing crystals, brewing elixirs and working on the new recipe with Orin. Suffice to say, he¡¯d grown a little fed up with alchemy by now. On the other hand, the clone had begun to miss it after the long vacation. So now that the two minds fused once more, Percy had to deal with all sorts of concurrent incongruities like that. By the time he was done, his head was throbbing, as he rested weakly on his bed. Only now did he remember it was the middle of the night. The clone¡¯s return had woken him up. ¡®Well, better than collapsing in Orin¡¯s house, I suppose.¡¯ All in all, there had been plenty of interesting developments on both sides, so Percy planned to spend tomorrow rethinking his priorities. For now, he figured there was no better starting point than reading his Status.
Percival Avalon Mana cores: Bloodline: Spells: Decrees:
Percy¡¯s eyes widened upon reaching the end of his Status, the new words carrying some shocking implications. ¡®When did this happen?!¡¯ He and Gabe had checked their Status a few hours before starting the last wave of the challenge. The new Decree definitely hadn¡¯t been there at the time. More importantly, this was something targeting Percy specifically, having followed him all the way home!Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡®It must be what bumped into me right when I was leaving!¡¯ But what did this mean?! Obviously, their secrets had been exposed to the upper echelons of the Vault! Their hopes of hiding under the noses of a bunch of gods, while having all sorts of unusual interactions with the Vault¡¯s system had obviously been way too optimistic! ¡®Shit, what¡¯s going to happen now? Am I even safe here?!¡¯ Percy¡¯s heartbeat quickened, as all sorts of catastrophic scenarios flashed through his mind. A few minutes later, he realized panic wasn¡¯t helping, so he grabbed his shaking wrist to calm himself down. Only now did he register his bedsheets were stuck to his skin, drenched in cold sweat. ¡®Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions¡­ Metatron has clearly opted for a softer approach¡­¡¯ The titan could have chosen to appear before Percy at any point, forcibly capturing him, or performing all sorts of experiments on him against his will. Instead, he had remained silent, waiting for him to leave before passing him what was essentially an invitation. ¡®But why?!¡¯ The guy wasn¡¯t some sort of saint! Metatron was a callous man who had crafted one of the most brutal worlds Percy had ever heard of! Why would he care about the feelings of some random mortal?! Though, thinking about it from the god¡¯s perspective, it did make sense. The most precious thing his clones possessed was the Moirais¡¯ Decree. Of course, that was plenty valuable in and of itself, but Percy wasn¡¯t sure if Metatron could have snatched it by force. Maybe they could have tried extracting his soul from Gabe and placing it into a different body. However, he wasn¡¯t sure that would have worked. Perhaps he couldn¡¯t possess another body without using his ability first, or maybe they couldn¡¯t have fused his soul with somebody else¡¯s without his consent. Either way, it would have been a gamble. They¡¯d have risked everything to maybe grant one more person a second core. But had they failed, they would have lost their chance forever. However, Percy¡¯s main body possessed something far more valuable ¨C the very bloodline making all this possible in the first place! If they could get their hands on him, they could pass the Moirais¡¯ Decree to as many people as they wanted! And who knew what else they could do with it?! ¡®This is still a gamble on his part though. The rewards are higher, but so is the risk¡­¡¯ Percy could always choose not to go. In that case, Metatron would lose everything. In fact, as much as he wanted to check up on his friend and to uncover more of the Vault¡¯s knowledge, Percy would be a fool to even consider it. These people treated their own children as disposable experiments! Who would be stupid enough to willingly place themselves at their mercy?! ¡®But Metatron isn¡¯t an idiot. He obviously knows I would feel this way. Just what is his angle?¡¯ Did he think Percy would eventually get into a situation where he¡¯d have to use the Decree? It was possible¡­ After all, he was just a weak mortal. He wouldn¡¯t risk his life when he was safe, but what if he found himself cornered by a powerful enemy? Possible death was better than certain death, wasn¡¯t it? Did Metatron count on that happening sooner or later? ¡®Unless he doesn¡¯t even care about that. What if the Decree lets him do something else, like invading Remior at will?¡¯ The possibility sent a shiver down Percy¡¯s spine, but he quickly shook his head. It shouldn¡¯t be that easy. If it were, Metatron would have taken over the universe already. Besides, even if he could invade, it wasn¡¯t like Percy could do much to stop him. He had no idea how to get rid of the Decree and he wasn¡¯t selfless enough to kill himself or spill the beans to the Divine Order¡­ ¡®Actually, that might be what he wants me to do!¡¯ How would the gods react if they were to learn about all this? Perhaps, their safest bet would be to execute him on the spot. If things developed in such a way, he might be forced to escape to the Vault in desperation. ¡®It¡¯s best not to do anything rash. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m in any immediate danger.¡¯ In fact, Gabe was the one in trouble¡­ ¡®Shit! Gabe! Is he going to be alright?!¡¯ While Percy was by far the most valuable of the two, Gabe was still an important test subject. After all, Percy had already given him the Decree. Could his children inherit his second core? If so, Percy could see the Vault¡¯s gods forcing Gabe to sire a lot of kids. ¡®Hopefully the Decree doesn¡¯t propagate like that¡­¡¯ They could also try snatching it from him the same way Percy had passed it along in the first place. Though that was likely impossible. If this hadn¡¯t been a unique feature of the Clone bloodline, other races would have long stolen it from the Moirai. Soul affinities were rare, yes, but still abundant at the cosmic scale. It was the combination of Percy¡¯s affinity and bloodline that was probably unprecedented. ¡®With any luck, they¡¯ll treat him as a valuable asset.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine. The Vault¡¯s deities were certainly self-centred, but also logical. Gabe had already been a Yellow-born with a blessing and a useful bloodline before Percy¡¯s interference. He was one of the chosen few they had kept around in the first place. Now, his value had gone up again. Perhaps they¡¯d treat him kindly, investing in him rather than squeezing him dry of all he was worth. And not just due to his own potential, but also as a bargaining chip to use against Percy in the future. ¡®Either way, I can¡¯t do anything about it as I am.¡¯ Percy couldn¡¯t help but lament his powerlessness once again. And it was more pronounced than ever before, now that he found himself opposite a titan of all people. But at least, Metatron didn¡¯t seem like he was planning to move against him directly anytime soon. He was probably playing the long game. Or at least, Percy had no alternative but to assume as much. Thinking of a possibility, he grinned. ¡®Then, I guess I can play games too.¡¯ Chapter 87 – Advancement Percy tried ¨C and failed ¨C to get some more sleep following his clone¡¯s return. His insomnia was largely a symptom of his stress. He couldn¡¯t help but glance around the room every few seconds, fully expecting to see Metatron standing there, smirking at him. Only when the sun rose did Percy finally shake off his rampant paranoia. Of course, logic had told him hours ago he¡¯d most likely be alright, but it wasn¡¯t until the warm rays snuck past the curtains, gently caressing his face, that he managed to put his worry to rest. Though, the new Decree hadn¡¯t been the only thing keeping him awake. There was more ¨C some of it even being good news! While he¡¯d been exhausted after another day of brewing, he was always a little reinvigorated whenever a clone returned. The missing soul fragments tended to fill him with energy as they settled in their rightful place. And to top it all off, today was special in more ways than one. ¡®It¡¯s finally happening!¡¯ Percy struggled to contain his bubbling enthusiasm. Through an amusing stroke of luck, the end of his trip had coincided with another important development. The first strands of Orange had appeared in Percy¡¯s second core the day before! Estimating that around 12 hours had passed since the last dose, he sat cross-legged on the bed, before stretching his arm to grab a gemstone vial from the nightstand. POP¡­ PTUI Naturally, Percy didn¡¯t miss a beat, uncorking it and spitting out the lid with a single motion, gulping its contents down before the cork even landed on the floor. And as soon as the elixir settled in his stomach, he drew some mana from his abdomen, swirling the two substances together with practiced ease. Only when the deattuned beast mana finished bonding to his own did he begin circulating them back and forth to his second core. Percy activated Mana Sense, watching as wave upon wave of mana washed over the crystalline walls. Usually, one didn¡¯t need to directly observe the purification process, but he wouldn¡¯t miss this moment for the world. Whenever he pulled the mixture inwards, it chipped away at some of the dimmer Red segments, causing his abdomen to itch. And every time he pushed the mana outwards, the impurities were the first to go, leaving the ethereal organ a little emptier, though its contents purer. At the beginning, only a single new strand appeared during each revolution. At that speed, it would take several days for the promotion to be completed. Luckily, it didn¡¯t work like that, as the purification rate tended to snowball as one inched closer to the finish line. Two strands appeared together during the fourth cycle, while five of them popped up at once by the tenth. However, it was still a bit slow. ¡®It¡¯s not going to be enough¡­¡¯ Percy couldn¡¯t help but crack a bitter smile. The advancement was around halfway complete, though the elixir in his stomach was already nearly exhausted. Not that it was the end of the world. Far from it! It just meant he¡¯d have to complete the promotion in the evening. He¡¯d already waited years for this moment ¨C he could wait a few more hours. ¡®But it¡¯s a little anticlimactic¡­¡¯ Accepting it simply wasn¡¯t meant to be, he watched the last traces of elixir about to be consumed. Yet, something suddenly changed. At first, a single new strand appeared. It wasn¡¯t enough to fill the core by itself, but that was only the beginning. Having crossed some kind of threshold, the newcomer soon attracted its neighbours, as the pure lines of Orange mana twisted together, forming a thicker band. And it seemed to exert some influence on the smaller ones, starting a chain reaction. More of them joined together, as the thicker ropes also began attracting one another.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Yet there was some final barrier preventing those from merging. They tried to, but couldn¡¯t take the last step, causing them to swirl around the organ even more violently than before. Their ends lashed out against the walls of the core, scraping more impurities out. This caused Percy¡¯s abdomen to burn more intensely than it usually did after a purification session. Of course, he didn¡¯t panic. Having experienced this before, he knew what to expect. As the thicker ropes purified the core, they allowed more of the thinner ones to appear. With nowhere to go, they had no choice but to merge much like their predecessors had done mere moments ago. The situation kept escalating, until the core was filled with only thick bands before long. By now, the Orange colour had overwhelmingly dominated the Red, leaving no more space for new strands to form. This seemed to push the reaction to its final stage, as the densely packed ropes overcame the barrier, fusing together. The rest happened too fast for Percy to register. With a satisfying sound reverberating through his body, all his core¡¯s contents fused into a singular blob of Orange, splashing down at the bottom of the organ. The new mana was a lot denser than before, only filling up about a third of the volume. Though that could easily be fixed. Taking a few deep breaths, Percy quickly replenished his reserves over the next couple of minutes, as a potent wave of vitality washed over his body and soul, elevating every inch of his existence. His senses grew sharper, letting him observe details in the room he¡¯d never quite noticed before. His thoughts became clearer, as time even seemed to slow down a little. But the greatest improvement was to his physical strength, as his muscles twitched, their fibres coursing with new vigour. ¡®I¡¯ll never get tired of this.¡¯ Advancing to a higher grade was easily the greatest joy for a mage, comfortably beating even the exhilaration felt after mastering a new spell. It was something most people would only get to experience a few times in their life. Well, high-borns like Elaine might do it a couple more, but they also tended to live much longer, so it averaged out. Either way, Percy got to enjoy the rare privilege of going through each milestone twice! ¡®And it hasn¡¯t even been 5 years yet!¡¯ The thought reminded him to grab a bowl of cyan powder he¡¯d prepared on the nightstand before going to bed. Dripping a splash of water from a nearby cup, he hastily mixed the two materials into paste before downing it. It hadn¡¯t been that long since he began using the miraculous substance, but it had already proven its worth, having shaved several months off his advancement time. In fact, he¡¯d probably just set a brand-new record ¨C unbeknownst to anyone ¨C for the fastest promotion on Remior! Furthermore, it would probably become even more effective when he and Orin finalized the new recipe, fully integrating the cyan powder into the elixirs. Something they were extremely close to doing! ¡®But not today¡­¡¯ Percy had already notified his mentor he was going to take the day off. After all, he had a new toy he couldn¡¯t wait to play around with. And it wasn¡¯t even just for fun. He did need to get used to how his spells felt after the advancement, to avoid any surprises in case he ended up in a fight. Furthermore, this promotion would have a significant impact on his ability to condense the crystals, hopefully letting him produce more of them per day. Right now, he could still barely keep up with his needs, but he had to greatly increase his output if he wanted to make money off the new elixirs. ¡®I suppose it¡¯s time to pay my good old friends ¨C the Starry Soldiers ¨C a visit.¡¯ It had been around a year since Percy made the switch to full-time alchemy. Suffice to say, his combat skills had probably grown a little rusty, making this a great opportunity to get in shape again. He could put his new power to the test, while also stretching his limbs. Leaping to his feet, he took a couple minutes to wash up, before grabbing another dose of elixir and paste for the road. Leaving his house, he sent a message to his familiar. ¡®Morning, buddy! I¡¯m on the way to the Spire! Man, I¡¯ve actually missed you!¡¯ ¡®CAW?¡¯ the crow sent him a questioning sound back. From the bird¡¯s perspective, they¡¯d only met a couple days ago. Well, technically the same was true for Percy, but he was still sorting through his conflicting emotions. ¡®It¡¯s complicated.¡¯ he said, not bothering to explain. A few hours later, Percy stood on a giant mushroom, with Micky sitting a few metres away. The former took deep breaths, appreciating the colourful motes boosting his regeneration. Of course, they had them in the settlement too, but fewer made it indoors where he spent most of his time. It was nice getting some fresh air for a change. Around three dozen paces ahead, a wasp the size of a man was strolling carelessly atop the colossal fungus, completely oblivious to the grim fate that awaited it. Two sets of glowing lines thrummed underneath Percy¡¯s skin, as he cracked his fists, eagerly eyeing his prey. ¡®Well then¡­¡¯ Chapter 88 – Synchronization The soldier stabbed repeatedly with its stinger, trying to poke holes into Percy¡¯s brain. Though the latter didn¡¯t have much difficulty dodging. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I even missed the scent of their acid¡­¡¯ he thought, sniffing the acrid odour, unbothered by the slight burning sensation in his nostrils. Ok¡­ perhaps he needed to get out of the lab more. Brewing nonstop was clearly driving him insane. In any case, Percy had yet to summon any of his weapons, nor had he used a spell other than Circulation. Maybe it was a little reckless of him, taking on a beast a full grade higher barehanded ¨C especially right after such a long break from hunting. That said, his newly sharpened reflexes seemed to carry him just fine. Not that he wasn¡¯t a little out of shape, yet it wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as he¡¯d expected. Fighting alongside Gabe over the past month must¡¯ve helped. While Percy had only been in partial control of his friend¡¯s body, and while his host¡¯s style had been very different to his own, they¡¯d still faced off against elite opponents at Green. That was a level Percy wasn¡¯t even remotely ready to touch by himself. Evidently, the experience had been more than a little eye-opening. ¡®But why does this feel off?¡¯ He¡¯d already casually evaded dozens of lunges, his agility having grown to a monstrous level following the promotion. The wasp even showed signs of tiring by now. Yet, Percy just couldn¡¯t shake this irritating feeling he wasn¡¯t giving it his all. ¡®Weird. I¡¯m using both instances of Circulation at maximum output.¡¯ Oblivious to his thoughts, the insect suddenly disengaged, flying a little higher. Percy wasn¡¯t surprised, having expected it to resort to this move sooner or later. He tensed his calves, preparing for the incoming attack. Probably realizing it was outmatched, the wasp didn¡¯t hold back, desperately releasing all its venom at once. Three blobs of purple spread above Percy. Yet it only took him two steps to escape the splash zone, comfortably leaping out of the expanding shadows with plenty of time to spare. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Perhaps, the sheer ease by which he¡¯d evaded the deadly acid should have satisfied him. However, it only exacerbated the feeling there was something more. It simmered beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed. ¡®I suppose the advancement has opened a new door for me¡­ Can I push Circulation even further?¡¯ Putting some distance from the bug, he turned his senses inwards. This arrangement suited the wasp fine, as it wasn¡¯t in a hurry to follow, instead taking the opportunity to recover a little. But Percy didn¡¯t care about his cowardly opponent, his focus now entirely on the ethereal organ in his abdomen. The core was filled to the brim with mana, as more kept flowing in and out to his channels. In fact, the pathways were all stretched to their limits too, making them unable to accommodate another drop. Or well¡­ that should have been the case. However, they didn¡¯t seem quite as strained as usual upon further examination. Shifting his gaze towards the one in his sternum, he noticed the same phenomenon happening in the second set of channels. The flow coursing through them was about as potent as it normally was, yet he felt he could push it further if he really tried. ¡®Strange. Is it because both my cores are at the same grade now?¡¯ The interesting thing about Circulation was it both strengthened one¡¯s body and required it to be stronger. That was why Percy had needed to exercise for several months before he could use it. It was all about finding the highest stable level at which the spell could operate without harming him. But what happened if a mage had two cores and just as many instances of Circulation?The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡®Let¡¯s find out.¡¯ Taking another breath, Percy pushed more pure mana into his abdomen, forcing it into the corresponding channels. He encountered a lot of resistance ¨C his whole body hurt ¨C but the pathways ultimately swelled a little further to accommodate his wishes. Next, he repeated the process with soul mana, which was even more painful. He couldn¡¯t help but wince as the maelstrom swirled more violently, carving nasty grooves in his soul. But it held. Percy paused for a moment to examine his body. Overall, the gains were minuscule ¨C hardly worth the trouble so far. That said, he couldn¡¯t help but notice his channels felt slightly less saturated once more. ¡®Is this some sort of positive feedback loop between the two cores?¡¯ ¡°CAW!¡± Micky called out to him, a trace of worry worming its way into his voice. ¡®Don¡¯t worry buddy¡­ I¡¯m being careful.¡¯ Over the next few minutes, Percy continued to push his body further and further, one tiny step at a time. Eventually, there seemed to be no more room for improvement, as both sets of channels settled at their new upper limit. Only then did Percy stop using Mana Sense, examining himself through his eyes. His muscles had swollen even more than they usually did, his flesh now painted a deep crimson colour. His veins throbbed, as the glow from the cyan and silver lines was almost blinding. And most curiously, motes of mana leaked out of his pores about as fast as they were being replenished, giving his skin a magical sheen, shrouding his body in a dual halo. ¡®Ugh¡­ this is going to take some getting used to¡­¡¯ Everything ached, from head to toe. Not just his flesh, but his soul too. And that was without even mentioning how taxing it was on his mind. While Percy could normally use Circulation all day long, he¡¯d be lucky if he could keep this version up for a couple of hours. ¡®Another project to work towards, I guess.¡¯ Still, he couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile, eager to put this power to the test. He stretched his limbs and flexed his muscles, hearing all sorts of popping sounds coming from his joints. Then he took a step forward. BZZZZZZZ The Starry Soldier had spent the last few minutes staring at him cautiously, but it appeared to have run out of patience, Percy¡¯s current appearance scaring it out of its mind. It turned around without missing a beat, fleeing at top speed, leaving Percy staring at its back with his mouth agape. ¡°Seriously?! Come back here!¡± he yelled, running after it. At first, the wasp looked like it was going to get away ¨C it was a fast one even among Yellow beasts. It also didn¡¯t help Percy¡¯s steps were measured, as he was careful not to overexert his body before understanding his limits. However, he didn¡¯t need to be so cautious, as the spell seemed to work as advertised. It greatly boosted both his mobility and resilience, letting him easily keep up with the creature, accelerating with each stride. Before long, he was confidently gaining ground on the bug, leaving it no choice but to fly upwards, trying to escape to the sky. ¡®As if I¡¯ll let you!¡¯ Percy quickly formed a silver sickle before throwing it above the creature, blocking its path. The chase went on for a little longer as he drew nearer and nearer, tossing projectiles at his prey whenever it tried taking an inconvenient turn. Eventually, the wasp understood it wasn¡¯t going to get away, suddenly turning around to land a sneaky stab in Percy¡¯s eye. But the young man grinned, his passive Soul Vision having already warned him. With some elegant footwork, he pivoted around the giant insect, soon finding himself staring at it from behind. Before the beast could even tell what was happening, he jumped to its back, stepping on its smooth exoskeleton, grabbing a membranous wing with each hand. The Starry Soldier crash landed on the giant mushroom, sliding along its surface for about a dozen metres before coming to a halt. It struggled weakly for a few moments, trying to shake Percy off. Not particularly bothered, he took his time pulling out the thin plates of chitin held in his palms. At some point, the insect did manage to shake him off, but only because his footing loosened after ripping the wings out of their sockets. Next, the creature pounced on him, the two rolling atop the giant fungus engaged in a slugfest. Of course, Percy could easily put an end to this charade at any point with a Parting Gift. But he didn¡¯t. He wanted to savour his new spell, exploring the limits of his physical strength. He dodged the bug¡¯s sharp mandibles, ignoring the putrid droplets of spittle they spread every time they moved. With every opportunity, he tore out another of the wasp¡¯s limbs, slowly wrestling the beast to the ground, ripping it apart inch by inch. Eventually, he stood alone amidst a sticky pool of green, filled with severed chunks of bug flesh. His face and hands were covered in the substance too, though his robes had done their job once more, the enchanted fabric looking about as immaculate as it had earlier that morning. Percy breathed hard, the fight ¨C or at least the way in which he¡¯d stubbornly chosen to conduct it ¨C having taken its toll on him. Yet his face beamed with a radiant smile, as he revelled in his new strength. And only now did the Status see fit to announce his latest accomplishment. [Congratulations! Your spell has evolved: Circulation ¨C Refined -> Synchronization ¨C Refined!] Chapter 89 – Condensing crystals ¡°Neat!¡± Strictly speaking, Synchronization was only classified as ¡®Refined¡¯, like Circulation. However, this was still impressive in many ways. Generally, the Status avoided registering an upgrade within the same class, unless the spell in question was a qualitative improvement over its predecessor. ¡®Though I hope it¡¯s compatible with the Dance.¡¯ Of course, Percy didn¡¯t know how to get his hands on the final step of the technique. The only clue Micky had left him was it had something to do with ambient mana, but that wasn¡¯t much to go with. That said, he hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to choose between that and Synchronization. CAW! The crow landed next to him, diving into the mess of wasp parts. It tossed the bigger chunks away with its beak, occasionally swallowing one of the smaller pieces, while searching for the core. ¡®Wow, you could at least pretend to be excited over my new spell.¡¯ Percy complained in a faux-offended tone. Though Micky just ignored him. Only after the familiar was done eating did the two head back to the settlement. They took their sweet time catching up, as they weren¡¯t in a rush, wanting to make the most of this rare vacation while it lasted. ¡®At some point, I¡¯ll need to teach him how to speak.¡¯ Due to his unique circumstances, Micky was more than smart enough to learn the language. Communicating via feelings and images was certainly convenient, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have the ability to talk to other people. Well, assuming his physiology even allowed it. ¡®It¡¯ll be easier after his next advancement¡­ Plus, I¡¯m a little swamped right now.¡¯ Percy sighed. His original goal for today had been to test his entire kit, though his overindulgence in his new toy had left his body battered and sore, forcing him to leave earlier. It was a bit of a bummer, especially since he also looked forward to fusing his affinities. ¡®I suppose I¡¯ll have to try that some other time.¡¯ Once they approached the bridges leading to the ground level, they finally parted ways. Entering the Guild, Percy headed straight to Freddy¡¯s stand, waving at the plump vendor as soon as he came into view. The latter waved back absentmindedly at first, though his eyes widened upon noticing Percy¡¯s condition. ¡°Holy shit! What happened to you?!¡± ¡°I got in a messy situation out there¡­¡± Percy replied vaguely. However, upon seeing the colour fade from his friend¡¯s face, he hurriedly added, ¡°Ah! But don¡¯t worry about it! I¡¯m not injured! Just tired¡­ and filthy¡­ and¡­ very, very hungry!¡± The response seemed to calm Freddy down, though the man still raised an eyebrow. ¡°Since when did you return to hunting anyway? I thought you switched to alchemy a while ago.¡± Percy shrugged. ¡°I did. I was on a break today.¡± Freddy chuckled, thinking it was a joke. It wasn¡¯t until a moment later he seemed to realize Percy wasn¡¯t kidding. ¡°Seriously?! Who goes hunting on their break?!¡± he asked in exasperation. ¡°Man, you should really get yourself a hobby!¡± Percy didn¡¯t take any offense, knowing the guy was just looking out for him. ¡°You know what they say¡­ Happy is the man who turns his hobby into a profession.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Oh? Is that what you did? Turned your hobby into a profession?¡± Freddy scoffed. ¡°Well, not exactly.¡± Percy admitted, before grinning. ¡°But I think I¡¯m close to turning my former profession into a hobby!¡± Freddy rolled his eyes, though Percy didn¡¯t miss the subtle smile tugging at his pal¡¯s lips. ¡°Anyway¡­ You¡¯re here for the usual I assume?¡± Freddy asked, changing the topic. Percy nodded before passing him a brown chip. Freddy handed him the Honey Roll, grimacing as he tried and failed to wipe the grime off the change. Percy didn¡¯t pay him much attention, his focus soon shifting to his snack. Pouncing on it like a famished wolf, he¡¯d already devoured half of it by the time his friend finished cleaning the coin. ¡°Wow. It¡¯s almost like you didn¡¯t have one last night.¡± Freddy said, getting another shrug back. A few minutes later, Percy arrived at his house. Though he¡¯d been too tired to keep fighting the bugs, it was still bright outside, so he wasn¡¯t going to bed just yet. There was something else he wanted to figure out before returning to work tomorrow. After taking a quick shower, he sat on the floor, pulling some pure mana out of his abdomen. He¡¯d shaven a lot of time off Crystallization over the last year, but each marble still took him over an hour to make, which wasn¡¯t ideal. ¡®Let¡¯s see how much faster I can do it now. First, without Circulation.¡¯ Forming the cyan blob between his hands, he exerted all his strength, pressing down on it with physical and magical might alike. Normally, Percy hated producing the crystals more than anything else he¡¯d done over the years. It was no less exhausting than his most difficult fights, and even more monotonous than alchemy. At least when brewing elixirs, every batch was unique, making the process interactive and somewhat engaging. This, instead, was sitting still for hours on end, doing the exact same thing over and over. In fact, he couldn¡¯t even think about something else to distract himself. The tedious task required nothing short of his full attention and willpower. Of course, he didn¡¯t really have a choice. It wasn¡¯t the first sacrifice he¡¯d had to make during his magical journey, nor would it be the last. ¡®Maybe I shouldn¡¯t be doing this on my day off though¡­¡¯ Then again, this was a special occasion. The mere idea of evaluating his gains post-advancement filled him with anticipation, breathing some fresh air into the stale process. The sphere continued to shrink as Percy kept pushing. He felt no different than when he usually did it ¨C he was just as tired, his body drenched in sweat. Yet, the results spoke for themselves. POP ¡®Wow, that was much faster indeed.¡¯ He wiped his forehead with his arm, his chest heaving up and down. Perhaps he shouldn¡¯t have been in a rush to take a shower before starting. Though having to wash up twice was definitely preferrable to getting wasp goo all over his room. ¡®Around forty minutes, give or take.¡¯ he estimated, pinching the cyan marble between his thumb and index finger. Then, he grinned. ¡®I¡¯ve finally beaten her!¡¯ Having a one-sided competition against a sick old lady struggling to provide for her village admittedly wasn¡¯t Percy¡¯s classiest moment. Especially since the poor woman hadn¡¯t the slightest idea some random kid across the cosmos had set her as a personal goal to surpass. But hey, Percy thought being a little competitive was one of his better traits! It motivated him to keep improving! Plus, he wasn¡¯t hurting anybody! In any case, the experiment wasn¡¯t over yet. In fact, the main event had yet to begin. Taking a few deep breaths, he activated Circulation with both cores, though he didn¡¯t push it beyond the usual limit. For now, this was the state he¡¯d be using most of the time while compressing the crystals ¨C at least until he grew more accustomed to Synchronization. Repeating the process once more, he soon ended up with a second marble in his palm. ¡¯20 minutes¡­¡¯ It was good. Over three times faster than before the promotion, which was definitely going to help once the new recipe was complete. However, Percy wasn¡¯t done. While he still had to iron the kinks out of his latest spell, he just couldn¡¯t wait to put it to the test. Retracing his actions from earlier that morning, he incrementally raised the intensity of the two instances of Circulation, until his channels couldn¡¯t fit any more mana. Realizing the process had taken him a while, he frowned. ¡®I¡¯ll have to work on the activation time too, not just the endurance. I can¡¯t afford to spend this long in a fight.¡¯ But that was a problem for the future. Manifesting another blob between his hands, he quickly began the compression process again, soon beating his record for the third time that day. ¡¯15 minutes!¡¯ The difference wasn¡¯t huge, but Percy knew an opportunity when he saw it. If he spent as long as possible making the marbles with Synchronization active, he¡¯d not only increase his output a little, but it would also help him get used to the new spell, killing two birds with one stone. ¡®Great! Efficiency is king.¡¯ he smiled, though his expression soon soured. Now that his end of the manufacturing process was settled, he had a few more obstacles to deal with, standing between him and untold riches. ¡®On the bright side, Metatron still hasn¡¯t kidnapped me.¡¯ Chapter 90 – Compromise The blueish-green concoction stopped boiling, giving Percy a moment of reprieve. But he couldn¡¯t relax for long. The mixture was currently unstable, so delaying could easily cause the yield to suffer. Moving quickly, he grabbed a pinch of ground leaves he¡¯d prepared earlier, tossing the colourful dust in the cauldron. Next, he turned up the temperature much higher than before, stirring it again. ¡°The rainbow grass seems to work!¡± Orin exclaimed as he watched it bubble. Upon learning of the cyan paste¡¯s ability to mend one¡¯s core, Percy had been trying to incorporate it directly into the elixirs, aiming to maximize its effectiveness. The first additional step had been relatively simple. He¡¯d only needed to mix the powder with a finished elixir. Naturally, it had involved some heating and stirring, much like the previous steps. That had allowed the crystallized mana to bond with the beast mana already present. And of course, this hadn¡¯t been very complicated, so Percy had actually succeeded on his first try! However, the resulting elixir hadn¡¯t worked as intended. The moment he added his own mana to the concoction, it reacted violently inside his stomach, nearly injuring him. After some reflection, the problem had become clear. The recipe for the regular elixirs involved three stages, commonly referred to as the ¡°three pillars¡± of alchemy. First, the pacification step delayed the activation of the beast mana, allowing the elixir to work gradually over several minutes rather than surging through the mage¡¯s body all at once. During the redirection step, the beast mana was modified to target impurities more strongly than the rest of the core, enhancing the elixir¡¯s purifying effects. Finally, the deattunement step allowed the beast mana to blend more easily with the first new type of mana it encountered, so that it could be guided through the user¡¯s channels. And this was exactly where the problem lied. It was precisely because of deattunement that the cyan powder could bond with the beast mana. However, that meant the elixir was no longer deattuned afterwards. Of course, the solution had been rather obvious too. Since the deattunement was ¡°used up¡± after adding the cyan powder, all Percy had to do was deattune it a second time. Essentially, the new recipe required five steps now: pacification, redirection, deattunement, bonding and then deattunement again! Though that came with its own set of challenges. To start, the same ingredient used for the first round of deattunement couldn¡¯t be used again. At least not without massively impacting the yield and quality of the elixir. In fact, the same was true for the overall procedure. Percy and Orin had discovered it was best to perform the second deattunement at a much higher temperature. That meant they¡¯d needed to modify the procedure, fine-tuning everything to accommodate the changes. Furthermore, not all ingredients could handle the increased heat, greatly narrowing down their options. Ground rainbow grass was simply the most recent in a long string of experiments. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Percy said once the mixture settled into a turquoise gel. Distilling the contents of the cauldron into a vial was a struggle, his hands shaking from excitement. ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves. We need to make sure it works first.¡± Orin said, though Percy didn¡¯t miss the grin on his mentor¡¯s face. Stretching out his arm, he offered him the experimental product, but the old alchemist shook his head. ¡°You do the honours. It¡¯s your recipe.¡± Orin said. It was true. Percy had led the whole endeavour, testing all the provisional iterations by himself. As for his mentor, he¡¯d only taken on a supporting role, giving him tips and advice whenever he got stuck. ¡°Bottom¡¯s up then.¡± he said, before gulping down the liquid. It tasted just as bitter as the regular elixirs. At least, the second round of deattunement seemed to have done its job, his soul mana easily blending with the substance, guiding it to his core with no issues. And the moment it reached the ethereal organ, it behaved in a very peculiar way. His sternum both burned and itched at the same time. The exotic substance washed over the core¡¯s walls, chipping away at the impurities, mending the resulting scars right afterwards. It was somehow even more unpleasant than the regular elixirs!If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. While the damage it left behind was greatly reduced, the dual action of the two materials was rather intense. That was in stark contrast to the refreshing effect of the cyan paste Percy had grown fond of over the past year. ¡°Well?¡± Orin impatiently asked about half an hour later. Only then did Percy shift his gaze back to his mentor, remembering he was still in the latter¡¯s lab. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to wait a few hours to make sure, but I believe it works.¡± ¡°How effective do you think it is?¡± Percy spent a few moments gauging the state of his core. It was better than if he¡¯d used the elixir and paste separately, though it was hard to estimate exactly by how much. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be able to drink three of these per day.¡± he ultimately concluded. The old alchemist drew a sharp breath, clearly finding Percy¡¯s assessment difficult to accept. Perhaps, he wouldn¡¯t have been so surprised if his student had come clean about the details of the cyan powder and paste. Percy had actually held back a lot of information about the substance. For example, he¡¯d yet to disclose where he got it from, nor had he told Orin it could be used even without fusing it into the elixirs. Obviously, the old alchemist wasn¡¯t dumb ¨C he could tell Percy hadn¡¯t been entirely honest. Though they¡¯d tacitly agreed to postpone their inevitable argument for after the recipe was perfected. Which, unfortunately, was now. Pulling a couple of chairs from a nearby desk, Orin moved one close to Percy, before sitting on the other. ¡°Percy¡­ you know we have to talk about this, right?¡± The young man shrugged, taking a seat. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t bring it up before now.¡± ¡°I considered it. But to tell you the truth, I wasn¡¯t entirely convinced by your claim you could improve the elixirs. It sounded too good to be true. That said, this has been a fun project, so I figured I¡¯d indulge you and see where it went.¡± Percy remained silent for a while, contemplating his mentor¡¯s words. The latter¡¯s explanation was pretty much in line with his guess. ¡°Now what? You know where I stand, don¡¯t you?¡± he asked. ¡°I imagine you want to keep this knowledge to yourself. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been so secretive in the first place.¡± Orin said, getting a nod back. ¡°Yes! I need this! I¡¯m just a Red-born! I worked hard for a chance to catch up to my peers!¡± But the old alchemist shook his head. ¡°You understand me well enough too. I can¡¯t agree with that.¡± Of course not. Orin was too nice and too principled to hold back such a huge breakthrough from the rest of Remior¡­ It was why Percy had been dreading this conversation. In fact, he would have tried modifying the recipe on his own if it had been an option. Sadly, he¡¯d need years to accomplish that without help. Orin smiled bitterly. ¡°Son, I know it¡¯s not fair. You did work hard for this¡­ But this is bigger than you or I. Our whole world can benefit from this knowledge! Everyone will reach higher grades! We¡¯ll get more Violet cores! More gods!¡± Percy clenched his fists. ¡°I care about Remior! Believe me, I do! And I get how important this is. If some faction invades us, this recipe might make the difference between everyone I know surviving or getting enslaved!¡± he said. It was the same conundrum he had about sharing any of the other gains his clones brought back. Though this was a little different. It was easier to claim he¡¯d accidentally stumbled upon the cyan powder. That wasn¡¯t the case with an intricate spell like Circulation, or the Moirais¡¯ Decree. ¡°But I need to think about myself too! Nobody else will! I¡¯m currently at the bottom of the barrel. This can help me climb higher. Even if Remior was the strongest world in the universe, it won¡¯t mean a damn thing when a random noble steps on me like a bug!¡± Orin placed his hand on Percy¡¯s shoulder, gently squeezing it. ¡°Kid, even if we publicize the new elixirs, you¡¯ll still benefit from them. I¡¯ll make sure you do! If you can¡¯t afford them without my help, I¡¯ll brew you some personally! If you don¡¯t want people to know you came up with the recipe, I¡¯ll pretend it was my idea! No matter what, I promise I won¡¯t let you suffer a loss!¡± Percy felt a fuzzy feeling in his chest. Orin had already done so much for him. He¡¯d mentored him, sponsored him and even helped him with the new recipe. Now he was offering to shield him from all the repercussions too. Still¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. Power is relative. If everyone gets an advantage, then nobody does. Besides, it¡¯s not just about the advancement speed. I was planning to monetize the new recipe. I need the funds...¡± Percy¡¯s voice trailed off. He couldn¡¯t tell Orin about Micky, or the enlightenment potions. As much as the man cared about him, his reaction would be the same. And unlike the cyan powder, none of his other secrets were safe to leak. With this, he could at least cut his losses if things went downhill. At worst, he¡¯d miss out on a potential advantage. But the rest could actually endanger him. Orin was about to say something, but Percy raised a hand to stop him. Flashing him a resolute look, he made an offer. ¡°How about this¡­ Give me a head start. Just 200 years. With the new elixirs, I can advance a couple of times by then. After that, you can share the recipe with whomever you like.¡± The old alchemist didn¡¯t immediately decline, which was good news. All things considered, it wasn¡¯t a terrible suggestion. Two centuries might be a long time for a young man like Percy¡­ However, it wasn¡¯t much for the leader of a Great House or a god of the Divine Order. Though, Orin shook his head in the end. ¡°Normally centuries come and go without much happening at the cosmic scale. But we could still get unlucky. Remember the incident with the lotus a couple years ago? It was a good thing, yet it could easily go differently next time.¡± Percy¡¯s expression fell, thinking his mentor wouldn¡¯t agree. Suffice to say, his heart skipped a beat when the man ultimately extended his hand. ¡°20 years. That¡¯s the highest I¡¯m willing to go. It¡¯s still a gamble, but I suppose you deserve that much.¡± Chapter 91 – Deal In the end, Percy shook his mentor¡¯s hand, the weight of their agreement settling between them. Twenty years were just a touch more than he needed to reach Yellow. It wasn¡¯t that much in the grand scheme of things, but he hoped his clones would bring back some additional advantages in that time. While the deadline added a tinge of pressure on his shoulders, he understood the enormity of Orin¡¯s concession. Wanting to show his gratitude for everything the old alchemist had done, Percy offered to brew the new elixirs for him. The man was already at Blue, which would have normally been his upper limit as an Orange-born. However, thanks to the new recipe, he now stood a real chance of reaching Violet in his lifetime! Yet his mentor¡¯s response surprised Percy. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Orin said with a dismissive wave. ¡°The whole point of this twenty-year delay is to give you a head start. If I had you tied up brewing elixirs for me, it would defeat the purpose. Besides, I¡¯ll still need nearly two thousand years to advance. A couple of decades aren¡¯t going to make that much of a difference.¡± Percy was moved by his mentor¡¯s words. Especially because he knew it wasn¡¯t as simple as Orin had made it sound. Twenty years saved before his promotion would translate to sixty afterwards. Over half a century! Even for a powerful mage, it was still a sizeable amount of time to just give up on. But he didn¡¯t insist, mainly because he understood he wouldn¡¯t be able to deliver anyway. After all, he was planning to leave the Guild in a couple years. So instead, he tried to make it up to Orin by sharing the details about the cyan powder, explaining how somebody with a pure affinity could condense the crystals. That way, the old alchemist could look for another way to brew the elixirs by himself. Of course, Percy still left a few things out. As much as he trusted Orin, there was no reason to tell him how he¡¯d stumbled upon this discovery, nor did he need to reveal the existence of his second core. Instead, he said he had a friend helping him get the powder. In any case, this exchange solved most of Percy¡¯s immediate problems. The recipe was finally complete, and he¡¯d successfully negotiated an acceptable deal with Orin. Yet, there remained one final obstacle to overcome. ¡®And it¡¯s the toughest one.¡¯ It was already a struggle preparing four doses of elixir and cyan paste per day. Plus, he required even more now that he could consume them every eight hours. Not to mention the points he needed to afford Micky¡¯s potions. Suffice to say, his only path forward was to commercialize the new recipe. Sadly, he had no experience trading, nor did he think he¡¯d manage to learn the art anytime soon. He also had no connections, meaning he¡¯d have a difficult time finding a customer by himself. Especially since he had to do it without alerting others. He did ask Orin if he could help, but the man always dealt with the Guild¡¯s official stores directly ¨C whether to purchase materials or sell his products. Regrettably, the old alchemist couldn¡¯t be of much assistance in these shady ventures. Consequently, Percy had no choice but to place his trust in one more person. ¡®I wonder if she even remembers me.¡¯ Of course, he was thinking about Nesha. Though he didn¡¯t know her that well, and some of her personality traits would probably make her a little difficult to work with, it wasn¡¯t like he had any other options. At least, she clearly had a good business sense, having established herself quite nicely over the past couple of years. Furthermore, their limited interactions had given him the impression she was honest. More importantly, Percy had learned some more information about her since their last meeting. While he hadn¡¯t been aware of her lie detection bloodline originally, it wasn¡¯t exactly some great secret. Nesha actively publicized it upon establishing her gambling den, presumably to build up prestige. And the gossip had eventually reached Percy¡¯s ears too ¨C mainly thanks to Freddy. If nothing else, this ability of hers would help them gauge whether their future business partners could be trusted.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡®What¡¯s up with the queue though?¡¯ There was quite a crowd waiting outside the building, all of them surprisingly quiet. The corner of Percy¡¯s mouth twitched at the sight. ¡°Hey, doesn¡¯t she live next door? Have you guys tried knocking?¡± he asked a random guy in a yellow robe. ¡°Shhhhhh!¡± the latter replied, placing his index finger over his lips. Then, he pointed at a sign propped-up against the building. In typical Nesha fashion, the words were written sloppily, and she hadn¡¯t even bothered nailing the sign to the wall properly. ¡®GAMBLING DEN¡¯ ¡®ANYBODY WHO BOTHERS ME AT HOME WILL BE BANNED FOR LIFE¡¯ Percy failed to suppress a chuckle. ¡°Seriously? Has she actually banned people before?¡± The guy seemed taken aback by the question. ¡°Keep your voice down.¡± he hissed, before pointing at a different sign, a few meters away from the first one. This one was also propped-up, but at least the handwriting was much neater. In fact, it seemed to have been authored by multiple people ¨C none of them being Nesha. Upon closer examination, it contained a list of names, each written slightly differently to the one above, probably added on different occasions. Percy raised an eyebrow. ¡°Wow. Did all those people get banned just for knocking on her door?¡± ¡°Well, most of them. Though a few were rude to her or tried to cheat.¡± Ok, perhaps the last two transgressions did warrant the treatment, but not the first one. Looking up at the sky, Percy noticed the sun was still just a little below its apex, partially obscured by the thick cloud of colourful motes descending from the Spire. It was early afternoon. Nesha should have opened by now, yet she was clearly content chilling at home instead. Not just that, but she¡¯d apparently gone to great lengths to ensure nobody would disturb her. ¡°Why do you guys even put up with this nonsense?¡± The guy shrugged. ¡°What else are we supposed to do? This place is pretty much the only source of entertainment around here.¡± Percy scratched the back of his neck. ¡°Well, why doesn¡¯t anybody else try opening a gambling den then?¡± But the guy shook his head. ¡°Some people have tried, but it¡¯s not so easy. Obviously, you need to rent a building for this sort of thing. A street stand isn¡¯t very suitable. Unfortunately, due to the high rent for independent businesses in the Guild, you need to manage things really well for it to survive.¡± Hearing the man¡¯s words, Percy¡¯s expression was mixed. On one hand, he couldn¡¯t help but be impressed that Nesha had achieved so much in so little time. Though her ruthless nonchalance towards her clientele was more than a little concerning. As was the prospect of collaborating with her. ¡®I guess I¡¯m not here to gamble anyway.¡¯ he thought, casually walking towards her front door. The crowd drew sharp breaths, seemingly shocked by his boldness. Many stepped away from Percy, presumably to dissociate themselves from him. He didn¡¯t miss the disdainful looks aimed his way either. ¡®What¡¯s even the big deal? I just want to talk to her¡­¡¯ KNOCK, KNOCK Looking back, he noticed their expressions growing even more incredulous after he dared to go through with it. Shaking his head, he turned back towards the door, waiting a few seconds. No response. Percy was a little more forceful the second time. KNOCK!!! KNOCK!!! ¡°Nesha?! I know you¡¯re in there!¡± Yet it wasn¡¯t until a couple minutes and twice as many escalating knocks later that the door finally opened. ¡°Can you idiots not read a simple sign?¡± she asked in an irritated tone. It was a little funny actually. Percy could tell she was annoyed enough she wanted to yell, but raising her voice was too much of a bother for her. Luckily, her expression did seem to ease ever-so-slightly upon failing to recognize him as one of her regular customers. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m really sorry for the intrusion, but I¨C¡± Percy started speaking, though he cut himself off after thinking of something. Looking around, he saw the crowd still staring at them curiously. Dialling down his voice, he shielded his mouth, muttering his next words as softly as he could manage, making sure nobody but Nesha heard them. ¡°I have a business proposal for you. I promise it¡¯ll be worth your time.¡± Nesha narrowed her eyes, staring at him silently for a few seconds. ¡°I remember you.¡± she eventually said. ¡°You¡¯re the guy who wrote me a new sign a while back. I can¡¯t recall your name though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Per¨C¡± She raised a hand to stop him. ¡°I don¡¯t care. You interrupted me in the middle of a nice bowl of strawberries. I¡¯ll let it slide this once, but if you have something to tell me, wait until I open shop.¡± BANG And just like that, she slammed the door right in Percy¡¯s face, leaving him staring with his mouth agape. ¡°Hey, at least you didn¡¯t get banned.¡± some guy consoled him a few seconds later. Percy frowned. ¡®It¡¯s going to be sooooo much fun working with her.¡¯ Chapter 92 – Negotiations Nesha remained holed up in her house for a couple hours, much to the crowd¡¯s dismay. She did walk out eventually, casually strolling towards the building next door, yawning along the way. Everyone but Percy quickly masked the frustration in their expressions, unwilling to risk pissing her off. As eager as Percy was to approach her, he decided to blend with the others at first, waiting patiently for the opportune moment. Nesha finally opened the gambling den, letting her customers inside. Only after everyone was sitting at different tables, engaging in various games involving dice or cards did Percy grab the chance to talk to her. ¡°About that thing I mentioned earlier¨C¡± he started saying, before she interrupted him. ¡°You¡¯re really keen on this, aren¡¯t you?¡± she rolled her eyes. Percy frowned. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be too? I told you it¡¯s going to be worth your time. And you know I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± ¡°I know you believe that. If I had a brown chip every time somebody made a similar claim, I wouldn¡¯t have needed to open the gambling den in the first place.¡± Realizing she was going to take some convincing, and also understanding this wasn¡¯t the place to make a scene, Percy opted for a subtler approach. He handed her a small pouch, before speaking. ¡°Look, words are cheap. Open it when you¡¯re back at home and try out the thing inside. In private. I swear it¡¯s safe. I¡¯ve included instructions on how to use it. We¡¯ll discuss the rest later.¡± Seeing her accept it, Percy left the building. He genuinely had no clue how Nesha would react to the new elixir. Its value would definitely speak for itself, but that still wasn¡¯t a guarantee she¡¯d be willing to collaborate with him. Perhaps, she wouldn¡¯t want to take the risk, or she¡¯d be too lazy to bother. ¡®Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I suppose¡­¡¯ Returning home, he spent the rest of the day compressing crystals. It appeared he could only keep Synchronization active for a couple hours at a time. That said, he estimated he could use it three times per day, assuming they were adequately spaced apart. Taking everything into account, he calculated how many doses of the new elixir he could brew per day. He needed to figure that out before discussing specifics with Nesha. ¡®My yield with the regular elixirs has increased to 31% over the past year¡­¡¯ The improvement was minuscule, though that was to be expected, as gains truly slowed down past 30%. Still, that meant his yield was a little under 68% for every one of the three steps. Each brewing session currently took him around 40 minutes. However, all those numbers would change drastically if he brewed the new elixirs from scratch, as the recipe involved five steps now. That meant his overall yield would drop to 14% and each batch would take over an hour. Percy quickly shook his head. ¡®No. That would be a waste of time. I¡¯ll ditch the first three steps.¡¯ If he bought pre-brewed elixirs to use as his materials instead of nectar, he¡¯d only have to go through the last two steps. A quick calculation revealed his yield would climb to over 45% that way, and he could cut the brewing time to under half an hour. Of course, it would cost him much more, but he guessed that would ultimately be negligible in the grand scheme of things, as the new steps would be the most profitable ones by far. That way, he could start with 400 drops of regular elixir and 4 cyan crystals every session, ending up with about 180 drops of the new product. And he could do that twice an hour. ¡®So, if I also take into account the time needed to actually condense the crystals, I can probably brew about 19 doses per day.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t too bad. He currently needed 6 for himself, though that might go up to 9 depending on what Micky¡¯s second affinity ended up being. The rest he could sell.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡®Hmmm... Let¡¯s not sell all of it. I also need to build myself a stash for when I leave the Guild.¡¯ Making up his mind, Percy was about to head off to Freddy¡¯s, when somebody knocked on his door, startling him. ¡®Moment of truth¡­¡¯ he thought, crossing his fingers. Rarely getting visitors, he knew it was either Nesha here to make a deal, or an official of the Guild here because she ratted him out. Opening the door, he was relieved to see it was the former. In fact, she looked a little different to how she usually did, her expression being a touch brighter, an ambitious glint noticeable in her eyes. Percy couldn¡¯t help but smile, realizing she had taken the bait, when a mischievous idea crossed his mind. Perhaps, he should slam the door in her face, to get back at her for earlier. ¡®Nah, let¡¯s not antagonize the eccentric girl now that she¡¯s finally onboard¡­¡¯ Still, it was difficult to keep the smugness out of his voice. ¡°Well, I take it you¡¯re interested all of a sudden?¡± Nesha ignored him, rolling her eyes. She shoved him inside before letting herself into the house, closing the door behind her. ¡°Do you have any idea what this means?!¡± This was Percy¡¯s first time hearing actual excitement in her tone. ¡°Duh, why do you think I came to you?¡± he asked back. Nesha let the response sink in for a couple of seconds, before walking over to Percy¡¯s kitchen and plopping down on a chair. She then crossed one leg over the other before speaking again. ¡°Who else knows about this?¡± Percy shrugged. ¡°My alchemy mentor helped me perfect the recipe, but he¡¯s promised to stay quiet for the next twenty years. I can brew them by myself.¡± Nesha nodded. ¡°You do realize what you¡¯re asking of me, right? It¡¯s not easy smuggling anything out of the Guild, let alone something like this. You need to pull all sorts of strings to make this happen. And that¡¯s just to get them out of the settlement. Let¡¯s not even mention the difficulty involved in finding a rich, reliable customer.¡± Percy grabbed another chair, setting it a couple metres in front of Nesha before joining her. ¡°Can you make it happen, or not?¡± She grinned. ¡°I want 50%.¡± But Percy failed to suppress a chuckle. ¡°Talk about a rip off. I¡¯m the one who has to spend all day in a lab. 30%.¡± ¡°No way. It¡¯s really time consuming on my end too. 40%.¡± Percy shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t do this without me, but I can do it without you.¡± ¡°Need I remind you that I can tell when you lie?¡± she smiled. ¡°Fine. I admit I don¡¯t have any other options available right now. Still, I can take my sweet time finding somebody else. Good luck reinventing the recipe by yourself.¡± Percy didn¡¯t back down. Though Nesha was clearly just as stubborn. ¡°You won¡¯t find a better middleman than me. Even ignoring my bloodline, I have connections to the Asclepius House.¡± Percy raised an eyebrow. The Asclepius House was one of the 7 Great Houses. Their prestige aside, one of their most important traits was they possessed a lot of people with the Memory Bank bloodline. It allowed them to freely manipulate or even erase their own memories. One of the House¡¯s most valuable assets was a specially trained order known as the Oblivious Agents. They could execute a sensitive task and then erase all memory of it afterwards, thus eliminating all trails leading back to the one who commissioned it. If Percy and Nesha went through them to contact their potential buyer, they would more easily keep themselves anonymous, cutting their losses in case they got betrayed. Not to mention that she could also use her own bloodline to ensure they didn¡¯t cheat her. ¡°Fine, 35% and we have a deal.¡± Percy conceded. ¡°35% is just my share.¡± she emphasized. ¡°Keep in mind that hiring an Oblivious Agent is going to cost us a lot too.¡± Percy wasn¡¯t happy to hear that, but he knew she was telling the truth. ¡°How much do you think the elixirs can even sell for?¡± ¡°Beats me.¡± Nesha admitted. ¡°If I was free to auction them all over Remior, they could easily sell a hundred times more than the regular ones.¡± ¡°That much?!¡± Percy was shocked. He knew it was a big deal, but that was still more than his estimates. After all, they could only be used three times as often. ¡°These things don¡¯t scale linearly. It¡¯s a premium item. Do you have any idea how many people would fight over them? Imagine how much money somebody close to Violet would be willing to spend to save themselves a few centuries.¡± Percy swallowed a lump of saliva as he pondered the implications. It was true. It wasn¡¯t easy to put a price tag on something that could save a noble House from the verge of extinction, or even elevate them to a Great House. ¡°But you can¡¯t auction them freely, can you?¡± he caught the caveat in her words. ¡°Naturally not.¡± she said, exhaling in disappointment. ¡°If I did that, everyone who lost the auction would just publicize the elixirs to get back at us. Needless to say, everything would go to shit at that point. I need to investigate potential candidates and only approach those I think will pay the most.¡± ¡°So how much do you think we can make?¡± Percy asked again. She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say before doing my due research. We can¡¯t push too far given the circumstances. Still, I guess it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to sell them for over a dozen times as much as the regular elixirs.¡± Percy nodded. That was a lot of money. Even after keeping most doses to himself and taking out Nesha¡¯s share and the rest of their expenses, it would still be enough to afford Micky¡¯s potions after a few months. ¡°Very well.¡± he said, extending his hand. ¡°But I¡¯ll need your help with a couple more things.¡± Chapter 93 – Aurora Dew ¡®How the hell did he manage this less than three years after joining the Guild?¡¯ Nesha couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Countless experienced alchemists had failed to improve the elixirs after tens of millennia, yet here Percy came ¨C one lone Red-born boy ¨C revolutionizing the field in no time. Obviously, there was some secret behind his success, though Nesha knew better than to ask. It wasn¡¯t her job to snoop around Percy¡¯s business. She had her own end of the deal to worry about. Entering her house, she made her way to her bed, before lying down. ¡®This is going to be such a pain.¡¯ she sighed. While she hadn¡¯t lied to Percy, getting this to work was a lot more complicated than she had let on. It was true the Great Houses were scrutinized a lot less by the Guild¡¯s officials, but the Oblivious Agent would still have to regularly smuggle goods in and out of the settlement. Naturally, they¡¯d have to bribe lots of guards to turn a blind eye, though that would only leave more trails leading back to her and Percy. The only solution would be for the Agent to place the bribes himself, ensuring all knowledge pertaining to the operation would be forgotten. At least, they wouldn¡¯t be the first people hiring an agent inside the Alchemists¡¯ Guild ¨C lots of noble Houses did that, to keep their dealings secret from one another. As long as Nesha was careful, nobody would link the appearance of the new elixirs to her movements, even if something went wrong down the line. ¡®But there¡¯s another problem.¡¯ This was going to be a recurring transaction, not a one-time deal. Naturally, the request might raise a few eyebrows in the Asclepius House¡¯s management. Fortunately, the higher-ups also erased their memories after sending out their subordinates, but Nesha would still have to be cautious not to reveal anything too sensitive in her correspondence. After all, even a Great House could crumble under the pressure of the Divine Order, should the secret eventually leak. ¡°And Percy isn¡¯t making things easy for me either¡­¡± she grumbled. Before sealing the deal with her, he¡¯d asked her to help him procure over 110,000 doses of enlightenment potion! Naturally, the request had truly left Nesha flabbergasted! She hadn¡¯t the slightest clue what that madman needed all those potions for, but getting them was no trivial thing. First, they didn¡¯t even know if the Guild had so many in stock. Even if they did, they couldn¡¯t exactly explain how there was suddenly such a great demand for a previously dead product. But Percy had insisted, telling her this was one of the main reasons why he¡¯d even wanted to sell the new elixirs in the first place. Begrudgingly, Nesha had agreed to help, though not before making it clear they¡¯d have to do it very carefully. They couldn¡¯t buy all the potions at once, nor could they purchase them directly within the Guild. ¡®I suppose we can have the Oblivious Agent handle that too.¡¯ Over a period of about six months, the agent would slowly buy the potions a few at a time, transporting them outside the settlement. In fact, they could make that the agent¡¯s official reason for being there. The unusual request might raise a few eyebrows, but ultimately the Guild¡¯s higher-ups would assume some noble House had found a purpose for the potion. Meanwhile, the agent would unofficially sneak them back into the settlement whenever he returned, delivering them to Percy. Obviously, going through these extra hoops would add to the cost, but it was a small price to pay to sleep at night. Besides, Nesha estimated the gains from the new elixirs would more than cover the expense. ¡®Now, let¡¯s see who we¡¯re going to sell them to.¡¯ Grabbing a quill and a few pieces of parchment, Nesha started writing down the names of all the noble Houses she knew of. It took quite a lot of head scratching, as it had been years since she¡¯d last dealt with people outside the Alchemists¡¯ Guild. Still, she¡¯d studied Remior¡¯s geography, politics and economics extensively in her youth, so a lot of it had stuck. ¡®Only about 700¡­¡¯ she frowned.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. She couldn¡¯t remember all the noble Houses, nor was she up to date with recent developments. Some of the ones she¡¯d written down might have been destroyed by now. ¡®I¡¯m sure the bigger ones are still around.¡¯ she shrugged. The oldest Houses were also the richer ones, and the ones most likely to have survived. Their client would probably come from those. Plus, she could cross-check the House¡¯s details to make sure everything was in order before following through. Happy with the list, she started adding a few details next to each name ¨C whatever she remembered about their leaders. After all, the Violet cores in charge would be the ones buying the elixirs. Once she was done, she began crossing out some of them. The ones with younger leaders were definitely out. A recently promoted Violet core still thousands of years from reaching White wouldn¡¯t be desperate enough to buy the elixirs at a premium. The same was true for the poorest Houses who lacked the funds. Upon narrowing the list to just under a hundred candidates, she started paying attention to more details. ¡®The son of House Pallas¡¯s leader is on the cusp of reaching Violet¡­¡¯ ¡®Not her. She¡¯s known to be really stingy¡­¡¯ ¡®Oh! Houses Antaeus and Talos have been in a conflict for centuries. I¡¯m sure one of them might be interested in gaining an edge over their rival¡­¡¯ ¡®That guy is still far from White, but he¡¯s known to splurge¡­¡¯ Nesha didn¡¯t even notice when the sun rose. She couldn¡¯t recall the last time she¡¯d been immersed in her work enough to pull an all-nighter. Ever since her House¡¯s downfall, she hadn¡¯t been that motivated to do much. At some point, she put down the quill, though it wasn¡¯t because she¡¯d grown tired. Nesha had just run out of ink! ¡®Oh well¡­ I suppose I¡¯ve narrowed them down enough for now¡­¡¯ There were only ten Houses left on the parchment. Nesha was certain all of them would be interested in the elixirs. The only question was how much each of them would be willing to spend. In any case, she figured it was best not to delve any further before getting some recent information on them. She¡¯d ask around to bring herself up to speed over the next couple of days before finalizing her choice. Leaving her house, Nesha walked to one of the official shops to buy some ink before returning. Her next order of business would be to write the letter to House Asclepius, requesting the services of the Oblivious Agent. ¡®Not going to enjoy this part¡­¡¯ she wrinkled her nose in disgust. There was a reason why Nesha felt confident she could contact the Great House. It was because House Veritas used to have strong ties to them. In fact, Nesha¡¯s ancestors were rumoured to have derived their own Truthseeker bloodline from a branch of the Great House. After all, House Asclepius was one of the wealthiest even among the Great Houses, specializing in commerce and information trading. They had multiple related bloodlines to aid them in those ventures. The Memory Bank bloodline the Oblivious Agents possessed was only one of them. Nesha had no idea why the Great House hadn¡¯t lifted a finger when her family got butchered and, frankly, she didn¡¯t much care about House Asclepius¡¯s internal politics either. That said, the thought of doing business with them again made her stomach churn. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to make some sacrifices if I ever want to take revenge on those bastards.¡¯ So far, she¡¯d taken things slow ¨C well, at least according to her. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, establishing such a popular gambling den within three years of joining the Guild was rather impressive. Still, Nesha knew she could have done much more in that time had she put her mind to it. However, she hadn¡¯t been too motivated to rush things, as she hadn¡¯t expected it would be easy to get back at her enemies with money alone. But things were different now. This new opportunity Percy had given her could change everything. Not only would it be far more profitable than her gambling den, it could also help her grow her personal strength. Before, Nesha had completely ignored her own magic, assuming she wouldn¡¯t get very far as an Orange-born. Now, even reaching Violet wasn¡¯t out of the question. ¡®Let¡¯s do it then¡­¡¯ she decided, her eyes glinting with resolve. *** KNOCK, KNOCK The door opened a few seconds later, Percy soon greeting her. He was drenched in sweat, his eyes looking tired. ¡®Did he also pull an all-nighter, or is brewing actually so taxing?¡¯ she raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s up? Do we have news already?¡± he asked after she remained silent for too long. Hearing him, Nesha scowled. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a day since we made the deal! I haven¡¯t sent the letters yet, nor have I settled on a candidate!¡± Percy shrugged. ¡°Alright, no need to get angry. What do you want then?¡± Nesha took a deep breath to calm down before speaking. ¡°Well, I was thinking¡­ We can¡¯t keep calling these ¡®the new elixirs¡¯. Coming up with a catchy name is half the battle.¡± Percy¡¯s jaw slackened upon hearing her. ¡°What are you looking at me like that for?!¡± she asked in irritation. ¡°Are you the same Nesha who patches her signs up? Since when do you care about optics? Or marketability?¡± Nesha felt some heat gather in her cheeks. ¡°Look... What I¡¯ve done in the Guild so far hasn¡¯t been a huge deal. It would have succeeded regardless. But this is a high-profile business we¡¯re trying to build here. Every little bit helps if you want some extra money from our clients.¡± Percy smiled. ¡°Well, you¡¯re the one in charge of the sales. Any good suggestions?¡± he asked. Nesha nodded. ¡°Aurora Dew.¡± Chapter 94 – Affinity fusion It had been two weeks since Percy and Nesha settled on the name of their product, and progress had been steady. Nesha had already reached out to the Asclepius House and hired the Agent. She¡¯d also narrowed down the potential customers to three, having promised to finalize her decision and send the letters by tomorrow at the latest. Meanwhile, Percy had focused on brewing. Granted, he¡¯d initially lacked the contribution points to purchase the sheer volume of materials necessary ¨C over 40 doses of the regular elixirs per day! Luckily, Nesha had chipped in, buying him the ingredients through the Agent. They both knew they¡¯d make everything back a dozen times over once the sales kicked off anyway. But none of that was on his mind today. Estimating he¡¯d prepared enough Aurora Dew to start their upcoming venture, Percy was free to take another day off alchemy. He wanted to practice his magic some more while he still had time to spare. So, he found himself standing atop a softly glowing mushroom once again, the fantastical landscape around him humming with latent energy. Shimmering motes fell lazily from the fungal fronds above, painting his surroundings in all sorts of colours. And another unfortunate wasp grazed carelessly a few paces ahead, the loud buzz of its wings betraying its location no less than its oversized visage did. ¡®First, let¡¯s see how far I can push my spells now¡­¡¯ Percy took a deep breath, the cool, earthy scents of the Spire mixing with the sharper tang of magic in the air. He activated Circulation with both cores, feeling the familiar rush of mana flooding his channels with power. But he didn¡¯t stop there. Having grown a little more accustomed to Synchronization since first discovering it, he could now activate it a bit more quickly. Though keeping it up for long was still difficult. The moment the technique took effect, he gathered both types of mana in his hands, manifesting his tools. A layer of pure mana formed a pair of gloves. At the same time, the soul mana coalesced into the shape of silver sickles, the ethereal glint of their curved blades resembling crescent moons. Meanwhile the bug darted erratically in the distance, only now spotting Percy, the undeniable pressure he exerted finally revealing his presence. ¡®I guess you drew the short end of the stick today pal¡­¡¯ Tightening his grip on the weapons, he launched forward with no warning, as his boots sank slightly into the spongy surface of the mushroom. He closed the distance in a couple powerful strides, his heart racing in tandem with the steady beat of his magic. The bug barely dodged the vicious slashes, and only because Percy allowed it to. Naturally, he had no intention of eliminating his training dummy so soon into the fight. Still, the creature was instantly on the backfoot, unable to do much besides clumsily evading his attacks. Man and insect danced, the former swapping out his spells every few minutes to test them all, as the latter constantly hovered all over the place, struggling to match his footwork. Over the next few minutes, Percy tried the alternative variants of the Parting Gift ¨C the silver daggers, as well as some throwing stars with three curved blades apiece. He¡¯d developed those in the months before he quit hunting. Later, he even brought the Quarterstaff back from retirement to see how much sturdier it had grown. Finally, he manifested the cyan sheet he¡¯d used to shield himself from the acidic rain, though his Status had never deigned to register it. ¡®Ok, the results are as expected.¡¯ Obviously, his pure magic had benefited the most from his advancement. Not that the spells were particularly potent, the flimsy constructs falling apart rather easily upon colliding against the creature¡¯s exoskeleton. It was to be expected, really, due to their lower grade and lacking affinity. That said, they¡¯d grown at least marginally usable again. As for his Parting Gift, it had already been lethal enough before Percy¡¯s promotion, and it had grown more powerful still, mostly thanks to Synchronization. Satisfied with his improvements, Percy was ready to move on to the next phase. With a quick flick of his sickle, he casually dispatched the soldier, the bug¡¯s luck having finally run out. The man-sized creature might have given him a tough fight a couple years ago, but that time had long passed. With its soul cleanly bisected, the wasp¡¯s carapace collapsed lifelessly upon the giant mushroom. ¡°CAW!¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. In typical Micky fashion, the crow eagerly leapt on the carcass, activating Circulation to more easily dig the core out of the bug¡¯s sternum. Not paying his familiar any heed, Percy then concentrated on his mana, gathering both types between his palms. ¡®How am I meant to combine them?¡¯ Every affinity had its own properties, meaning each pair was unique and had to be fused in a different manner. While Gabe had run into his share of difficulties, he also had an advantage over Percy. He possessed two elemental affinities. Their fusion was a composite one ¨C light ¨C which existed in nature, making it inherently stable. Meanwhile, Percy had it easier in other ways, as he controlled both of his cores, and they were currently at the same grade. However, he was also disadvantaged in that his affinities could not achieve a stable fusion. The good news was they could still merge, according to the book he and Gabe had read. Unfortunately, fusing two otherwise incompatible affinities was trickier. It required the user to actively exert their will upon the mana even more forcefully, essentially commanding it to behave contrary to its nature. Sadly, there were too many possible combinations, and while the documents they¡¯d found had listed a few examples, a pairing between pure mana and soul mana hadn¡¯t been one of them. ¡®But it can be done. The only question is how.¡¯ In Gabe¡¯s case, it had been straightforward as his affinities both had physical properties, interacting with one another. Air fuelled the flames, causing them to burn more intensely. From there, Percy and Gabe had only needed to take the reaction to its extreme, ultimately consuming the two substances, converting them to light. Yet in Percy¡¯s case, that wasn¡¯t an option. His soul mana was incorporeal, and simply phased through the pure mana. The two energies occupied the same space without interacting. ¡®One is tangible, while the other isn¡¯t¡­ I suppose this is what the book meant when it said I need to make them behave contrary to their nature.¡¯ Focusing on that clue, Percy allowed most of the mana between his palms to dissipate, the overlapping blobs now shrinking to the size of a strawberry. Perhaps he¡¯d been too greedy trying to fuse more than that on his first attempt. Next, he concentrated on a single thought ¨C giving the soul mana a physical form. He pictured the silver orb as something he could grab, trying to squeeze it between his hands. Percy had held his soul constructs before of course, but he¡¯d done so with his soul, not his flesh. Next, he imagined the cyan mana touching it and pushing against it. Nothing. After going through all sorts of mental exercises over the next hour, he failed to induce any noticeable change. ¡®Maybe I have it backwards?¡¯ Without much to lose, Percy spent some more time attempting the opposite ¨C robbing the cyan mana of its substance, hoping it would interact with his soul. But he failed once more. ¡®Well, duh. I obviously can¡¯t make the pure mana incorporeal. That¡¯s a unique property of soul mana. If it was possible to do this, 20% of the people on Remior would essentially be walking around with a soul affinity¡­¡¯ He had to force the mana to behave contrary to its nature, but he couldn¡¯t just ignore its nature entirely¡­ And the nature of soul mana¡­ no, the nature of souls, was to occupy living bodies, controlling them. Percy¡¯s eyes widened in realization. ¡®That¡¯s it! I need to make my soul mana ¡°possess¡± my pure mana!¡¯ Confident he was onto something, he overlapped the spheres again. Next, he willed them into cubes, then pyramids, cones, cylinders and other shapes. He observed them with both regular sight and Soul Vision, paying attention to his timing. At first, it was a little off, as he¡¯d never done anything like this before. Sometimes the pure mana would transform sooner, while other times the soul mana would. But he gradually improved, the transitions slowly beginning to sync up more and more. Percy intentionally allowed himself to fall into a trance, trying to trick his mind into thinking of the two objects as one in the same ¨C components of a greater whole. He imagined the silver shape as nothing more than the soul of the cyan one, hiding within its vessel, obligated to follow its every movement. At first, this seemed like another exercise in futility. Yet Percy wasn¡¯t in a rush to give up. He had a hunch it was worth trying for a while longer. He could swear he felt some faint feedback from the two objects every now and then. It was as if the silver mana latched onto the cyan shape at times, requiring less prodding from Percy to copy its transitions. ¡°CAW?¡± Percy vaguely heard his familiar call out to him. It was only then he realized he¡¯d deactivated Synchronization entirely at some point, having grown too tired to keep it up. He wasn¡¯t sure how long he¡¯d been at it, but the sun was close to setting. ¡®Just a few more minutes.¡¯ he thought, diving into the exercise again. More time passed, as Percy continued to play with the two types of mana between his palms, his attention glued to the twin shapes. ¡°CAW! CAW!!!¡± Hearing the crow¡¯s cries, the young man noticed it was dark already. Probably late at night too, in fact. Remembering the settlement was a few hours away on foot, Percy decided to finally call it a day. It sucked to return empty-handed, but perhaps this wasn¡¯t the sort of thing he could master after a single session. ¡®Alright buddy¡­ Let¡¯s go¡­¡¯ he replied, allowing the mana to dissipate. However, something unexpected happened. Right as the two spheres shattered into motes of silver and cyan, they revealed a third, smaller shape resting inside. It was only about the size of a pea, but it looked like it was made of an entirely different material than the others. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me!¡¯ Unable to contain his excitement, Percy carefully pinched the substance between his thumb and index finger, noticing it was corporeal. It felt exactly like his pure mana to the touch, though its colour was different ¨C an amalgamation of its components. A pale shade of teal! Chapter 95 – Teal fog As much as he would have liked to stay and practice some more, Percy knew he¡¯d have to resume brewing tomorrow. He couldn¡¯t afford to pull an all-nighter on the Spire. ¡®Have I signed my freedom away?¡¯ he groaned. Granted, adhering to a tight schedule wasn¡¯t exactly new to him. He¡¯d done that for years already. That said, it was one thing working nonstop for himself ¨C out of discipline ¨C and another thing entirely to be held accountable to a third-party like Nesha or their customers. ¡®I guess I¡¯m still doing it for myself.¡¯ he sighed. ¡®I really need that money¡­¡¯ In any case, he could at least take his sweet time on the way back to the Guild, playing around with the minuscule quantity of teal fog he¡¯d managed to create. It wasn¡¯t enough to form a proper spell, but perhaps he could discern some of its properties. Splitting the exotic substance in half ¨C to avoid wasting all of it by accident ¨C he pinched a portion with his other hand. Next, he willed it to solidify, forming a marble smaller than his fingernail. It worked, allowing Percy to curiously fiddle with the tiny sphere for a few minutes, before ultimately crushing it between his fingers. Many of the fragments dissipated on the spot, though he did manage to salvage a few. He melted them again before merging them back to the rest of the material in his other hand. ¡®Hmmm¡­ It behaves much like my pure mana. Except when it breaks.¡¯ Percy drew a trickle from his second core, manifesting a cyan orb about the same size as before. Then he handled it in a similar manner for a while, comparing the two objects in his mind. Once he was satisfied with his observations, he shattered it too, noting the teal sphere hadn¡¯t been any more durable than the cyan one. Percy had exerted about the same amount of force to crush both. Other than the colour, the only difference was the pure mana dissipated completely into motes, making it a little harder to retrieve. ¡®Is that the only benefit? Recycling it more easily?¡¯ If that was the case Percy would be disappointed. Gabe¡¯s light spell had been both hotter and quicker than either of its components. Though that had come at the cost of its mass, it would still be the superior option in many circumstances. Meanwhile, the only advantage to the teal fog so far was that Percy might be able to chain his magic, reshaping one spell into another smoothly. It wasn¡¯t nothing, but he¡¯d certainly expected more. ¡®That can¡¯t be everything.¡¯ he shook his head. ¡®It has yet to display any properties of soul mana.¡¯ Glancing back at the substance in his palm, he focused on its ethereal nature this time. He flushed out all thoughts related to his pure mana from his mind, visualizing only his original affinity. Hopefully, that might draw out any latent effects the teal fog had yet to reveal. Taking it a step further, he shaped it into a miniature Parting Gift. There wasn¡¯t that much of the fused mana, but he still managed to form a tiny sickle in the end ¨C though it looked more like a strange earring. Still, his self-induced illusion seemed to have yielded some results. ¡®It feels different¡­¡¯ he raised an eyebrow. The small weapon looked the same, but its tiny handle had partially sunk into his skin. Percy could tell from experience he was pinching it with his soul now ¨C not his flesh. His eyes widened.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡®Holy shit! I can choose whether to make it tangible or not!¡¯ Percy walked onto another suspension bridge absentmindedly, retracing the way home by instinct. Next, he played around with the teal construct some more, trying to change it between the two states at will. Getting himself into the correct frame of mind took some effort, but he did get the sickle to transition between corporeal and incorporeal a few more times. Yet, there was more. ¡®Did it turn invisible just now?!¡¯ Percy raised an eyebrow. He¡¯d only stumbled upon this by accident, having not even tried to rob the construct of its colour. In fact, he¡¯d almost forgotten his soul mana was invisible by default. After all, he rarely used it without activating Circulation first, which came with passive Soul Vision. Not just that, but his constructs were much denser than they used to be, making them faintly visible to the naked eye. Still¡­ ¡®Can I pick out what properties to give it? That could really enrich my kit!¡¯ Currently, his options were essentially set in stone. Half his mana was invisible and intangible, while the rest was both opaque and corporeal ¨C albeit flimsy. But what if he could control his entire mana pool, freely assigning his constructs whatever effect was convenient at any given time?! Eager to confirm if that was possible, Percy resumed his experimentation, playing around with the teal fog some more. And sure enough... ¡®It has four possible states. Even the ones I can¡¯t access normally.¡¯ Percy could definitely think of a situation where he might need a construct that was corporeal yet invisible. For example, if he wanted to trick an enemy immune to soul damage. Or to shield his face from a physical attack without inhibiting his own vision in the process. Likewise, the opposite could be handy ¨C a spell that was opaque yet able to phase through objects. Perhaps he could conjure illusions with it, or pass a message through a wall. The possibilities were endless! ¡®Though it¡¯s going to have a high skill ceiling¡­¡¯ It had taken him all day to fuse the tiniest amount of teal fog. Changing its properties wasn¡¯t exactly easy either. And Percy also doubted recycling the mana from one spell to the next would be trivial. Each of these steps would take a lot of practice to learn. ¡®Still, I¡¯ll be able to pull off all sorts of tricks once I master it.¡¯ Percy nodded in appreciation once he fully understood the path which lay before him. His fused mana might not be ¡®stronger¡¯ than its two components in the traditional sense ¨C but it did open some interesting doors for him. If he had to use one word to summarize it, it would be¡­ Versatile. ¡®Oh, I guess I¡¯m back.¡¯ Without realizing, Percy had reached the settlement. Today had definitely been productive, as he¡¯d not only familiarized himself with the rest of his magic post-advancement, but also taken another step along the prestigious path the Moirai had paved. By all means, he should be happy. Yet¡­ GRUMBLE Percy grimaced. ¡®How am I going to sleep without my fix?!¡¯ Since his first day in the Alchemists¡¯ Guild, he¡¯d never gone once without a Honey Roll. Sadly, he¡¯d returned way too late tonight. Freddy should have long closed already. ¡®Ugh¡­ I hope I have something edible at home.¡¯ Walking along the empty streets of the settlement, Percy tried his best to keep his mind on the colourful particles dancing in the wind, ignoring his protesting stomach. Eventually, he arrived at his house, pressing his badge against the door to open it. As a newcomer, he used to appreciate the mysterious runes making conveniences like this possible. That said, his recent trip to the Vault of Magic had truly put Remior¡¯s relatively primitive technology into perspective. Entering, he paused, noticing a sealed envelope by his feet. Percy wasn¡¯t very surprised, having expected Elaine¡¯s reply. The two had kept in touch since her first mail a few months back. Picking the letter up in a hurry, he dropped it on his nightstand for later, before rushing to the preservation box. Desperately digging through the container for scraps, he soon realized there wasn¡¯t much there ¨C just some stale bread and a few vegetables of questionable quality. ¡®At least I won¡¯t starve¡­¡¯ Making a mental note to restock at some point, he then begrudgingly stuffed his face with as much food as he could tolerate. Next, he took off his robes. He tossed the immaculate fabric a passing glance, appreciating how his clothes had remained spotless after another hunting trip. Then, he dove into the shower, eager to finish his chores as quickly as possible. Soon, he found himself resting on his bed. There was only one last item left for today. Extending his arm, he grabbed the envelope from the table. Technically, he didn¡¯t have to read the message right now ¨C he could leave it for tomorrow. But Percy would rather get it over with, having grown a little worried over the recent developments back at home. Ripping the envelope, he took the letter out, before unfolding the light indigo paper, his attention falling on his cousin¡¯s words. ¡®Dear Percy¡­¡¯ Chapter 96 – Happy 20!!! ¡®Dear Percy, Forgive me if this is not the exact day ¨C as I¡¯m not sure when the letter will find you, but¡­ Happy 20!!!...¡¯ Percy paused for a moment, calculating the date. With everything going on, he¡¯d honestly forgotten about his birthday, which had actually been a couple days ago. ¡®Close enough.¡¯ he shrugged, returning to the message. ¡®¡­I wanted to bake you a cake, though I wasn¡¯t sure it would survive the trip. I suppose we¡¯ll have to add it to those I owe you ¨C what is it, three now? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve been gone for so long already¡­¡¯ GRUMBLE ¡®Ugh¡­ a cake would be lovely right about now¡­¡¯ he thought, grabbing his aching stomach. His arguably spoiled dinner hadn¡¯t done much to fill him up, but that didn¡¯t stop it from stirring a storm in there, preparing for its prison break. ¡®¡­In any case, I hope you remember to take a day off to celebrate. Being so hard-working is definitely one of your better traits, but everyone needs some downtime once in a while¡­¡¯ Percy chuckled. Even after all those years, his cousin knew him so well. ¡®I did take a break today though! Well¡­ sort of.¡¯ Training on the Spire wasn¡¯t exactly relaxing, but it was fun. He fully intended to negotiate with Nesha about properly weaving it into his timetable ¨C at least once or twice a month. As nice as it was to make money, his new trick wouldn¡¯t master itself. ¡®¡­In other news, my mom gave birth a few weeks ago! I have a baby brother now! We¡¯re calling him Owain! He¡¯s really cute too ¨C I can¡¯t wait for you to meet him! He doesn¡¯t have our blue hair, so we think he might not have dad¡¯s water affinity, but the jury is still out on earth. As for the bloodline¡­ I suppose we won¡¯t be sure until he¡¯s five, but it doesn¡¯t tend to resurface after skipping a generation either¡­¡¯ Reading Elaine¡¯s words, Percy couldn¡¯t help but revisit what he¡¯d recently learned about Decrees. It was technically possible for children on Remior to awaken their cores before taking the affinity test, though it was exceedingly rare. The very contact with Phoebe¡¯s mana seemed to not only give them access to their Status, but also catalyse their cores ¨C or something ¨C allowing them to discover them and begin filling them up. ¡®What did people do before Phoebe became a titaness? Did kids have to get older to tap into their magic?¡¯ Either way, Percy sure hoped his new cousin wouldn¡¯t be a Red-born like him. Granted, the odds weren¡¯t on the baby¡¯s side, though his life would certainly be a lot easier if he got lucky. YAWN ¡®Ok, maybe this isn¡¯t the time to contemplate life¡¯s great questions. Let¡¯s just read the rest and go to sleep¡­¡¯ ¡®¡­I¡¯d honestly prefer to end the letter here, as I don¡¯t want to sour your birthday with bad news¡­ However, it¡¯s probably best that you¡¯re aware of what¡¯s going on around here¡­¡¯ Sensing the shift in tone, Percy couldn¡¯t help but perk up a little. ¡®¡­Long story short, House Tantalus has grown even more aggressive. Their goons have begun crossing river Glein and attacking members of our House. They¡¯ve already killed two people, kidnapped three more and injured about a dozen ¨C to various extents. Most of them I don¡¯t think you knew very well, but Hector is dead¡­¡¯ Percy¡¯s eyes widened. His relationship to that cousin of his had never been great ¨C the older boy having mocked and bullied him his whole life. Still, Percy had never wished him such a grim fate.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡®These bastards are really pushing it¡­¡¯ he gritted his teeth. In normal times, House Tantalus wouldn¡¯t have gone so far. Though they¡¯d gained the upper hand since their raid a few decades ago, the two families¡¯ strength wasn¡¯t that far apart. Typically, they would have laid low, dealing a blow whenever a good opportunity presented itself, yet without escalating the conflict too fast, risking an all-out war. After all, such a development wouldn¡¯t benefit either party. ¡®It¡¯s probably because of the petals. They want to chip away at our House so they can more easily pressure us when the time comes.¡¯ Part of Percy wanted to return and help. While he didn¡¯t get along with all his relatives, there were people back home he did care about. However, he also knew he couldn¡¯t do much as he was. He might have grown enough to hold his own against anyone at Yellow, but a noble House of that size had scores upon scores of people at Green. ¡®¡­In any case, you don¡¯t need to worry about us. Their Blue cores are too valuable to be sent out on such low-level skirmishes, and I¡¯m not afraid of anyone below that. Also, grandpa isn¡¯t one to take this lying down either. So far, he¡¯s remained passive to avoid throwing more oil in the fire, but enough¡¯s enough. The other day, I overheard him talking about retaliating. So yeah¡­ We¡¯ll be fine. Just please, please, PLEASE, don¡¯t try returning home on your own! Wait for the envoys if you really want to come. Other than that ¨C we can¡¯t wait to have you back! Happy birthday again, Elaine¡¯ It was probably true. She should be able to handle herself against any of their juniors, thanks to Circulation. Even those with the bloodline. ¡®But only if it¡¯s a one on one¡­¡¯ They couldn¡¯t count on those scumbags to play fair, so he certainly hoped baldy was keeping an eye on his granddaughter. Folding the letter, he placed it in a drawer with the rest. Percy wasn¡¯t the most sentimental guy, but he¡¯d kept all of their correspondence. He didn¡¯t really have many other possessions anyway ¨C other than his alchemy equipment. Then, he let his head sink back into the pillow. His current plan was to spend another couple of years in the Guild, raising his and Micky¡¯s strength some more. He¡¯d only leave a few months before the lotus bloomed, to compete for a petal. ¡®I need to start preparing though¡­ I guess I should try that soon¡­¡¯ *** A couple more weeks went by without any hiccups. Luckily Nesha had managed to strike promising deals with two customers in that time, the contribution points having started flowing in already. The first was Aeneas, the current leader of House Priam. He was actually one of the oldest Violet cores on all of Remior, widely considered to have the best chance of reaching White. Should he succeed, he¡¯d elevate his family to the eighth Great House. Adding to that, House Priam was fortunate in other ways. Located in a fertile yet remote region, they were free to develop without many enemies. Suffice to say, Aeneas was rich, and had nothing better to spend his money on. ¡®11,000 points per dose is still crazy! That¡¯s nearly thirty times the cost of the normal elixirs!¡¯ Percy was shocked when Nesha told him. Sadly, their second customer wasn¡¯t quite so lucrative. The leader of House Talos was a relatively young Violet core, thousands of years from White. His family was constantly at war against their neighbours, House Antaeus. Naturally, they didn¡¯t have too many resources to spare. That said, it also made them desperate to spend what little they did have, to grasp any edge they could get their hands on. Ultimately, Nesha had chosen them over their rivals because they had a Blue core closer to Violet. That person would probably end up as the recipient of the Aurora Dew. In the end, House Talos had agreed to purchase the new elixir at 8,000 points apiece which ¨C although much less than what House Priam was paying ¨C was still a hefty sum. Percy would have been happy to leave it at that. He personally only needed six doses per day and ¨C after selling just as many to their customers ¨C he could save the rest for the future. However, Nesha had made him an unexpected offer. The girl had wanted to purchase another set of Aurora Dew, this one for her own use. Specifically, she¡¯d pay 8,000 points per dose, matching what they made from House Talos. According to her, they wouldn¡¯t make more if they approached a third customer anyway, and her share of the profits was more than enough to cover the expense. Naturally, Percy hadn¡¯t had any reason to decline. Though his partner¡¯s offer had surprised him. Nesha had never struck him as the type who cared much about her own magic ¨C a pity too, as he thought she was wasting her rare and powerful space affinity. Evidently, she intended to change that. And that was on top of all the other things she had to do. Namely, managing their deals and even keeping the gambling den open, to avoid drawing suspicion. In a strange turn of events, the lazy girl had turned a lot more hardworking! ¡®What¡¯s her goal anyway?¡¯ he couldn¡¯t help but wonder. But he shook his head. That wasn¡¯t any of his business. He should respect her privacy as she had respected his. In any case, Percy was currently standing at the ground level of the Fungal Spire. He had plenty of training plans for today, though those were for later. Right now, he was waiting for somebody. He was about to meet the Oblivious Agent for the first time. Chapter 97 – Oblivious Agent Generally, Percy didn¡¯t have to interact with the Agent much. His primary responsibility was to brew the elixirs. As for everything else, it was taken care of by Nesha. However, there was one task Percy couldn¡¯t delegate to anyone else. ¡®I hope this is the right spot.¡¯ Today, he wore a full-body shroud to conceal his face and the colour of his robes. To further disguise himself, Percy stuffed a pillow under his shirt and crouched slightly, making him appear shorter and bulkier than usual. Maybe it was a bit overkill, but he preferred being overly cautious than careless. Of course, the Agent might still discern his grade via Mana Sense. That¡¯s why he¡¯d asked Nesha to procure him another enchanted bandage, wrapping it around his chest. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to go to all this trouble. I won¡¯t remember anything about you or this meeting five minutes from now.¡± a man spoke. The newcomer faintly appeared on the horizon, casually walking towards Percy. He seemed to be wearing a dark cowl, though it was hard to tell from the distance. The air shimmered with colourful motes, obscuring his figure further. Percy guessed the man must¡¯ve used a spell to project his voice from so far away. It had sounded distorted, yet oddly clear ¨C likely due to a sound affinity. ¡°I¡¯d rather not take any chances.¡± Percy replied, deepening his own voice too. Nesha¡¯s arrangements had admittedly grown quite complex, yet thorough. She was clearly just as paranoid as him ¨C if not more. The Agent had to juggle half a dozen tasks, plus she had him erase any memories the moment they ceased being necessary. She also met him regularly, to update him on any information he required for his next moves. Finally, she took every chance she could to use her bloodline on him, confirming he had no intention of going off script or betraying them. ¡°Fair enough.¡± the man said once he drew closer. He placed a heavy-looking pouch on the ground about a dozen metres from Percy, its contents making all sorts of crisp sounds as they tumbled over one another. A cursory glance via Mana Sense revealed the Agent¡¯s core was concealed too, which admittedly made Percy feel a little uneasy. For all he knew, the guy could be at Blue ¨C more than capable of casually killing him with nobody ever finding out. ¡®Calm down Percy¡­ As long as they don¡¯t know the recipe, you¡¯re more valuable alive anyway¡­¡¯ ¡°Why do you guys even do this?¡± he asked out loud, partly to conceal his inner turmoil and partly out of genuine curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. We have a unique talent, so we¡¯re using it in service of our family.¡± the Agent replied. ¡°Well, sure¡­ but isn¡¯t the cost too high? Aren¡¯t you worried you¡¯ll look back one day only to realize you can¡¯t remember half your life?¡± The man shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re overestimating the importance of these memories.¡± Contemplating the Agent¡¯s words, Percy felt they made sense. If anything, the man was probably better off forgetting every time he assassinated a target or spent weeks trekking through a forest. It was more of a blessing than a curse, really. Unaware of Percy¡¯s thoughts, the Agent then left, having completed this part of his mission. Only when he was gone did Percy dare approach the pouch, opening it. It was large enough to fit two watermelons inside, filled to the brim with small vials about the size of his pinkie. Each contained a deep crimson liquid that looked a bit like glowing blood. And there were thousands upon thousands of them in there. Naturally, these were the enlightenment potions ¨C or at least the first batch. Percy had asked to be paid in this manner for the near future.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡®Micky! Come over here!¡¯ The crow was busy hunting Starry Workers on the mushrooms above. Percy hadn¡¯t called it over sooner, as he hadn¡¯t wanted to risk the Agent spotting it. While waiting for his familiar to arrive, he took off his disguise. Folding everything, he stashed it on a nearby tree, hiding it carefully in the vibrant canopy. Truth be told, the meeting with the Agent had largely assuaged his worry ¨C the man didn¡¯t seem like he had any intention of hurting him. Still, there wasn¡¯t any harm in dressing up next time too. ¡°CAW!¡± Micky greeted him a few minutes later. The bird hastily grabbed the pouch in its beak before flying away. It was heavy, straining the crow¡¯s flight somewhat, though Percy figured it would manage to carry it to its nest. ¡®Eventually¡­¡¯ They¡¯d already confirmed the potions worked as intended ¨C so the only thing left was for Micky to consume them. Of course, it would take him hours to drink so many, but that was a small price to pay. Seeing his familiar leave, Percy headed off too. It was still early, and he had other plans for today. Ascending to the second level of the Spire, he walked about a quarter around it, reaching a region by the west side which he knew was already plenty far from prying eyes. Next, he spent a few minutes searching for the nearest Starry Worker. After finding one, he sat cross-legged on the fungus, some distance away from the bug. Then, he took a deep breath. Soon, a series of silver lines lit up underneath his skin, drawing a maelstrom around his sternum. Of course, Percy didn¡¯t bother activating Circulation with his second core, as he didn¡¯t need the pure mana for what he wanted to do. As for Synchronization, it would certainly help, but he couldn¡¯t keep it active for long enough yet. Once the technique began empowering him and replenishing his reserves, he sent out a pulse of mana from his sternum, rippling through his soul. He directed the waves to converge a few inches below his chest, before swiftly grabbing the resulting bump in a familiar manner. That¡¯s right! Percy had been ready to create another clone for a while, and he intended to do so right now, on the hunting grounds! Naturally, there were a bunch of reasons why he¡¯d chosen this open location over the safety of his house, the first of which having to do with the very body he intended to possess. By the time Percy was done cultivating the bulge and filling it up with soul mana, several hours had passed. Micky had already finished drinking the potions, and he¡¯d returned to the second level too, to help Percy with the next step. Pinning the wasp down wasn¡¯t very difficult for the crow, though it did take some extra care to avoid killing it or injuring it too badly just yet. Grabbing the bug¡¯s thorax from behind, he clenched it tightly within his talons. BZZZZZZZZZ It struggled desperately of course, trying to escape the crow¡¯s clutches. However, it never stood a chance, as Micky didn¡¯t have much trouble overpowering it ¨C especially with the amber lines currently decorating his plumage, reinforcing his already superior strength. A couple minutes later, the bird dragged the Starry Worker to Percy, who was holding a silver orb thrumming with power in one hand, forming an ethereal dagger with the other. Glancing at the wasp before him, Percy considered how to best approach this. Given the potency of his soul constructs, even the slightest injury he inflicted would likely prove lethal. That much was fine ¨C part of the plan even ¨C as the creature wasn¡¯t going to survive either way. However, it did matter how soon the bug died. In the end, he went with a relatively shallow cut at its sternum, right around the centre of its soul. The wasp let out a terrible, shrill sound. While Percy was ashamed to admit he didn¡¯t particularly care about the bug, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of guilt hearing its pained cry. A moment later, the creature stopped squirming, making him fear it was already dead. However, a cursory glance at its soul soon revealed that ¨C although not in a great condition ¨C it held on for now. ¡°Please last a couple more hours!¡± Percy pleaded, before falling on his back. With his torso and, by extension, the nascent clone in his grasp facing towards the sky, he finally willed his bloodline ability to activate. The ghostly claw awakened in his core once more. It leapt into the glowing orb with glee, twisting and severing it from Percy¡¯s soul. And as Percy clenched his teeth in pain, the silver meteor shot towards the stars above, soon disappearing from his sight. ¡®Now for the hard part¡­¡¯ Chapter 98 – Tests Percy had several goals for this particular clone. Though exploring the cosmos was arguably the most important tool in his arsenal ¨C and by a huge margin ¨C he¡¯d decided to take a short break from that, to test other potential uses for his ability. Naturally, the first thing he wanted to know was whether he could create local clones on Remior. He could imagine several scenarios where that would be handy ¨C whether it was because he found an interesting body worth possessing, or because he needed another assistant to aid him back home. But there was more. If his only goal had been to possess that Starry Worker, he wouldn¡¯t have aimed his torso towards the sky. Instead, he could have launched his soul fragment directly at the creature ¨C much like he¡¯d done to the egg when creating his familiar. However, he hadn¡¯t done that. That was because Percy wanted to check one more thing. ¡®Can I return to Remior like this?¡¯ he wondered, scanning the sea of souls surrounding him. His reasoning was simple. He might not always have access to the body he wanted to take over. It would serve him well if he could learn to navigate in this state better, developing a way to accurately reach a more distant target. ¡®I can¡¯t tell up from down like this though¡­¡¯ While outside a body, Percy had a very distorted sense of time and space. Two seemingly nearby souls might not even be located on the same world as one another. But he did have something he could use as a makeshift compass. ¡®What happens if I focus on my main body?¡¯ In all his previous expeditions, Percy had gazed outwards, searching for a suitable host while ignoring the ethereal cord linking him to the rest of his soul. Yet, the connection was always there, constantly trying to draw him back. Its pull kept growing stronger and stronger, until it became irresistible. So far, he¡¯d only ever treated this phenomenon as a nuisance at worse, or a timer at best ¨C indicating how long he had to complete his mission. Not today though. This time, he was going to approach his main body on purpose. ¡®Let¡¯s do this slowly. I don¡¯t want it to suck me in completely.¡¯ Percy only allowed himself the most fleeting of glances. And it was a good thing he¡¯d held back too. The moment his attention even brushed by his own soul, it attracted him far more forcefully than any foreign entity ever had. Percy felt the familiar glow enlarge in his mind rapidly, as he did everything in his power to halt his movement. He desperately fought against the connection, willing with all his strength to accelerate the exact opposite way. So lost was he in that frame of mind, in fact, that he didn¡¯t even register he had succeeded, until much later. By the time he regained awareness, he noted he wasn¡¯t moving, though the cord was even tenser than before. ¡®Is it because I approached my body, or because more time has passed?¡¯ Either way, he couldn¡¯t afford to waste another second. Glancing at his own soul was no longer an option. He was far closer than before. If he did that again, he¡¯d be absorbed for sure. Instead, he tried something else. Drawing some of his stashed mana, he pushed it into the ethereal cord. It flowed through it without any resistance, leaving his control. Nothing happened for a while. Yet, when Percy was starting to think he¡¯d failed, a trickle of soul mana poured into him. ¡®It¡¯s more than a trickle¡­ this¡­ it¡¯s too much!!¡¯ His main body had already saturated the clone before cutting it off, so it couldn¡¯t fit much more. It only took him a moment to replenish the minuscule quantity he¡¯d sent away, as well as any other traces he¡¯d lost over time. The rest, he had to release outside, in the empty expanse between worlds, wasting it. But that wasn¡¯t important. The only thing that mattered was what this meant.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡®Success! I¡¯m in range of my main body!¡¯ Percy would have grinned if he could. While the ethereal cord allowed him to communicate and even transfer mana over vast distances, it wasn¡¯t without limit. He¡¯d only ever managed to use it like that with Micky, who had never been more than a few miles away from him. As for his clones, Percy had never successfully sent them any mana before. The moment they left his body, they had always been on their own. Consequently, he couldn¡¯t even tell what the maximum range was. For all he knew, it might only stretch as far as the distance between his house in the settlement and Micky¡¯s hunting spot on the second level of the Spire. Or it might cover all of Remior and then some. ¡®Now what?¡¯ Percy was a bit stuck. He couldn¡¯t get any closer, nor did he dare to send a message. He was afraid attempting to communicate with his main body was more likely to draw him in, which was why he¡¯d opted to send mana instead. He couldn¡¯t move away either, as it still took a lot of effort to maintain his current distance. Thinking of something, he focused outwards once more, as the sea of souls manifested in his periphery. He could try approaching a different host to escape from his main body¡¯s pull. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t actually do that. After all, that would only waste his previous efforts. He had a better idea. As his mind brushed over the souls, he searched for one in particular. He knew it had to be close! ¡®There!¡¯ He found it. It was the only healthy soul besides his own that didn¡¯t reject him. If anything, this one also exerted a pull on him, though it was much weaker than his main body¡¯s. Naturally, it was Micky! There was no cord connecting him to the familiar, as all his wisps were linked to his main body ¨C not each other. Still, he felt it was possible to possess the crow if he wanted. ¡®The wasp must be somewhere between the two.¡¯ He didn¡¯t dare to look at them directly, to avoid being pulled, but he could tell their general direction. That said, locating the Starry Worker wasn¡¯t exactly trivial. In the material world, his main body and his familiar were standing next to each other, with the insect right alongside them. However, this wasn¡¯t the material world. A straight line there wasn¡¯t quite as straight in the world of souls. ¡®Still, there has to be SOME correlation¡­¡¯ Percy sensed hundreds of souls where he expected the bug to be. He¡¯d have to go through them, one by one. Most of them he could easily ignore, as they were too healthy. It helped to know his target was on the verge of death. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be the only one that met the criterion. This was the Fungal Spire, where lots of people spent all day hunting bugs. ¡®The rest should be above Orange¡­¡¯ he remembered. Other people hunted in the upper levels. While Percy had struggled to tell the souls¡¯ grades apart back when he began using his bloodline, he¡¯d improved a lot since then. Having sent out dozens of clones already, he was confident he could tell the Starry Worker apart from its stronger cousins. And sure enough¡­ ¡®There!¡¯ The soul was fading, on the verge of fizzling out. Since he¡¯d taken care not to injure the bug too badly, it could only mean he¡¯d spent too long looking for it. ¡®Let¡¯s hope it¡¯s still functional.¡¯ Without missing a beat, he concentrated on his suspected target, accelerating towards it. The very next moment, he found himself in a familiar situation, stuck inside a foreign vessel. Though this one wasn¡¯t as crammed as usual. Much of his host¡¯s soul had already evaporated, leaving him ample space to move about. Carefully reaching out to the creature, he soon discovered two things. First, he was semi-positive this was indeed a Starry Wasp, thanks to the few foggy memories he managed to access. Though he¡¯d have to properly bond to it before he could confirm it was an Orange variant ¨C and the specific one he¡¯d meant to possess. Second, the dying insect was in a delirious state, making negotiations a little tricky. ¡®Wake up, will you?! I¡¯m trying to help you!¡¯ he said, leaving out the part that all of this was his fault in the first place. The good news was he was an expert at getting through to beasts by now. Most of his hosts fell in this category, so he¡¯d had plenty of practice placating them. Simple-minded creatures as they were, it was all about honing into their instincts and desires, telling them what they wanted to hear. Usually, this meant promising them food or shelter. It took him a couple minutes, but eventually he succeeded. Well, it certainly helped he already knew what the bug wanted ¨C to escape from his familiar¡¯s clutches! After establishing the preliminary connection to his host, he stretched his soul wisp, touching as many of the soul fragments as he could, before releasing all the stashed mana. Naturally, he didn¡¯t care about the expenditure this time. His main body was here to top him up if necessary ¨C a luxury he wasn¡¯t used to! Once he finished patching everything up as best as he could, he finally managed to tap into his host¡¯s senses. The insect¡¯s vision wasn¡¯t that great ¨C much too blurry for his liking. Still, he couldn¡¯t complain about what he saw. Standing in front of him, was the most handsome man he¡¯d ever laid eyes upon. ¡®Hello Percy!¡¯ Chapter 99 – Buggy vessel ¡®Everything ok?¡¯ the main body asked. He was holding a half-formed sickle made of teal mana in one hand. Clearly, he hadn¡¯t remained idle, practicing the affinity fusion while waiting. ¡®I will be, as soon as you get Micky off me.¡¯ the clone replied. A moment later the bird lifted its talon, letting the bug move about, getting a better feel of his body. ¡®It¡¯s a little on the smaller side¡­¡¯ he couldn¡¯t help but notice. Naturally, this wasn¡¯t his first time possessing a beast at Orange, or even Red. Since their size was often correlated with their grade, some of his past incarnations must¡¯ve been tinier. That said, he¡¯d never had an adult from Remior available for comparison before. Standing up, his new vessel struggled to reach the main body¡¯s knees. Even the crow was larger than he was. As for his limbs ¨C Percy was already accustomed to having an extra pair. A cursory buzz of his wings revealed they still worked too, which was a welcome bonus. It was a miracle they¡¯d survived the rough handling. ¡®How long have I been out anyway?¡¯ he asked the original. ¡®All night. The sun should be up soon.¡¯ the main body replied. That certainly explained the extent of his host¡¯s deterioration. Still, it could¡¯ve been worse. At least, the first test had succeeded. They¡¯d confirmed he could return to Remior and even take over a specific body. Of course, it would be harder if said body was further away, though that was a project for another day. ¡®Go home then. You might make it in time for a nap.¡¯ he said. They¡¯d already taken their biweekly break yesterday. Percy couldn¡¯t afford another day off. ¡®You sure you¡¯ll be alright?¡¯ the original asked again. ¡®I can easily last a couple days like this. Just remember to send me mana later.¡¯ While his host¡¯s soul wasn¡¯t in great shape, the clone could probably survive for a very long time with the others helping. In fact, it should be possible to heal the bug completely over time, if he wanted ¨C though that would only kick him out of the vessel. As for his physical body, it was lucky they¡¯d taken extra care to leave it intact, since there was no way to repair it. The second core would suck all the life mana out of the healing potions before they had the chance to do much. Nodding, the original waved him farewell before heading off. The crow soon followed, flying down to the first level. The two had already wasted too much time on him ¨C they had their own roles to return to. ¡®And I have mine¡­¡¯ Stretching his legs, he took a few minutes casually strolling atop the giant mushroom, getting used to his new body. He wasn¡¯t feeling brave enough to try flying just yet. It was probably best to leave it for tomorrow, assuming he got a hang of the ropes by then. ¡®The headache isn¡¯t doing me any favours either¡­¡¯ he groaned. Since the moment he first tapped into his host¡¯s senses, he¡¯d felt a constant buzz in his brain. Had Micky smacked his head too hard or something? ¡®Hopefully it goes away soon.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t all bad news. The air here felt quite refreshing. Pausing, he activated Mana Sense to observe the phenomenon in more detail. Like most bugs, Starry Wasps didn¡¯t inhale through their mouth. They didn¡¯t even have lungs! Instead, they breathed through openings in their exoskeleton. Still, that didn¡¯t stop him from absorbing the colourful motes around him. In fact, he seemed especially efficient at it ¨C nearly none of the particles entering his body ever escaped.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡®It makes sense, really. The wasps have adapted to this environment more than any other creature.¡¯ What could he do with all that ambient mana though? He clearly didn¡¯t need that much to survive, nor could he store any more inside his core¡­ Examining himself for a few minutes, Percy soon had his answer. ¡®Of course¡­ the gland¡­¡¯ The excess was converted to beast mana inside his core, before flowing out, accumulating in a special organ a few inches below his sternum. That was where it would presumably end up condensed into the familiar amber fluid everyone knew and loved. In fact, tapping into his host¡¯s instincts, Percy realized he could¡­ BLUUUUURG ¡®Eeeww¡­ This went better in my head¡­¡¯ he thought as he looked at the tiny pool of nectar he¡¯d just vomited. Using a forelimb, he swirled the viscous liquid a few times, before making up his mind. ¡®Yeah. I¡¯m not eating that again.¡¯ Not like his main body drank six doses of it per day or anything¡­ And with that, Percy had some idea of what his current vessel was capable of. Well, there was the stinger too, but he wasn¡¯t particularly interested in it. The worker¡¯s acid wasn¡¯t very potent. Plus, he hoped he wouldn¡¯t ever have to fight in this body either. He had other plans for it. ¡®Ok. That¡¯s enough playing around.¡¯ Creating a local clone was only the first item on the agenda. The second one involved his Status.
Percival''s clone Mana cores: Spells: Decrees:
There it was! Percy felt the urge to laugh ¨C though he doubted his host¡¯s physiology allowed that. Ever since he returned from the Vault, he¡¯d been itching to go back. But he couldn¡¯t risk travelling there with his main body. Even on the off-chance Metatron let him be, Percy would be stuck there. Yet¡­ ¡®This changes everything!¡¯ His clone had inherited his latest Decree too! Percy had hoped it would be the case, but it hadn¡¯t been a sure thing. Each Decree worked differently, so it was a matter of chance. From personal experience, he¡¯d placed his odds at two out of three. ¡®Well?! What¡¯s the situation?¡¯ his main body suddenly asked through their link. The clone wanted to roll his eyes, but they appeared fixed in place. ¡®Just go to sleep already¡­ You¡¯ll get my memories when I¡¯m done anyway¡­¡¯ But the original wasn¡¯t having it. ¡®Like hell I¡¯m going to wait weeks for an answer! It¡¯s a yes or no question!¡¯ The clone remained silent for a while, amused by the novelty of arguing against himself. Though a wave of irritation soon seeped through the cord, snapping him out of his reverie. In the end, he didn¡¯t keep his main body in suspense much longer. ¡®It¡¯s here!¡¯ The annoyance was replaced by excitement, though the original didn¡¯t say anything else. In any case, this was massive! With this, they could access the Vault¡¯s secrets at a much lower risk! Of course, it would ultimately depend on Metatron¡¯s stance. Percy was sure the titan would notice and could easily put an end to his ambitious plan if he wanted. ¡®Hopefully not everyone there is as stingy as Gabe¡­¡¯ Either way, this wasn¡¯t the time for that. The Starry Worker wasn¡¯t a suitable body to send there. Percy was probably better off waiting for a sentient host. Preferably one at Yellow or higher too. That way, he¡¯d stand a better chance of communicating with the locals and practicing magiscript. Anything less and he might be killed on sight. ¡®Well, they might not take kindly to a foreigner either ¨C though I suppose they¡¯re used to coexisting with different races¡­¡¯ Then, there was the question of whether it would be moral to bring an innocent person to such a dangerous place to begin with. Generally, Percy wouldn¡¯t do that without consent ¨C though it would also depend on who his host was. ¡®Maybe if they¡¯re an enemy¡­ or a huge asshole¡­ or if they¡¯ve got nothing to lose for whatever reason¡­¡¯ But the clone shook his head. One of the perks of not being the original was that it wasn¡¯t his job to waste time on ethical dilemmas. Besides, he had his own task to worry about. After all, there was a reason Percy had chosen a wasp as his host. ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­ where¡¯s the nearest hole?¡¯ While he¡¯d ignored them all these years, the Fungal Spire was full of openings leading to its interior. Many of these entrances could be found on the mountainside itself, but it was possible to enter the natural wonder through plenty of the colossal mushrooms too. Of course, most of the people hunting on the Spire wouldn¡¯t dare doing that, not only because it was strictly forbidden by the Guild, but also because they didn¡¯t have a death wish. ¡®Or a wasp clone.¡¯ Percy wanted to grin, but the mandibles didn¡¯t help. Walking around the mushroom, he failed to see any openings. Neither did he find any on the next three fungi. Though he did eventually get lucky, spotting a narrow tear along the underside of one of the stems. The hole was a few metres long, but quite narrow ¨C only about a quarter of a metre wide. Just enough for Percy to barely squeeze through. ¡®Great. Now let¡¯s find me some wasp eggs.¡¯ Chapter 100 – Into the Spire Percy¡¯s adventure hit a roadblock sooner than expected. Upon stepping inside the massive stem, the buzz in his head grew a dozen times louder, eliciting a visceral response from his host. Jolted awake from its stupor, the bug fought for control over its body. Driven purely by instinct, it quickly turned and stumbled back out, only calming once the headache subsided to a bearable level. ¡®What¡¯s going on?!¡¯ Unwilling to retreat so easily, Percy steeled himself before entering the Spire again, more prepared this time. The bug really didn¡¯t want to be there, but the clone resisted as much as he could, determined to press onward. Venturing further, he noticed the tunnel expanded after a few more steps, making it a little less cramped. Contrary to his expectations, it was quite bright in there, the flesh of the fungus glowing more vividly than the cap outside, giving the walls of the living cavern an otherworldly appearance. The air was thick with shimmering motes too ¨C three or four times denser than on the surface. ¡®I suppose that makes sense. What we get is just whatever leaks out of the mushrooms.¡¯ Sadly, his host soon rebelled again, pulling him towards the exit. Reluctantly, Percy let it have its way this time. He couldn¡¯t afford to push too hard, lest he got evicted. ¡®How are the others able to remain there?¡¯ Though his stay had been brief, Percy had glimpsed a couple more Starry Workers ¨C the same class as his host ¨C grazing comfortably inside the mushroom, basking in the mana-rich environment. The rumours that the hive¡¯s interior was teeming with wasps appeared true. More importantly, the rest of the creatures showed no sign of suffering from his host¡¯s ailment. ¡®Do they not hear this incessant buzzing?¡¯ Perhaps it wasn¡¯t a natural phenomenon. There might be some intelligence behind the scenes, imposing its will on only some of the bugs ¨C for some reason. And it didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out its source¡­ ¡®The queen must be real too!¡¯ Though he couldn¡¯t tell for certain, he felt it was a reasonable guess. Even regular wasp colonies were highly hierarchical, let alone one as large and powerful as this. And there was no telling what a Violet cored beast might be capable of. Much like he used his ethereal cords to communicate with his clones and familiars from afar, it was possible the queen had her own means to relay her orders from a distance. As for what those orders might involve? Well, most of her subjects were apparently meant to stay inside, taking advantage of the abundant resources. Percy¡¯s host, on the other hand, presumably belonged in the minority tasked with venturing outside, to gather what little mana strayed there. ¡®Isn¡¯t there a way to get this idiot to disobey her?!¡¯ Percy would be damned if he lost to a couple of insects. He spent the next couple of hours ¡®negotiating¡¯ with the creature, trying to get through to it. That was easier said than done, as it was arguably the dumbest host he¡¯d ever had the misfortune of possessing. ¡®Well, what did I expect? It¡¯s a bug...¡¯ Yet, as simple-minded as it was, the wasp seemed hell-bent on following its mother¡¯s will above all else. Approaching the problem from various angles, Percy started by trying to filter the buzz out of their head, hoping to eliminate it entirely. Unfortunately, there was a limit to how much he could tamper with his host¡¯s senses. Next, he attempted to convince the bug its hive was under attack, its mother in danger. Perhaps it might be more open to breaking a rule or two in the face of an emergency.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡®Or not¡­¡¯ Initially, his efforts bore no fruit. Eventually, he thought of a way to take advantage of his mental connection to the creature, which seemed to yield some results. Essentially, Percy fed the bug memories of the buzzing sound whenever it did something he disagreed with, to dissuade it. It was the equivalent of impersonating the queen, establishing a second line of command. ¡®Yes. Go back inside, or I¡¯ll be very, very angry!¡¯ The wasp was really confused. While Percy¡¯s fake signal appeared to work as well as the real thing, it wasn¡¯t like the queen had stopped transmitting her own. Torn between two ruthless rulers, the bug kept walking back and forth, entering and leaving the cave repeatedly, unable to comprehend why its mother was so hard to please today. Some more manipulation later, Percy convinced the creature to remain inside, though he knew they wouldn¡¯t get very far before he lost control again. ¡®Let¡¯s move fast then.¡¯ Finally delving a little deeper, Percy couldn¡¯t help but stare at his surroundings in awe. The tunnel they were in kept getting wider and wider, as the population of wasps didn¡¯t stop increasing. Most of them were workers like his host. Percy guessed the fungi on the upper levels contained more mana, making them more suitable for the higher grades. Though he did spot the occasional drone or soldier. Admittedly, the first Yellow cored insect he saw frightened him. While he could easily handle them with his own body, he couldn¡¯t do much in his current state. The fact they looked larger than horses right now wasn¡¯t helping. ¡®Calm down. These are my siblings now¡­¡¯ Sure enough, the creatures just ignored him, continuing whatever it was they were doing. Still, the cavern was already so full of bugs they now had to crawl over one another. Suffice to say, the sight was more than a little unsettling for a human. However, Percy gritted his¡­ mandibles¡­ and pressed on, knowing he didn¡¯t have much longer. The queen¡¯s signal was already beginning to overpower his own. Even worse, these other bugs released all sorts of pheromones, probably to let each other know which tunnels contained the most mana or something. Affected by all the external stimuli, his host stirred in rebellion once again. ¡®No, you don¡¯t! Just keep walking buddy!¡¯ he demanded, tuning the buzz up to eleven. Moving a little further, he noticed the walls of the hive were starting to change. At first, it wasn¡¯t easy to tell. His poor eyesight, combined with the turbulent river of bugs only allowed him a few sporadic glimpses here and there. Still, he eventually pieced together what was happening. The mushroom¡¯s flesh had given way to rocks and minerals. Everything was filled with mana like before, though it manifested differently. Unlike the softly pulsating organic matter of the fungus, the tunnel¡¯s surfaces were now decorated with crisscrossing veins of enchanted ores. ¡®This must be the Spire proper¡­¡¯ Percy would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t tempted to bring some of the colourful metals back. Granted, he had no idea what they could be used for, and it wasn¡¯t like magical craftmanship was particularly advanced on Remior either. Yet, there was no question everything here was valuable. But he held himself back. There was a reason the Guild didn¡¯t let people enter the Spire and, honestly, Percy agreed with them. This was their world¡¯s most precious asset and the only source of the elixirs they needed to survive. Nobody ¨C Percy included ¨C was willing to damage this place. ¡®I¡¯m only here to look for an egg. Nothing else.¡¯ he reminded himself, suppressing his greed. Suddenly, he ran into a fork in the tunnel, breaking him out of his thoughts. It appeared he had to make a choice. Neither of the paths particularly stood out ¨C both were about equally wide, with the same number of wasps of all sizes crawling throughout. However, the buzz in his head spiked at the mere thought of going right. Naturally, his host wanted nothing more than to go left ¨C or better yet, back ¨C but Percy wasn¡¯t having it. ¡®I bet the reason she doesn¡¯t want us in there is because it leads closer to her nest.¡¯ At the risk of frying the poor worker¡¯s tiny brain, he overloaded it with the strongest signal he could muster, essentially challenging the queen to a battle over his host¡¯s body. He did manage to force the bug a few metres into the new tunnel, though he quickly realized the creature was finally approaching its limits. Its legs wobbled and he got a little dizzy. Begrudgingly, he turned around, deciding to call it a night, much to his host¡¯s relief. In any case, even if he could somehow reach the eggs, he didn¡¯t exactly have a plan for snatching one under the watchful gaze of a Violet cored beast. Nor did he think it would be easy to escape from the thousands upon thousands of wasps that would presumably try to stop him. ¡®In fact, it isn¡¯t safe for my main body either¡­¡¯ For all he knew, taking an egg outside might cause the entire colony to rush out of the Spire, unleashing their wrath on not only himself, but the rest of the Guild too. Percy would have to take his time carefully mapping out the interior of the hive and coming up with a plan. ¡®Oh well¡­ I didn¡¯t expect to get this done on my first attempt¡­¡¯ Chapter 101 – Whirlpool of Four Streams Percy dropped the marble in the jar with the others, before pausing for a second to catch his breath. Then, he pushed the soul mana he¡¯d just recovered through the ethereal cord, sending it to his wasp clone to do whatever he wanted with it. As for the pure mana, he gathered some between his palms, forming another sphere in preparation for the next crystal. ¡®Just one more before cleansing time.¡¯ This was his routine now. Percy started his days by drinking two doses of Aurora Dew ¨C one for each core, before spending all morning condensing crystals. He could even keep Synchronization active for about half the time already! Twenty minutes later, Percy added another marble to the pile, before deactivating Circulation, relieving his body of the excess mana. Sealing the jar, he carefully placed it inside a leather pouch along with the rest of his alchemy tools. Only then did he dare open the curtain. ¡®Finally! Sunlight!¡¯ Opening the window too, he stood in front of it for a minute, inhaling as much fresh air as he could, basking in the warmth. If it was up to him, he¡¯d stay there longer. Unfortunately, he had other things to do. For one, it was already a couple hours past noon, and he was positively famished. Walking to the kitchen, he scanned the interior of his preservation box, ultimately settling on an apple. He was about to close it, though he hesitated. In the end, he grabbed a banana too. After devouring his snacks quickly ¨C every second mattered ¨C he begrudgingly closed the window and curtain again, picking two more vials of Aurora Dew from a cupboard. It was time for the second set of elixirs already. ¡®Man, why does everything I do have to involve some big secret?!¡¯ Perhaps it was ungrateful of him to complain. Most people would kill for the opportunities afforded to him by his bloodline. All things considered, shutting himself inside a room for part of the day sounded like a small price to pay¡­ In the end, he shrugged, before biting both corks at once. Spitting them out, he drank the elixirs one after the other! ¡®Now for the tricky part...¡¯ Pulling mana from both cores, he split each stream into two, before sending them to his stomach. The ones made of pure mana passed horizontally by the front and back regions. They flowed in opposite directions, causing the contents of his stomach to churn, forming a miniature whirlpool inside his belly! As for the other two streams ¨C the ones made of soul mana ¨C they flowed along the left and right sides of his stomach. They merely phased through without causing any physical changes. However, the brief contact was enough to blend with the augmented beast mana released by the Aurora Dew. Finally, all four streams ended back at their respective cores, purifying both organs simultaneously! ¡®Let¡¯s aim for 90% this time.¡¯ Naturally, Percy wasn¡¯t the one who¡¯d invented this technique. The Moirai books had mentioned more than just the affinity fusion. After all, they contained the distilled knowledge of an entire culture of people who¡¯d spent eons learning to live with two cores. Suffice to say, they¡¯d had plenty of time to come up with a couple nifty tricks! This one was called the Whirlpool of Two Streams. ¡®A little on the nose, but I suppose it did suffer two rounds of translation¡­¡¯ As its name implied, it allowed one to purify both cores simultaneously, saving time. It worked by using two opposing flows of mana ¨C one from each core ¨C which then induced a rotation inside the stomach, spreading the beast mana uniformly. It sounded simple, but that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Core purification was a delicate process, and there was a reason mages carefully measured how much elixir they consumed per day. Going over that, they risked damaging their cores more than they should, while using less meant slowing down their advancement speed. What made this technique so profound was that it allowed the user to play around with the intensity of the flows, controlling how much beast mana reached each core. From there, it was all about manually balancing the two, so they got cleansed at the same rate. ¡®If only I could use the technique in its original form, I would have mastered it already¡­¡¯ Sadly, Percy¡¯s affinity had forced him to modify it. The soul mana was incorporeal, rendering it unable to physically affect the contents of his stomach. That meant he needed two streams of pure mana to properly form the whirlpool. Consequently, he had to split the soul mana too, otherwise his pure core would end up drawing more beast mana. ¡®Oh well¡­ I guess Whirlpool of Four Streams sounds catchier anyway. I¡¯ll patent it if I ever end up on the Moirais¡¯ world.¡¯ Then again, they must¡¯ve had plenty of people with the soul affinity in the past. Percy was probably just reinventing the wheel. In any case, the elixir was soon exhausted. Examining his cores, Percy realized he was off by a little again. His soul core burned slightly more than it was supposed to, which meant he¡¯d have to skip the next purification session. As for the one in his abdomen, it had only benefited from around 85% of the substance. Percy clicked his tongue. Ever since he began practicing the technique, he¡¯d experienced quite a few losses. Every wasted drop of Aurora Dew was like a dagger in his heart ¨C especially since he knew exactly how valuable it was. And judging by the rate at which he improved, it would be a few more weeks until he perfected the art. ¡®But it can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯ll pay dividends in the long-term.¡¯ Though he¡¯d mastered cleansing his cores while doing other things, it was no longer enough. After all, he now had to drink six doses per day, which added up to about three hours if taken separately. Granted, he could do it while brewing, but the distraction affected his yield. Consequently, learning to cut the time in half was a no brainer. ¡®Besides, my next promotion should be like fifteen years away. Losing a few weeks isn¡¯t the end of the world¡­¡¯ Shaking his head, he opened a different cupboard, grabbing a few dozen vials filled with the regular elixir. Stuffing them in his satchel, he slung it over his shoulder before hurrying out. Percy still had some more crystals to condense in the evening, but he¡¯d arranged for his brewing sessions to go in-between. That way, he¡¯d be able to recover his stamina, allowing him to use Synchronization again later. In any case, his walk to Orin¡¯s place was the perfect opportunity to take in some more fresh air, and to catch up with his clone. ¡®What¡¯s the situation there? Any closer to the nest?¡¯ The clone had spent some time exploring the Spire, though he¡¯d never managed to delve too deep before getting kicked out by the queen. While Percy had thought it was worth mapping out the interior of the structure at first, he was beginning to reevaluate the usefulness of the clone. ¡®Nope. Just more of the same. I think there¡¯s no point keeping me around.¡¯ Percy nodded. They¡¯d already discussed this. Next time he was on a break, he¡¯d work with the clone on drawing a map of the outer layers of the colony. Not that it would be particularly helpful, but it felt like a waste to not even document his progress. After that, they¡¯d destroy the wasp and resume sending regular clones for a while. ¡®I¡¯ll try again with a stronger bug at some point.¡¯ Naturally, he hadn¡¯t given up on the project entirely, but it was proving even more challenging than expected. A Starry Soldier might move faster and withstand more mental pressure from the queen. He didn¡¯t know if it would be enough to reach the nest, but there should be an improvement. Reaching Orin¡¯s lab, Percy set his plans aside, clearing his mind of anything unrelated to alchemy. Over the rest of the afternoon, he processed the most recent batch of crystals into Aurora Dew, before bidding his mentor farewell. ¡®I need to be back home in about twenty minutes¡­¡¯ He only met up with Nesha once a week to hand her the merchandise, but today happened to be the day. In any case, he had enough time to stop by Freddy¡¯s. Only after he was done getting his daily fix of socialization did he return to his place. There, he found Nesha standing outside, a grimace marring her face. ¡°You realize every minute I spend here, people might figure we¡¯re up to something, right?¡± Percy rolled his eyes before letting her inside. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. You¡¯re early.¡± he replied in a nonchalant tone, keeping up the appearance of the aloof badass that he was. At least until Nesha¡¯s next words caused him to deflate. ¡°You¡¯ve got honey on your cheeks.¡± The girl left as soon as he handed her the elixirs, letting him return to his routine. He started by drinking another dose of Aurora Dew for his second core, before activating Synchronization. Only then did he resume condensing crystals, keeping at it until around midnight. At that point, he decided to call it a day, taking a quick shower before going to bed. He''d be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t tired. Working for eighteen hours a day was brutal, but he always focused on the next milestone to keep himself going. Right now, that was Micky¡¯s second core. ¡®And it¡¯s getting close¡­ I wonder what affinity he¡¯ll get¡­¡¯ Chapter 102 – Micky’s second core ¡°A bit overkill, don¡¯t you think? I¡¯ll forget everything after I leave anyway.¡± the Oblivious Agent said upon noticing Percy¡¯s disguise. ¡°I¡¯d rather not take any chances.¡± the latter replied, regurgitating his side of the conversation word for word. ¡°Fair enough.¡± the man nodded once he drew closer. Then he carefully dropped the pouch on the ground like all their previous meetings. ¡°Why do you guys even do this?¡± Percy asked again. ¡°I can¡¯t speak for the others, but I¡¯m just using my ability for the sake of my family.¡± ¡®3 out of 3 so far.¡¯ Percy thought. By now, he¡¯d met the man about a dozen times. He¡¯d always repeated the exact same words to the Agent, gauging his responses. While there were some minor permutations, the gist of what the guy said was more or less the same. At the very least, he¡¯d never given him any reason to suspect he remembered any of their previous conversations. ¡°Well, sure¡­ but isn¡¯t the cost too high? Aren¡¯t you worried you¡¯ll look back one day only to realize you can¡¯t remember half your life?¡± Percy asked the final set of questions, carefully observing the Agent¡¯s reaction. ¡°No offense, but forgetting you isn¡¯t that big a deal.¡± the Agent shrugged. ¡°None taken.¡± Percy nodded, relaxing. Either the Agent had truly erased his memories as he was supposed to, or he was the best actor ever. In any case, this was the most Percy could do to contribute to the operation¡¯s security. ¡®Let¡¯s leave this stuff to Nesha. She¡¯s better at it than I am...¡¯ After watching the man leave, he called his familiar over, hoping this latest batch of enlightenment potions would seal the deal. By now, he¡¯d already fed Micky over 110,000 of the darn things which, according to his original estimates, should have been enough. Clearly, he¡¯d miscalculated how much mind mana each dose contained, though he didn¡¯t know by how much. ¡®Best-case scenario, today¡¯s shipment will be the last¡­ As for the worst-case scenario¡­ I¡¯d rather not think about it¡­¡¯ Of course, even if they were still months away, he¡¯d have no choice but to keep going. It wasn¡¯t like he had an alternative. ¡°CAW!¡± the crow greeted him upon reaching his location. Percy didn¡¯t miss the hint of annoyance in its tone. While he¡¯d explained many times how everything was for Micky¡¯s benefit, the latter really hated gulping down potions for hours on end. ¡®Just shut up and drink them...¡¯ he rolled his eyes. Why was the crow even complaining? He was the one who¡¯d spent weeks brewing elixirs so they could afford the potions anyway¡­ ¡°CRAA!¡± the bird groaned but ultimately obeyed, flying to its nest. Over the next few hours, Percy remained on the ground level of the Spire, practicing his affinity fusion while waiting for the familiar to finish. As for his wasp clone, he¡¯d already retired him a couple months ago. Right now, he had another one active somewhere in the cosmos. Though he doubted he¡¯d accomplish anything of note. His successful expeditions so far could be counted on one hand. ¡®I should go for the Starry Soldier next¡­¡¯ He¡¯d placed the infiltration mission on hold for the time being, to focus on more pressing matters, like mastering Synchronization and affinity fusion. But he¡¯d already grown much better at both. Also, his time in the Guild wasn¡¯t infinite. While the lotus was still over two years from blooming, Percy couldn¡¯t afford to waste a second if he wanted to have the wasp familiar ready before leaving. ¡®CAW!¡¯ Suddenly, Micky called out to him. For a moment, Percy thought the bird had finished the potions, but it was too early for that.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me?¡¯ he asked with hope in his eyes. ¡®CAW!¡¯ the crow affirmed. Not missing a beat, Percy activated Synchronization, rushing to his familiar at top speed. The bird¡¯s nest was a few miles away, but the young man crossed the distance in under a minute, stamina be damned. It was only when he got there that he remembered he could check Micky¡¯s Status from afar. ¡®Right¡­¡¯
Mictlantecuhtli (Percival''s familiar) Mana cores: Spells: Decrees:
As usual, the bird lacked most of his Decrees. Percy was particularly relieved it didn¡¯t have Metatron¡¯s either. He didn¡¯t know if Micky could enter his portal should he ever open one, but he was certainly glad the crow couldn¡¯t create its own by accident. ¡®It makes sense, since I only got it later¡­¡¯ Beyond that, everything was as expected. Not to say he wasn¡¯t over the moon seeing Micky¡¯s second core finally repaired! They¡¯d worked on it for years! ¡®Congratulations! This is HUGE!¡¯ ¡°CAW!¡± the bird seemed to share his enthusiasm, though not for the same reason. It was just glad it could finally stop drinking all those potions. Over the next couple of hours, Percy showed his familiar the ropes, explaining how it was meant to locate the new core and start clearing the corresponding channels. It helped he¡¯d personally experienced the process twice already, as he had plenty of related memories to send over, getting the message across. ¡®I guess there¡¯s no point staying here¡­¡¯ As impatient as he was, he knew the crow wouldn¡¯t be done for a few days at the earliest. Begrudgingly, he left the hunting grounds, though not before emphasizing to the bird that it should contact him the moment anything happened. ¡®It¡¯s going to be another beast affinity, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Percy knew there was a high chance of that happening. After all, he¡¯d never heard of a beast possessing anything else. Then again, he¡¯d never heard of one with two cores either. This would probably be an anomaly even on the Moirais¡¯ world. Though getting another beast affinity wouldn¡¯t necessarily be a bad thing. It was responsible for the mutations and enhanced physical strength of its owners. With a second one of those, Micky would probably grow even larger. In fact, Percy couldn¡¯t think of any other affinity that would synergize better with the crow¡¯s first one. ¡®He won¡¯t even have too many new channels to open. Just a couple linking the second core to the rest of the circulatory system.¡¯ That would be convenient at first, though it would come with its own share of downsides. For example, the crow wouldn¡¯t be able to get as much juice out of Circulation with only one set of channels across both cores. ¡®Will a different affinity even help much though?¡¯ Micky had devoured thousands of wasp cores over the years. Percy wasn¡¯t sure how close the bird was to advancing again, but it shouldn¡¯t be far. As soon as that happened, he¡¯d have a two-grade gap between its cores. Even worse, the second one might never catch up, even with Aurora Dew. In the end he shook his head. ¡®I¡¯m just torturing myself. Whatever it is, we¡¯ll find a way to make it work.¡¯ Well, as long as it wasn¡¯t another pure affinity. Now, that would suck big time¡­ *** It wasn¡¯t until three days later that Micky informed him he managed to draw some mana into his abdomen, activating the core. Only then did the bird finally come to appreciate the value of those potions, basking in its new strength. On the other hand, Percy couldn¡¯t help but frown. The affinity was still listed as a bunch of question marks. At the very least, it meant Micky hadn¡¯t gained another beast affinity, as he would have recognized it. ¡®Just pull some mana from your core and send me the image.¡¯ The bird followed his instructions, soon showing him a burst of mana emanating from the underside of its wing, brushing over the dark feathers. It carried a faint green tint¡­ ¡®Not pure mana!¡¯ was Percy¡¯s first reaction. In fact, he recognized it the very next moment, having personally used this particular affinity the most outside his own. ¡®It¡¯s air.¡¯ he informed his familiar, before elaborating. ¡®Remember that bandit you fought a few years back? He had that.¡¯ Micky remained silent for a few seconds, apparently recalling their journey to the Guild. Eventually, he excitedly sent a mental nod back. Either way, this was great news! Besides a second beast affinity, this was essentially the best they could¡¯ve hoped for. Though it would likely end up falling behind the crow¡¯s first core, it would support the bird well, allowing it to augment its flight. ¡®I can share my own experiences to get him started.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but grin at the thought. The irony of a human teaching a bird how to fly faster wasn¡¯t lost on him. Still, there was no reason to waste all that training he¡¯d undergone in the Vault. ¡®Finally, we can stop spending all those contribution points on potions¡­ I can start stockpiling ingredients for when we leave the settlement¡­¡¯ Whether or not he succeeded in creating the wasp familiar, Percy hoped to amass enough resources by the time they left, to last him for a while. Hopefully even for a decade or two. Admittedly, that was an ambitious goal but not impossible, assuming he could maintain his current income for the following two years. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t have predicted what would happen just three short months later¡­ Chapter 103 – House Talos ¡°Lord Bronn, the bastards have taken over the iron mine!¡± the boy reported. The former¡¯s features twisted into a grimace. While a powerful mage could tear a sheet of iron apart as easily as paper, it was still a valuable resource across Remior. After all, most people were at the lower grades. They relied on everyday tools made of the mundane metal. Consequently, House Talos regularly exported it, making the mine an important economic asset for their family. ¡°What about the casualties?¡± ¡°Sixteen dead. Over thirty injured.¡± Bronn wanted to clench his fists, yet he had enough awareness to hold back. Even the tough gemstone vials would shatter into powder in a Violet¡¯s grip. It would be a shame to spill their contents ¨C the elixirs had cost him an arm and a leg. Forcing himself to calm down, he spoke again. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Most of the dead were Red-borns. Only four were Orange-borns¡­ though¡­ one of them was uncle Zin.¡± Bronn sighed. It could have been worse. At least they hadn¡¯t lost any Yellow-borns. Still, Zin had been at Blue, making him one of the family¡¯s strongest fighters, regardless of what grade he¡¯d started with. It was a significant loss. Bronn¡¯s only consolation was they hadn¡¯t been that close. The man had only been a distant nephew of his. ¡°Do we know who¡¯s stationed there?¡± The boy scratched his head for a few moments. ¡°Only a couple of our people made it back, so we aren¡¯t too clear on the details. All we know is they have at least two Blues. Rellan is among them.¡± Bronn¡¯s eyes widened. Rellan was a Yellow-born and one of House Antaeus strongest mages. Perhaps the third or fourth from the top. ¡°Are you certain?¡± The boy nodded before clarifying. ¡°There¡¯s no mistake. We spotted him from afar after he used his ability.¡± Houses Talos and Antaeus actually had the same bloodline, Gigantification. This was a common occurrence on Remior, as neighbouring families often shared ancestors. Rogue mages frequently left their homes for various reasons, establishing rival branches nearby. In any case, Gigantification allowed a person to increase their size based on their grade. At Red, one could only double their height, while a Blue core like Rellan could grow six times as tall. People jokingly referred to it as a poor man¡¯s beast affinity, though the transformation wasn¡¯t nearly as drastic. ¡°Tell Lorin, Sedon and Hert to pick ten Greens and go drive those assholes away.¡± ¡°But Lord Bronn! What if it¡¯s a trap?!¡± the boy protested. Bronn shook his head. ¡°It isn¡¯t. They never intended to keep the mine. It¡¯s much closer to our estate. They know they can¡¯t hold it. They just wanted to hurt us.¡± The boy bobbed his head in understanding before bolting out. However, the door didn¡¯t get the chance to close before another person ran into the office. ¡°What is it now, Floria?¡± Bronn asked in exasperation. The girl bent over, holding her knees as she caught her breath. ¡°Grandpa¡­ they¡¯ve attacked Oakbridge town¡­ they took the guards out and razed the warehouse down.¡± Bronn couldn¡¯t stop himself this time. Slamming his free fist on the desk, he crushed it into a rain of splinters. It was lucky Floria was at Green, or he could¡¯ve hurt her.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Are they still there?!?!¡± Oakbridge town was one of three under their jurisdiction. Unlike House Talos¡¯s estate where the members of their family lived, the towns in their control were full of commoners. This was another relatively widespread convention on Remior. Still, these towns were far from worthless. They constituted important trading hubs for the noble Houses. Even more notably, the nobles often married Yellow-born commoners, bringing new blood into the fold, enhancing their strength. Flinching at her grandfather¡¯s outburst, the girl took a moment before answering. ¡°No. They left as soon as they were done.¡± she muttered, her voice barely a whisper. Bronn rubbed his eyelids. ¡®Damn it! Why couldn¡¯t they wait just a few more years?!¡¯ Truth be told, he had expected their enemies to escalate at some point. While House Antaeus currently had the upper hand, both sides knew this wouldn¡¯t last forever. Bronn¡¯s son was getting closer to Violet. As soon as he advanced, the tides would change. Of course, a single Violet core couldn¡¯t take on an entire family by themselves, but their strength still couldn¡¯t be ignored. On paper, a Violet core was about three times as strong as a Blue. However, conventional wisdom was that it would usually take about five Blues to pin one down. That¡¯s because they¡¯d fight less efficiently, some of their strength wasted due to bad teamwork. Then there was the entire morale aspect of having another powerful leader at the head of an army. Overall, getting a second Violet core would be a huge deterrent. It might even let House Talos go on the offense. ¡°Call Fyn over.¡± Floria scurried away, probably glad to be out of her grandpa¡¯s sight right now. A few minutes later, a man walked into the office. He threw the broken desk a passing glance before chuckling. ¡°Dad, you have to stop smashing desks. We can¡¯t keep up with you.¡± Bronn almost snapped at him, but he caught himself. Instead, he plopped down on his chair ¨C at least this piece of furniture was still standing ¨C before tilting his head up at the ceiling. Then, he laughed bitterly. ¡°This is the fifth attack in the last two months. We¡¯ve already lost about 10% of our men.¡± Fyn stopped smiling. ¡°The bastards must really want to build up their advantage before my promotion¡­¡± Bronn nodded. ¡°At this rate, they¡¯ll succeed. How close are you?¡± But Fyn shook his head. ¡°Dad, you know this is my third promotion already¡­¡± It was true. Fyn had been cleansing his core for centuries. It wasn¡¯t easy to calculate the exact date it would bear fruit. ¡°Give me your best estimate.¡± Fyn appeared to ponder his words for a while. ¡°Well, before you brought me these new elixirs, I would have said maybe between eight and fifteen years.¡± And it had already been around nine months since he¡¯d started taking this so-called Aurora Dew. It meant he was anywhere between two and four years away now¡­ ¡®So close¡­¡¯ For Blue and Violet cores like them, four years were nothing. If only those assholes had waited just a little longer¡­ They could have caught them by surprise and wiped their stench off the region! But alas¡­ ¡°We can¡¯t wait that long. At this rate, they¡¯ll burn everything to the ground by then.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t eliminate us completely. As soon as I advance, we¡¯ll turn everything around.¡± Fyn protested. Yet Bronn disagreed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry son. We can¡¯t afford to do that. We might win in the end, but half our family will be ruined by then.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the boss¡­ It¡¯s your decision.¡± Fyn shrugged, before adding. ¡°But I¡¯m confused. What¡¯s the alternative?¡± ¡°What else? We flip the table.¡± The two men looked down at the broken pieces of wood as Bronn scratched his head. ¡°¡­figuratively speaking.¡± Then, he crouched by the remains of his desk, digging through the pile. A few seconds later, he found what he was looking for inside a somewhat-intact drawer. It was a bottle of ink. ¡°You mean¡­?¡± Fyn asked, realization flashing in his eyes. Bronn nodded. He handed his son the elixirs, before walking to a cupboard. There he found a quill and a piece of paper. Dipping the quill in the ink, he held the paper against the wall as he began writing. ¡°We¡¯ll reach out to the Divine Order¡­ Ask them to get those bastards off our backs¡­¡± Fyn didn¡¯t say anything. He stood by silently, watching Bronn compile the letter. What the latter had left unsaid, was that the Divine Order wouldn¡¯t interfere in a conflict between two Houses just because one of them asked nicely. They¡¯d only do so if they gave them a good reason to... About half an hour later, Bronn reread everything, nodding in satisfaction. Folding the letter, he slid it into an envelope, before digging through his desk¡¯s remains again, this time for his seal. Then, he extended his hand towards Fyn, holding out a red candle. The latter heated it up with his fire mana, before Bronn splotched a blob of wax on the envelope, stamping it down with the seal. Only then did he hand it to his son. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Fyn. I suppose you¡¯ll have to reach Violet with the regular elixirs like everyone else.¡± ¡°Two years¡­ Thirteen years¡­ It¡¯s not that big a difference.¡± Fyn shrugged, before assuming a more serious tone. ¡°But¡­ are you sure about this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the only way.¡± Bronn smiled bitterly. ¡°Take the letter and the elixirs to the Divine Root.¡± Father and son looked each other in the eyes, knowing they were about to turn Remior upside down¡­ Chapter 104 – Smooth sailing no more Percy was on the way back from Orin¡¯s place, when he saw an unusual group of people heading towards him. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ he raised an eyebrow, stopping in his tracks. None of them wore the Guild¡¯s robes ¨C they were outsiders. Of course, that alone wouldn¡¯t have shocked him. Lots of merchants passed by every day. What left him speechless was that he recognized the insignia on their clothes. It definitely wasn¡¯t one he often saw on the streets. Depicting a series of roots emerging from the underside of a cloud, there was no mistaking it ¨C these were members of the Divine Root. ¡®Shit! What do they want from me?! Is our jig up?!¡¯ Even among the seven Great Houses, the Divine Root was a special existence, as they were closely affiliated with the Divine Order. The inner circle of the Divine Order consisted only of gods, or of the mortals deemed talented enough to have a chance of ascending to divinity one day. Their job was to look outwards, guarding Remior against external threats. While they were the undisputed leaders of Remior, they didn¡¯t have the time to manage all the worldly affairs beneath their feet. Consequently, the deities delegated many of those tedious tasks to their subordinates. The Divine Root was essentially their outer circle, consisting solely of mortals who lacked the potential to attain godhood. Not that it made them weak! While the gods viewed the members of the Divine Root as talentless rejects ¨C the failed children who weren¡¯t good enough to join them ¨C the rest of Remior could only look up to them, as they stood at the top even among the rest of the Great Houses! After all, many were direct descendants of the deities themselves, making the organization the largest gathering of blessings and powerful bloodlines in the world! ¡®They¡¯re like the people of the Vault, all gathered in a single House¡­¡¯ Percy clenched his fists, knowing there was no escaping. There was a Blue core in the group! He was a tall man with gunmetal-grey hair whose piercing gaze sent shivers down his spine. Though this person was the same grade as Orin, the two couldn¡¯t be further apart in strength. ¡®I bet he has a blessing. He might even be able to hold his own against baldy for a minute or two¡­¡¯ As the men approached ¨C six of them in total ¨C Percy couldn¡¯t help but instinctively hold his breath, the suffocating auras they passively radiated making it difficult to do otherwise. And when they were only a couple metres away, he closed his eyes too, bracing for the worst¡­ ¡®Huh? They just ignored me!¡¯ The group passed right by him, most of them not sparing him a glance. The only exception was a blond young man who appeared the same age as him. He was already at Green ¨C probably a Yellow-born. He scanned Percy for the briefest of instants, his derisive sneer soon giving way to cold indifference. Only once they were all behind him did Percy remember to let out the turbid air in his lungs, cold sweat trickling down his face. ¡®Right. We¡¯ve gone to great lengths to hide our trail. It¡¯s probably just a coincide¨C¡¯ Sadly, he didn¡¯t even get to the end of that thought before the world proved him wrong. A shockwave suddenly coursed through him, making everything around him shake. It was followed by a gust of wind that sent the colourful particles of mana southward. The bizarre event felt extremely familiar ¨C the last time something like this happened being firmly engraved in Percy¡¯s memory¡­ ¡°Attention, denizens of Remior! This is Hermes again.¡± the eccentric god¡¯s voice boomed from everywhere at once. ¡°It¡¯s quite rare for me to be making announcements like this so often. So, hooray for you, I guess! You get to hear a god speak twice in a few years! What¡¯s more, it¡¯s good news again, so double hooray! Trust me, it¡¯s better than the alternative ¨C you really don¡¯t want me to come out here informing you that Remior has fallen and you¡¯re all about to die.¡± The god chuckled. ¡°Relax, that was a joke. Well, not really. It could actually happen ¨C I just found it funny. In any case, you might be wondering why I¡¯m contacting you again. No, the lotus hasn¡¯t bloomed early. That¡¯s still over two years away, as originally planned. Today, I¡¯m reaching out for a different matter.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Percy swallowed hard, holding some hope deep down that it wasn¡¯t about him, though it was evaporating quickly ¨C it would be way too big of a coincidence. And sure enough¡­ ¡°You see, one of the brilliant folks in the Alchemists¡¯ Guild has invented some new elixirs that can be consumed three times as often! I trust I don¡¯t have to explain what this means for Remior.¡± ¡®Gee, thanks for the compliment¡­¡¯ Percy smiled bitterly as his worst fears came to light. ¡°Speaking as somebody who¡¯s seen lots of amazing treasures out there ¨C each of which would make your mouths water ¨C this is HUGE! Even for us! We¡¯ll get more gods, and you¡¯ll get more Violet and White cores! The only ones who¡¯ll get squat are the Red-borns, but then again¡­ who cares about them anyway, right? It¡¯s not like we had enough elixirs to waste on them before, let alone now. However, everyone else will benefit! Well, as soon as we can mass-produce this so-called Aurora Dew, that is. Big fan of the name, by the way! Props to whomever came up with it! In any case, this is all nice and dandy, but we¡¯ve sadly run into a small problem¡­¡± Knowing where this was heading, Percy took off, hurrying towards Nesha¡¯s gambling den. Contacting her right now was risky, but so was waiting around until the Divine Root homed in on them. ¡°Apparently, the smartass who came up with the recipe chose to keep it to himself, sneaking around to sell it to a small number of people at a premium. Honestly, I get the temptation, but we can¡¯t have that. Whoever you are, we¡¯re willing to pretend the last few months never happened, provided you come forward right now. We¡¯ll give you something for your trouble, and a nice god-approved pat on the back, and we can all have a great time moving forward. We know you¡¯ve gone through a lot of trouble to hide from us, but trust me, that isn¡¯t going to last long. We¡¯ve already sent a group from the Divine Root to interrogate all the registered alchemists in the Guild, and they¡¯ll find you sooner or later. Until then, security at the Guild¡¯s borders will be tripled, and nobody will be allowed to enter or exit without being searched from head to toe. I suppose I needn¡¯t say anything else. If you were smart enough to come up with such a marvellous elixir, you can probably tell what¡¯s best for you. The rest, I¡¯ll leave to our capable underlings. Ba-bye!¡± ¡®Crap!¡¯ Percy couldn¡¯t help but curse in his head. This was about as bad as expected. The only upside was that he¡¯d never taken the test to officially register as an alchemist. That was probably why the men had ignored him earlier. Well, that and the fact he was dressed in orange robes. Nobody would have expected him of all people to be behind such a breakthrough. But his cheap veil of anonymity wouldn¡¯t last forever. As soon as the Divine Root ran out of people to search, they¡¯d branch outwards, until they eventually got to him or Nesha. Even if they destroyed all the evidence of the operation by then, Percy still had plenty of other secrets he couldn¡¯t afford to leak. If anyone wondered why he had a bandage wrapped around his abdomen, it could easily lead to them learning about his second core. From there, the gods would get involved directly, discovering Metatron¡¯s Decree too. Realizing how quickly he was running out of time; Percy quickened his steps. ¡®And that¡¯s assuming Orin doesn¡¯t tell them anything.¡¯ He knew his mentor wouldn¡¯t hurt him on purpose, but the man had been opposed to keeping the secret from the beginning. If the old alchemist thought he was doing Remior ¨C or even Percy ¨C a favour, he might choose to come forward. Reaching Nesha¡¯s place, he forced himself to calm down, trying not to look too suspicious. Entering the building, his ears soon buzzed with a cacophony of cheers and loud discussions. The den was packed to the brim with Nesha¡¯s regulars, but none of them was playing right now. They¡¯d all forgotten about the chips, dice and cards in their hands, instead excitedly talking about the announcement they¡¯d just heard. ¡°Can you believe it?! I¡¯m only seventy years old! I can actually reach Violet and become the leader of my House one day!!¡± somebody shouted. But his mate slapped him on the back. ¡°Yeah right. The Yellow-borns will get the elixirs too, remember? By the time you get to Violet, Remior will be unrecognizable. There might be dozens of Whites and thousands of Violets by then. I doubt the number of noble Houses will increase that much though. It¡¯ll only raise the bar higher¡­¡± The first guy appeared to ponder his friend¡¯s words, but somebody else spoke next. ¡°Screw politics! With this, we¡¯ll live much longer!!¡± Though the new guy got shot down fast too. ¡°You idiot! Most people don¡¯t die of old age anyway¡­ When¡¯s the last time you met somebody older than 600? We¡¯ll still get killed in some war like before¡­¡± More shouts ensued, but Percy ignored them, pushing forward. Luckily, nobody seemed to pay him any attention either. Eventually, he reached Nesha. At first, neither of them said anything, as they merely exchanged a knowing glance. Only a few seconds later did she speak. ¡°Two hours.¡± Percy nodded, before turning around and leaving. They¡¯d already made plans for the worst-case scenario. After all, they¡¯d always intended to stop the operation within a couple of years anyway. Naturally, their clients wouldn¡¯t have taken kindly to the supply of Aurora Dew getting cut off abruptly, so Percy and Nesha had prepared an exit strategy. Of course, they¡¯d originally planned to be long gone by the time the shitstorm reached the settlement. Sadly, it was too late for that now, complicating things. That said¡­ ¡®I¡¯ll be damned if I give away all my hard work to those assholes¡­¡¯ Chapter 105 – Escape ¡®She¡¯s taking forever¡­¡¯ Percy tapped his foot. Standing at the base of the Fungal Spire, he was waiting for Nesha to arrive. The two hours she¡¯d mentioned were nothing more than the time until she closed the gambling den for the night. Despite the urgency of the situation, she couldn¡¯t just drop everything and run away abruptly, as that would raise more than a couple eyebrows. ¡®At least the guards didn¡¯t search me on the way here.¡¯ Evidently, the Divine Root had only bothered to increase the security at the gate leading outside the Guild, and presumably the Spire¡¯s perimeter. Even in normal times, they mostly cared about people leaving the settlement, to ensure they weren¡¯t carrying any nectar with them, breaking the Guild¡¯s monopoly on the substance. It was why Percy hadn¡¯t been checked thoroughly upon first arriving. Also, why the Agent hadn¡¯t encountered too much trouble smuggling the Aurora Dew or the enlightenment potions over the past few months. As for the people hunting on the mushrooms, nobody ever bothered to track their movements. Noticing something by the corner of his eye, Percy turned to see his familiar swiftly approaching. ¡°CAW!¡± the bird greeted upon landing. ¡®Caw indeed.¡¯ Percy replied, before sifting through the bandage wrapped around Micky¡¯s abdomen. It was the same one he¡¯d used back when he still met the Agent regularly. Since he no longer had to do that, he¡¯d long passed it to the crow to conceal its new core. Not that a beast adorned with an accessory wasn¡¯t conspicuous, but it was certainly better than the alternative. Especially since Percy had purposely commissioned for the bandage to be crafted out of a dark fabric, to more easily blend in with the bird¡¯s plumage. ¡®Where is it?!¡¯ Percy¡¯s heart skipped a beat after failing to find what he was looking for. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me you dropped it?!¡¯ ¡°KRAA! KRAA!!¡± the bird protested in indignation before pecking his shoulder. It was only a few seconds later that he finally located a small object somewhere between the cloth and the feathers, dousing his rising panic. Next, Percy wore it around his neck. It was a pendant, with a weirdly shaped gem as its focus. Cut into a perfect cube, the lustrous stone somewhat resembled onyx, though that wasn¡¯t quite what it was. Countless tiny lights glittered like stars across its faces, contrasting against the ebony backdrop they dotted. Looking closer, the particles weren¡¯t splayed randomly, instead forming orderly constellations. Percy knew those were the runes responsible for the enchantment. ¡®It¡¯s pretty AND useful. But still lacklustre compared to what they have in the Vault.¡¯ ¡°I admit rushing to buy the spatial amulet was the right move.¡± Nesha said, having arrived at some point. He shrugged. ¡°Well, we couldn¡¯t exactly carry everything around without it.¡± After awakening the familiar¡¯s second core, Percy hadn¡¯t really had much else he¡¯d wanted to spend his money on. His only goal at that point had been to amass enough brewing materials to last him for some time. Of course, considering his and Micky¡¯s rate of consumption, and his less-than-stellar-yield, Percy currently needed around twenty doses of the regular elixirs per day, which translated to thousands over the course of a single year. Luckily, he¡¯d made plenty of contribution points during the past nine months. Over eight million in total! Of those earnings, he¡¯d spent more than a million on the enlightenment potions and another million on the amulet. As for the other tools and secondary materials he needed to brew on the run¡­ Well, those cost peanuts comparatively speaking. In any case, that had still left him over six million to buy the primary ingredients of the Aurora Dew ¨C the regular elixirs.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I can¡¯t believe there are nearly twenty thousand doses in this tiny necklace.¡± he mused. Though one cubic metre of space wasn¡¯t that much, it could easily fit enough of the pinkie-sized vials to last him for years. Nesha had also pitched in, converting her own share into materials, storing them in Percy¡¯s amulet. With these, they could both keep drinking Aurora Dew for the next two years. Of course, he¡¯d originally planned to remain here longer. Sadly, that wasn¡¯t possible now. As things stood, they¡¯d run out of elixirs right after the lotus bloomed. And depending on how their escape went, they might not be able to return to the Guild for more. ¡®Oh well. That¡¯s a problem for future Percy¡­¡¯ ¡°Are you sure this is the best move?¡± Nesha suddenly asked, fidgeting. ¡°For me, yes.¡± Percy replied, before elaborating. ¡°Coming clean to the Divine Root is admittedly tempting, but I have other secrets besides the elixirs that I don¡¯t want them to learn.¡± Nesha gave Micky a cursory glance. ¡°You mean this Orange cored beast you¡¯ve somehow tamed?¡± ¡°Among other things¡­¡± he replied vaguely. Even if he could somehow guard all his secrets from them, he wasn¡¯t entirely convinced they¡¯d treat him as fairly as they claimed. After all, he¡¯d seen the disdainful looks the people of the Divine Root had given him, and he¡¯d heard the sheer contempt with which Hermes talked about Red-borns. The moment they realized how easily the pure mana could be crystallized, he¡¯d lose all worth in their eyes. ¡®No, escaping is my only option¡­¡¯ Not Nesha¡¯s though. Glancing at her, he pondered the implications of what he was asking her to do. Depending on how everything went, they might end up as fugitives on the run from actual gods. ¡°You don¡¯t have to come with me.¡± Nesha raised an eyebrow. ¡°They¡¯re more likely to notice my involvement. I was the one in charge of everything. And unlike you, I won¡¯t be able to give them what they want. They¡¯ll skin me alive¡­¡± she said, biting her lip. But Percy shook his head. ¡°My mentor knows the recipe. Find him and work together to make a deal with them. They only want the elixirs. They don¡¯t really care what happens to you.¡± What Percy had left unsaid was that this way, he¡¯d lose both his advantage and his means of making money. In a few years, he might be the only one on Remior who couldn¡¯t afford the Aurora Dew. ¡®Well, me and all the other Red-borns.¡¯ Still, it wouldn¡¯t be fair to force his problems on Nesha. The girl nervously crossed her arms, apparently considering it. At first, he gave her a couple of minutes to think. It was a huge decision, and he didn¡¯t want to rush her. However, as she continued to remain silent, he was about to urge her, when she suddenly spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Percy carefully scanned her. Nesha had stopped shaking, her eyes now burning with determination. He didn¡¯t mind her tagging along ¨C he trusted her after working together for so long. Plus, she was useful, not only because of her bloodline and commercial skills, but also due to her affinity. Though there was one thing he needed to know first. ¡°Why?¡± Nesha furrowed her brow, apparently contemplating the question. ¡°Before we started collaborating, I was working towards a certain goal¡­ Though I suppose I always knew deep down that it wasn¡¯t a very realistic one.¡± she ultimately said. ¡°What changed?¡± Percy asked. She shrugged. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve made more money in the past year than I would¡¯ve made in a decade. Not to mention, the elixirs gave me hope of catching up to my enemies in this lifetime.¡± ¡°Lifetime?¡± Percy failed to suppress a chuckle. ¡°If you come with me, I can¡¯t even promise we¡¯ll be alive tomorrow. Plus, the recipe is going public in nineteen years regardless of what we do.¡± She certainly knew he was telling the truth, though she didn¡¯t seem deterred. ¡°I have a hunch that sticking with you will give me a chance to get my revenge. That¡¯s enough.¡± Percy grinned. ¡°Welcome to the team then. By the way, the bird is Micky.¡± She nodded. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan? Are we going to look for a weak point in the perimeter?¡± she asked. But Percy shook his head. ¡°Even on the off chance we get out, they¡¯ll spot us. It¡¯ll only be a matter of time before they let the people in charge know. And we can¡¯t outrun a Blue core.¡± ¡°What other choice do we have? We can¡¯t leave through the front gate¡­¡± Percy smiled. ¡°How about below the Guild?¡± Nesha tilted her head. She appeared about to voice her confusion when¡­ CRACK A loud noise came from a bunch of boulders a few dozen metres away from them. There seemed to be a hole in the rocky formation, though it was only big enough for something the size of an apple to squeeze through. The sounds escalated, as the stones by the tiny entrance began to shake. A few moments later, a pair of oversized mandibles pierced through, followed by a head, and a torso¡­ Before long, a man-sized wasp emerged, widening the tunnel in its passing. Nesha took a step back, already drawing mana from her core, as a pitch-black bubble manifested in her hand. But she didn¡¯t stop there, gathering more as she stared at the bug. ¡°How the hell did a Starry Soldier end up on the first level?!¡± she asked nobody in particular. Percy placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Stop. The bug is our way out.¡± he said, eliciting an odd expression from his friend. Nesha turned towards the wasp again, her features twisting in incredulity upon seeing the creature wave at her with its forelimb. Chapter 106 – Unsettling Percy removed his robes, carefully folding them before placing them on the ground. ¡®Man, I¡¯m so going to miss the self-cleaning enchantment¡­¡¯ Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t risk being seen wearing his Guild attire outside. Doing so would only needlessly increase the risk of people connecting him to the elixirs. The same went for his old clothes. He was better off masquerading as a commoner, to avoid bringing his House trouble. That was why he¡¯d brought two sets of plain, linen outfits ¨C one for himself and one for Nesha. ¡°How do you even control these beasts? The wasp is a higher grade than you!¡± her voice rang out from the other side of the tree, where she was also changing. ¡°I¡¯ll explain if we survive¡­ No point wasting my breath before then.¡± he replied as he pulled up the boot on his right foot. ¡°Fair enough¡­¡± she said, though she caught herself a moment later. ¡°Wait. What do you mean ¡®if we survive¡¯?! How confident are you in this plan?!¡± Percy shrugged, though she couldn¡¯t see him. But neither party spoke much over the next few minutes, as he waited for her to finish. At some point, he remembered the Honey Roll he¡¯d bought in a hurry before rushing out of the settlement. Digging through his folded robes, he found the snack in one of the pockets, gleefully biting a chunk off. It had grown cold, but he wasn¡¯t deterred. It was debatable whether stopping by Freddy¡¯s had been wise given the circumstances, though Percy had wanted to chat with his pal one last time before leaving the Guild for good. While he hadn¡¯t dared to bid the man farewell, afraid to get the poor guy involved in his mess, he knew that might have very well been his last chance to see him. ¡®And this could be my last Honey Roll ever¡­¡¯ Slowing down to savour it, he looked up at the mushrooms above. They still showered the ground level with their wondrous particles. Percy would never forget the first time he saw them, on that fateful night some three years ago¡­ ¡®No. I¡¯ll definitely come back one day.¡¯ A couple minutes later, he and Nesha stood by the mouth of the tunnel his clone had dug up, gazing at the colourful glow emanating from within. Swirling motes of light danced in the air, reflecting off the tunnel¡¯s slick walls, casting a mesmerizing, almost dreamlike atmosphere around them. Despite its beauty, Percy keenly felt the weight of the danger lurking beneath them. ¡®Let¡¯s get this over with¡­¡¯ he silently conveyed to his clone. That was when the Starry Soldier approached, opening its jaws wide before suddenly spitting something at him. Percy barely closed his eyes in time to avoid the green goo splattering all over his face. This serving of sludge had nothing to do with the nectar in the bug¡¯s gland. Rather, it had come from its stomach. It was thick like mucus, sliding slowly down his neck. Its stench, a disorienting blend of musk and rot, hit him instantly. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± he grunted, resisting the urge to gag as he used his hands to smear the creature¡¯s vomit all over his clothes. The insect continued to throw up more of the disgusting substance. Nesha retched, recoiling back in horror at the sight. Percy would have grinned if not for the fear of accidentally swallowing some of the foul goo. After another mouthful of vomit splashed onto him, he nodded in satisfaction, before waving a hand toward the bug, sending it after his partner. ¡°Eeeek!!! Keep that thing away from me!!!¡± she shrieked, stepping back as the creature advanced. Though the clone ignored her, closing in against her protests.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Let it do it if you want to survive.¡± Percy said, wiping his mouth on the last clean patch of his shirt before explaining. ¡°The interior of the Spire is filled with wasps. This is the only way to keep them from attacking us¡­¡± ¡®Hopefully.¡¯ he kept that last part to himself. Nesha groaned, wrinkling her nose in disgust as she reluctantly began slathering the vomit on her clothes. Eventually, she broke the long silence as soon as she was done. ¡°Isn¡¯t it forbidden to enter these tunnels?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Percy admitted. ¡°But we¡¯re already criminals. Or we will be, if people find out what we¡¯ve done. Also, nobody is going to know about this. They can¡¯t monitor all these openings ¨C there are too many. Not that they need to, as entering is a death sentence in and of itself.¡± ¡°Lovely.¡± she spat sarcastically. Then, Percy turned to his familiar. Over the next few minutes, he had his clone cover the crow with the sludge too, taking the opportunity to strap their old clothes on the wasp¡¯s back. The idea was for it to dispose of them somewhere in the tunnels below, as soon as they escaped the Guild. Before long, he was done ¨C as was the bug. ¡°KRAAAA!¡± Micky cawed in annoyance, trying to peck some of the goo out of his feathers. Percy had considered letting him fly away on his own, but they didn¡¯t know how tight the security was around the perimeter. ¡®Oh well¡­ For all we know he won¡¯t survive if I die anyway¡­¡¯ ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asked Nesha. Getting a nod back, he embraced the bird with his left elbow, before offering his right hand to his partner. She stared at it for a moment before reluctantly grabbing hold. ¡°Whatever happens inside, don¡¯t let go.¡± The two then walked into the vibrant cave, the Starry Soldier right behind them. As soon as they were all inside, the bug turned around and lunged at the walls of the tunnel, clawing at them with its thin forelegs, biting at them with its mandibles. ¡°Now what?¡± Nesha asked as the cave¡¯s opening collapsed, sealing the way back. ¡°The tunnels on the first level aren¡¯t supposed to be large enough for people.¡± Percy explained. As they delved deeper into the hive, the bug kept digging at the walls, collapsing everything in their wake. If anyone saw what Percy was doing to the interior of the Spire, they¡¯d have rushed to skin him alive. ¡®I prefer to think of it as restoring the environment to its original state.¡¯ Which was technically correct. The tunnels his clone was currently destroying were the very ones he¡¯d personally widened over the past few weeks. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t have possibly built the entire tunnel leading outside ¨C it would be too long for a single bug to pull off in such a short time. Even for one at Yellow. Percy¡¯s clone had merely expanded some sections, linking the ground level of the Spire to the network a few dozen metres underground. Most of the tunnels the group would be using had already existed beforehand. ¡®It¡¯s a pity I couldn¡¯t get to the queen¡¯s nest though¡­¡¯ Even though his latest clone had delved much deeper than the worker, he still hadn¡¯t managed to reach the eggs. It was one of the reasons Percy wanted to return to the Guild in the future, to try again after possessing one of the Green bugs. After all, the prospect of a Starry Wasp familiar was too tempting to give up on. BZZZZZZZZ Percy was taken out of his thoughts as the trio encountered the first few bugs. There were only five drones in front of them, but a quick scan via Soul Vision revealed twice as many lurking around the corner. Nesha¡¯s grip tightened, the girl appearing a little shaken. A few Red beasts were nothing to a Yellow core, but she didn¡¯t have much experience hunting, and the current circumstances were more than a little claustrophobic. ¡°Listen. The further we go, the more of them there will be. Higher grades too. Don¡¯t try fighting them or running away. If the goo fails us we¡¯ll be overwhelmed anyway.¡± At first, his words seemed counter-productive, only causing the colour in her face to drain further. Still, Nesha bit her lip to calm down, before forcing a strained smile. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s hinge all our lives on bug vomit.¡± Percy grinned too, mostly to suppress his own bubbling unease, as he pressed onward, bringing the others along. The drones paused upon noticing them, eyeing them curiously. From his clone¡¯s experience, Percy understood they were trying to discern whether they posed a threat to the colony. No wasp below Yellow would attack him unprovoked outside, but things here were different. Still¡­ After approaching and giving them a cursory feel with its antennae, the bug turned away, seemingly satisfied with their credentials. Its pals returned to their jobs too, back to grazing the concentrated mana off the tunnel¡¯s walls. ¡°So far so good.¡± he muttered, keeping his voice down. The others seemed to have grown a touch more confident too, as Nesha picked up the pace, probably eager to get the hell out of here before the scent wore off. Sadly, no amount of confidence could have prepared them for what followed¡­ Chapter 107 – Hell Countless legs poked Percy from all sides, pushing him around like a boat amidst a sea of insects. They came in all sizes, from the rod-like limbs of the soldiers pinning him to the ground, bruising his body with each heavy step, to the stick-like legs of the drones crawling all over his skin. Their soft, frequent taps were as intrusive as they were unnerving. The young man had to lean on both knees and one elbow, desperately trying to resist the weight of the wasps above, doing his best to keep Micky from getting squashed in his embrace. ¡°Ugghhh!¡± Percy couldn¡¯t help but groan in pain, as the frightened crow clenched its talons, digging into his flesh and soul both. As for his right hand, it didn¡¯t fare much better, creaking as Nesha clasped it tightly, short-lived but frequent tremors coursing through his bones every few moments. It was nearly impossible to make out what was happening around them, as the flurry of insect shadows bled into the dizzying glow of the cavern, plunging Percy¡¯s surroundings into chaos. Still, he vaguely spotted his partner trying to shield her head with her free hand, her face a nauseated green. ¡°Hold on!¡± he shouted, though his voice barely pierced through the buzzing cacophony of the hive. At first, he wasn¡¯t sure Nesha heard him, but a prompt squeeze of her palm soon revealed she indeed had. Percy gathered all his strength to crawl forward, forcing himself against the current. ¡®Should I use Circulation?¡¯ Even with two Orange cores and a trained body, enduring the current of bugs without his boosting art was a struggle. The thought of resorting to it was tempting, especially since the dense accumulation of mana inside the tunnel promised to make the act easier than ever. But he shook his head. Inducing such a conspicuous flow of ambient mana risked drawing the wrong type of attention from the insects. Gritting his teeth, he pushed through the river of wasps with brute strength alone, still protecting his familiar with one hand, guiding the girl forward with the other. Inch by inch, they made some progress, though it would take them days to reach the exit at this pace. Not to mention, the constant scratches caused by the bugs¡¯ limbs threatened to tear what little remained of their clothes off, and the soldier¡¯s goo with it. ¡®Shit! If we lose the scent, we¡¯re fucked!¡¯ he realized, before calling out to his clone. ¡®Do something, will you?!¡¯ The latter had to deal with the rushing bugs too, but his hard exoskeleton ensured he had an easier time doing so. His body was built for precisely this environment after all. Heeding Percy¡¯s call, he dove forward, alleviating some of the pressure with his frame, finally allowing the trio to move a little faster. With the immediate danger warded off for the time-being, the group ¨C two humans, one bird and one wasp ¨C crawled closer to one another, doing their best to not fall into the same predicament again. Of course, some of the insects still climbed over them, but there were fewer now, as the clone focused on clearing the path ahead. Yet¡­ Percy swallowed hard as a soldier¡¯s stinger brushed right by his cheek, narrowly missing his eye. Had it landed a couple inches to the right, it would have skewered his brain, pumping his skull full of acid. ¡®At least it wasn¡¯t on purpose¡­¡¯ he realised in relief. Not that he particularly cared about souring his relationship with a random bug, but had the creature intentionally attacked, it would have meant the rest of its kin were about to follow suit. The party continued like this for several hours, each of them visibly fighting both the exhaustion, and to keep the contents of their stomachs from spilling. Percy handled the situation slightly better than his companions, but only because he¡¯d already experienced this many times before, through his clone¡¯s memories. Even so, there was a stark difference between merely recalling his clone¡¯s second-hand experience ¨C in its native environment no less ¨C and actually enduring it with his real body.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡®Less room for mistakes too¡­¡¯ Eventually, the slope beneath their feet tilted upward, the density of bugs in the winding tunnel dropping about half an hour later. They were still some distance from their destination, but they appeared to have crossed the half-way mark. Suddenly, Percy stopped. Nesha flashed him a questioning look, but he ignored her, busy communicating with his clone instead. Soon, the bug turned around, spitting a new round of vomit on him. Understanding his intentions, the girl then closed her eyes, silently inviting the clone to renew her own cover too. She appeared to have finally overcome her disgust for the sludge. ¡®I suppose it would be strange if she still cared about that¡­¡¯ he chuckled. Only after the whole group had undergone the process did they resume their journey. Honestly, Percy wasn¡¯t sure the substance was necessary anymore, as the entire hive reeked with the foul stench this far in. From what he understood, this was how the bugs communicated to one another who was a friend. ¡®It doesn¡¯t hurt to be careful.¡¯ he shrugged. In any case, the party of four continued their trek through the colourful tunnel, finally able to appreciate the scenery now that the flood of bugs had grown less chaotic. Percy had seen the lustrous deposits decorating the walls before, though they looked twice as beautiful now that he sported a better pair of eyes. Nesha gawked at the sight too, seemingly having set her fears aside. Percy didn¡¯t blame her for it either. The view was truly mesmerizing, especially for someone stumbling upon it for the first time. A couple hours later, the traffic of bugs nearly disappeared entirely, as the group approached the artificial part of the hive the clone had personally dug up. At last, the most dangerous part of the trip was already behind them¡­ ¡­or so they thought. Suddenly, a massive insect head smashed through the ceiling a few metres ahead, the crumbling debris raising a cloud of dust as it hit the floor. ¡®The fuck?!¡¯ Percy nearly stumbled backwards, dragging Nesha with him. He coughed, wanting to cover his mouth, but neither of his hands were free, forcing him to awkwardly use his shoulder instead. From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the intruder. Luckily, it didn¡¯t seem to have noticed them yet, still struggling to dig itself out of the hole. Yet, what little Percy could see was frightening enough. The bug¡¯s head was as large as his clone¡¯s thorax, meaning the creature¡¯s entire body was probably as big as an elephant. ¡®A Starry Knight!¡¯ It was his first time seeing one in person, though his clones had run into a few in the past. Not many, as they seemed much scarcer than their weaker relatives ¨C at least in the sections of the hive he¡¯d managed to access. Only a few seconds later did Nesha spot the oversized bug, Percy feeling her shudder. Part of him wanted to comfort her, but the priority right now was to figure out how to get past the monster in one piece. ¡®Will the disguise even hold?¡¯ he openly wondered through the cord, letting his clone listen in. ¡®I don¡¯t know¡­ All the wasps rely on the goo, but the higher grades are smarter too.¡¯ Percy gritted his teeth. Bug or not, he didn¡¯t dare underestimate a Green core¡¯s intelligence. ¡®Can you get us past it?¡¯ he asked again. He¡¯d considered turning back, but there was nowhere to go. His clone had only dug one exit to the surface, and this was the only tunnel leading to it. ¡®I can try.¡¯ Then, realizing they were almost out of time ¨C the knight having nearly extricated itself from the hole ¨C the clone spat another mouthful of sludge on each of them for good measure. Next, it turned around to negotiate with its giant cousin. The creature had to scrunch up to fit inside the tunnel ¨C it clearly wasn¡¯t meant for the Green variants. Each of its movements scraped ores and crystals off the walls. Glancing at the group, it perked up, noticing something out of place. Not missing a beat, the clone stood before it, trying to block its view, as he opened his mandibles. The stench of rot and musk intensified further, as Percy¡¯s clone released more of it, this time in a gaseous form. Releasing a high-pitched screech that made Percy¡¯s ears hurt, the knight tried to brush the clone aside with its head, though the latter fought to stand his ground. Confused, the Green wasp felt the clone with its antennae, probably trying to discern whether he was truly its kin. Though the knight seemed convinced, it still stubbornly tried to look past the clone, sensing something wrong. Percy held his breath throughout the whole ordeal, a quick glance revealing that Nesha was doing the same. Unable to hold on much longer, however, he ended up gasping for air a few seconds later, a whiff of the putrid stench nearly making him gag. Thinking of something, he let go of his partner¡¯s hand ¨C much to her surprise ¨C discreetly placing it behind his back, hidden behind the bandage. Luckily, the enchanted fabric was still in one piece, unlike many of the tattered rags they wore. Then, he began gathering some soul mana, just in case. The standoff continued for several minutes, as cold sweat trickled down his back. At some point, the knight seemed to back down a little, making Percy think it had finally agreed to let them go. Relaxing, he noticed the noxious odour had, at some point, given way to a different, less unpleasant scent. It was sweet, faintly reminding him of bananas¡­ ¡®Shit. RUN!¡¯ the clone suddenly screamed through the connection. Chapter 108 – Starry Knight With a violent snap of its mandibles, the knight tore nearly halfway through the clone¡¯s torso, before slamming him against the wall. Nesha stepped back, seemingly about to run away, when Percy stopped her. ¡°DON¡¯T!¡± he yelled, not leaving room for debate. Putting aside whether they could outrun the creature, they couldn¡¯t risk diving back into the sea of bugs behind them. The knight could easily set the whole colony off! No, there was only one way out, and it was past the beast! The monster lunged towards them, its pillar-like legs punching craters in their wake, the rocky protrusions sticking out of the tunnel¡¯s surfaces barely hindering its advance. Out of time, Percy swung his right hand, launching the Parting Gift. A faint distortion passed through the air, spinning towards the bug. He¡¯d poured everything in the attack, not leaving even a drop behind for Soul Vision. He¡¯d have used Circulation too if he had a few more seconds. KREEEEEE!!! The bug let out an otherworldly screech ¨C even louder than before ¨C as the invisible sickle found its mark, landing between its eyes. Percy counted his lucky stars that the narrow tunnel had robbed the knight of its greatest strength ¨C its agility. He assumed he¡¯d have never managed to hit it outdoors. Not if it was any faster than the soldiers, just as they were quicker than the workers. Missing a step, the monster stumbled on the ground, though its momentum continued to carry it forward at a dangerous speed. Thinking on his feet, Percy shoved Nesha against the wall, leaping towards the opposite one himself, hoping they¡¯d fit in the gaps by the bug¡¯s sides. ¡®Micky!!! Use Circulation!!! NOW!!!¡¯ The impact shook him, though he¡¯d made sure to absorb all of it with his body, still cognisant of the crow in his arms. Though that was only the beginning of his struggle, as the knight¡¯s limp frame finally reached him, pushing him against the hard stone. Percy instinctively pressed both knees and elbows against the wall, desperate to leave enough space for Micky. He felt all his bones creak and crack as the rough carapace of the giant wasp peeled a layer of skin off his back. ¡°AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!¡± he screamed, enduring the pain as he did everything in his power to keep both himself and his familiar alive. Eventually, the wasp came to rest about halfway past him. Its body still pressed against his own, though the weight was more bearable now that it wasn¡¯t moving. Well, for a while at least¡­ Suddenly, the creature spasmed, sending a wave of force through him. ¡®It¡¯s still alive!¡¯ Percy realized in horror. His Parting Gift had never failed before ¨C at least not when he managed to land it. Then again, a two-grade gap was probably too much to bridge, especially without Circulation. The creature cried and squirmed, each tiny movement slamming into Percy with the force of a charging ram. He had no idea if Nesha had survived, but he didn¡¯t have the luxury to worry about her now. Taking advantage of the pauses between the bug¡¯s pained jolts, he crawled against the wall, ignoring his protesting limbs, trying to reach the rear of the creature before it recovered completely. ¡®Faster¡­¡¯ he thought as its spasms grew more frequent. It was fortunate it lacked the awareness to attack him on purpose, as he doubted he¡¯d survive any deliberate blows. Yet he understood it was just a matter of time until his luck ran out¡­ He inhaled as much air as he could with every chance the creature gave him. His efforts stung, as a broken rib seemed to have pierced his lung, slowing down the process. At least, the extreme density of mana in the air helped, letting him slowly refill his cores despite the obstacles. A few seconds later, he found some space beneath the wasp¡¯s abdomen, finally letting him stretch his limbs a little. However, a new issue had arisen, giving him pause. Glinting by the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the bug¡¯s stinger. The lethal weapon was longer than a lance, thick droplets of purple dripping from its tip. SSSSSS A pool had already formed beneath it, and the acid seemed even more potent than that of the soldiers. Percy was standing a few steps away, yet the scarce vapor alone was enough to make his eyes burn and water, leaving an acrid aftertaste at the back of his throat.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Just as he was contemplating how to best bypass it, the knight suddenly lashed out with a hindleg, sending him bouncing against the wall, before tumbling down a few metres behind it. COUGH, COUGH Percy¡¯s coughs were wet, and his body felt like it had been stomped on by a herd of buffalos. ¡®At least I¡¯m alive¡­¡¯ he reasoned, before registering that the bug had kindly helped him around the pool of acid. ¡®Thanks for that!¡¯ Even better, a quick glance revealed that Micky was ok. Rattled, yes, but otherwise unharmed. It was more than he could say about¡­ ¡®Shit! Nesha!¡¯ Only now did he remember his companion, scanning his surroundings for her. Luckily, he didn¡¯t have to look far, as he found her sitting by a wall nearby, having also managed to escape the bug¡¯s clutches somehow. He was about to call out to her, when he noticed her condition. She had a hand pressed against her right temple, a stream of red seeping through her fingers. One of her eyes was closed, the other sporting a vacant gaze. There were several more cuts and bruises throughout her body, though her blood was mixed with a different liquid. A green one. ¡®Wasp blood?¡¯ Percy recognized it, having encountered it countless times while hunting. There was no mistaking it, as it gleamed in a brighter shade than his clone¡¯s vomit. A piercing screech reminded him they weren¡¯t out of the woods quite yet, as the knight had stood up again, and it was trying to turn around. Breathing faster, Percy hoped to activate Circulation in time. The boosting art put a strain on one¡¯s body ¨C which wasn¡¯t an issue for him normally ¨C but his current state made everything a challenge. ¡®Synchronization is definitely out of the question¡­¡¯ he noted, as he watched the wasp claw some extra space out of the walls so it could turn. That was when Percy spotted some nasty gashes by its side, a bright green liquid oozing out of its exoskeleton. ¡®It¡¯s injured!¡¯ Checking Nesha¡¯s core with Mana Sense, he saw it was empty. She¡¯d probably used everything she had to extricate herself from the creature, wounding it in the process. The bug finally managed to orient itself, its compound eyes locking onto Percy, sending a shiver down his spine. ¡®I suppose it¡¯ll have to do.¡¯ he thought as a silver maelstrom came to life underneath his skin. He hadn¡¯t bothered to use his second core, as he knew the pure mana wouldn¡¯t even put a dent on the knight¡¯s carapace. Plus, Percy¡¯s body couldn¡¯t handle another round of boosting right now. Placing Micky on the ground, he briefly considered asking him to help. Though he quickly shot the idea down. While the crow was in a better state than him, it didn¡¯t have anything in its arsenal that would make a difference here. It wouldn¡¯t even be able to fly properly inside the narrow tunnel. Realising it was all up to him, he manifested two silver sickles, each larger than the one before. The bug was about to charge towards him, but Percy wouldn¡¯t give it the chance to pick up speed a second time. Unleashing both of his weapons, he watched as they stabbed his opponent¡¯s soul. It had clearly learned its lesson, however, jerking its head at the last second to ensure only one of the constructs landed on it, letting the other hit its torso. The projectiles definitely hurt. Still, the monstrosity simply refused to collapse. It lashed erratically against the tunnel with everything it had ¨C limbs, stinger and mandibles ¨C causing chunks of stone larger than Percy¡¯s head to fall all over the place. The young man had no choice but to jump around, while keeping an eye out for Nesha and Micky both, ready to intercept a rock with a blast of cyan if he had to. At the same time, he rushed to replenish his soul mana, preparing to hit the wasp again. But it wasn¡¯t going down that easily, it seemed. Snapping out of its frenzy sooner than last time, it crawled towards Percy, hell-bent on chomping down the annoying pests that dared to injure it. Percy wanted to run. Unlike before, the exit was behind him. Still, he was in a worse shape than the creature. It would definitely catch up. Besides, he couldn¡¯t leave the others at its mercy. ¡°Then¡­ Just DIE already!!!¡± he yelled, launching another sickle with what mana he¡¯d managed to recover. It hit, but the wasp kept coming. ¡°DIE!!¡± he threw one more, draining his channels out too, bringing him right out of Circulation. This one halted the knight¡¯s movements, causing it to fall to its side, the impact sending a shockwave through the cavern. Yet, the horror wasn¡¯t quite over, as the bug¡¯s limbs twitched just moments later, letting it resume its march. ¡°JUST¡­!! FUCKING¡­!! DIE¡­!!!¡± The young man screamed between strained breaths, resorting to random blobs of pure mana that splattered harmlessly against the creature. Naturally, they did nothing. Looming over him, the wasp looked like it was about to pounce, when someone interfered¡­ ¡®My clone!¡¯ Percy had written the soldier off, as he was in the worst condition out of everyone in the tunnel. By far. His upper body was barely held together by a few scant shards of chitin. Though that hadn¡¯t been enough to put the clone out of commission, apparently. Having waited for the knight to walk right over him, he bit at one of its legs, hugging it tightly. Then, he plunged his stinger right into the wound Nesha had inflicted, pumping the monster¡¯s carapace full of acid. Screeching in agony once more, the Green bug stomped on the clone¡¯s head with a different leg, this time crushing it directly. It only took a moment for the soul fragment to slam into Percy, flooding his mind with memories. The young man forcefully brushed them aside, however. This wasn¡¯t the time to sort them out. Having exhausted all his trump cards, Percy stared at the beast, his expression grim. He knew he couldn¡¯t retreat another step. Nesha was right behind him. Tightening his grip around a half-formed sickle, he prepared for his final stand against the bug. Satisfied with its handiwork, the knight tossed the broken clone aside, turning back toward Percy. It opened its jaw wide, sending a rain of spittle at him. Man and insect looked each other in the eyes, both keenly aware that only one of them would survive. ¡®At best¡­¡¯ Chapter 109 – Regal intent The knight¡¯s mandibles opened wide, preparing to chomp the pesky human in half. Reading his adversary¡¯s intentions via Soul Vision, the young man was ready to crouch beneath the monster at a moment¡¯s notice, clenching the half-formed sickle tightly in his fist. Yet just as they were about to clash, something strange happened. The beast¡¯s body suddenly relaxed, its expression easing. ¡®Now what?!¡¯ At first, Percy thought it was an act. A ruse to get him to drop his guard. But he doubted the creature was that smart. Besides, it didn¡¯t really need to trick him to end this. Honestly, his odds of surviving the frontal assault of the elephant-sized beast were abysmal. More importantly, he could see the wasp¡¯s bloodlust had all but evaporated, not finding any trace of hostility in its soul. ¡®Who cares?!¡¯ Whatever the reason was, he wouldn¡¯t waste his chance. Swinging his weapon at the knight¡¯s face, he gouged another deep wound into its soul. What was it, the sixth now? An advantage of fighting in close range was that he could more easily maintain his constructs. A chunk of it still crumbled away, but he needed less mana to repair it than to form a new one, soon delivering another strike after the first. No reaction. For some reason, the towering monster that had savagely fought to slaughter them all just minutes ago was now standing motionless, eating Percy¡¯s attacks with no intention of fighting back. ¡®Has it lost consciousness or something?¡¯ he wondered, as the silver maelstrom finally formed within his torso once more. Yet, just when he was about to redouble his efforts to slay the knight, another change occurred. A spark of intelligence suddenly flashed inside its compound eyes, gazing at the young man not with hatred or hunger, but curiosity. Percy shivered, leaping backwards by instinct. He knew his best course of action was to continue hacking at the monster, but his body refused to listen, a primal wave of terror now coursing through it. Somehow, the bug¡¯s pensive look was even more frightening than its previous demeanour. But the wasp didn¡¯t stop there. Tilting its head, it unleashed a suffocating aura inside the narrow corridor. Physically, nothing happened ¨C Percy didn¡¯t need to use Mana Sense to see the colourful motes dancing through the air like before, many of them flowing towards him. The bug hadn¡¯t moved an inch from its spot either¡­ Still, he couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was stuck in amber, as a palpable presence flooded the cavern, holding him in place. No Green beast should be able to exert this kind of tangible authority! This¡­ it felt almost regal! ¡®Shit.¡¯ It appeared the Starry Queen had taken notice of their actions! Percy had no clue why she had stopped the knight from killing him, or why she seemed intent on capturing them alive¡­ and honestly, he wasn¡¯t interested in finding out. Summoning every shred of willpower, he fought to twitch his thumb, eventually managing to point it towards his palm. Then, he pushed some soul mana through it, extending a sharp point off its tip. ¡°AAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!¡± The pain was immense. But it worked. Gritting his teeth, he intensified his breaths as he formed another sickle in his right hand, still stabbing himself with his left. ¡°GO TO HELL ALREADY!!!¡± he yelled, dashing towards the creature. It raised two forelimbs to stop him, though Percy saw its reaction coming from a mile away. He didn¡¯t know if the previous damage had slowed the wasp¡¯s movements, or if it was the queen¡¯s control over her subject that was clumsy, but it worked in his favour either way. Crouching beneath the knight¡¯s legs, he slid underneath its carapace, as he relied on his momentum to slice a long line through its soul. If a dozen small attacks weren¡¯t enough to take it down, Percy would have to go big! The rough floor of the tunnel further shredded his already injured back, but he didn¡¯t let the pain dull his offensive. The sickle¡¯s edge met a lot of resistance ¨C it was like trying to chop a tree with a rusty axe ¨C but Percy wasn¡¯t deterred. He kept flooding his weapon with mana, as his core and channels emptied again, bringing him out of Circulation a second time. In the end, the construct shattered right around the wasp¡¯s sternum, Percy¡¯s body coming to a halt not much further. He wasn¡¯t sure if that had been enough, but he knew he shouldn¡¯t remain in that spot either way. Kicking against a rocky protrusion, he rolled to the side, colliding violently against the wall.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. And just in time too¡­ BOOOOOOOOOOOOM With a deafening sound, the heavy carapace of the colossal bug fell limp on the floor, countless cracks spreading out from the impact. Instinctively, Percy wanted to hold his breath until the results came in, though he knew the fastest way to check if the beast was alive was to gather enough mana for Soul Vision. And a few seconds later, he had his answer¡­ He finally exhaled in relief, plopping back onto a hard crystal. It hurt a bit, but not as much as everything else. Still, Percy ignored his protesting body, pushing himself up. There was no time to waste. Limping towards Nesha, he placed two fingers on her neck, checking for a pulse. It was faint, but she was alive. ¡®Not for much longer though.¡¯ Luckily, he had the means to save her. Reaching for the spatial amulet around his neck¡­ ¡®No. No-no-no-no-no!¡¯ his heart skipped a beat upon realizing it wasn¡¯t there. ¡®Shit! Where is it?!?!¡¯ The artifact contained everything! From the two years¡¯ worth of ingredients he¡¯d painstakingly accumulated, to the healing potions he needed to save his partner¡¯s life. Hell, without them, he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d be in any condition to escape the tunnel himself, before the queen sent her troops after him. Percy scanned his surroundings, looking for the pendant. He had to find it. And he had to do it fast! He still wasn¡¯t sure what the queen wanted from him. Perhaps she had seen how useful Circulation was, or maybe she just wanted to kill him personally. Either way, the sea of bugs they had left behind was only a few hours away, and that was assuming there weren¡¯t any other nearby tunnels filled with the darn things. It didn¡¯t take a genius to guess they were probably all heading their way already. ¡®It all depends on when I dropped it¡­¡¯ Had it happened back when the wasps were crawling all over them, there would be no retrieving it. His only hope was to have lost it during the fight with the knight. But the odds of that being the case were swiftly fading as he failed to spot it anywhere around him. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s under the corpse¡­¡¯ The only thing more difficult than walking back to the knight was lifting its oversized carcass. Percy¡¯s limbs were already purple and swollen. Even the slightest exertion resulted in a series of popping sounds all over his body. Still, he persisted, knowing he wasn¡¯t getting out of here without that amulet. Reactivating Circulation was torture. To make matters worse, a single application didn¡¯t seem to be enough. Gritting his teeth, he pushed as much mana into his channels as his body could handle, eventually managing to budge the knight slightly. ¡®This thing must weigh half a dozen tons¡­¡¯ It took everything he had and then some, only to roll the body a couple inches to the side. Percy was starting to lose all hope when he finally caught a glimpse of a dark object about a metre to his left. ¡°HAHAHAHA!!!¡± he laughed like a madman, his sheer joy giving him the strength to lift the carapace just a little more. ¡°Micky!! Grab it! FAST!¡± The bird didn¡¯t need to be told twice, eagerly fluttering towards the artifact, happy to finally be useful. Percy hadn¡¯t had the time to think about it earlier, but he knew the crow had felt guilty letting him fight on his own, unable to help. Only after the familiar retrieved the pendant did Percy lower the corpse again, falling back weakly. Micky then brought him the object, as he wasn¡¯t in any condition to move. Confirming that it wasn¡¯t damaged, the young man stuck his thumb on one of the cube¡¯s faces, releasing three brief pulses of pure mana. He didn¡¯t know if these enchantments worked with every affinity, but they certainly did with his. The cube emitted a satisfying sound, before expanding severalfold, reaching the size of a crate. The same side he had just tapped then opened, revealing a stash of tools and vials within. Most of them contained a turquoise liquid, but those weren¡¯t the ones he needed. ¡°There!¡± he exclaimed, clumsily pulling a handful of green potions out. Sadly, he hadn¡¯t bought too many of them ¨C only a couple dozen. Given the state of their injuries, he wasn¡¯t sure they¡¯d suffice. Nesha was at Yellow and the potions had grown less effective on him too, ever since his second core advanced. ¡®If only I had known¡­¡¯ he smiled bitterly. But he couldn¡¯t have. Not about the Divine Root forcing them to leave two years in advance, and not about the Starry Knight beating them within an inch of their life. He shook his head. There was no point regretting things he couldn¡¯t change, nor any time for it. Uncorking three of the vials in quick succession, he quickly guzzled their contents down, hoping they¡¯d fix him up enough to move. ¡®I¡¯ll only drink more if Nesha doesn¡¯t need them.¡¯ His wounds itched as the potions took effect, though it was modest as expected. Still, he did feel a little better about a minute later, able to move his limbs again. Making his way to his companion, he soon panicked upon seeing how pale she was, her skin cold as ice. Lifting her chin, he helped her swallow potion after potion, only pausing after the sixth one. ¡°Come on¡­¡± he muttered, biting his lip. Scanning her intently, he saw many of her wounds begin to close, though that didn¡¯t seem to be enough. She didn¡¯t regain consciousness either. He fed her another four potions, drinking a few more himself. Finally, her injuries faded away, as did his own. ¡®She¡¯s still not waking up!¡¯ Turning Soul Vision on, he examined her again. She was right on the verge ¨C bad enough that he could probably possess her if he wanted, though not completely beyond the pale. He did have a few more potions, though this wasn¡¯t something life mana could fix. ¡®But I can!¡¯ Pouring all his soul mana into her, he did mend the injuries slightly. Given enough time, he should be able to heal her completely. Yet time was the one commodity they were swiftly running out of. He could speed things up with Circulation, but his own soul wasn¡¯t exactly healthy either¡­ ¡®The knight!¡¯ he remembered. With Micky¡¯s help, the colossal carcass could provide them all the soul mana they needed, and then some. The only problem was getting through its hard exoskeleton. Neither his pure constructs nor Micky¡¯s talons could pierce it. Examining the corpse, Percy¡¯s gaze briefly lingered on the wound Nesha had inflicted. However, his clone had filled it with acid, rendering it too dangerous for the crow. Then there was the soldier¡¯s body too, but it was a lower grade. It had also died even earlier, and more thoroughly. There wouldn¡¯t be anything left¡­ ¡°Micky!¡± Percy called to his familiar, thinking of something. ¡°CAW?¡± the bird gave him a questioning look. ¡°I need your help, but you aren¡¯t going to like it.¡± ¡°CAW! CAW!¡± Micky replied resolutely, eager to contribute however he could. ¡°Go into the knight¡¯s mouth and eat its soul from inside.¡± Chapter 110 – Devourer The crow remained silent, staring at the young man as if he had lost his mind. ¡°Please buddy¡­ Can you do this for me?¡± Micky looked back and forth between Percy and the carcass a few times, seemingly pondering the request. Eventually, he begrudgingly hopped towards the bug, resigned to his fate. Pushing a mandible open with his talon, he crouched inside the gaping maw, disappearing into the dead knight¡¯s horrid throat. Letting his familiar do his thing, the young man turned to Nesha again, watching her with bated breath. Luckily, he didn¡¯t have to wait long. Soon, a flood of soul mana gushed through the connection, filling up his frame. It was a lot. Too much, even. Without missing a beat, he poured everything into the girl, until she couldn¡¯t handle another drop. Both his and her wounds greedily drank the tonic as fast as they could, though more kept rushing in, forcing him to spill it out of his pores. It was a waste, but he couldn¡¯t help it. The two remained like that for several minutes, their frames saturated with mana, slowly but steadily patching them up. ¡°Please work¡­¡± he whispered, not knowing if anyone could hear him. Well, Nesha seemed to. Her eyelids twitched, before she finally opened her eyes weakly. Regaining their lustre, her pupils darted around a little, before locking onto Percy. She blinked a few times, and then spoke. ¡°Have you seen my glasses?¡± The young man was taken aback by the question. Instinctively, he shook his head. While the sturdy amulet had survived the violent fight, he doubted the glasses would be equally lucky. They hadn¡¯t packed any spares either. ¡®At least we have some extra clothes¡­¡¯ That was when Percy jerked his head away, only now registering their bodies were barely covered. Nesha looked confused for a second, though her cheeks lit up with a rosy tint a moment later. Sifting through the cube, the young man handed her a fresh change, before wearing another pair of trousers himself. He was out of shirts, however, so he¡¯d have to go around bare chested for the time being. ¡®Another thing I would have bought if we had more time.¡¯ he sighed. Percy stood before helping Nesha up too. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We barely have an hour to get the fuck out of here. If we¡¯re lucky.¡± ¡°What about the knight? What happened?¡± Nesha asked, looking around. Soon, she saw the giant wasp ¨C it was kinda hard to miss ¨C her body visibly tensing at the sight. A couple seconds passed before she found the courage to approach it, to examine it more closely, her poor eyesight not doing her any favours. Realizing it was dead, her expression twisted into an odd blend of shock and relief, as she turned to Percy, clearly ready to unleash a barrage of questions. ¡°Later.¡± he dismissed with a wave, before calling out to his familiar. ¡®Come on Micky. You did great buddy, but we¡¯ve got to go now.¡¯ No response. Percy waited a moment before trying again. ¡®Micky?¡¯ ¡®¡­CAW¡­¡¯ the bird finally replied, though it sounded odd. Lethargic perhaps or¡­ bloated? Considering a possibility, the colour drained from Percy¡¯s face. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ The familiar sent him a series of images, confirming his fears. It was eating a path through the wasp¡¯s flesh, when it spotted something glowing in the darkness. It was an orb thrumming in an intense amber colour ¨C Green through Mana Sense. Unable to resist, the bird pecked at it and¡­ it wasn¡¯t hard to guess what happened next¡­Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡®Here?! Now?!¡¯ Percy panicked, though in hindsight, he should have seen this coming. He¡¯d already known the crow would overtake him sooner or later, and it HAD spent the last three years stuffing its face full of Orange and Yellow cores. Dozens of them per day, even. It would¡¯ve been stranger if the knight¡¯s core hadn¡¯t pushed it over the edge. Still¡­ ¡°Nesha!¡± he shouted, startling the poor girl. ¡°Change of plans. I have to stay here a while longer¡­ But we can¡¯t have you wait with me.¡± ¡°W-What? Why? What?!¡± Percy pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking of the best way to explain it. ¡°Keep heading down the tunnel until you reach the end. Don¡¯t worry about losing the way, it¡¯s just a straight path towards the exit ¨C there aren¡¯t any more forks. Once you get there, you¡¯ll find yourself at a dead end.¡± ¡°A dead end?!¡± Nesha asked in horror. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as it sounds. It should only be around a dozen metres from the surface. We never finished digging the tunnel, because we hadn¡¯t expected to escape from the Guild so soon. My plan was to have the wasp dig us out, though that isn¡¯t an option anymore¡­¡± Percy gestured at his broken clone, whose memories he was still suppressing. ¡°In any case, you¡¯re a Yellow. I¡¯m sure you can dig us out with a few spells.¡± he explained. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll meet you as soon as I can. But you need to get a move on. We won¡¯t have enough time to expand the tunnel later, so I¡¯m counting on you to get it done by then.¡± The girl stared at him in silence for a couple seconds, letting his words sink in. Percy could practically see the questions bubbling up but, understanding the urgency of the situation, she didn¡¯t voice them. In the end, she simply nodded, before placing her hand by the wall to orient herself, heading off. Only then did Percy turn back towards the carcass. ¡®Well, Micky¡­ Whatever you¡¯re doing, just hurry up¡­¡¯ Activating Mana Sense, he examined the dead knight, observing his familiar¡¯s advancement. The wasp¡¯s body itself was now void of mana ¨C whatever had remained in its channels was already gone, its core consumed. The crow was the only thing still visible within Percy¡¯s sixth sense. The carapace did obscure it slightly, but a core¡¯s advancement was a difficult thing to hide. Micky¡¯s entire silhouette shone in a vibrant Orange colour. His core burned a shade brighter, filled with strands of Yellow twisting and rolling within. More of them appeared each second, as they joined and banded together in a familiar manner. ¡®Not fast enough¡­¡¯ Thinking of something, Percy walked to his clone¡¯s remains, picking a broken chunk off the ground. The gruesome piece of flesh was tough to identify, but he was almost sure it contained the creature¡¯s core. Scanning it, he confirmed it was indeed there, though more than half had already crumbled, the rest of it dim. ¡®Oh well. Every little helps.¡¯ he shrugged, tossing it into the knight¡¯s mouth. The bird complained of course ¨C it didn¡¯t exactly have room for dessert ¨C though it ultimately acquiesced, probably recognizing through Percy¡¯s tone he wasn¡¯t in the mood for nonsense. As expected, the extra push increased the pressure in Micky¡¯s sternum, forcing the strands to fuse faster. The young man estimated it would be done in a couple minutes. Sadly, their time had already run out. Everything shook, from the shimmering crystals filled with mana, to the colourful ores lodged in the cavern¡¯s walls, to the corpses of the two bugs, all the way to Percy¡¯s very bones. Feeling the vibrations coursing through him, he could tell the army of insects was already upon them, his body oozing cold sweat. Then, he heard their wings. There were countless of them, their incessant buzzing echoing through the vast cavern, growing louder by the second. Looking at the carcass again, Percy saw it shrivel and sink, as Micky had already moved to the second phase of his advancement, his core shining in a bright Yellow. Honestly, the young man was tempted to grab the bird right then and there, getting the hell out while he still could. ¡®No, I don¡¯t know what happens if a beast doesn¡¯t get the food it needs after evolving¡­¡¯ He had no idea if they¡¯d find enough outside. They might even run into other problems there. Unwilling to place his familiar at risk, he allowed him to continue devouring the Starry Knight, turning its flesh into his own. Percy¡¯s heart did ache a little at the sight, as he couldn¡¯t help but imagine the Green clone he could have crafted out of the corpse. But that was just a pipe dream ¨C he hadn¡¯t had the luxury of taking it easy on the creature to leave its body intact, nor to spend hours using his bloodline inside the hive. ¡®Feeding it to Micky was the best use for it¡­¡¯ Shaking the distracting thoughts out of his mind, he took a deep breath and then another, drawing the shimmering motes into both cores, preparing to fight. The first bugs to appear were the workers. While the wasps grew faster with each grade, that was provided they were free to fly. Within the tight walls of the hive, a different dynamic manifested. Nothing above Orange had enough space to stretch its wings, so this wave of insects was the quickest to reach him. Gritting his teeth, Percy formed a sickle in each hand, as two sets of glowing lines lit up underneath his skin. But he didn¡¯t stop there. Now that he¡¯d managed to heal his flesh and soul both, he pushed the boosting arts to their very limits, as his muscles bulged and his skin reddened, a twin halo of cyan and silver shrouding his frame. Next, he poured even more mana into his weapons, sharpening them and growing them another touch, as he stared intently at the depths of the tunnel ahead. And finally, the dense river of fox-sized wasps appeared, rushing him in all their maddened fury, as Percy pounced into the swarm, determined to survive¡­ Chapter 111 – Slaughter Percy had come a long way since joining the Alchemists¡¯ Guild. He¡¯d learned a lot and honed many of his spells over the years, though if there were two things he¡¯d gained the most experience in... well¡­ it would be brewing elixirs and killing wasps. The latter was precisely the skill he was currently exercising, to survive the onslaught of Starry Workers rushing him like a torrential river amidst a downpour. Most of them were headed to their doom of course, but the mad beasts didn¡¯t seem to care, heeding their ruler¡¯s command without complaint. Horizontal slice. Five dead. Vertical slash. Three more. Sidestep and swing. Another two killed and one attack evaded. ¡®There¡¯s no end to them¡­¡¯ It had already been over five minutes since the bugs reached him, and Micky had yet to finish mutating. From the fleeting images he sent over, Percy could tell the knight¡¯s carcass was already halfway eaten ¨C he wasn¡¯t sure the rest would suffice. But he didn¡¯t exactly have the time to worry about that, as he was busy trying to prevent the creatures from getting past him. The workers never truly stood a chance against his oversized sickles, the crescent edges slicing the wasps¡¯ very souls apart like hot knives through morsels of butter. The constructs were frankly overkill for the job, as was the young man¡¯s speed and ferocity, rendering the poor creatures without any means of defending themselves. Thus, no single insect posed a problem by itself, though their sheer numbers did. With a diameter of nearly three metres, the tunnel was more than wide enough for a dozen workers to arrive at once without bumping into one another. Moreover, they dove upon him in waves spaced apart by mere fractions of a second, never giving him a moment to catch his breath. ¡®At least the dead ones are blocking the way¡­¡¯ Percy smiled bitterly. So many had he slain already, that their fox-sized corpses littered his surroundings, forming multiple large mounds. It was to the point some of the oncoming insects had to waste time flying around ¨C or digging through ¨C their fallen comrades, relaxing the pressure on him slightly. Of course, every now and then, one of them crashed violently onto the piles of bodies, sending their limp frames tumbling through the tunnel. ¡®Is it me, or are they deliberately not using their stingers?¡¯ Given his recent advancement, the upgraded boosting art and his many years of experience, Percy was doing a decent job holding on. That said, he couldn¡¯t help but notice he owed some of his success to his enemies not giving their all. Their endgame was to bypass and overwhelm him from every direction, apparently still intent on capturing him alive. ¡®Just what does she want from me?!?!¡¯ The mere thought of being delivered as a prisoner to the titanic monster would have sent a chill down his spine, if only Synchronization wasn¡¯t cooking his body inside out. ¡°CAW!!¡± Micky suddenly cried. It was hard to make his voice out through the cacophony of the buzzing wasps and the endless rumble of the tunnel. Still, Percy could¡¯ve sworn it sounded a little deeper and slightly more piercing than before. ¡®Are you done yet?!¡¯ he asked through the cord, too occupied to turn around. Taking the hint, the crow used the connection this time, sending him another glimpse of the knight¡¯s carcass. Only a chunk remained, though it was the part Percy¡¯s clone had filled with acid. Micky couldn¡¯t eat that. And it appeared the bird still needed some food to finish evolving¡­ ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake!¡± Percy spat through gritted teeth. ¡°Just eat the smaller ones!! They¡¯re all over the place!!!¡± Intensifying his efforts, he advanced through the chaotic corridor, leaving his cover behind. Slaughtering a path through the workers¡¯ ranks, the young man turned into a violent hurricane of flesh and soul, his weapons unleashed in a lethal flurry against the insects. The incessant buzzing gave way to the rhythmic sounds of dead bodies, some making dull noises as they crashed against stones and metals, a few forming crisp tunes as they collided with the crystals instead. Step by step, slash by slash, Percy pushed back the rush of beasts with sheer grit and force of will, his muscles burning and his bones aching as he left a graveyard in his wake. ¡°Well?! What¡¯s the hold up?!¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Fortunately, it didn¡¯t take Micky much longer to complete his transformation. The giant corpse had left him very close, and the veritable buffet Percy had prepared for him was more than enough to seal the deal. But it wasn¡¯t all good news. A fleeting glance revealed the crow was now as tall as a human! It had already been impossible for it to fly inside the narrow tunnel before, yet now even fluttering through it was out of the question. ¡®Just run then!¡¯ Percy felt like banging his head against the wall. ¡®Do I look like I can carry you?!¡¯ ¡®CAW¡­¡¯ The bird didn¡¯t sound particularly happy but then again, it wasn¡¯t the one that had to keep an army at bay. Jolting off, it disappeared into the colourful corridor as Percy also backtracked, conceding some ground to the insects to keep up with his familiar. Under different circumstances, the young man might have found the bird¡¯s awkward dash hilarious ¨C Micky actually looking like a chicken as he skittered through the tunnel! This wasn¡¯t the time to laugh at the crow¡¯s antics, however, as another change occurred with his attackers. The second platoon was upon him. Spilling into the tunnel, the drones filled in the gaps between the workers, blotting out Percy¡¯s view. Pathetically weak as they were, he knew he could crush each of them with a finger. If only he had a few hundred fingers¡­ ¡®This is going to suck¡­¡¯ As the cloud of palm-sized wasps reached him, he made the split-second decision to ignore them entirely, focusing his Mana Sense solely on the Orange creatures. Continuing as before, he simply allowed the drones to do as they pleased, many latching onto his body, as a few made their way to his familiar. ¡°KRAAA!!!¡± the bird cried in annoyance, shaking the bugs off with a powerful flap of its wings as a series of amber lines lit up on its plumage. Percy on the other hand was having a tougher time, as he was neither a beast, nor at Yellow. The blanket of insects crawled all over his skin, inhibiting his joints, trying to slow down his movements. ¡°Piss off!¡± he shouted, sending a powerful burst of cyan out of his pores, blasting the pests to smithereens. His pure mana might have not been that useful against the knight or the workers, but for the drones? It was plenty. And thus, they continued ¨C a man and a bird, desperately inching towards the exit, struggling to resist the suffocating grasp of the magical hive trying to steal their freedom. ¡®How much further is it?!?!¡¯ They must¡¯ve run for half an hour like this, and Percy wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d last much longer. While he¡¯d grown far more proficient with Synchronization over the past few months, he¡¯d never fought at such intensity and for such a prolonged period of time. Yet, even more than his dwindling stamina, Percy had another thing to be worried about. The tremors beneath his feet had grown fiercer, indicating the soldiers were about to reach them too! Luckily, there didn¡¯t seem to be another knight nearby, or it would have long caught up by now. Still, it wasn¡¯t like he felt confident handling a legion of the Yellow creatures in his current state. ¡®CAW!!!¡¯ Micky suddenly called out to him ecstatically, sending a vivid image through the cord. It was bright, but different than the magical glimmer of the cavern. Sunlight! They¡¯d reached the exit! Moreover, the fact the sun could peer into the tunnel meant Nesha had succeeded too, digging them a way out of this infernal deathtrap. ¡®Hurry up!!¡¯ Percy said, the literal light at the end of the tunnel renewing his vigour. ¡®We need to get there before the soldiers reach us!¡¯ ¡®CAW!¡¯ Keenly aware of the danger they were in, the two drew on any lingering dregs of strength they¡¯d yet to tap into, hoping to make it in time. But they weren¡¯t fast enough. ¡®Shit, they¡¯re here!¡¯ Percy¡¯s heart skipped a beat, as the first hint of Yellow appeared in his Mana Sense. Realizing the soldiers would get to him before he made it out, he decided to change tactics. Fighting the workers one-armed, he allowed the sickle in his other hand to transform, soon taking the shape of half a dozen throwing stars. Next, he launched them towards the bugs, the projectiles piercing long lines through his enemies, killing scores of them as they flew into the distance. This seemed to ease the pressure on him momentarily, letting him manifest a sheet of cyan in his now-free hand, as he continued to hold off the rest of the wasps with the other. Finally, he flung the cloth of pure mana against the creatures, ensnaring many of them and forcing them to collide, before turning the second sickle into another set of projectiles and throwing that too. ¡®Here goes nothing!¡¯ Having exhausted all the mana he could spare while retaining his boosting art, he then turned around, sprinting towards his familiar. Picking him up, he slung him awkwardly over his shoulder, before crossing the last few metres separating them from the exit. And without even waiting until he took his first step out of the hellish tunnel, he called to his partner. ¡°NESHAAA!! COLLAPSE THE ENTRANCE!!! NOW!!¡± Catching a glimpse of a dark shape by the corner of his eye, he barely ducked in time to avoid the bolt as it crashed onto the ceiling. CRACK, CRAAAAAAACK, BOOOOOM! Percy didn¡¯t bother glancing back at the aftermath as he leapt out of the cave, hoping the girl had poured everything into the spell. ¡°What the fuck is that?!¡± she asked upon seeing Micky. But the young man didn¡¯t register her words, only now managing to examine the devastation behind him. The bolt of space mana had done its job, shattering a layer of stone off the ceiling, leading to a cascading demolition. Still, this wasn¡¯t going to hold them off for long ¨C he was certain the wasps were already busy clawing their way out. ¡°No time to waste!¡± he told his companions as he picked a handful of dirt off the ground. ¡°Scrub your bodies with it.¡± Their only shot at survival hinged on eliminating their trail. No way they¡¯d outrun the wasps in an open space. The others followed his advice, even Micky tossing a few beakfuls of mud onto his plumage. Finishing first, Percy helped the crow speed up the process as he noticed a dark bandage hung over its neck. ¡®Wow, did you actually remember to take it off before advancing?¡¯ That was quite some foresight from the bird. Percy had been too busy to think about that but, had his familiar evolved with it still wrapped around his abdomen, they¡¯d be in need of a new one by now. ¡®CAW¡­¡¯ Micky said, flashing him an annoyed ¡°I¡¯m not a moron¡± look. A minute later, the entire group was done masking their scent ¨C and just in time too. The loose pebbles resting atop the recently collapsed entrance were already shaking violently, intense tremors seeping through the ground. ¡°Good. Now let¡¯s get the hell out of here.¡± Chapter 112 – Mutations The trio ran for hours until they felt safe enough to take a break. And even then, they only gave themselves a few minutes to catch their breath and rub some more dirt on, before resuming their journey until nightfall. Perhaps, the Green or Blue bugs could still track them down, but Percy guessed the queen wouldn¡¯t bother sending her elites that far from the hive. ¡®Do you see anything suspicious?¡¯ he asked his familiar. Ever since they exited the tunnel, he¡¯d had Micky fly lower than usual, to ensure he didn¡¯t get spotted by anyone on the Spire. It wasn¡¯t until the colossal structure was naught but a distant silhouette on the horizon that he gave him permission to climb higher, acting as a scout. ¡®No¡­¡¯ Percy¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡®No.¡¯ the bird repeated. The young man was sure he hadn¡¯t misheard. His familiar hadn¡¯t merely transmitted his thoughts ¨C he¡¯d sent an actual word over! Of course, the bird hadn¡¯t uttered a sound ¨C it was all in Percy¡¯s mind ¨C but Micky had talked through their connection in a high-pitched, childlike voice. ¡®Can you speak normally now?¡¯ ¡®No.¡¯ Percy frowned. ¡®What words do you understand?¡¯ ¡®No. Yes. Percy. Micky. Eat. Fly¡­¡¯ The bird kept going for a while until the young man cut it off. ¡®Ok, I get it¡­ I guess this is something to work on...¡¯ Micky¡¯s vocabulary wasn¡¯t too varied, and it didn¡¯t seem like he could form a complete sentence just yet, but this was promising. While he might have been able to achieve all this even before the evolution, it would have probably taken more effort. As expected, the promotion had boosted Micky¡¯s intelligence. All advancements did that to an extent, but not as much as other aspects of one¡¯s existence. For instance, while Percy¡¯s thoughts had grown a little clearer upon reaching Orange, he certainly hadn¡¯t turned three times as smart or anything crazy like that. Still, as far as he knew, beasts tended to benefit more than sentients in this regard, and he had a hunch his familiar was an outlier even among them. After all, he doubted other beasts started to speak upon hitting Yellow ¨C though he wouldn¡¯t rule it out for the higher grades. ¡®Are his old memories beginning to resurface?¡¯ Percy sure hoped that was the case. At least, this was the first real sign his friend was on the road to recovery. However, it had taken them nearly five years to reach this point, so if the past was any indication, it was going to be a long road¡­ ¡®Oh well¡­ For now, let¡¯s just teach him a few more words and see if he can actually speak them out. But I suppose that has more to do with his vocal cords than his intelligence¡­¡¯ In any case, this wasn¡¯t the only change Micky had undergone during his advancement. As early as back in the tunnel, Percy had noticed some additional differences in his appearance ¨C besides the obvious size increase ¨C though he hadn¡¯t had the time to dwell on them. Now that they were finally free, he could examine them in more detail. ¡®Micky, come over here.¡¯ Hearing him, the familiar dove downward at great speed, partly to show off, and partly to simply revel in his newfound strength ¨C as he had been doing ever since they escaped the claustrophobic walls of the underground cavern.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He landed in front of the young man, raising a cloud of dust with a flap of his wings. Percy rolled his eyes at the theatrics as he stepped closer, scanning the crow¡¯s body carefully. ¡®The colour has spread to cover the entire talons and beak¡­ Even his eyes are completely silver now¡­¡¯ Just like the last time, Micky¡¯s nature as a familiar seemed to have bled into the rest of his being, furthering his evolution towards this unique direction. They¡¯d have to test the sharpness of the bird¡¯s claws in an actual fight, but Percy suspected they were on par with his sickles now. However, the crow¡¯s abnormal soul wasn¡¯t the only thing to have induced some unexpected mutations. Looking closely, the young man noticed Micky¡¯s plumage had undergone a subtle shift too. The dark feathers were now tinged with a hint of green at the edges. The difference was minuscule ¨C barely perceptible under the soft moonlight ¨C but Percy knew his friend well enough to spot it. ¡®Is it because of his air affinity?¡¯ Nobody could answer that, of course, as Micky was possibly the only beast in the universe to have a second core. They were pretty much in uncharted territory. Still, this sounded about right ¨C nothing else could explain this oddity. In fact, Percy had a hypothesis as to why the crow was mutating in such a manner. ¡®This must be how affinity fusion works for beast mana.¡¯ They¡¯d tried to combine Micky¡¯s two mana types before, though they¡¯d never succeeded. At first, Percy had chalked it up to the mismatch between the two grades, though he was now confident there was more to it than that. Even on its own, the beast affinity seemed to revolve entirely around empowering and transforming its user¡¯s body. Perhaps all its fusions involved incorporating other mana types into the body, resulting in mutations like this. Percy felt his speculation was close to the truth, though at the end of the day it didn¡¯t really matter. Whatever the cause of these changes, the most important thing was figuring out how to take advantage of them. ¡®Can you gather some air mana on your feathers?¡¯ Micky heeded the request, releasing a faint green aura by the underside of his wings. Percy had watched him do this many times before, but it was different now. Bathed in the air mana, the crow¡¯s feathers lit up, apparently resonating with the substance! Activating Mana Sense, the young man observed a layer of Red coating them, sticking to them without dispersing! ¡°Fly?¡± the bird asked, clearly eager to put its new trick to the test. ¡°Fly.¡± Percy nodded. Taking off, the crow sped through the night once more, this time doing so with even greater ease as the air seemed to part in its way, aiding rather than hindering it. ¡®Interesting¡­¡¯ the young man noted. It wasn¡¯t the first time Micky used his second affinity to augment his flight, but the effect had never been quite as pronounced. This, in tandem with Circulation and just the overall boost from the advancement, and the crow was guaranteed to be a menace in aerial combat! ¡°Are you two done playing around?¡± Nesha asked in annoyance, snapping Percy out of his thoughts. The girl had remained oddly quiet since their frantic escape, apparently contemplating a great number of things during their journey. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a lot of questions.¡± Percy said. Honestly, he felt a little guilty over letting her join without knowing much about him. It was true she¡¯d followed him of her own volition but, in hindsight, he should¡¯ve probably come clean beforehand. Between Micky, his clone, Circulation and his second core, there was plenty he¡¯d have to bring her up to speed with. ¡°I do.¡± she nodded, but then shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing I want to know right now, however.¡± Percy tilted his head, waiting for her to elaborate. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Ah, that! They hadn¡¯t really discussed their plans for after leaving the settlement, had they? In Percy¡¯s defence, it was a miracle they¡¯d even survived this long. ¡°Well, I did have a place in mind.¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s a small town about two weeks from here. I have my reasons for going there. Unless you wanted to go somewhere else?¡± ¡°No, that sounds fine. Anywhere is good, as long as I can buy a new pair of glasses.¡± Percy¡¯s jaw slackened upon hearing what her priority was. ¡®Though I suppose I¡¯d also want that if I couldn¡¯t see properly¡­¡¯ Shrugging, Percy gestured at her to follow him as he strayed away from the dirt path. The road was easier to walk on, but it wasn¡¯t the safest place to camp the night. Moving a couple hundred metres, they made their way around a hill, hoping to rest behind it, hidden from plain sight until sunrise. ¡®Take the first shift, will you?¡¯ he asked Micky. It was a rhetorical question. Percy knew he deserved some sleep after fighting a damn army of wasps for his familiar¡¯s sake. Picking a nice-looking patch of dirt, he patted it a few times to soften it, before lying down. Sadly, they hadn¡¯t brought any camping equipment, as the amulet had only had enough space for some food and water. But it was ok. With his enhanced physique, even weathering the frigid midnight winds with his bare chest shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. Thinking of something, he turned to Nesha who was also preparing her own resting spot, before speaking. ¡°I thought advancing fixed things like poor eyesight.¡± ¡°It does. You should have seen me at Orange.¡± Chapter 113 – Search ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t find anything?¡± Deimos¡¯s voice boomed, the entire room shaking. The idiot in his grip trembled as he was held by the collar, not even daring to blink as the spittle splashed all over his face. ¡°S-Sir, we¡¯ve searched the settlement inside out. We¡¯ve already interrogated all the registered alchemists too. Nobody knows anything about this Aurora Dew. Or well¡­ at least nothing they¡¯re willing to share.¡± Deimos felt his blood freeze at the mere thought of returning to his father empty-handed. Hermes might have given the rest of Remior the impression of an easy-going eccentric, but Deimos knew the truth about the fickle god. If he failed to deliver the elixirs, his father might just beat him to death. ¡°Look again! Leave no stone unturned! Interrogate everyone from the most senior alchemists to the lowest Red-born trash selling junk food on the streets! Don¡¯t show your ugly mug to me again, unless you have something useful to report!!!¡± he yelled, tossing him out of the room. The fool was lucky he still needed him. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Deimos then walked out of the temporary lodging the Guild had so ¡°kindly¡± bestowed him, eager for some fresh air. At least the mana density was rich here ¨C the only silver lining in a mission too troublesome to be worth it. Walking along the cobblestone road, he breathed the colourful motes in, trying to calm himself down. A few minutes later, he reached a grand building ¨C one of the largest in the settlement ¨C climbing up its stone steps. Upon seeing him, an attendant in a green robe rushed to greet him, but Deimos just waved him away. ¡°I know the way.¡± ¡°But sir¡­ the elders are currently in a meeting¡­ I¡¯m sure if you wai¨C¡± ¡°No meeting is more important than this. Your elders know that too.¡± Without even waiting for the man to reply, Deimos walked past him, making his way to a large chamber. The door had been left wide open ¨C he could see the five old alchemists locked in a heated discussion from here. Though no sound escaped, as the room was clearly warded. Another attendant was stationed outside, the man looking at him in hesitation, probably considering whether he should try stopping him. But Deimos didn¡¯t care, ignoring him as he entered the hall. The elders went silent upon noticing him, their features twisting into a grimace following his ¡°rude¡± entrance. Dressed in their violet robes as they were, it had probably been centuries since the last time anyone dared to treat them this way. But he wasn¡¯t afraid of the old coots. Their status was no higher than his given the circumstances. One of them was about to speak, but Deimos beat him to it. ¡°How the fuck have you managed to miss something like this happening right under your noses? Somebody comes up with a one-in-a-million-years recipe, pumping out some miracle elixir next door from you, and you¡¯re the last people to find out?!¡± Deimos¡¯s voice shot up again, crushing against the warded walls like a tidal wave, the power of his blessing nearly shattering the soundproofing runes. But the elders didn¡¯t seem rattled by his outburst. Unlike his minion earlier, they merely unleashed a sliver of their own presence, shielding their bodies from the annoyance. Next, the oldest of them ¨C a short man with black hair that had begun to grey around his temples ¨C spoke.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Deimos¡­ Have you ever considered that people might be more willing to give you what you want if you ask them nicely?¡± Listening to the old man¡¯s patronizing tone, Deimos felt his rage bubbling up again. But he pressed it down. The only thing that mattered here was finding those elixirs, and snapping at these fossils wouldn¡¯t help. ¡°As I see it, you have exactly two options in front of you.¡± he said. ¡°Either you find out how this happened, or you figure out the recipe yourselves. And you better do it fast, or my father might come here personally and ¡®ask us all nicely¡¯.¡± This time, all five of the elders ¨C their leader included ¨C shuddered at the god¡¯s mention, their expressions turning grim. The two sides discussed for another ten minutes, before the alchemists assured Deimos they would continue to do everything in their power to get to the bottom of this. Then, he handed them one of the vials that Talos guy had sent, asking them to work on the recipe. Of course, everyone involved knew that figuring the base ingredients out from the finished product was a tall order. That said, it was something they had to try, in case they failed to locate its maker. Once he was done, Deimos returned to his place, finding the blond kid waiting outside. His features eased slightly, as he knew the boy was the most capable of his subordinates. Hopefully he¡¯d done a better job than the other morons. ¡°Since we couldn¡¯t find anything about the elixirs directly, I looked into other strange happenings over the past few days.¡± Jason cut to the chase. ¡°And?¡± ¡°A popular gambling den closed a few hours after we arrived. It didn¡¯t open the following day, and nobody has seen the owner since.¡± Deimos gave the boy a questioning gaze, not knowing what a random gambling den had to do with any of this. Still, he knew Jason wouldn¡¯t have approached him with this if he didn¡¯t have something more. ¡°The owner was a girl from the Veritas House. She¡¯s only been in the Guild for a few years, but she¡¯s made quite some money in that time.¡± ¡°Veritas¡­?¡± the name did ring a bell, but Deimos was having trouble placing his finger on it. Jason shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t know them either, so I asked around. Apparently, they were affiliated with the Asclepius until they got the shaft right around when the girl joined. She has a Truthseeker bloodline.¡± Deimos¡¯s eyes narrowed at the revelation. Indeed, a girl with a good business sense, the ability to detect lies, and a possible connection to the Oblivious Agents just vanishing out of the blue was a bit conspicuous. Of course, people in the Guild died all the time while hunting ¨C it wasn¡¯t exactly the safest job. But something told him the girl didn¡¯t spend her days on the giant mushrooms. And nobody could have left the settlement the normal way either due to the lockdown they¡¯d imposed. ¡°I trust you¡¯ve already followed through?¡± The boy nodded, before snapping his fingers. Another man in a green robe approached them at the sound of that. ¡°Tell him what you told me.¡± Jason commanded, prompting the guy to swallow a lump of saliva. ¡°Y-Yes¡­ I was on guard duty at the gate leading to the hunting grounds on the day of the message. I remember her going out that night, but I never saw her return.¡± Deimos raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you bullshitting us, or do you memorize the faces of everyone who goes through?!¡± Startled, the man took a step back at the outburst. ¡°N-No, sir¡­ I-I remembered her because I¡¯m one of her r-regulars¡­ It made an imp-pression because I¡¯ve n-never seen her go h-hunting b-before.¡± he stuttered, his words an affront to the ears. ¡°If he¡¯s telling the truth, the girl must be hiding on the Spire. Scan every level with the others. Get one of the elders to help you search the top level.¡± he said, before scratching his head. ¡°Not that she would have survived surrounded by Blue beasts¡­ But look there too, just in case. I want to know what happened to her, and I want to know it yesterday.¡± Jason nodded before taking off. ¡®The girl must only be a piece of the puzzle¡­¡¯ Deimos reasoned, rubbing his chin. Based on what they¡¯d learned, there was indeed a high likelihood she was involved with the distribution of the product, but she wasn¡¯t an alchemist. She couldn¡¯t have been that as well. So, whoever came up with the recipe was somebody else entirely. Probably one of the veterans in the Guild ¨C maybe even one of those five coots themselves. Chances were, they got rid of the girl too, disposing of her body to hide their tracks. But Deimos shrugged. ¡®Oh well¡­ It doesn¡¯t really matter. Now that we¡¯ve got an actual lead, Jason will sniff them out with his little trick¡­¡¯ Chapter 114 – Ripples ¡°Grandpa!! Why are they taking you?¡± Floria cried as the members of the Divine Root placed Bronn in handcuffs, escorting him out of the building. The man could free himself of course ¨C if he wanted ¨C but he didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of resisting. The girl just couldn¡¯t understand how things had come to this. Hadn¡¯t her grandpa been the one who came forward with the information the gods wanted? Why was he getting punished?! Panicking, she rushed behind them, ready to fight against the powerful mages if she had to ¨C blessings be damned. Of course, she wasn¡¯t stupid ¨C she knew she¡¯d probably get killed too, but how could she just watch them take her grandpa away?! A firm hand descended on her shoulder, however, locking her in place. Floria instinctively tried to lash out, but withdrew her mana upon noticing who it was. ¡°Dad! Are we going to let them take him?!?! This¡­ it isn¡¯t fair! They should be treating him like a hero!¡± But Fyn shook his head. ¡°This all happened because we went behind the Order¡¯s back to buy those elixirs¡­ for me. We¡¯re lucky the Divine Root agreed to our terms. They¡¯re going to place our House under their protection for the next two hundred years. And they¡¯ll even spare me, letting me reach Violet and replace father. That way, we¡¯ll have a chance to recover. This is what we wanted ¨C what we traded the information for¡­¡± ¡°But then why?!¡± the girl shouted, her voice cracking. ¡°They can¡¯t just let us go entirely unpunished. It would send the wrong message¡­¡± her father patiently explained. Listening to him, Floria couldn¡¯t help but shudder. She hadn¡¯t realized how close her dad had come to being arrested too. Turning back to her grandpa, she noticed he¡¯d been escorted quite far already. She frantically wiped her tears away, trying to look at Bronn one last time, just so she could remember him. Yet her vision kept blurring. ¡°Floria¡­ Your grandpa knew this would happen when he sent that letter. He is a hero. To our family at least. Remember that¡­¡± The girl nodded, her gaze still glued to the group in the distance. *** ¡°Lord Asclepius, care to explain this situation?¡± an authoritative voice asked, the passive presence it radiated leaving all the others in the room with their heads bowed. Nobody dared lift their eyes. Not the dozens of Blues, nor even the handful of Violets. None but Lord Asclepius himself ¨C a fellow White. ¡°Theseus, we¡¯ve known each other for thousands of years already. I thought we were on first name basis by now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here on official business, Machaon. I do need to maintain appearances, lest I wrongly give the impression that I¡¯m going easy on you.¡± Theseus clicked his tongue, before scanning the others in the room, each shuddering as his eyes brushed over them. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you go easy on me or not, old friend. The answer will be the same. You know how our agents operate. Better than most in fact. I hope you haven¡¯t conveniently forgotten how often the Divine Root employs our services.¡± Machaon replied sharply. ¡°Be that as it may, I¡¯m sure you understand how much pressure I¡¯m under to get to the bottom of this.¡± Theseus said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do to help you. Just like our field agents, the people who registered the mission have also erased all details from their minds. Nobody can recall anything about the one who hired us.¡± ¡°How the hell did it even come to this?!¡± Theseus snapped. ¡°Your agent should have never agreed to transport those elixirs! They should have rejected the mission and reported it right away!¡± But Machaon shook his head. ¡°How was anybody supposed to know those were elixirs ¨C let alone ones as revolutionary as this? Lacking any other information, our agent must have assumed they were just a new variety of potions or something. Or did you want them to taste them too?!¡± Theseus didn¡¯t respond right away, considering his words. Next, he looked Machaon in the eyes before speaking.Stolen story; please report. ¡°At the end of the day, it doesn¡¯t matter whether your House is in the right or not. You know that, right?¡± Machaon clenched his fists as he unleashed his own presence, pushing back Theseus¡¯s as the two domains collided, prompting the others to retreat a few steps just in case. The clash went on for several minutes, as neither of the powerful Whites was willing to back down. At least, not at first. ¡°This is as stupid as it is pointless¡­¡± Machaon eventually waved in exasperation, withdrawing his aura. ¡°Just tell me what you want from me...¡± ¡°A scapegoat.¡± Theseus cut to the chase, before elaborating. ¡°We both know there¡¯s no way to identify who employed you, but a head is going to roll today all the same. If you can¡¯t find the specific agent who took the mission, pick a different one. I don¡¯t care who.¡± Machaon¡¯s eyes widened at the sheer audacity of the request. It wasn¡¯t until a moment later the words sank deep enough for him to grit his teeth. ¡°Must we resort to such a barbaric outcome?!¡± ¡°Machaon¡­ I¡¯m not playing games here.¡± Theseus said, his tone not leaving room for debate. ¡°Either you sacrifice one of your agents, or it¡¯s the two of us who¡¯ll lose our heads.¡± *** ¡°This is amazing!¡± Uncle Gareth exclaimed. ¡°If we get those elixirs, even I could reach Violet!!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little too excited for something that would still be over a thousand years away?¡± Dad shut him down, though it didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Still, I¡¯ll reach Blue much faster too!¡± Gareth spoke again after a few moments, his enthusiasm clearly not so easy to douse down. ¡°Silence.¡± Uncle Galahad said. ¡°If and when the Divine Order decides to mass produce this Aurora Dew, we will give priority to the Yellow-borns. Whether anyone else gets any will depend on the cost and availability.¡± Hearing them discuss the topic of the elixirs, Elaine gave her grandpa an odd look, as he also tossed a fleeting glance her way. It hadn¡¯t been long since they allowed her to attend these strategy meetings. Yellow-borns were given the privilege younger, as they represented the future leaders of the family. Though she didn¡¯t say anything. Today, she was only here to listen. Archibald cleared his throat. ¡°Just a reminder that we¡¯re here to discuss House Tantalus. Not the fancy new elixirs.¡± he said, putting the debate to rest. Hearing him, Uncle Balin slammed his fist, shaking the long table. He must¡¯ve held back too, or it would have shattered to splinters. ¡°What¡¯s there to discuss?! I say we attack them head on already! Are we afraid of those bastards?!?!¡± The others averted their gazes following his outburst, Elaine included. Everyone still stepped on eggshells around him, knowing the man was grieving. It hadn¡¯t even been a year since Hector¡¯s death. ¡°Calm down, son.¡± Grandpa said. ¡°We¡¯d probably win an all-out war, but our losses would be greater that way. Though I agree we need to escalate our attacks too, if we want them to stop.¡± It had already been months since their House started fighting back, having killed many of House Tantalus¡¯s members in that time. Still, that only seemed to pour oil in the fire, as their enemies retaliated even more aggressively. They appeared determined to weaken them regardless of the cost, their goal probably being to prevent Galahad from consuming a petal. After all, they already had their hands full against Archibald ¨C a Violet core with a powerful bloodline. They clearly didn¡¯t want to deal with a second one in possession of a composite affinity. ¡®I bet they¡¯ll escalate even more after that announcement¡­¡¯ Elaine smiled bitterly. The meeting continued for a few hours, as everyone exchanged ideas and plans on how to best defend the western side of the Camelot province from their enemies. River Glein had always served as a natural barrier, splitting the province in two down the middle, but the recent unrest had made the rival House a lot more daring. It wasn¡¯t until the meeting was over that Elaine approached Archibald. She waited until they were alone in the room before speaking. ¡°Grandpa¡­ Those elixirs¡­ Do you think¡­?¡± she trailed off, though the man clearly caught her meaning. ¡°Hard to say. The fact he managed to become a full-fledged alchemist in a few years is impressive¡­ But coming up with a new recipe so quickly? That sounds a little farfetched.¡± Elaine nodded in agreement, though Archibald wasn¡¯t done. ¡°Still, it¡¯s quite the coincidence this happened so soon after he arrived there. The old elixirs had remained mostly unchanged for tens of thousands of years¡­ I suppose it¡¯s not impossible he was involved, given his ability¡­¡± She gasped. ¡°Do you think he might be in trouble?!?!¡± ¡°How should I know? We aren¡¯t even sure it¡¯s him. If it is, it was smart of him to not tell us through the letters. These things are better shared in person. Let¡¯s just hope he knows what he¡¯s doing¡­¡± *** Similar scenes played out all across Remior, as those involved with the new elixirs tried to hide, and everyone else couldn¡¯t wait to get their hands on the miraculous product. Percy would have been shocked had he seen how far his actions had reached. In fact, the ripples extended all the way to a dark room hidden in some remote location, where no sound was ever heard, nor any soul did ever visit. It was a simple room, lacking any furniture. There was only a mat, with two incense burners lit up on either side. The faintly sweet scent of agarwood permeated the place, as a hooded figure meditated silently atop the mat. Had somebody stumbled upon the room, they might have thought the person was a corpse ¨C and not a very important one at that. After all, they were dressed in naught but the cheapest clothes, a ragged outfit of worn linen. It was as if somebody had picked the lowest commoner off the street and left them here to starve for whatever reason. Yet, here, in this room in the middle of nowhere, amidst the thick veil of darkness and hidden beneath the unassuming hood¡­ ¡­a pair of lips curled upward. Chapter 115 – Clothes ¡®Percy!¡¯ ¡®What is it?¡¯ the young man asked, sensing the crow¡¯s urgency through their bond. Getting used to hearing actual words from Micky would take a while. ¡®People¡­¡¯ He sighed. They were bound to run into somebody sooner or later ¨C it was the downside of travelling along a paved road. Especially one leading to a destination as popular as the Alchemists¡¯ Guild. If anything, it was more surprising it had taken three days for this to happen. ¡®Hermes¡¯ message must¡¯ve spooked everyone.¡¯ Percy guessed most merchants would steer clear of the Spire for the next couple of weeks, waiting for the dust to settle. Yet some people didn¡¯t care, apparently. ¡®How many?¡¯ ¡®Three.¡¯ ¡®On horses?¡¯ ¡®Yes.¡¯ The young man nodded, assuming they had at least one person below Yellow with them. Ideally, it would be nice to know their exact grades, to decide the best course of action, though that might be asking for too much. Micky couldn¡¯t get too close to them, or they might notice something was off. That¡¯s why Percy had asked his familiar to fly wide circles around him and Nesha, scouting the area while remaining at least a mile away. That way, he might pass for a wild bird that just happened to roam the region. Back when they¡¯d first headed to the Spire, things hadn¡¯t been as bad. Orange beasts weren¡¯t nearly as rare, nor as dangerous, so one flying above somebody wouldn¡¯t raise an eyebrow. Now that Micky had evolved, however, he was more than a little conspicuous. Not to mention, it would be easier to spot the crow¡¯s bandage from up close. Naturally, Percy had wrapped it around his familiar¡¯s abdomen again after escaping the hive, though it looped fewer times now. ¡°Nesha.¡± ¡°Hmmm?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a group behind us. Let¡¯s find some cover just in case.¡± Honestly, Percy was confident they could handle them. He doubted they were too strong and, if they were, they were unlikely to be bandits. Nobles and Yellow-borns didn¡¯t need to dabble in petty crime. That said, he¡¯d prefer to avoid them altogether ¨C whoever they were ¨C for multiple reasons. First, he was still half-naked, his body covered in dirt and grime. It made the prospect of meeting people a little embarrassing. Second, he¡¯d rather not be seen anywhere close to the Spire. Making up their minds, he and Nesha upped the pace, to keep their distance from their unwitting pursuers. They scanned the surrounding scenery for a good place to hide. Most of it was flat, entire fields of yellow grass stretching to the horizon. Though it wasn¡¯t tall enough to shroud them properly. Finding something they could work with took about an hour. Straying from the path once more, they made their way to the first hill they spotted, hoping to wait there for the group to pass. Alas, despite their caution ¨C or perhaps because of it ¨C they were caught off guard by what happened next¡­ ¡°Well, well¡­ what has the wind delivered today?¡± a creepy voice asked. It sounded quite off ¨C as if the man behind it was wheezing. In front of Percy stood a trio in mismatched leather outfits, all of them sporting scraggly beards, grinning with yellowed teeth. The one who¡¯d spoken appeared to be their leader, standing in the middle of the bunch. He had a nasty scar marring the upper half of his neck and up his chin, all the way to his bottom lip. Right where it ended, the man¡¯s canine was missing.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°How¡­¡± Nesha began to ask, though she trailed off as she put two and two together. This was the only place in the surrounding area where one could take cover, so¡­ didn¡¯t that work both ways? Evidently, it also made for a great ambush spot. In fact, if Percy¡¯s guess was right, the other three were probably on their way here, the two groups being in cahoots. ¡°Hahaha. I¡¯ll tell you what. Hand over that enchanted bandage and the girl, and we¡¯ll let you go. We don¡¯t get off killing punks.¡± Yeah, right. Fat chance they were willing to leave a survivor behind. Especially once they found out about the spatial amulet hidden beneath his bandage. But Percy wasn¡¯t paying attention to the bandit¡¯s ¡°offer¡±. ¡®Two Yellows and one Orange¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that intimidating a lineup. Nesha didn¡¯t have much experience fighting, but she shouldn¡¯t have much trouble dealing with the weaker guy. As for the other two, Percy felt confident fighting them by himself. Stepping forward, he took a couple breaths in quick succession, building up his reserves. His body was still sore from all that madness in the hive, but otherwise uninjured. ¡°Brat, are you deaf? Toss me your bandage, or else¡­¡± the leader spoke. Then, he manifested a fireball the size of a watermelon above his palm, trying to spook him. He must¡¯ve thought it was working too, judging from the smirk on his face. Though Percy didn¡¯t blame him. Seeing him breathe rapidly, they were probably under the impression he was hyperventilating or something. Well, if the idiots thought so, they were in for a rough awakening. ¡°Let me make you a counteroffer.¡± Percy replied, the calmness in his tone eliciting a frown from the bandit. ¡°Back off now, or it¡¯ll be too late once I start.¡± ¡°¡­¡± the criminal just stared at him for a few seconds, blinking a couple times. The others also looked at each other, until one of them broke into a cackle, causing the others to follow. ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± ¡°Start what?¡± the rightmost guy asked, but Percy remained silent. He already had his answer. ¡®Micky. Keep an eye out for the other three. If they come this way, kill them all.¡¯ The young man wasn¡¯t concerned about his familiar¡¯s safety in the slightest. Following his promotion, the crow might even be stronger than he was. As long as the other group didn¡¯t have somebody at Green, there shouldn¡¯t be anything to worry about. Truth be told, this situation felt a little nostalgic. Hadn¡¯t they run into bandits on the way to the Guild too? Back then, Percy had relied on deception and sneak attacks to survive. Rick¡¯s group had been weaker than today¡¯s enemies too. ¡®Let¡¯s see how much I¡¯ve grown then.¡¯ The bandits¡¯ eyes widened as a series of cyan lines lit up underneath Percy¡¯s skin. They were static and orderly, spreading out of his abdomen, reaching every corner of his body. At the same time, a silver maelstrom raged within, carving violent gushes through Percy¡¯s soul, drawing a constantly shifting vortex around his sternum. Panicking, the leader tossed the fireball right at him. But Percy had seen the attack coming before the man even launched it. Hooking his arm around Nesha, he leapt backwards, calmly watching the spell blast a patch of grass into ashes where he¡¯d previously stood. Everyone gave him odd looks. The girl had seen his boosting art back when he rushed out of the tunnel, though they hadn¡¯t discussed it. Now that it appeared again, she couldn¡¯t help but examine him curiously. As for the bandits, they now sported a strange mix between greed and caution they had lacked a moment ago. The young man didn¡¯t care about any of them, however. He¡¯d already decided to not keep much from Nesha anymore. They were in this together now. As for his enemies? Well, their fate had been sealed the moment he activated Circulation. Though he didn¡¯t stop there. Inhaling again, he pushed his body further, his muscles tensing as they brimmed with strength, his abs causing his bandage to stretch. Beads of sweat popped up all over his reddened skin, as motes of two colours leaked out of his pores, shrouding him in a twin halo of cyan and silver. ¡°Nesha. Take the rightmost guy on. I¡¯ll handle the others.¡± he muttered, though the bandits must¡¯ve heard him too, as all three began to prepare their own spells. The guy in the middle formed a new fireball, as the other two both used water. ¡°W-What?! By yourself?! They¡¯re both at Yellow!¡± the girl was taken aback. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Percy shrugged. If anything, this was a good opportunity to test something else he¡¯d been working on. Neither the Starry Knight, nor the horde of wasps had been suitable opponents, but these people were. Next, he focused on his mana, as the two halos around his frame began to change. Cyan and silver blended together into a single aura, as smoky wisps of teal enveloped him. ¡°What else? I¡¯m going to get myself some new clothes.¡± Chapter 116 – Mantle Oversized fireballs and blasts of pressurized water rained upon Percy one after the other, keeping him on his toes. The surrounding patches of grass had all been reduced to soggy cinders, his boots leaving dozens of prints as he danced along the soot and mud, dodging the apocalyptic storm of magic. Had it been a single enemy, he wouldn¡¯t have had as much trouble evading. He¡¯d already done something similar years ago in the Guild, back when he¡¯d been much weaker. However, the situation that night had been a little different. His opponent had been an earth user ¨C an affinity not exactly famous for its speed. Also, comparing that person to the two bandits, Percy was starting to think he might have been drunk. ¡®I suppose that would explain why he went hunting on the first level in the middle of the night¡­¡¯ And that wasn¡¯t all. Percy¡¯s ability to dodge the spells heavily hinged on reading his targets¡¯ intentions via Soul Vision. Sadly, he couldn¡¯t exactly keep his eyes on two people at the same time. Of course, the situation wasn¡¯t that bad. He could easily put some distance from them if he wanted, as he was much faster, and they had no way of catching up. It was approaching them he had trouble with. So, the two sides were essentially at a stalemate, as neither one could land a hit on the other unless they made a mistake. ¡®Oh well¡­¡¯ Percy grinned. ¡®More practice for my affinity fusion.¡¯ He¡¯d already grown used to combining his two types of mana, but he hadn¡¯t had much opportunity to test that in the heat of battle as neither the Starry Knight nor the horde of wasps had been suitable opponents. And he did need to knock a few kinks off his new trick. Constantly aligning and maintaining his mana while watching his enemies and dodging their attacks was tough. Yet, that was exactly what made this fight so valuable. Sure, he could probably find a way to win without it, but why waste such a willing pair of whetstones? As for the outcome of the battle, he wasn¡¯t too concerned. He knew he had the advantage, though the bandits hadn¡¯t noticed. Due to his outlandish regeneration, they¡¯d exhaust their cores before he did. Now it was just a question of whether they¡¯d realize it in time, prompting them to take a risk he could pounce on. Either way, they were screwed. ¡®I wonder how Nesha is doing¡­¡¯ Retreating a few paces to give himself some space, he tossed his companion a quick glance to check whether she was ok. Not the best idea. So shocked was he by what he saw, he nearly caught a fireball to his face, yet even that wasn¡¯t enough for him to pick his jaw off the ground. ¡®What the hell?!¡¯ The girl and the final bandit had put some distance from them, and were just standing around, doing nothing. Forget about fighting, the morons didn¡¯t even bother to look at one another, their attention glued to his own battle. ¡°Mind lending a hand since you¡¯re free?¡± He didn¡¯t really need help, but it irked him to see her chilling while he did all the work. ¡°If I do, he¡¯ll butt in.¡± she pointed at the bandit with her elbow. And the guy actually nodded at that! It was ridiculous but it made sense. Kinda. Neither of them felt confident joining the bigger fight, so their fate would inevitably be decided by the victor. ¡®Not how I would¡¯ve done things if I were in her shoes, but I suppose that¡¯s why she never got into fighting in the first place¡­¡¯ Percy shook his head, focusing back on his own enemies. The two were nearly out of breath already. They threw each other a quick glance, seemingly communicating something, before drawing most of their remaining mana out of their cores. ¡®Here it is. Their gamble.¡¯ Readying his stance, Percy tensed his calves and scanned the two souls carefully, as he began to gather the teal wisps into his hand. He was going to meet the all-out offensive of two Yellow cores with his own! Six condensed balls of azure shot at him in quick succession, trying to block out all his escape routes. Each punched a foot-deep crater into the ground before exploding in a splash of water. None of them hit but, together, they forced Percy into an awkward stance, right as the seventh projectile flew towards him. A spinning blast of fire twice as large and three times as fast as the others!If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Percy¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the rapidly expanding flame, but he didn¡¯t panic. With a swing of his arm, he coalesced all the fused mana he¡¯d gathered since the start of the battle, forming a large teal sheet, three metres long and half as wide. Then, the fluttering cloth slammed onto the incoming projectile like a whip, forcing it to explode before reaching its intended target! The shockwave shot Percy butt-first into the mud, as the heat scorched a layer of skin off his frontside. Luckily, he¡¯d thought to shield his eyes with his elbow in time. ¡°Percy!!¡± a female voice yelled, as a cloud of steam enveloped him. ¡°Is he dead?¡± the bandit leader also asked, more relieved than disappointed. Evidently, he¡¯d grown more concerned with keeping his life than covetous over Percy¡¯s secrets by now. Sadly for him, however, he wasn¡¯t walking away with either today. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± the young man replied, pushing himself up. In their corporeal state, his teal constructs were no stronger than pure mana, which meant they couldn¡¯t survive a frontal collision against an elemental spell a full grade higher. However, Percy could still use them to collapse an incoming spell early, lessening the damage he took greatly. And¡­ that was just the start. As the steam faded, the bandits¡¯ eyebrows shot up upon seeing the young man standing, a cyclone of tattered strips of teal cloth spinning around him while inching closer to his hand. There, they latched onto one another, quickly restoring Percy¡¯s latest tool back to its original shape. Within mere seconds, it was complete again ¨C though a little smaller than before. ¡°My turn!¡± he said with a toothy grin. Next, he dashed towards the leader, swinging the teal sheet again as soon as he reached the halfway point. The spell shifted mid-movement, the cloth now replaced by a couple dozen throwing stars, their curved blades making shrill sounds as they spun through the air toward their target. ¡°Fuck!¡± the bandit shouted as he tried to shield himself with whatever dregs of mana he could still summon. Which wasn¡¯t much! He¡¯d exhausted most of it in that last attack. A pathetic spark lit up in each of his hands, but the man didn¡¯t give up, slamming them against one another. Apparently, he wanted to imitate Percy¡¯s trick, using the small explosion to block the projectiles! Unfortunately for him, it wasn¡¯t meant to be. So caught up was he in this last-ditch effort to protect himself, he didn¡¯t notice the blades had gone silent at some point! Through Soul Vision, Percy watched the projectiles phase through the shockwave unaffected, before stabbing countless holes into the bandit¡¯s soul. The man dropped limp in the mud a second later. By the time he turned to the other one, the poor guy was running for his life! Gritting his teeth, Percy gave chase. Whatever happened, he couldn¡¯t let a witness go after revealing all his secrets. Catching up wasn¡¯t easy, however. It should have been, but Percy suspected his opponent was using some minor bloodline to boost his physical speed. The two men ran, one hot on the other¡¯s tail, as they both tried to recover some mana amidst their dash. ¡®Micky! How are things on your end?¡¯ ¡®Three¡­ dead¡­¡¯ The familiar sent him an image of the corpses. All of them were covered in nasty gashes from head to toe, lying in bloody pools. Only one showed a Yellow core within Micky¡¯s Mana Sense ¨C the very same he was currently feasting on. ¡®Just finish what you¡¯re doing and go kill the last one. We can¡¯t let him escape.¡¯ Percy said. For some reason, he had this sneaking suspicion Nesha wouldn¡¯t bother chasing him. Turning back to his own target, he tossed a handful of teal daggers at him. But the bandit had learned his lesson. He didn¡¯t try blocking, instead summoning a splash of water beneath his feet, sliding away from the projectiles. Clicking his tongue, Percy formed the teal sheet again. He continued his pursuit, drawing and pouring mana until it was back to its full size, before swiping his arm again. Once more, the man used what little water mana he¡¯d managed to recover, evading the barrage by the skin of his yellowed teeth. Sadly for him, however, Percy¡¯s spell could do more than just turn incorporeal. In his rush to dodge, the bandit had made a terrible mistake. Relying solely on his eyes, he had completely failed to notice a second bunch of daggers, these only visible through Mana Sense¡­ And just like that, he joined his former boss in the afterlife¡­ [Congratulations! You have mastered a new spell: Mantle of Deceit ¨C Refined!] *** Nesha watched Percy as he picked clothes from the dead bandits, testing them until he found some his size. Whenever he was done with a corpse, he¡¯d toss it to his crow to feast on. Suffice to say, the sight was more than a little disturbing, but that wasn¡¯t what she was concerned about. She¡¯d known her partner had harboured his fair share of secrets for a while now, but the things she¡¯d seen over the last few days had vastly exceeded her wildest imaginations. From the powerful beasts he seemed to effortlessly command, to the bizarre techniques he had unleashed on the bandits, each layer he revealed was more shocking than the last. In fact, she was pretty sure by now that he and his pet had two cores each, somehow! Hell, she¡¯d just watched the duo dismantle an entire band of bandits by themselves. Was Percy really just a Red-born?! ¡®He wasn¡¯t this strong when we joined the Guild¡­¡¯ Nesha was sure of it! She¡¯d seen him return from his hunts worn out, with barely a couple vials full of nectar! ¡®Has he come this far in the last three years?!¡¯ But then¡­ the revolutionary Aurora Dew that had turned Remior upside down¡­ compared to this¡­ it was nothing!!! Just the tip of the iceberg ¨C a mere afterthought! The realization sent a chill down Nesha¡¯s spine. Unbeknownst to everyone, biding its time away from politics and wars, hidden beneath the shadow of the Fungal Spire, in some corner where nobody ever bothered to look¡­ ¡­a monster had been born. [END OF BOOK 1: WHISPERS OF THE GHOST ALCHEMIST] Chapter 117 – Destination ¡°I look like a bandit¡­¡± Percy groaned, glancing down at his mismatched outfit. ¡°You stink like one too.¡± Nesha said, pinching her nose as she inched further away from him. ¡°Hey, remind me again¡­ Who was it that took all my spare clothes?¡± Percy asked in a faux-offended tone. But the girl just shrugged unapologetically. ¡°Woohoo, I¡¯m dressed as a commoner.¡± she said flatly. ¡°What an upgrade.¡± Percy shook his head, not seeing any point in continuing the argument. Though he did pick up the pace, eager to find some water to wash up. If his memory served him, they should be reaching River Glein in the next few hours. They could look for a good spot to camp there. ¡®Found anything edible?¡¯ he asked his familiar. ¡®Rat¡­¡¯ the crow replied. The young man frowned at the prospect of eating rodent meat for the second day in a row. Sadly, there was only so much space in his amulet, so they had to ration their supplies for a rainy day. Still¡­ ¡®I swear he¡¯s doing it on purpose. He¡¯s always had a taste for the darn things¡­¡¯ he sighed. The duo walked in silence until nightfall, only stopping once the body of water came into view. Next, they spent a while longer travelling along the river, looking for a decent camping spot. It wasn¡¯t easy as their surroundings were still mostly flatlands, but they did eventually stumble upon a semi-concealed place between a few large boulders. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but it would do. After drinking his fill, Percy scrubbed his clothes a few times until he was somewhat satisfied. Of course, he knew no amount of washing would ever completely rid him of the stench, but he hoped it wouldn¡¯t be quite as nauseating over the remainder of their journey. Once he was done, he set his alchemy tools up. Unfortunately, he had yet to condense tomorrow¡¯s crystals and brew the corresponding elixirs. It was annoying he had to spend five hours every night doing this, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. He¡¯d only waste his previous efforts if he started skipping days. ¡®I suppose I¡¯ll be able to cut the time down some more if I keep practicing¡­¡¯ After confirming with Micky that the coast was clear, Percy activated Synchronization. Next, he formed a blob of cyan between his palms before beginning the first of his daily chores. Surprisingly, Nesha didn¡¯t slack off either while he worked. She lit a campfire, taking it upon herself to cook their dinner. Apparently, the crow had found a snake too, so their meal was quickly turning into a veritable buffet. As soon as Percy was done, he drank his third set of Aurora Dew for the day, using his Whirlpool technique to cleanse both cores. Having mastered it some time ago, he could get the full benefit from the elixirs now. Micky and Nesha joined him too, consuming a dose each. Only after they were done did the humans finally pick their kebabs up, taking a bite. As for the crow¡­ Well¡­ He preferred his food raw. ¡°It tastes nice!¡± Percy exclaimed. The girl didn¡¯t reply, though he didn¡¯t miss her lips curving slightly at the compliment. Evidently, she wasn¡¯t that bad a cook. Still, knowing where the food had come from did dull his appetite somewhat, so he didn¡¯t eat much in the end.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°So, are you going to tell me where we¡¯re going?¡± Nesha suddenly asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. ¡°Home.¡± Percy replied. Then, he scratched his head. ¡°Well, kinda¡­¡± he added vaguely. By now, the group had almost entered the Camelot province, where his family was based. However, the young man wasn¡¯t planning to return to the Avalon House¡¯s mansion directly. While his home was probably the safest place to brew elixirs and send out his clones, he knew getting there wouldn¡¯t be easy. After all, House Tantalus¡¯s goons constantly patrolled the borders, looking for opportunities to hurt his family. That said, Percy still wanted to be close to his House, so that he could reach them more easily when the lotus bloomed. As a result, he figured it was best to settle somewhere within the province. And he¡¯d picked the exact spot too. ¡°We¡¯re going to Bogside town.¡± Nesha raised an eyebrow, prompting him to explain. ¡°Returning to my family is currently not an option, so staying in a small town nearby is the next best place for the time being. We¡¯ll just have to keep our heads low for a while.¡± ¡°Why that one specifically though? I¡¯m sure the Camelot province has multiple.¡± Percy nodded. Indeed, the western side had three of them, but Bogside town wasn¡¯t among them. Instead, it was on the eastern side, being one of the two under their enemies¡¯ control! ¡°The members of House Tantalus are currently roaming my family¡¯s territories like sharks, eager to take a bite. But I doubt they¡¯d look twice at a couple of commoners passing through their own side of the province. We¡¯ll enter from the north and make our way to the town. We¡¯ll hide there, right under their noses, looking for an opportunity to reach my House in the next two years.¡± Nesha creased her brow at the explanation. She didn¡¯t seem convinced. ¡°If the only issue is the blockade, there are other ways around it. We could circle the province and enter your family¡¯s side from a different spot.¡± ¡°Indeed, we could.¡± Percy said, before grinning. ¡°But I have another goal in Bogside town.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°Remember how I said we only have enough elixirs to last as two years?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± the girl tilted her head in confusion, apparently unsure what this had to do with anything. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t return to the Guild anytime soon, so there¡¯s only one other place where we could possibly restock on elixirs.¡± Nesha¡¯s eyes widened as she realized what he intended to do. Indeed, after the Alchemists¡¯ Guild, the next best place to find a large amount of elixirs was a noble House¡¯s warehouse! After all, a family of that size had over 500 members, of which around 200 would receive elixirs regularly. Assuming they had enough in stock to last them a couple of years ¨C which was the norm for his family at least ¨C it meant their combined stash would last Percy and Nesha for over a decade! And if he was going to raid a noble House¡¯s storage, what better target than his family¡¯s enemies ¨C the very ones who murdered his parents? ¡°Have you lost your mind? How are we going to accomplish something like that?¡± Percy shrugged. ¡°Well, I admit that¡¯s the part I haven¡¯t figured out yet¡­¡± he said with a sheepish grin plastered all over his face. ¡°Still, we have two years to find a way!¡± ¡°You¡¯re nuts¡­¡± the girl shook her head but didn¡¯t say anything else. There was actually one more reason why Percy had picked that particular town over the other. Now that Micky had advanced, they needed a good place for him to stay ¨C a place where he¡¯d have access to all the higher-grade food he now needed. And as it so happened, Bogside town was located right next to a dangerous swamp filled with Orange and Yellow beasts ¨C the Grisly Bog. Putting out the fire, Percy cleaned the camp up a little before finding a decent spot to sleep. Then, he reached out to his companions. ¡°Nesha. Micky. Can you two do me a favour and split tonight¡¯s shifts between yourselves? I¡¯ll make it up to you later.¡± The two groaned at the prospect of staying up longer, but ultimately agreed. Naturally, Percy had a reason for voicing this request ¨C and it wasn¡¯t because of laziness. He needed to get a good rest, as he had something important to do the following day. Their target was still a week away, but that wasn¡¯t the only place Percy would be visiting in the near future. While it hadn¡¯t been that long since his latest wasp clone got destroyed, the colossal amount of soul mana his familiar had harvested from the Starry Knight had been more than enough to fully heal his soul. Now that his ventures inside the hive had been placed on hold, it was finally time for the young man to resume sending clones out of Remior. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it¡¯s a lucky one.¡± Chapter 118 – Takeo ¡°Takeo¡­ Don¡¯t leave the village. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± Father said sternly. But he wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°This is exactly why we have to go! We can¡¯t just wait here like cowards!¡± Sengo reached for his son, but the boy shook the hand off his shoulder. Grabbing his father¡¯s latest creation from a table, he bolted out of the room. ¡°Come back!¡± Sengo yelled, though his voice only grew more distant as the boy ran through the empty streets, his wooden sandals clacking against the paved dirt. Takeo circled around the house by the corner of the road before heading straight, right into the dense thicket. The pale moonlight was already faint to begin with, though it vanished entirely as the young man dove into the black vines. The infernal things blotted out the sky, greedily shrouding the world in their demonic embrace. At least the young man¡¯s eyesight had always been the sharpest in the village, so he could still see where he was going. Somewhat. He strapped the object he had taken from his father to his waist, before unsheathing his own machete from the other side. He ducked and squeezed through the vines whenever he could ¨C his smaller frame making things easier ¨C though he still had to hack an opening once in a while. Every few steps, the boy caught one of the thorn-covered tendrils shift by the corner of his eye. Had this been a few years ago, he might have chalked it up to fear, but he knew the time of the feast was almost upon them. ¡®No way I¡¯m letting everyone get eaten!¡¯ The young man roamed the jungle for hours, though he never extended too far from the village. If he was going to kill somebody, he figured he might as well look for a raider targeting his people. Plus, he had the advantage in his own turf. Knowing the place like the back of his hand, it would be harder to fall into an ambush here. Eventually, he stopped upon spotting a few broken vines. Somebody must¡¯ve passed through recently. In the last few minutes too, otherwise the jungle would have repaired the damage already. Putting his machete away, Takeo grabbed the hilt of the other object, clenching it tightly in his grasp. Twisting the blade upwards, he pulled it slightly from its sheath. Then he crouched, advancing through the thicket with more caution. At the same time, he scanned his surroundings for more signs of activity. And it wasn¡¯t long before he found another broken vine, and then a third. Soon, Takeo was hot on his prey¡¯s trail, inching closer by the second. ¡®The fools won¡¯t know what hit them!¡¯ Aware he was probably close enough they could hear him; he held his breath before brushing a vine aside and peering through a gap in the undergrowth. One of the thorns stabbed into his palm, causing him to wince, but he didn¡¯t utter a sound as his gaze finally locked onto his prey. ¡®Three of them.¡¯ Examining his targets, he firmed his stance, ready to pounce on them. Though he hesitated at the last second. One of them was a kid ¨C a boy even younger than he was. Of the adults, only the man was holding a hatchet in his hand. The woman was unarmed. ¡®A family¡­¡¯ Takeo felt his heart clench at the sight, having second thoughts about doing this. These people weren¡¯t raiders ¨C they were probably just running away from all the chaos, looking for a safe place to hide before the feast. Chances were, their home had been destroyed already.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s either them or us! Lots of innocents will die anyway, if we can¡¯t stop the jungle from awakening!¡¯ The young man clawed into his arm with his free hand, his fingernails digging into his skin as he tried harnessing the pain to move. But his legs refused to listen. No matter how hard he forced himself, he just couldn¡¯t find it in his heart to murder the trio. Suddenly, a vine broke under the pressure, causing the family to jerk their heads in his direction. The kid almost screamed, though his mother covered his mouth. At the same time, the man¡¯s features twisted in fury at the sight of Takeo¡¯s sword. The latter stepped back, looking for the words to explain himself. But he couldn¡¯t find any. After all, he was still considering the act a moment ago. ¡°Leave my family alone you fucker!¡± the older man hissed, dashing towards Takeo with his hatchet ready. Realizing they were long past words, the young man calmed himself down, as he resumed his stance. His enemy was larger and probably stronger, but no fighter. His movements were crude, his steps uneven. Another wave of hesitation bubbled up, but Takeo pressed it down as he drew his sword, its edge the only source of light in the dark jungle as it reflected whatever scant rays reached it. THUD, THUD The mother covered her child¡¯s eyes to shield him from the horror as their world came crashing down. Takeo exhaled the turbid air in his lungs before looking at the two in shame. He knew he should finish the job, but he also understood he didn¡¯t have the stomach for it. His arm fell weakly by his side as he dropped his weapon. Of course, he didn¡¯t expect the woman to thank him for sparing them. Naturally, she glared at him with unconcealed hatred, occasionally tossing a glance at her husband¡¯s decapitated body, the colour draining from her face at the gruesome sight. But in the end, she knew what had to be done. Grabbing her son, she ignored his sobs as she suppressed her own, running away before Takeo changed his mind. The young man looked at the corpse one more time. Blood still gushed out of the wound like a fountain, but there wasn¡¯t any beneath the body. The jungle had already sucked the pool dry. Takeo picked his sword up before heading off, in search of another group. As disgusted as he was by his actions, the vines wouldn¡¯t be satiated with a single meal. Or a thousand, for that matter. Others would have to help too if they wanted to delay the feast. Over the next few hours, he continued roaming his village¡¯s vicinity, not stopping until he cleared the whole area twice. In that time, he found a dozen more targets, though luckily, none of them were civilians. Heavily armed and in groups of at least three, they posed a much higher threat to Takeo than his first unfortunate victim. Still, between his father¡¯s masterfully crafted katana and the sharp combat skills he had honed his whole life, none of the skirmishes gave him much trouble. ¡®But it¡¯s nowhere near enough¡­¡¯ he smiled bitterly. The lives he had sacrificed today weighed heavily on his conscience, but for the vines? They didn¡¯t amount to much. Maybe a few hours of peace if they got lucky. Takeo knew he¡¯d have to come back tomorrow. And the day after. And even then, he was only delaying the inevitable¡­ In any case, there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it right now. Turning back towards his village, he was about to return home, when something lashed at him. By reflex, he swung the sword at it, managing to intercept the vine in time. The severed tendril twitched a couple of times by his feet before dying down. ¡®That one almost got m¨C¡¯ Takeo didn¡¯t even get the chance to complete that thought when he felt an impact on the back of his head, a sickening crunch reverberating through his skull. His vision blurred as he fell to the ground. At the same time, another tendril wrapped itself around his neck, squeezing it. ¡®Can¡¯t¡­ breathe¡­¡¯ The young man tried to chop away at the vine, when he realized he had dropped his sword at some point. Drawing his machete with his left hand, he was about to use that, when another tendril lashed at his wrist, stopping him. Out of options, he resorted to brute strength, though he was no match for the demonic wood. Takeo pummelled the vine again and again, though it didn¡¯t do him much good. Each hit was weaker than the one before, until he couldn¡¯t go on. Finally, the boy¡¯s resistance fizzled out into smoke, as his eyes fell shut, the very jungle he had spent all day feeding becoming his undoing. Though this wasn¡¯t the end of Takeo¡¯s story, as one last chapter had yet to be written¡­ Chapter 119 – Infestation Percy was a little bummed out by his latest venture. This was his first clone outside Remior in months, though luck hadn¡¯t been on his side. He¡¯d spent the entire trip looking for a suitable host, but all he¡¯d found were crumbling souls that wouldn¡¯t last a minute once he took over. In the end, he went with the least damaged option, though their grade left much to be desired. It was somewhere between a Red and an insect ¨C which was a first for him. ¡®Better than nothing, I guess¡­¡¯ At least, the actual possession went smoothly. For some reason, his host appeared completely absent this time. It was nothing like the lizard or the furball, which had remained passive yet still present in the background. No. This body¡¯s owner was gonzo. Encountering zero resistance, Percy slid between the gaps, patching the broken soul with unprecedented ease. A few memories flashed through his mind in the process, though they were too disorganized to piece together. ¡®What the hell?! Did this guy get hit in the head or something?¡¯ Tapping into the body¡¯s senses, Percy finally pried his eyes open, only to be greeted by endless darkness. After a moment, some vague shapes started coming to focus, but he didn¡¯t have the chance to worry about them, as he discovered he couldn¡¯t even breathe. Something was squeezing his neck tightly. Trying to move his hands, he soon realized his left was bound too, leaving him only his right to pummel the object with. Whatever it was felt slimy, its surface smooth and damp. It slowly slithered around his throat, a small spike tracing a shallow cut along his skin as it did so. ¡®The fuck?! Some kind of thorny snake?!¡¯ Not getting anywhere barehanded, Percy summoned a sliver of his stored mana, forming a weapon in his hand. Soon, a teal flash sliced a line through the darkness, severing the tendril off him. Percy filled his lungs with air a couple of times as he practically felt the colour return to his face. But he was still trapped. Hacking again with his sickle, he cut another three ¡°snakes¡± a second later, freeing the rest of his limbs. Jumping to his feet, he activated Mana Sense, hoping to scan his surroundings better. Or he tried to, at least. For some reason, his current body couldn¡¯t even use Mana Sense! ¡®That¡¯s a new one¡­¡¯ Accepting that his impaired eyesight was all he could rely on, he examined the ground around him, attempting to decipher what had happened to his host. Faintly illuminated by his mana construct, he spotted five severed vines ¨C all of them black like tar, covered in spikes of various sizes. The dead ones weren¡¯t moving right now, but the living ones were ¨C wriggling ominously as they waited for another opportunity to pounce. Making a note to keep an eye on the strangely animated plants, Percy¡¯s attention was drawn to a couple of manmade objects glinting nearby. Picking the first one up, he noticed it was a slender sword, sporting a single, curved edge. A quick test revealed its sharpness wasn¡¯t a joke, as it cut a couple inches into another vine with minimal effort. ¡®Wow. Is this really a mundane weapon?¡¯ There sure weren¡¯t any runes visible on its surface, nor the typical glow he would expect from a mana-rich alloy. Finding a scabbard matching the sword strapped to his waist, he sheathed it, before picking the second object off the ground. This one was a machete, crafted from the same material, though its edge had dulled a little from overuse. Still, it was better than any steel tool he¡¯d seen on Remior. ¡®I suppose I can rely on these for the time being.¡¯ Allowing his construct to crumble, he collected as many of the teal shreds as he could, storing them back inside his soul. Some strange force was pulling on them, trying to pry them from his control, but Percy would be damned if he let his limited supply get snatched so easily. Exerting all the willpower he could muster, he forcibly dragged most of the substance into his body, ultimately recovering about three quarters of the amount he¡¯d used.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡®Man, this fused mana is a gamechanger!¡¯ Percy couldn¡¯t help but nod in appreciation. The young man had naturally been thrilled upon discovering he could supply his clones with the teal mana as long as it was stored in its ethereal form. Not only did this let him essentially ¡°cheat¡± some pure mana into his clones, it was highly recyclable too, allowing him to get a lot more value from it before it ran out. ¡®In any case, better get a move on.¡¯ There was a lot to think about, but this wasn¡¯t the time or the place. Looking around, Percy realized he recognized the scenery somewhat. Despite the poor lighting, his host seemed to be extremely familiar with the area. In fact, he could even tell which way ¡°home¡± was. Heading towards the village he scarcely remembered, he soon noticed his body was rather weak. Exhausted and injured all over, yes ¨C but that wasn¡¯t it. It reminded Percy of his youth, from before he advanced to Orange. ¡®Come to think of it, there¡¯s no mana in the air whatsoever...¡¯ No wonder he couldn¡¯t even use Mana Sense. Had his host not even awakened his core?! Suddenly, a vine lashed at him from his right, though he was prepared for it. With a semi-awkward swing of his machete, he cut it to pieces, though he didn¡¯t relax just yet, knowing more could attack at any moment. Ignoring the soreness and pain, he picked up the pace, practically running towards his host¡¯s village, hacking at whatever obstacle stood in his path. ¡®Is this jungle the reason there isn¡¯t any mana here?¡¯ If the black vines sucked all the ambient mana in this world, it would explain why his host had never managed to awaken his core. For all Percy knew, the poor sap might have been born with a Yellow one, but he¡¯d lived and died without ever enjoying its benefits. And as if that wasn¡¯t enough, the hateful plants weren¡¯t satisfied with all the mana they stole, seemingly thirsting for blood too. In fact, this situation felt a little familiar to Percy, as he couldn¡¯t help but recall something he¡¯d read about on Remior. ¡®Could this be an infestation?!¡¯ The gods of the Divine Order weren¡¯t that open about their operations, but a few morsels of information did trickle down to the mortals like him. From what he knew, foreign races weren¡¯t the only threat the deities had to deal with. Other than the fierce competition over resources and territories, gods across the universe had another major enemy ¨C this one in common. Demonic infestations. Supposedly formed from the accumulation of negative thoughts, they sprouted randomly like cancers, dooming whatever unfortunate world spawned them. Infestations came in many shapes and sizes ¨C from imps and gremlins as weak as the weakest mortals, to great devils as powerful as the strongest gods, to mindless entities spanning entire worlds, bringing calamity upon their residents. Evidently, this jungle belonged in the latter category. Percy¡¯s confidence in his guess grew as he scanned the living vines around him. This didn¡¯t seem like a natural phenomenon. Unlike the brown fog he had encountered before, this disaster was alive, dripping with malice and cruelty, its only mission to drive all life to extinction. It was only once he finally reached the edge of the dense thicket that he exhaled in relief, leaving the demonic jungle behind him, as he stepped into the pale moonlight. The small village standing before him looked both alien and familiar, as his host¡¯s memories bled into his own. ¡®Now what do I do?¡¯ Part of him was curious about the infestation. He knew it was close to some turning point, and it was his first time experiencing one with any of his clones. Not that there was anything to be gained from it, but he was sure he¡¯d run into more in his future travels, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt to get a taste. On the other hand, his current clone might be a good candidate to return to the Vault with. Stumbling upon a host that was both sentient and brain-dead was a rare stroke of luck. He had free reign over the body, and he wouldn¡¯t even have to feel guilty over dragging someone else into his mess. That said, he didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d be able to practice magiscript without a functioning core. Perhaps, he could awaken it inside the Vault, but his body wasn¡¯t in great shape, so it might not last long enough. ¡®Let¡¯s figure out the situation here first¡­¡¯ At the very least, Percy wanted to learn more about the crafting technique of the locals here. The strength and sharpness of his steel tools almost rivalled that of his pure constructs, which was quite impressive for a pair of mana-less weapons. Maybe he could learn to make similar tools back home. ¡®But before all that, let¡¯s see what I¡¯m dealing with.¡¯ Summoning his Status, Percy read his host¡¯s details at last. ___ Takeo Muramasa (Percival''s clone) ___ Chapter 120 – Sengo ___ Takeo Muramasa (Percival''s clone) Mana cores: Spells: Decrees: ___ As it turned out, his Status was able to recognize Takeo¡¯s grade. It was at Red, which wasn¡¯t exactly great news. Even if Percy could fill it up inside the Vault, it wouldn¡¯t help him much. ¡®No new Decree either¡­ Though that¡¯s to be expected. I doubt any gods can emerge in this place.¡¯ There wasn¡¯t really anything of note here. The only silver lining was that his stash of teal mana allowed him to use most of his spells. He still couldn¡¯t use Circulation without his cores, but everything else was on the table, at least until his reserves ran out. If everyone else was incapable of using magic, it would give him a significant advantage over the locals. Of course, he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d even need it. Shrugging, Percy walked along the paved dirt, tracing the way to his host¡¯s house by instinct. The first thing he noticed as he travelled through the small village was that the buildings looked a little strange. They were made of some pale, uniform material which looked nothing like the stone buildings they had in the Alchemists¡¯ Guild, nor the wooden walls in his family¡¯s mansion. ¡®They seem surprisingly sturdy too.¡¯ Despite the lack of any engravings or magical materials, the houses appeared in decent condition. At least, he couldn¡¯t spot any signs of age on their simple walls. Evidently, the crafting techniques of the natives extended beyond their steel tools. Though it wasn¡¯t that odd, considering they didn¡¯t have magic to fall back to. Back on Remior, people used it as a crutch to solve all their problems. Why bother improving the quality of your materials when you could just carve a couple runes on them to compensate for their deficiencies? ¡®Let¡¯s figure out how all this works and then leave.¡¯ Percy decided. Luckily, he didn¡¯t meet anyone on the deserted streets, saving him some time. Apparently, they were all holed up in their homes ¨C evident by the faint shadows he occasionally saw shifting through the windows. Every now and then, he caught a glimpse of a villager, which might have startled him under different circumstances. Their deep crimson skin and bright yellow eyes made them more than a little intimidating. Not to mention their sharp features, or the four fangs each had sticking out of their mouth. However, Percy wasn¡¯t scared in the slightest. And that wasn¡¯t merely because he could defend himself. Seeing these people through Takeo¡¯s eyes, he realized he could put a name to each face. They were his family ¨C the very people he had grown up with. ¡®And now he¡¯s dead.¡¯ he thought, feeling his heart tighten.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He¡¯d sent plenty of clones, but this was his first time meeting the loved ones of his host. Perhaps he should have prepared himself for this eventuality, though the guilt was hard to stomach. What was he supposed to tell them? Pretend that he was Takeo, only to die in front of them a few days later? Or explain how he had taken over the boy¡¯s corpse? The fact that Takeo appeared to be in his early teens only made the situation more tragic. Percy stopped right in his tracks, realizing he couldn¡¯t in good conscience return to his host¡¯s house like this. He knew the boy had a father waiting for him there, and neither of them deserved to be put in that situation. Yet, just as he was contemplating whether to open a portal to the Vault right then and there, or leave the body behind and return to Remior, his worst fear came to light. ¡°Takeo!¡± a rough voice yelled. It was only now the young man saw the person he recognized as his host¡¯s father standing some distance away, staring at him intently, his expression a blend of concern and relief. Percy wanted to turn around and leave, but he never got the chance. The older man sprinted towards him, only stopping once he was a few steps away. Sengo ¨C Percy thought his name was ¨C scanned him up and down, shuddering at the sight of his son¡¯s gruesome injuries. Tears rolled down Sengo¡¯s face, forming two pink trickles on his cheeks. It was only now that Percy managed to recall another titbit of information from the shattered prism that was Takeo¡¯s mind. Apparently, all the people in this world cried red tears, but Takeo¡¯s clansmen were a little unique in that theirs were a few shades paler. This was the source of the village¡¯s name ¨C Torui. Seeing the man remain quiet, Percy wanted to speak first. To explain that he wasn¡¯t Takeo. But the words got stuck in his throat. The two just stood there, staring each other in silence for a few minutes, before Sengo pulled Percy into a firm hug, sobbing as he clenched him tightly. ¡°I told you not to go!¡± the man said in a stern tone. At least Percy could understand him, as Takeo¡¯s memories breathed meaning to the words. ¡°Look what happened to you!¡± Sengo spoke again, gesturing at his son¡¯s wounds. Though it was only now that Percy registered some of the blood on him wasn¡¯t his own. In fact, it didn¡¯t take much effort to recall where it had come from. Perhaps it was because those memories were more recent, or because they¡¯d had a greater impact on his host. Whatever the reason, he vividly remembered killing over a dozen people, including a scared father protecting his wife and kid. Percy frowned, suddenly feeling a little less sympathetic for the boy. The brat had been a cold-blooded murderer, ruining a family just like that. But he shook his head a moment later, remembering the situation that had led Takeo to do that. ¡®I suppose everyone here is just desperate to survive. The vines will awaken sooner unless they keep sacrificing strangers¡­¡¯ Probably realizing what Percy was thinking about, Sengo placed a hand on his shoulder, before lifting his chin with the other. He looked him in the eyes as he spoke. ¡°What¡¯s done is done.¡± he said sternly. ¡°Sometimes, taking lives and saving them are one and the same.¡± The young man nodded, though his guilt had more to do with his charade than his host¡¯s crimes. He knew it was cowardly of him to remain quiet, but he just couldn¡¯t find it in his heart to turn Sengo¡¯s world upside down. ¡®Let¡¯s tell him tomorrow. He can sleep soundly one more night, and I can think of the best way to deliver the news¡­¡¯ was what Percy thought, but he wasn¡¯t sure he believed it. Following the man to their house, he placed his hand on the pale wall, feeling its rough surface. Digging into his memories, he tried to recall what the material was called. It took a few seconds, but it eventually came through. ¡®Concrete.¡¯ ¡°Do you want to help me repair miss Kimiko¡¯s house tomorrow?¡± Sengo asked as he saw him tracing his finger on the material. ¡°Feeding the jungle isn¡¯t the only way to protect our village you know. We can build strong houses, and arm everyone with weapons to prepare for the feast.¡± Percy nodded. ¡®Maybe I can stay here until the vines attack. I¡¯ll help these people defend themselves, and maybe even learn a couple things in the process.¡¯ In any case, it wouldn¡¯t be long until the infestation reached its final stage. If his host¡¯s memories could be trusted, they only had days at most. And each feast was more severe than the ones before. The demonic jungle had existed as far as Takeo could remember, having nearly driven the world¡¯s inhabitants to extinction already. Perhaps the few remaining villages would be gone too in another decade or so. After all, infestations were mindless and vicious. They didn¡¯t care about self-preservation in the slightest. The only thing they knew was destruction ¨C first of their surroundings, and ultimately themselves. ¡®I suppose protecting the boy¡¯s people should be enough compensation for the free ride...¡¯ Chapter 121 – Concrete Percy watched the strange contraption grind the materials into fine powder. They swirled through the long metallic cylinder, its interior filled with steel teeth, rotating thanks to the heat from the furnace. It was actually ingenious how the locals harnessed the movement of the hot air to accomplish tasks otherwise impossible with brute strength alone. ¡®I suppose we would have figured this out too, if we spent our whole lives stuck at Red...¡¯ As for the materials Sengo had placed inside the machine ¨C they weren¡¯t anything special. Just some limestone and clay. They had those back on Remior too. In fact, Percy was pretty sure he¡¯d seen both of them in many of the other worlds he¡¯d visited. A few minutes later, the crushing process was complete. Sengo removed the pipe venting the excess air into the tube, before emptying its contents into several buckets, filling them with an unassuming grey dust. ¡°This is called cement.¡± the man explained to his ¡®son¡¯ after noticing Percy¡¯s perplexed expression. And the latter wasn¡¯t faking it either. While Takeo had seen his father work many times before, Percy struggled to find many details in his host¡¯s memories. Evidently, the boy had never helped Sengo much, their relationship having always been rather rocky. ¡°It¡¯s an important ingredient of concrete, but not the only one.¡± the man continued, oblivious to his thoughts. Next, he picked a bucket with each hand, gesturing at Percy to do the same. The young man didn¡¯t miss his ¡®father¡¯ wincing as he lifted them, probably suffering from some old injury or ailment. The two then walked to a different room where a second machine was located. It looked a little like the one from before, though it was wider and didn¡¯t contain any teeth inside. Clearly it was only meant for mixing, not crushing. Sengo placed the buckets on the ground, before picking a different pair up, filled with other materials. ¡°Concrete is mostly made of gravel, mixed with fine sand to fill in the gaps.¡± he explained as he poured the buckets into the device. ¡°The cement we created earlier is used along with water to hold everything together.¡± Percy nodded along, as he watched Sengo work, occasionally helping out when the latter had to lift something heavy. Even with the aid of the machines, a lot of physical effort still went into this. Though from what the young man had seen, the results were more than worth it. Once they were done, they emptied the new material into the buckets again, this time ending up with a viscous grey sludge. Leaving the house, they walked over to a building down the street, stopping by one of the walls. It was broken, as a few chopped vines thicker than Takeo¡¯s thigh were lying motionless next to it. Two men were also working there ¨C the first people other than Sengo that Percy saw outside since coming here. One was an older man ¨C maybe a few years younger than Sengo, while the other was a boy around his age. The two barely spared them a cursory glance, busy as they were. They seemed to be uprooting the malignant growth that had sprouted the vines, before it had the chance to do so again. ¡°Akio, Haruto.¡± Sengo greeted. ¡°I see you¡¯ve had a busy day.¡± ¡°Aaahhh! We¡¯ve been trying to dig this infernal thing out for hours!¡± the older man groaned. ¡°Kimiko kept complaining about it. ¡®Akio, we can¡¯t leave that thing sticking into our living room!¡¯ Well, I sure don¡¯t see her pulling the roots out!¡± ¡°Hahaha! Listen to your wife Akio. You know how important it is to get rid of the darn things whenever they pop up inside the village. If we leave them be, they¡¯ll only get worse.¡± But Akio shook his head.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°What¡¯s even the point? We both know an extra vine or two won¡¯t matter when the whole jungle comes alive! Old friend¡­ I¡¯m afraid this is going to be our last feast¡­¡± Sengo didn¡¯t say anything, but Percy didn¡¯t miss how everyone¡¯s mood turned more sombre after the brief exchange. They all understood they were living on borrowed time. As things stood, they couldn¡¯t even venture out to forage for food or more materials. Even if they survived the massacre, who knew if there would be anything edible left out there¡­ ¡°Come on, Takeo. We need to patch the wall up before the concrete starts to dry.¡± Percy nodded, though being called by his host¡¯s name reignited his guilt. He had yet to tell the man the truth, and he was starting to think he¡¯d never find the courage to do so. It wasn¡¯t like the village¡¯s situation was great, but at least Sengo seemed to find peace in his work. Percy didn¡¯t want to rob him of that minor consolation during his last couple of days. The two worked in silence over the next few hours, filling the broken segment of the wall with the sludge. They used a few metallic sheets propped against the wall to keep the liquid from spilling out. By the time they were done, the others had finished too, returning to their house. Nobody in the village seemed to be in the mood to do much else, besides waiting for the calamity with their loved ones. ¡°See, Takeo?¡± Sengo suddenly asked. ¡°Most of the buildings won¡¯t survive the feast, but every wall might just be enough to save an extra life. It¡¯s more productive to do this than to go out there killing people.¡± Percy could tell the man really disapproved of his host¡¯s actions. Their differing philosophy on how to approach the feast was probably the core of their strained relationship. ¡®Honestly, I can¡¯t even tell which one of them is right¡­¡¯ Whether it was slaughtering innocents to delay the disaster by a few minutes or trying to build a few extra houses that weren¡¯t likely to survive, none of it sounded like a particularly effective strategy. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like they had a better option. Percy hadn¡¯t personally experienced a feast, but from what he knew about infestations, these people were screwed no matter what they did. ¡®I suppose if it¡¯s not going to help either way, I¡¯d rather avoid getting blood on my hands¡­¡¯ Young and hot-blooded as Takeo was, he had clearly gone with the less moral option. Yet, getting out of this place with his hands clean might not be in the cards for Percy either¡­ ¡°Aaaahhh!!¡± Hearing the scream, Sengo and Percy looked in a certain direction, spotting a few hooded men holding hatchets and sabres in the distance. Percy couldn¡¯t make their faces out, but something told him these people weren¡¯t from the village. One of them dragged a weeping lady across the street, heading towards the jungle. She was the one who had screamed. Drawing his machete, Percy hastily dropped it by Sengo¡¯s feet so he could defend himself. Next, he unsheathed his sword as he ran towards the raiders. Strictly speaking, he didn¡¯t really have any skin in the game. After all, he wasn¡¯t the real Takeo and this wasn¡¯t his village. Consequently, fighting the raiders to save a local was arguably pointless. That said, watching them butcher innocent people while doing nothing just felt wrong. ¡°Hold on, son!¡± Sengo shouted, causing Percy to look back. The older man was running behind him, clutching the machete in his hand. He looked like he was in pain as he exerted himself, but he carried the aura of a fighter all-the-same. Peace-loving as he was, he clearly knew how to defend himself. Glancing around, Percy noticed more of the villagers rushing out of their homes, each armed with a finely crafted weapon like his own. It seemed nobody here was a vegetarian. ¡®Of course not. Even if they don¡¯t like going out there hunting people, they wouldn¡¯t have survived this long if they couldn¡¯t handle themselves¡­¡¯ Seeing all the familiar faces, Percy couldn¡¯t help but recall some more of his host¡¯s memories. He remembered the countless hours spent practicing with these people, sparring with them, being taught by them how to hold his sword, how to use it. They were all his teachers¡­ and his friends¡­ Soon, the villagers stood before the raiders, outnumbering them by about 15 to 10. Percy would have expected them to give up and leave, but they hadn¡¯t done that. And why would they? The more blood that got spilled today the better things would be for the survivors. Evidently, the raiders would rather take their chances. But Percy wouldn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one chance to run away. Nobody has to die. Not today, at least.¡± he said before anybody had the chance to. The villagers gave him odd looks. Takeo was probably the last person anybody expected to douse the conflict. But he had to do this. Whether it was the locals or the raiders, all of these people were just trying to survive. Percy didn¡¯t want to hurt anybody if he didn¡¯t have to. Sadly, his enemies didn¡¯t seem to agree. They only tightened their grips on the weapons, silently giving Percy his answer. Watching some of the last surviving natives prepare to kill each other, Percy couldn¡¯t help but recall Sengo¡¯s words from earlier. ¡®Sometimes, taking lives and saving them are one and the same...¡¯ Chapter 122 – Steel As it so happened, the two sides weren¡¯t evenly matched at all. Their numerical advantage aside, the villagers seemed to completely outclass the raiders in both skill and the quality of their weapons. Hell, even if their numbers were reversed, Percy was confident ¡®his¡¯ people wouldn¡¯t have struggled much. Within mere minutes, over half of the invaders were dead, gutted like fish by the sharp slashes of the villagers. At least, Percy had to give credit to the survivors as they showed no intention of surrendering. They probably reasoned that it was better to die here than to go back to the jungle. After all, everyone could see the vines already swaying in unrest in the distance. ¡®I¡¯m the only one still taking my time¡­¡¯ he smiled bitterly, as he looked back at his opponent. He was a man seemingly in his thirties ¨C maybe, though Percy wasn¡¯t an expert on these people¡¯s physiology. He donned a crudely forged cutlass, its edge dull and its blade covered in dried bloodstains. Evidently, Sengo¡¯s advanced crafting techniques weren¡¯t quite as widespread as Percy had originally thought. Of course, he could have defeated the raider already, had he put his heart into it. However, Percy was still struggling to rationalize killing a stranger just to help more strangers. ¡®Let¡¯s try to learn something in the process, at least.¡¯ As early as their first exchange, he had noticed an impulse to move and react in a specific manner ¨C in a way he wasn¡¯t used to. Apparently, his host¡¯s muscle memory bled into his own combat instincts, driving him to switch up his fighting style. Percy could have easily resisted the impulse and made quick work of the man if he wanted. After all, he had plenty of experience himself. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like Micky¡¯s fighting style was any inferior to the locals¡¯. But he didn¡¯t do that. He was curious to see how Takeo fought. The Dance of the Savage Gods involved a lot of exaggerated movements and quick footwork. Its central concept was achieving dominance over the battlefield, wearing down an opponent with multiple opportunistic blows. The natives¡¯ style on the other hand couldn¡¯t have been more different. It involved much smaller movements, focusing on the delivery of sharp, deadly strikes at an opponent¡¯s vitals. ¡®This style might be more compatible with my soul affinity.¡¯ It was easy to see why. Both worked better with sharp weapons and were best at ending a fight in an instant. Recognizing the value of this art, Percy allowed himself to sink into Takeo¡¯s memories as he entered a kind of trance. His enemy tried to cut him open with the cutlass, but Percy wasn¡¯t in a rush to fight back, merely sidestepping the blows one after the other, waiting for an opening of his own. Some of the attacks did come dangerously close to injuring him, but he didn¡¯t care too much. Worst case scenario, his clone died a couple days sooner. ¡®There.¡¯ Percy thought after seeing the man overextend. Taking a step forward, he swung his katana as swiftly as he could, barely stopping an inch before his opponent¡¯s neck. The raider stumbled back, swallowing a lump of saliva after realizing how close he had come to losing his head. Though he frowned a second later, upon seeing Percy hadn¡¯t tried to finish him. ¡°Again.¡± the latter said, gesturing at him to stand. The man complied, soon engaging Percy into another round. The two fought for several more minutes, as the young man continued to use the raider as a whetstone, trying to mix and consolidate Micky¡¯s and Takeo¡¯s styles in an accelerated manner.Stolen story; please report. His body was weaker than he was used to, but not as bad as it could have been. While at Red, Takeo had clearly pushed himself to his limits. In fact, Percy was confident he could have used Circulation with it if he had a functioning core and the necessary channels cleared. Though there wasn¡¯t any need for that right now, as he had plenty to learn from even the mundane bout. Dodge after dodge, slash after slash, his body oscillated between the two styles as he circled the raider and pivoted on his feet, trying to use the dance to create opportunities for the finishers. As for his opponent, he was constantly on the backfoot the entire fight. That said, he seemed to have calmed down after a certain point, realizing Percy had no intention of killing him. ¡°Stop.¡± the man spoke eventually, raising his hand. Percy barely halted mid-swing, only now registering what was happening. The other villagers had long finished their own opponents and were all gathered around him, giving him strange looks. ¡°Why?¡± the raider asked again, clearly as confused as the rest of them. ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you.¡± Percy shrugged, before sheathing his weapon. ¡°Though I don¡¯t really care what the others do with you. After all, you did attack us.¡± Turning around, he headed for his house, but not before tossing his father a glance. Sengo¡¯s expression was cold as ice, probably realizing that Takeo was acting out of character. *** Percy watched silently as Sengo hammered the red-hod lump of iron, losing himself in the rhythmic sound. Every now and then, the old blacksmith would dip the metal in water to cool it, before using a brush to coat it in a layer of clay mud. According to Sengo, this treatment would prevent the sword from rusting. Next, Sengo placed the lump back inside the forge to reheat it, before resuming the tempering process. Each time, he folded the thinned sheet back onto itself, forcing more of the impurities out with each cycle. ¡®No wonder it¡¯s so much stronger than what we have back home.¡¯ They actually did have steel back on Remior, the idea of fusing multiple metals into alloys not being that foreign to them. However, Percy was willing to bet they hadn¡¯t perfected the process to this degree. Sengo¡¯s work bordered on obsessive. Once he was done, Percy watched the man sharpen the blade against a rotating grindstone, powered by heat like all of Sengo¡¯s tools. Soon, an intricate wavy pattern took form along the edge of the katana. It was probably only a side-effect of the forging process ¨C not there intentionally. Still, that didn¡¯t detract from the sword¡¯s beauty at all. It could probably fit inside a gallery just as well as it could on a battlefield. ¡®It¡¯s remarkable what he has achieved with the most common of materials. Maybe the philosophy behind it can be applied to my own constructs¡­¡¯ Percy thought. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the same, as his spells were made of mana, not metals or stones. Still, he did have some ideas as to how he could approach this when he returned. But Sengo hadn¡¯t finished quite yet, breaking Percy out of his thoughts as he attached a wooden hilt to the blade. Next, he wrapped it in a thin strip of cloth several times, forming a vertical pattern of diamonds. Finally, he checked the sword one last time, hammering it some more here and there, to straighten any lingering imperfections along its length. As for a scabbard, he didn¡¯t seem to have one ready, so he just rested the sword on a cushion before turning to his ¡®son¡¯. He appeared like he wanted to speak ¨C to explain something perhaps ¨C but he ultimately remained silent. His eyes wavered for a moment, before he averted his gaze entirely. Even looking at Takeo was difficult. ¡®He knows, doesn¡¯t he?¡¯ Percy realized. Sengo hadn¡¯t spoken a word since the altercation with the raiders. While Percy had never found the courage to tell him the truth about his son, the man seemed to have figured it out on his own. After all, what sort of father wouldn¡¯t have noticed something like that? ¡®I should still explain everything clearly. It¡¯s the least I can do after everything he¡¯s taught me¡­¡¯ he decided. Though he didn¡¯t get the chance. A tremor suddenly shook the house, as Percy heard a couple of screams coming from outside. Both he and Sengo rushed to the window, trying to understand what had happened. The sight before them was horrific. Multiple tendrils as thick as a tree¡¯s trunk had sprouted all over the village, all of them covered in countless thorns. The demonic vines lashed at any building within their reach, trying to tear the cement walls down one blow at a time. The sound of something breaking came from behind them, as Percy and Sengo both turned around, only to see another of the tendrils digging out right in the middle of the workshop. ¡®Father¡¯ and ¡®son¡¯ both clenched their weapons tightly in their grasp, ready to face off against the demonic jungle. Chapter 123 – Torui village Swinging with as much strength as he could muster, Percy cut through the vine. At first, the blade slid right through the black growth, slicing it apart like butter. However, this was the thickest one he¡¯d encountered by far. Consequently, the edge kept slowing down, before ultimately coming to a halt about halfway through its width. ¡°Shit¡­¡± Percy pulled, trying to pry the sword out of the tendril, ducking in the meantime to dodge its erratic lashes. ¡°Pull again!¡± Sengo yelled, kicking the spot right above the trapped blade, helping his ¡®son¡¯ free it. Percy considered hacking at it again to finish the job, but the vine had already mended the damage. Realizing this was a lost cause, the two ran out of the workshop, hoping the situation was better in the rest of the house. Sadly, that was just wishful thinking. The demonic vines had already sprouted everywhere, upturning chairs and tables, smashing through the walls and blocking the exits. ¡°Upstairs!¡± Sengo shouted again, pushing Percy towards the staircase, running right behind him. Another vine broke through from their left, though this one was slightly thinner. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Percy swung downward, using gravity to add even more strength to the blow, slicing the tendril apart before it had the chance to stop them. ¡°Faster!¡± he said, pulling Sengo up the stairs as the vine was already growing back. The two entered a bedroom ¨C Takeo¡¯s, according to an influx of memories flooding Percy¡¯s mind. Not that trapping themselves here was particularly wise, but it wasn¡¯t like there was anywhere better to go. The whole village was a shitshow by now. At least here, the elevation coupled with a few layers of concrete might keep some of the gluttonous jungle at bay. Brandishing their weapons, they prepared themselves again, as more vines broke through. This time, there were two of them ¨C one digging through the floor, another climbing into the house from outside, breaking through the window. Realizing their swords would only get stuck again, Percy gestured at Sengo to take care of the thinner of the two vines, as he tossed his katana aside, manifesting a sickle of teal mana. Next, he hacked at the infernal thing, cutting about two thirds into it again before the sickle stopped. Unlike before, however, Percy had a response this time. Switching the construct to its immaterial state, he freed his weapon before swinging it again, finally cutting the tendril apart. Sengo raised an eyebrow at the scene, but didn¡¯t say anything. Given the circumstances, the mystery that was Percy¡¯s identity was clearly the last thing on his mind right now. Using his own weapon, he took care of the second vine, leveraging his bigger build ¨C his muscles forged from decades of gruelling work. But their trouble wasn¡¯t over yet. In fact, it had only just begun. Two more vines smashed through the walls, and then two more, and then a fifth one right after. Father and son unleashed a flurry of strikes at the demonic plants, desperately trying to hold them back, to keep them out of the bedroom. Through all their efforts, they did manage to carve out a small space amidst the vines, but their house was already surrounded. The wall of tendrils had blocked out the last traces of moonlight seeping through the window, forcing Percy and Sengo to fall back to their inherent night vision. Percy didn¡¯t even want to imagine how the rest of the villagers were faring. Even if any of them survived the ordeal, it would take them months ¨C if not years ¨C to clear out the village again.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡®And decades to repopulate it¡­¡¯ The young man¡¯s movements slowed down as he contemplated how pointless his efforts were. He was fighting for a lost cause, to help a doomed people he didn¡¯t even know merely delay their inevitable demise. What for? He wouldn¡¯t even be here tomorrow! Lost amidst his thoughts as he was, he failed to evade an incoming blow. A vine hit him right in the chest, slamming him against the wall. The taste of iron filled his mouth as blood trickled down his chin. Some of his ribs had also cracked, the vine greedily sucking him dry through the spots where its thorns had stabbed him. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?! Since when do I give up so easily?!¡¯ he couldn¡¯t help but wonder as his body grew cold. It was true he couldn¡¯t do too much for the villagers, but that had never stopped him before. He¡¯d always tried to help people in need, even when the odds were stacked against him. Thinking back to his actions since coming to this place, Percy couldn¡¯t help but recognize he¡¯d really been acting strangely throughout. Whether it was his reluctance to tell Sengo the truth, or his indecision against the raider, it was like he was a different person. ¡®Is it the vines?!¡¯ Was it possible the demonic jungle devoured more than just mana and blood? Could it be gnawing at his very willpower too? The realization sent a chill down his spine. These demonic infestations were even more insidious than he had originally thought. Suddenly, he felt the pressure on his chest ease as somebody pulled the vine right off him. Percy winced as the thorns were removed from his wounds, but at least he was free now. Making out his saviour¡¯s figure through the darkness was tough, but who else could it be? ¡°Thanks.¡± he said, before pushing himself up. Most of the fused mana in his construct was gone already, but he repaired the sickle with some more from his stash before helping Sengo again. The two fought for what felt like an eternity, as the jungle continued its relentless assault, determined to devour every last morsel of flesh, every last drop of blood on this forsaken world. Sengo might have been the stronger of the two, but he was also older, his movements slowing as his stamina dwindled. Even Percy wasn¡¯t doing too great, his wounds ¨C both the old and the new ¨C holding him back. At least, he now knew to consciously fight back against the jungle¡¯s influence, but his host¡¯s soul wouldn¡¯t last much longer either. Suddenly, he felt the ground disappear from beneath his feet, the floor having apparently sustained too much damage. He fell by about a metre before somebody grabbed his arm, slowing his fall. But not stopping it. Both he and Sengo slid down the now inclined surface, rolling right onto another vine. They were back in the workshop, though the place now looked more like the jungle Percy had seen the day before. Stabbed in multiple spots against the tendril¡¯s thorns, the young man knew this was it. Even if he could somehow unlodge himself, he wouldn¡¯t be in any condition to move. Sengo wasn¡¯t doing much better either. The man had been lucky enough to avoid impalement, but Percy could vaguely see the blacksmith¡¯s legs bent in the wrong direction through the darkness. ¡®Is it me, or are the thorns drinking my blood slower than before?¡¯ Percy didn¡¯t know whether to cry or laugh at the irony. The feast was probably close to its end, yet that was little consolation to him and Sengo. Their wounds were already lethal. The two just remained in that spot, the only sound breaking the sombre silence being their ragged breaths, alternating in irregular intervals. ¡°Sengo¡­¡± Percy muttered, forcing himself to say what he should have said a long time ago. ¡°You know I¡¯m not your son, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The man didn¡¯t reply immediately, though Percy faintly saw him nod after a while. ¡°When did you find out?¡± he asked again. ¡°¡­the first moment I saw you.¡± Sengo said, causing Percy¡¯s eyes to widen. ¡®The first moment? Is that why he was crying?!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t say anything¡­¡± Percy said, feeling his heart tighten. ¡°But why didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d leave¡­¡± Sengo spoke, his voice cracking. ¡°¡­and my boy¡¯s face would rot.¡± Percy had no words for the man. All this time, all the lessons. Teaching him about steel and concrete. Showing him how to repair a wall. Demonstrating how a sword was forged. Was it all just a grieving father¡¯s desperate attempt to see his dead son¡¯s face for a few more hours?! ¡°Sengo¡­ I¡¯m sorry about your son¡­ and your village¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not much, but I promise I¡¯ll use what you¡¯ve taught me to help others.¡± Percy wasn¡¯t sure, but he thought he saw two pale trickles flowing down Sengo¡¯s cheeks as he nodded. Two more were rolling down his own as his soul crumbled apart, bringing his journey to an end. There wasn¡¯t much he could have done for these people, but there was one last thing. ¡°Torui village¡­ I promise I¡¯ll remember it.¡± Chapter 124 – Blighted bloodline ¡°Percy¡­ seat¡­ all day¡­¡± Micky said. ¡°Sit.¡± Nesha corrected him. ¡°Sit.¡± Bored as she had been over the last couple of weeks, the girl had volunteered to teach Micky how to speak. By now, the crow¡¯s vocabulary had expanded greatly. Even his ability to vocalize much of it had grown shockingly well. The bird still struggled to form complete sentences, but he was learning faster than a human toddler would. ¡°Yeah, Percy is sitting all day, brewing elixirs for you freeloaders!¡± the young man quipped in an irritated tone after overhearing them. Following the creation of his latest clone, the trio had paused their journey, camping at a spot outside the Camelot province. Had they kept walking, they would have certainly reached their destination by now, though Percy had his reasons for delaying. He wanted to spend some time brewing a few weeks ahead, just in case he didn¡¯t get the chance later. Having spent about three weeks waiting for his clone to return, he had already brewed enough elixirs to last them for the next two months. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re lazing around.¡± Nesha argued back. ¡°We keep watch and gather food for you too.¡± ¡°No. Micky keeps watch and gathers food. You just chat with him for a few minutes whenever he returns.¡± ¡°Well, I cook...¡± the girl shrugged, but didn¡¯t say much else. At least Percy had shaved a few more seconds off Crystallization again. By now, he only needed a little under eight minutes for each crystal. If only he¡¯d been this fast back when they started selling the Aurora Dew, they would have made so much more money¡­ He sighed. Drawing another sliver of mana out of his core, he was about to resume his work, when a silver blur caught his attention, flying in the horizon at an insane speed. What¡¯s more, it seemed to be heading right towards him! But the young man didn¡¯t panic, already knowing what it was. ¡®Took you long enough...¡¯ A moment later, the wisp slammed into his stomach, lodging itself inside the hole in his soul. Then, a flood of memories flashed through his mind. An insidious vine strangling him, a trek through a black jungle, a finely crafted blade, a bitter reunion, a guilty conscience, a master of the forge, a forsaken village, a bloody feast¡­ There wasn¡¯t much there, as Percy¡¯s clone had only spent a couple of days in Takeo¡¯s body. Most of the elapsed time had been spent searching for a host. However, what the clone did bring back was valuable. And he¡¯d already promised to keep it all close to heart. ¡®Torui village, huh?¡¯ The tragic fate of the small village made him shudder. This was his first encounter with an infestation, and it was far more scarring than he could have ever imagined. Robbing an entire world of its mana, dooming all its denizens to short, difficult lives? Forcing people to kill each other to delay their own deaths? Draining their very will to live, crippling them? ¡®And one could just as easily pop up right here, on Remior¡­¡¯ he thought grimly. Percy didn¡¯t know too much about these cosmic cancers, but he did know they could appear pretty much anywhere life dwelled, with next to no warning. While that hadn¡¯t happened to his world yet ¨C as far as he knew ¨C it didn¡¯t mean it couldn¡¯t. ¡®But it won¡¯t be the same. We have gods here. They¡¯ll take care of it¡­¡¯ The young man¡¯s feelings on the topic were mixed. He certainly had his differences with the Divine Order ¨C heck, he was currently on the run from them ¨C but he couldn¡¯t help feeling reassured knowing that should the sky fall, somebody was there to hold it up. That said, relying on those pompous assholes definitely irked him.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡®All the more reason to get stronger.¡¯ ¡°Is your clone finally back?¡± Nesha asked, noticing the commotion. Percy had already brought her up to speed on his secrets. He¡¯d even offered to teach her Circulation, though she hadn¡¯t given him a direct answer yet. His guess was that she wasn¡¯t looking forward to years of intense workouts. ¡°Yes.¡± he said. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯re finally entering the province.¡± ¡°Finally¡­ Food¡­¡± Micky cawed excitedly. Spoiled after stuffing his face full of Orange cores over the last few years, the crow hadn¡¯t enjoyed living off Red vermin during the past month. Especially since his needs had grown greatly following his advancement. The only decent meal he¡¯d eaten recently was the bandit group. Percy smiled. ¡°Just a few more days buddy.¡± *** Percy and Nesha walked along the paved road, looking at the post ahead. Three men stood watch, all dressed in fine silken clothes, decorated with yellow insignias. They depicted a human mouth sporting a set of strangely elongated canines. ¡°Members of House Tantalus¡­¡± he muttered, warning his companion. While the enemy family had deployed most of their forces to exert pressure on the western side of the province, it wasn¡¯t like they had completely abandoned their own territories. Going through a rudimentary check at the border was only to be expected. ¡°How do we handle this?¡± Nesha asked. ¡°They have no clue I¡¯m from House Avalon, nor that we came from the Alchemists¡¯ Guild. It¡¯s already been weeks since Hermes¡¯ announcement. Just act like a commoner and let me do the talking.¡± he said, getting a nod back. Nearing the trio, he noticed something that gave him pause, however. One of the guards was extremely pale, his eyes drooping and his features sickly. He was hunched over and appeared to be having a tough time just standing there. ¡®Fuck. He has the bloodline.¡¯ Percy realized. Through his correspondence with Elaine over the past year, he had come to learn a lot more about the conflict between the two Houses. Apparently, the founder of House Tantalus was originally a member of House Avalon! In fact, he was Percy¡¯s great-great-great-granduncle or something! Centuries ago, that person was born with a mutated strain of the Clone bloodline, called Drain. Its effect was similar, but it essentially worked in reverse. Rather than forming living clones out of life mana, it instead allowed its users to break living tissue into life mana. Had this been all it did, the Drain bloodline would have certainly been a powerful asset for House Avalon. With it, Percy¡¯s family might have grown even more powerful by now. Sadly, this wasn¡¯t meant to be, as the Drain bloodline was blighted. Blighted bloodlines were those that had mutated severe detrimental side-effects, plaguing their owners more than blessing them. In this case, those with the Drain bloodline constantly needed to use it, as their bodies rapidly broke down in the absence of life mana. Worse still, the Drain bloodline wasn¡¯t bundled with the life affinity ¨C unlike its predecessor ¨C which meant its owners had no way around their curse. From there, it was easy to see how the originator of the bloodline had ended up at odds with the rest of his family, driving him to leave and start a rival House nearby. And the two sides had been enemies ever since, their conflict partly driven by hatred and partly by disputes over territory. But there was more. The one thing the owners of the blighted bloodline wanted more than anything else, was to lift their curse, creating a brighter tomorrow for their descendants. And what better way to fix the Drain bloodline, than to mate with members of House Avalon who had the Clone bloodline? If they got lucky, the detrimental side-effects would disappear, or maybe they could even get the life affinity bundled to their own strain, letting them solve their issue indirectly. Consequently, it was common practice for members of House Tantalus to kidnap those with the Clone bloodline, subjecting them to¡­ unspeakable things. ¡°Change of plans.¡± he told his companion while also speaking through his bond. ¡°Micky, start flying towards us. Nesha, be ready to defend yourself.¡± Taking a deep breath, he began accumulating mana into his channels, knowing the situation had a high probability of devolving into violence. Originally, he¡¯d thought the guards wouldn¡¯t have had much reason to suspect him ¨C which was still the case. However, that wouldn¡¯t matter. Would the sickly noble think twice before killing a couple of commoners to alleviate his symptoms? ¡®Not going to risk it.¡¯ Preparing his boosting art, he inched closer to the trio, as the latter finally took notice of him. ¡°Halt.¡± one of them yelled. ¡°What¡¯s your business in the Camelot province?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a blacksmith by trade. This is my wife. We¡¯re originally from Riah town in the Sentin province, but the situation there has been a little chaotic lately. We figured we¡¯d try our luck elsewhere.¡± Percy spoke his rehearsed lies. The guard nodded, gesturing at them to keep walking, though Percy didn¡¯t miss the sickly guy eyeing them with greed, practically salivating. ¡®Yeah. Fat chance he¡¯s planning to let us go.¡¯ Taking another breath, he finally pushed Circulation past the point of no return, as a bird¡¯s shadow brushed over him, blotting out the sun, accompanied by a shrill cry. ¡®Mom. Dad. This one is for you.¡¯ Chapter 125 – Rare affinity As it turned out, the people Percy had previously faced weren¡¯t exactly the best the Yellow grade had to offer. Neither the guy he had killed in the hunting grounds, nor the bandits seemed to hold a candle to the nobles from House Tantalus. One of them had the earth affinity, but he used it much more skilfully than that other guy. Rather than wasting a ton of mana to form long stone javelins, he instead concentrated it into smaller projectiles like knives and needles. Percy initially thought they¡¯d be weaker at least, but he couldn¡¯t have been more wrong. It was much easier to accelerate them to a high speed, so they packed as much of a punch, if not more. The only difference was that his opponent could launch way more of them, and each was much harder to evade. ¡®Better put some distance between us.¡¯ he groaned as he leapt back, narrowly dodging another sharp stone whizzing by his ear. He¡¯d already nearly been hit a couple of times, despite having his attention glued to the guy. So focused was he, in fact, that he barely had the chance to observe what his second opponent was doing. His mana was transparent, causing faint distortions wherever it passed. At first, Percy had thought it was an air affinity, but it lacked the characteristic green tint that Micky¡¯s mana had. ¡®Is it a rare or composite affinity?¡¯ Apparently, today was the day Percy would finally find out how it felt to be on the receiving end of a rare mana type. At least, the guy didn¡¯t seem to be targeting him directly. Instead, he formed a strange structure in the air in front of him. It looked a bit like a lens, though it was rotating clockwise, picking speed with each revolution. Once the construct was fully formed, its master moved it in front of the earth mage, who began to launch his own projectiles through it. Every time one of them passed through the transparent screen, a deafening explosion sounded, the stone daggers instantly appearing where Percy had stood a moment before. Each stabbed a deep, wide crater into the ground, with several cracks branching out of its centre. The young man had no idea how this affinity worked, but it made the projectiles impossible to dodge. The only reason he was still in one piece was because he could glimpse his opponent¡¯s intentions, guessing the spells¡¯ trajectories before they were unleashed. ¡®What the fuck is that?! A time affinity?!¡¯ His only other guess was space, but it looked nothing like Nesha¡¯s mana. Either way, he was forced to put more distance from them again, making it even harder to launch his own counterattack. It was lucky Micky was keeping the third guy ¨C the one with the bloodline ¨C busy, or Percy would have lost already. As for Nesha, she was sitting this one out. Perhaps one day she¡¯d grow into a decent fighter but, right now, her clumsy spells would only get in the way. ¡®Here goes nothing.¡¯ Percy thought as he used all the fused mana he¡¯d accumulated since the start of the battle, forming a teal sheet. Swinging it towards the earth mage, he turned the outer half of the Mantle into a wave of visible, corporeal projectiles to capture his enemies¡¯ attention. Secretly, however, he had turned the second half of the sheet invisible, still holding it in his hand. A second later, he discreetly swiped it one more time in a wider arc, releasing another wave of projectiles ¨C these ones invisible and immaterial. They branched outwards more than the rest, travelling a few metres behind them. A couple seconds later, the tangible batch reached the mage, though he had already sidestepped them. But Percy grinned, having expected this. He watched the second layer of throwing stars head straight towards his oblivious opponent¡¯s location, about to stab his soul full of holes. Though it wasn¡¯t meant to be. ¡®What the hell?!¡¯ Percy¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the projectiles slow down to a snail¡¯s pace about a metre before reaching their mark. ¡°Get out of the way you idiot!¡± the suspected time mage yelled. It was only now that the others realized what had happened. The earth mage clumsily dodged out of the way of Percy¡¯s attack, the colour draining from his face as he must¡¯ve finally activated Mana Sense, realizing how close he¡¯d come to dying. As for Percy, he noticed the time mage had moved his construct at some point, forcing the invisible projectiles to go through it. Though it had the opposite effect on his own magic, decelerating the spell rather than speeding it up.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡®Troublesome¡­¡¯ Percy clicked his tongue. His opponents weren¡¯t complete idiots this time. At least one of them had been on-guard for his sneak attack, and now both of them would be. As for the time affinity, it was annoyingly good at supporting them both offensively and defensively. ¡®A battle of attrition then.¡¯ he decided, starting to accumulate fused mana again. Percy could see the earth mage was pacing himself well, so it would take him a long time to run out of mana. His only hope was that the time spells were more costly to maintain. And so, the two sides continued like that for several more minutes, unleashing a barrage on each other whenever they could, to keep up the pressure, both waiting for the other to exhaust their reserves first. ¡®Joke¡¯s on you if you think you can outlast Synchronization.¡¯ Percy smirked. Sure enough, the time construct crumbled at some point. Its owner fell to his knees, breathing heavily. Seizing his chance, Percy ran towards him, aiming to execute him before he had the chance to recover. Of course, the stone daggers were still difficult to dodge, but it wasn¡¯t as bad without the time spell supporting them. Yet, as Percy reached the halfway point, he realized something was wrong. The time mage had wrapped the last traces of his mana around his body, coating himself in a translucent halo. He looked very odd, as he breathed three or four times faster than normal, a lot of mana accumulating in his lungs. ¡®Shit, it¡¯s a trap!¡¯ Percy frantically retreated, but not before unleashing another barrage of invisible blades. Sadly, the time mage raised another screen to slow them down before they reached him, looking at Percy with a savage glint in his eye. As for Percy, his features twisted into a grimace as he narrowly dodged more of the sharp stones. This was his first time running into somebody who could match his regeneration! ¡®In fact¡­ he might even be faster than me¡­¡¯ Realizing he wasn¡¯t getting anywhere like this, Percy tried something different. Upon manifesting another Mantle, he began dashing towards the time mage again, as the earth mage began to shoot the deafening blasts at him. Percy zigged and zagged to avoid them, timing his steps against his opponent¡¯s moves, as he closed part of the distance separating them. Upon nearing as much as he dared too, he unleashed all his mana into a single set of incorporeal throwing stars, aiming straight towards the time mage. The latter frowned at the predictable attack. He merely moved the screen in front of him to slow the projectiles down, before sidestepping them with ease, letting them fly away harmlessly. But Percy didn¡¯t stop running. Instead, he turned, circling around the time mage, making it more difficult for the earth mage to target him. The two men had to pivot around too, so that they could continue shooting at Percy. As for the latter, he gathered more fused mana, trying to form his Mantle again. ¡°Uuugghh!!!¡± Playing dangerously as he was, Percy was eventually hit by one of the stone daggers. Not directly ¨C fortunately ¨C as that would have probably torn a limb off, but even getting glanced by one was enough to carve a nasty gash on his thigh, sending him tumbling on the ground. Though he pushed himself immediately, rolling out of that spot, knowing he couldn¡¯t afford to stop for a single moment. Sure enough, another blow landed right where he previously was. Out of options, Percy swung the half-formed Mantle once more, aiming towards the time mage. But he didn¡¯t even stop to check whether his attack landed, as he continued running away towards a certain direction. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re really an Orange core or some kind of monster, but it¡¯s impressive you¡¯ve lasted this long.¡± the man sneered as he casually negated the invisible daggers again. ¡°But it ends now.¡± The time mage¡¯s smile froze on his face, however, when he saw his partner fall limp on the ground, his eyes glazed over. ¡°W-What?! How?!¡± he exclaimed in disbelief. ¡°You sent all the daggers my way! I made sure of that!¡± Percy cracked his neck, looking at the time mage with a cold smile. He slowly walked towards him, manifesting a set of silver knives in each hand. Yet, he didn¡¯t speak. Why bother explaining himself to a dead man? Indeed, he had thrown the last of his fused mana towards the time mage, but that wasn¡¯t what he had killed the other guy with. Instead, he had retrieved the daggers he had launched during his previous attack, recycling the mana into a new Mantle after circling around the entire battlefield! Of course, Percy could have never done this on his own. It was impossible to outrun his own spell ¨C not even with Synchronization. That was why he had relied on the time screen to slow the projectiles down for him, allowing him to catch them on the other side! The man panicked as Percy approached. Clearly, he didn¡¯t have a single offensive spell in his arsenal, his kit limited to support magic. He looked like he was about to beg for his life, but Percy never gave him the chance. Tossing the knives at him, Percy forced him to defend with the screen. Though he didn¡¯t stop after the first wave. The man might be able to regenerate mana faster with his time magic, but he spent it more quickly too. Knife after knife, minute after minute, Percy continued until the man was lying on the ground breathing heavily. Finally, he manifested a sickle in his hand, throwing it at the mage, watching it cleave his soul apart as if it were a sheet of paper. And just like that, the second guy died too.