《Psychic Parasite》


 Chapter 1：Power Levels

    Warriors:


    [Tier 1] [Observer]


    [Tier 2] [Amplifier]


    [Tier 3] [Developer]


    [Tier 4] [Shifter]


    [Tier 5] [Transformer]


    [Tier 6] [Rhachis Ancestor]


    Espers:


    [Tier 1] [Line Controller]


    [Tier 2] [Area Controller]


    [Tier 3] [Wave Controller]


    [Tier 4] [Ground Controller]


    [Tier 5] [Sky Controller]


    [Tier 6] [Psychic Ancestor]

 Chapter 2：Cover

    A heartfelt thanks to the amazing, peerless artist who had created this legendary cover. Thank you, Jamesmikopi for creating this beautiful cover. You are one heck of a talented individual.


    Follow the Artist on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesmikopi


    Don''t forget to check his quirky Art!!!

 Chapter 3：Confused Transmigration

    The sun shone with gentle radiance, melting the fog and casting a breath of vitality into the biodiversity. Dairy trucks drove on the vacant streets, delivering packets of milk to each household. A newspaper boy pedalled his bicycle, carrying a bundle of newspapers behind him.


    In a coordinated hand movement, the newspaper boy put his hand into the bundle, took out a newspaper, and threw it. Flying above the gates, passing over the lawn, and squarely hitting the door, the newspaper landed on the ground. A dog then picked it up and began to play with it, shredding it into pieces to relieve its boredom.


    The newspaper boy slowly pedalled his bicycle, accurately hitting the doors of each house he passed through with a newspaper. A young man opened the door to his house only to find a newspaper slamming into his face. Recovering himself, he gazed at the newspaper boy indifferently pedalling away, continuing to throw his newspapers without care if it hit someone.


    ''I should file a complaint against that boy,'' The man thought as he gazed at the front page of the newspaper and placed it atop a nearby tea table.


    "Mom, I''m on the front page. Make sure you fully read the article!" The young man shouted, picked up his car keys, and walked to the veranda. He then wore his socks and put on a well-polished formal shoe.


    "Take care son. Drive slow, there is plenty of time for your appointment." A voice travelled out, filled with concern. The young man could hear the sounds of exclaim amid the flapping of the newspaper. He smiled with pride and opened the gates.


    Sitting inside his car, the young man hit the reverse gear and brought out the car to the main road. Switching back to first gear, the young man started the car. After exiting the colony gates, he switched on the GPS.


    "Pravaha Nigam." The GPS adjusted his route and began displaying the directions. It also showed his speed of travel, the condition of traffic on the road, weather, etc. The young man switched on the FM Radio, in hopes of hearing some morning slogans.


    The time displayed in his watch stated 6:45 AM, so the FM Radios only played devotional songs during this time. They would switch to cinematic songs from 9:00 AM. The FM tuned to one of his favourite channel, Radio Mirchi; the RJ started with the day''s weather and soon began his gossip.


    "It''s a good day folks. 6:50 AM and like always, we have a traffic jam in Broadway. Travelling during this time of the day when the fog still hasn''t cleared has been proven to be harmful to the lungs but, you guys never listen to it anyway. Environmentalists have been screaming about global warming every day but, I can''t live without my AC and roaming the streets on my rusty bike."


    "Seriously folks, you should listen to those environmentalists. Anyway, I have good news for you lazy folks. You no longer need to care about Air pollution¡­"


    "Here it comes," The young man smirked as he overtook a car and honked twice to showcase his victory.


    "Vadlamani Kaushik, an Engineering student from the National Institute of Technology has come up with a scientific breakthrough that will save our lazy entitled arses. He has recently patented his prototype that is said to separate the Carbon-di-oxide present in the air into oxygen and carbon soot."


    "That''s me," The young man laughed.


    "There is too much jargon which neither I nor you can understand; but, know this: we no longer need to be apprehensive about roaming on the streets in our cars. Heck, I am going to propose to my crush and go on long drives with her."


    "You get her man," Kaushik laughed. He turned the steering wheels and took a turn according to the GPS'' directions. After a long drive, a building came into view.


    It was 20-storey tall and had a lawn. Security personnel could be spotted in many locations, patrolling and inspecting the visitors. At the entrance of the complex, a boom barrier blocked his path.


    Stopping before it, Kaushik brought the window down and handed over a certificate and an identity card to a security guard. The guard inspected his certificate and then looked into his identity card. Two security personnel inserted a metal bar-like mechanism below the car.


    The metal bar had a mirror attached to its top, rollers affixed at its bottom for motion, and a sensor on one end. It was used to check for any unsavoury objects hidden under the car. After their inspection concluded, the security guard returned the certificate and ID card, talking in his walkie-talkie. The boom barrier then opened, allowing his entry.


    Kaushik drove the car to an underground parking lot and parked his car at an appropriate place. He then picked up a leather suitcase, fixed his appearance, and closed the door.


    Walking towards a lift, Kaushik pressed a button and waited his turn. He got into it after some time and pressed a button with the number ''14''.


    The lift opened on the fourteenth floor, a well-carpeted corridor came into view. His shoe made soft sounds on the carpeted floor as he checked the room number.


    Finally, the room ''14G'' came into view as Kaushik lightly knocked on the door. The door opened to reveal a suited man with shades. The man was 6 feet tall and had a hulking frame. With a stoic face, the man motioned for Kaushik to enter.


    The door closed behind him as Kaushik made himself comfortable on a sofa. The suited man stood at one corner, making himself look like a statue. He neither uttered a word nor made any human-like movements.


    Time passed in silence as Kaushik began to feel jittery. His heart was thumping in nervousness while a trace amount of sweat covered his forehead, despite the AC being turned in full blast.


    8:50 AM, 10 minutes before his scheduled appointment; he had received an appointment with a higher-up from the Ministry of Environmental Science, in favour of his patent. If his talks went well, then he could directly seal the deal with the government, obtaining wealth and the opportunity to work with their Research Department after graduation.


    ''Mom, Dad, give me strength.'' He silently prayed to his two emotional pillars. The silence was a torture as he calmly counted the passing of each second in his watch. He cursed at his watch for being lazy; if only it could tick faster.


    Part anticipation, part fear at potentially meeting a big figure, and excitement at achieving something that none of his peers could ever hope to accomplish; Kaushik was a nervous wreck.


    9:00 AM, the time for the appointment. The expected big figure still hadn''t arrived. Every second that ticked after 9 felt like a hammer pounding his heart; he felt like he might go crazy if this persisted any longer.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door opened as a man accompanied by a PA walked in. He had a fat, bulging stomach. The hair on his head had already surrendered to fate, leaving only a couple of shrub-like existences on the side. Sporting a bulbous nose, a thick pair of lips, and slanted eyes, the man wasn''t much of a looker.


    Kaushik hurriedly stood up and greeted the man, performing a light bow. The man placed his hands before his chest, his back held straight, performing a very formal Namaste.


    "Please sit," The man motioned towards the sofa with a professional smile. His calm, collected eyes formed a sharp contrast to Kaushik''s that was filled with a myriad of emotions.


    "Have a glass of water," The man said with a smile when he noticed the nervous wreck before him. He looked at Kaushik like how a senior looked at a fellow junior. Even the demeanour he exuded was in no way different from a neighbourhood-friendly uncle.


    Kaushik reached out for a glass of water placed on the table before him. He almost spilled the glass of water due to his shivering hands, but somehow managed to avoid making a shameful mess of himself. Downing the glass of water and heaving deep breaths, Kaushik finally felt his heart settling in place.


    He was slowly regaining control over his emotions as time passed. The man opposite him sat without uttering a single syllable, as if he had expected such a situation beforehand. His PA though, was anything but calm. The PA continuously retreated in and out of the room, attending numerous calls, sending messages through her tablet, etc.


    "Shall we begin?" The man spoke after some time.


    "Yes, Sir," Kaushik said as he lifted his leather suitcase and placed it above his lap.


    After his emotions had settled down, the brain of Kaushik began to work; hundreds of thoughts clashed as he refined the statements he was going to utter over and over again. In order to make a perfect transaction and leave a good impression, he mentally recited his dialogues to make sure it was crisp, clean, decent, and to the point.


    His dream project began when he once visited the Capital after high school. The amount of dust and pollution in the Capital had baffled him. It was then he thought about inventing a machine that could purify the air.


    He then joined a well-reputed university in the field of engineering, attended various workshops, pestered many colleagues of his parents for data, etc. The fact that both his parents were doctorates gave him access to many institutions, professors, equipment, and opportunities.


    In the span of 2 years, he compiled the research work of many scholars that pertained to this field and obtained a formula that could separate Carbon-di-oxide into oxygen and carbon dust. Even though the pollutants in the air exceeded the presence of just CO2, it was still an achievement. After more research was conducted in this field by using his accumulations as a base, it wouldn''t be long before purifying the air was naught but a dream.


    Now, sitting before an official, just a step before signing the deal, Kaushik was on cloud nine. He had already finished his talks with the ministry beforehand. This was just an official record for the paperwork. Soon, his invention would become a major achievement for his country, if not for the world. The entire scientific community would know his name. Children would be inspired by his story. They would then follow his path and serve to protect the nature.


    As Kaushik unlocked the leather case, taking out a stack of documents from within it, his mind was finally at ease. His eyes steadily drooped while his heartbeat slowed down to a crawl. His back leaned on the sofa, exhaling a deep breath; his eyes closed.


    The man sitting opposite him stood up in fright on seeing his condition. He hurriedly roared for the PA to call an ambulance while summoning for the doctor stationed in the hotel. Soon, the entire hotel was in chaos.

 Chapter 4：Mysterious Bubble

    His eyes were closed, but he could still see the flustered face of the big shot before him, commanding his subordinates. There was a distinct emotion of anxiety and fear etched on his face. The security guards hurried to carry out his orders while the PA made numerous calls, practically screaming through her phone, in an effort to urge the listener to hurry.


    The surroundings slowly blurred; Kaushik found himself getting lifted up. A moment later, he found his motionless body below him, sitting on the sofa, sporting a peaceful expression akin to deep sleep. Passing through the ceiling, appearing on the 15th floor, he spotted a pair of man and woman wrestling each other.


    His body; or, his spirit to be exact slowly passed through the numerous floors and finally appeared above the hotel building. Steadily gaining altitude, his spirit body passed through a cloud, appearing within a huge bubble. In the bubble, the figure of a person floated; his face looked a mixture between man and monster.


    Each strand of his hair, long and transparent, had small suction pod-like mouths at their ends, painting a scary picture. There was nothing below his hips, while a hazy translucent fog escaped out of his body, disappearing into the bubble.


    The moment his spirit body spotted the figure, an intense sense of hatred clouded his being, making him want to shred the opponent apart. He moved his body forward, in an effort to destroy the other person before his anger fully consumed him.


    The man with half a body looked at the sight before him, at a blob of jelly sprawled on the surface of the bubble, wriggling towards him, like a wraith. It released a pungent odour, its body covered with rings that resembled bangles, pierced into its gooey mass of jelly-like flesh. The bangles made clinging sounds, expressing its anger. They also wore down on it, making it hard to move forward, scraping its gooey mass, leaving behind patches of gooey substance on the bubble surface along its wake.


    "Actions, and their consequences; attachments of the material world; bonds that traverse space and time; pride, ego, happiness, and sadness, they form into layers of restrictions that weigh down your soul, your essence. That¡­is your Karma. Shedding them leads to enlightenment!" The man spoke, in an ethereal voice that reverberated through the bubble. Every sound wave, produced from his uttering broke some of the bangles that covered the gooey mass. After every bangle that broke, the gooey mass could move better, faster, more agile.


    The man continued to speak, slowly uttering one word after the other. His words formed into a mantra that he chanted, each word removing part of the restrictions on Kaushik''s spirit body. Below the bubble, the scenery of the modern city slowly blurred. The vehicles, people, animals, birds, plants, the flow of wind, actions of nature, everything became hazy, looking like they were fast-forwarded.


    The place flourished, faced destruction, eventually withering in the annals of history. The land became barren, eventually submerged under the sea. The weather changed, becoming even blurrier; the surrounding space began to distort, wrapping around the bubble, empowering it.


    The man finished reciting his mantra, his body only reaching till his chest now, continuously shrinking. Before him floated a tiny wisp, looking transparent, without any defining features; the wisp floated aimlessly when the man waved his hands. Small threads of letters, engraved in cryptic form floated to the air, filled with information. They arose out of the gooey substance the wisp had shed, thanks to the mantra the man had recited.


    They gushed into the floating wisp, adding a faint blue hue to it. After they were extracted, the gooey substance¡ªhaving lost the empirical components that sustained it¡ªvaporised into nothing. The space surrounding the bubble had changed once again; rifts appeared while spatial lightning flashed. The bubble looked insignificant as compared to the turbulent forces of nature that involved the domain of time and space, but it deftly manoeuvred across all obstacles, before arriving at a hazy surrounding.


    The hazy atmosphere had a sense of purity, the sunlight that shone brimming with vitality, and the wind carrying with it a gentle lifeforce. The inconspicuous bubble arrived above a city when the man sighed with sadness.


    "I have killed you," The man gazed at the silent wisp, "Though I could say, I also did you a favour.


    "In the original timeline, after signing the deal, you faced a car accident on your return journey that claimed your life. It was why I chose you; you, a person who is neither too old, nor too young.


    "The older the person, the greater the Karma binding their soul; younger people are too immature and ignorant for my purposes. Only you, a person who is no longer a teen but possesses an abundance of knowledge and a mind for creation, is the right person for this job.


    "You no longer feel an attachment to your past life, but you will remember everything, including me, in detail when you woke up. The laws of the world forbid direct reincarnation without erasure of memories; hence, I am taking this round-about approach. I will attach you to a newborn soul; take your time to conquer its ego and make it yours, finally becoming a resident of this timeline.


    "I pray for your safety, pray for your strength, and pray that you can destroy the Mother Parasite." The man¡ªwith only a couple of strands of his hair remaining, his body vaporised¡ªsaid. The wisp floated out of the bubble, in accordance with the man''s wishes and attached itself to the soul of a newborn baby.


    After seeing it successfully attach itself to a baby, the man let out a relieved sigh, "Using my entire life as a wager, I could only bring two people. I hope, in this world of parasites, they amount to something."


    The man vaporised into nothingness, the bubble following his fate soon after, leaving behind no trace of their existence in the world.


    ¡­


    7th Ring, 12th Sector, Baker Street, in the mansion of the Bone family, a woman held a crying baby in her arms. She looked happy, but at the same time, nervous. The woman steeled her nerves and placed the crying baby atop an apparatus.


    The apparatus looked like a cradle, but the presence of many electronic components embedded into its structure meant otherwise. The cradle lit up with a faint green light and scanned the baby from head to toe, once, twice, thrice. The colour then changed to red as it repeated the scan. After a few minutes had passed¡ªwith the cries of the baby rising in magnitude¡ªthe scan finally stopped as a green light lit up on it.


    A man hurriedly lifted the baby with a relieved face and placed it in the hands of the happy woman. She held the baby close to her eyes and planted a kiss on its forehead. Her eyes glistened with tears, while she held the baby dear to her, mustering all the gentleness she could muster.


    Inside the baby, or more appropriately, its soul, something weird occurred. The baby''s soul that looked like a tiny transparent wisp, barely detectable was approached by a humongous soul. Unlike it, the invader soul had a faint trace of blue in it, its body hundreds of times bigger than the wisp. A tendril emerged out of the blue soul, slithering through space and attaching itself on the transparent wisp.


    The transparent wisp shuddered once but failed to mount any resistance. An insignificant amount of blue seeped into it through the tendril, an amount that was minuscule as compared to its body. Immediately, the blue soul woke up.


    ''What happened?'' Using the brain of the baby to support its thoughts, the soul slowly started to remember its life. Though, subconsciously, the rate of its thinking slowed down to a crawl, to avoid burdening the brain of the newborn. It reverted to being in a passive state, slowly invading the baby''s soul through the tendril while patiently waiting for the body to develop.


    Time passed in such a manner; days turned into months and months into years. The invasion of the blue soul continued while the host soul slowly grew, in accordance with the physical body growing up. When the child was 10 years of age, the blue soul had finally regained all of its memories. It had also taken over enough control over the host soul to use the body''s brain for its thinking process. Though, it only tried to do so when the host body was asleep.


    ''My state is strange. I am a soul that is trying to gobble up this body''s owner. I have retained the memories of my previous life, but it looks disconnected to me. Like, it wasn''t me that had actually experienced that life. But, judging by the present state of the world, have I lived in a different world?''


    ''I am Vadlamani Kaushik, an engineering student from Earth. My host body calls himself Jyorta Bone, scion of the Bone family. This world has technological advancement similar, if not, superior to my world. Moreover, I have seen the father character and the relative characters perform strange feats, feats falling under the superhuman category. Everything is strange. Why did that creepy-haired man bring me here? What did he mean by a Mother Parasite? Is it something similar to me? If not, what is it?''


    The blue soul fell silent as the host showed signs of waking up. It stopped using the host body to think and passively continued to conquer its soul.


    ¡­


    An alarm rang, producing a shrill sonorous sound. A boy sleeping next to it became irritated while half asleep. He twisted and turned in his bed until finally getting up, slamming the head of the alarm clock to shut it. He tried to get up but failed due to a pair of hands that tightly clutched his hips, like a crab. Lifting his bedsheet, he saw the sleeping face of a beautiful lady come into view, a thin line of drool covered her cheek.


    "Sister, wake up. Today is an important day for you." The boy nudged his sister who slept like a log. On seeing his futile efforts, he stealthily crouched down, lifted the bedsheet and glanced at a pair of feet. Using his left hand to hold them in place, the boy used his fingers to tickle her feet.


    "Guchi¡­guchi¡­goo!" The boy tickled her sister who sprang up like a kitten, grabbed hold of his hands in reflex, and retreated to his back. She wrapped her arms around him, using her legs to lock his legs in place, and used her fingers to tickle his tummy.


    "Brat, you asked for it." A melodious voice, filled with a tinge of anger sounded near his ears when the tickle counterattack started. The boy readily expressed his surrender, but his sister showed zero intention to stop so soon. The laughing face of the boy turned sombre for an instant before reverting to his carefree laughter. The blue soul watched everything in silence through his eyes.

 Chapter 5：Induction

    "Heima, you''re running late. Today is your Induction Day." A voice travelled into the room before the knob of the door was turned; an apron-wearing lady entered. The woman had black eyes, long nose, cherry lips, and skin that glistened with a faint lustre. Her long black hair that looked like silk was tied up into a bun, giving her a mature charm despite her rotund figure.


    The lady saw Heima, clutching the figure of Jyorta, tickling him until tears leaked out of his eyes. There was also a mildly pained expression on his face, possibly because the tickling session went beyond his tolerance levels.


    Upon seeing her, Heima immediately let go of her brother and acted innocent. Taking the chance of freedom, Jyorta hurriedly ran towards the lady, hugging her while breaking into a sob. He barely reached the height of her hips, the reason being the tall stature of the woman.


    "Mom, I¡­" Jyorta stuttered, tears still streaming out of his eyes. A pair of hands wrapped around his head and massaged his back, in hopes of easing his mind.


    "You did nothing wrong child," The woman consoled. She then glared at Heima, prompting the girl to quickly scramble to her feet. "You have 40 minutes to reach school. Don''t come crying to me if you miss the Induction Ceremony."


    7:50 AM, Heima noticed the time, her face turning pale as she rushed into the bathroom. Sounds of water gushing out of a tap rang out, making the lady shake her head and walk to the hall, with Jyorta in tow. She silently kept watch of the time, preparing the breakfast, arranging a pile of messy books into a school bag.


    Jyorta stuck to her like glue, observing her actions; sometimes mimicking her, often times making a mess of the stuff. The lady seldom got angry with him, patiently correcting his mistakes, making him repeat the actions until he understood the source of his mistakes.


    8:10 AM, Heima ran down the stairs, her uniform in a mess. She descended half the steps, jumped over the rest, accurately landing on the floor. Buttoning her shirt, she tucked it in her frock, making it look presentable.


    "Jyorta, it''s time to brush your teeth. Hurry on before it''s too late." The lady said, packing some rotis in a box. She then scooped some gravy made from a mixture of peas, butter, potatoes, and tomato syrup. Adding some spices for seasoning and coriander leaves at the top, she filled a box with it. Packing the assortment of food in a lunch bag, she placed it on the dining table, before the impatient looking Heima.


    "Mom, where''s my breakfast?" Heima asked as she held her grumbling stomach, looking at the figure of Jyorta silently trying to stuff a morsel into his mouth, without brushing his teeth.


    "It will harm you more than do you good. You will end up vomiting it out after the Induction ceremony ends." The lady said, holding the sneaky Jyorta in one hand and fixing up Heima with the other.


    8:15 AM, Heima, accompanying a tired-looking man boarded a train, heading towards her school. The lady waved her hands and returned to her home, finding Jyorta stuffing his face with the food. Leaking out a chuckle, she resumed with packing another batch of books in a bag and preparing another lunch bag.


    8:45 AM, Jyorta, accompanying his mother boarded a train. Finding a couple of vacant seats next to the window, Jyorta pulled his mother along. Affixing his face on the glass window, Jyorta exclaimed at the tall scyscrappers their train passed through.


    "Mrs. Bone, fancy seeing you here." A man who sat opposite to them lowered his newspaper and exclaimed in surprise. He lifted his hat and performed a gentleman''s bow.


    "Mr. Smith, how''s your wife these days? I heard her health had deteriorated since the Phantom Wave." The lady, Mrs. Bone said. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed an abrupt change in the expression of Jyorta for an instant, worrying her.


    ''It has been occurring at frequent intervals these days. Even our family elders have been helpless in determining the cause.'' She thought, showing no changed in her facial expression.


    "I used my savings to admit her in the Aurora Hospital, the one in the 6th Ring. Even though I spent most of my savings, thankfully, she is fully cured." The man replied, failing to mask his financial straits.


    The two engaged in casual chatter while Jyorta gazed through the window, oblivious to his unfocused eyes. The blue soul gazed at the surroundings, masking its presence to avoid the host noticing it and igniting a chain rejection. Gazing at the surroundings, at the rapidly changing scenery, faint blue threads squirmed within the blue soul.


    ''The architecture style corresponds to our 21st century skyscrapers. But here, there are no unique buildings. All are skyscrapers constructed in the same style, same height, and same dimensions. The metro train has routes that sometimes go through the skyscrapers, not just once. But, there are no cars here. The roads on the ground surface are only filled with people who walk. The only transport I have seen till date is this metro train.''


    ''Hmm, this mother character is scary. She actually noticed the faint instant I connected to the eyes of the host. She is so perceptive, unlike the father character. I shouldn''t appear until Jyorta reaches his school.''


    In an instant since the change, the eyes of Jyorta reverted back to normal, enjoying the sparse sunlight that hit his face. The blue soul no longer connected to his senses, silently staying within its confines, without any idea of the progress of time.


    "Next station: Sector 4, 1st Academy Street." A mechanical voice resounded, prompting Mrs. Bone to get up, her left hand holding Jyorta. Jyorta waved his hand at the uncle and got down with his mother. Swiping a card through an entry, the duo passed through a restriction and arrived at an escalator.


    Since it was rush hours, making the area crowded, the duo had to patiently wait their turn before boarding the escalator that went down. After a short wait, the duo reached a platform with directions affixed on a wide board.


    Without taking a glance at it, the duo proceeded right, the direction where the board with ''1st Academy'' pointed at. Following the crowd, the duo reached a screening area. There were about 20 separate queues, lining parallel to one another. In a matter of minutes, the duo reached the screening as Mrs. Bone fished out an ID card and handed it to Jyorta.


    With familiarity, Jyorta swiped the card in a designated location, opening the gates before him. Turning behind to wave at his mother, Jyorta sped along the crowd, quickly finding some of his friends for company.


    Mrs. Bone gazed at the silhouette of her son for a long time, until she could no longer see him, heaving a sigh with worry. She then boarded another metro train and returned home. Looking at her vacant home, Mrs. Bone paced around with a longing expression.


    ''After Heima''s Induction, I can no longer enjoy such leisure. I will be redrafted back into the army soon.''


    Closing the door behind her, closing the curtains to shield the sunlight, and checking around the hall to ensure everything was in place, Mrs. Bone fished out a delicate looking card from her pocket. She inserted it in a socket behind the TV and placed her thumb on the screen. The screen flashed to life as a thin green light scanned her from to head to toe, finally pausing on her eyes for a couple of seconds.


    The screen flashed to reveal the visage of an old man who looked to be in his eighties. The man had a head with greyish-white hair, his face filled with wrinkles. His beard was trimmed to match the style of a military veteran, his eyes filled with wisdom and the cunning of an old fox.


    "Old bastard," Mrs. Bone said in a hurry, "Have you figured the reason for Jyorta''s condition?"


    "Can you not address me in such a manner? I am, after all, the family head." The man said, showing zero traces of emotion in his eyes, looking like a frozen lake, incapable of forming ripples on its surface.


    Seeing Mrs. Bone standing without uttering another word, the old man paused for a minute, taking his sweet time to recollect his thoughts. "We haven''t managed to identify it. Technically, Jyorta is perfectly healthy, showing no signs of disorder."


    Mrs. Bone severed the connection, no longer having enough patience to hear his rambling. She filled a glass of water, mixed a teaspoon of sugar in it, and sat on the sofa, downing it with a single gulp.


    A long time later, she walked towards her bedroom, standing before a full-length mirror, inspecting her rotund figure. There was a trace of hesitation in her eyes, concealed by her worries. Time passed in such a manner when the bell chimed twice. Mrs. Bone walked to the door, gazing through the peephole to find a familiar face. She then opened the door and greeted the man.


    "Dear, how was it? How did Heima fare?" Barely reigning in her anxiousness, she took the overcoat handed to her and hanged it at one corner. The man, sporting a small beard and a disheveled hair that covered his handsome face, walked in, removed his shoes, and rested his aching back on the sofa.


    Taking a glass of water Mrs. Bone handed over, he took a few sips to rehydrate himself. Leaning on the sofa, he said, "I never knew Heima possessed such a strong will. She managed to shock me senseless, not to mention the rest of the school."


    "How much was it?" Mrs. Bone leaned over, her worries increasing by a fold. She gazed with bated breath, controlling her anxious heart.


    "She managed a Sync Rate of 89%, the highest in the 1st Academy over the past 10 years. Her Sync Rate is the second-highest in the whole 7th Ring." Mr. Bone rubbed his temples, an action he did to control his emotions.


    "That child," Mrs. Bone did her best to control her anger. "Why must she never listen? She would have to live the rest of her life on the battlefield."


    "Let me try asking for Dr. Steven''s help on this matter. Maybe he can help us." Mr. Bone said.


    "I will attempt a breakthrough." Mrs. Bone stood up, walked to a drawer, and pulled out a stack of documents. The papers suddenly slipped out of her hands and appeared in Mr. Bone''s.


    "I am not allowing you to court death. You aren''t prepared enough to attempt a breakthrough at present." Mr. Bone said, flipping through the documents when his eyes were fixated on a certain command, affixed with the stamp of the military. Reading through it, his gaze shuddered.


    Mrs. Bone took the documents with trembling hands and sighed once again, "In a month, my presence will be required on the battlefield. I have been drafted for a Flying Signature Raid."

 Chapter 6：Trial

    7th Ring, Sector 4, 1st Academy, Class 5A; the teacher stood before a whiteboard, using a marker to draw on it. 30 students sat before her, some listening, some in a daze, and some secretly playing a game to pass the time. The teacher didn''t seem the type to care about their behaviour and just patiently continued with the lesson.


    "Modern Rodawri, the language that had been created to avoid information leakage to the beasts; it is part of your curriculum. Created by the Rhachis Ancestor Light 180 years ago, it has become the foundation of our linguistic system."


    Jyorta was listening with rapt attention; at least, that was what it looked like. His eyes were glazed over, a trace of drool leaking out of his mouth while his frame was crouched low, to avoid being detected by the teacher. The blue soul connected its senses to his eyes and ears, allowing it to receive the information. Since Jyorta was asleep, it took this opportunity to gain information.


    ''The so-called Rodawri feels similar to Sanskrit, but it has English, Chinese, Tamil, and Latin mixed into it. It also seems to have been formed after removing the complexities of the base languages and has evolved into its own complexity. Though, I can''t be sure since I am not an expert in languages.''


    The Blue soul thought, extending a tendril outside the body, trying to connect it with the student sitting before Jyorta. But, the moment it emerged outside Jyorta''s body, it rapidly dissolved, breaking down into specs of light invisible to the naked eye.


    ''So, it is not possible for me to attach myself to the soul of other people for the time being. Then, I should take care to not expose myself before the mother character. She is too perceptive for my own good. And, it has only been 2 years since I could begin to think about my past and analyse the surroundings in detail.''


    When Jyorta became 8 years old, his brain had developed sufficiently to allow the blue soul to use it for thinking purposes. Without connecting to a brain, it would just be like a dead phantom, unable to think and unable to make decisions. With its connection to Jyorta''s soul, it could automatically infer whenever Jyorta was asleep and make use of his brain to think.


    Before Jyorta turned 8 years old, his brain was too undeveloped, which prevented the blue soul from accessing it often in fear that Jyorta would be reshaped into his character which might create troubles in this world that was different from Earth. Different worlds operated with different principles; the mentality of people living in such worlds would be distinctively different.


    Through his experiences for the past 2 years, he found a major flaw in his existence. The memories he processed through Jyorta''s brain would be stored inside it. This enables a possibility for him to recall it, supposedly he thought in such direction in the future, leaving most of Kaushik''s memories for him to access.


    The only saving grace was the fact that Kaushik''s soul had invaded more than half of Jyorta''s soul. It was only a matter of years before he could completely take over the soul of Jyorta, finally embarking on his journey in this world.


    A bell rang, prompting the teacher to stop her lecture and walk out of the room. It almost looked like she was happy to leave. The kids stood up, in response to her exit, performing a small bow.


    "Thank you, Madam!"


    Jyorta continued to sit. The blue soul didn''t dare to control his body to stand up like others, afraid that Jyorta would notice something amiss and spark off a chain reaction in his body that might endanger him. It only dared to connect to the sensory organs, never once trying to actuate any body movements.


    "Jyorta, wake up!" A hand landed on his shoulder, shaking him awake, prompting the blue soul to hurriedly cut off its connection and slumber in absolute silence.


    "Pokemon is awesome," Jyorta mumbled in a daze, regaining his senses to find a boy looking at him. The boy looked slightly mature, sporting wide facial features on his tall body frame, almost half a head taller than Jyorta.


    "Pokemon? What is that? Are you daydreaming again?" The boy stood up from his seat, walked forward, and sat atop Jyorta''s desk.


    "I should say, Jyorta has a wild imagination. He always mutters such weird names in his sleep." Another feminine voice sounded from the front; a girl approached, pushed the boy a little, and climbed atop the desk. The two completely occupied the desk.


    "Anyway, have you heard the news?" The girl excitedly said, "Next month, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest will pay a visit to Sector 4."


    "Really?" The boy became excited. "He''s coming here? That''s awesome!"


    "I heard it too. I saw the Principal talk about how she would organise an exam soon and the top 3 scorers from our school will get the chance to meet him in person." Jyorta said, his eyes shining with anticipation.


    The boisterous crowd suddenly calmed down as a teacher walked in. They hurriedly stood up and greeted the teacher. The boy and the girl who sat on his desk deftly slipped and retreated to their seats, joining the others with the greeting.


    The man motioned for them to sit as he picked up the marker and wrote ''89%'' on the whiteboard with exaggerated size. He turned to the confused students and said, "Do you students know what this percentage means?"


    The students uniformly shook their heads. They concentrated their attention on the number, trying to bore their gaze into it and find the answer. Finding the expected response, the man smirked a little, raising his eyebrows and sporting a wide grin, displaying how proud he felt at the moment.


    "A student from our school managed to get a Sync Rate of 89%, the second-highest in all of 7th Ring."


    On seeing the students still clueless about what he was talking about, the man switched on a projector, displaying the Central Nervous System of the Human Body. "The CNS consists of two parts: the brain, and the spinal cord. I have already briefly told you about the CNS in previous classes."


    On seeing the children nod in confirmation to his statement, the man smiled and continued, "This time, I will tell you about Sync Rate. The level of fusion of a Wisdom Parasite with either the brain or the spinal cord gives rise to the term, Sync Rate. I won''t go much into detail since you will learn about them in higher studies."


    On seeing their relieved look about not having to mug up complicated theories, the man gave a knowing laugh and continued, "Just remember that the higher your Sync Rate, the stronger you can become in the future."


    ¡­


    7th Ring, Sector 1, a 120 storey skyscraper stood tall, its top obscured by the clouds. Unlike the other skyscrapers, this building was made from what looked like monster bones that were refined under extreme heat.


    It stood out like a sore thumb among the similar-looking skyscrapers, looking like an alien amongst normal humans. A huge sign was engraved into an arch on the ground at the front, acting as an entrance to the building.


    Limitless Tower!


    Mrs. Bone stood at the entrance, a stack of documents in her hands, accompanied by Mr. Bone. She was hesitating to take a step inside, in fear that this would be her last. Mr. Bone placed his hand around her shoulder, in efforts to comfort her, but failed to hide mask his worry.


    "Dear, I¡­"


    "We went over this many times. If I don''t attempt this, my survival chances out there might very well be zero." Mrs. Bone said, overcoming her hesitation, entering the Tower. Mr. Bone followed with a forlorn sigh, lamenting his weakness.


    Ground floor, reception hall; a receptionist received the stack of documents Mrs. Bone had handed over, carefully scrutinised through its information before dialling a number in the landline near her. She took out a token card from her pocket and handed it to Mrs. Bone, informing her to wait in the reception area until she was called.


    Mr. and Mrs. Bone sat, their expressions tense when suddenly, the entire tower vibrated. The decorative objects placed before them, consisting of flower vases, pen stand, magazine stall, etc fell on the ground. The duo hurriedly crouched down, shielding their heads when Mr. Bone took out a filament from his pockets, expanding it to cover their bodies.


    The filament turned into a hard cover that shielded their bodies, bracing the occasional miscellaneous items that collided into it. Staff personnel dressed in battle garments, carrying weapons, rushed into the reception hall, quickly calming the people. The vibrations of the Tower soon subsided.


    "What happened?" Once the situation had stabilised, Mr. Bone retracted the filament and questioned a friendly-looking staff. The staff looked at his face for a second and paused, communicating through a transceiver attached in the earlobe on his right. After a couple of seconds, the staff whispered a couple of words to Mr. Bone, and hurriedly walked away.


    Mr. Bone stood stupefied for a good whole minute before coming to his senses after Mrs. Bone nudged him.


    "It seems a Shifter lost control while trying to breakthrough." Mr. Bone muttered, ensuring that other people wouldn''t be able to hear this piece of information.


    "We can come back another day. Once they have settled today''s mess." Mr. Bone suggested. Seeing the figure of his wife who remained silent despite hearing the commotion, his worries had further intensified. If she tried to breakthrough in such circumstances, there might be a high chance of her failing to breakthrough and lose her life in the process.


    "Are you Henrietta Bone? I am Lucas Dark; I will be the one supervising your breakthrough." A man introduced himself, sporting a calm visage, despite the turbulence the Tower had just faced. He shook hands with Mrs. Bone and motioned for her to follow him. He turned around to gaze at Mr. Bone, inspecting his strength for an instant before switching back to matters at hand.


    "Family members are advised to wait here. Please read some magazines to pass your time." Lucas said. Mr. Bone could only nod and sit in a corner, patiently waiting for the news of his wife''s success.


    ¡­


    1st Academy infirmary, Heima lay atop a bed, looking weak. She could barely lift her hands when her face turned pale; she hurriedly sat up and moved closer to a bowl, vomiting into it. Her vomit was a mixture of bile and blood; wiping her mouth with a towel placed beside her bed, she once again lay on the bed, her gaze unfocused.


    A nurse beside inserted a needle through one of the veins on her hand, connected to a dip filled with a viscous solution. The viscous solution steadily entered her bloodstream, replenishing her blood plasma.


    ''This is worse than the pain during the Induction. When will I be able to leave here? I hope mom doesn''t get too angry.'' She thought, closing her eyes to rest. Suddenly, her eyes shot open; she hurriedly sat up once again, leaning closer to the bowl and vomiting until her stomach was emptied of all fluids.

 Chapter 7：Martial Arts

    12:00 PM, in the cafeteria of the 1st Academy; Jyorta, along with his two friends sat around a table meant for three, sharing and eating their lunch.


    "I heard a piece of bad news," Pausing for a second while eating, Jyorta sported a saddened expression, "Only top 3 from the 11th and 12th standard are allowed to personally meet Rhachis Ancestor Strongest, not us."


    "Why?" The girl, Laila shouted, failing to control her voice.


    "Where did you even get this information from?" The boy, George said, looking calmer than Laila.


    "Obviously from the principal," Jyorta said, "I had gone to meet my sister but found the principal talking to a couple of teachers in her classroom. When I asked about where I could find my sister, she said all the students of her class were undergoing a health check-up in the infirmary."


    "I really wanted to meet Rachis Ancestor Strongest in person." Laila lamented.


    The trio completed their lunch in silence, washing their hands in a nearby washbasin and heading towards the terrace to pass the time. Entering a lift, Jyorta pressed the button for the terrace, which had the symbol of the Sun.


    Before the lift door closed, a bunch of older students entered, cramping the space inside. Pushing Laila to one corner, Jyorta and George stood before her, preventing the bigger framed students from squashing her. After some time, followed by a sound, the lift doors opened, revealing an open space.


    The ground was fully covered with grass, neatly trimmed to prevent them from hindering movement while also acting as a cushion. Stepping out of the lift, the trio removed their shoes, setting it aside. They walked on the grass with their bare feet, relishing in the soft experience filled with the scent of nature.


    The older students who accompanied them immediately ran towards one corner of the terrace, halting before a rack filled with soccer boots. They removed their shoes and changed into the soccer boots. Behind the rack was a large soccer field with two goal posts occupying its two ends.


    To their right was a wide sprawling net that formed into a dome. Within it, the trio spotted students playing cricket, cheering after every boundary the batsman scored. Next to them were students playing tennis, complaining about the wind every time the tennis ball performed a swing in the air.


    "The air here feels fresh," Laila exclaimed, taking a deep breath of the refreshing air, her face brightening up with delight. She then lay flat on the grass, her limbs spread wide, a content expression plastered across her face. Jyorta lay on her right while George occupied the space on her left.


    "Next period we have PT. I heard the PT teacher will teach us about martial arts. I am quite excited!" George said, clenching his palm into a fist and punching it at the sky.


    ¡­


    1:05 PM, 30 students, dressed in tracksuits meant for exercise stood before a man with a hulking frame. The man stood in silence, carefully etching the face of each student into his memory. Seeing their PT teacher whose arms were twice thicker than their thighs, the students stood in silence, not daring to show even the slightest mischief.


    "From today onwards, I will be teaching you the basics of martial arts. Three prime requirements lay the foundation for a good martial artist: stamina, flexibility, and foresight. You might wonder why I don''t mention strength and speed, but we won''t be focusing on them at present. Only students from 11th standard onwards will undergo strength and stamina training." The PT teacher''s thunderous voice echoed through the surroundings, boring into the heads of the students, ensuring that they would never forget it.


    "The simplest of the three is stamina training. It is the most mundane but prime necessity for any martial art. The first is a breathing technique. As long as you know how to breathe properly, you can minimise a lot of effort into executing martial techniques. Breathing and stances are the vital components of stamina training." The PT teacher said, motioning for everyone to sit on the grass.


    The PT teacher sat on an elevated platform, a stool he had brought along, wide enough to seat his hulking frame. He sat on it, keeping his spine straight, facing up; his arms were relaxed while his stomach was tightened. The students followed his instructions, mimicking his posture. Many of them made mistakes, prompting the PT teacher to get up and patiently correct them.


    Two hours later, the PT teacher said, "That will be all for today. Remember to practice these breathing techniques at home. Tell me if you feel a stuffy sensation."


    After the class dispersed, the PT teacher walked towards a different location on the terrace, another class silently stood here, maintain minimum silence, only engaging in muffled discussions. After seeing him, the students turned silent. The PT teacher once again repeated the same content he had said for the past two hours; this was the repetitive life of a teacher.


    "I never knew martial art classes were so boring. I thought I would finally be able to crush rocks and jump through buildings." George said, letting out a sigh of disappointment. He was beaten up by the PT teacher when he unconsciously snored during the breathing session.


    "Thankfully, I controlled myself to stay awake. But, as you said, it really was boring," Laila said. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with excitement as she held the hands of George and the silent Jyorta, "I bought a new video game; do you guys want to play?"


    "Which game?" Jyorta asked with curiosity. He had plenty of games in his house, though, he hardly enjoyed them because his sister always steamrolled him, irrespective of the game. Always losing took away his fun of games, a reason why he refused to play them. Though, his sister had enough methods to force him to play, every single time.


    "Dungeon Rush; it is a hack and slash game with multiplayer mode," Laila said. She had chanced upon this game when she was browsing the game store with her parents the day before. Watching its trailer spiked her interest so she immediately bought it. Reaching home and playing it once, she immediately fell in love with the game mechanics.


    "If my parents allow, I''ll come," George said. Jyorta echoed in agreement. Their class hours began from 9:30 AM and concluded by 3:00 PM. So they were free to do as they pleased after that, but they couldn''t be spotted in the school premises.


    The trio then walked back to their class, picked up their school bags, and walked towards a corridor where the sign of ''Exit'' was affixed. Beyond it, they could see many inspection gates where rows of students passed through after scanning their IDs. Inching forwards through the slightly long queue, it was finally Jyorta''s turn.


    The gate opened as he swiped his ID, allowing his entry when a security guard walked out of a nearby booth, motioning for his attention. When Jyorta approached the security guard, inquiring for the reason, he saw the security guard press a transceiver on his left ear, silently waiting for a couple of seconds to receive a reply.


    After he received a reply, he turned to Jyorta, "Your homeroom teacher will come for you." The security guard didn''t say anything afterward and just silently stood beside him. Soon, George and Laila walked out of the screening, running towards him after noticing a security guard standing beside him.


    Soon, a plump lady rushed towards them, using a handkerchief to wipe the sweat covering her forehead, short of breath. After seeing Jyorta, she heaved a sigh of relief, taking a moment to catch her breath.


    "Jyorta, your father informed me that he and your mother had to urgently leave for some important matters. Your sister has just finished her Induction, making her unable to return home for the day. So, he instructed me to safely send you to the Eagle residence." The homeroom teacher noticed George, her eyes beaming with happiness, "Since George is with you, it makes things easier."


    "Why can''t sister come home?" Jyorta questioned. He could accept his parents going out since it wasn''t the first time it occurred. There had been many precedents, but it was the first time for his sister, making him worry. He didn''t know what the word ''Induction'' signified.


    "As I said, she had just completed her Induction¡­" The homeroom teacher continued with slight irritation when she realised that children at Jyorta''s age weren''t privy of such stuff. Only after reaching 11th standard would they be privy of such knowledge. It was also a crime, as dictated by the military, to teach children about such matters before they are old enough.


    It took some time before she could barely convince him with made-up reasons. George then proposed for the three of them to stay the night at Laila''s house, so she had to make a call to Mr. Bone and seek his permission.


    Taking the metro, the teacher, and the three students reached Laila''s house. There, they changed into pyjamas Laila''s parents had taken out¡ªloose garments that belonged to Laila. The homeroom teacher advised George and Jyorta to avoid troubling Laila''s parents before she bade them farewell.


    "I am Princess White." Holding the ends of a frock, George made a cursory bow. His hair tied up into a ponytail, a wig attached to make it realistic, and thick red lipstick haphazardly smeared across his lips.


    "And, I am princess Yellow." Jyorta mimicked his actions. He wore a wig that had long hair, reaching his hips. The lipstick smeared on his lips reached till his nose, painting a comical look. But, due to him possessing some feminine features, he looked better suited for the role than George.


    "My handsome prince, can we play Dungeon Rush now?" George asked, still in his role-play. Laila, dressed in a set of loose-fitting suit looked at George and Jyorta, a bright smile etched on her face. She picked up a plastic rose from nearby and placed it in her shirt pocket, trying to appear like a refined gentleman.


    "One hour, we can play the game after an hour." She said, refusing to conclude such fun activities. After a long banter, the trio sat in their living room, each with a console in their hands, immersed into the game. George and Laila experienced the shock of their lives. They got steamrolled by Jyorta, mercilessly.


    After winning for the nth time, Jyorta flashed them an arrogant look. He looked at the ceiling of the room and heaved a forlorn sigh as if none could contest with him. "It is lonely at the top."


    Late into the night, when Jyorta was fast asleep, the blue soul took charge, going through the day''s memories by trying to recollect them, using various keywords to jolt the brain. Finally, accessing the part of the memories where the PT instructor taught them breathing exercises, Kaushik fell into deep thought, finding them familiar for some reason.


    ''Yoga?'' He thought, trying to jolt other memories related to the afternoon exercise.

 Chapter 8：Mission

    May 2nd, 6:30 AM; a man gently knocked the door of Laila''s house. The man wore a set of thin cotton clothes that were dyed in a shade of green and blue, presenting a mild look, accentuating his handsome face. He held a small bag, filled with something soft. His eyes, filled with worry, expressed exhaustion as he patiently waited for the masters of the house to respond.


    Some seconds later, followed by a series of approaching footsteps, Laila''s mother opened the door. On seeing the tired figure of Mr. Bone, she hurriedly invited him inside.


    "Is everything alright?" After a moment of hesitation, seeing Mr. Bone relish the hot cup of coffee she had brewed, she took the initiative to ask. "Should I wake up Jyorta?"


    "No, I am sorry to impose on you. My wife got drafted for a Flying Signature Raid, so she is currently at the Limitless Tower, attempting to breakthrough. I brought some of Jyorta''s clothes; can I trouble you to look after him for a couple of days?" Mr. Bone said, awkward at holding a conversation.


    "Oh, my," Laila''s mother hurriedly placed a hand over her mouth, suppressing her shock. "Why did she get drafted for such a dangerous mission? The last time I talked with her, she had accumulated enough contribution to stay within the city for a decade."


    "The military is launching this expedition to obtain a rare mineral they have recently discovered. This mineral can be smelted into terrifying weapons, so they are placing heavy emphasis on it. Moreover, most of the Developers and Shifters from the 7th Ring are being drafted for this mission. I just received a notification; the official statement for my drafting will be delivered later today." Laila''s father, holding a coffee mug filled with aromatic coffee and a newspaper in the other, walked out.


    "Darling, how could they do this?" Laila''s mother became grief-stricken, tears streaming out of her eyes. "You just returned from a mission last week. Dispatching you again, that too in such short notice; this will affect Laila''s life, a lot."


    "In times like these, I am consoled by the fact that you haven''t focused on improving your strength. You wouldn''t ever be tasked with such dangerous missions, giving you plenty of time to nurture Laila." Laila''s father hugged her, consoling her worries.


    "If there was an option to decline, I would have forced my wife to abandon this mission, but sadly, the authority of the military can''t be questioned." Mr. Bone sighed.


    "Your son can stay here for as long as he wants." Laila''s father said. He then sat on the sofa and continued to drink his coffee. Mr. Bone finished his coffee, partially satiating his stomach that raised protests of hunger, and handed the bag filled with Jyorta''s clothes to Laila''s mother. Bidding them farewell, he rushed out of the house, taking the lift to reach the 50th floor.


    Entering through the security check, flashing an ID card, he hailed the metro train that arrived in 2 minutes, boarding it and finding an empty seat to rest. He sighed, closing his eyes to calm his tensed nerves. An hour later, a mechanical voice alerted him of the station, prompting him to get off.


    Sector 1, Limitless Tower; Mr. Bone rushed inside, hurriedly inquiring about the status of his wife at the reception counter. The receptionist lady checked through the logs, verified the information through different channels, and turned to look at the messy individual standing before her.


    "No problem as of now, everything''s going smooth. Please have some rest; you might have a nervous breakdown at this rate. You should know that having a steady mental state is a priority, especially for Wave Controllers like you. Breakfast will be served in an hour in the counter there." The receptionist lady pointed Mr. Bone towards a corner of the reception hall, towards a hallway that led into a small room.


    Mr. Bone weakly acknowledged her words and found a sofa in the reception hall to seat himself. He didn''t have the mood to read a magazine. He scanned through his surroundings and noticed no one other than the receptionist in the reception hall, painting an eerie picture.


    Sitting alone in such an expansive hall ate away at his mental strength, a little at a time. Mr. Bone forced himself to open a nearby magazine, surfing through it in order to distract his attention. The magazine, titled ''Daily Attractions'' featured landscapes beyond the walls of the city that retained a semblance of scenic beauty.


    Even though the presence of grotesque monsters spoiled his enjoyment of the sceneries, he felt his mind ease a little. The magazine was successful in pulling his attention to it, maybe a reason why the Tower personnel displayed it there in the first place.


    "Would you like some coffee?" A slender hand extended a coffee mug towards Mr. Bone, catching his attention. Putting the magazine away, Mr. Bone sized up the receptionist lady and thanked her offer, taking the coffee mug.


    "Thank you," Mr. Bone sipped the coffee and felt his insides warming up. It was cold in the mornings; moreover, the Tower lacked insulation to warm up inside the building. It also lacked any ventilation to prevent the heat from accumulating during the day.


    "We used to offer basic comforts long ago," The receptionist lady said, a trace of longing present in her eyes. "But, after a research proved that a comfortable environment increased the failure of a breakthrough, they were removed."


    "As long as the chance to breakthrough increases, no one will mind a bit of discomfort." Mr. Bone said, having calmed down to a considerable degree.


    "Indeed, but it is quite vexing for us staff to work in such conditions for prolonged periods. Moreover, it gets incredibly hot and stuffy during this time of the month." The receptionist lady complained. Having finished her coffee, she took the empty cup from Mr. Bone, gave him some words of encouragement, and walked towards her desk, resuming her work.


    ¡­


    7:45 AM, Jyorta woke up in a daze as he stared at his unfamiliar surroundings. It took him a long while to realise that he had slept in Laila''s home. He folded the bedsheet, arranged the messy pillow back to order, and skirted off towards the kitchen. There, he saw a woman cutting up some vegetables, a pan on the stove before her, filled with simmering oil.


    "Good morning Aunty!" Jyorta said with a cheer. He then carefully tiptoed towards her, leaning forward to smell the delicious fragrance of the cooking.


    "Morning Jyorta, did you have a good sleep?" Laila''s mother said.


    "I did," Jyorta replied with a yawn. Obviously, he had stayed awake for greater lengths during the night, talking with George. They both shared a bed, while Laila slept with her parents in a different room.


    "Can you wake up Laila? She isn''t one of those morning people," Laila''s mother said as she wrapped the cut vegetables in dough and dipped it in the simmering oil.


    "I have plenty of experience in waking up my sister. You can leave it to me." Jyorta lifted his palm and performed a cute military salute. He then rushed out of the kitchen, the sounds of laughter following him. In a matter of seconds, Jyorta returned to the kitchen, his expression full of confusion.


    "Aunty, there are too many rooms. Where is Laila sleeping?" Jyorta asked.


    ''C-Cute!'' Laila''s mother resisted her urges to pinch his adorable cheeks as she held her laughter, pointing towards a direction with her index finger.


    "The second room on the right."


    "Okay!" Jyorta ran towards the room, finding Laila under a layer of bed sheet, her hair dishevelled, looking like a bird''s nest. Just when he was about to wake her up, his eyes became glazed, his body coming to a stop.


    ''I don''t know how she might react after getting woken up with tickles. Let me test the extent of my control of Jyorta.'' The blue soul thought as it tried to make Jyorta''s body walk forward. A faint resistance stemmed from his body, increasing in intensity as time passed, the body refused to move.


    The blue soul hurriedly disengaged its connection, reverting to the state of an observer. It only connected to a tiny portion of the brain, to process a couple of its thoughts.


    ''If I connect to one of his senses, then Jyorta is unable to make use of it until I relinquish my connection over it. Does that mean I should only wait until he is asleep to connect to his senses? Moreover, the resistance his body can mount is getting fiercer and fiercer, an expected outcome of him growing up. Moreover, his soul is also growing, pressuring me to invade faster. Otherwise, it might take decades to conquer his soul.''


    ''Another point I noted is that, while invading his soul, the blueness in my soul is getting diluted. Only after a long time does its concentration recover. According to the creepy-haired man, the blueness in my soul is the memories of my previous lifetime, an accumulation worth two decades. So, I should conquer his soul before he grows up any further, enriching his memories. The question is, how can I conquer his soul faster?''


    Jyorta seemed to be in thought, his eyes regaining their focus, hesitating to wake up Laila. His eyes lit up with an idea as he rushed to the room he slept in, gazing at the figure of George who occupied the entire bed. He looked to the side and spotted a notebook. Picking it up, Jyorta slowly retraced his steps until stood at the entrance, one hand holding the door.


    Aiming at his sleeping friend, he gently threw the book, ensuring that it doesn''t hurt him, closing the door hurriedly. He ran towards the room Laila slept, peaking out to see if George walked out. Unsurprisingly, George walked out, murmuring something, in a sleepy stagger, rubbing his right shoulder where the book fell. Acting nonchalant, Jyorta walked out of Laila''s room, acting surprised when he spotted George.


    "George," He ran to the fellow, "Help me wake up Laila. I''ve been trying for the past 5 minutes, but she shows no sign of waking up."


    In his sleepy state, George followed Jyorta, embarking on a grand mission of waking up the sleeping princess.


    8:45 AM, around a dining table sat Jyorta, happily stuffing his face. To his left sat George, silently eating, using his left hand to cover his cheeks, failing to hide an obvious hand imprint. Opposite them sat an embarrassed Laila, silently eating.


    The calling bell chimed once, signalling a visitor. Laila''s mother opened the door, talked with the visitor, received a bag from them, and closed the door after exchanging pleasantries. She then motioned for George to receive the bag, amidst his curious gaze.


    "Your parents were in a hurry. They just dropped your luggage here and rushed somewhere." Laila''s mother said with a sigh. She couldn''t help but think with a pessimistic outlook.


    ''Both Mr. and Mrs. Eagle have been drafted for the mission. It will be difficult for George to adapt to a different lifestyle for the upcoming days.''

 Chapter 9：Madam Mary

    9:15 AM, alighting from the metro train, the trio consisting of Jyorta, George, and Laila walked towards their school, their frames sulking. After the three pestered Laila''s mother, she finally relented to their efforts and talked. She didn''t specify any details since leaking a military order was tantamount to betrayal. She only said that their parents had to join an organisation that was involved with the safety of the city, a lie that every parent used to cover up the details of their missions to their children.


    "With Rachis Ancestor Strongest guarding our city, why do our parents need to participate in such tasks?" George muttered, a trace of tears leaking out of his eyes. He sniffed his runny nose, used a flower-patterned kerchief to wipe his tears before stuffing it back into his pocket.


    "Even Rhachis Ancestor Strongest, despite his power, needs to rest. After all, he is but one person and our city is too big." Laila said. There was an obvious tone of disappointment and sadness in her tone, but she tried her best to conceal it, not giving in to her urges and crying her heart out.


    Jyorta walked silently, his mind distracted, subconsciously keeping pace with George and Laila. The blue soul connected with a part of his brain, using it to think through his circumstances. It didn''t want anything to happen that might negatively affect the development of Jyorta. After all, his body will belong to it in the future.


    ''Based on what the aunty character said, many adult characters from the 7th Ring have been summoned for a military exercise. At least, without the mother character around, I will have enough freedom to experiment with my control over Jyorta.''


    The trance-like state of Jyorta quickly abated, his legs being in sync with the others, his mind adrift. Jyorta worried about his sister, wanting to see her as soon as possible.


    9:30 AM, in an assembly hall, the students that numbered in the thousands joined their hands together and recited their prayers. Their prayers consisted of wishing good health to oneself, good health to parents, good health to family members, and the long-standing of the city.


    9:45 AM, class resumed as the homeroom teacher entered. The moment she entered, a gloomy atmosphere hit her, dampening her mood. She gazed at her students, only numbering 18, a sharp contrast to the full attendance of 30 students. Their eyes were dull, listless, some shedding tears, some with puffy eyes, a result of crying overnight.


    Heaving a melancholic sigh, the homeroom teacher began to take the roll call, having to repeat each name at least thrice before the students responded.


    ''This is probably the largest mission organised by the military involving the 7th Ring for the past 50 years.'' The homeroom teacher thought, picking up a marker to begin the day''s lessons. Though, she knew that none of her students had any mind to listen, prompting her to drop the marker after 5 minutes, unable to bear the gloomy atmosphere. She rushed to the staff room, in hopes to consult her colleagues for advice.


    11:30 AM, Limitless Tower, Mr. Bone was dozing off, leaning his back on the sofa, a magazine covered his face. He was suddenly startled awake when the receptionist lady called his name. Craning his aching neck towards the source of the sound, he saw the beautiful face of the receptionist lady come into view.


    "Your wife has broken through; she is currently waiting in a rehabilitation center." The receptionist lady motioned for him to follow her.


    Mr. Bone erupted with joy, shouting with a burst of crazed laughter before being admonished by the receptionist lady. Many angry stares fell on him from all corners of the reception hall, from the people who were a nervous wreck from waiting for good news from their family members. Mr. Bone hurriedly apologised to them and followed after the receptionist lady, walking towards a lift on one end of the reception room.


    Entering the lift, Mr. Bone stood in silence, watching the receptionist lady press the button to the 98th floor. Followed by a silence that felt like an hour had passed, the lift finally opened its doors, showcasing the 98th floor in full glory.


    There was a small corridor where people could walk, lying perpendicular to his direction, going from one end on his left to the other end on his right. There was a corner on the right which connected to another corridor that went straight, leading to a room on the left. A small plaque rested above the entrance which read ''Developer-Breakthrough''. The door to the room was closed, barring him from seeing within it.


    The receptionist lady walked past the door, towards the end of the corridor where a small door stood on the left. The plaque on the door read ''Rehabilitation Room'' and was closed. The receptionist lady knocked on the door twice, producing faint knocking sounds. Just when Mr. Bone wondered whether the sound wasn''t audible enough, he saw the door open to reveal Lucas Dark from within.


    "You are just in time," Lucas motioned for the two to enter as he held the door. Seeing Mr. Bone, he gave a perfunctory reply, "Congratulations."


    Mr. Bone nodded with delight and entered the door, gazing at a small narrow room filled with nutrient solutions. The nutrient solutions were stacked in shelves to his left, while the shelf to his right had an assortment of needles and other medical tools. To his front was a curtain that blocked him out from seeing further. Though, through the light that reflected from behind the curtain, he could make out the shadow of a frail person.


    Just when he was about to rush forward, Lucas restrained him, motioning for him to control his impulse. Mr. Bone took a deep breath, calming his beating heart, and walked towards the curtain, controlling himself to not cause any problems. Pushing the curtain to the side, Mr. Bone saw a familiar figure, skin and bones, lying weakly on the bed. A nutrient solution hung on a stand near her, sending drips into her blood, nourishing her frail figure.


    "H-Hen-riett-a," Mr. Bone held a hand, feeling the lack of flesh within it, tears streaming out of his eyes. The figure before him struggled to open her eyes, lacking focus as she looked at him. Her lips crept up to reveal a soft, weak smile while a faint sense of relief and pride washed over her eyes.


    Her lips parted to reveal her row of teeth, her tongue slightly moving. Mr. Bone hurriedly craned his ears near her mouth, straining his superhuman senses to make out the faint whispers she struggled to mutter.


    "I¡­did¡­it¡­finally," Mrs. Bone said, closing her eyes. Struggling to speak had strained her nerves, sapping away the last reserves of her energy, forcing her to rest to recover. Mr. Bone wiped his tears, silently thanking Lucas for his efforts.


    "I didn''t do much," Lucas said, his expression rigid. "Everything depended on her accumulation. Even though she succeeded in her breakthrough, she barely did it, leaving her in such a frail condition. Unless you use high-end materials to nourish her back to health soon, it would take her months to recover back to her prime depending on just these nutrient solutions alone."


    "I will immediately contact my family and request for their support." Mr. Bone clenched his fists and said. He didn''t want to face old man Bone, the cruel and cold-hearted man who would do anything to achieve his desires of expanding his family.


    "Whatever you plan to do, I hope you make it quick. We just went through her submitted documents," Lucas went through a nearby machine to check Mrs. Bone''s vitals. "She has been drafted for the Flying Signature Raid, conducted next month. I don''t suppose you are unaware of what this means right?"


    "I am aware," Mr. Bone said. "I will make the necessary preparations."


    One of the staff members, an old woman dressed in a nurse outfit walked in. she looked like someone who would qualify to be addressed as ''Grandmother'' by Mr. Bone, signalling her age. Seeing her, Mr. Bone was surprised for a moment before he decided to shut up after inspecting the strength of the woman. She was many times stronger than him, that too by a large margin.


    "Madam Mary," Lucas hurriedly performed a bow, "I didn''t know you were here."


    Madam Mary flashed him a faint smile before she began to inspect the condition of Mrs. Bone. Lucas saw the Madam in work and hurriedly pulled the hands of Mr. Bone and the receptionist lady and retreated out of the room. Mr. Bone wanted to resist but found unable to do so under the powerful strength of Lucas.


    Walking out of the room and gently closing the door behind him, Lucas used a kerchief to wipe the sweat that formed on his forehead. He looked like a lamb that has survived from getting slaughtered. Heaving a sigh of relief and adjusting his clothes, Lucas reverted to his rigid look, nudging the receptionist lady back to life.


    "W-Why is she here?" The receptionist lady plummeted to the floor, looking like a puppet whose strings had been cut as she muttered in a daze. Only after some time passed did she reach out to the outstretched hand of Lucas stood up, dusting her clothes. In a well-practiced manner, she led Mr. Bone out of the corridor, into the lift, not uttering even a single word.


    Lucas too followed them, entering the lift, maintaining absolute silence. Only when the lift began to descent, did the two of them silently leak out a groan, a sense of liveliness returning to their senses.


    "That nurse grandma, just who is she?" Mr. Bone wondered out loud. "She looked out of place so I tried to sense her strength, only getting a shock at her massive strength. Was she a retired expert?"


    "You tried to sense her strength?" The receptionist lady shrieked like a banshee, the lift walls vibrating in response to her shout. Lucas felt his head spin while his legs became numb. His legs almost gave out as he clutched the shoulders of Mr. Bone.


    "Look," Lucas gazed into his eyes, "Never, I mean, never ever try something like that ever again. That lady, when angered could flatten the entire 7th Ring in an instant. I don''t know the reason why she had come out, but trust me; she''s as crazy as they come."


    "Then, what about my wife? Would she come under harm?" Mr. Bone felt worried, reaching his hand to press the button to the 98th floor. The receptionist lady hurriedly caught hold of his hands, refusing to let go no matter how much he struggled.


    "As for your wife''s safety, you can rest assured. Madam Mary is an eccentric lady but would never harm your wife, someone who successfully broke through here. The Limitless Tower guarantees her safety, including Madam Mary, who is a part of it. It is just that, she doesn''t like extras being in the presence of her workspace. So, we can''t assure that she wouldn''t do something unspeakable to us just because we lingered in her surroundings." The receptionist lady hurriedly recounted from memory, afraid that Mr. Bone would do something irreversible.


    "She''s an antique dating back to the previous century. She had retired 47 years ago. But during her active time, she was a Sky Controller." Lucas said. After the lift reached the ground floor, he hurriedly threw some words of caution and disappeared somewhere. The receptionist lady too bode him farewell and avoided him like the plague, leaving Mr. Bone wondering what he must do next.


    ''A Sky Controller, someone even stronger than old man Bone.'' Mr. Bone thought, walking towards the exit of the Tower.

 Chapter 10：Old Man Bone

    7th Ring, Sector 12, Baker Street, mansion of the Bone Family; Mr. Bone alighted from the metro train that directly passed through this building. This skyscraper was situated directly opposite to the skyscraper where the house of Mr. Bone was situated. This entire skyscraper was the property of the Bone Family.


    Passing through a couple of security checks and flashing his identity card that showed his affiliation to the Bone Family, Mr. Bone boarded a lift, pressing the button to the topmost floor. The lift was empty, making him stare at his reflection on the lift walls, due to them being wiped clean until they acted as mirrors.


    He thought about what he should say, how he should behave, the sequence of statements he must make to gain the largest benefit, etc. After all, getting something from old man Bone was tantamount to stealing fish from a hungry cat. Mr. Bone saw the doors of the lift open, the face of a middle-aged man came into view.


    The middle-aged man looked a little similar to his wife, Henrietta. But, his rugged look and his feline eyes made him look like a stranger at the same time, creating a baffling sense of disharmony. The man wore an immaculate single-breasted suit, a scarf that winded around his neck, creating a sense of choking him, and a gold watch that had precious gems inlaid inside. He flashed a look of pleasant surprise on seeing Mr. Bone in the lift.


    "Fancy seeing you here, Hancent; I was just about to head to the Limitless Tower, to congratulate Henrietta." The man said.


    "I came here to discuss something with the family head. Henrietta barely managed to breakthrough, leaving her in a weak state." Hancent Bone said, rubbing his eyebrows and silently wiping away the trace of tears that threatened to leak out of his eyes.


    "As long as it''s not a failure, everything''s fine. That''s what family head said; oh, he was the one who ordered me to head to the Limitless Tower." The man said, then, leaning closer, he whispered. "Old man has perfected our family skill, intending to pass it over to Henrietta as a form of congratulation. Take note of it when you talk with him, don''t ask for more."


    "Thank you, Hubert," Hancent whispered, a trace of gratitude present in his eyes. He then walked towards a double door that was twice his height and pressed a switch beside it. A couple of seconds later, the double door opened, allowing his entry. Hancent entered it and looked at the sight of an old man in his eighties fiddling with an electronic apparatus, mumbling incessantly.


    Seemingly as if he hadn''t noticed his existence, the old man pulled out a glass bottle from within the apparatus and inspected it. The bottle was filled with a solution, a tapeworm suspended within it. The tapeworm showed no signs of biological activity, showy shrinking into a thin piece of thread.


    The old man shook his head and threw the bottle inside a trash can, joining with tens of such similar bottles. Checking for the resulting data on a large monitor that flashed with numerous graphs, statistics, numbers, etc. the old man retracted his gaze from it, finally noticing Hancent.


    "Good afternoon sir," Hancent performed a light bow, reducing his breathing rate in fear of offending the person before him.


    "Hancent," The old man walked towards a wooden chair, sitting on it, motioning for him to occupy the opposite chair. Hancent did as was told, sitting on the chair a metre away from the old man. The old man sat in silence for a couple of minutes, the sound of Hancent''s heartbeats filled the room.


    "Henrietta," The old man paused, as if in deep thought, "She¡­did well. I initially thought she would fail her breakthrough, but she did well."


    He emphasised about Henrietta doing ''Well'' many times, as if an old faulted radio that played in a loop. He then paused once again, in silence, seemingly in deep thought. He then stood up, walking towards the machine he was fiddling with before, retrieving a small glass bottle from within. The glass bottle was filled with a fluid that shone with a resplendent hue. A small grey dot was concealed in its centre, looking dull, in contrast to its surroundings.


    On a closer inspection, activating his powers as a Wave Controller, Hancent saw the grey dot in full detail. The small grey dot looked like the neuron of the human body, but all grey in colour; its nerve endings flashed with obvious flashes of electricity, looking black in colour. There was unconcealed pride and desire in the eyes of the old man, looking like a ravenous beast about to be set free in the wilds, unhindered across all nature.


    "This is the perfected version, the first of its kind." The old man said and safely hid the glass bottle within the apparatus once again. He then straightened his back and looked at Hancent, "As for the recovery of Henrietta, our family will bear the full expenses. In two weeks, no, one week, she would have made a complete recovery. She would then inherit the perfected version and will display its might in the Flying Signature Raid. Let those old fogeys from the inner ring know the true strength of our Bone family."


    Pausing for a second, he motioned for Hancent to leave, "I have already contacted the Tower staff, with your approval she would be brought here. I still have work to do, create more finished products for our family members participating in this raid by the end of this month. It''s a race against time."


    "Thank you, sir," Hancent performed a bow filled with gratitude and exited the room, all the while feeling bouts of confusion. The image of the current family head to the one in his memories wasn''t synchronised. It felt like he had become a different person altogether.


    ''Has he finally lost his mind? But, if he had really perfected our family skill, then it might raise the survival chances of Henrietta by a huge margin. I hope it''s true.''


    After the door to the room had closed, the eyes of the old man regained their clarity; wisdom, and craftiness present in them. He paced back and forth in the room, laughter filled the air. He pulled a lever near the machine, prompting the wall to part, revealing a cabinet filled with glass bottles. All of them were filled with a fluid that radiated with resplendent colours while a small grey dot floated in their centre. On an approximate count, there were about 100 such bottles, making the old man involuntarily take in a sharp breath of air.


    ''Henrietta, oh Henrietta, my good child; to have given birth to Heima, giving you the perfected version is naught but a simple gift. If nurtured with care, there is a high possibility of Heima becoming a Transformer level powerhouse like me in the future. That will make our family soar to greater heights, creating a virtuous cycle.'' The old man laughed without a single care in the world, envisioning the bright future of his family.


    After some time, he reverted back to his old demeanour, continuing to fiddle with the machine, in hopes of creating more of such products, as soon as possible.


    ¡­


    1:45 PM, 1st Academy grounds.


    "Ouch," Jyorta winced in pain, having gotten hit on the head by the PT teacher.


    "Don''t sleep!" The PT teacher growled, hitting the heads of every student, breaking them out of their grief-stricken states. The students winced in pain, rubbed their heads, glaring at the PT teacher. But, on receiving a glare from the hulking PT teacher, they hurriedly retracted their gazes, silently following his instructions; their thoughts distracted away from events that caused them sadness.


    Kaushik, the blue soul exclaimed in surprise; as, after Jyorta got hit on the head by the PT teacher, he subconsciously retracted his connection to the pain receptors in the area, giving Kaushik control over them. Even though he had to suffer from the pain, he found a clue through this event.


    When Jyorta voluntarily gave up control over a certain region, it meant his soul relinquished its control temporarily. This gave Kaushik an opportunity to invade his soul faster, prompting him to think further in this line of thought to hasten his invasion.


    ''What is the actual connection between the soul and the body? I thought the soul served as an energy source that acted as a switch for the body. As long as it is present, the body would stay alive and the moment it dies, the body is no longer capable of functioning. But, it seems there is more to it.'' He thought as he looked at Jyorta''s soul.


    Unlike the clear transparent wisp he had when he was born, his soul currently looked like an amalgamation of dirt and polluted water, leaking out a putrid stench that only souls could sense. Moreover, it wriggled like a poisonous slime, looking eerie. The connection he shared with Jyorta''s soul also looked like a rope bridge that was stretched taut; looking like it had sunk into a swamp, making passage difficult.


    Taking a moment of Jyorta''s distraction to control most of his brain for an instant, the blue soul hurriedly searched through its memories, stopping at the scene with the creepy-haired man. Thinking back to verse recited by the creepy-haired man, the blue soul silently memorised the content, using Jyorta''s brain to mentally recite it.


    When he had finished reciting it completely, the blue soul looked surprised to find two thick blue tendrils emerging out of its soul, looking like a condensation of its memories. Using it, he sent a slap towards Jyorta''s soul, making a bit of the gooey substance on the surface to scatter. After a couple of seconds, the scattered gooey substance returned to their original positions, looking as if his attack hadn''t occurred in the first place.


    Feeling shocked, a faint sense of exhaustion spread throughout itself, prompting it to use its connection with Jyorta''s soul to strip away some of his energy. Regaining its vigour, the blue soul didn''t continue its attacks, allowing for Jyorta''s soul to magically replenish itself through his body. It was something the blue soul had found, through its experiments for the past 2 years.


    Jyorta''s soul was backed by his body, acting as a stored reserve of energy, replenishing it, and nurturing it. But, for Kaushik, his blue soul had nothing to lean on, acting as an individual unit.


    ''There is still time. Soon, I will take control of this body.'' The blue soul thought, severing its connection to Jyorta''s senses, taking the role of a spectator once again.


    "Ouch!" Jyorta shouted, the pain on his head suddenly flaring up. He hurriedly shut his mouth while his classmates sent weird glances his way. He continued to earnestly practice the breathing methods imparted by the PT teacher until the end of the class.


    ¡­


    Academy Infirmary, Heima sat atop a bed, looking weak, but already having gained sufficient strength to walk. She looked at her lunch bag, at the food inside the Tiffin box that had spoilt. It had been prepared the day before by her mother, therefore it started to emit a faint stench.


    ''Why did you pack me lunch when you knew I wouldn''t be able to eat it?'' Heima sighed, unable to assume what went through her mother''s mind.


    She stood up, using a crutch to support her weight, joining with her classmates who walked with crutches just like her, making small talk as they walked towards a canteen. It was time for them to eat. After the Induction ceremony, they had to eat in intervals of 1 hour to nourish their bodies and prevent the entity hidden within their bodies from killing them.

 Chapter 11：Creature

    4:00 PM, 1st Academy, Principal Office; Hancent Bone sat in a chair, facing the old lady that looked like she was just in her thirties. The Principal opened a document, checked through its contents, and handed it to Hancent Bone.


    "Mr. Bone, please sign here. You can take Heima home after that." She said, secretly staring at him, making the scene awkward.


    Hancent Bone controlled his facial expressions and calmly received the document, signing in the necessary areas. He then returned the document to the Principal who signed below his signature and stamped with the Academy''s official stamp.


    "Thank you," Hancent Bone stood up, taking the signed document and exiting the Principal''s office. Closing the door shut, he took a moment to inspect himself. Goosebumps spread throughout his body, making him want to take a bath to relieve himself of the sensation.


    ''From next time onwards, I will ensure that only Henrietta will visit her. That Principal Lady is creepy.'' He rubbed his hands, held the signed document, and boarded a nearby lift. Pressing the button for the 31st floor, he patiently waited, anticipating his daughter''s response when he arrived, a trace of fear also present in his mind.


    The lift doors opened, revealing a bustling corridor hidden by a screen. Two guards stood in front, looking like bouncers, dressed in standard security uniforms. Inspecting the document Hancent Bone had handed over, using a device to scan the official Academy stamp for validity, the security guards permitted his entry.


    Adjusting his messy coat, and fixing his shade, Hancent Bone stepped beyond the screen, looking at the students walking with crutches. Without fail, all of them had sunken eyes, thin bodies, and frail figures, looking like they might faint any second. Hancent Bone walked forward; ignoring the curious gazes sent his way, he approached room ''31K'' and performed a courtesy knock. Twisting the doorknob open, he entered the room, noticing a figure.


    "Dad!" Heima shrieked in surprise, hurriedly standing up from her bed, with the intention to leap at him. Before he could react, she leaped from the bed. Though, due to her weak state, her jump wasn''t powerful enough to carry her all the way to him. Moreover, due to the lack of balance, and her jump performed in a hurry, her body tilted forward, looking like her head might hit the floor on her fall.


    The overcoat of Hancent Bone hurriedly slipped away from his shoulders and flew towards Heima, opening wide and catching her. It wrapped around her body, gently carrying her and seating her on the bed. Hancent Bone wiped the trace of sweat on his forehead, feeling like he had almost experienced a heart attack.


    "That was risky Heima," He lightly flicked her forehead, gently hugging her weak figure in his embrace. "You did well, surviving that nightmare."


    "Dad, it was nothing," Heima said, "It was a cinch for me. You know how¡­"


    "Yeah," Hancent Bone rubbed her back, gently talking about some trivial matters. In a matter of minutes, the strong front displayed by Heima shattered, she trembled in fright and began crying.


    "It was this big," She said, tracing the distance from her fingertips to her elbow, "It looked white, had a suction pod-like mouth at the front, sea-cucumber-like tail, two bulging eyes and hair-like projections all over its body."


    Her body trembled as she recalled the experience, prompting her to separate from the embrace and vomit into a nearby bowl. The bowl was connected to a sink while a tap was placed at the top, to facilitate running water for rinsing the mouth. Disregarding the stench of the vomit, Hancent rubbed her back, easing her discomfort as he paid attention to her mental state.


    Rinsing her mouth and wiping her face with a towel, she picked up a glass of water, gulping it down. Heaving an exhausted grunt, she wiped her tears, recounting her experience, "Then, followed by the whirring of the machine, it was sucked into a tube, creepily crawling forward until it slid into my mouth."


    Heima made as action akin to choking herself, "I thought I would suffocate to my death, but it quickly slid into my throat, settling within my belly. I thought that would be the end of it, b-but, who would guess¡­who could guess...t-that..."


    On seeing her on the verge of a mental breakdown, Hancent motioned for her stop as he recounted his experience, "You know," He looked into her eyes, "During my period, the process was slightly different."


    "Different in the sense..." Heima trailed, her attention captured with his words. He hadn''t ever mentioned his experience; neither did Henrietta, always claiming that she was young whenever she was inquired about it for the past one year.


    "We didn''t have any tube that could facilitate its movement. A nurse manually made me swallow it, prompting me to wear a dental gear that prevented me from closing my mouth. Moreover, the ones during my period were even bigger; many of my classmates died from suffocation during the first phase itself." He sighed, recalling that horrific experience.


    "What was the success rate during your period, Dad?" Heima asked.


    "38%," Hancent said, shocking Heima.


    "B-But, my homeroom teacher said that recent technological improvements have drastically improved the success rates, so much so that the Induction Ceremony is a guaranteed success." Heima wondered, confusion plastered across her innocent face.


    "Due to the contributions of Psychic Ancestor Marble, and the recent inventions of Rhachis Ancestor Strongest, the success rate did increase. But, how many of your friends did you see?" Hancent flashed a wry smile.


    "I could only see half of my classmates. They said the other half has been moved to a different Rehabilitation Center to avoid congestion." She said.


    "In the entire 1st Academy, there is only a single Rehabilitation Centre," Hancent said.


    "B-But, the rest of the class¡­the teachers said they were¡­"


    "Heima," Hancent looked into her eyes, looking serious. "There is no rest of the class. The only survivors are the ones you see here, nothing more, and nothing less."


    He then let out a self-deprecating laugh, "During the era of my grandparents, the success rates were a mere 16%. In those times, just the word Induction sent waves of fear into the hearts of everyone. If not for the military passing a rule that it was compulsory for the citizens of our city to undergo the Induction Ceremony, none would have tried it."


    "I see," Heima muttered, her head hung low, trying to shield her tears from Hancent as she thought about her classmates, the ones she shared precious memories with.


    "As you come into more contact with the truth, you will slowly realise this, Heima," Hancent said with a sigh, "This world is the least bit peaceful. There is also a popular phrase circulating among us adults,"


    "Sweet sixteen, bitter seventeen."


    ¡­


    6:30 PM, the door of Laila''s house was knocked a couple of times. Laila''s mother, who happened to be watching the TV at that time, knitting a pair of sweaters, set aside her work and walked to the door.


    "Mr. Bone, please come in." Seeing the familiar face through the pinhole, Laila''s mother opened the door and greeted, beckoning for him to enter. She didn''t want to ask about the matters pertaining to his wife, lest she dampened the mood, waiting for him to voluntarily say it.


    Hancent thanked the lady and seated himself on the sofa, "It was a success."


    Laila''s mother was just about to inquire if he preferred coffee or tea when the words got stuck in her throat. It took a couple of moments to process the information before her face beamed with happiness. The nervousness and tension vanished from her gait, giving spring to her legs.


    "T-That''s wonderful!" She hurriedly ran towards her bedroom, dragging Laila''s father to the hall, jumping around like a girl in her teens. Hearing the good news, Laila''s father too showed joy and surprise. He hurriedly hugged Hancent, congratulating him.


    "She barely survived though and is currently recovering in the family headquarters," Hancent said, a smile beaming on his face. The happiness displayed by the Laila couple infected him too, reducing his worries.


    "What are your plans now? Shall I bring Jyorta?" Laila''s mother inquired.


    "I just brought his sister back home. Thanks for taking care of Jyorta, I appreciate your help." Hancent said, slightly bowing.


    "No no, this was nothing. He is such a wonderful child; we actually enjoyed his company. Unlike this stuck-up old fool, Jyorta praised my cooking. I barely resisted adopting him as my son," Laila''s mother said, looking genuine in her praise. Though, her words made the eyebrows of Laila''s father twitch. He cleared his throat, motioning for her to stop rambling.


    Laila''s mother stuck out her tongue and walked away. Seeing her leave the hall, Laila''s father who had maintained his silence till now suddenly opened his mouth.


    "What she said wasn''t the truth. I regularly compliment her cooking. I just forgot to do so today morning due to my mind occupied with some important matters, that''s it." He said, controlling the volume of his voice so as to prevent Laila''s mother from overhearing their conversation.


    "I believe you. I face the same plight back at home. Now that my wife has become a Shifter, she''s going to dominate me in the future, trying to have the final say in all matters." Hancent carelessly said.


    "I am definitely telling sister that," A voice entered from the corridor, Laila''s mother walked with Jyorta, a cunning smile etched on her face. Seeing his father, Jyorta happily dashed towards him, jumping into his embrace.


    "S-Sister,"


    "Who''s your sister? You have still not delivered the item you promised me 3 months ago, humph. I am definitely complaining to sister." Laila''s mother said, hands folded, cheeks puffed.


    "Ahaha," Cold sweat covered his spine, Hancent hurriedly bade farewell to them, carrying Jyorta''s luggage and closed the door shut.


    "I pray for your well being, Hancent. May your soul rest in peace," Laila''s father made a solemn prayer, acting like a pious saint.


    "Have you forgotten that I have a hearing skill?" Laila''s mother said with a snort, "No dinner for you tonight."


    "D-Dear," The pitiful wails of a man echoed across the hall.


    Sitting in the metro train, Jyorta sang a local song, prompting a couple of traveller aunties to join with the chorus. They got down at their stop, Jyorta waved at the aunties, carrying his school bag.


    Sector 12, Baker street, 3rd Residential Complex; the lift opened the doors at the 28th floor, Jyorta ran towards their house, waiting impatiently at the doorstep. Shaking his head, Hancent walked to the door and swiped his card. He then placed his thumb on a fingerprint sensor and scanned his eyes, prompting the door to open. With a joyful scream, Jyorta entered the house, noticed Heima watching TV with a gloomy expression.


    "Sister, you''re back!" With a happy scream, he jumped at her. Midair, he suddenly stopped, floating a foot before her when he heard the serious voice of Hancent from behind.


    "Your sister has a fever, don''t trouble her." He then gently placed Jyorta on the sofa beside his sister, allowing the lad to place the back of his hand on her neck, checking her fever.


    "Okay!" Jyorta said. The blue soul, however, experienced an abrupt shock at it gazed at Heima.


    ''Something foreign has entered the sister character''s body, something alive!''

 Chapter 12：Ceremony of Nightmare

    Through the vision of the blue soul, it detected two soul entities residing in Heima''s body. One, the soul belonging to Heima, looking big and murky; two, a tiny wisp that was transparent, faint black lines covering its surface.


    Heima''s soul was situated to the back of her head, the same as everyone. The tiny wisp though, situated along the area belonging to her spinal cord, seems to be slowly synchronising with her soul. As time passed, its soul signature turned more and more like her, looking like they were a single entity. But the blue soul detected an anomaly; at the centre of the wisp, there seemed to be something there, ensuring that its makeup would be inherently different.


    ''It feels like the outer surface of the wisp will look no different from the sister character''s soul in a matter of days. But, it would not lose its ego or sense of self. Strange, how can a different entity enter her body like this? Is this what happens during the Induction Ceremony?'' The blue soul felt faint traces of apprehension.


    The blue soul tried to inspect the body of Hancent, wondering if he too possessed something foreign in his body. But, no matter how much it tried, it could not sense the soul of Hancent; it was like he was shrouded by a barrier that blocked its senses.


    ''This world gets stranger and stranger¡­I should take over Jyorta''s soul as quickly as I can, stepping into this world and investigating these mysteries.'' The blue soul thought as it disconnected its senses. It began to wait with anticipation for when Jyorta fell asleep.


    8:30 PM, Hancent brought some food from a nearby restaurant and set it up on the dining table, waking up the tired-looking Heima to have dinner. At the smell of food, Jyorta dropped his gaming console and rushed towards the dining table, seated on his chair as he scoured through the food items.


    With a tinge of disappointment, he saw Hancent scoop out rice and fill his plate, adding some stir-fried vegetables sprinkled with a meagre amount of spices. There was also some gravy that looked like too much water had been added to it, diluting its essence.


    Having a mouthful, Jyorta swallowed it with difficulty, downing a glass of water as he looked at Hancent, "Dad, the food tastes horrible. I want the food mother makes."


    "Your mother will return in a week," Hancent looked at his son, wondering why his taste buds were so picky. "I''ll ask Miller Aunty to cook for us tomorrow, you like her food right."


    "But, the food Miller Aunty cooks is too spicy." Jyorta silently pushed his plate away, not intending to eat another morsel. Even though no one had touched it, his plate moved towards him on its own, looking like it had a will of its own. Seeing it, Jyorta looked at his dad, then at his plate before him. He repeated the actions until Hancent scolded him, forcing him to eat the food.


    9:00 PM, Jyorta sat on the bed with a frown, his cheeks puffing up while his eyes moistened a little. He laid his head on the pillow, wrapping himself into a cocoon with the blanket. The softness of the mattress soon pervaded into his body, easing him up little by little. In a matter of minutes, he was fast asleep, his breathing slowing down to a steady rhythm.


    In the dining room, Heima sat still, slowly eating her food. She took small bites of the food, feeling its taste to be bland, making it difficult for her to swallow it. Hancent sat beside her, watching her eat. He poured her a glass of water, picked up the plates, and placed them in the sink, intending to wash them.


    Taking a scrub and a soap solution meant for washing dishes, he began to methodically clean them. The only strange thing, he didn''t use his hands to do the work. The scrub flew to the air, the tap opened, prompting the water to gush out, and a utensil flew up. The scrub began to move along the surface of the utensil, mixing the soap solution with the fat and grime.


    Hancent stood before the sink in silence, watching the act of magic performed before him. He noticed Heima slowly walk towards him, one step at a time, an empty plate in her hand. She placed the plate in the sink, washed her hands, and walked towards the bedroom. Seeing Jyorta sleeping in the middle, she occupied the space on his left, wrapping the bedsheet over her body, looking frail and insecure.


    9:30 PM; finished with the dishes, Hancent wiped his hands clean with a towel, removing his apron and hanging it on a cloth stand to dry. He locked the main-door, checked the balcony doors, switched off the lights, and entered the bedroom. He noticed the figure of Heima, wrapped in a layer of bedsheets, shivering like a leaf caught in a storm, silently crying.


    His heart pained to see his daughter in suffering. Standing beside her, he gently placed his hand on her head. Feeling the warmth from his palms, Heima wrapped her arms around his hand, clutching them tightly, afraid of letting them go.


    "Dad, I am afraid, afraid of that creature in my body. Afraid that it would suddenly take control of my body, take control of my identity, taking my place in this world." Heima said, her fear-filled eyes looked at Hancent, to find solace in his presence.


    Hancent sighed, a formless force gently lifted the sleeping body of Jyorta, moving him to his right, making space to Heima''s right on the bed. He crawled to his spot, wrapping his arms around her, feeling her body temperature. Her body was flaring up with heat, looking like she had a fever. Her forehead was drenched with sweat while her feet were cold.


    "Talking about it will help you. At least, it did for me when I was your age." Hancent said, his voice a whisper in order to not disturb Jyorta. The moment Jyorta slept, the blue soul immediately took charge, connecting to his brain, his ears, and his nose. Kaushik silently listened in on their conversation, gaining some knowledge about the world he had reincarnated into.


    "After it entered my stomach, everything turned normal, except for a sense of disgust and discomfort," Heima unconsciously tightened her hold on his hands, moving her body closer, her shivering intensified. "An hour after that, a faint sense of hunger pervaded through me. First, I thought I was hungry due to swallowing that creature, but¡­"


    Her voice trailed off, prompting Hancent to hug her, soothing her nerves for her to continue recounting her experience. Heima took a couple of minutes, consolidating her thoughts and bringing her emotions under control. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for 10 seconds before opening them, her gaze calmer than before, the warmth from Hancent gave her a sense of protection.


    "Suddenly, a machine placed next to my bed beeped with light. The nurse glanced at it and tightened my restraints. She also added many belt straps around me, wrapping my legs, arms, and hips to the bed. I felt afraid, seeing her actions; I thought something bad had occurred when my hunger intensified."


    Heima paused for a second, her brows trembling, her voice shivering, "It felt like I hadn''t eaten anything for days, weeks, months; like I had never eaten food all my life, surviving in a state of hunger. I felt like my stomach secreted acid in excess, I could feel it burning the insides of my stomach. It was then; I felt the creature I had swallowed earlier thrashing in my stomach, hitting the walls."


    Heima placed Hancent''s hand on her stomach, "My stomach bulged a little, like a bump had formed on it, forming a faint outline similar to the creature. It continued to thrash, the pain almost made me faint when the nearby nurse inserted a small glass bottle in a machine. A solution was extracted from it, flowing through a thin, narrow tube before entering my bloodstream. Immediately, I felt my vision broaden, my consciousness regaining startling clarity. I could no longer faint, having to experience the pain of my stomach tearing from the inside, it was a nightmare."


    Hancent sighed as he looked at Heima, "Phase 2 of the Induction Ceremony, Parasite Absorption." He patted her cheeks, consoling her as he recollected his experience, thinking back to those days when the Induction Ceremony was different.


    ''Even though they have made many changes, thereby reducing the risks and raising the chance of success, but it still reduced Heima to this state.'' He motioned for Heima to continue, listening to her with rapt attention, monitoring her physical and mental state.


    Heima turned her body, facing him as she continued, "The thrashing increased in intensity; I even spat out blood once, having sustained internal injuries. It continued for 15 minutes before it turned weak, slowly stopping its resistance. I could feel it dissolving within my stomach, giving me a reprieve. I thought that would be the end of the ceremony; my eyelids grew heavy, the effect of the drug injected inside me losing its effect; I soon fell asleep."


    "I had a dream then," Heima sat up, her face crunched up in a frown, "I dreamed of turning into a mass of flesh, one devoid of reason. I rampaged around the streets, destroying the tall buildings, killing people, and ravenously consuming their flesh. I was like a crazy monster. Stumps of flesh grew on my body, eventually turning into mini monstrosities similar to me. They then spread out, devastating the land, spreading destructing in every direction. Suddenly, I saw a couple of white lab coat wearing warriors approach me, carrying syringes that were twice their size. They attacked me, their prowess trumped mine. Suddenly, intense pain originated from my back, I woke up to find the familiar room."


    "Phase 3, Parasitic Absorption, success. Initiating Phase 4, Parasitic Assimilation." Heima turned her head, her eyes hollow, and her gaze vacant, as if she was a doll. "I heard the nurse calmly noting it, recording the entire process. It felt as if a bucket full of molten iron was poured into my back, the pain made me struggle. I tried to remove the restrains and escape the place but, the nurse held my body in place. A formless pressure suppressed my body, it was similar to what you usually use, Dad."


    "All the nurses taking charge of the Induction Ceremony would be a Wave Controller at least. Only then could they ensure no mishaps occur." Hancent said. His heard lurched with pain as he imagined the horrors his daughter had to experience; especially, the fourth phase that was the most painful of them all.

 Chapter 13：Forewarn

    "I suffered the pain of molten iron being poured into my spine for an entire hour. After that, despite the drug being administered into my bloodstream to keep me conscious, I could no longer handle the pain, falling unconscious. Subconsciously, I felt that the moment I fainted, the pain on my spine receded. I woke after 6 hours had passed, waking up to find my body shrivelled up, leaving only skin and bones, a trace amount of muscles between them." Heima said.


    Feeling the strain on her body after sitting up for a couple of minutes, Heima rested her back on the bed, "I felt shocked, scared at my body condition. Instinctively, I could feel the presence of a foreign entity within my body. Immediately after I woke up, the nurse pierced a needle in my arm, injecting a nutrient solution that could help recover my body functions. Ten minutes later, I began to vomit. Even though there was nothing left in my stomach, I puked, vomiting out bile mixed with blood."


    There was a hint of embarrassment in her tone, concealed by her fears, "I found that the bed I slept on had been covered with many bodily fluids¡ªblood, sweat, urea, and feces. I behaved like a deranged person, blabbering incomprehensible words, my limbs not responding to my wishes. Only then did I realise that my heart was not beating voluntarily. My lungs too weren''t expanding and contracting; it was like I had lost control of my body. It was the nurse who made use of the formless force to artificially pump my blood and regulate my breathing. Though, I felt some pain in my heart and lungs, possibly due to the repeated application of force by the nurse."


    "At that time, the nurse used a small rod-like machine to scan my entire body. The machine scanned from the top to bottom, once, twice, thrice, many times. Fifteen minutes later, after having performed hundreds of scans, two digits appeared on a nearby monitor." Heima said with a puzzled tone, looking like she could comprehend its significance, but at the same time felt confused.


    "Those two digits are the Sync Rate your teachers might have specified in your studies. It is what determines the strength of each individual and the height of development they can reach. Though, your mother and I hoped you would score a low Sync Rate." Hancent said with a sigh. The greater the Sync Rate, the greater the military would emphasise on their growth and development, and the greater the high-risk missions they would be allotted.


    "So, that was Sync Rate. I remember it displaying the number 89." Heima said with a frown, "Is that high? Or is that low?"


    "Let me give you an example," Hancent said, massaging his forehead in an effort to recollect his memories. "Your mother had a Sync Rate of 81%. After so many years of accumulation, she has finally become a Shifter. Shifters are on the higher end of the power scale. For warriors with a Sync Rate below 80%, it would be very difficult for them to become a Shifter throughout their entire life."


    "It''s for the best if you stop thinking about it for now. You will understand its significance in detail in the future. Your 1-year military training will start by the end of this month. They will impart upon you all the necessary knowledge in a comprehensive manner. So, get some rest for now." Hancent gently kissed her forehead, brushing aside strands of her hair that covered her eyes.


    Heima closed her eyes, looking like a boulder had been lifted off her chest. After a momentary silence, she opened her eyes, gazing at Hancent with curiosity. "Dad, your powers are different from mine or Mom''s. Was your Induction Ceremony different?"


    "Hmm," Hancent was taken aback for an instant before flashing a wry smile, "Of the five phases of the Induction Ceremony, phase 3 and 4 were different for me. It is basically where the essence of the creature congregates."


    He took a moment to compose himself as he noticed Heima listening with rapt attention despite her fears, "In our Central Nervous System, we can say that there are two major parts: Brain, and Spinal Cord. If the essence congregates into the Spinal Cord, it produces Warriors such as yourself and your Mother. But, if it congregates to the brain, then it produces an Esper."


    Heima shuddered in fright, almost shouting, "T-Then, during the fourth phase, the pain you felt¡­was it in¡­"


    "I felt the pain in my head," Hancent said, pointing a finger to his temples. "I can''t remember exactly what happened but all I know is that I was mad for an entire month."


    Suddenly feeling like he had an idea, Hancent sat up, "I have the video of my mad state recorded in a CD. It took me a lot of connections to get my hands on it to satisfy my curiosity. Do you want to see it?"


    Heima shook her head, "T-Tomorrow. I''ll watch it tomorrow. I want to mentally prepare for it; besides, I am feeling tired."


    "Okay," Hancent said with a smile, happy that he had successfully distracted Heima from her apprehension and fear. On seeing her close her eyes and slumber in a matter of seconds, he kissed her forehead and rested. Closing his eyes, he thought about how to make Heima get accustomed to her modified body.


    He closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep; he dreamed about a closed room, a berth in the centre, a machine that whirred with beeping sounds, a nurse shouting hysterically as she rapidly pressed many buttons in a hurry, and a pair of arms that were mutating into a grotesque creature. The arms cracked into three, revealing a row of teeth beneath them, a pinkish-red tongue slithering out of it.


    Hancent abruptly sat up, feeling his body drenched in sweat while his heart beat like crazy, showcasing his intense stimulation. He looked to his left and found Heima sleeping, her face eyebrows knitted into a mild frown. To his right was the sleeping figure of Jyorta, one of his legs placed atop Hancent.


    It took a couple of minutes for Hancent to calm down, his mood turned placid. He thought back to the contents of the dream, remembering the surroundings in stark contrast, ''Have you already developed to such an extent?'' He thought to himself, not expecting any response.


    Jyorta slept like a log, the blue soul carefully listened to all the sounds in silence, carefully analysing the details. Using the content of their conversation as the keywords to jolt Jyorta''s memory, the blue soul gained some paltry knowledge, possibly due to Jyorta being ignorant in such matters.


    ''The sister character turned 16 last month and had to experience the Induction Ceremony this month. Something was inserted into her body, and judging by her conversation with the father character, it was likely a genetically modified organism that was voluntarily planted. Moreover, it seems that everyone would have to undergo that process at some point in their life. Does that mean Jyorta would have to face such a situation too?''


    Kaushik, the blue soul thought in wonder, trying to further jog the memories of Jyorta before resuming back to invading his soul. He had discovered that even though Jyorta''s soul was growing in strength and turning murky as days passed, after chanting the verse of the Creepy-Haired man, he had managed to gain another method to invade faster.


    Two tendrils appeared around the blue soul, filled with blue markings that looked a direct manifestation of knowledge. The blue soul controlled them, slapping Jyorta''s murky soul, scattering away bits of the murky mass on its outer surface. After a single attempt, it grew tired; it then absorbed some of the energy from Jyorta''s soul, replenishing its exhaustion.


    6:45 AM, Hancent woke up at the sound of the alarm, checking the condition of Heima, heaving a sigh of relief after she appeared normal. He woke up, washed himself, and went to the kitchen. He grated some vegetables, prepared a bowl of dough, ghee, oil, and some condiments. In the span of 30 minutes, he had finished making breakfast.


    Walking toward the bedroom, Hancent found Heima waking up, looking tired. Noticing him, she raised her hands to the air, facing his direction, pouting. Hancent let out a laugh, his mind easing up on seeing the familiar behaviour as he approached her.


    "Morning," Hancent said as he picked her up. Heima stuck to him like a koala bear, wrapping her legs around his hips and her arms around his neck. She didn''t seem fully awake, acting spoilt as she gave a sound of acknowledgement. Hancent carried her towards a bathroom, gently dropping her at the entrance, walking back to the kitchen after ruffling her hair.


    Entering the kitchen, Hancent placed his hand on his back, bending a little to the back, his face filled with a strained expression. Followed by a soft sound akin to the pop of a bubble, Hancent let out a relieved expression.


    ''My back! I just carried her for less than a minute.'' Hancent clenched his fists, feeling the meagre strength in his muscles. He sighed as he arranged the breakfast on a plate and set it up on the dining table.


    7:30 AM, Jyorta woke up, looking at the buzzing alarm. He just thought of silencing it when he saw Hancent walking past the door, a plate of food held in his hands. Switching off the alarm, Jyorta sat on the bed for a couple of minutes, getting off once his mind cleared up. He went to the bathroom, twisting it to find it locked, faint sounds of water coming from inside.


    Jyorta walked out of the bedroom, walking to another room beside it and using the empty attached bathroom there. He hurriedly freshened up and emerged out, a towel draped around his lower half, his hair dripping with water. He wore his uniform, packed his school bags, and walked out, watching Hancent take out a towel after seeing his wet hair.


    7:50 AM, Jyorta ate breakfast alongside Heima who appeared to be more lively than the previous day, a trace amount of rosiness in her complexion. After their breakfast was completed, Hancent motioned for Heima to watch some TV to pass the time as he walked out of the house, Jyorta in tow.


    The two boarded the metro train, travelling towards the 1st Academy where he dropped Jyorta. Boarding a return metro train, he arrived at Sector 12, Baker Street. Looking at the towering skyscraper belonging to the Bone Family, he entered it, directly boarding the lift to reach the topmost floor.


    He saw many people huddled around a round table, seated around it as they discussed various topics. Noticing his approach, one of the seated men beckoned for a nearby servant and murmured some instructions. The servant bowed and walked towards Hancent, motioning for him to follow.


    "Madam Henrietta is undergoing treatment below," The servant said, passing through a flight of stairs that lead down. Hancent followed in silence, noticing the passerby and their expressions.


    ''It seems many family members recently managed to breakthrough?'' He thought as the servant led him into a room. He saw Henrietta seated on a bed, sipping a cup of coffee as she engaged in a conversation with Hubert.

 Chapter 14：Prepone

    Seeing his wife awake, maintaining a lively expression, and no longer looking skin and bones, Hancent teared up. He sprinted towards her, taking care not to trip onto the nearby medical apparatus, wrapping her in a bear hug. Feeling the muscle growth below her skin, the dense power hidden within them that seemed to grow with time, and the faint suffocating aura that emanated from her; Hancent felt relieved.


    "I conversed with Old Man Bone yesterday, he said the family will bear the full expenses for your recovery," Hancent said, gently releasing his embrace. He found a spot on her berth, near her legs that had enough space for him to sit. Taking his seat, he noticed his wife sizing him up with worry. Upon his inquiry, she took a sip of her coffee, sighed once, and put down the empty cup.


    "That crafty bastard will never do something like that without reason. He must be planning something; it is difficult to believe that he would be willing to help me." Henrietta shook her head.


    Hubert, sitting on a nearby chair interjected, "Actually, more than 70% of the Warriors and Espers from Tier 3 and Tier 4 of our family have been drafted for this recent raid; this has prompted Old Man Bone from saving our assets for research and proactively support us. If, due to a lack of support, we were to lose family members in this dangerous mission, it might directly impact the standing of our family, no longer having enough strength to settle in Sector 12."


    Hancent thought through his words for an instant, linking it to the behaviour of Old Man Bone when he met him the day before. "What he said makes sense."


    Henrietta pondered, shaking her head as she thought about the inner workings of her family, deciding to gather information at a later date after making a complete recovery. "How is Heima? Is she feeling fine?"


    "Not exactly," Hancent let out a wry smile, "But, she is showing signs of improvement. She has already accepted the changes to her body to a satisfactorily level; only time will tell."


    "Heima," Hubert felt a sense of admiration, "I never knew she had such a strong will. Getting such high Sync Rate; no wonder Old Man Bone is behaving strangely."


    ¡­


    Walking out of their family mansion, Hancent entered the skyscraper opposite to it, boarding a lift to reach the 28th floor. Entering it, Hancent noticed Heima sitting before the TV, looking at a comedy show, her eyes a shade of green. Seeing him enter, the green shade in her eyes flickered for a second, dimming in radiance until it turned brown, reverting back to her original look.


    "Dad, I just gained a Skill," Heima said, turning her eyes green once again. Hancent felt nothing different from being stared by her, it didn''t feel like she had activated a Skill. Noticing his curiosity, Heima shook her head, displaying that she had yet to understand the workings of her Skill.


    "I was just able to activate it 15 minutes ago, so, I practically know next to nothing about it. I could only see some fog around you after activating it, but I don''t know what it entails yet." Heima said, deactivating her Skill, heaving a sigh of exhaustion. She picked a nearby kerchief and wiped her forehead slick with sweat.


    Hancent was just about to pour her a glass of water when a ringing sound went off in one of their rooms. Noticing the room that gave out the ringing sounds, Hancent pushed open the door and watched a huge screen affixed on the wall flash into life. On it was the logo belonging to the 1st Academy, the name of the Principal below it. Hancent called Heima to the room, closing the door after she had entered.


    The logo disappeared as the figure of a woman flashed; she looked like she was in her thirties but her actual age was greater than that, apparent in her demeanour. She smiled and greeted the two, her gaze lingering on Hancent for a second longer, making the hair on his hand involuntarily rise. Followed by a perfunctory greeting between the two parties, the Principal cleared her throat and stated the reason for her call.


    "We are planning to prepone the annual military training scheduled for June 1st to begin from tomorrow. We though too much time is wasted for them to adapt, which also diminishes their potential."


    "Just a second," Hancent interjected, his face scrunched up, flushed red, barely reigning in his anger. "You should know the reason why this time-period is allotted to them in the first place. It is to ensure that their mental faculties are brought to normal, preventing problems from cropping up in the future. By preponing, you are giving them less time to adapt, increasing the chances of them losing control. Will you take responsibility if something happens to my daughter?"


    "Please, you seem to have misunderstood me." The Principal waved her hands, calm and steady, as if she had experienced his rebuttal beforehand. "Until the end of this month, either the parent or a guardian can accompany the student to the training facility. This will ensure that no problems arise, giving the students ample time to adapt. Actually, if not for Rhachis Ancestor Strongest paying a visit, we wouldn''t have even pushed forth such a notice. The higher-ups are pressuring all Academies of Sector 4 to enact this plan."


    The Principal suddenly showed her back to the screen, engaging in a hushed conversation with a lady who had entered the room without notice. Finishing the conversation in a matter of seconds, the Principal sent her away, wiping the sweat on her forehead, her face pale as if she had experienced something horrifying. "I just wanted to inform you prior to the notice. In a couple of minutes, the Academy will send a written notification to your household. Bye," Hurriedly waving her hand, the Principal disconnected the call.


    Heima, who stood in silence until now frowned, her body shivering, a trace of fear emerged on her face. "I don''t want to go to school. Dad, can I apply for a leave of absence?"


    "I am afraid that is not possible. Don''t worry, I will accompany you throughout your military training. Watch some TV; I will contact my superior and apply for a leave." Hancent said, sending Heima away after some persuasion. Closing the door after she had left, Hancent swiped his ID card in a provision next to the screen, prompting the display to change. It displayed a banner that read, "7th Ring Unit Weapon Research Facility", a logo affixed to its left. The logo consisted of a shield with two swords crossed on its front, 7 concentric rings surrounding them.


    Manoeuvring through the page, Hancent contacted his direct superior, Dr. Steven, Level 4 Research Fellow, Head of Armour Division, and Vice-Director of Tur-Shell Research Institute. The screen flashed to a middle-aged man, his hair white, his skin wrinkled as if he was in his seventies, wearing a white lab coat. The logo of the Research Facility was situated on his left, stitched with a fabric that looked real but at the same time, illusory.


    "Hancent, what happened this time? Heima''s situation is kind of complicated; many higher-ups are paying attention to her matter. It will be difficult to influence the military in such short notice. Anyway, we still have a year before her deployment to the fields, until then, let me try through my connections." Dr. Steven rattled like a machine gun, giving no time for Hancent to speak.


    "Sir," Noticing that he had no intention to stop, Hancent raised his voice, carefully interjecting after Dr. Steven had finished a statement. "I just received a notice from the 1st Academy; it seems they have preponed the military training to tomorrow."


    "What?" Dr. Steven shouted in shock, his scream reverberating through the room, making Hancent hear a faint buzzing sound in his ears. "Have they gone nuts? Those children need time to adapt; if they force them to train in such a sensitive period, it is asking them to lose control. Those brain-dead maggots!"


    Hancent maintained his silence until his superior finished his shouts, continuing at where he had left, "It seems to have been a decision influenced by the visit of Rhachis Ancestor Strongest. Though, the Academy has allowed a single person, either parent or guardian to accompany the concerned students until their mental states have turned normal."


    "Rhachis Ancestor Strongest¡­" Dr. Steven turned silent, murmuring something before his eyes lit up with comprehension. He picked up a nearby file, flipped through them, made a computer float before him, flashing various charts. After some time, Dr. Steven retracted his gaze from it, turning silent, seemingly in deep thought.


    "Hmm, we are currently lacking in manpower," He muttered, "The Flying Signature Raid scheduled next month has increased the demand for full-body armour, placing great emphasis on its Psychic Shielding characteristics. We can''t afford to have a Head Researcher absent in such conditions."


    "But sir, my wife Henrietta has just attempted a breakthrough yesterday, barely managing to claim success. She is still weak, weak enough to not even be capable of lifting her head. At least, until she makes a full recovery, I need to be present for Heima."


    "Hmm, you have a point," Dr. Steven thought in silence, "Let us do it this way; Heima''s training wouldn''t be in full swing so early, moreover, it would only be conducted during the day. You take the night shift from 10 PM until morning 6 AM, and return to take care of her after that. I just went through the details; they would be stationing plenty of caretakers there."


    Pausing for a second, he continued, "Your presence is only intended as moral support for Heima, so, you can get plenty of shut time if you plan accordingly. Even if I wanted to give you a leave of absence, it is difficult in these pressing times. Moreover, if you find some free time, just head to work and finish your task early; you can then head back. Damn those Brain-Dead horses, giving us no time to rest. It''s not like our bodies are as resilient as theirs; why can''t it get through their shelled heads?"


    "This arrangement is plenty enough, sir. Thank you!" Hancent made a curt bow, disconnecting the call after a couple more minutes, listening to his superior rant about the military men.


    ''2 hours of sleep in the morning, and some irregular shut-eye during the day, I can manage until Henrietta gets discharged. It seems I must make a trip to Laila''s house once again, and leave Jyorta in their care.'' Hancent thought, contacting Laila''s mother and explaining the situation to her.

 Chapter 15：Losing Control

    8:15 AM, Hancent, Jyorta, and Heima arrived before a certain house and knocked at the door. The door opened to reveal a lady with young facial features; she was Laila''s mother. Looking at the visage of the crying Jyorta, her gaze softened; gently holding the shoulders of Jyorta, she walked him to a sofa in the living room. Heima lifted her hand in efforts to console Jyorta, stopping midway as she felt some pain in her back.


    The father and daughter bade them farewell and rushed towards the metro station, boarding a metro train that sped towards the 1st Academy. Heima was panting a little as she occupied a window seat, the previous dash had exhausted her frail body. Hancent was slightly better off than her, adjusting his overcoat and massaging his brows in an effort to negate his sleep-deprived state.


    "Dad," Heima turned her head, her eyes unconsciously turning green, prompting Hancent to cover her eyes immediately. He hurriedly apologised to the nearby passengers¡ªmen and women in their 30s and 40s who sent a glare his way¡ªand admonished Heima.


    "Never use your Skill to look at others. They would find it offensive and retaliate against you without a second thought."


    After her eyes had turned normal, Heima shook her head in refusal, "I didn''t voluntarily activate it. I know better than to use it without reason, especially when I don''t know its uses."


    ''Does that mean¡­ that entity inside her activated it? How is that possible? It hasn''t even been 3 days, how could it grow so fast?'' Hancent was startled, his face a mixture of disbelief and fear. He hurriedly controlled his facial expression in fear a third party might plan something against his daughter, using this as an excuse.


    8:25 AM, the duo entered the gates of 1st Academy, heading straight to the topmost floor. Following the directions of a security personnel, they reached an auditorium, finding the Principal seated on the dais. A couple of teachers sat beside her, one of them being Heima''s homeroom teacher, a burly man in his thirties.


    The duo seated themselves in a random corner, giving them enough free space in the auditorium capable of seating 100 people. The seats were sparsely occupied, with each student accompanied by a parent, numbering a total of 30 people. Seeing only 14 familiar faces of her classmates, Heima remembered the words of her father; her emotions lost control as she broke into tears. She silently wiped them, held her father''s hands, and sat in silence, sniffing.


    When everyone was seated, the Principal made a headcount and found all the 15 students who had survived the Induction Ceremony present in the auditorium, accompanied by their parents. She walked to the podium, adjusted the mike, and cleared her throat.


    "Soon, we will be proceeding to Sector 1 where the students will spend the next full year there. Because of some matters, we had to prepone the military training; until the end of this month, we advise you, parents, to accompany your children. All necessities will be provided free of cost; we will also make some arrangements so that you can work from there if the situation necessitates."


    A door opened behind her that led into a long, dark corridor. "Please follow me in an orderly manner. Also, make sure you don''t leave any of your belongings here." Following her words, all students, followed by their respective parents stood up, walking towards the corridor.


    Through the corner of her eyes, Heima noticed her friend walking, hand held with her mother, looking tired and sad. She didn''t pay any attention to her surroundings, being led by her mother. After a couple of steps, she closed her eyes, a thin stream of tears streaked out of them, forming two lines on her cheeks. Heima unconsciously tightened her grip, making Hancent pat her shoulders, giving her some courage.


    The group reached the end of the long dark corridor, facing a lift that opened to reveal a large boot space capable of accommodating everyone present. 30 people, the Principal, and 4 teachers boarded the lift, making it feel a little cramped. A faint feeling of vertigo enveloped them as the lift descended with rapid velocity, reaching the ground floor in 20 seconds, and going further below.


    30 seconds later, the lift opened to reveal a dark open corridor; military personnel stood guard next to the lift, emitting suffocating auras. The Principal walked to the front and hurriedly flashed her ID card and a set of documents. A man in a military uniform inspected her ID card, briefly scanned the documents presented, and parted to the side, allowing them passage.


    "Next time, don''t forget to send an advance notice." The man turned silent after saying his piece, looking like a sculpture made out of stone, his eyes unblinking while his chest remained staid, showing no signs of breathing. The Principal broke out in cold sweat, hurriedly responding with an acknowledgment to the soldier who didn''t even spare another glance at her.


    A couple of minutes later, the Principal led the group to a platform, a long paved open corridor, the two sides of which had calculated depressions. Two parallel tracks ran along them, made of steel, having a profile of rounded I-beam. As the group waited, the platform began to tremor with faint undulations, increasing in amplitude before a huge behemoth of steel made its appearance.


    Spanning 6 metres high, having 12 compartments, and its exterior made from large blocks of steel, it was a gargantuan steel fortress. The application of brakes made faint sparks emerge from the wheels, making it stop after some time, revealing an empty passenger compartment to the group.


    Heima focused her gaze on the other compartments, finding machines, military soldiers, dead creatures whose flesh exuded a faint overbearing aura, etc. She hurriedly retracted her gaze upon finding her head spin, her breathing laboured, and her back soaked with sweat.


    Hancent stood next to her, releasing his aura that shielded her from the external auras. The other parents too mimicked the same, shielding their children from being overwhelmed by the suffocating auras that were radiating from the various compartments.


    The group entered their compartment, finding enough space inside for them to be seated comfortably. As a habit, Heima sat on a window seat, pulling Hancent to sit beside her, her gaze focused on the dark, gloomy platform.


    "Dad, where is this train heading to? How come I never knew of it until now?" Heima inquired. The novelty of her surroundings spooked her, giving her a feeling that the city she resided in had plenty of secrets concealed beneath the surface.


    "This is a military facility," Hancent said, "Below the city where we live exists many layers, each layer serving a specific purpose. Above ground where we live is officially termed as the Upper Strata and the layer we are in at present is termed as the Lower Strata. There are three more layers below us: Fruit Strata, Grain Strata, and Water Strata; the Lower Strata and below falls under the direct control of the military."


    "Actually," A middle-aged man, who happened to listen in to their conversation piped in, "Transportation of goods, weapons, materials, and deployment of soldiers to war sites are all done through these underground trains. Factories that manufacture our daily necessities, battle armaments, etc. are all placed here in the Lower Strata."


    "Thank you, uncle," Heima said, falling silent as their compartment dimmed, a single bulb flashed to life, barely illuminating their surroundings. The train stopped sporadically; Heima noticed many soldiers get off, carrying huge monster carcasses wrapped in transparent wrappings, dripping blood. There were soldiers who easily carried large machines that were ten times their size as if it weighed nothing.


    As Heima gazed at them, her eyes unconsciously turned green when suddenly, their compartment was enveloped by a bone-dripping silence. The sole bulb that provided illumination in their compartment burst into fragments, scattering on the floor, making clanging sounds; the surroundings turned dark.


    A hand suddenly collided with the window next to her; a face came into her view, eyes wide, staring into the compartment. Its hair looked like a mop, its forehead was covered with granules spurting strands of wriggling yellow hair, and its eyes were a shade of white, looking dull and vacant, a sinister feeling emanating through it. It traced her body, landing on her eyes; a devilish sneer appeared on the face.


    "Kyaak!" Heima screamed in fright, scrambling away from the window; her face pale, and her body shivering like a leaf caught in the midst of a tornado. An overcoat hurriedly enveloped her body, bring her away from the window. The hair on Hancent stood up straight as he flailed his hands, lifting everyone seated on the compartment and pulling them to the other side.


    The devilish face with a sneer clenched its fist, shattering the glass window, and sending it flying towards the crowd. Hancent waved his hands, stopping the glass shards mid-air, redirecting it towards the assailant. The assailant looked a mix between a man and a woman, features of insects appearing all over its body, painting it with a terrifying vibe. Its body continuously experienced changes, producing crunching sounds as if a monster was munching on a pile of bones.


    With a leap, the assailant entered the compartment, lunging towards the group of people, its multi-faced eyes focusing on Heima. From the group, the middle-aged man who spoke with Heima lunged forward; scales covered his arms, and spikes emerged out at the front as the man sent a punch at the assailant, sending it reeling out of the compartment.


    Immediately, numerous shadows pounced upon the assailant, pinning him down on the ground. One of the shadows lifted his hand, making it enlarge until thrice the original size, a metallic lustre covering it. He sent it reeling down on the head of the assailant, smashing it into a meat paste.


    Even after having its head shattered, the assailant counteracted by swiping it hands that had overgrown claws at one of the shadows, sending it flying away, impacting one of the compartments. Another shadow thinned its hands until it looked like blades, swiping it across the assailant, slicing its body into numerous pieces. The surroundings dimmed down to silence; Heima could hear the sounds of her heartbeats.


    A couple of seconds later, followed by the sounds of a pair of boots impacting the ground, a man wearing military garments stepped foot in their compartment, carrying a wide-angle torchlight in his hands. He inspected the group, checking for any signs for injury, sighing in relief after everyone seemed safe. He turned to Hancent and the middle-aged man near him, performing a salute.


    "I thank you for your prompt actions. If not for that, I am afraid we wouldn''t have been able to suppress him so quickly, that too without any casualties."


    "As long as none of us are injured, everything''s fine," Hancent said, placing his hands around Heima''s shoulder, nudging for her to stay silent.


    The military soldier took a glance at Heima, at her eyes that shone green, "It''s for the best if the adults sat on the edges with the children at the centre. This would prevent further accidents from happening. After having just returned from a war, all the soldiers are fraught with many ailments and mental disorders. It is best to exercise caution." After saying his piece, the military man performed a salute and walked out of the compartment.


    One of the soldiers entered the compartment and waved his hand, lifting all the glass pieces and traces of blood that had spilled on the floor, carrying it with him as he flashed a calm smile at the children, jumping onto the platform.


    The train started moving immediately, prompting the group to hurriedly seat themselves. This time, Hancent stood near the broken window, the middle-aged man who spoke to Heima accompanied him. The other adults calmly stood at all corners of the compartment, including the Principal and the other teachers. The 15 students sat in the centre, silent, nervous, and afraid; some looked like they would puke any moment, a small stain coloured their lower garments.


    "Seeing a Developer lose control like that, that too inside the city; that was a first for me," The middle-aged man who spoke to Heima broke the silence, staring at Hancent with praise for his quick wit before.


    "Indeed," Hancent sighed, "He must have been on the verge of collapse; otherwise, he wouldn''t have lost control just at the sight of a Tier 1 Skill activation."

 Chapter 16：Sun

    The underground metro train came to a stop; a narrow station came into view, filled with brightly lit lamps that illuminated the entire section. It was in sharp contrast to the other stations that were dim, almost dark to the level of being black. The group consisting of 35 people alighted from the train, gazing at a couple of soldiers who hurriedly walked towards them.


    The two soldiers performed a casual scan of their identities and allowed them entry, signalling for the train to depart. After the train left the platform, another train came into view. Seeing its approach, the two solders nudged their group to walk faster, prompting them to leave the station through an exit.


    The exit was a lift that was wide enough to accommodate 100 people at a time, looking like a huge room that transported people. The lift doors opened as two soldiers walked out, making brief communication with the two that led their group before hurrying towards another group that alighted from the train that had arrived.


    Heima noticed students accompanied by their parents and a couple of teachers, the same makeup as their group. Unlike her group, the students of the new group looked relatively normal, showing no signs of fear¡ªexcept for the emotions already present in them due to the Induction Ceremony. Her group stood in silence as the lift doors closed, bringing them above ground.


    Leaving the lift, Heima saw a small hall, the centre of which the operating lift arrived at. Directly opposite to her, she saw a door that led into an open space, leaking bright sunlight that illuminated the hall, looking like a beacon. The Principal led them towards the door through which sunlight shone through, stepping into it to reveal a large patch of grass.


    Based on a preliminary estimate, Heima observed the ground to have a length of 1 kilometre, spanning 400 metres wide. To the sides were tall buildings, joined together to form a wall that enclosed the ground from the outside. Each section of the wall-like buildings were coloured different, a huge banner hung in front of each of them, an act to point out their purposes.


    "Dad, sorry," Heima muttered, increasing the strength in her grip. "It was because of me a soldier lost his life."


    Hancent looked at his daughter, his eyes filled with a trace of worry, "It wasn''t your fault. If anything, it was due to a lack of management from their side, allowing soldiers who had just returned from a war to travel alongside children who had just undergone their Induction Ceremony."


    "B-But, the fact that he lost control, whatever that means, is because of me right? If only¡­if only I could control¡­" Her eyes red, tears streamed out as Heima fell in her father''s embrace, her muffled voice intermixed with her wails reverberated through the surroundings.


    "You must remember one thing," Hancent said, his expression serious. "In this world, many things occur, leading to either salvation or disaster depending on all sorts of factors. You might just laugh at a joke and reveal your aura, but that might make someone lose control. You have two options: either stay weak so that you would never trouble someone, or become strong so that you have full control over your body. Remember, always having your body and mind in your control is a necessity if you don''t want to experience such encounters ever again."


    His words looked serious, weaved from his rich life experiences. The eyes of the middle-aged man who listened to their conversation became vacant, his expression a nostalgia. He glanced at Hancent from the corner of his eye, shook his head, and let out a sigh, walking away from the duo.


    ''If only having both our body and mind under our control was so easy¡­ the day we survived the Induction Ceremony was the day our body was no longer our own.''


    The Principal led them to a building on their right, one that was painted in violet. It led to a reception hall where a lady sat in front of a computer, casually talking to another person over the phone. Upon noticing then, she hung up the phone, tapping on her keyboard as she scoured through some files.


    "Students of 1st Academy, April batch." The Principal handed over a set of documents that had the information of each student and their respective parent accompanying them in order. The reception lady inspected them, tapping on the keyboard as she inputted the details to the server and returned them.


    "Your accommodations are in the Rhachis block, Indigo Building except for two students, Hiltol Grey and Stenna Ravis. Their accommodation is in Psychic block, Indigo Building. I''ll call an attendant to lead you to your respective rooms. Also, we made some temporary arrangements for the parents to stay in the same room as their ward. It might be a little cramped, but please bear with it."


    "Thank you," The Principal said and gestured for the group to follow after an attendant who walked forward. Another attendant walked from the side and beckoned for Hiltol and Stenna to follow him. The two kids¡ªaccompanied by their parents¡ªhesitated a little to separate from the group, finally moving out under the repeated urging by the attendant.


    The Principal and the four teachers from the 1st Academy didn''t follow after them, staying behind to take care of the other registration process. Once they were done, they returned to the 1st Academy. They were no longer responsible for the 15 students; it was the responsibility of the military from now onwards.


    The group consisting of 13 students, their respective parents, and one attendant scaled a flight of stairs, reaching the first floor. A long bright corridor, coloured in a resplendent shade of indigo appeared before them, spanning straight from one end to the other. To the right was the wall over which numerous oil paintings hung. To the left were rooms numbered from 1 to 20. What looked like a washroom was situated at the very end.


    The attendant made a roll call, assigning each student to their respective room in alphabetical order. Heima noticed her friend Gita assigned to room 6 while she got room 7. Gita, still exuding a gloomy demeanour entered her room, her hand not leaving her mother''s. Heima prevented herself from disturbing her friend; neither she nor her friend had enough mental strength to engage in a casual chatter.


    The room was long and narrow: a bed was placed at the very end, situated alongside a window that revealed the ground below in full view. The breadth of the room was only as wide at the length of the bed, making it look cramped. Another bed was placed next to it, looking out of place, meant for the parent. There was a table placed on her left, near the door, facing the wall. A small cushion-less chair lacking an armrest was slid into the gaps below it.


    A long row of cupboards spanned along the three walls, situated at a height of four feet from the ground, being 1 foot wide and 2 feet high. Transparent doors that looked a mix between glass and plastic covered them. Heima and Hancent entered the room, closing the door behind them. Heima then noticed a bulletin board affixed on the wall next to the door, looking olive green in colour.


    There were three papers stamped on the bulletin board; taking a closer look, Heima read them with attention. The first paper was a timetable for her to follow, the second was the name-list of the faculty in charge of her--including the people she needed to approach for various facilities,¡ªthe third focused on all the facilities available there.


    Four words, ''Military Academy Training Center'' was inscribed on a steel plate and affixed at the top of the bulletin board. Looking at the room, Hancent sighed with nostalgia. He had also lived for a year in a similar room, just that it was situated in a different building meant for Espers.


    The two unpacked their luggage which only consisted of clothes, some daily necessities, and books. They only brought Heima''s luggage; since Hancent would leave for his work and their home was on the way, he didn''t bother to bring his luggage. The room was already cramped as is; he didn''t want to stuff it full with his luggage too. Moreover, he had plenty of confidential information which couldn''t be brought here, lest it got exposed.


    11:30 AM, the students were requested to assemble in an auditorium situated inside the Head Office. It was the building they arrived at through the lift connecting to the underground metro. Heima walked out of her room after some pep talk from Hancent, her expression livelier than before. Since only students were requested to assemble, Hancent didn''t accompany her. Moreover, should any situation arise, he was ready to come to her rescue.


    "Gita," Heima shouted, prompting her friend to turn back, her face still gloomy. Gita paused in place, looking at her friend with cloudy eyes, seemingly hiding a myriad of emotions, suppressed under a vibrant cover.


    "Heima," Gita muttered the familiar name which, for some reason, felt alien to her. She shook her head and walked alongside Heima, slight hesitation apparent in her gait, her face filled with fear.


    "H-Have you heard about our classmates¡­a-about how half of us¡­" Heima hurriedly shut her friend''s mouth, looking sideways in fear of others overhearing their conversation. She pulled her friend to a corner, questioning in a muffled tone.


    "Where did you hear of this?"


    "F-From my mother," Gita said, her voice shivered as if she had been trapped in ice. "I also heard others talk about it. Tiffana, Mavet, and Heric, they all were saying how our class has obtained the lowest survival rate for the past three years."


    "I see," Heima muttered in silence, thinking about her friends who had perished during the Induction Ceremony. She cleared her thoughts and dragged Gita towards the auditorium where they were supposed to assemble, all the while thinking of the means to get her friend to liven up.


    Walking out of the indigo building and feeling the soft grass that covered the ground, Heima subconsciously felt a sense of peace permeate through her body. The faint scent that lingered in the air further eased her expression. Looking sideways, she noticed her friends too expressing similar behaviour, making her suspect if something special had been added to the grass.


    Her group silently marched to the Head Office, boarding a lift under the instructions of the reception lady stationed there, getting off on the 10th floor. Pushing open the giant double door, the group of 13 entered inside, noticing hundreds of students their age seated in various seats. Even on a general estimate, Heima counted about 700 people. There were still people entering through the 6 doors that led into the auditorium from various locations.


    Heima noticed some of the students seated looking at the dais in the centre with puzzled expressions. Curious, she turned her head and noticed an empty dais. Just when she was about to retract her gaze in puzzlement, her eyes turned green, allowing what looked like a sun come into view. Hovering above the dais, it looked like a celestial body, sending waves of shock and fear into her heart.

 Chapter 17：Cadet

    The Sun, looking like a green ball of fire, condensed with power, seemed to gaze in her direction. Suddenly, Heima felt her head spin, her eyes losing their focus, and her legs turning numb. She plopped to the ground, heaving ragged breaths, her eyes turning normal.


    "Heima!" Gita rushed to catch her, tumbling to the floor together with her. She hurriedly sprang to her knees, holding the wheezing Heima on her lap, shouting for help.


    A hand rested on her shoulders, subconsciously making her screams come to a halt. "Child, let me take a look at her."


    An old woman, white hair that reached her hips, grizzled skin reached out to touch Heima, silently observing her body, taking note of a couple of drops of blood that leaked out of her eyes. She then waved her hand over Heima''s eyes, emitting a pale blue light that converged like water. Immediately, Heima opened her eyes, looking perfectly fine, her skin having gained a rosy complexion.


    "Thank you," Heima inspected her eyes and found they were not hurting anymore. She then turned to the old lady that had healed her, thanking her. The old lady smiled, "You were not prepared to look at that, hence affecting you. I had warned that lad before, but that stubborn child didn''t listen to me¡­if only¡­"


    The old lady sighed, walking towards another student who screamed while clutching his eyes that bled profusely. She repeated the same process, healing him in an instant, making the surrounding children look at her with awe. She then performed a cursory glance at everyone, noting no more injured students before swiping her glance above the dais, at its centre.


    She swiped her hand in the direction, creating a loud boom as something seemed to have smashed into the walls behind the dais, making a human-sized hole. Dusting her hands on her clothes as if she had just swatted a fly, the old lady walked towards the dais, her back hunched as she patiently climbed it.


    Walking towards the podium, the old lady picked up the mike and tapped it twice, checking its sounds. "Good morning students!"


    "Good morning Madam!" All the students stood up, greeting the old lady. Her previous actions had won their admiration. Heima too followed the lot, standing up with the greeting. She found her body healthier than before, her mind also regressing to her days before the Induction Ceremony, becoming filled with cheerful thoughts.


    "My name''s Mary Veera; you can call me Madam Mary. I am the Principal of this Academy, the one in charge of you for the next one year. On behalf of the academy, for inviting you here before schedule, I would like to apologise. Hence, to make up for it, let me give you all a small present."


    The students turned excited at the prospect of getting a present, whatever it might be. After all, it was something handed to them for free, and, the allure of anything ''Free'' was irresistible to them. The students witnessed Madam Mary raising her hands high, a pale blue colour converged towards her palm, increasing in size.


    It looked like a ball of water, spinning mid-air, growing in size until it was as big as a watermelon. The ball of water then split into hundreds of tiny wisps, flowing towards all the students present, entering their bodies. Followed by surprised exclaims, the students felt their skinny bodies gaining some mass, and their tense nerves relaxed.


    "How was that? Did you like my present?" Madam Mary chuckled when the auditorium was filled with deafening cheers, making her shut her ears. Seeing the lively atmosphere, Madam Mary pursed her lips, her gaze softening as if the ones before her were her own children. After some time when the crowd had calmed down, Madam Mary continued her speech.


    "Starting from today, you will be spending the next one year in this academy, away from your family. Even though we have allowed your parents to accompany you, it will only be permitted until the end of this month. Starting from next month, you will be all on your own."


    She then noted the gazes of students who were injured just now, "You would face many life-threatening situations here, so much so that you might want to quit. But, let me get this straight."


    Madam Mary turned serious, making the students sit up straight, "The only way you can quit is through death. I repeat, once you have entered here, as long as you are alive, you will continue to fight for our city. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes Ma''am!" The students echoed, their collective voices shooting through the roof.


    Seeing their brisk response, Madam Mary felt happy, "Good, that''s the spirit. As expected of the future pillars of our city. Now, the way you are taught here and in your previous Academy might be different. First of all, there will be no classrooms; you all will undergo a collective lecture in the auditoriums. For general knowledge lessons, you will assemble here. For others, the details have already been posted on your bulletin boards."


    The students nodded to her words, showing that they had already gone through the details beforehand, "In this academy, you will no longer be addressed as students. You will be called Cadets. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes Ma''am!" The children echoed.


    "Good; now, as Cadets, you get some perks. First, you will get access to a ''Portal'', a place where you can watch videos and surf through documents detailing actual raids, battle tactics, martial arts, etc. It is situated inside White building, the one situated at the very end of the academy."


    Madam Mary paused for a moment to catch her breathing, "Second, you will be provided with a set of uniforms that range from battle wear, training suit, meditation clothes, etc. Third, you can issue weapons, armours, and many more to train and familiarise yourself with them."


    She waited for a couple of seconds for them to digest the information, "And, last but not the least, irrespective of the degree of injuries you sustain in your training, be it broken bones, injured organs, or even severed limbs, don''t worry. You have me here; I can heal you back to full health in no time. So, train to your heart''s content." Saying so, she lifted her arm, showcasing her biceps in an effort to assure them.


    On seeing that the students hadn''t understood her joke, she sighed and continued, "Actually, we have a merit system in place here. You can get merit points from passing various tests we would conduct in different fields. Using the merit points you have amassed, you can exchange it for a myriad of treasures; treasures that you could never imagine existed, all accessible to you."


    She chuckled on seeing the eyes of the students glisten upon the mention of treasure, "A file will be sent to your dorms later, detailing all the treasures and the corresponding merit points needed to exchange for them. You can consult your parents about them later. I''m sure they would be able to set a goal for you."


    After that, she continued to talk about the decorum they needed to maintain, the curfew, discipline, and other topics. She then introduced the faculty that would teach them and the availability of various courses. One of the faculties passed them fliers that detailed to all the courses and the faculty who are in charge of the respective courses.


    After everything was done, they were dispersed. Heima held the hands of Gita, chuckling as they rushed out with excitement. Their prior gloominess had abated to a great extent, thanks to the spell of Madam Mary.


    "Call me Cadet Heima, officer Gita." Heima stood erect, her chin facing up, an arrogant demeanour exuding from her body language.


    "Aye aye, Captain¡­I mean, Cadet Heima." Gita was affected by her persona, imitating her body language. A couple of boys from their class saw them, finding novelty in their behaviour as they too adapted such a persona. Acting like military veterans, they made fun of each other, making the atmosphere filled with laughter.


    ¡­


    "Ouch!" Jyorta winced in pain, rubbing his head where a small bump had formed. During the martial arts class, when they continued with the boring breathing exercise as instructed by the PT teacher, Jyorta unconsciously fell asleep. He then woke up with a start, clutching his head in pain as he gazed at the hulking PT teacher before him.


    "This is the third time today, Jyorta. Slack off one more time, and I''m calling your parents. Do you understand?" The PT teacher growled, exposing his ripped arms that were as wide as his thighs.


    "S-Sorry," Jyorta said, holding his tears. He silently rubbed his head, massaging atop the bump so as to lessen the pain.


    ''Haha, that''s the spirit Jyorta boy. Get more beatings so that I can invade your soul faster.'' The blue soul laughed, using two separate tendrils that grew out of its soul to send a slap at Jyorta''s murky soul, dispersing some of the murky substance sideways. Small bits and pieces of the murky substance flew far away, going beyond the range of Jyorta''s soul, evaporating in an instant.


    Feeling tired after the attack, the blue soul absorbed some energy from Jyorta''s soul, replenishing its reserves, preparing to launch another attack at an appropriate time. After losing some energy from his soul, something stirred up from his body, burning certain muscular substances and converting them into energy. The energy then slowly gushed into Jyorta''s soul, nurturing it while at the same time, polluting it.


    ''Restrictions of the body, and pollution to the soul as a result of desires; emotions and ego that weigh down the soul, forming restrictions around it. Thank goodness the Creepy-Haired man cleaned my soul, also making some changes to prevent mine from getting corrupted. Though, I should take note to not be hasty with my invasion, lest I get mixed with Jyorta''s soul, losing my ego.'' The blue soul thought, patiently waiting for its chance whenever Jyorta''s body experienced an external stimulus.

 Chapter 18：Rhachis Ancestor Strongest

    After the students had dispersed from the auditorium, Madam Mary gazed into the human-sized hole formed in the wall behind her. The entire place was silent as a man hurriedly entered through one of the double doors, his inconsiderate use of strength shattering the door into numerous pieces, fragments of it flying till the podium where Madam Mary stood.


    Just when they neared the dais, the wooden pieces paused in mid-air. Then, they fell down on the ground, making tiny tapping sounds. The man, seemingly in his sixties looked flustered as he jumped from the entrance, travelling tens of metres before landing on the dais. When he witnessed the human-sized hole that had formed in the wall, his face turned ashen, looking as if his soul had escaped his body.


    "Cosmi, don''t blame me for beating you up if you don''t control your strength and damage the property of our academy. Moreover, this is an institution filled with students; a single mistake on your part will cost their lives." Madam Mary waved her hands. Cosmi, the man who had just entered felt his body turn immobile; cold sweat drenched his back as he faced the full brunt of her killing intent.


    It felt like he had entered a storm, facing a cataclysm that could ravage the earth. After an instant, the storm subsided, making him feel like he had survived, looking at Madam Mary who hadn''t moved an inch from her spot.


    "Sorry," Cosmi performed a curt bow, "I heard Rhachis Ancestor Strongest had arrived here today and was thinking of meeting the Cadets. I just lost my bearing after having not received a word from him till now."


    "He''s still here," Madam Mary said, pointing to the hole in the wall. "Brat, come out."


    Cosmi felt his legs turn weak, his face scrunched up in fear of the possibility of getting on the bad side of Rhachis Ancestor Strongest. He desperately resisted the urge to run away from the auditorium, trying to appear calm and collected.


    ''What has this mad woman done this time? I''m done for!'' He mentally screamed, averting his gaze from Madam Mary.


    Followed by faint footsteps, a hand emerged out of the hole, grasping the broken edges. Pulling the broken edges, the hand widened the hole in the wall, as if it was made of paper before a figure emerged out.


    Sharp nose, deep eyes that had a tale of its own, a visage that looked normal, borderline handsome, and a medium build frame. Wearing a set of loose clothes that provided freedom for movement, having no other accessories on him, and being barefoot, the middle-aged man walked out of the widened hole.


    "Ancestor," Cosmi hurriedly knelt, placing his right hand curled into a fist on his chest. "Sir, your accommodations have been prepared. If you want, I can lead you to them right away¡­"


    The middle-aged man raised his hand, motioning for Cosmi to stop. "Transformer Cosmi, as the vice-principal of this prestigious academy, you don''t need to personally escort me. Just sending a faculty member will do."


    Just when Cosmi was about to speak, he heard the middle-aged man speak once again, "Leave us alone for some time. I wish to speak with your esteemed principal about some matters. Hmm, thinking it through, I don''t need an escort. I can find the way on my own; moreover, I don''t like anyone to disturb my activities."


    "As you wish, Ancestor; it is our honour that you are basking us with your presence." Cosmi bowed. He then hurriedly left the auditorium as if he was escaping from the scene.


    "It is unbecoming of a Transformer to behave in such a manner. I must say, I am surprised." The middle-aged man said, his expression filled with disdain. He then turned towards Madam Mary, his face looked pitiful; his eyes glistened with water while his hand rubbed his back, leaking out a grunt.


    "Aunty, haven''t you ever heard the term ''Gentle''? Hitting me with full force, I almost sprained my back."


    "Then," Madam Mary said with a smile, "Haven''t you ever heard the term ''Inconspicuous''? Two children were injured when they detected you. What do you have to say about that?"


    "Ah, umm¡­you see¡­" The middle-aged man fumbled a little before he thought of a plan, "I can silently guide them in their training or impart them with a useful Skill."


    A formless force hit him, plunging his body through the floor, and then sent him crashing into the roof. The auditorium vibrated as his body crashed on the roof and then the floor, alternating between the two many times until Madam Mary stopped. The clothes of the middle-aged man were torn into many pieces, revealing his well-toned muscles. Despite the numerous crashes, his skin hadn''t suffered a single scratch, looking pristine.


    "You leave the children alone, understand?" Madam Mary said with a smile.


    "Yes ma''am," The middle-aged man said with a sigh. Without any embarrassment he climbed out of the tiny crater in the ground, dusting his torn clothes of the concrete stuck in them.


    "When you attain Tier 6, your body experiences a qualitative improvement. It is to such an extent that you are akin to a deity." Madam Mary sighed. There was a faint trace of longing in her eyes for an instant before reverting to normal. She looked at the middle-aged man, the familiar face that had experienced numerous changes from when they last met, looking wise, and filled with traits that a person who had been in power for a long time would possess.


    "You have grown well," She said, pausing for a moment in recollection, "As long as you nurture your Tier 6 Skill, our city will gain another pillar of hope."


    "All thanks to your teaching, Aunty. If not for that, I would have perished in the Water Crown Raid. If only you hadn''t sustained a grave injury back then, our city would have another Ancestor." The middle-aged man sighed.


    "Oh my," Madam Mary placed her hand over her mouth, her tone slightly high pitched, "I never knew you were such a smooth talker. Anyway, I never had the opportunity to infer why you decided to visit here. Wouldn''t everything you need be available in the 1st or 2nd Ring?"


    "I am trying to hasten the process of nurturing my tier 6 Skill. That is why I am planning to travel to all places, meet all sorts of people, and consolidate my experiences. Maybe it would help me." The middle-aged man said.


    "Well, don''t rush. The longer you take, the greater your skill would turn out to be. Though, I would advise you to try and watch the children in practice. Look at their basics, their innocence, their clumsiness, their fears, and their apprehension of the entity inside them. Take them all at face value. It is something Warriors at your level would never be able to experience." Madam Mary said.


    Seeing his attentive behaviour as if he had reverted to being a student, Madam Mary giggled, "Even though I had failed my breakthrough, I gained some paltry knowledge about the factors at play at Tier 6. Anyway, make sure you aren''t careless with your disguise, especially with your auras. I don''t want the children to die by subconsciously looking in your direction."


    "I will ensure something like that doesn''t happen ever again. By the way, those two students who could notice my earlier disguise, who were they?" The middle-aged man said.


    "Ahh, those two¡­" Madam Mary thought for a second before remembering their details, "They are the kids with the highest Sync Rate in all of 7th Ring. The girl Heima managed 89% while the boy¡­"


    "How much did he get?" The middle-aged man asked, his curiosity had been piqued.


    "94%," Madam Mary sighed, "He''s either a bonafide masochist or an absolute monster."


    ¡­


    "I am hungry," Jyorta said as he held his stomach that was grumbling with hunger like a prehistoric beast. He felt a slight sense of irritation without rhyme or reason. There was also a sense of exhaustion that stemmed from deep within him, making him want to do nothing except lie down and sleep like a log.


    "Then, shall we head to the canteen and grab some snacks?" Laila said, feeling that she too was hungry. She hadn''t fully satiated her stomach during lunch break as her lunch had spilled on the ground. It was due to her carelessness, prompting the other two to share their lunches with her. Thereby, the three were feeling hungry after finishing their martial arts class.


    "Then, it''s my treat. My parents gave me some money to spend before they went somewhere in the name of training." George said. He was sad at first when his parents dropped his luggage in Laila''s house and went away without informing him but, after staying in Laila''s house and having fun playing games all day with her and Jyorta, he didn''t feel sad anymore.


    "Then, let''s hurry. I feel like I can eat the entire unlimited meals set today." Jyorta said pulling his hand. There was a faint bump on his head that had somewhat healed, making the pain subside to the extent he could gloss over it.


    "Heh, even if you were to starve for a week, you still wouldn''t be able to finish it. It is called the unlimited meals set for a reason." George mocked from the side.


    "That is because you guys have only seen my normal form. My true strength will be revealed when I go Super Saiyan. Become awestruck then," Jyorta said, parting his legs a little, throwing his arms down, and making a grunting sound as if he was pulling hundreds of kilograms of weight.


    "What''s¡­a Super Saiyan?" Laila said, puzzled at the sudden appearance of another weird term. From her experience after all these years, Jyorta only muttered weird words in his sleep. But, he was now consciously using weird terms that she hadn''t heard till date.


    "It is probably another one of Jyorta''s imagination." George said, turning to face Jyorta, "In recent times, you have cooked up plenty of such bizarre stuff. Where is your source material?"


    "I am telling you guys." Jyorta said in anger, "Dragon Ball is real."


    The trio walked to the canteen, bickering with each other. Once they reached there, George pushed through a crowd to a token counter and bought three food tokens. The trio then walked to a service counter and obtained a plate of serving each.


    While they were eating, the way in which Jyorta held his spoon suddenly changed. Some minute changes happened to his behaviour, giving him a slightly mature feel compared to before for a couple of seconds. He then reverted back to normal, immediately changing the posture at which he held the spoon and continued to dig through the food.


    His two friends continued to eat and talk about pointless stuff, having not noticed the minute changes Jyorta exhibited. Jyorta too engaged in pointless chatter with them, only finishing the meal after a full 40 minutes had passed. The trio then returned to Laila''s house.

 Chapter 19：Imperial Corps

    4:30 PM, Laila''s house; the trio of Jyorta, Laila, and George sat in front of a TV, playing the game ''Dungeon Rush''. Jyorta''s character, a sword-wielding goat slashed through a tree monster, leading a team of goats deep into the enemy lines.


    "Don''t head too far from the base. We still need to collect resources to spawn minions." George shouted, controlling his lava giant to burn a couple of tree monsters to a crisp. From the residual molten soot of the tree monsters, mini lava giants emerged, joining the battle.


    "George, go away from me. You are damaging my minions." Laila shouted as she sent a kick at him, cursing as her character took damage. Her character was a wood treant, raising disposable soldiers from the soil as it killed the enemy tree monsters. Unfortunately, her disposable soldiers died in three seconds, their levels too low for the high-level battle.


    The sword-wielding goat suddenly flew towards the back, crashing into the lava giant, suffering from flame damage. George noticed his character taking a tenth of the damage while the sword-wielding goat only had a fraction of its health left.


    "What happened?" Laila inquired, bringing her wood treant to stand before the injured sword-wielding goat, sending the disposable soldiers to the front.


    "The Dungeon Boss made an appearance." Jyorta used some resources from the warehouse, bringing his sword-wielding goat back to full health. Through the crowd of tree monsters, a huge monster stepped forth.


    Twice bigger than the lava giant wielded by George, the biggest in their team, having a skin full of black hair, and donning thick armour. It raised the two war axes and let out a powerful bellow, instantly destroying all the disposable soldiers. Three words popped on the head of the Boss monster in large red words, bordered by a fluorescent colour, ''Dangerous Evil Gorilla''.


    "Be careful guys, it has powerful knockback effects accompanying its attacks," Jyorta warned and lead the sword-wielding goat to the front, leading its army of goats.


    In the kitchen, Laila''s mother was preparing some sweets for the children. She poured half-a-kilogram of semolina in an inverted hemisphere shaped bowl, a steel utensil with a thick body. She poured water into the mixture and raise the temperature of the flames, occasionally mixing it.


    Laila''s father walked in, looking hesitant as he gazed at his wife making sweets. He stood in silence for a good three seconds before walking away from the kitchen, his hesitation apparent in his gait. Laila''s mother shuddered for a moment, continuing to cook as if she hadn''t noticed his actions, silently wiping the trace of tears from her eyes.


    20 minutes later, Laila''s mother took another bowl, poured 5 tablespoon worth of ghee, and placed it on the stove. After the ghee melted into a liquid state, she added cashew nuts to it, stirring it once before switching off the flames. She then added it to the semolina mixture, mixing them while adding a minuscule amount of edible camphor. Once she was done, she added three portions of it into three separate cups and placed cute spoons in them.


    Walking to the living room where the three kids were shouting in all sorts of vocabulary as they fought the boss, Laila''s mother smirked and purposefully placed the three cups of sweets near Jyorta. "I''ve made Kesari, have it before it gets cold."


    She then walked away before they could respond, looking at Jyorta through the corner of her eye. As if he had been bewitched by the smell, Jyorta traced the smell with his nose, gazing at the three cups of Kesari, his attention completely focused on it.


    "Jyorta, dodge!" George shouted as he blocked a hit from the Gorilla Boss. His face turned serious as the Gorilla Boss swerved around him and smacked the sword-wielding goat on the head, making it crash into the ground. It then sat on the small sword-wielding goat, raising its fists high and brought it crashing down on its foe.


    "I''m stuck, save me!" A muffled voice came from Jyorta, the other two didn''t realise it as they were immersed in the battle.


    "Laila, hurry with the aggro. I''ll detonate my character and deal it damage." George made the lava giant jump high, using the weight of its body to crash into the Gorilla Boss. It then used a combo attack to distract the Gorilla Boss as the wood treant made a critical hit on the Gorilla Boss'' back, making it retaliate with a roar.


    The wood treant was sent flying; one of its branches that coiled around the legs of the Gorilla Boss pulled at it, giving the lava giant enough room to charge up its attack. When the Gorilla Boss was focused on the treant, the lava giant leapt on its back, latching onto it as it initiated a self-destruct sequence. Its body immediately melted into a set of stone armour that covered the Gorilla Boss'' body.


    The Gorilla Boss dashed towards the wood treant, using its branch as a rope to tug at it, pulling it into its embrace as the countdown reached zero. Followed by a resplendent explosion, the screen was covered in dense smoke. George noticed that his lava giant and Laila''s wood treant had died in the explosion but the Gorilla Boss still has a sliver of its health left.


    Seeing that the sword-wielding goat was still alive, George shouted, "Finish it Jyorta."


    "Yeah, finish it with style." Laila echoed, her eyes glued to the screen, afraid to miss the final shot.


    "On it!" Jyorta scooped out a large piece of sweet and placed it in his mouth, hurriedly chewing it before swallowing it down.


    "Here it goes!" Followed by a shout, Jyorta pressed his stomach and let out a loud burp. Astonished, George and Laila turned to look at him and noticed that at some point in time, the console in his hands had swapped places with a cup of Kesari. The console was placed on the floor before him, showing no signs of human interaction.


    Seeing that the Gorilla Boss had gotten up, George slid on the floor, picked up Jyorta''s console, and threw it at Laila. Laila expertly caught it and pressed many buttons in a flurry. The sword-wielding goat charged with its sword glowing blue, slashing at the head of the gorilla boss, performing a critical hit.


    The words ''Dungeon Cleared'' appeared on the top of the dead Gorilla Boss as a fountain of coins flashed behind. Laila looked exhausted as she glared at Jyorta who flashed an innocent smile.


    "That''s it!" With a shout, Laila leapt at Jyorta, tickling him in frenzy. George hurriedly placed the remaining two cups of Kesari some distance away from them as he watched how Jyorta struggled to escape her hold, all the while preventing his cup of Kesari from spilling. He showed dextrous balance habituated under years of effort as he endured the tickling attacks of Laila, a smirk etched on his face.


    George silently began to eat the Kesari, relishing in its soft texture and sweet taste as he appreciated the battle in front of him. In his memories, Jyorta always had that intention to court death in all sorts of ways. This time too, he hadn''t disappointed him, successfully stepping on Laila''s nerve.


    Laila''s mother looked at the scene with a smile, as if she had predicted it beforehand. She then took two cups of the sweet and walked towards another room that had soundproofing installed in place. She pushed open the door and noticed Laila''s father busy surfing the internet, looking at the topography where the Flying Signature Raid was scheduled.


    His face was scrunched up and seemingly in worry as he looked at the monster details that frequented the habitat. His confidence decreased the more he looked into the details, his face paling. Laila''s mother placed the cup of Kesari before him, prompting him to break his gaze away from the monitor.


    "What are you planning to do?" She asked, taking a glance at the monster depicted on the screen. Her body shuddered in fright as she read through the details of the monster, the habitat, and the weather condition of the area. The dome-shaped structure of the monster nest, the designated location where they had to mine for a precious mineral, the size and ferociousness of the monster, and its troublesome ability¡ªall fazed her.


    "I am¡­" He hesitated for a minute and a half, looking between the monster on the screen and the face of his wife. He then gritted his teeth, saying, "I plan to join the Imperial Corps. I will then get the chance to implant an Unranked Skill in my body which would greatly help me in the upcoming Raid."


    "There should be¡­" Laila''s mother hesitated, "Another option right? Did you consider joining another family? With your strength, even the families of the inner Rings would welcome you with open arms."


    "I did," Laila''s father said with a sigh, "But, I don''t plan on joining any other family for the matter. It would mean me marrying into their family, which will burden your lives. Moreover, I wouldn''t be able to get their Unranked Skill in such a short time before the Raid begins which would defeat the purpose of marrying into their family."


    "Makes sense." Laila''s mother thought.


    "Moreover, the monsters we would be facing in this raid would be flying type, so without the ability of flight, it would prove to be difficult to guarantee our lives. The Unranked Skill of the Imperial Corps is the best bet against that." Laila''s father said. He then continued to browse through the characteristics of the monsters and tried to think up ways to counter them.


    "Then," Laila''s mother placed her hand on his shoulder, "It''s best you forward your application by tonight. The longer you delay, the shorter the time you will get to adapt to it."


    "Okay." Laila''s mother saw him eating the sweet she had prepared, showing no signs of emotions on his face as he ate. He was engrossed in the details before he felt the door being shut. Looking to his side, he found his wife had disappeared. Only after a moment did he realise something, prompting him to hurriedly swallow the rest of the sweet, almost choking on it.


    He then stood up, opened the door, and walked out, behaving calm and collected, just like usual. He walked to the kitchen, placed the empty cup in the sink, washed his hands, and dried them with a towel hung nearby. When he passed by the living room, he found his wife reading through the documents meant for his departure, occasionally keeping an eye on the children.


    "The Kesari tasted good, just to my liking." He muttered softly and hurried to his room, typing an application form on his computer. In the living room, Laila''s mother gazed at the receding figure of her husband, her lips curved into a smile. She then broke out of her reverie, reading through the document pertaining to all the information of the Flying Signature Raid the army had sent to them.


    ''Flying Signature Raid¡­Signature¡­even Tier 5 monsters might make an appearance. I hope the army dispatches at least a couple of Transformers and Sky Controllers, otherwise, this mission might very well be a suicide.''

 Chapter 20：Unranked Skill

    In a room that had a soundproofing system installed, the sounds of fingers rapidly typing on a keyboard reverberated. The speed was so fast that it felt like the keyboard might break, but on a careful note, the force applied on the keys was pressed under a delicate control of strength, almost to the level of wonder.


    Finishing a draft, Laila''s father read through the contents once, feeling it carry with it his honest opinion; his tone being neither arrogant nor subservient, the right amount necessitated for the situation. Pressing the send button, Laila''s father sighed, relaxing his nerves. Craving for some sweets and feeling that he hadn''t properly tasted the Kesari, Laila''s father stood up, planning to fetch himself another bowl of the sweet.


    Followed by a high-pitched sound that was equivalent to a ping, Laila''s father had received an email. Clicking it, he felt shocked for a second, wondering at the reasons for the fast response. Opening the email, he browsed through the contents, detailing to some basics pertaining to joining the Imperial Corps, the clauses and conditions he had to abide by should he proceed, etc.


    Having already known about the details beforehand, Laila''s father read through the document with patience, finding the terms and conditions not different from the one he had known. After that, he clicked a button at the end of the email which redirected him to a website.


    The webpage titled, ''Imperial Corps Acquisition'' explained the details he had to take to register himself, asking him to provide the details of his abilities, the missions he had participated in, etc. Finishing the long process, Laila''s father watched as the webpage refreshed, signalling him to the end of the registration process.


    Immediately, he received a call, prompting him to accept it. The monitor flashed as the visage of a middle-aged man who was turning old appeared. He had light yellow hair, white side-burns, a sharp jaw that accentuated his uplifted nose while his double-chin looked out of place. The man exuded a commanding demeanour, looking like a person that wouldn''t ever take ''no'' for an answer. He looked like a man of action.


    The moment Laila''s father saw him, he hurriedly stood up and performed a standard military salute. He stood straight, as if a statue frozen in his saluting pose, not even daring to breathe, his eyes locked onto the person on the screen.


    The man looked at his actions, nodded without a change in expression, "In 2 hours, I want you to be present in the Imperial Corps Headquarters. Communicate with your family beforehand; once an Unranked Skill gets implanted in you, you will be sent to the frontlines for training until the end of the month. You will get 3 days of rest before the Flying Signature Raid commences."


    "Yes, sir!" Laila''s father shouted, his shout reverberating in the room, rattling the objects inside.


    The communication disconnected; only then did Laila''s father dare to relax. He plopped on his chair in exhaustion, sweat covered his body. Even though his body was brimming with energy, his mind felt exhausted, having had to face that man.


    Anruhen Light, one of the seven Generals of the Imperial Corps, grandson of Rhachis Ancestor Light; he was a Transformer level powerhouse. He had spectacular battle accomplishments, raking in kill counts of Tier 5 monsters even when he was but a Shifter. He was one of the pillars of their city in the truest sense, even having a chance to take a step into the legendary Tier 6 level in the future.


    ''The fact that someone of his level had personally instructed me signifies the level of importance Central Command has attached to this Raid. I hope I can survive through this.'' Laila''s father thought as he walked out of the room. He saw his wife who shot him a shocked look, noticing his drenched figure. Laila''s father immediately motioned for her to follow him through eye contact.


    Shutting the door of the soundproofed room after entering it, Laila''s father went into detail about what happened in such a short time-frame. Laila''s mother resisted shrieking in surprise after hearing him recount the unexpected appearance of Anruhen Light.


    "I am supposed to be there in two hours," Laila''s father said as he enveloped Laila''s mother in an embrace, his body faintly shivering. He then planted a kiss on her lips, not intending to separate. Laila''s mother relished the experience, enveloped with the feelings of longing for each other, the duo joined their bodies.


    Sometime later, the two stealthily opened the door, checking for the presence of the three children before they hurriedly rushed to a bathroom each. Finished with a refreshing shower, Laila''s father draped a towel over his lower half, walking out of the bathroom as he picked out some clothes and hurriedly placed them in a suitcase.


    He then placed other necessities in it and finished packing. He fished out a set of clothes that looked apt to be worn in a military Headquarters, looking battle-esque while at the same time, retaining a sense of elegance. He gazed at his projection in the mirror, looking like a military veteran, his demeanour slowly changing, exuding a suffocating aura.


    Done with his preparation, Laila''s father walked out, noticing Laila''s mother, flashing him a longing gaze, silently hiding her fears and worries. He hugged her and kissed her forehead, parting as he carried his suitcase. He draped a small leather bag across his shoulders, filled with stacks of documents related to his achievements.


    As the couple walked into the hall, the three kids who were still broiled with their game turned their heads at the same time, noticing the change. Laila immediately began crying, throwing her console away as she rushed at her father, jumping into his embrace, not letting him go.


    "I''ll be back soon," Laila''s father replied, his eyes moistening as he heard Laila''s heart-wrenching cries. "It is only for two weeks, I will be home by the time you can say Daddy."


    "Daddy!" Laila shouted, her wails further increasing in pitch, making the hands that held her tremble. Laila''s father hesitated, thinking if he should withdraw his application, giving him another month to spend with his daughter before the Raid began.


    Noticing his hesitation, Laila''s mother pulled Laila away from her father, embracing her as she cued for him to leave. Just when he took a step forward, Jyorta and George rushed forward, each holding one of his legs, trying to immobilise him. They looked on the verge of crying as they watched Laila cry, looking determined to stop her father from leaving no matter what.


    Laila''s father sighed as he looked at the two children holding him and at his daughter who refused to calm down, shouting like a banshee, trying to wrestle out of her mother''s control. As an Amplifier, Laila''s mother had more than enough strength to restrain her, but she didn''t have the heart to act on her decision, clearly wavering. She then noticed a faint mist appear from the body of Laila''s father, making the three children inhale it.


    Their bodies immediately turned numb, making it easy for him to rusticate from their hold, walking towards the door as he placed a half-top hat on his head, covering the area over his eyes.


    "Daddy!" Laila shrieked, her voice intensifying as she watched him walk away, cracking due to having overstrained her vocal cords. The door slammed with a thud as her father walked away, leaving the room filled with the sounds of her wails.


    ¡­


    7th Ring, Sector 1, Military Academy Training Center; in her Dorm room, Heima looked at Hancent scrutinising the list with focus, murmuring incomprehensible words as he analysed the effects of each and calculated the outcomes.


    Heima watched her father in a daze, a sense of admiration welling up from within her. After what looked like an hour had passed, Hancent finally retracted his gaze from the list, heaving a sigh, lamenting at his youth when he wasn''t hard-working enough.


    ''If only such a list existed during my days.'' He thought for a second before reverting his focus to the needs of Heima.


    "Honestly, if possible, I would want you to get everything printed on this list. But, technically, that is impossible." Hancent said as he displayed the list to Heima. "You can accumulate merit points by taking a test; the marks you score out of hundred will become your merit points."


    Heima noticed the categories on the list that were available for her to take tests; Hancent continued with a frown, "These tests, on one hand, give you an opportunity to gain these rewards, but at the same time allow the army to get a gauge on your talents."


    He paused for a second, reading the subjects available, "Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Modern Rodawri, Commerce, Accountancy, Geography, Atmospheric Science, Geophysics, Astronomy, Biology, and Medicine."


    He then emphasised, "And finally, Martial Arts which is by far the most important. You can enroll in whatever classes you want, using the time available to you since they will be available 24x7 starting next month. When you appear for the respective tests which you can request for at your discretion, you will accumulate merit points based on your score. But, here comes the pinch."


    Hancent said with a slight sneer, as if he had already predicted the mentality of the organisers. "Look at the top of the list, the one with the golden colour." Hancent pointed to the top, "These are Unranked Skills, the likes of which are tremendously expensive that anyone below Tier 4 will never be able to afford. Even for Tier 4 Warriors and Espers, it would still need a decade of savings to afford one. This will generally blind the students to strive for it, disregarding the other treasures that are equally important."


    "Dad, what are these Unranked Skills? I saw some of the students shouting in shock as they exclaimed the term numerous times when these pamphlets were handed out." Heima asked, confusion present in her eyes. But on a closer look, her curiosity was steadily overcoming all the other emotions, slowly rising to the top.


    "Let me give you an example," Hancent pointed at her eyes, slightly releasing his aura when they automatically turned green. "As a Tier 1 Warrior, you have nurtured a Skill. You will continue to do so after breaking through to higher levels, one per each. At Tier 4 Shifter, you will possess four Skills."


    On seeing her nod, Hancent continued with a smile, "The sole difference is that, Skills nurtured at higher Tiers are stronger as compared to their precedents. When you are at Tier 4, Tier 1 and 2 skills are almost useless, barring some rare necessities. This is where an Unranked Skill comes into play."


    Having gained her complete attention, Hancent looked into his surroundings once, waving his hand to erect a formless barrier around them. "It is called an Unranked Skill because it evolves according to your Tier. It evolves and raises its power according to how strong you are, making it the one Skill that will accompany you for life."

 Chapter 21：Matters of Family

    Heima said after careful thought, "Does that mean the Unranked Skill will display the might of a Tier 5 Skill if the person wielding it is either a Transformer or a Sky Controller?"


    "Indeed," Hancent nodded, "But, you must remember that irrespective of your Tier, the human body can accommodate only one Unranked Skill. So one is advised to give careful thought before considering the Unranked Skill they need."


    "But," Hancent said with a shake of his head, "You wouldn''t be aiming for that. Our family possesses an Unranked Skill of our own. Moreover, it is a perfect product. Old Man Bone had just perfected it recently. Our Unranked Skill is one of the 19 perfected Unranked Skills in our city."


    "Grandpa is so awesome?" Heima muttered aloud, astonishment present in her tone.


    Hancent gave a wry laugh and didn''t comment on the matter. "Anyway, the two Unranked Skills: Flight and Regen are eliminated from the list. Regen can only be obtained by Espers, and Flight... it''s not of much use to you for most of the cases."


    "Also, don''t bother about the Artifacts listed here; anything you need can be obtained through our family warehouse. You need to only focus on obtaining the Trait Fruits which are exclusively controlled by the military. If, at the end of the year, you still managed to save some excess points after all purchases, then exchange them for the Frenzy Fruits." Hancent then continued to explain the steps Heima had to take, the courses she could focus on first, the Trait Fruits she could exchange in priority order, etc.


    "Especially, the Trait of Temperance; it will be of utmost help to you in the future, capable of saving your life. This will be your first priority." Hancent emphasised. Heima listened with rapt attention as Hancent continued with the topic until it was dinner time. He then stopped speaking about it when Gita knocked on the door, pulling her friend to have dinner.


    The two girls shared the information their parents had imparted to them, creating muffled discussions as they slowly walked towards the cafeteria, pulling a couple of their friends with them, forming a small group. Even though they all looked skinny and frail, their expressions were a lot better than the morning.


    Heima controlled herself to not speak about the details of the Unranked Skill exclusive to her family, only sharing the other insights imparted to her by Hancent. She then took the role of a bystander, listening to the others talk about the list, showing off their knowledge, acting like a know-it-all.


    ''It seems the Principal''s gift was better than I expected.'' Hancent thought, constantly monitoring Heima''s mental health from a distance¡ªnoticing the changes that occurred to her in real-time as she interacted with her friends¡ªusing his abilities as a Wave controller to the full extent.


    Even though he sat in the dorm room¡ªwith Heima separated by a distance in the cafeteria¡ªhe could still feel her location, ready to come to her rescue if necessary. Before she left for dinner, Hancent slid a small bangle on her wrist, looking metallic, having zero external components embedded into it.


    The authorities had allocated different periods for their dinner time; the students had their dinner between 8:00 PM and 8:30 PM while the parents were scheduled from 8:45 PM, having no time limit. They also created a temporary curfew for the students to be at 9:00 PM, existing till the end of the month, reverting to a 24-hour operating schedule after that.


    Intending to take a breath of fresh air, Hancent walked out of the dorm, coming out of the Indigo building. He then noticed a middle-aged man sitting on the edge of the pavement, looking carefree as he gazed at the bustling students walking to and fro on the ground. Finding a familiar face, Hancent walked towards him, striking up a casual conversation¡ªa part of his brain constantly monitoring Heima.


    "You are quite protective of her." The middle-aged man said with a smile. "I am quite perceptive when it comes to Psychic Energy, the only reason I could survive out there."


    "Hancent Bone," Hancent shook hands with the middle-aged man, letting out a chuckle, not intending to continue with the topic. "Level 3 Research Fellowship, 7th Ring Unit Weapon Research Facility."


    "Sorry, I didn''t have a chance to introduce myself back then." The middle-aged man let out a chuckle, "Hrepschrit Grey, a colonel from the Long-Horn Battalion, Ring 7."


    "I was surprised by the strength and decisiveness you showed back in the underground metro," Hancent said, surprised. "Now I can understand why. Long-Horn Battalion¡­"


    "It''s harsh surviving amidst monsters." The middle-aged man let out a self-deprecating laugh. "At least, I hoped my son wouldn''t end up in such a place. Thankfully, he ended up becoming an Esper."


    "Hiltol Grey, right?" Hancent inquired, having made a guess based on the last name.


    ¡­


    Laila''s mother felt her heart lurch, watching her daughter starve herself, not having any intention to eat until her father returned home. Seeing her, even George and Jyorta behaved similarly. Despite the grumblings of his stomach, the seduction by the tantalising aroma of the food, Jyorta desperately mustered every source of willpower from all nooks and cranny in his body, fighting against the desire.


    Even though she felt sad, she didn''t want the children to stay hungry. A cunning light flashed past her eyes as she silently beckoned for Jyorta to lean over. The unsuspecting youth followed after her, walking to the kitchen, taking a deep breath of the aroma permeating through the kitchen, his stomach trying to break out of his control.


    "Aunty¡­?" Jyorta asked; hesitation lingered across his face as Laila''s mother leaned near him, whispering into his ears.


    "You know, Jyorta," She talked with a soft tone, "The last time Laila avoided food, she got a pretty bad stomach ache. You remember the time when she didn''t come to school for an entire week right?"


    Seeing Jyorta nod in all seriousness, she resisted her desire to pinch his cheek, continuing in the same tone. "So, skipping dinner will be bad for her health."


    She then straightened her body, clasping her hands before her, "Can you do a favour for this aunty and make her eat? I even made your favourite Parathas."


    "Parathas¡­" Jyorta wiped the drool leaking out, already distracted to the thought of food, having forgotten the past events. "Don''t worry aunty; I will embark on this grand quest to feed Laila, through all tides and¡­ sea waves."


    ''Trials and Tribulations'' Laila''s mother thought as she ruffled his hair, flashing a smile. "Clench victory, brave warrior."


    Seeing Jyorta walk out with renewed vigour, Laila''s mother let out a sigh of relief, setting up the utensils, her ears tuned to their conversations. She readily activated her Skill, giving her access to their conversations with striking clarity, finding Jyorta convince Laila in a matter of minutes.


    ''H-He''s¡­ what a charmer.'' Laila''s mother felt shocked, listening to the way Jyorta manoeuvred the conversation, leading Laila by the hook. After Laila gave in, George followed soon after. The four people silently finished the dinner when Laila washed her hands and rushed towards the bedroom, wrapping herself under a bundle of blankets.


    Even though she was convinced to eat, she still hadn''t forgotten the reason for acting adamant in the first place, silently shedding tears, leaking out muffled grunts from time to time.


    The blue soul watched everything in silence, listening to Jyorta''s use of words by connecting to his left ear. Jyorta didn''t find anything amiss, using his little-finger to dig into his left ear, trying to clean it in order to recover his hearing in it. He assumed it was due to water droplets getting clogged in them.


    If he was capable of displaying emotions, Kaushik, the blue soul would have frowned, expressing mild levels of shock. He suppressed his instinct to directly collide with Jyorta''s soul, pitting them against each other for a battle of supremacy. He knew that, should he attempt something like that, then there was a fair chance that his soul would fuse with Jyorta''s, erasing their ego, creating something foreign in the place as a result of the fusion¡ªa disharmonious mess, filled with contradictions and insanity.


    ''The symptoms are already starting to show. Jyorta is unconsciously using my words, my lines, and my manner of speech. If it continues like this, at this rate, Jyorta might sense my existence sooner or later. If his body mounted some unwanted struggle, I might very well lose control over my host.''


    The blue soul needed to access his brain to think, plan its actions, and execute them. Without using the brain to think, just by relying on its ability to passively invade his soul, it might take more than a decade to gain complete control over his body.


    Moreover, once Jyorta becomes 20 years old, his life experience might very well be evenly matched with him. This might also spark off a chain reaction that would allow him to subconsciously take control of the blue soul, erasing Kaushik''s ego.


    ¡­


    At a floor just below the topmost floor of a skyscraper, inside a wide room that had a window scaling from the floor to the ceiling, taking the place of the wall on one full side, a frail lady stood in silence. Her bones were clearly visible at a glance, forming indentations that rose up in a rather obvious manner. Her skin looked dull, almost listless while there existed trace amounts of flesh beneath her skin, giving her a negligible amount of mass.


    She watched a particular room on the 28th floor of the skyscraper opposite to her, looking at its dark interior, her mind drifting to somewhere unknown. The room she stood in was dark, the only source of illumination being beyond the glass walls. She stared with a vacant gaze, in silence, until the door behind her opened with sound, causing the air inside to stir.


    An old man who looked to be in his eighties walked in, his back erect, concealing his slight hunch; his head was covered with greyish-white hair, the loose strands covering the majority of his forehead, giving him a sense of disarray. His beard was trimmed to match the style of a military veteran, his eyes shining with a sense of pride and excitement as he looked at the frail woman.


    "Old bastard, I told you to leave me alone for tonight." The woman said in a cold tone, glaring at the old man. If not for the obvious difference in their strength, the woman might have sent a punch at him, knocking him out of the room.


    "I am afraid that is not possible, my dear." The old man arrived next to her, bearing a faint resemblance to the woman. "Your current body condition will make the implantation of the Unranked Skill a simple breeze. It would require a lot of effort once you have accumulated some more strength."


    "Moreover," The old man paused, seemingly in thought, his eyes gazing at her from top to bottom as if she was a lab rat. "It is free if you choose to accept it now. Delay it any further, and I would have to bestow it to someone else. After all, many family members have recently managed to breakthrough, creating a greater demand for the perfected Unranked Skill."


    Gazing behind her, at the vacant house in the skyscraper opposite to her, Henrietta clenched her fists, feeling the lack of strength in them, finally relaxing them as if she had lost all her vigour. "Fine, begin preparations."


    "As expected of my beloved daughter; may you lead our Bone family to usher in a new era!" The old man said, waving his hands as a giant rectangular apparatus was carried in by four able-bodied men. Placing the apparatus in the centre of the room according to his instructions, the four men hurriedly retreated out of the room, closing the doors shut. They locked the doors, standing guard to prevent the prying eyes of outsiders.


    A huge shutter dropped down, shielding the glass walls from the outside world, making the room turn pitch black. As the old man pressed a button, a faint light flashed at the top of the rectangular apparatus as its shafts opened, revealing a berth fit for the woman inside.


    "Make yourself home, Henrietta." The old man flashed a smile, "The moment you wake up will spark the rise of our family."

 Chapter 22：Declaration as a Noble Family

    The rectangular apparatus flashed with light, illuminating the entire room, highlighting the figures of the old man and Henrietta. Henrietta carefully removed her clothes, in fear of exerting strength that might weaken her further. Wearing not a shred of fabric, she stepped foot on the berth, feeling the soft surface that felt like jelly, forming a depression at the point of contact due to her body weight.


    Laying flat on the berth, she watched old man Bone press a button on the top of the apparatus, his eyes failing to conceal the joy and delight he experienced. The shafts closed shut, making her feel suffocated, the lack of air inside being made apparent.


    Filled with sounds of the machine whirring, the trace amount of air within the rectangular apparatus was sucked out, leaving Henrietta to clench her throat, her face turning blue. Pressed for time, old man Bone took out a glass bottle from his overcoat. The glass bottle, filled with a viscous liquid shone with a resplendent hue, drowning out a small grey dot hovering in its centre. The grey dot looked similar to the neuron of a human, its nerve endings flashing with black lightning.


    Old man Bone inserted the glass bottle inside a bore into the rectangular apparatus, twisting it clockwise, allowing the solution inside to flow within a tube. Her vision cloudy, but the moment she looked at old man Bone inserting the glass bottle into the apparatus, she revealed her palm, facing it towards a small hole in the inner surface of the apparatus.


    Immediately, through the pores on her palm, blood seeped out, converging into numerous tendrils that coiled around each other. The tendrils of blood fused into a sphere, forming many granules across its surface, a faint blood mist surrounding it. A pair of eyes¡ªits cornea filled with threads thinner than a spider''s web¡ªemerged on one side, parting two parallel lines across the sphere, growing along as it covered the entire surface, until it was completely divided into parallel lines.


    Two feelers emerged before the pair of eyes, lifting the head; the parallel lines slowly separated from each other, revealing contracted rows of legs, numbering in the dozens. When it was fully separated, it formed centipede, squirming in a lazy manner, looking weak.


    Its two eyes gazed at Henrietta, looking at her weak figure, twisting and turning atop her palm. It then swerved its head up, lifting it to gaze at the sole hole inside the apparatus, seemingly waiting for something. Its feelers wriggled in the air, its body half lifted, perching up. Faint blood tendrils seeped out of her palm, maintaining a stable connection with the centipede of blood.


    Drop by drop, the viscous solution from the glass bottle seeped out of the hole, falling on the head of the centipede. Opening its mouth, the centipede caught each droplet with its mouth, swallowing them, not wasting even a single drop.


    After every drop it devoured, its body turned placid, no longer squirming, slowly but surely, turning still. Henrietta struggled to hold her breath, her body losing strength, her brain failing to think. There was no longer any oxygen inside the apparatus; even the air she had breathed out had been sucked away, creating a vacuum.


    Even through the hole from where the liquid seeped in, it didn''t carry with it any oxygen. It only sent in drops of the viscous solution in regular intervals, all having been devoured by the centipede. If not for her body that had scaled beyond human limits, Henrietta would have long lost her consciousness, dying due to suffocation.


    The centipede had long turned stiff, its open mouth directly below the hole through which the viscous solution seeped in, capturing all the droplets without fail despite not being able to move. One of the droplets, emitting a resplendent hue, concealed a small grey dot within it. When it emerged out, the stiff centipede showed signs of moving, looking alarmed, showing an intense rejection.


    Unfortunately, having swallowed countless drops of the viscous solution with a resplendent hue, its body could no longer move, allowing the droplet carrying the grey dot to fall into its mouth, getting absorbed into its body.


    Its body started to shiver, forming cracks along its carapace, emitting a grey light from within. Immediately, Henrietta felt as if her entire body had been struck by a lightning strike. Her body convulsed as the centipede on her palm shattered, becoming a pool of blood, turning into tendrils of blood that seeped into her body through the pores on her palm.


    "Henrietta!" A rage-filled shout, looking like the ravings of a deranged lunatic, filled with indignation appeared in her mind, making her thoughts come to a halt, freezing up her senses. Her mind became blank, unconsciously shivering in response to the shout, one that came from deep within her.


    Immediately, a large mass of blood mist seeped out of her body, forming into a huge centipede the size of her body. It looked ready to pounce at her, planning on devouring her body and escaping out of her control. The moment it had appeared, Henrietta''s body further deflated, looking like it had nothing but bones in her body.


    Seeing the scene from the outside, old man Bone clenched the glass bottle, noticing the remaining solution present within it. Twisting it further clockwise, the old man pressed another button, sucking away the remaining solution into the pipe.


    Immediately, a small change occurred within the rectangular apparatus; small holes, its diameter equivalent to the tip of a sewing needle appeared all around the inner surface. Immediately, the solution was sprayed through them, falling on the body of the huge centipede, immobilising it in an instant.


    Henrietta''s body stopped convulsing as her eyes regained a moment of clarity. She hurriedly clenched her fist, forming an action akin to inhaling a mouthful of air through her mouth. Immediately, the centipede dissipated, the tendrils of blood making up its body flowed into her mouth, settling within her body.


    Her body regained some liveliness, no longer looking like a shrivelled mass of dried husk. The shafts opened immediately, allowing a gust of air to hit her body, making her wheeze, greedily breathing the air, allowing her to feel alive.


    Henrietta sat up, panting; her forehead was covered with sweat as she gazed at old man Bone who had slumped to the floor in relief at some point in time. He smacked a button on the apparatus, prompting it to flash a green light that scanned Henrietta from head to toe, once, twice, thrice.


    It continued for a dozen times before flashing a set of images and graphs to old man Bone. On seeing the figures displayed, old man Bone clenched his fists, his body shivering, and his face showing intense emotions for the first time in history.


    "Haha," Old man Bone clutched his forehead, tears streaming out of his eyes as he stood up, his back unconsciously straightening up. "Hahaha, this is awesome. The Heavens have blessed my family for the first time!"


    The gaze at which he looked at Henrietta changed, filled with a sense of accomplishment, "It was a resounding success. Henceforth, you have unlimited power at your disposal."


    Henrietta could feel some mild changes in her body, but she wasn''t sure about them yet, planning to research it in detail later. She stood up, picking up her clothes strewn on the floor. Wearing them she noticed old man Bone having already returned to normal, his face still like a placid lake. He gazed at the data the apparatus displayed, noting for any changes he should make in the future.


    "In four days, I''ll nurse you back to full health. I''ll then accompany you to the frontlines, training you to the fullest until you gain control of the Unranked Skill. It is, after all, the first of its kind. It is vastly different from the half-baked products that I and the other elders of our family possess." Old man Bone said.


    "Okay," Henrietta nodded, walking out of the room, not intending to stay in the room for a second longer. She then entered a room where she was being nursed, strapping a nutrient solution to her arm. The nutrient solution looked vastly different as compared to the ones used at the Limitless Tower, looking expensive. It also exuded a suffocating aura, looking like it was extracted from the powerful figure.


    Not bothering to think about it any further, she closed her eyes, meditating. A weak voice immediately resounded in her head, the ravings trying to distract her focus. As if she had been used to it, Henrietta meditated, focusing on sensing the Unranked Skill implanted inside her body.


    ''It is slowly fusing with my neurons, using their connection with one another to spread like a plague. Moreover, it is not affecting my fusion with the Rhachis Parasite, acting like a parallel path in my nerves for its use, one belonging to my sole control.''


    ''I now have a power I can call my own!'' Henrietta smiled, her worries dissipating as she meditated in silence. The only sound in the room was that of the nutrient solution dripping, and of course, the weak ravings ever-present in her mind.


    After Henrietta left the room, old man Bone finished his inspection, thinking, ''There are some steps that are difficult to proceed with if the person is strong and healthy. So, I must use some other method to make them weak and powerless. Just the act of suffocation will not make the cut, that too when their bodies are robust, and filled with power. Just a mild shiver from their side will destroy the apparatus, making the implantation a failure.''


    He then muttered his thoughts aloud, as if in deep discussion with himself. He slowly walked out of the room, taking a lift to reach the top-most floor. Entering a wide hall where many people were in heated talks, old man Bone signalled for their attention.


    "It was a success. Henrietta is the first complete Warrior in our family. There are still a couple of factors that have to be changed in the implantation. After 2 days, we can begin the implantation process for the remaining Shifters in our family."


    The people hurriedly stood up and bowed at him, their facial expressions akin to unconcealed joy. Before they broke into a discussion, they heard old man Bone declare a frightening statement.


    "Send an application to Central Command, requesting for the right to proclaim ourselves as a Noble Family. This day will mark our rise, as the 19th Noble Family of our city."

 Chapter 23：Dawn Era

    7:30 AM, followed by the continuous buzzing of the alarm, Heima finally woke up. She rolled around on the bed a couple of minutes, feeling the glaring rays of the sun that warmed the interior, manifesting small beads of sweat on her skin.


    Picking up a small empty tray that was 2 feet long, 2 feet wide and a foot high with her name plastered at the top, Heima placed her school uniform and toiletries in it. Her uniform consisted of a red checked full-hand shirt that was long enough to reach the middle of her thigh, almost mimicking a gown. The collars were red in colour while the ends of the sleeves and the bottom were also embroidered in red. The base material was a mix of white and blue.


    There was a grey sleeveless overcoat embroidered with the logo of the military academy on the back, the words, ''Academy of Perseverance'' curved overhead the logo. The lower garment consisted of a palazzo, grey in colour.


    The clothes were made from soft cotton, having a slight elasticity while also allowing the air to pass through the gaps in the fabric. This allowed the students to have a sense of comfort in the hot climate while the choice of material didn''t impede their training activities.


    Heima noticed the bed next to her vacant and lacked any form of depression on it, a sign that Hancent hadn''t slept there during the night. By the time she had finished dinner the previous night and returned to her room, she found Hancent absent, leaving a note behind that he had set out for work. Judging by the state of the bed, he hadn''t yet returned.


    Stepping out of the room, Heima noticed a couple of her classmates, a boy with a thin frame wearing pyjamas and a girl with freckled cheeks. The girl''s hair looked like a bird''s nest while the tray she carried had many bottles filled with fragrant solutions. The boy, wearing pyjamas reeked of sweat, a sign that he had been jogging early in the morning. He shot a look at the tray in the girl''s hand before sporting a grin.


    "Now I understand why our classrooms are saturated by aromatic scents the moment you enter." The boy said, passing by the girl as he headed towards his room.


    Feeling a chill creep up his spine, the boy suddenly felt some fluid fall on his clothes, soaking the clothes, pervading through the fabric, a deep aromatic smell hit his nose. Gazing at his back, the boy noticed one of the bottles atop her tray open, a figure stood next to her.


    "Commenting about a girl first thing in the morning; how crass of you," Heima said, continuing her pace as she brushed aside a couple of hair strands that fell on her left eye. Heima walked to the end of the corridor where two paths diverged. The one on her left was a restroom for the girls while the one on her right was meant for boys.


    After she disappeared from view, the boy sniffed at his clothes, "This fragrance is really pleasant. Can you lend it to me, Lenfia?"


    "Uh, actually¡­" Lenfia lifted the bottle in her hand, resisting the urge to laugh. "This is a hand sanitiser. I always carry it around since I don''t like using other products whose smell repulses me."


    Seeing a frown emerge on his face, Lenfia closed the bottle, placing it back on her tray as she rushed to the restroom, practically running as the sounds of her laughter echoed across the corridor. "See you later, Heric."


    Heima proceeded to her left, opening the door to reveal a small room, 6 feet wide and 3 feet long, parted by curtains. Pushing it aside, a room filled with cupboards came into view. The cupboards lined the wall, with each being wide enough to fit most of her clothes inside. Walking towards one edge where the cupboard was tagged with her name, Heima noticed a number lock that sealed it.


    ''10852''


    Rolling the keys to match the number, she unlocked the number lock, opening the empty cupboard. She placed her tray inside and closed it, not forgetting to lock it again. There were many facilities in the military academy that was for private use, locked by number locks; each had a specific unlock code, making Heima cram a bunch of numbers after the orientation.


    There was a double door at the end that led to a washroom. It was parted into two by a rack; the left filled with cubicles meant for showering while the right was filled with a long washbasin¡ªnumerous taps situated at regular intervals. A long mirror was affixed onto the wall, spick and clean. There was another door to the very end that led to the toilet, numbering many, separated by thin walls.


    Exhaust fans were attached all across the rooms, providing sufficient ventilation. Heima emptied her bowels, brushed her teeth, and took a comfortable bath; the warm water soothed her nerves despite the weather being hot. She returned to the room with the cupboards, noticing a couple of her classmates there who had just walked in, also spotting some unfamiliar faces. She wore her dress without feeling much embarrassment, gazed at the time, and walked out.


    8:10 AM, Heima arrived at the canteen, frowning at the breakfast, finding the menu not being much to her liking. She hurriedly gulped down the food and returned to her room, noticing Gita rush out from the nearby room, her mother''s shouts reverberating around the corridor.


    Grumbling about her mother not waking her up on time, Gita complained to Heima, leaving after a sentence; she rushed towards the restroom, hoping to freshen up before class resumed. Heima returned to her room to pick up some books, noticing Hancent slumped over the bed, grunting with exhaustion.


    "Dad, you''re back," Heima said, hugging him.


    "Sorry, I was held up with work. My workload increased due to the upcoming Raid." Hancent said, looking at the time displayed in his watch, silently praising Heima for her getting ready on time.


    "Dad, what do you mean by a Raid?" Heima said, craning her head up to look at his face.


    "You''ll learn all about them sooner." Hancent patted her head, urging her to not delay. He then saw Heima packing her school bag, waving her hands at him as she left the room.


    8:25 AM, Heima sat in a spacious auditorium, the very same she had visited the day before. Looking around to spot some familiar faces, Heima noticed everyone seated around her to be unfamiliar to her. She also spotted a small partition made from a material resembling glass, separating 5 rows of seats at the back from where she sat.


    She found Hiltol and Stenna seated behind the partition, their faces scrunched up, a twisted smile on them that sent a shiver down her spine. She retracted her gaze, having no desire to communicate with them as she thought about the words Hancent said a couple of days back.


    ''I can''t remember exactly what happened but all I know is that I was mad for a month.''


    She controlled her body that trembled unconsciously as she noticed a middle-aged lady walk to the dais. She controlled the mike and tapped it twice, producing a high-pitch static that rattled their ears. She stood in silence for two minutes, gazing at her watch.


    8:30 AM, the middle-aged lady waved her hands as all the double doors leading to the auditorium closed, stunning the students. Some of the students who were just a couple of feet from the doors tried to rush inside only to slam on the door, preventing them from entering inside.


    "Today''s first lesson," The middle-aged lady announced, "Tardiness is an act of disobedience and is a punishable offence. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes ma''am!" All the students echoed, slightly nervous due to the atmosphere.


    "Good," She clicked a small remote on her hand as a projector hung above the dais flashed to life, projecting the diagram of a creature on a screen. "Do you know what this is?"


    The auditorium suddenly turned silent, a cold feeling pervaded the air, the expressions of students switching between fear and repulse. On seeing their unresponsive nature, the middle-aged lady flashed a smile, "Correct response, 5 merit points."


    A boy suddenly raised his hands, standing up to speak after getting a nod of approval from the middle-aged lady. He held a mike that was passed to him, "Ma''am, it is a Wisdom Parasite."


    "Do you know why it termed as such?" She said with a smile, nodding with her arms folded, approving his answer.


    Seeing him shake his head, the middle-aged lady made him sit, "5 points for the correct answer, 15 points for having the courage to step forward."


    Seeing the crowd stir, the lady continued, "It is called a Wisdom Parasite because it is not born in nature, but a product of human effort. After decades of research during the Dark Era, it was created by a man named Dr. Sathyam who later died during the chaos. It sparked the survival chances of humanity as leading researches from all over the world tried to develop it."


    "After years of war and struggle, a person appeared to lead humanity," The screen flashed to reveal a man who had an oriental origin. "The dark era ended with his appearance. In respect to him, we have named the following era, i.e. our current era as the Dawn era."


    The words ''Rhachis Ancestor Dawn'' appeared below his figure, glowing with a bright, orange hue that behaved like a flame. Seeing the crowd focus on the image, the middle-aged lady said, "He later founded the Dawn city, located tens of thousands of kilometres to our north-east. It is the strongest city of humanity."


    A hand rose among the crowd, it was the boy who had answered before. Seeing the middle-aged lady focus her gaze on him, the boy slightly tensed up, gathering his courage as he spoke in the mike, "Ma''am, can I know how many cities exist in total?"


    "I was planning to talk about it anyway," The middle-aged lady smiled, "There are six cities in total. It will be mentioned in detail on a later date. You''ll know why only six of them exist and not more."


    She then coughed once, pressing a button on the remote as the image on the screen flashed, displaying a tabular column. There were 7 rows and 3 columns, the titles being: Tier, Rhachis, and Psychic. The six rows below the title were left blank as if she planned to reveal them in order, taking the time to build suspense.


    "Before going in detail about this, let me present you with another question. The correct answer gets 50 points," The middle-aged lady continued, "Why do you think we attach a title to powerful individuals. Even among your daily lives, you must have noticed people mention terms like Shifter or Wave Controller. What do you think of them?"

 Chapter 24：Plotting

    The crowd turned silent, not a single person stood up to answer. The terms mentioned by the middle-aged lady were quite familiar to them, but none of them knew about their meaning. Long ago when they consulted their parents or teachers about it, they were told to wait until they were old enough; no one was willing to divulge the information.


    The middle-aged lady nodded in praise, as if their ignorance was only natural. She would have taken some measures had any student stood up to answer; it meant their parents or an adult in their circles didn''t have a tight lip. That person likely didn''t give importance to the confidentiality of the military, making him/her a potential threat. That person would then fall under the radar of the military and be dealt with accordingly.


    "Okay," The middle-aged lady interrupted the silence, "Let us begin with the basics. What do you understand by the term ''Parasite''?"


    Heima took the opportunity to raise her hand; she was faster than her peers, thanks to Hancent who told her plenty of information the day before. "Ma''am," She took a moment to collect her thoughts, "A parasite is an organism that lives in or on the body of an organism, generally referred to as the host, and gains benefits by absorbing the nutrients of the host. The benefits include the parasite''s growth, reproduction, and protection against its predators."


    Heima paused, using the instant to think her next sentence. "A parasite maintains a symbiotic relationship with its host, only causing slight harm. Since, if the host dies, then it invariably leads to the death of the parasite."


    "A classic textbook explanation," The middle-aged lady nodded in praise as she continued, "But, there are two species of parasites in this world as far as we know that creates a mutualism effect with the host. One, the Wisdom Parasite created by us, while the other is the Frenzy Parasite created by Rhachis Ancestor Frenzy."


    Noticing the bouts of confusion creep on the faces of the students, the middle-aged lady continued, "It''s a title. Rhachis Ancestor Frenzy is not a human. He''s the leader of the Frenzy Beasts, the reason behind the Dark era."


    There was a trace of anger in her voice which she managed to quickly control, "Coming back to the point, the Wisdom Parasite grows by absorbing the nutrients in our body, and nurturing our bodies in return. Because of that, our bodies grow stronger as time passes, but for the Wisdom Parasite, they grow in a step-based manner. Each stage of their growth is similar to moulting; there are six stages in total."


    "We just represent them with Tiers, from one to six. The nurturing effect on our bodies increase based on the stage of its evolution. Hence, we determined different names for each Tier, giving us the means to classify." The middle-aged lady said as the first row appeared on the screen.


    [Tier 1] [Observer] [Line Controller]


    "Your parents might have told you about this, but let me explain it again." The middle-aged lady said with a smile, "The Central Nervous System has two major parts: The Brain, and the Spinal Cord. Your future path depends on where the Wisdom Parasite fuses. If it fuses with your brain, you become an Esper and if it fuses with your spinal cord, you become a Warrior.


    "Warriors have strong bodies, capable of executing superhuman feats like jumping hundreds of metres high, punching through boulders, swimming at the depth of the ocean, etc. Espers, on the other hand have weak bodies, but their brains are tremendously developed. They have acute senses, tremendous brainpower, capable of performing complicated calculations and simulations in their head, and last but not the least, they have Psychic powers. They gain control over a formless force that can move objects, termed Psychokinesis."


    "Depending on the completeness of the fusion, the term Sync Rate is derived. It directly correlates to how high the nurturing effect of the Wisdom Parasite in your body is. It also has an effect on your body in different areas, but I will talk about them in detail in the future."


    She then looked at the students seated at the very back of the auditorium, separated by a barrier, "Tier 1 Warriors are called Observers while Tier 1 Espers are called Line Controllers. Let me give you an example: Suppose¡­" The middle-aged lady looked into the crowd, looking for a volunteer as her sight fell on the boy who answered her first question.


    She made him stand up, "What are you called, Cadet?"


    "Ravis Macht, ma''am." The boy said.


    "I see, so you were the one." The middle-aged lady nodded, speaking into the mike, "Consider our brave Cadet, Ravis. He''s a Tier 1 Warrior. Suppose he had a sync Rate of 100%. Had he completed the nurturing process, oh, the nurturing process is a slow but steady process. You need to accumulate it over time."


    The middle-aged lady blinked once, returning back to the topic, "After his nurturing, his body will be twice as powerful. Suppose his sync rate is 50%, then, he would only be 1.5 times as powerful."


    Noticing their confused looks, the middle-aged lady made Ravis sit as she said, "Suppose Ravis was a Tier 1 Esper with 100% Sync Rate, then he would be able to control a single object at a time. The maximum weight of the object he can move will be 1 kilogram, its maximum speed of movement will be one metre per second, and he could move it within a metre of himself."


    "Now," The middle-aged pointed with a finger, "Suppose his Sync Rate is only 50%, then, he would still be able to control an object. But, he can only lift 500 grams, move it at the maximum speed of 0.5 metres per second, and move it within 50 centimetres from him. The power he can display is half as compared to before. Is it clear to you guys now?"


    "Yes, ma''am!" The students replied. Some students who were still confused inquired with their friends, gaining comprehension through the simple analogy provided by their friends. The middle-aged lady turned silent, allowing the students to discuss and digest the information.


    After 10 minutes had passed, as she noticed the topic of conversation between the students changing to subjects irrelevant to studies, she clicked the button on the remote, making the table on the screen fill up with words.


    [Tier 2] [Amplifier] [Area Controller]


    [Tier 3] [Developer] [Wave Controller]


    [Tier 4] [Shifter] [Ground Controller]


    [Tier 5] [Transformer] [Sky Controller]


    [Tier 6] [Rhachis Ancestor] [Psychic Ancestor]


    "This information is printed in your textbooks, read them later. You will only be having theory classes until the end of this month. Cadets of the March batch have also joined at the same time as you, but they have already acclimated to the changes in their bodies. They will be using the training facilities for now. Your actual training starts from the next month. That will be all for today." The middle-aged watched in silence as the students heaved a sigh of relief and walked out of the auditorium.


    The double doors opened as Heima noticed many students standing outside, the teary-eyed Gita one of them. As soon as she noticed Heima, Gita threw herself at her, sobbing, "I never expected the teacher to close the door at exactly 8:30 AM. I''m going to be scolded by my mother again for missing today''s class."


    "Don''t worry; I''ll fill you on all the details." Heima gazed at her wristwatch, noting the time. "We have an hour free now. Let''s find an open place to discuss."


    ¡­


    10:45 AM, 1st Academy, Class 5A; Jyorta looked at the language teacher teaching verbs. The eyes of the teacher were surrounded by dark circles, her eye bags apparent. She mechanically continued with the class, not caring about the students. She looked distracted, making many mistakes as she taught, having to rub and rewrite the words on the whiteboard numerous times.


    Since the class was boring, to begin with, and the teacher lacking the enthusiasm to teach, Jyorta was long asleep. Connecting to his eyes and ears, the blue soul, Kaushik looked at his surroundings, trying to experiment with his abilities.


    A pale blue tendril extended out of his soul, crawling its way out of Jyorta. The moment it appeared outside his body, it rapidly disintegrated. The blue soul thought in silence, trying to make another attempt.


    ''I can detect the presence of other souls in a range of one metre around myself. But, I am unable to extend my soul outside Jyorta''s body; it directly dissipates, making me feel tired.''


    The blue soul thought, chanting the verse of the Creepy-Haired man, making two tendrils appear. The two tendrils were filled with complex blue patterns, converging his knowledge and life-experience in them. The blue soul carefully extended one of the tendrils out, slowly extending it outside Jyorta''s body.


    Even though it was dissipating, it was at a rate slower as compared to before. Feeling a slight sense of success, the blue soul retracted the tendril, noticing the changes it had experienced.


    ''The only part that had been vaporised is the part of my soul in it. The part belonging to my knowledge and experience, the blue patterns, have experienced zero damage. I should experiment further, knowing the limits I could manipulate them.''


    Suddenly, a small bang resounded from behind him. The student seated behind Jyorta had slammed his head on the table, panting as he heaved ragged breaths. The teacher immediately dropped the marker and rushed towards the student, inspecting him.


    "He has a fever," She muttered before picking up the student, shouting at the students. "I''ll be back in 5 minutes. Revise the verbs I have listed out today. I will conduct a small test when I return."


    The students groaned with displeasure as the teacher carried the ill student with her, walking to the door of the classroom, planning to head to the school infirmary. Jyorta suddenly sat up straight, looking at the teacher.


    "Teacher, let me accompany you. I can contact his mother, I know her very well." Jyorta said. His glazed eyes then regained clarity, a sense of confusion present in them.


    "Okay, come with me, Jyorta." The teacher said. Even though he felt puzzled, Jyorta stood up, having gained some idea after witnessing his classmate in the teacher''s hands, showing a look of worry. He followed after the teacher, looking at the face of his classmate from time to time.


    ''Good, it worked out as I planned.'' The blue soul extended a blue tendril, filled with the blue patterns, extending it into the spine of the teacher.

 Chapter 25：Subsoul

    It was a decision the blue soul had planned impromptu when the teacher passed near Jyorta, coming under its range. The bodies of every adult it had witnessed till date seemed to be protected by a barrier, preventing it from sensing their souls. Now, when the teacher neared it, the blue soul could sense it, the murky soul bigger than itself, present in her.


    It could also sense another foreign soul lodged in her back, almost similar to her soul, with a trace amount of variations, slowly synchronising. Maybe after a month, there would no longer be any difference between the two if it tried to sense them.


    ''Is it that when the two souls look to be the same superficially, a barrier forms around their body, preventing my senses? Or, is there something else?'' The blue soul thought, extending one of its blue tendrils into the teacher''s spine, connecting with the soul that looked like the wisp of a newborn. There was a small shudder across the surface of the wisp, like a calm lake where a boulder had been dropped, producing ripples.


    ''Success, I made a connection with it. Now, I should make use of this opportunity and see if I can take over its soul.'' The blue soul thought, extending the other blue tendril, and attaching it to the wisp. After sensing the two souls in the body of the teacher¡ªone belonging to her that looked bigger than the blue soul, emitting a foul stench and covered with a murky substance, while the other was a tiny transparent wisp¡ªthe blue soul made a decision.


    ''Based on my experience accumulated by trying to take over Jyorta''s soul for a decade, it is practically impossible for me to take over the soul of the teacher. There is a high chance that her soul might devour me. But, it is a different case altogether for the tiny wisp.'' The blue soul thought, silently chanting the verse imparted to it by the Creepy-Haired man. Immediately, an exchange of memories took place between the blue soul and wisp. When it lost some energy, the blue soul replenished its reserves by absorbing them from Jyorta''s.


    It didn''t care if its action of absorbing the energy from Jyorta''s soul would affect him. As long as the foundation of his soul wasn''t damaged, his soul would recover after some rest. After all, his soul was constantly nurtured by the body, replenishing it in case of deficiency.


    The teacher had reached the infirmary by now; as she opened the door, Jyorta looked at her, a puzzled expression etched on his face. "Teacher," He hesitated, "Are you having trouble getting pregnant?"


    "What?!" The teacher growled, shock and anger clouding her face, so much so she almost dropped the boy in her arms. "Who told you that?"


    "I-In the morning; s-someone was talking about it near the staff room." Jyorta became scared as he quickly concocted a lie. He didn''t know how the thought came into his head, but he unconsciously opened his mouth and felt the words flowing out on their own. Lies weaved into sentences whose credibility couldn''t be verified, but creating a feeling of truth.


    "Concentrate on your studies." The teacher said, her gaze turning cold as she pushed open the infirmary door, entering it. She glared at Jyorta, filled with malice. Jyorta got a bit scared, following after her, thinking of ways to placate her anger.


    ''I just gained this information from the wisp and Jyorta has already accessed it. Dammit.'' The blue soul thought, urging the two tendrils to invade faster. Thinking for a second and weighing the pros and cons, the size of the blue soul began to shrink, making the two blue tendrils swell up in size, wrapping around the wisp.


    "Nurse, this boy fainted in class. He seems to have caught a fever; can you inspect him?" The teacher said to the nurse, placing the boy on a nearby berth when her hands froze. There was a confused expression on her face as something within her seemed to have changed, but she couldn''t point it out.


    ''Haha, success!'' The blue soul cheered, pulling out some energy from Jyorta''s soul to recover. It had invaded the wisp and gained full control over it. A large amount of information gushed into it through the two blue tendrils, condensing into blue patterns, filled with new knowledge.


    Subsoul!


    The blue soul felt a permanent connection form with the subsoul, no longer having to connect with a tendril. The small wisp was now another Kaushik!


    The blue soul retracted its two blue tendrils, inspecting the changes surrounding it. Seeing the blue patterns that had appeared in its soul, the blue soul fell into deep thought.


    ''The subsoul is capable of surviving on its own; I don''t need to maintain an active connection with it. It is an independent entity of me, operating based on my thought process. Though, it seems I am unable to share information with the subsoul without forming a connection using the blue tendril. I will have to experiment more in the future. Now, I have to digest all the memories gained from this encounter.''


    The blue soul rested, having zero intention to act further. The alarming rate at which Jyorta kept accessing its memories was like a noose tightening around it. If it progressed conventionally with its invasion, then it would face its doom soon.


    3:30 pm, the trio returned home. The small circus act during the language class was naught but a pastime joke between the three friends.


    "Jyorta, tell the truth." Laila turned her head, revealing a slight smile, "The only reason you followed the language teacher was to waste her time right?"


    "I was planning to do it if you hadn''t stepped up before me." George laughed, slumping his hand over Jyorta''s shoulders. The two stopped speaking when they saw Jyorta''s serious face, seemingly in deep thought.


    "Guys," He lifted his head, gazing into the eyes of his two friends, his expression one of confusion and concern. "Who''s Kaushik?"


    "Umm," George squint his eyes, racking his brains for a good one minute; failing to recall anything of value, he shook his head. "I have no idea who that it."


    "I don''t know who that is either. Is he someone famous?" Laila questioned.


    "I¡­ don''t know," Jyorta shook his head. His head was starting to hurt the more he thought about the name, as if it was something he shouldn''t recall.


    "Maybe, he''s another one of your characters; from that¡­ dragon basket?" Laila said.


    "Dragon Ball," George retorted. "Anyway, I am hungry. Today is the day I am going to beat the two of you in Dungeon Rush. Let''s go, two versus one."


    "It is impossible for you George. Only I can win in a two versus one fight." Jyorta reverted back to his playful demeanour, greeting Laila''s mother as he rushed towards the bathroom to freshen up.


    9:30 PM, under the chiding of Laila''s mother, the children finally dropped their consoles. They brushed their teeth, wore soft pyjamas, and headed for the bed.


    "Are you guys okay with sleeping alone? Or, what say we all sleep together?" Laila''s mother proposed.


    "As long as I don''t have to become Princess Yellow, I am okay with it," Jyorta said, mimicking the princess pose from his memories. Laila''s mother chuckled on hearing his response; she finally couldn''t hold back, pinching his cheeks. She then herded the talkative children to the master bedroom, struggling to prevent them from jumping on the king-sized bed.


    After running around the bed, jumping on it while performing comical poses, using its springiness as a trampoline, and bickering with each other about their sleeping spots, the trio finally settled atop the bed.


    Laila slept to the very right, while her mother slept to her left. To his right was Laila''s mother while George fell asleep to his left, occupying the edge. After playing Dungeon Rush for the entire evening, the three children were tired. They fell asleep in a matter of minutes.


    The moment Jyorta fell asleep, the blue soul immediately connected to his ears and brain, hurriedly trying to digest the memories obtained from the wisp that became its subsoul. The more it digested the memories, the greater its sense of fear and excitement became.


    Fear due to the danger and risk of the Wisdom Parasite, and excitement due to the superhuman powers that resulted from them. After digesting the memories, Kaushik, the blue soul could conclude that the subsoul he gained was the soul of the Wisdom Parasite inhabiting the spine of the language teacher.


    ''Breakthrough, ravings, and loss in control; I could try to make use of them. The language teacher had broken through to become an Amplifier just recently, the only reason why the Wisdom Parasite inhabiting her was weak. Moreover, it had only been alive for a little over 2 years; even in terms of a parasite, it was still only a child, equivalent to a three-year-old human baby.''


    The blue soul thought, coming up with a plan to gain complete control over Jyorta''s body. The subsoul was only an appetiser. Only by gaining full control over Jyorta''s soul would the blue soul be able to do whatever it needed in the future. Moreover, the longer it delayed, the greater the chance that Jyorta would devour it.


    ''What I am planning to do next is really risky. There is a high chance that I might die but, if I don''t do anything, I would lose my ego to Jyorta. Even if it goes against my ethics, I don''t plan on dying a futile death and allow others to profit from my life''s work. My situation doesn''t allow me to maintain my ethics anyway; after all, I too am but a parasite.'' The blue thought in a self-deprecating manner as it went through the details of its plans, making changes according to the memories.


    ''As long as the injury is not to the brain, and the heart, and as long as the host doesn''t instantly die, there is a 100% chance of making a complete recovery. There are mysterious healing powers present in this world, their effects outclassing modern medicine by leaps and bounds.'' The blue soul thought, finally deciding with a plan of action.


    After it was done, the blue soul continued to use Jyorta''s brain to think about Dragon Ball, Naruto, and followed by One Piece until dawn. This was to mask its thoughts and plans under this abundance of filler knowledge. It had gained some understanding about how Jyorta could read the memories in his brain, so it tried to add a layer of useless memories above all important data.


    So, suppose Jyorta thought about the language teacher, the memories jolted in his brain will correspond to her lectures, diverting to Tsunade from the anime Naruto, then to Kakashi, etc. it wouldn''t lead to the memories the blue soul had obtained from the language teacher''s Wisdom Parasite. This was only a stopgap measure. As long as Jyorta kept thinking, he was bound to unravel all the memories related to the plan sooner or later, but Kaushik didn''t plan to delay that long.


    It was a race against time!

 Chapter 26：Administrator

    8th May, three days later; 7th Ring, Sector 12, the Mansion of the Bone Family was bustling with activity. Three men and two women, dressed in long, hooded robes stepped foot in the Bone Family mansion. Old man Bone stood in the front, followed by many elders of the Bone family, nervousness and excitement in their faces.


    "Welcome, esteemed Administrators." Old man Bone motioned for the crowd to part to the side, creating a path that allowed them entry into the mansion. "It is my utmost honour and a lifelong dream to live to witness this day."


    "Enough with the pleasantries; let us begin." A middle-aged man who looked old enough to step into the final phase of his life curtsied. With a wave of his hand, he muted the bustling sounds, creating a disharmonious atmosphere. People were talking among the crowd, but the sounds didn''t appear, seemingly dispersed in their oral cavity, striking a sense of fear into them.


    "Yes, please." Old man Bone took charge, hurriedly dispersing everyone away, including the important members of the family. Before the Administrators, even he didn''t dare to speak, not to mention the others.


    ''Three Transformers and two Sky Controllers; they can destroy the Bone family in a matter of seconds if they wish to do so.'' Cold sweat drenched his clothes as old man Bone lead the team of investigators to the topmost floor. Opening the door to his research room, he beckoned for them to be seated while he fished out a glass bottle from within a safe.


    In order to not disturb them, old man Bone had taken measures, vacating everyone from the topmost floor and the one below. He posted guards everywhere, tightening the security, also placing the Shifters and Ground controllers of their family at key locations.


    The team of investigators sat in a curved sofa, designed in the shape of a crescent moon. The man who had silenced the surroundings before sat in the centre, looking like a statue. He had a rigid face, his sharp jaw giving him the feeling of a reptile while the other aspects of his face gave him a feminine vibe.


    "I never thought we would get such a fast response. We were almost caught off guard, but thankfully, my daughter has finished recovering. On your cue, I can summon her for a demonstration." Old man Bone placed the glass bottle atop the table before them. He stood a couple of feet behind the table, not daring to sit as a show of respect.


    The moment he placed the glass bottle on the table, the eyes of the five Administrators focused on it, inspecting the grey dot floating in the centre. The Administrator sitting in the centre waved his hand, lifting the glass bottle and making it hover in the air before him.


    The air around him changed as mysterious symbols flashed. The symbols formed an eye that entered the grey dot, lighting it up, and drowning out the resplendent hue emitted by the surrounding solution. A minute passed as the eye emerged out from the other side, morphing into a grey coloured neuron, black lightning flashing across its nerve endings.


    ''Deific Inference; the Unranked Skill of the Light family, personally created by Rhachis Ancestor Light.'' Old man Bone exclaimed, marvelling at the sight before his eyes.


    The neuron expanded until becoming as big as his head, its every component being disassembled, allowing its mysteries to come to light. The black lightning flashing across the nerve endings converged into a huge ball. The ball flashed with jet black lustre as if it could swallow all light, splitting into three irregular parts, one huge and two small.


    The huge part elongated into a wriggling worm, having a cylindrical body. The moment it appeared, it immediately jumped towards the man at the centre, intending to burrow into his body. A hand reached out to grasp the wriggling worm, squashing it into dust, and vaporising the remains.


    "Thank you, Antira." The man at the centre said, focusing on the remaining two parts oozing out jet black lightning. One of the parts moved forward, morphing into the shape of a porcupine, its spindle-like needles shooting towards all directions. A middle-aged man waved his hands, making all the needles pause in place as Antira shattered them all. She then proceeded to destroy the porcupine with a smack from her fist.


    Focusing on the final part, the man at the centre concentrated, morphing it into a one-horned rhino. The rhino charged at the man, releasing a gust of air from its nose, its horn releasing a blinding hue. Antira sent a kick to its stomach, dispersing it into smoke.


    The man at the centre focused on the neuron, studying it in detail. After a couple of hours had passed in such a manner, the man at the centre finally retracted his gaze, sighing. "Your Unranked Skill, it has quite the potential. I see you have put a lot into consideration, making it all-rounded."


    "I am unworthy of such praise." Old man Bone bowed, expressing humility. He then noticed the man at the centre beckon for his attention, beginning to speak.


    "Antira, make note." He said, "The Skill requires three anchor points, needing to sacrifice Skills of Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. The base ability is derived from the Frenzy Beast Life Leech, while the supporting ability is derived from Steel Porcupine and the One-Horned Rhino. The three are in perfect sync with each other, creating a synergising effect. The final product has zero side effects."


    He then turned towards old man Bone, "I am Ankrakhen Light, Head Administrator, Aristocracy Governing Board. I find your Skill to be fully functional. It has the ability to grow along with the Warrior, evolving into higher Tiers. I have no issues with declaring your Skill as an Unranked Skill."


    The man in the centre looked towards his right, beckoning for the person to give his opinion. The man who had stopped the spindle-like needles of the porcupine shot a glance at the man in the centre before focusing on old man Bone.


    "I am Wunris Marble, Administrator. I noticed your requirement of three Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts to create a single Unranked Skill. This expense cannot be shouldered by any aristocratic family in the long term, not to mention your Bone family. Do you have any plans to lower the cost, like trying to create the Skill from Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts of the same race?"


    Hearing him mention the term ''Unranked Skill'' when pointing at the Skill he had created, old man Bone realised that he had already obtained the approval of Administrator Wunris Marble. What followed next was a discussion for future research and development.


    Old man Bone thought for a minute, carefully analysing his thoughts before choosing to speak, "In my initial days of research, I used the Tier 3 versions of the Life leech, but its effects were disappointing. Moreover, the end product was incapable of evolving and growing with the Warrior. I am still in an impasse in this aspect."


    "That is normal." Wunris Marble nodded, "Continue with your research. Don''t slack off just because you have perfected the Unranked Skill, you still need to make its production efficient. Continue to upgrade it; who knows, maybe you can derive an entirely different skill from it."


    "I will keep your words in mind." Old man Bone nodded, showing his appreciation. After that, Ankrakhen Light shook hands with old man Bone, congratulating him.


    "The methods of manufacture, experimentation, implantation, and the details of the Unranked Skill, send a copy to us. You can send it at a later date if it''s not available with you at present. Also, send 5 finished products for preservation. You know why we do this right?"


    Old man Bone nodded, showing his understanding. The Unranked Skill would be a property exclusive to the use of the Bone Family. Its usage and distribution fell under the sole discretion of the Bone Family. But, in cases the Bone family waned, probably because of suffering from a Raid or a Wave, leading to their decline, or possibly destruction, then Central Command will begin to use it.


    This was because there was only a limited number of Unranked Skills in their City, only 18 of them excluding the Bone family''s Skill. It was also really difficult to create one, thanks to the exorbitant manpower and funds required to research and develop them. The raw materials for them being high Tiered Frenzy Beasts further added to the costs and risks. This made the data of the Unranked Skill precious.


    Hence, after every evaluation, the Administrators would collect five samples of the skill along with all the necessary data. This would prevent the Unranked Skill from being lost to history unless their entire city gets wiped out.


    "I already have everything prepared. Please give me a second." Old man Bone said as he walked to a cabinet, retrieving four glass bottles and a hardbound book. The cover of the book was seemingly made from a shining material while each of its pages were thin like the wings of a housefly but shone with a hardened lustre.


    When he took out the hardbound book, the eyes of the Administrators widened with shock. A faint suffocating aura spread out from within it, making the legs of the Team of Administrators unconsciously shiver. Seeing their looks, a faint smile crept across the face of old man Bone.


    "Since there is a small chance of information leakage if I stored the data in an electronic device, I inscribed everything in this notebook. Its materials came from the Tier 5 Floating Spider, the child of Rhachis Ancestor Web. I killed it when it was trying to breakthrough to Tier 6, so this book will never be destroyed even after hundreds of years."


    Hearing his description, Ankrakhen Light frowned before his eyes lit up. He flashed a smile as he nodded his head, "So, you were the star of the Flying Throne Raid. No wonder the name ''Jyovic Bone'' felt familiar."


    Holding the hardbound book in his hands, Ankrakhen Light flipped it once, noticing a dense cluster of information written in it, each word looking like a symbol of knowledge. Activating his Unranked Skill, ''Deific Inference'' Ankrakhen Light read through the book in detail, cross-referencing the details based on what he had observed in the grey neuron.


    When he was done, his hands were shivering, affected by the aura permeating through the book. He silently praised Jyovic Bone and placed the hardbound book and the five glass bottles in a prepared suitcase. He carefully sealed it and handed it over to Antira Light, allowing her to safeguard it.


    "Now, we have to inspect its performance on the battlefield before we give an official declaration." Wunris Marble said.

 Chapter 27：Sectors and Rings

    "Please follow me; I''ll summon my daughter right away." Jyovic Bone, the one addressed by the Bone family members as Old man Bone said, pressing a button on a remote concealed in his clothes. The double doors leading to the room opened with a creak as Henrietta appeared.


    Dressed in loose white clothes that only revealed the region above her neck, Henrietta walked in. She wore thin shoes that were seemingly made from cloth while her hands were wrapped in gauge. The trace amounts of her skin that peeked out showed signs of blisters; some popped open while she walked, leaking out faint black pus. Her face was charred black, traces of white shaded under her nose and eyelids, painting a contrasting image.


    There was a slight wobble in her feet while her facial expression was rigid like a doll. Her eyes concealed a maniacal glow that sent a shiver into the hearts of the Administrators. Being the veterans they were, and having faced scarier Frenzy Beasts, they quickly controlled themselves. On seeing her, a thought appeared in their minds, making their expression one of a frown.


    ''Does this Unranked Skill have the quality of affecting the emotions of a person? If yes, then that is a cause for concern. We couldn''t figure it during our investigation.''


    "Henrietta, I told you to be ready. What is up with this appearance?" Jyovic Bone shouted, pointing his finger at Henrietta, a trace amount of his aura leaking out, making the entire skyscraper vibrate, and alarming all the residents.


    "Old bastard," The maniacal gaze in her eyes disappeared, "I was training outside the walls. I rushed back as soon as I obtained a notification. If anyone is to be blamed, it is your ineptitude."


    Henrietta placed her right hand over her forehead, pinching the area next to her hairline. With a tug, the charred skin was peeled off, revealing her wheatish coloured skin. Her skin looked pristine, lacking any blemishes, looking perfectly like a normal human. She also peeled off the skin on her arms, removing the blisters, and revealing her flawless skin beneath. After she was done, Henrietta looked like a normal lady; she bowed towards the Administrators, as respect to their strength and position.


    "Esteemed Administrators, if you are okay with it, let us proceed beyond the walls. I will fully display the abilities of our family''s Unranked Skill, Bone Devour." Henrietta said.


    "Sure, please," Wunris Marble said, waving his hand, motioning for Henrietta to lead them. He then faced Jyovic Bone, "About the name of the Unranked Skill, are you sure with it being Bone Devour? Before it is established in our official records, you can still hope to change it."


    "I would like to keep the name as it is," Jyovic Bone said, his gaze filled with nostalgia. "It started with my grandfather. He and his comrades came together and established the Bone Family. They used their life''s savings to research, encountering numerous failures. This was the name they gave it during the initial days. Even though the skill had deviated from the meaning of the name, I would still like to have it addressed in such a manner, so as to honour our predecessors and our staunch efforts in research and development."


    "I see," Wunris Marble nodded with approval, "A commendable trait."


    The group of five administrators were led by Henrietta and Jyovic as they descended to the underground floor through a private lift, meant for the exclusive use of Jyovic Bone. They reached the underground metro and patiently waited a minute, boarding the metro train that halted at the station.


    The train was mostly crowded, filled with soldiers heading to the outer walls. They donned leather armour that looked tougher than steel plates, having an elasticity that could support wide body frames. Clutching in their hands were various weapons, ranging from spears to knuckles, each glistening with a variety of colours, leaking out a stifling aura.


    The surroundings felt like the depth of an ocean due to the emanating auras, making it difficult to move around, suffocating both the body and the mind. The five Administrators entered a sparsely crowded compartment, standing at a corner. Jyovic Bone followed suit, shielding Henrietta from the aura that struck them like a raging tsunami.


    Most of the soldiers seated in the compartment were either Shifters or Ground Controllers, making it difficult for Henrietta, a newly advanced Shifter to breathe. She stood near Jyovic, using him as an umbrella to resist the storm. The underground train started to move, picking up speed in a matter of seconds as it blazed through the tracks.


    The tunnel was dark for the most part, except for the sparse platforms that were poorly illuminated. The train passed through most platforms without stopping, silently marching like a steel monster, heading towards the outer sections of the city.


    The compartment was silent, except for the occasional jokes made by the veteran soldiers. Their nerves were stretched taut; anticipation, excitement, caution, and fear brimming through them. One of the soldiers turned his head to gaze at Antira, planning to admire the mature lady from the corner of his vision when his superior placed his hand on his shoulder, murmuring something in his ears, also forming a small barrier around them to isolate the sounds.


    The eyes of the soldier widened with shock, rapidly converging into fear. His forehead was filled with sweat while his body began to shiver ever so lightly. If not for the fact that he was a Shifter, he wouldn''t have been able to control his body. Time passed as Henrietta watched the faces of each soldier, not caring for their privacy.


    Soaking in the atmosphere, she felt like she had returned to the battlefield, fighting against the Frenzy Beasts, pitching her life against them, in a race to find who could kill faster. The loser ended up as either the meal or the trophy of the winner, lost in history, with no one to care about them amidst the chaos.


    An hour and a half passed in travel as the underground train finally halted at a massive platform. The platform was wide, with one end lined with buildings that were so tall they touched the ceiling. Before the massive buildings, the behemoth of steel looked like a tiny worm. Alongside the soldiers, the team of Administrators and the two Bone family members alighted.


    They patiently waited in line as tens of lifts, each being spacious enough to accommodate a hundred people at once operated, sending batches of soldiers to the surface with each trip. It was their turn as they boarded a lift, alighting above ground after some time had passed, finding themselves inside a massive hall that could facilitate the movement of ten thousand people at once.


    Jyovic Bone and Wunris Marble walked towards a counter where soldiers dressed in battle garments sat, presenting them a set of documents to state their reason and to record the details in the official register. Anyone who wanted to go outside the walls had to provide a document and go through a series of checks and procedures. These procedures could be skipped if they arrived under military orders but, since it wasn''t so, they could only patiently wait and complete them one by one.


    10th Ring, Sector 12; the team of Administrators and the two Bone family members walked on a footpath alongside a road that was 200 metres wide. It was a road that stretched from one wall to the other, from the outer wall of the 10th Ring to the outer wall of the 9th Ring. They walked for a kilometre in silence¡ªwatching huge trucks carrying soldiers or returning vehicles filled with the carcasses of Frenzy Beasts¡ªbefore standing in front of a huge arch.


    The arch was 200 metres wide and 100 metres tall. The gates were made from monster bones, each being as thick as a human, looking robust while emitting an aura that could crush a normal person. The gates were opened inwards, allowing passage of traffic outside the walls. Beyond the gates was another wall, situated 200 metres away, and spanning 200 metres wide.


    It was shaped in the structure of an inverted ''U'', with its two ends joining with the outer walls of the 10th Ring. There were two similarly shaped arches build into the sides of the inverted ''U'' wall, allowing the actual passage into the wild. This was installed as a stopgap measure to protect the gates that lead into the 10th Ring. The team walked out of the arch on the right, stepping foot into the wilds. From here out, it was the territory of the frenzy Beasts.


    ¡­


    Students numbering in the hundreds sat within an auditorium, watching the middle-aged lady who stood on the dais in silence, scrutinising her watch.


    3:00 PM, the middle-aged lady waved her hands, abruptly closing all the 6 entrances leading into the auditorium shut. She looked at the students seated before her, performing a headcount. Tallying the total, she nodded in approval.


    "Good, all 846 Cadets from April Batch are present." After getting used to her character during the past three days, all the students arrived on time. They knew that except for advocating a punctual behaviour, the middle-aged was quite kind in all the other aspects. She readily encouraged the students to step forward and take charge of many matters.


    "Today, we will be focusing on the layout of our city. Sectors and Rings, why do you think our city is divided into such?" She paused, looking for volunteers to answer. She immediately spotted Ravis Macht to be the first one to raise his hands.


    "Ma''am," Ravis held the mike, speaking in a confident tone, "Each Ring is our gradual encroachment into the territory of the Frenzy Beasts. Once we have cleared an area, we would immediately begin the process of building a wall. But, building a wall successfully around our wide city is an impossible endeavour under the attacks of the Frenzy Beasts. They wouldn''t give us the opportunity to do so."


    On seeing that the middle-aged lady hadn''t refuted his statement, Ravis regained a bit more confidence as he continued, "Hence, we build the walls around an area first. The circular walls are divided into even, enclosed segments which are later labelled as Sectors, with their numbers ranging from 1 to 12."


    "Good," The middle-aged lady made him sit, awarding him some merit points as a reward. "The basic structure of our city when viewed from the top will look like a series of concentric circles. The radius of the innermost circle, the one we call as Circle Zero, Central Command, etc is about 10 kilometres. The outer radius of the 1st Ring is 20 kilometres, the 2nd Ring being 30 kilometres, and so on."


    Pausing for a second to catch her breath, the middle-aged lady made an image appear on the screen behind her, forming a layout of the entire city. "The 10th Ring, the outermost Ring that has yet to be completed has a radius of 110 kilometres. It has 6 Sectors completed as of date, all falling under the control of the military. Until we develop the 11th Ring, the 10th Ring will not be available for civilian settlement."

 Chapter 28：Bone Devour

    "The format for the naming of the sectors follows the same system as a clock. Sector 12 is positioned in the north while Sector 6 will be in the south. Sectors 3 and 9 will be at the east and the west respectively. We also level the terrain before creating a settlement. The only exception is the mountain, Nilgiri standing in Circle Zero." The middle-aged lady said.


    She then pointed at the screen, highlighting the 10th Ring. "In the 10th Ring, Sectors 1, 4, 7, 8, 11, and 12 are completed, occupied by the military. They are filled with factories that manufacture weapons, hospitals for the wounded soldiers and warehouse to store all the terrifying defensive weapons. The supplies there are full of the carcasses of Frenzy Beasts that are dismantled to make weapons, used for research, etc. It is a chaotic place that maintains strict order to everything."


    The middle-aged lady made the screen zoom beyond the walls, showcasing a desolate plain, "We name each habitat in the Wilds according to the dominant species of Frenzy Beasts living there. The areas surrounding the walls are generally named Wild Zone corresponding to the Sector it lies outside of. For example, the area outside the walls near Sector 1 is named Wild Zone 1. The military follows the rule of simplicity in their designations."


    "Coming back to the layout of the city, we shall begin from Ring 1." The middle-aged lady continued with her lessons, making the students pay attention to her. They were ready to answer the questions she raised from time to time, in hopes of gaining free merit points.


    ¡­


    Wild Zone 12, the team of Administrators walked in the behind while Henrietta and Jyovic walked at the front. They casually strode through the battlefield as if it was a park, except Henrietta. She had to stay vigilant of her surroundings and pay heed to any danger that might crop up.


    Jyovic Bone watched the surroundings, relishing in his nostalgia. It had been decades since his retirement. He hadn''t stepped out of the city ever since. Even the times he had to fight was done from within the wall during the Waves.


    Their city followed two protocols in their nomenclature. The war organised by the humans against the Frenzy Beasts of a particular habitat was termed a ''Raid'' while the ones organised by the Frenzy Beasts against their city was termed ''Wave''.


    In normal times, many unintelligent beasts would approach the vicinity of their city due to the allure presented as baits by the military. They would then be finished off to be used as materials for research and development.


    The period the team of Administrators and the two Bone family members decided to head to the Wild Zone 12 was one of the calmer times. There were not many Frenzy Beasts in their sight, just ranging within a couple thousand, mostly consisting of Tier 1 and Tier 2 beasts, with the occasional sighting of a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast.


    To the fortified city, this was a free meal delivered to them. They didn''t even need to bat an eye at them, calmly planning to finish them off. Hundred Warriors donned in full-body leather armour strode out, clutching spears in their hands. They marched uniformly towards the horde of Frenzy Beasts, ploughing through them like a meat grinder.


    The hits and stabs from each of their spears sent the Frenzy Beasts to their deaths, finished off in a single blow. Without any sounds, showing zero excess movements, the Warriors faced the beasts, killing them without trouble. Suddenly, a worm drilled out of the ground, from under the feet of the Warriors.


    Spanning 20 metres long and having a diameter of 1 metre, the worm opened its mouth, revealing five rows of teeth embedded within its mouth in a circular pattern. It bit into a Warrior, clamping its mouth shut, splashing blood into the surroundings.


    There was a stir among the soldiers; the one who seemed to be the leader of the group bellowed, "It''s a Tier 4 Ring Worm. Retreat!"


    The Warriors immediately dispersed like sand that was thrown into the air, running away in various directions. After running a distance away, they rerouted towards the walls, pressing a button that sent out a distress signal back to the base.


    After swallowing the first Warrior, the Ring Worm noticed its prey running away. It immediately burrowed into the soil, leaving the scene. The surroundings fell silent, making the Warriors suspect the arrival of the Ring Worm if not for the death of their comrade.


    Wunris Marble placed his hand on the ground, eyes closed as he looked to be sensing for something. After a couple of seconds, he stood up and said with a slight scoff, "Aren''t these worms tired of using the same trick? They had just used this method last week."


    "How many of them are there?" Jyovic inquired. As a Transformer, although he had a powerful body, he didn''t retain any of his Skills, having swallowed a Cleansement Fruit. This made it difficult for him to sense anything hidden from his vision.


    "There are around a hundred Ring Worms buried into the ground, heading towards the walls, all Tier 4. Since their numbers are small, this cannot be qualified as a wave." Wunris Marble pointed at Henrietta, "This is a good opportunity. Showcase the might of Bone Devour on them."


    Henrietta nodded, "Sir, if I may make a request. Can you point me to the position of a Ring Worm?"


    "Sure," Wunris Marble nodded as he pointed towards his feet, "There is one hiding 20 metres beneath us. It is probably trying to get a scope of our strength before taking action."


    "Thank you," Henrietta performed a curt bow, kneeling on the ground as she placed her hands on it. Followed by crunching sounds, the muscles in her arms wriggled like a cluster of fishes in a scramble of food. Starting from her shoulder muscles, the muscles parted, revealing her shoulder bone from beneath.


    A faint orange hue permeated through the bones as something seemed to be developing in her arms. The team of Administrators watched with rapt attention as something seemed to have shot into the ground through Henrietta''s palms. Immediately, the ground beneath them rumbled as some areas caved in. A Ring Worm drilled out, letting out a shriek.


    Lodged in the middle were two long spears, white in shade, and shinning with a pale orange hue. They had the indentations along its shaft, resembling a human''s arm while the portion that pierced into its flesh looked similar to her hands, held straight to act as a spear.


    The Ring Worm struggled in pain as something seemed to escape into the air through the two bone spears, weakening it. It lunged towards Henrietta, spotting her to be the culprit that had attacked it. The moment it neared her, the Ring Worm immediately turned its head downwards, entering the ground, it used its frightening speeds to burrow into the hardened soil.


    Henrietta rushed forward, her hands clenched into a fist as she jumped into the air. The muscles in her arm wriggled, tearing open as the bones underneath revealed themselves. The bone of her forefinger detached itself from her hand, wrapped in a pale orange hue, shooting towards the Ring Worm burrowing into the ground.


    It immediately elongated, forming a metre long bone spear, lodging into the tail of the Ring Worm, a bare centimetre of it peaking out. Through it, some type of energy leaked into the air. The forefinger bone she had snapped out had regrown, allowing her to pull it again. This time, she pulled everything from above her right wrist, turning it into a long spear, 2 metres long that she held in her left.


    The severed part regrew, wrapped in a pale orange hue. There was a small trace of sweat on her forehead as the muscles on her arms wriggled to reform, looking like the hands of a normal person. Henrietta closed her eyes as the muscles on her toes squirmed, scraping away as the bones beneath deformed, shooting into the ground in thin lines.


    The ground near her parted open as the Ring Worm emerged, opening its mouth and clamping on Henrietta. Stabbing her long spear into the mouth of the Ring Worm, Henrietta was lifted off from the ground, sent reeling away as the Ring Worm twisted its top half. Clamming its mouth shut, the Ring Worm broke the long spear lodged into its mouth into numerous pieces.


    The broken splinters lodged themselves in various places within its mouth, leaking something into the air. Feeling a sense of danger, the Ring Worm rushed towards Henrietta, the wounds on its body healing at a rapid pace. Using its head as a whip, it swatted Henrietta, sending her reeling tens of metres to the air, performing a long arc that roused a dust cloud.


    Feeling the bones in her limbs broken from the impact, Henrietta struggled to get up, hurriedly activating her Unranked Skill. The bones in her limbs dissolved like liquid, arranging themselves in the appropriate places, reforming her skeletal frame. Feeling perfectly fine, Henrietta stood up, aiming her hand towards the approaching Ring Worm.


    The skin on her hands peeled out, revealing the bones. All ten of her fingers shone with a pale orange hue, shooting towards the Ring Worm, each elongating into a metre long spear mid-air. The Ring Worm swerved its head, dodging most of the spears. Four of the ten spears pierced into various places across its body.


    Suddenly, the body of the Ring Worm turned sluggish. Henrietta used this change to close in on her foe, jumping on its tail. Immediately, the skin and muscles over her legs parted as the two leg bones pierced into its body, morphing its shape as it spread all across the worm''s body in a zig-zag manner like the branches of a tree foliage.


    The Ring Worm screamed in pain as its body turned limp while Henrietta seemed to gain a boost in power. The muscles on her body rearranged themselves back as Henrietta lifted her right leg. The bone of her right leg that had pierced into the Ring Worm''s body revealed itself, having a black lustre, showing signs of corrosions.


    Henrietta severed the black part, making the remainder of her leg morph into liquid form, regrowing into a complete whole. The muscles, nerves, and skin converged over it. Henrietta repeated the same process for her left leg, gazing at the other spears she had lodged into its body.


    Most of the initially white bone spears were now a shade of black, showing signs of melting at the corners. Seeing the Ring Worm on the verge of death, its musculature body having sagged as if on old age, Henrietta morphed her index finger into a long bone spear, piercing it into the head of the worm.


    Her eyes lit up in satisfaction as Henrietta seemed stronger than before while the Ring Worm looked a husk of its former self. The scene of battle made Wunris Marble applaud while Ankrakhen Light nodded in approval.

 Chapter 29：Foresight, Courage, and Ambition

    "That was a splendid battle. Even though you are a newly advanced Shifter, possessing only the strength of a Tier 3 Developer, you managed to take down that Tier 4 Frenzy Beast. I am seeing the uses of your family''s Unranked Skill. It raises one''s survival rate." Wunris Marble said; a formless force spread out from him as the centre, gushing into the body of the dead Ring Worm, lifting its massive body.


    Wunris Marble made it float towards him, inspecting its carcass, prying it open for all the Administrators to see. Before checking anything else, he pried its heart open, fishing out a tiny orange crystal from within. Inspecting it for a couple of seconds, he gave his verdict.


    "The energy stored within this Heart Crystal seems to have been forcefully absorbed, damaging all the nerves in the Ring Worm''s body, leading to them bursting from the excessive stress."


    Mysterious symbols flashed to life around Ankrakhen Light, burrowing into the flesh of the worm, in places where the melting bone spikes were lodged. They flashed around the bone spikes, before drifting towards Henrietta, finally dissipating after some time.


    Ankrakhen Light nodded, seemingly in thought as he gazed at Henrietta, "There doesn''t seem to be any corruption in Henrietta''s body. The bone spikes seem to come with a filtering effect, filtering out all the corruption in the worm''s body and absorbing only the pure energy."


    Jyovic Bone looked at Ankrakhen Light, a trace amount of sweat on his forehead, ''It has just been a minute and he has already gleaned so much information into the inner workings of Bone Devour; as expected of the Unranked Skill created by Rhachis Ancestor Light.''


    Jyovic Bone kept silent, allowing for the Administrators to discuss. Ankrakhen Light broke out of his thoughts, looking at Henrietta who seemed a tad younger, having a slight rosiness to her cheeks. "Has the energy you absorbed from the Ring Worm assimilated into your Heart Crystal?"


    "Yes, sir; it has perfectly fused into mine. Please inspect it." Henrietta showed her back to him, allowing him to place his hand on the region where her heart existed. Mysterious symbols flashed to life as they seeped into her skin, emerging out on the other side, forming the shape of a heart.


    Through his action, the heart split into two halves, revealing a tiny orange crystal lodged within the walls, a little below the Aortic Valve. It seemed to have suddenly gained some mass, constricting the surrounding cardiac muscles.


    "Do you feel any pain with the sudden increase in its size?" Ankrakhen Light questioned, using his Unranked Skill to determine that the energy she absorbed had perfectly fused into her Heart Crystal.


    "I feel a slight suffocating feeling in my chest but it''s only temporary, nothing to worry about. My cardiac muscles will adapt to the changes soon." Henrietta said. She picked up the small orange crystal that Wunris Marble had fished out from the heart of the Ring Worm, holding it in her left hand.


    She raised her right hand, making the skin and muscles over it part away, revealing her bones that shone with a pale orange lustre. She extended her indeed finger bone, making it touch the small orange crystal. In a matter of seconds, the small orange crystal disappeared, seemingly dissolved before being absorbed into her index finger bone.


    From the tip of the bone, traces of black emerged, corroding the bone, making it melt while releasing a foul odour. It extended all the way till the end of her index finger, stopping. After observing for a moment, Henrietta broke the bone away, carefully holding the edge where it was white, not daring to touch the corroding region.


    She allowed Ankrakhen Light to observe it as it hovered in the air before his face; mysterious symbols flashed to life, entering it one after the other. As one hand of his still rested on Henrietta''s back, Ankrakhen Light observed, finally concluding, "There seems to be no problem. All the side-effects have been eliminated while the strengths are complementary to one another. At Tier 4, Shifter level, there are no problems."


    "Next," Ankrakhen Light gazed at Jyovic Bone, intending for him to continue. Seeing his gaze, Jyovic felt a tinge of surprise, nodding as if he had expected such an outcome beforehand. He looked at Wunris Marble, "Sir, if you may."


    "Sure," Wunris Marble nodded, placing his hand on the ground, emitting dense fluctuations of power. In the meantime, Jyovic Bone raised his hand, revealing his aura towards the soldiers who had rushed out of the walls. Each of them were Warriors at Tier 4, Shifters that were stronger than Henrietta, numbering in the dozens. There were also three Ground Controllers flying above them, looking ready to mince their foes.


    Seeing Jyovic Bone''s signal, and feeling his aura, the soldiers were visibly surprised. One of the Ground Controllers nodded at the others, telling them to contact their higher-ups while he flew towards them. They had been separated by a distance of more than a kilometre but the Ground Controller appeared before them within a couple of seconds, producing a vapour cone in the air along his wake.


    "I am Ankrakhen Light, Head Administrator, Aristocracy Governing Board. We plan to use the Ring Worms for our testing purposes." Ankrakhen Light waved his hand, motioning for Wunris Marble to continue with his actions.


    The man placed a hand over his ears, hearing the radio transmission as he performed a slight bow, "Sir, the higher-ups have given the green signal. I will take my leave now." Saying his piece, the Ground Controller flew back, controlling his speed to be within limits of the speed of sound.


    The ground parted, revealing a dense cluster of Ring Worms that presented a nauseating sight, but none of the people present frowned at such a sight, seemingly used to them on a regular basis. The Ring Worms were alarmed when the sunlight fell on them, confusing them for an instant.


    Antira Light and the other two Administrators jumped into the hole, heading towards the Ring Worms, creating sonic booms that rattled the parted ground. Before they could react, Antira reached towards a Ring Worm, the one that was 10 times bigger than her. Wrapping her hands around its body, Antira moved her hands, throwing the Ring Worm to the air with little effort.


    When it flew above ground, Wunris Marble waved his hands, showing slight signs of strain as he threw the Ring Worm near Jyovic Bone. Within a second, at least 7 other Ring Worms flew to the air; Wunris Marble was about to move them, but he retracted his hands when he saw Jyovic Bone taking action.


    "Watch carefully, Henrietta. You can also use Bone Devour in such a manner." Saying so, his body flashed, appearing above the head of the Ring Worm. With a slight stomp, he shattered its head, standing above its body. The muscled on his toes wriggled as the Ring Worm deflated like a balloon.


    Simultaneously, Jyovic Bone raised his hands, making the flesh and blood seem into his bones, making them grow in size, forming an armour of bone that covered his hands. Without any change to his fingers, small fragments flew, penetrating the bodies of the Ring Worms that were in the air.


    There was a slight tremor on their bodies as thin needles appeared all across their bodies, emerging out as they grew, forming a bone armour that covered their entire body. As if they were statues, there were no signs of movement from them as Jyovic Bone sent a cue to Wunris Marble.


    Sighing, Wunris Marble waved his hands, making the Ring Worms covered in bone armour to fall before Ankrakhen Light. Even after falling to the ground, they showed no signs of movement, looking rigid like statues.


    "Using the energy stored in their Heart Crystals, the bone fragments I inserted into their bodies grow rapidly, forming numerous spikes that grow out of its skeletal frame, locking its body from both the outside and the inside. If you know the skeletal structure of the Frenzy Beast you are targeting, it would be even easier. Just form overgrowths on their joints; you can restrict their movements easily." Jyovic Bone explained, though it looked like his explanation was directed at Henrietta.


    "As a Shifter, that maximum I can do is change their structures a little. It also takes time for the change to take effect. Only Transformers can effectively make use of this tactic." Henrietta retorted, pausing as she looked at Jyovic bone, following his gaze that fell on the Ring Worm he stood upon. Henrietta suddenly understood what he had implied with his previous action.


    Suppose she needed to attack but lacked the energy to do so, she could just borrow the energy from the muscle mass of a dead Frenzy Beast, using it to shoot bone spikes like a machine gun. This way, she could jump from one dead body to another, actively killing her foes without expending her energy. If she lacked energy, she could just absorb them from a dead body.


    Moreover, the regeneration effect and the ability to filter the corrosion from the energy stored in the Frenzy Beasts practically guaranteed her survival unless she faced a foe that could kill her in one hit.


    ''I see, so this is the true power of the Unranked Skill, Bone Devour. Father has pondered through a lot while creating this Unranked Skill.'' Henrietta unconsciously attached a respectful form of address to Jyovic Bone. She then noticed Wunris Marble signalling for the soldiers to take care of the rest of the Ring Worms.


    "It''s done," Ankrakhen Light shook hands with Jyovic Bone, "All the data we need has been acquired. We''ll send them to Ancestor Light; once he approves it, your family will get official Aristocratic status."


    "Thank you," Jyovic Bone said, a rare smile appeared on his face. Henrietta too followed suit, performing a curt bow.


    Wunris Marble said, after some thought, his expression one of confusion, "I remember you possessing an unfinished version of Bone Devour during the Flying Throne Raid. But, you now possess the perfected Unranked Skill. How is that possible?"


    "This is another aspect I incorporated into the Unranked Skill. When implanted, the superior version will devour and replace the inferior version. Therefore, if we manage to strengthen the Unranked Skill, all the family members would be able to upgrade themselves with it. Even as we speak, the family members who had used the previous faulty versions are now being implanted with the perfected version." Jyovic Bone said.


    "Foresight, Courage, and Ambition; I must say, you are one interesting fellow." Wunris Marble said. Ankrakhen Light then led everyone back to the city walls, entering after a round of inspection. It was night by the time Henrietta and Jyovic Bone reached the Bone family mansion.

 Chapter 30：Regaining Youth

    7:30 PM, mansion of the Bone family, Henrietta Bone stood inside a dark room. One side of the room lacked a wall, replaced by glass windows that outlined another skyscraper. A certain house on the 28th floor of the building lacked any light, the destination of Henrietta''s gaze. After a knock on the door, Hubert walked into the room, holding a document.


    "I have obtained approval for you to visit Heima. You can accompany her for a week." Hubert said, handing over the document. On it was a short paragraph, the seal of the military academy affixed at the bottom.


    Reading the paper, Henrietta smiled. "How are your preparations coming along? When are you scheduled for your Unranked Skill implantation?"


    Hubert flashed a smile, "It is tomorrow, first thing in the morning. I have already starved myself for the past few days. I am also exercising nonstop to exhaust my body. This will raise the success rate of the implantation."


    "That''s good. Prepare well, and don''t mess up." Henrietta said, nearing Hubert, whispering into his ears, "Father is changing, for the better. After finishing our family''s Unranked Skill, he is focusing on the overall improvement of our strength. We have to make use of this chance to gain more benefits for ourselves."


    ''I know," Hubert nodded in all seriousness, "I won''t miss this opportunity and give a chance for our cousins. Don''t worry, sister, I won''t be hasty and do something detrimental for the overall growth of our family."


    "Focus on getting the Skill first. We''ll plan later when I return after a week. Father hasn''t become senile; he has just changed a little, so, we must be careful, as usual." Henrietta exited the room, taking a lift to descend, reaching the 50th floor where the metro passed through their building.


    Carrying a small suitcase filled with clothes and having changed into a set of expensive clothing, Henrietta passed through a couple of checks, boarding a metro train. As she sat on an empty seat next to a window, she noticed many gazes falling on her. Only when she noticed her reflection on the window did she realise the reason as to why.


    Large eyes with a black iris, eyelids with long eyelashes, and eyebrows that resembled the rippling sea waves; she had a long, sharp nose that had a small downward curve at the tip, matching her cherry lips, accentuating her sharp jaw. Just her facial features alone were beautiful enough to mesmerise the onlookers while her long, black hair that was tied into a bun gave her a mature charm.


    After absorbing plenty of energy from the Tier 4 Frenzy Beast, Ring Worm, Henrietta had made a full recovery, giving her body plenty of nutrition. With her stature taller than an average man, her body proportions¡ªslightly wider hips with breasts blessed in plumpness¡ªmade her look beautiful. Moreover, after becoming a shifter, she had grown to look more than a decade younger. At present, she looked like someone in her early twenties.


    ''I wonder how shocked Heima will be when she sees me. People might assume the two of us as sisters.'' As she relished in her playful thoughts, a teenager sat next to her, a slight trace of redness on his face. He calmly opened a book and read it, looking as if he was concentrating but, all his attention was on the woman seated next to him.


    It took a lot of guts for him to sit here; even if he wanted to strike a conversation, he felt his brain lacking in its ability to process thoughts. Henrietta saw the book in his hands, a slight sense of curiosity in her mind. After obtaining an Unranked Skill, she felt a lot at ease. Getting some familiarity with the Unranked Skill, her confidence in surviving the upcoming Flying Signature Raid further increased.


    ''Instructions for City Defence: Catapults, Cleavers, and Grubbers¡­this, why is this kid reading this document in public?'' Henrietta immediately slammed the book shut, shocking the teenager. Just when he looked to be in fluster, not knowing what to say, he heard Henrietta speak.


    "Boy, how old are you?"


    "Ma''am, I will turn nineteen next month." The teenager replied in confusion, partly happy to have started a conversation with Henrietta.


    "Have you been drafted for the Border Defence corps?" Henrietta inquired, thinking back to the hundred Warriors who ploughed through the Frenzy Beasts until they lost a soldier to the Ring Worm. They were usually composed of Tier 2 Amplifiers, lead by a Tier 3 Developer.


    Seeing him nod, Henrietta felt the urge to give him a slap of reality; controlling her urges, she took a deep breath to calm herself, "That book contains confidential secrets that couldn''t be known to the general public."


    "But, I am just a Tier 2 Amplifier. Information accessible to Warriors like me should be known to practically everyone right?" The teenager retorted, not being able to understand her reasoning.


    Henrietta pointed to a boy a couple of seats away from them. The boy looked to be 11-12 years old; he was busy playing a game, occasionally lifting his head to look for anything of interest in his surroundings. "It might be common knowledge for adults, but it is forbidden to reveal this knowledge to children under 16 years old."


    Seeing the teenager''s eyes widen in realisation, Henrietta continued, "Moreover, this tactic is typically used by the superiors to test your trustworthiness. If you can''t even prevent such knowledge from leaking out, then they would never trust you with classified secrets."


    "Ma''am, what you said makes sense, but how will my higher-ups know about this? There are no cameras inside the train, so I can''t understand your reasoning." The teenager said, clearly looking like a fellow that liked to argue.


    "See that uncle 3 seats away?" The teenager followed his finger, gazing at a man who smiled at him in return. "He could be your superior."


    "See that aunty sitting at the last row?" The teenager noticed the aunty mentioned by Henrietta looking at him, sporting a calm gaze filled with boredom. "She could very well be your superior."


    "Or," Henrietta pointed at herself, "I could also be your superior."


    On seeing her flash a smile that almost dazed him, the boy hurriedly broke out of his daze, his back was drenched with cold sweat. "S-Sister, are y-you?"


    "Who knows?" Henrietta flashed a smile, looking like a maiden of mysteries. Seeing that the train had arrived at her stop, she got off¡ªcarrying her luggage.


    Before he could process the entirety of the events that had occurred in the past couple of minutes, a hand slumped over his shoulders as a youth, looking like he had just entered his twenties took the vacant seat, whispering, "Man, I saw you talking with that beautiful Shifter lady. Introduce me to her the next time you meet."


    "S-Shifter?" The teenager blurted out in shock, unconsciously raising the volume of his voice. A second later, he apologised to the passengers who glared at him, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. He then lowered his voice, speaking to his friend who was a bit more than a year older.


    "Wait, what do you mean by that beautiful lady being a shifter? She doesn''t look older than you." The teenager said.


    "Well, we encountered some Frenzy Beasts in Wild Zone 12 today, just regular cleanup. Suddenly, a Tier 4 Ring Worm ambushed us and I witnessed her taking down that worm in a couple of minutes, barely sustaining any injuries. After the battle, she looked like she had just strolled through a park, her injuries having completely healed. Moreover, she was accompanied by even more terrifying people that juggled with those Ring Worms. If she isn''t a Shifter, then I don''t know what else you can say about her." The youth said.


    "Anyway, when the chance arises, introduce me to her. Maybe I can make her fall head over heels using my overflowing charm." The youth continued, flexing his muscles. The teenager let out a wry laugh, not forgetting to hide the book he had been reading away from prying eyes.


    ¡­


    Sector 1, Military Academy Training Centre; Henrietta arrived at a hall, presenting her documents and inquiring about the details of Heima''s dorm. She had barely taken a step when Hancent jumped into her embrace. She was taller and stronger than Hancent, acting like the bigger spoon as she enveloped him in a bear hug, silently shedding a tear.


    "You feel stronger than before and look¡­beautifuller!" Hancent said, coughing to avoid the awkwardness as many third-party gazes fell on them.


    "There is no such word as beautifuller." Henrietta chuckled, planting a kiss on his cheek, disregarding the others.


    "Heima will be returning in a minute. Give her a good surprise. If not for their rule stating that only one parent can accompany the ward, I too would have joined. Anyway, I am in charge of the armours for the Flying Signature Raid, so I am rushed for work. Since you are back, I will try to finish my pending work." Hancent said, placing the key to Heima''s dorm in her hands.


    After another hug, Hancent left the scene, hurrying towards his work. Henrietta watched in silence until his back disappeared from her view, the luggage in her hands feeling a bit heavier. She heaved a deep breath, proceeding towards Indigo Building, Rhachis Block.


    Everywhere she went, heads turned as the students stopped to admire her, thinking about her identity. After some days, even though they didn''t know the names of all accompanying parents, they were definitely familiar with the faces. They could tell when an unfamiliar face arrived, and Henrietta was quite eye-catching with her tall stature and stunning appearance.


    She ignored their gazes, liked a peacock, used to them by now. Her previous rotund figure was temporarily gained in preparations for her breakthrough, so she had always experienced such gazes. Stepping on the first floor of the indigo building, Henrietta unlocked the door to room 7, closing the door behind her.


    She placed her bag on a nearby table, fishing out a book as she sat on the bed, flipping through it. After a minute passed¡ªthe sounds of the pages flipping being the only sound present in the room¡ªrapid footsteps approached the door, slamming it open as an excited Heima entered.


    "Mom! I heard you returned," Heima shouted in joy, only stopping to pause as she gazed at the familiar woman before her who looked younger than she should be.


    "Welcome back, Heima" Henrietta closed her book, flashing a smile as she hugged Heima, enveloping her in a bear hug.

 Chapter 31：Conversation Between Mother and Daughter

    "Mom, you are suffocating me." Heima tapped her hand on Henrietta''s back, trying to extricate herself from the hug. Henrietta didn''t relent, slightly loosening her hold, remaining in a hug.


    "I was really scared when you were undergoing your Induction Ceremony. The survival rate for it is after all, abysmal." Henrietta spoke, her voice a small whisper. She felt Heima''s figure, etching it in her memories. It was unknown when she would be able to return from the Raid, so she wanted to spend quality time with her daughter.


    "Well, Dad said my Sync Rate is quite high. So, I never faced much danger during the Induction Ceremony in the first place." Heima said, finally getting the chance to break free from her hold.


    "If your Sync Rate is below 50%, then your body initiates a rejection, trying to eliminate the Wisdom Parasite in your body. The Wisdom Parasite will retaliate, trying to take over your body. This would lead to death or a loss of control as your ego gets erased, replaced by the ego of the Wisdom Parasite." Henrietta said, giving a light knock on Heima''s forehead.


    "But, my Sync Rate is very high. So, I would probably never experience¡­" Heima was interrupted as Henrietta''s expression turned sour. She let out a self-deprecating laugh, motioning for Heima to sit.


    "Well, there are two cases where your Sync Rate can decrease," Henrietta sat beside Heima, placing the book she read before on her lap. "The first is when you breakthrough; you would fight against the Wisdom Parasite in your body for control, all while elevating its level. The higher your Tier, the greater the decrease in your Sync Rate; have you studied about the process one experiences during a breakthrough?"


    "I haven''t; Madam Rizenne said she would talk about it next month when our practical lessons begin," Heima said, lifting the luggage on the table and putting it in the shelf overhead. Her actions obtained a slight nod of approval from Henrietta, a sign that she was learning to take care of herself.


    "Well, I''ll leave it to her to explain. It is a complicated concept and she should have enough material to facilitate the explanation." Henrietta shrugged. It would be a long time before Heima could attempt a breakthrough, so she wasn''t worried. "The second is when you get injured. You know that the body of the Wisdom Parasite has fused with our Central Nervous System, right?"


    Seeing Heima nod, Henrietta continued, "Suppose you sustain an injury that damaged a part of your Central Nervous System, it would directly decrease your Sync Rate. Even though our healing methods are capable of regrowing the nervous system, the fusion between the Wisdom Parasite and our nervous system cannot be recovered."


    "But, don''t we have the Frenzy Fruits. Father mentioned that eating a Frenzy Fruit can increase the fusion between the Wisdom Parasite and our Central Nervous System." Heima tilted her head, confusion plastered across her face.


    Henrietta said with a chuckle, "That is true, but Frenzy Fruits are a scarce resource. The production cannot keep up with the demand. You should know, thousands of soldiers get injured on a daily basis, making their Sync Rate approach critical levels. Moreover, each Frenzy Fruit can only increase the Sync Rate by a small fraction depending on its Tier."


    "But, mother, have a look at this list," Heima said, fishing out the pamphlet containing the treasures that could be exchanged for by merit points. "There are many Frenzy Fruits here, from Tier 1 to Tier 5."


    Henrietta gazed at the list, curious about how the rewards had changed since her time. The rewards usually consisted of some Artifacts and Frenzy fruits; they were desirable products, but from the perspective of the students who hadn''t faced the reality of the Wilds, they wouldn''t be excited by them.


    Seeing the top of the list, at the two rows printed in golden, Henrietta almost dropped the pamphlet in shock. She rubbed her eyes, wondering if she had misread it, taking another glance, feeling her jaw opened wide. Looking further into the list, her hands were trembling in excitement.


    Jumping from her bed in excitement, she held Heima''s hands, exclaiming, "The Trait Fruit of Temperance, you must ensure you get that no matter what. If possible, you must get all the Trait Fruits. Also, the Relics; they would help you a lot, raising your chance to become a Shifter."


    "Dad also mentioned the same," Heima said, recounting everything he had explained till date. Henrietta listened with patience, never interrupting until the end.


    "So, he has already thought through all your requirements. Honestly, we preferred you never had such a high Sync Rate in the first place." Henrietta said with a sigh, pouring a glass of water for herself from a nearby jug.


    Heima helped her mother, raising a question that had plagued her till now, "Father also mentioned it before. But, he never explained the details when I asked him. Why?"


    Henrietta gave a wry laugh, changing the topic, "Have they mentioned the Tiers for both the Warriors and Espers in your classes?"


    "Yes, we learned about them in detail on the second day itself. Madam Rizenne also conducted a mock test today, giving us a shock. Thankfully, I studied it beforehand to satisfy my curiosity." Heima placed a hand on her chest, looking like she had safely avoided a crisis.


    "You know," Henrietta flashed a smile, flexing her arms, striking a pose, "Your mother is now a Shifter."


    "S-Shifter? Really? Just like Uncle Hubert?" Heima beamed in happiness, poking Henrietta''s arms, trying to inspect the changes. Henrietta smiled, letting loose a tinge of her aura, directing it towards Heima. Heima lost her balance, her legs gave out under her; thankfully, Henrietta caught her, making her sit on the bed, retracting her aura.


    "Mom, that was¡­ awesome. I thought I was going to die for a second there." Heima showed her arms, pointing to the goosebumps that had appeared on it. Henrietta chuckled, not continuing on the topic.


    Heima chose the time to ask, "Mom, why did father not show any interest in the two Unranked Skills displayed in the pamphlet despite getting shocked at their appearance?"


    "Well," Henrietta paused in thought, "It is probably because our family possesses one too. Moreover, if everything went well, our family will obtain Aristocratic status soon."


    "Aristocratic status? Is our Bone family that powerful?" Heima muttered, trying to recall the strength of her family based on the knowledge she gained over the past few days. "It would be awesome if I can see our family''s Unranked Skill in action. Father has praised it numerous times, almost boasting it at least 5-6 times every day."


    "Well, I can show it to you, but I will refrain from doing so. This is the military academy; you might not realise, but there are powerful Warriors and Espers paying attention on you students 24x7. The moment I try to activate my Unranked Skill, they would detect it. It would then create a series of misunderstanding and if it comes to the worst, they might label me as a threat and choose to attack me."


    "I see," Heima nodded with disappointment before gaining a spark of realisation. Thinking back to her mother''s statement, she realised that her mother too possessed an Unranked Skill, sparking a sense of curiosity and excitement in her heart.


    "Whatever I am about to tell you next, don''t leak it to anyone else. Even if your teacher questions you in the related field, don''t raise your hand to answer. Only answer the questions whose answer is printed in your textbooks." Henrietta muttered.


    "I know mom, I am not an idiot. Of course, I also won''t speak about the other details you said till now." Heima stood up, performing a self-conjured salute. "Star Major Battle Fairy, Empress Heima will take an oath of confidentiality."


    "Is this what is in the trend these days?" Henrietta chuckled. She then talked with Heima about many things, even including the details of the Flying Signature Raid she had been drafted for. Heima turned sad upon knowing more about the Raid, putting a look of worry. But, she was consoled after Henrietta assured her with how she had hunted a Tier 4 Ring Worm.


    ¡­


    10:00 PM, Laila''s mother looked at the monitor screen, relief plastered across her face as she read through the email. It came from her husband, detailing the successful implantation of the Unranked Skill.


    "Lanprita, don''t worry about me. I tested the Unranked Skill, Flight, today. I must say, it perfectly complements my abilities, boosting my strength to a great extent. Moreover, the Frenzy Beasts we would be facing in this Raid will be capable of flight, so this will help me a lot. They say that if I could make a lot of contributions, I could return home for a month every year until the Raid concludes. Also, don''t reply to my emails since I will be busy; moreover, the orders from higher-ups forbid me from contacting you during this duration. Anyway, I will return home three days before the Raid commences, so we will talk during then. Take care of Laila."


    Laila''s mother teared up by the time she reached the end of the email, scrolling further, in hopes of finding more of the letter. She continued the action for a minute before sighing, putting the computer in sleep mode, wiping away her tears.


    She stood up, closed the door to the room, securely locking it to prevent the children from entering it. Entering the master bedroom, she found the three children fast asleep, with Laila sleeping next to Jyorta, suffocating him a little by resting her leg on his chest. To his left, George slept like a log, not bothered about Jyorta''s left hand that rested on his neck or about the book that was beneath his head.


    Seeing this scene, Laila''s mother felt her mood turning for the better as she gently removed the book from under George''s head, placing it atop a nearby drawer. She then slept on the right edge, brushing away a couple of locks of hair that covered Laila''s face. She soon fell asleep¡ªthe day''s activities had tired her.


    The eyelids of Jyorta twitched, his fingers slowly moving, his hands clenched and relaxed, repeating the actions. The blue soul connected to his brain, refining his plans, inspecting the condition of Jyorta''s soul.


    ''I am ready. From the information I have gathered, the mother character will leave next month and it looks like it would be a long trip. That is when I will strike. Jyorta boy, enjoy your short, but happy life to its fullest.'' The blue soul thought, hiding its thoughts under a multitude of layers of random memories before severing its connection with Jyorta''s brain.

 Chapter 32：Heart Crystal

    7th Ring, Sector 4, 7th Ring Unit Weapon Facility; Hancent stood next to three of his colleagues, all Head Researchers. A full-body suit of armour, made from monster leather was placed atop a steel slab. Dr. Steven stood 3 feet from it, doing a final round of inspection.


    "Hancent; status of the projectile launcher?" Dr. Steven called out, his voice distracted.


    "Green, go ahead," Hancent replied.


    "Farimah; status of the sensors?" Dr. Steven strapped the suit of armour, attaching it to the steel slab below it


    "Green, go ahead," A middle-aged lady in a white lab coat replied, her expression looking exhausted.


    "Rorikela; status of the shielding device?" Dr. Steven adjusted a gun-like mechanism with wires strapped along it above the armour, a distance of a metre separating the two. The tip looked like the mouth of a gun''s barrel, 3 centimetres in diameter. The entire mechanism scaled 12 feet in length, weighing a ton, suspended in the air.


    "Green, go ahead," A lady in her twenties replied, flashing a thumbs-up.


    "Gwanrukh, initiate the test. Penetration shielding, trial 7, fire." Dr. Steven took a couple of steps back, pressing a button attached above a cylinder, held in his hand. A glass chamber enclosed the steel slab, shielding it from the 5 researchers.


    "Trial 7, initiating." Gwanrukh, a man who seemed slightly older than Hancent nodded, his expression on the verge of collapse, actuating a series of buttons and switches. The light in the room dulled, the mechanism hovering above the steel slab whirred in response, bright arcs of lightning flashed across its surface.


    Smoke gushed out of it, entering a tube and escaping out of the enclosed room. Followed by a faint spark, a thin, long needle shot out of the apparatus, striking the armour atop the steel slab in an instant.


    The sound akin to a sponge pierced by a needle resounded, its decibel low enough to not be audible enough for the standard human ears. The machine stopped letting out sounds, dimming down as the lights in the room lit up. The glass shielding ejected, allowing the researchers to take a closer look at the suit of armour.


    There was a tiny pin-sized hole on the chest region of the armour, revealing a tiny needle beneath it. Dr. Steven waved his hands, lifting the suit of leather armour for further inspection. Next to the hole on the chest region, faint cracks developed all across the surface of the armour, weaving themselves together at a snail''s pace.


    The needle had pierced all the way to the other end, peeking out of the armour. Dr. Steven also noticed a 2 millimetre deep hole in the steel slab. The moment he touched it, the steel slab crumbled away like dust, raising a small cloud of dust in the room. With a wave of his hand, Dr. Steven suppressed the propagation of the dust cloud, pressing them on the floor.


    The machines around them beeped with sounds, flashing numerous data that appeared like a tide across the large screens. Farimah jotted down the data in a book, her expression one of focus. Without moving her body, numerous buttons and switches before were engaged and disengaged, the keyboard typing on its own.


    Finished with the data, Farimah handed the notebook to Dr. Steven, heaving a sigh filled with exhaustion. Taking the notebook in his hand, Dr. Steven went through the details, his eyes widening a little at the end, a relieved expression on him. He looked at Farimah, signalling her to prepare the sensors once again.


    "Three, Four tests at most, we will be able to achieve the results those rock-brained fools from the military require. Hancent, fetch 4 extra sets of the Spindle Bee needles from the procurement department. While you''re at it, give them a headache. I''ll leave the decision at your discretion, find fault at whatever you please." Dr. Steven said, making some correction in the apparatus and preparing to manufacture another suit of armour, after incorporating the gains from the previous test.


    He hurriedly scribbled some notes, giving it to Gwanrukh who inputted them into a computer, creating numerous design modifications to the armour in order to incorporate the changes. He was done with them within a minute; the image of an entirely different suit of armour flashed on the screen, bearing no resemblance to its predecessor.


    "I have already thought up a good excuse to find fault with them. With their muscle brains, they are bound to mess up somewhere." Hancent chuckled, walking out of the testing room. The character of Dr. Steven was contagious, the more he worked with him, the more his character rubbed on him. Moreover, their brains usually operated at tremendous speeds, performing thousands of calculations and analyses every second, like a super-computer. So, it was imperative for them to find fault with other departments, a fun activity to give their brains some rest and reprieve.


    ''Don''t worry, dear, the armour we produce will increase your survival chances at the Raid. No matter what, I''ll make sure that each armour is produced with the optimal quality, ensuring that there are zero substandard products.''


    Hancent walked along a narrow corridor, walking past some manufacturing rooms, all working on producing suits of armours¡ªa template present in their hands for reference. He also noticed some researchers shouting with frustrations, having to memorise the contents of the upgraded armour they just received.


    ''I wonder what their reactions will be if they know that this template is naught but another test product. We are still far away from achieving our objective. Or maybe they have been used to it by now.'' Hancent shook his head, dispersing his thoughts, exiting the building. He flew towards another building, situated a hundred metres away, directly entering its 37th floor. As he entered a room, a small smirk crept upon his face.


    ¡­


    8:30 AM, Heima barely managed to enter the auditorium, noticing the double door close behind her. She wiped her sweat, hurriedly occupying an empty seat. She talked with her mother late into the night, not noticing the passage of time. As a result, she couldn''t get enough sleep, despite her mother waking her up from 7:00 AM. No matter what, she just couldn''t open her eyes. It was 8:20 AM by the time she managed to wake up, thanks to the mild thrashing from Henrietta.


    Skipping on her breakfast, not even having the time to brush her teeth, Heima could only rinse her mouth, hurrying towards the auditorium after wearing her uniform. Seeing her friend Gita seated a couple of rows before her, Heima pursed her lips, having no intention to greet her.


    Greeting her meant the need to talk, the need to talk required her to open her mouth which she didn''t want to at present, having not brushed her teeth. Heima heaved a sigh of relief as she spotted only unfamiliar faces around her. She then focused her attention on the dais, at madam Rizenne who placed a hand on the podium, flipping through the pages on a book.


    "Has anyone heard the term ''Heart Crystal''? 5 points if you know its appearance, 10 points if you can account its details." The middle-aged lady, Madam Rizenne abruptly began her lesson, making a screen flash to life behind her, the words ''Heart Crystal'' appeared on it, in clear bold letters.


    ''I know it. I have read it a day before when I was referencing about the Tier 1 Skills.'' Heima thought, intending to raise her hand. After a moment though, she retracted her hands, a slight blush on her face. She didn''t have the courage to open her mouth, a sense of inferiority complex clouding her thoughts.


    Seeing no students raise their hands, Madam Rizenne spoke, "Heart Crystals are crystallised essence of the energy present in the food we consume daily. Generally, such energy is stored in our blood vessels, circulated throughout our body. This energy is passively used by the body, but, the presence of the Wisdom Parasite in our body changes the status quo. It allows the trace amount of energy carried by each blood vessel to be stored inside the heart, the organ that pumps the blood. As time passes, a small crystal forms beneath the Aortic Valve, termed Heart Crystal."


    Upon pressing the remote in her hands, an image appeared on the screen, showcasing an irregularly shaped crystal that shone with a reddish-black lustre. The image of a scale was placed beside it, as a reference to its actual size.


    Madam Rizenne continued, "The energy stored in the heart crystal can be used to swiftly invoke a Skill. The energy expenditure isn''t apparent with Tier 1 Skills since they are mainly sensory-based. But, from Tier 2, without the energy in the Heart Crystal to draw upon, just activating a Tier 2 Skill will make your body shrivel up, losing all its fat and moisture."


    On seeing a tinge of fear creep upon the faces of the students, Madam Rizenne said with a smile, "Don''t worry, your Heart Crystal will soon begin to form. It will be apparent the moment you experience slight pain in your chest region. Your body will also swiftly adapt to the change, so you don''t have to be afraid of the pain."


    The image on the screen flashed, forming five different crystals. "The colour of the Heart Crystal changes according to your Tier, as the higher your Tier, the greater the energy stored in your Heart Crystal. Due to the energy getting compressed multiple times, it experiences a qualitative change upon each Tier. You can distinguish them based on their colours should you happen upon one: Tier 1 is reddish black, Tier 2 is Dark red, Tier 3 is light red, Tier 4 is orange, and Tier 5 is yellow."


    Ravis Macht raised his hands, speaking after getting permission from Madam Rizenne, "Ma''am, is the Heart Crystal the same for both the Warriors and Espers? And, what about the Frenzy beasts; do they have something similar?"


    "I was expecting you to raise this question," Madam Rizenne said with a smile. "Unlike Warriors, Espers accumulate the energy inside their Brain; hence we termed it, Brain Crystal. Their formation and uses are somewhat complicated, so we will focus on them during a later class. As for the beasts, they too possess a similar counterpart, but we designated them the same nomenclature used for us. There are slight differences between the two which is a topic for future lessons."


    10:30 AM, the class concluded as Heima hurried towards her dorm, picking up her toothbrush, and heading towards the restroom to brush her teeth. It felt pretty embarrassing for her to sit in the auditorium, so much that she could hardly concentrate the lecture.

 Chapter 33：Flickering Demeanour

    14th May, Henrietta returned to the mansion of the Bone family, intending to further train her Unranked Skill. In the one week she could spend with Heima, she had imparted many techniques for training and battle tactics to Heima, enriching her experiences. Since she didn''t know how long she would be away during the Raid, she wanted to prepare Heima to be as battle-ready as possible.


    Hancent had finished most of his work in the meantime, returning to the dorm to take care of Heima''s mental health. After almost 2 weeks since her Induction Ceremony, Heima had become normal, not exhibiting any strange behaviour. Moreover, Henrietta had trained her to control her Tier 1 Skill, researching in-depth into its uses, features, etc.


    In an underground room under the mansion of the Bone family, two people stood 10 metres apart. The room was furnished with flooring made from the bones of Tier 4 monsters, making it sturdy enough to withstand the practice sessions of the two Shifters. Looking grey in colour, filled with a tinge of white, and laden with spots of black, the flooring radiated with a suffocating aura that belonged to the Frenzy Beasts.


    "Are you ready?" Henrietta stretched her arms, her loose white garments covering her body. She bent her legs, tip-toed while her back crouched forward, making her shoulders approach her knees.


    "Be careful, my attacks will be many times stronger than yours." Hubert stood, his legs stretched wide while his back held straight. Like a pair of bent steel that was released, the legs of Hubert rapidly converged, the resulting force throwing his body high up. The skin on his toes receded, pulling the muscles away with them. The toe bones shot forward like bullets, elongating to metre long spears mid-air.


    Henrietta back-stepped, her each step crossing tens of metres, the bone spears shot by Hubert trailing her previous spots. She lifted her arm, making the flesh on it wriggle, revealing the bones beneath, covered by a pale orange hue. The arm bone melted like mercury, morphing into a long spear. Grabbing it with her left hand, Henrietta swatted a couple of bone spears headed her way.


    The moment the bone spears touched her long spear, they melted, getting absorbed into her long spear. Slight changes appeared across the spear while her right arm regrew back.


    Having reached the ceiling, Hubert rested his legs on the surface, exerting force to chase after Henrietta. Landing on the ground, Hubert flailed his right leg, forming a complete circle on the ground. Immediately, all the bone spears he had shot out converged towards his leg, getting absorbed.


    The long spear in her hand wriggled, looking ready to deform as Henrietta threw it towards Hubert. The long spear elongated, morphing into a cage as it neared Hubert. Hubert ducked and performed a roll on the ground, avoiding the attack. Though, the moment it passed by his proximity, the bone cage melted, the liquid splashing over him.


    Hubert felt his bones struggling to extricate themselves from his control, creating strains at the various joints. He felt pain in his head, his skull deforming, growing horns that converged at his face, shielding his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.


    "Aargh!" Letting out a roar, the skin on Hubert''s body changed, forming scales that rapidly grew all over his body. The mutation occurring on his skull immediately stopped, dissolving into liquid that retreated to its original position. Hubert''s right arm enlarged, forming spikes across the ends; his legs changed, covered with spikes as a pale orange hue flowed beneath.


    Hubert vanished, appearing before Henrietta. Without doing anything else, he just retracted the changes to his arms and legs, revealing the bones beneath. Like the spikes on the back of a porcupine, Hubert''s bones morphed into spikes, piercing the body of Henrietta. With a punch, he sent her reeling towards the other end of the room, shattering her bones.


    Two indentations¡ªeight centimetres wide and ten centimetres deep¡ªformed along her path, creating numerous crunching sounds as Henrietta stopped just before the wall. With a snap, the bones in her legs broke, making her fall flat on the ground. A couple of seconds later, she stood up like nothing had happened, her legs looking perfectly fine.


    "I thought that punch would have killed me." Henrietta patted her chest, calming her beating heart. The final punch from Hubert was stronger than she had expected.


    "I barely activated my Tier 3 Skill. I have been a Shifter for a year after all, so my body is many times stronger than yours." Hubert paced around the room, absorbing the remainder of the bone spears scattered around. He tidied up the room in a matter of seconds, walking out alongside Henrietta. The moment they emerged out of the room, they noticed the time displayed on a timer.


    "So, we had only fought for 8 seconds. I thought we were fighting for a longer time." Henrietta felt surprised.


    "Our perception changes according to the Tier. It is not apparent when we are in a relaxed state, but the moment we enter a battle-ready state, the world around us slows down to a crawl. Staying in this state for too long might cause irreparable damage to our brains, but I heard some lunatics maintain this state 24x7." Hubert waved his hands, rushing into a nearby room to change his clothes.


    Henrietta walked into another room, throwing her torn, loose garments and fishing out a set of tight-fitting clothes. She took a step forward, feeling her legs shivering, and turning red for a moment. A couple of seconds later, her legs reverted to their usual appearance, looking pristine.


    ''That punch was stronger than I thought.'' Henrietta let out a self-deprecating laugh, shaking her head as she wore her clothes. Taking a lift to reach the 50th floor, Henrietta boarded a metro train, heading towards the street where Lanprita, Laila''s mother lived.


    Knocking on the door, Henrietta closed her eyes, enhancing her body''s senses. A faint shock passed through her body, almost making her lose her calm.


    ''Jyorta!''


    The door opened as Lanprita greeted her with a hug. She craned her head, gazing behind the shoulder of Henrietta who was a head taller than her, noticing her standing alone.


    "Mr. Bone is still busy?" She inquired, leading Henrietta to the living room. The moment she entered, she noticed the three children playing an unfamiliar game. Jyorta controlled a sword-wielding goat and engaged in a battle against a wood treant and a lava giant.


    "He said he had already completed the template for the armour necessary for the Flying Signature Raid. So, his work at present is only a fraction of a couple of days ago. He''s taking care of Heima at the moment, accompanying her in the military academy." Henrietta shot a glance at Jyorta, noticing his eyes flickering.


    There weren''t any changes on him that were noticeable to the others, but as his mother, she could sense that every time his eyes flickered, there was a small change in his demeanour, as if he was a mature adult. It seemed like he was an adult for a second, but a 10-year-old child the other, constantly switching between the two personas.


    A couple of seconds after she had entered, Jyorta finally noticed her appearance, the flickering changes in his eyes vanishing. He dropped his console, rushing towards her and leaping into her hug.


    "Mom! You are finally back!" Reaching only till her hips, Jyorta held her like a koala bear, starting to cry. "I missed you! You look so skinny, have you not eaten anything for the past two weeks, mom?"


    "I missed you too, Jyorta." Henrietta crouched low, coming to the same height as him, wrapping him in her embrace. Though she sported a calm exterior, her mind was filled with worries.


    ''The strangeness in Jyorta has further worsened. I have scanned his body many times; he is not even a Child of Wisdom, so the chances of any anomalies should theoretically be non-existent. Then, what can be the reason?'' She thought, lifting him up. Jyorta wrapped his legs across her hip, his hand around her shoulders, and his body anchored to her left.


    Holding him, Henrietta didn''t even flinch at his weight, as if he weighed nothing. She turned to Lanprita, "Hancent will be staying in the academy dorms, only coming to the house to have a change of clothes. I too would have to go beyond the walls daily, training my skills in preparation for the Raid."


    ''I should bring Jyorta back and have father inspect him in detail. The cause should be figured out as soon as possible, lest something unspeakable happens to him.''


    "I understand," Lanprita said, "Let Jyorta continue to stay here. We have extra rooms, so you can come whenever you want. Moreover, he''s such a loveable child that I wouldn''t mind adopting him."


    Henrietta pinched his cheeks, ruffling his hair from time to time, occasionally giving him a light slap at the back on his head, "I heard Mavelin too has been drafted for the Raid?"


    "Yeah," Lanprita walked to the kitchen, brewing some coffee for the two. "He has joined the Imperial Corps and has obtained their Unranked Skill. The implantation was a success and he''s currently training with it beyond the walls."


    Taking the coffee mug filled with piping hot coffee, Henrietta sighed, "If not for being drafted to this Raid, he could have attempted to breakthrough into a Transformer by the end of this year."


    "Yes, that is true. But," Lanprita took a sip of her coffee, sighing with a sense of discontent, "Plans can''t keep up with changes. This is the only reason why I never try to raise my strength. At least, I will be there for Laila."


    "If only he could delay his decision to join the Imperial Corps for a couple of days, he could have joined our Bone Family." Henrietta motioned for Jyorta to continue with his game, to stop the irritated shouts from George and Laila. She then whispered to Lanprita, "Our Bone family finally possesses an Unranked Skill of our own. We just obtained approval a week ago; the official statement is yet to arrive from Central Command."


    "I see," Lanprita nodded, her eyes turning vacant. "Plans can never keep up with the changes, after all."


    ''Joining the Bone family would have been a hundred times better than joining the Imperial Corps.'' Lanprita sighed.


    Jyorta picked up his console, attacking the others the moment his sword-wielding goat revived. He focused on leading the disposable soldiers of the wood treant around the lava giant, using their conflicting natures to cause friendly fire. The three bickered as they controlled their characters to fight against each other.


    The blue soul had severed all connections, with no way of knowing anything that happened outside. It dared not try to sense the souls of Laila and George, in fear of Henrietta noticing it. Even though it didn''t know if Henrietta had such capabilities, it didn''t try to take chances without sufficient information.


    ''Damn, why did the mother character appear now? I should be even more careful. Somehow, she looks even sharper and scarier than before.''

 Chapter 34：The Night Before The Raid

    31st May, Military Academy Training Center; Hancent stood before Heima, her eyes moist at his departure. He pulled her into a hug, ruffling her hair as he kissed her forehead.


    "Heima," He muttered, his voice trembling at the separation, "For the next one year, take care of yourself; don''t get into fights, study hard, and always maintain a steadfast mentality."


    "I know, Dad; you have mentioned it 23 times by now." Heima sobbed, increasing the strength in her hug. Only when she heard a light grunt from Hancent did she extricate herself from the hug, gazing at his pained expression with worry.


    "Espers have a normal human body; only our brains are developed." Thinking back to the statement Hancent had said to her before, Heima apologised. Due to her emotions, she had failed to control her strength that was increasing day by day.


    "I forgot to mention this;" Hancent said as he fetched a small side bag he had brought with him, fishing out a book from within, "This was a gift from your mother. She had specifically created this with the help of your grandfather, compiling many details that would be helpful for your future."


    Heima saw a thick book, approximately filled with 300 pages. The binding of the book was a shade of white, engraved with many designs she couldn''t make sense of, and exuding an aura that made her body shudder in fear. She also noticed slight trembling of Hancent''s hands, showcasing the level of the creature the book was made from.


    "The materials of this book came from a Tier 5 Floating Spider, hunted by your grandfather 2 weeks ago. It would have been better if you hadn''t obtained such a high sync rate, but what''s done is done. Now, focus on raising your strength; with your accumulation, you could attempt to become an Amplifier within 6 months." Hancent placed the book in Heima''s hands.


    The moment she held the book, her legs gave out under her, her entire body shivered, almost convulsing. Hancent then waved his hands, lifting the book from her hands and placing it above the nearby table.


    "It contains many techniques related to training a powerful physique, increasing your strength, methods to breakthrough until a Shifter, and processes to awaken certain Skills. They are confidential information that is the accumulation of our Bone family, so I don''t need to specify it right?" Hancent said, helping Heima stand up.


    Her legs still shivered, but she grit her teeth, harnessing her mental strength to control her body. "I know, Dad; I won''t allow others to peek at it, moreover, even touch it." Sitting on the nearby bed, Heima took a couple of minutes to rest, thinking about the book.


    "Dad," She said, pointing at the book, "This is releasing such a strong aura. Based on what mother said, why haven''t the teachers rushed here by now?"


    "Good observation," Hancent praised, pulling out a small box that looked like it was made from bones, "That is thanks to this box. It was made using the bones of your grandfather, its prime uses being to suppress the aura released by the book. When you are done browsing it, put the book inside this box and close the lid. This will ensure not an ounce of its aura is released."


    Hancent opened the bone box, using his Psychokinesis to place the book in it, closing the lid shut. He then wiped a trace of sweat that covered his head, muttering, "I was using my energy on the box to suppress the book''s aura all along. It was quite draining; after all, both the book and the box are Tier 5 Artifacts."


    "A Tier 5 Artifact¡­" Heima muttered in a daze. Only then she realised the extent of her Bone family''s affluence, it was significantly greater than her expectations. It was also partly due to her parents shielding her from all relevant information, lest it affected her childhood.


    It was prohibited by the military to reveal the social standing of a person''s family until they underwent the Induction Ceremony. This was to ensure that the children grew up in a normal environment that would enrich their lives, having healthier mindsets. Since such laws were personally enacted by Rhachis Ancestor Light, no one dared to defy them.


    9:00 PM, Hancent noticed the time in his wristwatch as an announcement went off, the sound echoing throughout the military campus.


    "All parents accompanying your wards, please leave the premises before 9:30 PM. I repeat, all parents accompanying your wards, please leave the premises before 9:30 PM."


    "I should get going. Your mother is departing for the raid tomorrow." Hancent accompanied Heima, walking to the Head Office. They noticed many other parents, accompanied by their wards. Some were sad, some were hesitant, some were anticipant, and some were overjoyed. Sporting all sorts of faces, the group consisting of hundreds of people walked towards the Head Office.


    A large hall came into their view the moment they entered the Head Office, a wide lift occupying the centre, looking massive, being the only object in the spacious but empty hall. One after another, the parents entered the lift, in groups numbering around 40. Having been one of the early arrivals, it was their turn before long.


    Hancent turned to Heima, consoling the girl who broke into a fit of tears, "This is a valuable life experience, cherish it. Starting from tomorrow, life here in the military academy would be hellish, but you''ll be fine. Just remember everything that your mother and I have taught you in the past month."


    Seeing the child nod with a grief-stricken expression, trying to control her tears, Hancent felt his heart being crushed with pain. He controlled his expression, trying to look normal in an effort to instill confidence in Heima. He hugged her, and kissed her forehead once again, ruffling her hair into a messy bird''s nest as he entered the lift.


    Seeing the lift doors close, Heima plopped on the floor, tears streaming out of her eyes uncontrollably. She then stood up, running through the crowd, her gaze focused on the floor before her. Returning to her dorm, Heima slumped on her bed, burying herself on the pillow, the sounds of her sobs filling the room.


    7th Ring, Sector 12, Baker Street, 3rd Residential Complex; Hancent entered the 28th floor, walking towards his house. Swiping a card, placing his fingerprints, and scanning his retina, the door opened. Hancent entered, a dark home came into his view, lacking the vitality that a regular household ought to possess. Switching on the lights, Hancent closed the door, removing his shoes and jacket.


    He threw them haphazardly, sitting on the sofa, gazing at the ceiling, his mind distracted. After what seemed like a long time had passed, the door to the living room opened. Henrietta entered, habitually hanging the thrown jacket in the hanger and placing the shoes in their respective spots. She then noticed Hancent sitting on the sofa, having dozed off.


    As she tiptoed towards him, Henrietta noticed the apparent dark circles on his face and his pale complexion. His body also looked frail as compared to a month ago, looking weak. Faint white hair growth sprouted on his sides, in the region around his temples. The moment Henrietta closed in on his proximity, Hancent jerked his head, noticing her.


    "At what time are you scheduled to arrive for the Raid?" He spoke, motioning for Henrietta to sit beside him.


    "We have to arrive by 3:00 AM, pack our weapons and other stuff, assemble with our battalions, and perform a final check. We would then march out at 6:00 AM from Sector 12, 10th Ring." Henrietta sat on the sofa, letting out a grunt filled with exhaustion. She had been jetting to and fro between the Wilds and the Bone family mansion, also making trips to the military base that oversaw the Flying Signature Raid.


    11:17 PM, Hancent noticed the time, exhaustion apparent in his eyes. "Take some rest; I''ll wake you up at 2:30 AM. We would have sufficient time to reach the destination. From tomorrow, you wouldn''t get the opportunity to have a peaceful rest. Do you still have anything to pack?"


    "No, I''ve already finished my preparations 2 days ago. My luggage has also been transported to the destination. All I require to do now is to make myself present there at the designated time." Henrietta got up, walking towards the master bedroom. She wrapped a bedsheet over her, sleeping in a matter of seconds.


    Hancent entered the room, sitting next to Henrietta. He placed his hand on her head, brushing aside a couple of strands of her hair to the side, gently patting her head. Henrietta pulled his leg, using his thigh as a pillow. She turned around, facing him as she spoke, "Heima is a smart child, she is a quick learner; so, I am not worried about her. But, Jyorta worries me. There are times where it makes me wonder if he is actually my child."


    "What did old man Bone say? He''s the most knowledgeable person in our family, if not the whole of Ring 7." Hancent spoke, feeling puzzled. Henrietta was the only one who spoke about Jyorta having strange behaviours, no other person besides her had commented on the matter. He too had assumed it to be the worries of a mother but, the statement from old man Bone a week ago startled him.


    "I feel like some mysterious entity has formed a connection with Jyorta. I asked many questions to Jyorta, in order to grasp some clues. Most of the details Jyorta spouted were nothing but useless info; I don''t know much about the video games of the younger generation, so what he said might have correlated to some of them. But, some parts were strange, if not horrifying. He knew complex equations in chemistry, knowledge of engineering related to manufacturing, metallurgy, etc. his mathematical ability was also off the charts.


    "He himself doesn''t understand what he speaks for the most part, but the information he said was undoubtedly true. There were also some things that I couldn''t verify in the short term. Also, he has paltry knowledge about the Wisdom Parasite, knowledge that only researchers working on them know. I will observe Jyorta from afar, and try to figure out the cause. Don''t mention it to Henrietta; it would affect her performance in the Raid, endangering her life."


    "The same as always," Henrietta gritted her teeth, "He said Jyorta is perfectly fine. It worries me because something that I could sense isn''t something that my father can''t. I don''t know what goes through his head." Henrietta clenched her fist, relaxing it after a moment of thought. Hancent was just about to change the topic when he noticed Henrietta had fallen asleep.


    ''Her exhaustion is worrying. I hope this three-and-a-half-hour of sleep can alleviate some of her exhaustion.'' Hancent thought, noticing her slow breathing rate. She was probably in a state of deep sleep.

 Chapter 35：Cleansement Fruit

    2:25 AM, the alarm sounded, jerking the body of Hancent who had fallen asleep in a seated position. He felt Henrietta holding his thigh, the sound of the alarm hadn''t disturbed her sleep. Followed by his repeated urgings, Henrietta grudgingly woke up.


    2:40 AM, the couple rushed out, boarding the metro train that had arrived in a timely manner. Hancent hadn''t changed out of his previous clothes, the same case being for Henrietta. The two looked at each other, noticing the exhaustion on their faces.


    "You''ll be surprised at the armour we have designed for this Raid. Its Psychic shielding capabilities are the highest of the products we have ever created." Hancent adjusted his jacket, a smug expression plastered across his face. He and his team had worked themselves to the death and managed to create rather satisfactory armours within the time constraint.


    "I will ask the armour about you," Henrietta said with a chuckle, "I will probably spend a long time with it anyway."


    Hancent fell silent, gloominess shrouding his demeanour. Seeing his state, Henrietta too fell silent, a trace of melancholy permeated through the air.


    "Don''t worry," Henrietta said, "If I make sufficient contributions, I would be allowed to return home once every year. Though, it will depend on the authorities to make the final decision. I heard this Raid will be somewhat different from the previous Raids organised by the military."


    "I know," Hancent shook his head, "You will basically be burning your contributions to return home for a short duration. It is an obvious plot by the military officials to reduce your rewards."


    "Even if all of us are aware of it, we would still do it. After all, we fight to ensure a better future for our families." Henrietta noticed the arrival of their station, pulling Hancent with her as the duo alighted. Pulling him in an embrace, Henrietta kissed him, engaging in the passionate behaviour for a good one minute.


    Noticing the time, she bode him farewell, entering a lift that proceeded to the Lower Strata. Hancent stood in silence, like a statue frozen in time, moving only after an hour had passed. His wife was gone, just like that. It would be a long time before they could meet once again.


    A train arrived at the station, making Hancent gaze at it in silence, his mind whirring with thoughts.


    ''Is there a point in returning home now? There''s no one there.'' Hancent thought; a feeling of emptiness filled him, his emotional container turning vacant. His eyes clouded, looking blank. Hancent experienced a dream; he was laid on a bed, strapped to its edges. A nurse pulled a huge syringe, inserting the needle in his arms.


    His arms split open into three parts, revealing a reddish tongue in the middle. The three parts were inlaid with rows of teeth, leaking out saliva that corroded parts of the bed where it fell. The needle snapped while the syringe dissolved, splashing on the nurse. The nurse screamed, taking a step back, and crashing into a machine.


    Followed by whirring sounds, the machine emitted smoke, flames emerging on its surface followed by large electric sparks. The part of his arm that had morphed into the monster bloomed, looking like a flower with three petals. The reddish tongue at the centre curled into a ball, shooting towards his face. Hancent regained consciousness with a start, his body drenched with sweat, and his heart thumping like crazy.


    ''I am running out of time." Hancent revealed his aura in public, startling the crowd. Part of the crowd rushed out, intending to subdue him, assuming that he was on the verge of losing control.


    "I''m still sane, Shifting Protocol." Hancent hurriedly shouted, clutching his head. Seeing his expression, the crowd hurriedly retreated, creating a gap of 10 metres around him.


    Someone from the crowd shouted, "He seems to be a Wave Controller. Is there any Ground Controller or above, around here?"


    "I am," A middle-aged man who was aging walked out. He seemed to have just walked out of the lift arriving from the Lower Strata when he noticed the commotion. "What seems to be the situation?"


    Though, the moment he noticed the condition of Hancent, he seemed to have realised the situation, hurriedly shouting, "I''ll take care of him." Saying so, he waved his hands, lifting both Hancent and himself. The two disappeared from sight in an instant, leaving the onlookers gawking.


    Sector 1, Limitless Tower, without making any noise, the man arrived, accompanied by Hancent. He hurriedly flew through the entrance, stopping before the reception counter. "I am Sky Controller Wunris Marble. I am initiating the Shifting Protocol; get a Cleansement Fruit, hurry."


    "Sure," The receptionist nodded, tapping into the monitor. Eight seconds later, the receptionist said, "Please proceed towards floor 108. You can use the emergency route; a Cleansement Fruit will arrive at the floor in 12 seconds."


    A door behind the counter opened, allowing Wunris Marble to carry Hancent with him, flying through it. It was a narrow chamber that lead to the top of the Limitless Tower, having doors on each floor. In a second, Wunris Marble appeared on floor 108, entering the open door. He entered a room titled, ''Developed Breakthrough'' along with Hancent, closing the door behind them.


    The room was 40 metres long and 40 metres wide, square-shaped with a small straw mat placed at the centre. The walls were made from monster bones, radiating a suffocating aura that was limited to the edges. At the centre though, the area around the straw mat, it painted a picture of serenity.


    The straw mat looked simple at first glance but it was an Artifact that would help people while breaking through. Wunris Marble placed Hancent above the straw mat, helping him to be seated in a cross-legged position. The door opened as a man dressed in a staff uniform entered, holding a small glass case in his hands.


    "Control your breathing; think about your family, don''t lose control." Wunris Marble waved his hands, using his Psychokinesis to lift the glass case, opening it and removing the fruit within. The fruit was shaped like a mango, yellow in colour with a tinge of orange at the end, looking ripe.


    "Hurry, I can no longer control it." Hancent urged, his voice breaking, sounding like the cries of a monster. Wunris Marble suppressed his body, using his ability to negate the formless energy radiating from his head, like a dam that had been broken.


    The fruit landed on his arms, looking as big as two of his fists combined. Wunris Marble shouted, crushing the fruit in his hands, "Bring it out!"


    Hancent shrieked, creating strands of blood that seeped out of the pores on his face. They turned white, forming into a ball as more and more strands of blood seeped out of his body. The ball morphed, turning into a caterpillar. Tiny at first, the caterpillar raised its head, opening its mouth to produce a high pitched sound, "Han¡­cen¡­t¡­gi¡­ve¡­up!"


    Cracks appeared on its back, forming two lines that were parallel to one another. A transparent substance churned beneath it, looking like it was forming some kind of filament. Traces of colours, from red to violet fluctuated across it, shimmering like the stars.


    Wunris Marble infused his psychic energy into the crushed fruit, mixing into its pulp. Having absorbed his energy, it rapidly morphed into a yellow liquid, shaped into a quill. Its sharp tip plunged into the head of the caterpillar, raising shrieks from it.


    The feathers of the quill, yellow in colour were slowly dyed by a shade of black while the yellow substance within it seeped into the caterpillar, diminishing its size. Wunris Marble shouted, "Take control of your psychic energy, don''t allow the Parasite to have it."


    Hancent gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot as he willed his powers, making the body of the caterpillar break. Without any suspense, the caterpillar dissolved, getting absorbed into the quill, turning its feathers pitch black. There was a faint energy fluctuation emanating from the quill, making it hover in the air.


    Hancent''s eyes regained a sense of clarity, his ragged breathing returning to normal. Seeing the quill formed before him, Hancent felt a sense of relief, while feeling a sense of loss and discontent at the same time. It looked like he couldn''t accept the outcome, yet at the same time, seemed like he had expected it.


    Wunris Marble patted his shoulders, "It doesn''t end at this point; there are still many ways in which you can contribute to our city."


    "I know, despite losing most of my powers, I have still retained a part of it; that is more than enough. Moreover, I have survived," Hancent shook his head, clearing his discontent thoughts.


    Standing up, he wiped the blood on his face, bowing towards Wunris Marble in gratitude, "Sir, if not for your timely help, I wouldn''t have survived today."


    "Sure, I don''t mind it. After all, it''s my duty." Wunris Marble waved his hands, a look of confusion on his face, "Tell me, you must have experienced certain hints over the past couple of weeks. Why have you allowed the situation to progress to this degree, endangering the populace?"


    Hancent let out a self-deprecating smile, "Sir, I am part of the 7th Ring Unit Weapon Research Facility, in-charge of the full body armour required for the Flying Signature Raid. Hence, I didn''t have the time to plan accordingly. Moreover, based on the hints, I had more than 6 months before something like this should have happened."


    "You mean to say¡­" Wunris Marble thought in silence, "Your family member has been dispatched for the Raid; also, your exhaustion and worries affected your mentality, giving the Parasite to act against you."


    "It is exactly as you said, sir." Hancent bowed, "I don''t have any excuses. I will face the appropriate punishments for endangering the citizens."


    He then looked at the man before him, "Sir, I owe you my life. May I know your name? I''ll make sure to return the favour in the future when the opportunity arises."


    "I am Wunris Marble." He shook hands with Hancent, "I was in the middle of work. I should get going now."


    Seeing Wunris Marble disappear from his view, Hancent clenched his fists, closing his eyes as he felt the amount of power left in him.


    ''It is barely one-third of my previous amount. At least, I am still alive. I should be happy with that.'' Hancent sighed, gazing at the quill hovering before him.


    The feathers on the quill were segmented into two parts, showcasing the two-thirds of his power that had been lost. It hovered before his face, vibrating in anger. It expressed its emotions through the use of Psychokinesis, intending to deal with Hancent. The staff member who had brought the Cleansement fruit clutched the quill, storing it in the glass case. He suppressed it without trouble, looking used to the job.


    "The quill will be monitored for a couple of days. We will also cripple the ego in it before you can claim it from us. Moreover, you need to fill some forms, please accompany me." The staff member exited the room.


    "Yes," Hancent heaved a sigh, following after the staff, his gaze lingering on the quill. His mind was a mess, his emotions turbulent, like a sea of chaos. It would take a lot of time before he could accept his outcome. From today onwards, he was naught but a cripple.

 Chapter 36：Departure

    6:00 AM, Sector 12, Ring 10; the area was bustling with chaos, suppressed into order by restrictive power and authority, creating a harmonious atmosphere between oppressiveness and dissonance. The arch stood at the end, becoming the entry point on the wall that separated the settlements of humanity and the frenzy beasts.


    Spanning 100 metres tall and 200 metres wide, the gates of the arch were opened, allowing the traffic to pass through. A huge truck, spanning 20 metres wide and 9 metres tall moved on the 200 metre wide road, looking like a hulking fortress of steel marching along its path, unhindered by none.


    The tyres, seemingly made from monster leather of Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts created small indentations on the road, its tracks forming minute impressions that recovered in a couple of seconds. Spanning 3 metres in height, the tyres numbered 18 on one side of the truck, each placed at a distance of 10 metres to each on the otherwise 80 metre long chassis.


    The front of the truck was shaped like a cone, aerodynamically flattened at the bottom while forming a small curve towards the top, grooves spanning along its sides, accentuated by fins that raised aerial stability. It marched in silence, the only sounds produced being from the friction between the tyres and the road. The exterior had a silver hue, painted with white and blue, dotted with patches of green and rusty brown.


    There was the number ''1'' printed at its top, front, and the sides, as an indication of its position. Marching behind it were similar trucks, each moving forward in silence, raising a sonorous chill that shook the ground. Behind truck number 1 followed four trucks, numbered from 2 to 5. Trucks 2 and 3 moved in the left while trucks 4 and 5 moved in the right, splitting into two streams as they approached the arch, making use of the two paths in the ''U'' shaped wall structure situated beyond the arch.


    Trucks numbered in the three digits, silently exiting the city walls one after the other. After truck 85 passed through the arch, a behemoth of steel, a mixture between metal and bones emerged, making the other trucks look like ants in comparison. Spanning 80 metres wide, 30 metres high, and having a long body that was a striking 100 metres long, it hulked among the rest.


    Approaching the arch, it paused, the tyres that anchored it to the ground parting away, retracting into the chassis. The behemoth of steel floated, an overbearing fluctuation of psychic energy wrapped around it, moving it forwards, suspended 2 feet high in the air. The number ''0'' printed above it, in huge font, as a showcase to its size. It was also printed to its sides, in smaller fonts.


    After the behemoth passed through the arch, another stream of trucks appeared, numbered from 85 to 121; passing through the arch, splitting into two as they exited the walls through the two exits, and rejoining into one in the Wilds, the trucks headed northeast, to their destination. Waging war against the indigenous species 1700 kilometres away and looting a special mineral formed there, it was the prime objective of the Raid, the Flying Signature Raid.


    Beyond the walls stood two men, looking aged but filled with power and wisdom formed under the vicissitudes of life. One of the two let out a sigh, muttering, "So, we are finally declaring war against the Frenzy Beasts. I just hope that they wouldn''t run into Rhachis Ancestor Needle on the way."


    "Isn''t that why that brat Angrushen Light is accompanying them incognito? As a pillar of humanity, he could give trouble to Rhachis Ancestor Needle." The other man nodded, looking into the distance, watching the departing trucks in silence.


    "He has yet to finish nurturing his Tier 6 Skill." The former shook his head, "It would be for the best if he doesn''t run into any Ancestor level opponents out there."


    "What are we expecting," The two spoke in unison, laughter leaking out, "It is, after all, naught but a Signature level Raid. The most they would face will amount to Tier 5 Frenzy Beasts; it is overkill to send him with them."


    1st June, the year 327 of the Dawn Era, the Flying Signature Raid had officially commenced. The two figures disappeared from view, leaving the desolate plains. The Frenzy beasts ranging between Tier 2 and 4 in the surrounding areas dropped dead from mysterious reasons, creating a cause for puzzlement to the soldiers that appeared to wipe them out.


    ¡­


    8:10 AM, Lanprita accompanied the three teary-eyed children, seating them in the metro train. Laila occupied the window seat on the left, making her mother sit on her right. To her front sat George and Jyorta, occasionally sniffing while shedding out tears.


    "Alright, children, look at me. See what your aunty has bought, especially for you?" Saying so, Lanprita fished out a CD cover from her purse, displaying the poster affixed on it. "The latest series of Dungeon Rush, allowing PvP mode between players from all across the city; it was a limited edition launched just an hour ago."


    Successfully gaining their attention, Lanprita smiled, masking her worry, "Aunty has learned some techniques from one of my friends. Do you have the confidence to defeat me? Beware, I was a Ranked played in one of its previous versions."


    "Mom, we are fine." Laila rubbed her eyes, showcasing a smile, "We understand the reason why Dad and the others had to leave for work. We can understand it was for the good of our city. We understand¡­"


    "Oh, Laila," Her heart ached as she gazed at her daughter, trying to put up a brave front to decrease her worries. Lanprita pulled her into a hug, using her other hand to pull the two boys into her embrace, their muffled cries echoing across the compartment. Strangely, no passengers complained about it; they themselves watched the children in silence, their eyes red while their hearts felt heavy.


    At the rear end of the compartment, 5 seats away from the crying children sat an old man, holding a magazine in front of his face. His hand was poised to the front, hiding his face from the travellers seated nearby, his gaze focused on the three children through the magazine, concentrated on Jyorta.


    ''He hasn''t shown anything strange for the past two weeks, looking no different from a regular child at his age. Moreover, even his friends, George and Laila show no signs of abnormalities. If not for my conversation with him 3 weeks ago, I wouldn''t have put any heed to Henrietta''s words. How troublesome,'' Old man Bone thought, his brows scrunched up into a frown. He had been tailing Jyorta for the past two weeks, monitoring his actions 24x7 for any signs of abnormalities, trying to narrow down the root cause of the issue.


    ''I guess I should continue observing him in the Academy. That Principal girl is kind of annoying, but for the sake of my grandson, I shouldn''t bother with these trivialities. Maybe, if he does as well as Heima, it would make my Bone family rise to new heights.'' A small vibration occurred in his pocket, making old man Bone fish out a tablet from within.


    ''The official declaration is here!'' Seeing the message from Wunris Marble, old man Bone turned a notch happy. He couldn''t help but hum, startling the passengers seated near him, making them wonder why the old man acted in such a manner in these troubling times.


    ''He has requested for a meeting at 8:30 AM. I shouldn''t make him wait, lest he takes his anger on my family. He''s a Sky Controller after all; no one from my Bone family other than myself can afford to face him. I guess I will return to monitor Jyorta after that. A couple of hours wouldn''t affect much, I guess. After all, he hasn''t shown any symptoms for the past two weeks.'' Old man Bone thought, alighting at the next station, ensuring to hide his face from Jyorta, lest he recognised him.


    He boarded a return train, heading towards the Bone family mansion, his mind filled with the thoughts about the Aristocratic Title, his lifelong dream. He hadn''t placed as much importance on Jyorta as he showed on the outside, only intending to keep up appearances to be on the good side of Henrietta, for the sake of Heima who had the potential to become a Transformer like him in the future.


    8:45 AM, after the prayer session concluded, the classes began. The language teacher looked disinterested, teaching about some pronouns. Since it was the first hour of the day, the students looked energetic, the only downside being their tear-filled eyes, the sounds of sobbing occasionally rang out.


    Jyorta looked at the whiteboard, the words written in Modern Rodawri slipping past his mind. ''Mom, when will you return? I miss you already.''


    Feeling a bout of thirst, Jyorta unfastened the lid on his water bottle, downing the water in big gulps. He had drunk about half the water bottle with a capacity of 1 litre when he felt satiated, placing it down. Fifteen minutes later, he once again felt thirsty, drinking the rest of the water bottle. Even though his stomach felt bloated, his throat felt dry, increasing his thirst for water.


    Loaning a water bottle from George, he drank until his stomach could no longer hold another droplet of water, increasing his sense of discomfort. After he felt some strain in his stomach, his feeling of thirst disappeared. Jyorta felt relaxed, despite his heart thumping at speeds higher than normal.


    Time passed as he concentrated on the class, the language teacher continued with her lecture, her baggy eyes drooping with tiredness. When there were 10 minutes left for the end of the class, Jyorta felt pain in his bladder, making him unable to control it. He raised his hands, beckoning for the teacher''s attention.


    "Ma''am, may I go to the toilet?" His voice boomed, making the other students snap out of their dreams. Some laughed while others remained silent, lacking the drive to make fun of him. The language teacher paused, looking at Jyorta with annoyance, irritated by his appearance.


    Ever since Jyorta talked about her personal problems in public, rumours started to spread throughout the academy about how she wasn''t fertile enough to be impregnated with a baby. As days passed, the rumours became twisted, degrading her, calling her a loose woman.


    The rumours accounted for how she slept with many men in her younger days, stationed in the wilds as she took pills daily. This led to her ovary getting damaged, making it lacking enough to form life in it anymore. That was how the rumours went; she had no idea who spread it, creating a rift between her and her husband, straining the already strained relationship.


    "You can," She nodded; despite hating Jyorta, as a teacher of the academy, she couldn''t vent her hatred on him. He was, after all, someone who heard the rumours, and not the one who was the cause for them in the first place.


    After getting her permission, Jyorta stood up, brushing past his classmates as he walked forward, nearing the language teacher who stood next to the path that led to the exit. As he passed near her, his body turned stiff for an instant, his limbs taking exaggerated steps, coming within the proximity of a metre from her.


    The moment he did, the blue soul in him immediately formed a connection with the subsoul, i.e. the Wisdom Parasite lodged in her body.


    ''Hahaha, finally; let us begin, shall we?'' Jyorta felt a shock pass through his mind, forming into words that made sense to him, but their meaning felt incomprehensible.

 Chapter 37：Goodbye, Jyorta!

    "Guhyak!" The language teacher screamed, clutching her head in pain, crouching to the floor, her screams shocking the students to alarm. Seeing her, the students rushed towards her, concern plastered across their faces.


    "Get¡­back¡­get¡­ba¡­ck¡­" Faint murmurs echoed from the language teacher, the contents being incomprehensible to the students who surrounded her, trying to help her regain balance. Jyorta stood among the crowd, his eyes vacant, a devilish grin plastered across his face. Standing opposite to him¡ªthe language teacher kneeled on the ground between them¡ªLaila happened to notice his expression when she tried to call for the teacher from a nearby class, rooting her to the spot in shock.


    Just when she broke out of her stupor, Laila noticed Jyorta facing her, a happy expression akin to a caged beast regaining freedom etched on his face. Suddenly, followed by a powerful shriek, the language teacher flailed her arms, sending the concerned students flying away from the impact.


    Students standing at the outer circle stumbled on the nearby tables and chairs, scrapping their knees and arms. The unfortunate ones hit their heads on the edges of the furniture, making them fall unconscious. The ones on the inner circle, consisting of Laila, Jyorta, and a few other unfortunate students felt the brunt of the impact, feeling their bones creaking while their organs felt damaged.


    Laying atop an unconscious student, Laila clutched her left hand, controlling her tears that spilled out amidst her pain, the pain of having her arm broken. She winced in pain, looking at the language teacher in fear. She noticed Jyorta had fallen atop a table, his legs barely touching the ground while his head rested atop the backrest of a chair.


    Traces of blood leaked out of his mouth, his face twisted due to the pain, a small depression evident in his chest region, the place that suffered the brunt of the impact. His eyes blurry, Jyorta looked at the shadow that loomed before him, the visage of the language teacher barely present.


    She seemed to have grown a head taller, her face filled with blisters that continued to solidify, shaping into marks that covered her face, changing her structure, adding to her defences. The tips of her fingers elongated, the nails and the part below it fusing into one entity. The length of her arms increased while her legs turned into two stumps, the muscles across it fattening up, filled with explosive strength, ripping her lower garment to shreds.


    Her eyes were filled with a crazed sense of desire, one filled with cravings for food, dilated into a scaly pattern, multiplied into two. The language teacher had lost control, having her ego destroyed and assimilated by the Wisdom Parasite in her, giving it full control over her body.


    ''This mutated body is lacking in the mental department, making even simple thoughts taking five times longer than normal to process. If not, I would have tried to make this my main body.'' The subsoul thought, swiping its claws at the door, closing it shut to prevent the sounds from leaking out.


    Though, judging by the commotion that had happened, the other teachers would have been alerted long ago, giving the subsoul a sparse few seconds to enact its plan to fruition. Not intending to take any chances, the subsoul controlled the mutated body of the language teacher, arriving before the body of Jyorta, ignoring his pleas of help.


    Straining its claws, the subsoul sent it reeling into the stomach of Jyorta.


    "Nooooo!" Laila shouted, spitting out a mouthful of blood that had collected in her throat, disregarding her injuries as she stood up, rushing to the help of Jyorta. The mutated language teacher paused for a second, straining her ears to hear the sounds echoing beyond the classroom.


    "Damn you!" George shouted, anger clouding his face, having suppressed his fear. He rushed at the mutated language teacher, jumping at her arms, intending to strip them away from Jyorta.


    "Hehehe," The mutated language teacher lifted her right arm¡ªthe one that had impaled Jyorta in his stomach¡ªbringing with it a severed spinal cord. Jyorta''s body flinched in reflex, having long lost consciousness from the pain. With a flick of her fingers, the piece of spinal cord smacked George in his face, suddenly making his lose balance.


    "Aaargh!" George shouted; the only thing he could do after having his limbs perfectly severed from their sockets. The mutated language teacher threw George''s severed right arm towards Laila, the impact making her lose consciousness. Noticing the condition of Jyorta by making use of her senses, the mutated language teacher sported a grin on her face, jumping to the back of the classroom and engaging in slaughter.


    With a bang, the door to the classroom shattered, allowing the Principal to enter, her face mixed with a sense of fluster and anger. Looking at the messy state of the classroom, at the severed limbs of the students scattered all across the area, the Principal screamed in anger, pouncing at the mutated language teacher.


    With a punch, she flattened the mutated language teacher''s head into meat paste, her second punch breaking the chest region. Followed by that, she rained down 5 punches, smashing down the body of the mutated language teacher into a pool of blood. In the meantime, the Vice-Principal waved his hands, creating a formless force that lifted all the students and their respective remains, carrying them outside the classroom.


    Making sure to treat them with care, the Vice-Principal hurriedly inspected their conditions, his face turning sombre the more he inspected. At the end of it, his expression was distraught, looking like he had encountered his worst nightmare. The other faculties, lead by the PT teacher had already formed a barricade, creating an enclosed path from the classroom to a secluded room, shielded from the eyes of the regular students.


    "How are they? How many survived?" The Principal rushed out, asking in a hurry. The PT teacher looked at the Vice-Principal using his Unranked Skill, ''Regen'' to treat the survivors as he shook his head.


    "Only three have survived, two boys and one girl. The condition of the two boys is critical, having multiple organ failure."


    "Give me a minute, I''ll summon a Ground Controller from the Medicine Corps right away." The Principal rushed to her office, hurriedly setting up a transmission, seeking for help.


    The Vice-Principal used the shielded path, carrying the three injured students to the secluded room, using the Healing energy to prevent them from losing their lives immediately. As a Wave Controller, his Unranked Skill wasn''t potent enough to regenerate vital organs at a desirable speed, making him use the energy to stop the blood loss, preventing the children from dying.


    ''The injuries of the girl aren''t serious. She has some internal bleeding, but her life wouldn''t be at any risk for at least an hour or so. That is more than enough time for the Tier 4 expert from the Medicine Corps to arrive. The problem is with the other two. One has lost all limbs while the other has a severed spine, dammit.'' Sweat formed on the forehead of the Vice-Principal, making his eyelids tremble.


    Having just returned from a battle in the Wilds, the energy present in his body was running at an all-time low, making it difficult for him to last further. The pale-blue liquid flowing out of him, the healing energy that prevented George and Jyorta from dying was flickering with instability, showing signs of running dry.


    "Sir," Laila muttered, having woken up due to the pain, looking at the Vice-Principal with tears, "Please save them, please, please."


    "I will definitely save them. Don''t worry." The Vice-Principal replied, trying his best to mask his feelings of despair. He had already used up the last reserves of energy in his body, switching over to burning his muscle mass, stalling for time, keeping the healing energy active. As every second passed, his body was thinning, the rate visible to the naked eye.


    The unconscious Jyorta opened his lips, muttering something inaudible, the only proof being the trace shaking in his throat region. For some reason, the Vice-Principal felt like he should listen to what Jyorta muttered. He immediately segregated a bit of his energy, amplifying the sounds that formed in Jyorta''s throat.


    "¡­ware¡­shik¡­be¡­ware¡­of¡­Kaushik¡­beware¡­beware¡­"


    "Beware of Kaushik," Laila muttered, her eyes lit up in shock. Over the past few weeks, she had heard Jyorta mention the name ''Kaushik'' numerous times, asking them if they ever heard of such a person. Seeing him ask in all seriousness, they even searched up the name over the internet, consulting with their parents or browsing through the books in their school library, finding no luck.


    The fact that the name appeared once again, from Jyorta, after suffering made many alarm bells ring up in Laila. Moreover, the face that Jyorta made before the language teacher, moments before she turned into a monster was still vivid in her memory.


    "¡­Kaushik¡­" Laila muttered the name, clenching her fists, etching the name to her memories, never intending to forget it.


    ''I don''t know who you are, but I will make you pay for this. Just you wait!'' Her thoughts were interrupted as the Vice-Principal fell down, crashing on the ground with a thud. His body looked a stark contrast to his former self, looking fragile, becoming skin and bones. He heaved ragged breaths, his eyes cloudy as despair clouded his face, lamenting at the fact that he hadn''t managed to save them.


    Suddenly, bright blue light, like the descent of a tsunami appeared in the room, seeping into the bodies of the three children and the Vice-Principal. In a matter of seconds, the Vice-Principal had recovered enough muscle mass to move around.


    The door opened as the teachers appeared, swatted to the sides amid their fluster. An old woman with a hunched back, wearing the uniform of a nurse walked in. No one dared to meet her gaze as she closed the door, making the room turn quiet. The blue light filling the room intensified, condensed into a sphere of blue mass, looking like water.


    Three streams appeared from it, each entering the bodies of Laila, Jyorta, and George respectively. The old woman focused her gaze on Laila, waving her hands towards her. Laila immediately felt something enter her broken arm, roaming across it, rejoining the broken pieces back to their original place. The muscles also parted way, adjusting to their original positions as a blue light seeped through them, mending all the cracks. In a matter of seconds, Laila had made a complete recovery.


    The old woman then focused her attention on George, her eyes squinting a little. She hurriedly stopped his bleeding, healing the severed regions until skin regrew. Seeing that George''s condition was no longer life-threatening, the old woman focused her attention on Jyorta, her face scrunching up.


    She then focused her attention, trying her best to heal him. The Vice-Principal looked at the scene, a sense of relief plastered across his face. There was a mixture of fear and worship on his face as he gazed at the old woman, controlling his urges to kneel before her, lest he disturbed her concentration.


    ''Thankfully, Madam Mary appeared. With her presence, the three children will definitely survive.'' The Vice-Principal thought, wiping the sweat that had covered his forehead.

 Chapter 38：Anger of a Senior Citizen

    7th Ring, Sector 12, Baker Street, 3rd Residential Complex; Hancent had returned home an hour ago, looking exhausted. He was down in the dumps after consuming a Cleansement Fruit. This meant that he could no longer grow stronger in the future; his cultivation had come to a stop. Moreover, he had almost lost control, endangering the citizens.


    If a Wave Controller like him were to lose control and turn into a monster that craves flesh and blood, just the amount of lives that he could kill in a second numbered in the hundreds. After all, the regular populace only ranged between Tier 1 and Tier 2 in strength. As a result, he had to submit a written apology to the military, paying a fine and also losing most of the contribution points he had accumulated over the past decade.


    ''A Wave Controller is my limit; that too, one of the weaker Wave Controllers. If only I could hold out for another year; then, I might have stood a chance to become a Ground Controller, becoming an elite of the society.'' Hancent sighed, slumping on the sofa in the living room, intending to sleep.


    A ringtone buzzed as the TV in the living room flashed to life, displaying the affiliation of the Medical Corps. Curious about the caller, Hancent accepted the call. The visage of a middle-aged lady came into view, donned in a nurse outfit. Her hair was tied into a bun, making her look a tad younger.


    "Are you the parent of Jyorta Bone? Your son has been admitted at the Lotus Stalk Hospital, after having suffered an injury from a teacher who lost control. He''s currently being treated by the best doctor in Ring 7, so no worries. We still have some formalities to consider, so, it''s for the best if you hurry to the location right now."


    "S-Sure, I''ll be there right away." Hancent gaped at the lady in shock, his confusion making him unable to react for a couple of seconds. He hurriedly wore his overcoat, picked up his Id card, and rushed to the hospital, his expression warped.


    ''Today is such a calamitous day, dammit.'' Hancent passed a message to old man Bone on the way, his patience stretched thin as he waited for a metro train heading to Sector 1 to arrive.


    Sector 1, Hancent alighted at the appropriate station, dashing towards the hospital after having learnt of its location in advance. Lotus Stalk Hospital was a hospital governed by the Medicine Corps, filled with Espers possessing the unranked skill ''Regen''. They typically took care of healing the injured soldiers that returned from war and citizens that were injured during disasters. The incident with the language teacher also fell under the category of disasters.


    The Hospital stood tall, looking similar to the skyscrapers surrounding it, the only difference being the large ''+'' sign in red, situated in the middle. The words ''Lotus Stalk Hospital'' were placed below it, made from banners that fluttered with the wind, creating an odd, but unique feature. Hancent rushed into its entrance, making an enquiry at the reception.


    After getting a confirmation, Hancent boarded a lift, tapping his fingers on his arms, displaying his nervousness and impatience. After what felt like an hour, the lift reached the designated floor, making Hancent take quick steps. It was forbidden to run in the hospital, irrespective of the reason. So, he could only grit his teeth, making use of the fastest walking pace available to him, proceeding at the limits of speed allowed by the hospital.


    Reaching the special ward, Hancent yanked the door open in a hurry, barging in to see a nurse reading the vitals in a machine. Next to her lay an unconscious Jyorta, looking perfectly healthy. Noticing his appearance, the nurse looked into a register, confirming his relationship with the patient.


    "As you can see, his body is in perfect condition thanks to Madam Mary who arrived at the scene on time. But, as for his mind, we cannot predict future developments as of yet. He is currently in a vegetative state."


    "How¡­did this happen?" Hancent placed his hand over Jyorta''s head, brushing aside a couple of strands of his hair, feeling the vitality coursing through his body. For some reason, Hancent felt the strength in his body ebbing away, making his legs lose their balance. The nurse came to his help, propping him up without much effort, seating him in a chair, and pushing it next to the bed.


    "Apparently, his teacher lost control during class hours, injuring the students. Thankfully, your son was lucky. In a class of thirty students, there were only 3 survivors in total. Even their survival was thanks to the efforts of the Principal and the Vice-Principal who subdued the creature and rescued the survivors, ensuring they didn''t bleed to death until Madam Mary arrived at the scene."


    "When will¡­Jyorta wake up?" Hancent inquired, having restored some of his calm after noticing Jyorta''s perfectly intact body. As a matter of fact, it was healthier than a day before.


    "We have no idea as of present. The doctors are trying their best to treat him." The nurse replied, proceeding with her work, leaving some time alone for Hancent to be with his son.


    ¡­


    "The news of your Bone family gaining Aristocratic status will be made official tomorrow. You would have to make a trip to Central Command and receive the deed personally from Rhachis Ancestor Light. In light of your contribution, the Ancestor will also reward you accordingly. Please make preparations to present yourself with care." Wunris Marble said. He was the only one present at the Bone family mansion among the five Administrators.


    "That would be my honour," Old man Bone bowed, expressing his heartfelt emotions. After making note of several points, and having exchanged pleasantries, old man Bone bade farewell to Wunris Marble, heaving a sigh filled exhaustion after the man had disappeared from view.


    "I might have a nervous breakdown at this rate. I should present myself at my very best in front of Rhachis Ancestor Light tomorrow. This is a pivotal point in history; I should ensure that it is perfectly executed." Old man Bone muttered. His monologue was then interrupted by a servant who passed Hancent''s message to him.


    "Dammit! The moment I took my eyes off him, something happened to him." Old man Bone rushed to the hospital, intending to check the status of Jyorta. He still hadn''t made sense of the abnormality prevalent in Jyorta, nor could he actually sense it, despite seeing it a couple of times.


    ''Wouldn''t people generally assume the kid to be innately gifted? Theoretically, Jyorta is perfectly healthy.'' Old man Bone thought, entering the room, gazing at the child that slept atop the bed, sporting a peaceful expression.


    ''Theoretically, he is perfectly healthy. Theoretically,'' Old man Bone looked into the readings retrieved by the nurse, calculating the numbers and graphs displayed in it. After some time had passed in such a manner, old man Bone retracted his gaze.


    He observed Hancent who sat still, like a statue, having not detected his arrival despite it being 10-15 minutes since his appearance. Moreover, he hadn''t tried to mask his presence, openly engaging in a conversation with the stationed nurse. Even then, Hancent hadn''t noticed him.


    ''He''s lost it,'' Just when the thought occurred in his mind, old man Bone noticed the door to the room open as an old woman walked in. Though, the moment she detected him, she stood rooted to the spot, the air around her filled with dense killing intent. The atmosphere within the room changed, looking similar to the mouth of a volcano.


    Faced with the brunt of the aura, the nurse and Hancent directly vomited blood, their bodies creaking in response, looking like they might burst any second. Old man Bone stood before them, releasing his aura to counteract the woman''s, shielding them from it. The floor cracked, large swathes of concrete fell, and the steel beams that made up the skeletal structure of the hospital building showed signs of cracks, alarming all the doctors.


    "Why are you here?" The old woman, Madam Mary questioned, her eyes spewing venomous hatred, looking ready to rip apart the man before her.


    "My grandson almost died. I came to check up on him." Old man Bone replied, looking unperturbed under her gaze.


    "Ha?" Madam Mary paused in shock for a second before bursting into a fit of laughter, the sounds of which echoed all across the Hospital, reverberating in the air, travelling further across Sector 1. "Since when have you bothered about your descendants? Last time I checked, you cooked them for breakfast."


    "You are one to talk. You abandoned your son in pursuit of strength¡­" Old man Bone retorted.


    "Don''t you dare!" Madam Mary emitted a blast of energy, pressing down on old man Bone from all sides, intending to crust him. "Don''t you dare mention my son. It was you! You murdered him!"


    "Hah," Old man Bone flinched his shoulders, extricating himself from the pressure. "You sure have become weaker. I don''t even need to use my Unranked Skill for something like this."


    "So, you''ve completed it." Madam Mary nodded in realisation, snickering with disdain. "So what? That doesn''t change the fact that you are weak, weak when you are most required. I can crush you like an insect, anytime I desire."


    Veins protruded across his forehead, making him lose his cool. "Let me see you try."


    The bones in Madam Mary''s body produced creaking sounds, grinding into dust. Some parts began to show an overgrowth, forming spikes that pierced into her internal organs. Madam Mary smirked, wrapping herself in a psychic barrier, blocking his influence on her bones. The energy formed blades, severing the spikes and removing them from her body. With a flash of blue light, her body healed back, reverting to its pristine condition.


    The severed spikes disappeared, penetrating the body of old man Bone, drilling into his flesh and exploding into numerous pieces. Old man Bone grunted, dissolving the bone fragments, and absorbing them into his skeletal frame. With a flash, he disappeared from his position, slamming a punch at Madam Mary.


    His fist paused a foot before her, stopped by a formless force. The resulting shockwave from his punch seared the air, igniting it into flames, blocked by a barrier Madam Mary had erected, covering the duo, and redirecting the heat at old man Bone. The high-temperature flames failed to burn his skin as old man Bone sent another punch her way.


    "Now, you''re showing your true colours. You never cared about your so-called family. They are just guinea pigs, serving as research material to increase your pitiful strength." Madam Mary mocked, pulling the two away from the Hospital, breaking numerous walls in the process, creating a path to the top.


    The two exchanged blows, neither moving an inch from their places, the air surrounding them a sea of flames, shielded from affecting the environment by another barrier. A formless force pulled them to the sky, raising their altitude.


    A kilometre from the ground floated a mass of formless force, coagulated in a barrier that shielded the city from the Frenzy Beasts mounting attacks from the air. It also had defensive capabilities capable of attacking the foes, created and maintained by Psychic Ancestor Marble.


    As the duo approached the barrier, a voice penetrated the two-layered barrier Madam Mary had erected, echoing around them, "Control yourselves. I''ll kill you if you so much as make a scratch on the barrier."


    "Yes, Ancestor Marble." Old man Bone bowed, sending a sidekick towards Madam Mary. He controlled himself, directing his kick away from the barrier.


    "Screw off! Once I''m done with this creep, you''re next." Madam Mary howled, carrying the duo, making a hole in the barrier, and flying towards Wild Zone 1.


    "¡­" Heaving out a forlorn sigh, a formless force coagulated around the region, mending the crack in the wall.

 Chapter 39：Battle between Two Powerhouses

    "Mary Veera¡­" The voice muttered, making the surroundings silent. A strange force coagulated in the region, mending the region and further reinforcing the barrier.


    Wild Zone 1, the air crackled as a figure impacted on the ground, killing numerous Frenzy Beasts that had gathered in the region. The ground trembled as a figure leapt out, transforming into a Bone Giant, 8 metres tall. It had a humanoid body, wrapped around by layers and layers of bones, forming into an exoskeleton armour. Spikes protruded across its back, numbering in the hundreds while a huge curved horn grew at the front, emerging from the forehead, spiralled towards the tip.


    The humanoid eyes that were as big as saucers gazed at the tiny human figure floating in the air, accumulating power as the surrounding air turned viscous. Madam Mary closed her eyes, making use of her extraordinary senses, unleashed in full capacity to inspect the surroundings. She noticed the carcasses of the dead monsters squirming, raising up as the bones within their bodies melted, devouring the flesh and blood. They morphed into humanoid dolls, their sizes varying between 2 to 6 metres.


    Wings sprouted across their backs, looking similar to a dragonfly, like a transparent filament. They flapped as each humanoid doll took off to the skies, circling Madam Mary. Old man Bone, transformed into the 8 metre tall bone giant raised his legs, stomping on the ground, creating a 50 metre wide crater. The carcasses of Tier 4 Ring Worms appeared beneath, squished to death by his stomp.


    Their bodies wriggled as they morphed into humanoid dolls, each almost 16 metres tall, exuding a powerful aura. The bone giant smirked, commanding the humanoid dolls to form a distance of 100 metres from Madam Mary, forming an encirclement. Their hands melted, condensing into a long cylindrical barrel that was half their height. With a start, they shot out pellets of bone fragments, each shaped into bullets¡ªthe materials composing them coming from their bodies, shrinking their mass after each shot accordingly¡ªaimed at Madam Mary.


    Madam Mary created a spherical barrier that shielded her from the hail of bullets, unflinching at the attacks. Her brows scrunched up in surprise as the bullets that impacted her barrier melted into liquid, spreading along its surface.


    The Bone Giant laughed, "My Unranked Skill also mimics the traits of Espers, capable of influencing the bones in my surroundings without touch."


    Madam Mary calmly listened to his words, falling along the lines of boasting as thoughts flashed through her head. Thousands of thoughts were processed, analysed, and refined in her head within a second, finalising her next course of action. Madam Mary flew towards the skies, disappearing from her previous position, keeping an eye on the liquid that spread across the barrier around her.


    The moment she approached the altitude of 670 metres from the ground, the liquid spreading on her barrier paused, removed by the resultant force from her movement. Madam Mary smirked, "A Sync Rate of 67%. The range of your influence is equivalent to a Tier 4 Esper, the radius of a kilometre. Affected by your Sync Rate, it has dropped to 670 metres; how careless of you, showing your cards so soon."


    Madam Mary grunted, creating an arm by condensing her psychic energy, using it to crush the humanoid dolls, the fragments of which fell on the ground, burning up in the process due to friction. "Your Tricks are good, but, before an Esper, they are naught but child''s play."


    "What makes you assume that it wasn''t something deliberately revealed by me?" Old man Bone smiled, pushing strength in his legs, springing towards Madam Mary. He clenched his gigantic hands, curling them into a fist as all the scattered bone fragments converged towards him, forming a huge bone sword 100 metres long.


    Accompanied by shockwaves, the bone sword flew towards Madam Mary, resisting her psychic energy that sought to stop its movements. Seeing it approach her, Madam Mary sent the psychic arm, smashing it into the bone sword, and wrestling control with old man Bone.


    "Have you forgotten the speciality of Tier 5 Warriors? We are addressed as Transformers for a reason." The bone sword shattered, turning into liquid, forming into a huge sphere that wrapped around Madam Mary. Spikes formed within them, rushing towards her at speeds faster than the speed of sound.


    A faint light flickered across the spikes, trying to penetrate the psychic barrier around her body, attempting to influence her bones. Madam Mary flew up, planning to create a distance greater than 670 metres between them. Seeing her retreat, an yellow light flashed across the spikes, traversing towards the bottom.


    A spike extended towards old man Bone, making contact with him as the yellow light rushed into his body. Old man Bone raised his head, a blissful expression plastered across his face. Madam Mary had just created a distance of 700 metres between them, feeling surprised as the liquid still pursued her.


    "How?" She muttered, further increasing the distance, heaving a sigh of relief when the liquid stopped at 730 metres.


    "Surprise!" The liquid converged into a humanoid entity, looking similar to old man Bone, 8 metres tall and holding a 100 metre long sword. The sword flashed, puncturing a cut in her barrier, the impact sending her reeling kilometres into the Wilds.


    "Fine," Madam Mary shouted, veins popping across her forehead. "I''ll show you the powers of a Sky Controller."


    A gust of wind formed, concentrated around a low-pressure region, surrounded by high-pressure winds, infused by her psychic energy, further increasing in rotational velocity. She created two psychic arms, rubbing them against each other thousands of times within a second, igniting the air, mixing it into the tornado.


    The tornado descended to the ground, like a cataclysmic deity, lifting up dust, debris, and large chunks of soil. Carrying them to the top, they formed into a dust cloud. Madam Mary infused her psychic energy into it, creating friction counterparts, and raising the static energy.


    Gazing at the bone giant that was flying in her direction¡ªhaving created a pair of wings on its back¡ªMadam Mary directed her energy, creating a potential difference in his direction. A thick bolt of lightning flashed across space, impacting the bone giant, scorching it. Lightning bolts followed after it, striking the bone giant one after the other.


    The bone giant focused its attention, defending against the lightning strikes that posed a deadly might, giving Madam Mary enough leeway to further build up the charge. The bone giant suffered another lightning bolt when a huge spiral of wind descended above it, filled with flames, smashing into it.


    Madam Mary travelled through the funnel of the tornado, controlling its power to prevent the bone giant from escaping. Every time the bone giant tried to counterattack, she sent bolts of lightning its way, damaging it.


    "Where did your strength go? As I said, you are useless when it matters the most." Madam Mary commented, amplifying her voice, allowing it to reach old man Bone''s ears.


    "I think it is for the best if you stopped this farce right this instant." A voice interrupted, carrying with it a dense fluctuation of psychic energy, dispersing the two tornadoes and the dust cloud that was flashing with giant electric currents.


    "Marble¡­" Madam Mary muttered with a displeased tone, having her attacks negated. She clenched her fists, having a momentary spike in her energy fluctuations, hitting both the bone giant and the newcomer. The bone giant impacted the ground, the force behind her attack creating a massive hundred metre wide crater.


    The newcomer, on the other hand, was just sent flying for a dozen metres. He looked at the two, feeling a sight sense of anger. "Even after my warning, you still ripped a hole in my barrier."


    The bone giant cracked, its exterior dissolving into a pool of white liquid as old man Bone emerged from within, hurriedly bowing towards the newcomer. "Ancestor Marble, I am willing to face the appropriate punishment for my actions."


    "What about you, Mary? Will you stop this fight?" The newcomer, Psychic Ancestor Marble gazed at Madam Mary, gently releasing a tinge of his aura. The surrounding air, in a radius of 10 kilometres turned still, motionless under the force. A vast suffocating aura, like the flooding of the ocean, emerged, directly hitting Madam Mary, shattering all the defences she had erected.


    Madam Mary grunted, the spike in her energy abated. Thin streams of blue water appeared, healing her nerves that had burst due to a spike in her energy. She looked a bit tired, having used up a significant amount of her energy reserves.


    Faint yellow light coagulated atop the white liquid, seeping into a bone spike that had appeared on the right hand of old man Bone, absorbed into his body. The bone spike turned black, getting corroded, melting in a matter of seconds while emitting a putrid stench. Through this, old man Bone had completely recovered the energy he had expended.


    Psychic Ancestor Marble looked at old man Bone, a smile etched on his face, "A Trait that recovers the Sync Rate by expending massive amounts of energy. I must say, Jyovic Bone, you have given me one surprise after other."


    Madam Mary flew, standing next to him; her previous expression of fury disappeared, replaced with one of placid calm. "See, like I told you, this guy never stops his efforts to increase his strength."


    ''Dammit, before I knew it, I was hooked by her play, acting like an enraged teenager. I didn''t want to reveal my cards so soon.'' Old man Bone thought, realising his complacency. After creating an Unranked Skill, he had subconsciously lowered his mental guard. Moreover, the unexpected encounter with Madam Mary made him recall unpleasant memories, bringing forth a reckless charge from his behalf.


    "Please submit the full details of this Trait to Central Command by tomorrow. Since you are scheduled to meet Ancestor Light, present it directly to him. Of course, you will be handsomely rewarded, since this Trait is unprecedented in the history of our city." Saying his piece, Psychic Ancestor Marble disappeared from view, at speeds even the two Tier 5 powerhouses couldn''t sense.


    Madam Mary snorted in disdain, making a note of old man Bone''s appearance, and flying towards the city. They had proceeded deep into the Wilds, almost 30 kilometres from the city walls during their fight. So, she hurried to return, lest she encountered a powerful Frenzy Beast.


    "Dammit," Old man Bone stomped on the ground, sending heaps of soil to the sky, creating tremors that spread through the ground. "Just you wait, Mary Veera. I''ll get you back for this in the future."


    A pair of transparent wings sprouted on his back, made from morphing his flesh and blood. Old man Bone took off to the skies, hurrying back to the city. Even he didn''t dare stay outside for long.

 Chapter 40：Battle between Souls

    Lotus Stalk Hospital, doctors hurried across the cracked hallways, scurrying to and fro, carrying patients and transporting all the medical apparatus outside the building. Artisans and builders, dressed in coarse clothes rushed in, carrying building materials, proceeding to mend the cracks.


    Pieces of concrete fell along the hallways; splotches of paint peeled off, revealing the coarse structured cement within. In the flurry of activity, a nurse pushed a berth affixed atop rollers, pushing it through the hallways that were beginning to cave in. Behind the nurse ran a man, using his psychic energy to keep the berth afloat, trying to prevent it from toppling over due to the uneven ground surface.


    "I can barely support this weight," Hancent shouted, his voice drowned out amid the flurry of chaos.


    "The damage is primarily concentrated on this floor and the floors above. It is safe starting from 3 floors below. We''ll first travel there before deciding on our relocation." The nurse replied, using her psychic energy on the patient sleeping atop the berth, using it to stabilise his posture, lest the vibrations from their movement affected him.


    "Kyaak," The nurse screamed in surprise as the floor beneath her suddenly disappeared, making her lose her footing. She hurriedly roused her psychic energy, infusing it in her clothes, lifting her body. Hancent timely reinforced her, keeping them afloat.


    The weight they had to carry was greater than what they were capable of, leading to a steady fall. Suddenly, another stream of psychic energy rushed to their aid, lifting them up. It brought them safely outside the building, bringing them to the rooftop of an adjacent building.


    Hospital berths carrying patients were lined up in order; nurses flashed to and fro between them, hurriedly connecting the life-sustaining equipment to their bodies. Soldiers rushed to the rooftop, carrying extension cables to support all the machines. Everyone rushed, completing numerous tasks to ensure the lives of patients weren''t affected.


    Hancent, the nurse, and the berth carrying Jyorta landed, joining the row of berths. A doctor hurriedly inspected the condition of Jyorta, heaving a sigh of relief. He then commanded the nurse, giving her a set of instructions, rushing towards the collapsing building of the hospital to save the others.


    A soldier approached Hancent, performing a standard military salute, "Sir, I was informed that you were at the scene that was the cause of this destruction. Please follow me to give a recount of the events."


    "Sure, give me a couple of minutes. Let me first ensure the well being of my son." Hancent replied, cursing the day for being a disaster to him. He spoke with the nurse, helping her attach some support machines to Jyorta, keeping his body functioning for the time being.


    He followed the soldier, his back sulking, lamenting at his fate. The nurse watched the scene in a daze, her back drenched with cold sweat as she recalled the aura confrontation between Madam Mary and the old man that had accompanied Hancent.


    ''Who the heck was that man? To be able to provoke Madam Mary with a couple of sentences, do they share some history?'' The nurse thought, continuing with her work. Many nurses arrived at the rooftop, carrying their patients. Some were strong enough to carry one on their own while others were assisted by their colleagues.


    With a rumble, the top half of the hospital tilted, reducing its angle to the ground. Large blocks of concrete fell down, crashing onto the ground below. The glass exterior shattered, the sounds high pitched, piercing the ears of the people present nearby.


    Hundreds of Espers took off to the skies, the standard doctor''s coat wrapped around their bodies, fluttering in the air in response to the dense psychic energy fluctuation radiating off their bodies.


    "Doctors," A Doctor that looked like the eldest of the present shouted, his voice reverberating across the surroundings, "Try your best to keep the damage to the building to a minimum. There are still patients trapped inside. All nurses, hurry inside and evacuate the remaining patients."


    In response to his shouts, all the doctors raised their hands, infusing their psychic energy into the collapsing half of the building, trying to slow down its fall. Veins popped across the foreheads of all doctors, their eyes red as they shouted one by one, increasing the output of psychic energy to their utmost limits.


    As if their conviction fell upon a fault, the top half of the building, weighing hundreds of tons continued to tilt, finally falling off when the beam structure beneath it crumbled. Like a piece of rock pushed from a terrace, it fell, bringing with it the doctors who tried to hold it in place.


    "Aargh!" A doctor screamed, blood dripping from his forehead; his eyes had burst out from the exertion. Like a kite that had lost its strings, the doctor plummeted. Seeing him fall, a doctor near him diverted a part of his strength, hurriedly bringing him to safety. But, as a result, their exertion further increased, leading to many doctors screaming as they fell, one by one.


    The blue soul connected to the ears of Jyorta, listening to everything that occurred around them, getting a gist of things from their conversations. It then noticed the condition of Jyorta''s soul, looking like a blob of messy fluids, emitting a putrid stench that was stronger than before.


    A dense fluctuation of psychic energy appeared in the surroundings, propping up the falling building, just 5 metres before its impact to the ground. The remaining doctors looked at the source of the energy, their bloodshot eyes filled with a sense of relief.


    "Ancestor!" They collectively exclaimed as the building gently touched the ground. Immediately, the nurses emerged out, carrying the remaining patients with them.


    Psychic Ancestor Marble gazed into the surroundings, using his psychic energy to lift the doctors who had suffered serious injuries and had fainted. "Mary!"


    Upon his shout, a figure blazed through the air, followed by sonic booms, stopping atop the collapsed half of the hospital building. With a wave of her hand, a dense cluster of blue liquid formed before her, collating into a long stream.


    With a spike in her energy, the stream split into five counterparts, rushing into the doctors who were the worst off, rapidly regrowing their shattered eyes. The five streams then swerved, merging into the bodies of the injured, rapidly healing them from their near-death state. Within a minute, she was heaving ragged breaths, her forehead throbbed with pain, the nerves within it looking ready to burst.


    "Stop it; let your subordinates take care of the remainder. You''ll die if you exert yourself any longer." Psychic Ancestor Marble appeared before her, pulling her to a stop.


    "This Trait of mine can still be improved. This is the best time to collect data. It''s very rare for me to feel this sense of exhaustion." Madam Mary replied, followed by another spike in her energy, creating a sixth stream.


    "Sixth!" Psychic Ancestor Marble exclaimed in shock, looking at Madam Mary as if she were a monster.


    "I told you, this Trait can still be improved. Once we get the data of Jyovic Bone''s Trait, we can create a synergic effect using these two." Madam Mary replied, retracting her psychic energy, her aura dropping down rapidly.


    Unawares of the spectacle that happened near him, the blue soul concentrated its gaze upon the murky soul of Jyorta, starting to chant the verse imparted to it by the creepy-haired man. The moment it finished reciting it, two tendrils grew out of it, looking blue, filled with the engravings that pertained to its memories.


    The blue soul decided to name them ''Soul Cornea'' as evident to their properties that let it connect, affect, and gaze into the soul of another. The blue soul controlled the two Soul Corneas, making them wrap around Jyorta''s soul.


    After having suffered a grave injury to his body, Jyorta''s soul had retracted its connection with his body, lying still, making the body enter a vegetative state. Despite being fully cured of the physical injury, Jyorta''s soul had yet to re-establish its connection with his body.


    The two Soul Corneas covered Jyorta''s soul, perfectly encasing it. Now, unless it retracted the two Soul Corneas, there was no way for Jyorta''s soul to re-establish a connection with his body.


    ''Now, for the final touch.'' The blue soul gazed at a wisp, bigger than a baby''s by a multiple of ten, filled with a dense cluster of engravings, containing massive amounts of knowledge. It was the subsoul, the one that resided in the body of the language teacher.


    The moment it pierced its hand into the stomach of Jyorta and ripped out a piece of his spinal cord, the subsoul collected most of the knowledge fragments from the soul of the language teacher that was breaking down, carrying with it as it entered the body of Jyorta.


    It left a final instruction in the body of the language teacher, making her engage in a slaughter, leaving out the three children from its attacks. Since the soul of the language teacher had yet to fully dissipate, her body functioned until the Principal pummelled her body into a meat paste.


    The subsoul transferred all the knowledge fragments to the blue soul, transforming into a wisp, half its prior size. The blue soul segregated the knowledge fragments it had received towards one corner, intending to digest them at a later date.


    With a command, the subsoul approached Jyorta''s soul, morphing into a needle, burrowing into his soul through a small opening the blue soul had created. The moment it entered, the blue soul moved the two Soul Corneas, completely wrapping Jyorta''s murky soul that grown a tad larger. It then used the tip of two Soul Corneas, attaching them to Jyorta''s soul.


    Unlike the connection created by extending a part of its soul in the form of a soul tendril, the invasion rate using the Soul Cornea was many times faster, also accompanied by a filter that reduced the rate at which Jyorta''s soul accessed it. This ensured that the two souls wouldn''t get assimilated by one another.


    The subsoul, on the other hand, burrowed straight to its centre, occupying the region. It then extended a soul tendril, connecting to the innermost region of Jyorta''s soul, one that was pure.


    ''Now, two modes of invasion from the outside and another invasion from the inside; I wonder, how long can you last, Jyorta?'' The blue soul fell silent. It had been patient for almost a decade; hence, it didn''t want to rush at such an important fork, lest everything turned awry at the last minute. It dared not be careless, connecting to the senses of Jyorta''s body, keeping an eye out for any external threats.

 Chapter 41：Hello World

    Lotus Stalk Hospital, after undergoing numerous repairs, it had been rebuilt into a sturdier building. On the 8th floor of the hospital, within a certain ward, a patient slept. He looked like a slightly malnourished teenager, lacking development in the areas of his limbs where muscle mass should have accumulated.


    Sporting an androgynous face, the boy lay unconscious, having not shown any signs of activity for the past few years. The room was vacant, except for him, looking bereft of life. The door opened as a nurse entered, showing a bored look as she focused her gaze on the monitor, taking note of the data mechanically.


    Not once did she bother to spare a glance at the boy, leaving the room once she was done with her observation. An hour later, the nurse entered once again, making note of the readings from the machine, and setting aside a glance at the sleeping patient.


    "What a waste of that pretty face." She clicked her tongue, lamenting the fate of the patient. Finished with her routine, she exited the room. Coming across a colleague, the two nurses chatted, planning to take a five minutes break, acting sneaky.


    In the hospital room, the body of the boy showed no signs of activity, except for the involuntary muscles that functioned nonstop. Suddenly, the body of the boy violently jerked, like a man that had fits. His body spasmed, severing the cords that were connected to him, raising a set of alarms.


    Within a couple of seconds, the nurse in charge of him rushed in, accompanied by the other nurse. The two were flustered, witnessing a situation that they hadn''t thought was possible. One of them rushed out to contact a doctor while the other inspected the condition of the boy, trying to figure out the cause for his spasms while struggling to placate him.


    No sounds were emitted from the boy, his mouth closed. His body was held in place by the nurse, using her psychic energy to suppress his spasms. Not even 10 seconds had passed since the nurse had rushed out, arriving with a doctor.


    The doctor emitted a dense fluctuation of psychic energy, infusing it into the body of the boy, inspecting the cause for his abnormality.


    "His body is emitting some sort of rejection, making the organs fail one after the other. Hurry, use a muscle relaxant." The doctor ordered, reinforcing the failing organs with his psychic energy.


    The nurse did as was told, injecting a solution into the bloodstream of the boy, trying her best to preserve his vitals from dropping further. A minute later, the thrashing body of the boy came to a halt, recovering to his previous vegetative state.


    The doctor and the two nurses heaved a sigh of relief. The doctor noted the vitals, saying to the nurses, "His brain activity has improved as compared to before. If it improves at this rate, there is a chance of the boy waking up in the future."


    "I''ll summon the doctor in charge of this patient. Let him take care of the rest." Saying so, the doctor exited the room, hurrying along the corridor. He rushed into an operating ward, gazing at three other doctors who had surrounded a patient, operating on him.


    "It''s the needle of a Spindle Bee; lodged at three places. The blooming effect has been suppressed by a Skill of the patient but, it is showing signs of a breach." A doctor murmured, picking up a scalpel, and cutting open a small section along the stomach.


    A needle that looked no different from a sewing needle used for handling wool was lodged beneath the cut section, looking brown, and filled with three rings of yellow. Faint tendrils started to emerge from the tip, burrowing into the surrounding flesh. A light, red coloured hue surrounded the flesh, hindering the tendrils.


    The door to the operation ward closed with a shut.


    The two nurses looked at the sleeping figure of the boy, leaving him alone after a minute of inspection. The doctor in charge of him had arrived, giving him some medication and reattaching the life-supporting devices with the help of the nurses. Once they were done, they exited the room.


    The boy lay unconscious, bereft of the signs of the healthy, his haggard expression making people want to pity him. The room turned peaceful, filled with a harmonious atmosphere, the only sounds being the faint beeps from the life support machine.


    Though, within his body, a bloody war was being waged, one that was at its climax. The blue soul looked damaged, parts of its soul were peeling off. Its two Soul Corneas were almost transparent, looking like they would disappear any minute.


    The subsoul that had burrowed into Jyorta''s soul had been destroyed, assimilated into the murky soul of Jyorta. Jyorta''s soul thrashed, having gained some features from the subsoul that it had absorbed. Though, most of its attacks were directed at itself, thanks to the blue soul having invaded most of it by now.


    ''Kaushik, don''t dare assume that I would go down without a fight. If I can''t win, I''ll ensure to take you down with me.''


    ''Well, you have grown, Jyorta. But, what can you actually do? Even if you have obtained most of my memories, you don''t have the methods to deal with me.'' The blue soul communicated, using its weakened Soul Corneas to drill into Jyorta''s soul.


    As they fought for a long time, and as their memories became intertwined, Jyorta had come to know of its existence and could hence communicate with it. He tried to retaliate, using the methods of the blue soul against it. Alas, some inert differences between their souls made it difficult for Jyorta to effectively make use of the methods.


    The blue soul immediately began to chant the verse of the creepy haired man, shaving off the remainder of the murky substance covering Jyorta''s soul. Jyorta''s soul retaliated, using a tendril extended from its soul to lash out. The two enacted their self-destructive plans, making use of all methods to destroy their opponent.


    Time passed in such a manner. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months. Suddenly, a third party emerged, drilling into the remainder of Jyorta''s soul, attacking him with reckless abandon.


    ''Haha, you didn''t expect this, did you? Two months ago, a new nurse was posted to take care of me, a newly advanced Tier 2 Area Controller. And, guess what, I converted the soul of the Wisdom Parasite in her with ease, waiting for the right opportunity to strike at you.'' The blue soul attacked.


    ''Dammit!'' Jyorta''s soul cursed, struggling to maintain his sense of self. The appearance of a third party endangered him. After a long period of struggles, he had managed to destroy the subsoul that had burrowed into its soul. Now, the sudden appearance of another subsoul put him in an impasse.


    ''Well, it was fun while it lasted. Goodbye, Jyorta. I''ll be sure to live a fulfilling life in your place.'' The blue soul communicated, snuffing out the last of Jyorta''s soul.


    ''Finally!'' The blue soul thought, feeling euphoria. Being hidden, striving to hide itself without alerting others, feeling a sense of danger when its memories leaked out to Jyorta, and having to patiently wait in darkness spanning more than a decade, it had all come to an end.


    The blue soul wrapped up the bits and pieces of Jyorta''s soul, one that had lost its ego. It absorbed them into its body, fusing with them. Having already digested most of Jyorta''s memories over the period, it didn''t have to do much segregation, directly integrating the memory fragments into a cluster.


    Once it was done, it absorbed all the memory fragments from the subsoul, sending it back to the body of the nurse who happened to be near. The nurse had been wiping his body with a moist towel, hence giving the subsoul ample time to prepare its ambush, finish its job, and return to its original place.


    ''Now, there isn''t any chance that the nurse might learn of my existence. All memories have been stripped from the subsoul.'' The blue soul thought, forming a connection with Jyorta''s body, and engaging with all the senses of the body.


    Wenina Marble was wiping the body of Jyorta when she noticed his eyes twitching. It was minute at first before becoming obvious. The nurse leaned before him, planning to observe if what she had seen wasn''t an illusion when, his eyelids fluttered open. A pair of cloudy eyes greeted her view.


    After a couple of seconds, the cloudy eyes gained a sense of clarity, looking deep while having a startling sense of calm. It focused its gaze at the face of the nurse, taking a good while, etching the face to memory. The mouth below parted, the vocal cords moved up and down, leaking out a coarse voice, filled with hesitation.


    "¡­Hello?"


    "Hello there, take some deep breaths as you get up." The nurse helped him, gently moving his body to a sitting posture. "Don''t worry about anything and just take deep breaths, okay?"


    "Okay," Jyorta nodded, expressing his confusion. Under the influence of the calm and gentle voice of the nurse, his heart rate slowed down. The nurse noticed his heart rate depicted on the monitor from the corner of her eye, heaving a sigh of relief when it returned to normal levels.


    "I am Wenina Marble, the nurse in charge of you. Are you feeling hungry? Do you want to eat some food?" The nurse said, keeping him distracted with trivial stuff until he looked ready to hold a normal conversation.


    "W-Where is this place?" Jyorta spoke, his gaze waving past the surroundings in the room.


    "A hospital," The nurse replied, "Give this sister a minute, will you? I''ll bring your doctor to check up on you."


    "I¡­" His voice trailed, "I seem to have faced a nightmare, something horrible." Clutching his head, Jyorta seemed to be in pain.


    "Relax," The nurse held his hands, the warmth in them calming him. "Everything''s fine. It was just a bad dream. Just relax for the moment."


    "Okay," Jyorta nodded, resting his back on the ground, falling asleep. The nurse checked his condition, feeling relieved after noticing that he was just in a state of slumber. She gently closed the door, hurrying along the corridor to inform the respective doctor, the one in charge of Jyorta.


    The moment the door closed, the eyes of Jyorta shot open, his mouth curled up in a smile, similar to a 3-year-old child having just received a gift. His hands moved around his body, groping them, and feeling the sensation of touch. Taking in a deep breath of the air, he felt its refreshing taste. The sensory stimulus brought tears to his eyes, choking his emotions. His mouth opened, forming words in his native language.


    "Hello, World!"

 Chapter 42：Baby Steps

    "I feel alive! So, this is what it means to have a body." Jyorta muttered, clenching his hands, feeling the sense of touch. It was a wonder; the world around him was huge and finally, he could take in its grandeur, through his own eyes.


    ''I am Jyorta Bone and at the same time Vadlamani Kaushik, each having different personalities. I must ensure to not mix up the two, making my real persona arise only when necessary. Until then, I will eat, think, talk, and behave like Jyorta.'' Jyorta thought, relishing in the thinking experience. He no longer needed to mask his thoughts under a pile of useless memories, directly engaging in thinking behaviour without restraint. After all, the brain, the eyes, and even the soul, all were his from here on.


    "I seem to have grown a bit as compared to before." Propping his body to a seated position, Jyorta observed his figure. Quite tall as compared to before, having a lean body frame, and traces of hair growth in pubic regions; it made him conclude that the time he spent in a vegetative state was longer than he had expected.


    ''I need to check the date.'' Scanning around the room, Jyorta was unable to find anything that could help him find the date¡ªcalendar. He rubbed his eyes, gazing at the life support machine next to him, sparking his interest.


    As an engineer, any sophisticated instrument was irresistible to him. He wanted to pick up a screwdriver and dismantle the machine right away, understanding its mysteries based on his accumulated knowledge.


    The door opened as the nurse, Wenina Marble entered, accompanied by a doctor. They noticed Jyorta gazing at the life support machine with a heated gaze, a trace of drool leaking out his mouth. With a chuckle, the doctor interrupted him.


    "How are you feeling?" He had asked a question but, it seemed as if he wasn''t expecting an answer. He used his psychic energy, making it seep into Jyorta''s body, inspecting his condition.


    ''Is he using his psychic energy to gain a firsthand comprehension of my body? Strange, I can''t even seem to sense it.'' Jyorta thought. They only reason he could suspect it was because of the similar actions taken by the doctor. Hancent did it whenever he used his psychic energy.


    "Hmm, you are perfectly alright. Moreover, your brain activity seems normal. We''ll monitor you for a week, and if no problem arises, you can be discharged." The doctor said, nodding at the nurse before he exited the room.


    The nurse looked at Jyorta, "Your family has been notified of your awakening. They''ll be here soon."


    "Thank you, sister." Jyorta flashed an awkward smile at her, feeling unable to carry a conversation.


    "Just doing my job." The nurse waved her hands, "We''ll begin your rehabilitation session at dawn tomorrow. It would be for the best if you can rest until then. After being in a coma for so long, your body needs time to get back to normal."


    The nurse pulled the bedsheet covering him; the figure of Jyorta wearing naught but boxers came into view. She then began to massage his legs, infusing her psychic energy into his muscles to loosen them up.


    "W-Wait, I can do it on my own," Jyorta shouted, face flushed red while his voice stammered. He waved his hands, trying to break her hold.


    "Oh, it is fine. I''m used to it by now. I''ve been taking care of you for the past two months." The nurse replied with a wink, using her psychic energy to stop Jyorta''s hands. "Moreover, I changed your underwear every day. There''s nothing I haven''t seen yet."


    "B-But, it is embarrassing for me," Jyorta said, covering his face with his hands. He turned silent, not daring to speak for 30 minutes, until the nurse was done with her work. The nurse draped the bedsheet over him, covering his lower half. Only then did Jyorta reveal his face, not willing to make eye contact with her.


    A couple of minutes later, the door opened, and in came Hancent, tears streaming down his eyes. The moment he spotted the seated Jyorta, he pulled him into a hug. "Finally, you''re awake."


    "Dad," Jyorta muttered. A part of him found the word familiar while the other part felt alienated to use that word to address Hancent.


    ''This is a strange feeling.'' He thought, laughing at his fate. It was only the ego of the individual named ''Jyorta'' had he crushed. His psyche, behavioural traits, memories, and emotional quotient still existed, having become a part of Kaushik. The part of him corresponding to Jyorta addressed Hancent as Dad in his subconscious while his self associated Hancent as a father character.


    ''He''s not my father, but he''s the father of Jyorta.'' He thought. His actions though, were different. Since he was making use of Jyorta''s persona, all his actions, words, and emotions were in line with the individual ''Jyorta''.


    "It''s good that you are awake. Your sister is still on a mission, so it would take her a couple of days to arrive." Hancent said, patting his shoulder. He then turned to the nurse, "If there aren''t any more health issues, I would like to discharge him today."


    "Sorry sir, we still plan to observe him for a week before giving the go-ahead for a discharge. In the meantime, we will nurse him back to full health. Also, since he would be shifted over to the general ward, you can visit him anytime." The nurse replied, pulling out a piece of paper that the doctor had handed to her.


    Hancent gazed at the paper, finding it to be the medical report of Jyorta. It stated the deficiencies Jyorta had accumulated after having not moved for so many years, despite getting nursed appropriately. Reading the remarks listed out on them, Hancent let out a sigh, acquisitioning to the nurse''s words.


    "I''ll leave you alone for now. If any problem arises, do ring the bell." The nurse pointed at a red button placed near the bed. She then picked up a notepad filled with indescribable scribbles, exiting the room.


    Jyorta observed Hancent''s face, having a sense that he was in a fleeting dream. He then pinched his face, the pain giving him a sense of reality.


    ''I have really taken over Jyorta.'' A smile crept over his face. Seeing his smile, Hancent''s face saddened for an instant before recovering. He ruffled Jyorta''s hair, sitting on the berth beside him.


    "Dad," Jyorta took a moment to mince his words, "What''s the date?"


    Followed by a pained expression flashing across his face, Hancent heaved a forlorn sigh, "7th March of the year 332. It has been 4 years, nine months, and 6 days since you fell into a coma."


    "T-That long?" Jyorta stammered, shock filling his face. His hands trembled while his mouth opened and closed, many times, unable to utter any syllables. His breath became ragged; sweat covered his forehead, drenching the bedsheet draped over him.


    Hancent rubbed his back, in an effort to console him. The fact proved as a shock to Jyorta, tears streaming out of his eyes as he began to cry involuntarily. The room was filled with the sounds of his sobbing. Embraced in Hancent''s hug, Jyorta clenched the shirt on his back, his screams intermitted with howls, filled with incomprehensible growls.


    Only after a good while had passed did Jyorta calm down, having exhausted his source of tears. He held Hancent in a weak hug, his arms lacking strength within them. He couldn''t put a lid on the reason for his crying. He just began to cry, hearing the number of years he had been in a coma.


    "What should I do now, dad?" Jyorta questioned.


    "We''ll figure it out once you get discharged. We can get you tutored at home until October this year, raising your knowledge to a passable level. I''ll then get you admitted to a new school. There, you can slowly work your way back to normal."


    "But dad," Jyorta said, "What happened to my classmates? What about Laila and George? Are they okay?"


    "Of course, they are. They are perfectly fine. You can meet them whenever you want. Though, it will have to wait until you first get discharged from here." Hancent replied. "Also, they have transferred to different schools. So, you probably wouldn''t notice any familiar faces in your new school."


    Jyorta nodded, making use of the opportunity to use Hancent''s thigh as pillow, acting spoilt. "Dad, where''s mother?"


    "She''s currently on a mission, involved with the safety of the city. Don''t worry, she will come to visit you soon." Hancent replied. Engaged in chatter for more than an hour, Jyorta began to feel tired, falling asleep. Hancent accompanied him, reading a book that the nurse had lent to him.


    When it was dawn, he had to hurry for work. Even for taking a permission, he had to contact his superior and submit an official application. Hancent planned to take a week off from work, deciding to hurry back to the hospital before Jyorta woke up.


    An hour after he had left, Jyorta woke up, rubbing his eyes and gazing at his surroundings in a daze. He then noticed his hands, his legs, their shape, size, feel to the touch, etc, taking in everything.


    ''So, it wasn''t a dream. I have really stepped foot into this world.'' With a start, Jyorta noticed the nurse that had entered the room, arriving with a set of clothes usually worn by patients. She helped him wear them, all while in a seated posture atop the bed.


    "There, there; try to move your leg." The nurse placed his left arm over her shoulder, using her hands to pull at his legs, craning them over to the edge. With her help, Jyorta brought his left leg forward, going beyond the edges of the bed, slowly proceeding downward.


    His left leg¡ªtravelling over a distance of two feet with great difficulty¡ªtouched the cold, hard surface of the floor, its chillness sent a streak of shock through his nerves, actuating his sensory receptors. The toes on his left moved, going up and down, repeating the action numerous times, supported by the psychic energy of the nurse.


    It was then followed by his right leg, supporting the weight of his body as he tried to stand up. The nurse placed her right hand, curling them around his hips, applying pressure towards his front. Her psychic energy seeped into the muscles on his back, reducing his strain while supporting his body. After a minute of tedious efforts, Jyorta finally stood on his feet.


    ''Is this my first baby steps?'' He laughed, his eyes welling up with tears.

 Chapter 43：Terrifying Night

    "Just like that, take slow steps. Balance your body by holding the two rods and take small steps, each no wider than your foot." The nurse, Wenina Marble said. Her forehead was filled with sweat, her expression drained. She infused her psychic energy into Jyorta''s body, augmenting his efforts and increasing the rate at which his muscles adapted to the movement and stress.


    14th March, after a week of rehabilitation, Jyorta was now capable of walking, albeit with a crutch. Finished with the session, the nurse redirected him to a waiting room, "Your family member is currently in the process of applying for your discharge. They''ll come to pick you up once they are finished. Take care."


    "Thank you, for all your care." Jyorta¡ªseated on a chair, his crutch placed to his right¡ªbowed. The waiting room turned silent after the exit of the nurse, filled with the faint breathing sounds of Jyorta and the occasional creaks that resulted from his crutch scrapping against the floor, due to the slight tremors that coursed through his body. It was impossible for him to sit still.


    Seconds turned into minutes as Jyorta had a bored look, unable to find anything of value in the waiting room that could pique his interest. His gaze shifted to his crutch, a long metal stick with a cross-piece at the top. The top was covered with leather, looking black in colour and feeling soft to the touch. He poked it with his finger, feeling it form a small depression.


    Once released from his hold, the depression recovered, reverting to its initial form. Amused, Jyorta poked at another spot, this time at an inclined angle. The depression formed differently as compared to before, giving him a slight sense of satisfaction. Having nothing better to do, Jyorta continued to play with his crutch, the passage of time didn''t feel as excruciating now.


    Time passed, the door to the waiting room opened as a woman, 6 feet tall, sporting leather boots that made racketing sounds when tapped on the floor appeared. Her hair was tied up into a thick bun, concealed under her hat. Wearing clothes that were designed in the style of military uniform but meant as casual clothes, the woman had a stoic face.


    The moment she entered, she noticed Jyorta biting the metal frame of his crutch, his expression imitating a dog, leaking out a whimper. It seemed he was having fun playing with it when his gaze focused on her, turning blank for a moment.


    "Have you turned into a dog now?" The woman spoke, walking towards Jyorta. Hearing the voice, the gaze of Jyorta hardened, immediately replaced by a joyful expression. He set aside his crutch, exerting strength in his legs as he leapt towards the woman, his hands spread wide.


    "Sister!" He lost balance after taking the first step, tumbling. Prepared to collide on the floor, he found himself in the embrace of the woman who had appeared before him.


    "Are¡­" Heima hesitated, her face lacking a sense of warmth, "Are you feeling okay?"


    "Of course," Jyorta replied with a smile, craning his face upwards to gaze into the visage of Heima. "The nurse helped me a lot. Soon, I will be able to walk normally."


    "I see," Heima nodded, helping him with his crutch, leading him out of the waiting room. She notified a nurse stationed in the reception counter, exiting the hospital with Jyorta. She didn''t talk much, patiently accompanying Jyorta as he walked with difficulty, trying his best to hold his crutch steady.


    Boarding a metro train and finding a seat, Jyorta let out a breath of exhaustion, groaning in pain. He massaged the muscles in his leg, as taught by the nurse, Wenina Marble, relieving his strain little by little.


    Shooting a glance at Heima, seated next to him, eyes closed and her back poised straight, exuding a confident, almost bordering arrogant demeanour, he couldn''t help but wonder. The current Heima lacked any similarities to his sister from his memories, almost making him suspect her identity.


    Even his perception of the soul failed to detect anything similar, thanks to a barrier surrounding her body, preventing him from sensing her soul.


    ''Except for Tier 1 and newly advanced Tier 2 Espers and Warriors, everyone else seem to have a barrier shielding them from my senses.'' Jyorta thought, finally paying attention to her face. Large eyes, thin nose bridge, eyebrows forming drawn arcs, with a sharpness to them and a pair of succulent lips that were shaped like a bow, stretched taught when she pursed her lips. Accentuated by her sharp jawline, she exuded an attractive charm.


    "Sister?" Jyorta faced to his right, craning close to her face, "Why did you leave me behind and became pretty all by yourself?"


    Heima shot a glance his way, choosing to ignore his question. Unwilling to relent, Jyorta pestered her with a round of questions, each of which fell on deaf ears. The train stopped at a particular station as Heima got up, alighting the train with Jyorta in tow.


    Boarding a lift and walking through a corridor, the duo finally reached a familiar house. Knocking on the doorbell, Heima waited. After a couple of seconds, the door opened, leaking out a stale stench from within.


    Leading Jyorta through the door, Heima glanced at the living room, strewn with objects everywhere. There were also unfinished food parcels, scattered across the dining table. Some were left on the couch, leaving only a tiny place on it for seating. There lay Hancent, watching TV with a numb expression.


    Watching Heima and Jyorta standing in the living room, Hancent gazed at them with silence, coming to a realisation only after a while. He stood up, stretching his back, leaking out a yawn, "It has been a long time since someone other than me lived here. Freshen up, the two of you. In the meantime, I will clean this place up."


    "Okay," With a nod, Heima entered her room, leaking out a grunt at the messy state of the bathroom. Without any maintenance, the dust had accumulated everywhere, also corroding and forming rust on the supposedly stainless steel taps.


    Heima looked at her room, shaking her head, and walking out. In silence, she exited the house. After 10 minutes, she returned with some cleaning equipments, giving a part of them to Hancent. She then began to dust her room, showcasing her speed as a Warrior. Thirty minutes later, the room was spick and clean, the dusting equipment lay in a pile of debris, broken under her extreme application.


    After that, she cleaned her bathroom, allowing it to regain some of its lost dignity, muttering, "These taps are beyond faulty. I should call a plumber to change them anew."


    Putting away the cleaning equipment, she noticed Jyorta seated atop the bed, fiddling with a notebook, his expression looking lost. Heima glanced at the notebook, finding it to be the one he used during class. It was the sole notebook remaining, the only reason being the absence of the subject on the day the disaster occurred. All of his other books, items, ID cards, etc. had been disposed of by the authorities¡ªhaving been soaked by the blood of the massacred students.


    Leaving him alone, Heima decided to first take a bath. After that, she ordered dinner for the three, finding it a pain to cook. After having not cooked for a long time, Hancent too was rusty. Hence, he consented to the idea of ordering food from the outside.


    The atmosphere was gloomy as the three ate their dinner. Jyorta tried to strike a conversation with them many times but found unable to after seeing their expression. It was like they had shielded themselves from their surroundings, making it impossible for words to reach them.


    Finished with his dinner, Jyorta returned to his room, sleeping on the bed, his expression changing. He no longer seemed young and immature, his mentality filled with curiosity, shrewdness, and caution.


    ''So, this is the room Jyorta and Heima used when they were young. And, Heima seems to have taken the next room when she returned home after a year in the military academy. Though, judging by the previous state of the room, it looks like she hadn''t been home for the past few years either.''


    He rubbed his hand over the notebook, feeling its texture, drowning in nostalgia. ''Being Jyorta leaves me disadvantaged, my expressions and emotions creating trouble. Moreover, the sister and father characters look like they are hiding something. Their eyes are filled with sadness, despite their efforts to conceal them. Moreover, the father character looks like he had aged considerably in the past few days, not having come to meet me even once since the day I woke up.''


    "I am worried about them," Jyorta muttered, having reverted to the character. He then fell asleep. A minute later, the door creaked open as Heima entered, her gaze cold, filled with suspicion. She watched the sleeping Jyorta, her eyes turning green. She stood like a statue, her breathing coming to a halt, her eyes sweeping past Jyorta, scanning his body from head to toe.


    She stood there, in silence, unmoving. An hour passed in stillness, her eyes hadn''t fluttered even once. Seeing the sleeping face of Jyorta, her expression remained unmoved. Seeing the faint perspiration condensing on his face and neck, Heima switched on the fan, exiting the room.


    Once the door slammed shut, there was a faint tremor in Jyorta''s eyelid. But, his body remained still, in a sleeping posture. He severed connection with most of the actuatory muscles in his body, creating the perfect condition of a state of rest.


    ''What the heck was that? It was scary! Creepy!'' He mentally screamed, severing a connection with his skin to prevent goosebumps from appearing on them.


    Two hours passed, Jyorta was wide awake. Still, he dared not move, remaining in his spot. After severing most of the connections with his body, even if he wanted, he couldn''t move.


    Time passed as he gradually grew tired. Despite severing most of the connections, he was still connected to his brain, heart, and other vital organs. If not, then they would start to fail one after the other, a reason the cause of which he hadn''t yet discovered.


    His brain sent instructions to the rest of his body to rest, releasing the related hormones into the blood mixture. Jyorta fell asleep, his breathing pattern unchanged, thanks to his prior measures.


    At the corner of the room, to the top where the ceiling intersected with the walls, Heima gazed at the sleeping figure of Jyorta. She had never left the room in the first place.


    Tier 3 Skill¡ªSensory Invisibility!


    Using her skill, she sneaked back into the room a moment before she closed the door, using her superhuman speeds to the limit. She also ensured to mask the disturbance in the surrounding air, using her skilled movement patterns to direct the vectors in stirring up the wind in relation to the fan she had just switched on.


    Her eyes green, shone in the night, focused on the figure of Jyorta, not wavering for even a second. Only at dawn did she retract her gaze, opening the door, using her concealment and superhuman speed to make it appear as if she was opening from the outside. She entered the room, planning to wake up Jyorta.

 Chapter 44：Home Tutor

    His head turned to the left, the right side of his face touching the pillow. Parallel to his front was his left hand while to his back was his right. His right leg was stretched to the bottom, like a normal relaxing posture while his left made a perpendicular at his hip, making him look like a clown that was practicing his tricks while asleep.


    Heima stood next to him, her eyes turning green. She reached out her hand, planning to wake him up, stopping mid-way. She observed his face, concentrating on his nose, making a note of his breathing speed. She noticed the expansion and contraction of his chest region, focusing back to his face.


    ''His posture, breathing, and even the trait of his eyelids not fully covering his eyes, they are all the same. What else is there?'' Heima thought, craning her body, inching closer to his ears.


    Taking a deep breath, she shouted, "Wake up! Red siren!"


    "Higyak," Jyorta jumped up with fright, using his hands to cover the sides of his stomach. Heima breached his defences, reaching his sensitive spots and started tickling him.


    "Ehehe..sist..haha..er¡­sto..ahaha¡­p¡­" Struggling to break free, Jyorta wriggled his body, trying his best to defend his ticklish regions. Tears streamed out of his eyes, his laughter non-stop as Heima didn''t relent her attacks.


    "Brat, did you miss your sister? The stock for so many years, let me give them all to you now!" Heima let out a chuckle, her voice turning high pitched. She tickled him without rest, for a good two minutes. Only when Jyorta looked like he couldn''t endure any longer did she pause, giving him some room to breathe.


    "We have arranged for a home tutor. He will be arriving in an hour, so make sure you become ready by then." Saying her piece, Heima tickled him for another 10 seconds before exiting the room.


    Closing the door shut behind her, Heima sported the same expression, one filled with a playful demeanour. Her face looked like she had just enjoyed, her lips curled up into a smile. Her eyes were filled with gentleness, mixed with a trace of longingness and sadness.


    ''Everything about him is the same,'' She thought, heading to the kitchen. There, she noticed Hancent pouring a cup of dough over a metal pan, spreading it thin over its surface. He then added a spoon of oil around it, making it form a layer surrounding the dough. He then placed a lid¡ªshaped like a hemisphere, with a handle at the top¡ªabove it, covering the entirety.


    The entire process was executed with seamless perfection, ingrained into his body muscles over decades of practice. His eyes though, were in a daze, staring at the handle on the lid. He did the entire process mechanically, as if he had lost his soul.


    "Dad, let me make it." Heima volunteered, pushing him to the side. Though she hadn''t used any strength in her push, Hancent fell, tumbling along the direction of her push.


    "Dad!" Heima shouted, appearing behind him and holding him steady. A faint wind was stirred up in the kitchen due to her speed, making the flame on the stove flicker.


    "I¡­am fine." Hancent shook his head, walking to the living room. He switched on the TV, watching the broadcast of a reality show, meant for comedy. He watched it in silence, like a still lake, undisturbed during the winter.


    Jyorta sat on the bed, holding his stomach. He felt pain in the area, thanks to having laughed uncontrollably. He massaged his sore muscles, having overtaxed them in a short time.


    ''Even though it is me, living as Jyorta is difficult. Even the way in which he and I think and react is different. Also, that sister character was clearly testing me. How could I not notice it? Even though she acted warm and lively, she is not an actor; she gave away her true intentions numerous times. Only someone as dense as Jyorta could miss it,'' He thought, using his main persona to ponder.


    Having experienced the creepy encounter the previous night, he dared not move, see, or speak while his main persona was active. He closed his eyes, acting like he was tired, thinking up various measures.


    ''Unlike me, Jyorta doesn''t have a knack for observation. It is also easy to fool him, considering his happy-go-lucky personality; his ignorance of the human psyche and behaviours further makes things worse. Whenever I get a chance, I should switch over to my persona and analyse the memories, to constantly stay on guard. This world seems a lot more dangerous than I had thought. I probably wouldn''t even know what hit me if I stayed 24x7 in Jyorta''s persona.'' Reverting to Jyorta''s persona, he stood up, stretching his arms in order to relieve his numbness.


    ''There is a good possibility that my sister is standing behind me, observing my actions. Unless absolutely necessary, I should refrain from using my main persona.'' Pushing open a door, Jyorta entered the bathroom.


    "New brush~" He sang a song, picking up a brand new toothbrush from a cover, washing it once in the tap water. He then began to freshen up, taking his sweet time, struggling to move his body, feeling the strain in his muscles.


    8:20 AM, Jyorta emerged out of the bathroom, a towel draped around his hips. He opened the cupboard, going around his clothes.


    "They are all my old clothes. They no longer fit me." With a mutter, he closed the cupboard, walking into the living room.


    Seeing his sister in the living room, serving breakfast to Hancent, he felt the image of a lady coincided with her. Jyorta stood in a daze for a good 10 seconds, his eyes moistening up.


    "Mother¡­" He uttered, his voice feeble. Heima placed the breakfast over a plate and handed it to Hancent. He subconsciously took the plate, eating from it. It probably wouldn''t have made any difference whether he ate food or some grass. Heima turned around, acting like she hadn''t heard anything.


    Seeing her gaze, Jyorta regained his senses, "S-Sister, I don''t have any clothes to wear. All my old clothes have become small."


    "I see," Heima walked to her room, fishing out a set of clothes from her cupboard. "Here, wear this."


    With a bright smile on her face, she flashed a frock, embroidered with flower patterns, and filled with frills. Jyorta''s face flushed red, embarrassed, "Give me something normal; one that boys can wear."


    "But, this will look good on you. I guarantee it." She held it before him, aligning its topmost part with his shoulders. "See, it''s a perfect fit."


    "No way," Jyorta said, taking the opportunity to dig into her cupboard, taking out a pair of tracks and a loose shirt. Except for some minute designs that bordered around the feminine side, he felt the clothes were satisfactory to his tastes.


    "Are you sure?" She looked at him with concern, "The frock suits you more. Are you sure you wouldn''t regret your decision?"


    "I won''t!" Jyorta shouted, rushing out of the room. A moment later, he walked in, his face beet red. "Sister, what should I do about my underwear? I don''t have any."


    "Well," Heima''s lips curled up, a devilish sneer plastered across her face. Her eyes looked excited as she almost let out a chuckle.


    8:30 AM, Jyorta sat on the sofa in the living room, wolfing down the food. At some point in time, the tracks he was supposed to wear had been changed into leggings while the shirt he wore was slightly longer, having a skirt type pattern at the ending.


    His face red, bowed down, facing only the food he was eating. The bell bang as Heima opened the door, greeting the man that had arrived.


    "Hello, I''m Rishinik Walta, the home tutor you had requested." The man introduced himself, showing his ID card. Leaving his shoes at the doorstep, he entered the house. In the living room, other than Heima who had received him at the entrance, he only spotted Jyorta, obediently sitting on the sofa.


    "Pardon me for asking, but where is Jyorta Bone?" He inquired, looking around the spacious living room.


    "I am Jyorta Bone." Jyorta stood up, greeting the man after getting a cue from Heima.


    "But, from the registration, the student named Jyorta Bone was supposed to be a boy?" He looked at Heima, confusion plastered across his face.


    "That is him." Heima pointed at Jyorta, "I am sorry, he had been discharged from the hospital just yesterday. Hence, his clothing; I request your apology."


    "Ah, its fine; it is not my place to concern with such stuff." The man waved his hand. Directed by Heima, he sat on a sofa, arranged to be perpendicular to Jyorta. Before them was placed a glass table, knee-height to them. Atop it was a blank notebook and some stationery.


    "I won''t be disturbing you from here on, please continue with your classes," Heima said, retreating to her room, signalling Jyorta with eye contact, warning him to maintain an appropriate behaviour.


    "So," Rishinik Walta gazed at Jyorta, "I believe you were informed about the volume of subjects you have to finish by this October, right?"


    "Yes, sir," Jyorta replied, feeling a slight sense of exhaustion creep up on him, looking at the textbooks the home tutor began to take out. They formed a small hill atop the glass table, their overbearing size suffocating him.


    "Well," Seeing his look, Rishinik Walta flashed out a smile, "You don''t need to worry. They may look like a lot, but their contents are quite simple. Also, I am renowned for my teaching methods that follow a simple, easy to comprehend style. So, shall we begin?"


    "Yes, sir," Jyorta replied, looking like he might cry any moment. At one corner of the living room stood Heima, watching the duo; her position gave her a clear view of the two, while she was invisible to them, having activated her Tier 3 Skill.


    ''Let me see whether my hypothesis is true or not. Jyorta¡­'' She sighed, continuing to observe them. Having received a call while Jyorta was eating, Hancent had left for some urgent business, his face filled with hesitation. Though, judging by his ashen face, she could easily guess the reason.


    Heima''s eyes turned green, her demeanour turning cold, like a predator lying in wait, hiding in an inconspicuous location, waiting for the prey to fall into the trap.

 Chapter 45：Studying

    "First, we will start with something simple." Rishinik Walta took out a thin-looking book from the pile, spreading it open. "We will first start with mathematics. This is only of the 5th standard level, something that might be easier for you to learn at present."


    "But, that was what I was learning before I fell into a coma. To me, it is a difficult subject," Jyorta said, swallowing his saliva, nervousness plastered across his face.


    "The human brain develops as you age. Even if you hadn''t learnt anything, it is far easier for you to learn new things at an older age. Also, the rate at which you comprehend is vastly improved. Though, once you start aging beyond your fifties, your brain will start resisting new information. It will stop wanting to learn new stuff." Rishinik Walta picked up a black ballpoint pen, using it to scribble something in the notebook.


    "We will start with arithmetic operations; the simple ones, starting from addition and subtraction." Rishinik Walta wrote a three-digit number at the top, writing another three-digit number at the bottom, adding a ''+'' sign to its left.


    "Try to solve this. Let''s see if you still remember the basics." Rishinik Walta said, pushing the notebook to his side.


    Jyorta took the notebook, his stare boring into it. He picked up a pen, drawing a line below the number. One by one, he calculated, adding the answer below, finally ending up with a three-digit number, the sum total of the two numbers above it.


    ''It would take my main persona 2 seconds at most to solve something of this ease. But, using the same brain, I am only capable of solving it after 18 seconds had passed. So, even our methods of approach and thought processes differ.'' Jyorta thought, rechecking his answer.


    "Not bad," Rishinik Walta nodded, adding another set of numbers on the notebook, one three-digit while the other a two-digit. Jyorta took 15 seconds to solve it. The next question consisted of adding two two-digit numbers which Jyorta solved within 10 seconds.


    "So, I can conclude that you are not stupid when it comes to maths. It seems your brain is quite attuned to solving mathematical problems. This makes things easier. At this rate, you can easily solve higher difficulty problems with ease." Rishinik Walta smiled, hinting at his smartness.


    Hearing his words, Jyorta''s face beamed, his interest in mathematics increasing, gaining his favour. Next, he began to solve all the questions posed by Rishinik Walta with renewed vigour. "Mathematics is really fun."


    "Right?" Rishinik Walta laughed, "Once you get the method down, solving mathematical problems is a lot enjoyable. And, most of them are quite simple. Only the ones you learn in 11th standard will become tricky and tough. Until then, it will be a breeze."


    Hearing his words, Jyorta laughed, throwing his hands, pumping himself up, "Then, I will first finish all these problems."


    1:00 PM, Rishinik Walta closed the mathematics book, signalling for Jyorta to stop. Even after being told by him, Jyorta continued solving, only stopping after having solved two more problems.


    "Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division; we have finished the basics. Tomorrow, we will begin fractions and decimals. Have a break for the next one hour; after that, we will begin another subject." Rishinik Walta said, getting up, planning to leave the house.


    "Sir, please have lunch here. I have cooked your portion too." Heima walked out of her room, entering the living room.


    "Oh, it is fine; my house is just a 10-minute walk from here." Rishinik Walta pointed with his hand, signalling that it wasn''t a trouble.


    "Please, I insist. You are taking a lot of effort to tutor my brother after all." Heima replied, indicating for him to sit in the dining table.


    "If you insist," Rishinik Walta let out a chuckle, not intending to refuse any longer. He washed his hands in the washbasin¡ªplaced at the corner of the dining room¡ªbefore proceeding to occupy a spot around the dining table.


    The so-called dining room was just an extension of the living room, separated by a raised platform, one foot high. It was to create a sense of elevation and to differentiate the living and the dining rooms.


    The dining table was shaped like a pentagon, supporting a circular, rolling platform in the middle. It was where all the food items were placed. Smelling the scent of the food, Jyorta looked bewitched, acting like a zombie as he trailed after it to the source.


    Just when he reached out to grab it, Heima slapped his stretched hand, "Wash your hands first."


    "Okay," With a laugh, he jumped off his chair, rushing to the washbasin and haphazardly washing his hands. As quick as he ran, he returned to his seat, digging into the food on his plate.


    Heima had smartly added food to his plate first, lest he rubbed his saliva coated hand over the food while eating. After all, it was a customary practice for them to eat food with their hands, as a show of respect to the food.


    After lunch, Rishinik Walta walked to the balcony, gazing at the streets filled with people walking to and fro. It seemed as if the afternoon sun didn''t affect them in the least.


    ''Technically, he''s not a lost cause. He''s quick on the uptake. As long as I give him enough motivation and pep talk at appropriate times, he would be eager to learn. Well, they are only expecting passing grades from him; after all, he has to learn the syllabus of 5th to 10th standard in these 7 months and sit for the exams in October.'' Rishinik Walta pondered about his afternoon lessons, the content he should teach and the teaching methods he must employ to make them interesting.


    Jyorta sat on the sofa, lazing around. He suddenly stretched his hands, pulling them to the top of his head, inching them towards the back. A faint gust of wind was stirred up, faint enough to be unnoticeable. Jyorta raised his head, looking at the ceiling, at the fan that was still.


    2:00 PM, Rishinik Walta entered the living room and resumed the afternoon session. It was a history class, teaching Jyorta about major events in the form of stories. It was a fun session, making Jyorta enjoy it even more than the morning.


    4:30 PM, Rishinik Walta closed the history book, signalling the end of the class. "We''ll begin at 8:30 AM sharp, tomorrow."


    "Thank you, sir." Jyorta stood up, waving at his back as Rishinik Walta exited the house. He turned his head, noticing his sister standing near him.


    "Sister, are you in a job?"


    "Yes," Heima replied, taking a look at his curious face, "It is just a desk job in the military."


    "Then," Jyorta placed his hand over his jaw, supporting the weight of his head, a look of thought on his face. "Are you having holidays?"


    "Why do you ask?"


    "Because, you were at home from the morning; If you are free, let''s go out shopping and buy some clothes."


    "Well, it won''t be possible today." Heima looked away, noticing the state of the living room. Even though she had cleaned it the day before, it still didn''t look elegant enough to facilitate guests. "Your friends will be paying a visit here."


    "Really?" Jyorta''s face widened with surprise, turning into one of joy. "That is awesome! When are they coming?"


    Heima turned to look at him, her gazing flashing across the wall clock, a slight smile flashing across her face, "Now."


    ¡­


    At a certain gift shop, one filled with all sorts of toys stood a boy, almost tall enough to be a man. He looked through the row filled with game CDs, the genre ranging from RPG to nursery rhymes. His gaze settled on a certain game, one filled with nostalgia.


    The game had long since lost its craze, shadowed by new games that had better lore, graphics, and game mechanics. Currently, there was only a single copy of the game CD on the shelf, retained due to the only reason that the store featured all game CDs, irrespective of whether they were popular or not, to showcase their variety.


    Just when he was about to take the CD, a hand reached out to it before him, claiming the CD. Tracing the hand to its source, the boy noticed a petite girl come into view. She looked young, bursting with the charm and innocence that came with the age.


    "Oh sorry, were you planning to take it? Then I will let you have it," The girl shoved it towards him, walking towards another section, leaving the boy dumbfounded. Gazing at her back, his heart throbbed, giving him the feeling of blood rushing to his head.


    "Never knew I would be attracted to a girl upon our first encounter." The boy let out a self-deprecating comment, walking to the counter to pay the bill and gift-wrap it.


    The man behind the counter had a grumpy face, taking the game CD and presenting the bill back. By the time the boy paid the bill, the grumpy man had finished gift-wrapping the game CD, in a pink coloured paper filled with floral patterns. A pinkish-red ribbon with blue embroidery was tied to its top, making the boy embarrassed to even touch it.


    With a sigh, he took it, putting it inside a cover he had prepared beforehand. As he turned around, he noticed the girl from before standing in the queue behind him, holding an ivory chessboard. Noticing his embarrassment as he hid the gift, she let out a chuckle, walking past him as she handed her item to be gift-wrapped.


    Unable to hide his embarrassment, the boy hurried out, exiting the gift shop. He then headed towards the nearby metro station, "Man, it has been many years. This is going to be one awkward meeting."


    After waiting in the station, he finally spotted the metro train heading to his destination. He boarded it with familiarity, sitting at a spot in the corner. He also noticed the girl from before getting in, sitting on a seat next to the door.


    "Maybe, this is fate?" The boy laughed, admiring the back of the girl, his mind wandering to the dreamland.


    Sometime later, he noticed the girl getting up, alighting after the train had stopped at a particular station. "What a waste; it would have been better if she had sat for a few more stops." The boy muttered in a daze when he noticed the name of the station.


    "Ah, shit." The boy hurriedly jumped off his seat, rushing towards the door, exiting moments before it closed.

 Chapter 46：Dissipated Bonds

    Exiting the train, the boy came face to face with the girl, making it seem as if he had tailed her.


    "Ahaha," The boy laughed, walking past her, using his actions to prove that their second encounter was naught but a coincidence.


    This particular station was situated inside a skyscrapper, using the entirety of its 50th floor. After swiping his ID at a designated spot, he pushed through the security checks, arriving before the lift.


    After a minute of waiting, a vacant lift finally arrived, making the boy thank the heavens. He boarded the lift, pressing the button numbered ''28'', arms crossed as he watched the lift descend.


    Reaching his floor, the boy exited the lift, noticing the girl walk out from a nearby lift. She then flashed him a smile, walking towards a corridor, taking the same route as him. Before long, the two of them reached a house, their destination being the same.


    "Eh? I don''t remember seeing someone like you in this household. Are you one of their relatives?" The boy questioned, curiosity plastered across his face.


    "As I suspected," The girl pouted, ringing the calling bell. "You have forgotten me."


    Just when he was about to probe further, the door opened as Heima greeted them, "Hello! You''ve grown quite tall since I last saw you."


    Heima measured the boy''s height with her hand, moving it horizontally to herself, noticing that he was just a tad shorter than her. She then brought them inside, seating them on the sofa in the living room.


    "Sister, I hardly recognised you." The boy said, making Heima chuckle. For an instant, she and the girl made eye contact, seemingly having exchanged information through that.


    "Jyorta, come out," Heima shouted, serving the two some snacks in the meantime. Having realised, the boy''s face reddened, filled with embarrassment.


    ''That was Laila all along!'' He mentally screamed, covering his face.


    ''If I knew she would become this beautiful, I would have stayed in touch with her, dammit.'' George lamented, trying this best to sport a poker face, avoiding eye contact with Laila.


    "I am not!" A voice trailed out, filled with anger and indignation, followed by the sound of a door being slammed shut. With a chuckle, Heima excused herself, walking in the direction of the sound.


    Followed by the sound of a door being kicked open and the screams of a certain boy, Heima returned to the living room; Jyorta curled up into a ball in her hands, lacking the strength to resist her.


    "It has been a long time. Why don''t you greet your childhood friends?" Heima said, dropping Jyorta. With a groan, he picked himself up, feeling tired. Just the struggle in her arms left him gasping for air, his muscles feeling the strain.


    "Hello," Jyorta said, gazing at the faces of the two visitors with confusion, turning his head to Heima, whispering, "Who are they?"


    "George and Laila; I assumed you would recognise them," Heima whispered. The atmosphere turned awkward as everyone just stared at the faces of each other, not knowing what to speak next.


    "Well, I''ll make some sweets for you guys. Keep talking until then," With a smile, Heima retreated out of the picture, walking towards the kitchen with grace. She took out some ingredients from the kitchen, switched on the gas stove, and picked up some utensils, placing a pan on the stove.


    The eyes of George trailed after Heima, transfixed, mesmerised. Only when she entered the kitchen, breaking away from his line of sight did he turn his head around in embarrassment, gazing at the face of Laila who looked at him as if he were a stranger.


    "Wow, you guys have changed a lot. I almost didn''t recognise you." Jyorta said, etching the faces of his friends to his memory.


    "Haha, you seem to have changed the most. I suspected you had turned into a girl," Laila tried to joke around like old times, turning silent when there was no laughter accompanying her statement.


    "Oh yeah, I brought you a gift," George said, handing out a cover. He still felt embarrassed to take out the gift-wrapped game CD; hence, he gave it with the cover.


    "What is this?" Jyorta took hold of the gift, feeling it to be thinner than he had expected. "Can I open it now?"


    "Ah, no," George shook his head, "You can open it later. It is just a game CD."


    "I brought something for you too," Laila interjected, handing out an item wrapped in golden-glitter paper, looking bigger than George''s.


    "Thanks," Jyorta received it without shame, placing it on his lap.


    "Why," Laila trailed off, "Why are you wearing a gown?"


    "Yeah, I wanted to ask about it too," George nodded, "It was strange to see you wear women''s clothes."


    "I was discharged just yesterday; so, we haven''t bought any clothes that fit me. My sister forced me to wear this," Jyorta turned sullen, looking like he wanted to remove the gown this very instant.


    "Well," Laila pondered, trying to find a suitable statement to describe it, "It looks¡­good on you?"


    The room turned silent, the silence showing the gap that had formed in their relationship. Jyorta spoke, "I heard you have changed schools. Why?"


    "You don''t suppose we would continue to study there considering what had happened, right?" Laila replied, a slight trace of anger in her face, immediately concealed under her placid expression.


    "I was unconscious for a month after that," George took the time to speak, "After that, my grandmother took the initiative to transfer me to the 2nd Academy. Since then, despite my urging, I wasn''t allowed to contact either of the two of you. As time passed, I moved on with my life, getting used to my new surroundings."


    "Actually, I planned to sneak out and check up on the two of you, but, when I arrived here, I only found your grandfather here. He informed me that you had shifted to a different location, the case being the same for Laila. I saw a stranger there, everything changed in the span of a month, I didn''t know what else I had to do. None of the adults ever told me anything." George said, his face full of seriousness, his gaze shifting between Jyorta and Laila.


    "We¡­shifted to the 5th Ring," Laila spoke, her voice mellow, "I couldn''t do anything. My mom refused to listen to me. Within a week, we found ourselves in a new place, settled within a new home. Just getting used to the changes was difficult, and I couldn''t travel between the Rings without being accompanied by my mother."


    Heima returned with three bowls of sweets, placing them before each of the three. George and Laila ate in silence, giving Jyorta time to observe them. Finished with eating the snacks, George took his leave, giving an excuse.


    Laila too followed suit, departing along with him. Even though Jyorta wanted to spend more time with them, judging by how they behaved, he hesitated to stop them. It looked like they had forced themselves to act friendly, like strangers that shared some history.


    After they went away, the living room turned silent. Jyorta noticed Heima switching on the TV, a bowl of sweets in her hand. She watched a program as she munched on the sweets, a look of delight plastered across her face.


    "Sister," Jyorta sat beside her, "Are they really the Laila and George I knew?"


    "They were," Heima nodded.


    "But¡­" Jyorta turned silent, his mood turning worse.


    "Look," Heima sighed, "People change as they age. When you were asleep, they went to new locations, met new people, had their perspectives of the world broadened, and have also matured. Moreover, there has been a gap of over 5 years formed between you three. If you want to go back to being like your childhood days, you would have to forge new bonds with them. That is the only way."


    "I understand," Jyorta nodded, gazing at the TV in a daze. A couple of minutes later, he began to cry. Tears streamed out of his eyes, cascading down his cheeks like a torrent. He wept, his body trembling, burying his face into his arms, crouching atop the sofa.


    Heima''s eyes turned cold, taking a shade of green as she observed each and every action of Jyorta. Her hands trembled, watching the crying state of Jyorta. She controlled herself, stopping her hand from reaching Jyorta in order to console him.


    ''There is no problem with him, after observing till now. But, I can''t leave it at that. Especially, the strange things he said before falling into a coma, increasing day by day until that fateful day. Also, the language teacher that was the cause of the disaster 5 years ago, she was just a newly advanced Tier 2 Amplifier. Even if her mental state was at rock bottom, it was practically impossible for her to lose control like that.''


    ''After a breakthrough, the Wisdom Parasite would be at its weakest. It would then nurture itself over time, taking months and years, before becoming powerful to initiate a strike, making a person lose control. Judging by the remains of the language teacher, and based on the research results, that had been the case for her too. So, the only reason why she lost control on that day should have been accounted for by an external influence.''


    Heima thought in silence, choosing to ignore Jyorta. She patted his head once, leaving behind some half-assed words as consolation, walking towards her room, stating an excuse of her work cropping up.


    The moment she walked out of his sight, her eyes turned green once again, having activated her Tier 1 Skill. From the nearby room, she pocketed a couple of things, hiding them underneath her clothes. The energy in her Heart Crystal began to get consumed as she activated another Skill, making people subconsciously gloss over her existence.


    Tier 3 Skill¡ªSensory Invisibility!


    She then tiptoed across the corridor, entering the living room, watching the crying Jyorta. She silently crept behind him, the backrest of the sofa separating the two. She placed her hand over her throat, infusing her energy¡ªlight red in colour¡ªinto it, changing her voice. She crouched, tilting her body forward, inching her face towards the left ear of Jyorta.


    ''Silently observing him is proving to be pointless, I should take measures directly into my hands.'' Heima thought, her eyes turning vicious, planning to go to the extreme if necessary.


    Her mouth hovered just a couple of inches from Jyorta''s face¡ªthanks to her Tier 3 Skill, he hadn''t noticed her presence. Even the small heat generated by her body was masked by the skill, making Jyorta gloss over it even if he had sensed it in such close proximity.


    She opened her mouth, producing sounds that looked like one generated by a man, falling along the lines of a whisper, but one audible enough for his ears.


    "Hello, Kaushik!"

 Chapter 47：Psychic Parasite

    "Hello, Kaushik!" The masculine gruff voice, containing a calm but steady tone resounded in his ears. The sudden unexpected sound startled him, its content shocking him to the core, immediately making him sever all connections with his actuatory muscles, falling unconscious.


    ''Dammit, what am I supposed to do now? I did it in a fluster.'' Kaushik thought, unwilling to establish a connection and pick up the body that had fallen unconscious.


    Heima gazed at him, her green eyes boring into him.


    ''He fell unconscious. But, he definitely heard it. This means¡­something is fishy indeed.'' Heima thought, slumping Jyorta''s body over her shoulder, rushing out of the house. She bolted through the stairs, heading to the ground floor and exiting the building.


    She zoomed past the wide roads, startling the passerby, entering into the opposite building. She applied strength into her leg muscles, the force bolting her across the steps of the staircase, making her land on the wall beyond it.


    In the same manner, she applied pressure on it, forming minute cracks on the wall, bolting towards the floor above with a single leap. She proceeded up, each step of her covering half the floor, getting her to the topmost floor in a matter of seconds.


    She ran through the corridor, making the surrounding Bone family members look at her in surprise, noticing the figure of Jyorta on her shoulder. Without striking a conversation, she arrived before a pair of double doors, kicking it open to find it empty. She then rushed back along the way, noticing a depressed Hubert walking along the way.


    "Uncle Hubert," She called out to him, her voice echoing across the surroundings, "Have you seen grandpa?"


    "He''s in the Ancestry Hall, mourning the deceased," Hubert replied, letting out an exhausted sigh, his back slouched. His eyes were red, the smell of incense covering his body, giving an account of the time he had spent mourning.


    "Thanks," Heima rushed to the destination, arriving at a large open hall, filled with people who were sitting on the floor in groups. The sounds of sniffing and sobbing filled the air, a morbid feeling pervaded through the surroundings, intermixing with the smell of ash.


    Heima noticed her grandfather, Jyovic Bone kneeling before a photo, setting up an oil lamp. He rubbed the cotton wick, rolling it with a bit of force, placing it in the lamp. He poured gingelly oil into it, igniting the end of the wick with a lighter. Held in his hands was a small garland of flowers; he hung it over the photo, covering parts of it.


    "Heuk¡­hik¡­" Jyovic Bone let out a grunt, leaking out a couple of muffled tears, suppressing them. A minute later, he turned to look at Heima, his eyes red, "Only after her death did I know the value she had in my heart."


    "She fought for our family," Heima spoke, her voice strangely calm, "It was an honourable death."


    "There is no honour in death," Jyovic Bone muttered, "Honour cannot reclaim the lives we had lost."


    "Nevermind," Jyovic Bone shook his head, regaining his calm, "Just pass it off as an old man''s ramblings. Tell me, why have you come here? The ashes of your mother have yet to arrive."


    "It is about Jyorta," Heima muffled her voice, trying to ensure only the two of them could hear her, "I couldn''t find anything out of the ordinary when I observed him. When I probed him, he immediately fell unconscious, not showing any other reaction except for a rapid acceleration of his heart rate."


    "So, you brought him here so that I could investigate him, right?" Jyovic Bone said, facing the entrance of the Ancestry Hall, spotting Jyorta on the floor, uncared by everyone.


    "He¡­" Jyovic Bone trailed off, deep in thought, "Forget it. There is no use in continuing with this farce any longer. I have conducted hundreds, if not thousands of tests on him over the past few years, since the very first moment after his body had been healed. I have found zero abnormalities. I even invited Sir Ankrakhen Light to investigate him, only to prove no results."


    "But, all his conversations, his choice of words, use of strange terms that never existed, and also knowledge about Wisdom Parasites hint at his abnormality. If we leave it alone, there is a chance that it might backfire on us in the future." Heima replied, showing traces of anger.


    "So what?" Jyovic Bone said, his eyes turning sharp, "As long as he''s a member of our Bone family and acts in the line of our interests, I don''t care about his abnormality. Just think of it as him inheriting memories of his past life or something."


    "But, something like reincarnation has never been proved, even with all the abilities and years we have poured into researching it." Heima retorted, her eyes widening, coming to the realisation that Jyovic Bone no longer had the intention of inspecting Jyorta.


    "I think you have misunderstood something," Jyovic Bone said, his tone infused with his might, suffocating Heima. "The existence of Jyorta has been reported to the higher-ups in Central Command, reaching the ears of Ancestor Light. It has obtained his tacit approval, so, it is for the best if you no longer pursue it."


    "But¡­" Heima was cut short, interrupted by Jyovic who turned his face, gazing at the photo of Henrietta, his eyes turning red.


    With a sigh, he said, "He is Jyorta Bone, no doubt about that." Wiping his nose where some incense smoke wafted into, he said, "Those were the words of Ancestor Light, passed to me today morning. If there is nothing else, leave me alone."


    Seeing the back of Jyovic Bone, looking sturdy but coated with traces of frailty, she turned around, not even sparing a glance at the photo before him. She walked towards the entrance, gazing at the face of Jyorta, unconscious on the floor, the chillness of it seeping into him.


    ''Are you really my brother?'' She wondered, picking him up and slouching him on her back, proceeding to return to their home.


    Closing the door shut, Heima placed Jyorta atop the bed, gently slapping his cheeks a couple of times, trying to shake him awake. With a start, Jyorta sat up, his face filled with horror. He turned around the room, his gaze inspecting all nook and cranny, a sense of alert and wariness present in him.


    "What are you looking for?" Heima inquired, looking at him with curiosity and doubt.


    "The voice, I heard it again!" He replied with a startle, breaking out into cold sweat.


    "Again?" Heima noticed his choice of words, emphasising it.


    "I heard it once, just before I was injured. It was the same voice. I heard it when I walked near the language teacher." Jyorta said, clutching his head, trembling with fear. His limbs shook, goosebumps appearing on his skin while his teeth rattled, as if buried under snow.


    "What did the voice say?" Heima inquired, her expression mysterious. The words of Jyovic Bone reverberated in her mind, making her pay careful attention to Jyorta''s words.


    "I can still remember it clearly. It is like I cannot forget it no matter how hard I try," Jyorta screamed, heaving ragged breaths, tears streaming out of his eyes, his face filled with horror. His eyes started rolling to the back, as if affected by trauma, one that affected the depth of his psyche.


    Heima hurriedly embraced him, rubbing his back as she began to console him. The warmth radiating from her body served to calm him down, albeit after 20 minutes, almost looking like he had fits. "There, there, everything will turn out fine. Your sister is stronger than anything out there. You will be safe with me being around you."


    Jyorta nodded, wiping his tears and snot in his dress, gazing at Heima, "Nemesis of the Mother Parasite, I pray for your well-being."


    "That''s it?" Heima inquired, suppressing the explosions that occurred in her mind, churning her thoughts at rapid speeds, overwhelming her emotional stability.


    ''Rhachis Ancestor light,'' she thought, focusing on the name, her gaze lost and filled with helplessness.


    "That was all I could hear. The next moment, the language teacher started screaming with her hands clutching her head. A few seconds later, she attacked us. Sister, do you know why she did that? I asked dad about it but, he refused to speak."


    "Don''t worry about that and get some sleep," Heima muttered, wrapping him with a thick bedsheet, warming up his body. The moment he closed his eyes, the sounds of heavy breathing filled the air. He had fallen asleep in an instant.


    Noticing his expression, Heima stood up, closing the door behind her as she exited the room. As soon as the door closed, Jyorta opened his eyes, pulling the bedsheet until it covered his entire body. He then fell asleep, the sounds of his heavy breathing filled the air once again.


    Next to him, to the edge of the bed stood Heima, her eyes green, having activated her Skills to conceal herself. She observed Jyorta, her expression distorting. It changed from calm to vicious, morphing from one of scrutiny to one filled with languidness. She stood silent like a statue, her chest still, showing no signs of breathing.


    "Interesting," She muttered, the sounds low enough to be inaudible to her own ears. She walked to the door, this time not bothering to mask her presence. She opened the door and exited the room, all the while her figure being undetectable to ordinary eyes.


    Once the door closed, her lips curled up into a smile, filled with a sneer, "Another one of us. Tubed Freak, do you doubt my capabilities? Well, I guess I can''t ask you since you are most likely dead by now, vanished from the records of history."


    "I guess I will continue observing you, and see if you take a path different to mine." Heima laughed, the pristine sounds of her laughter echoing across the living room, painting a devilish charm.


    She raised her arm, placing it over her face, flushed red with excitement, "My brother in terms of both flesh and soul, the only existence similar to my own, yet with a different fate. I wonder, if you know what it means to be a Psychic Parasite."


    She reverted to her calm demeanour, slumping on the sofa and switching on the TV, watching a comedy-drama, and eating the leftovers of the sweet she had prepared in the evening.

 Chapter 48：I Am Heima Bone

    ''Well, I don''t have any methods to counter the Tubed Freak''s arrangements. It is also impossible for me to determine if it is Jyorta or someone else. The fact that Ancestor Light spoke implies that one of the three should have been the one. But, Laila is definitely not it. That leaves only George and Jyorta to the question.'' Heima''s lips curled up, looking like she was enjoying the comedy-drama aired on the TV.


    "I guess I''ll go back for now and arise only when necessary. I can''t have this ego gaining too much independence." She stretched her arms, leaking out a yawn. Her expression turned normal while a change occurred in her demeanour. As if nothing had happened, she switched off the TV, heading to her room to rest.


    "Are you really my brother, Jyorta?" She muttered, occupying her bed, feeling the softness of the cushion seep into her, giving her a feeling of comfort. Her body relaxed, slowly falling asleep. A droplet leaked out of her eyes, her brows scrunched up. She opened her mouth, her voice leaking out, shivering like a leaf caught in a storm.


    "Mother¡­"


    ¡­


    7:00 AM, Heima woke up under the sounds of the alarm, rubbing her eyes as she tried to freshen up. She went to the washroom, brushed her teeth, and had a bath.


    7:30 AM, she wore a set of cotton fabric, walking towards Jyorta''s room, planning to wake him up. She opened the door, gazing at a figure wrapped under a layer of bedsheets, an aura of laziness emanating from him.


    "Jyorta, wake up. You have classes today." She nudged his shoulders, applying pressure in increasing intensity. Seeing that he showed no signs of waking up, Heima lifted him, taking him to the bathroom.


    Switching on the tap, feeling the cold water that fell into the bucket placed below, she made him sit, his face a couple of inches away from the water. The sounds of the falling water, the increase in the humidity, and a feeling of chillness that crept into his face; Jyorta''s eyebrows twitched, his face looking uneasy.


    After 15 seconds had passed, he finally opened his eyes, the sense of discomfort having washed away his sleepiness. He looked at the water stream falling down like a thin pillar, very close to his face. He blinked his eyes a couple of times, feeling perplexed at the changed scenario.


    He shifted his face, looking at the familiar surroundings, noticing a faint moist feeling coming from his lower garment. The water in the bucket had been filled to the brim, overflowing as they soaked his clothes, spreading on the floor of the bathroom.


    "Sister!" Jyorta shouted, exiting the bathroom, wincing in pain after his muscles felt the strain due to the rapid movement. Droplets of water dripped on the floor, forming a trail from the bathroom to the kitchen where Heima began to cook breakfast.


    "What?" She turned her head, looking at him with anger, "You''re getting late. Get ready soon."


    "Okay," Like a deflated balloon, the stare of Heima dissipated his anger, making him drag his feet to the bathroom. On the way, he noticed the time displayed on the wall clock, gritting his teeth.


    7:35 AM!


    "I could have slept for another 30 minutes and still be ready on time," Jyorta mumbled, entering the bathroom to freshen up. He picked up a toothbrush, and squeezed out some toothpaste on its bristles, annoyance etched on his face. With a snort, he began to mechanically brush his teeth, gazing at his face in the mirror.


    ''Did she buy yesterday''s performance? Starting today, I have to be extra careful. But, it came as a surprise that I could use Jyorta''s persona in such a manner. Restricting the persona''s access to the brain, segregating a collage of memories, and making the persona believe it to be true; the outcome turned out a lot better than I had expected.'' Jyorta thought, his mouth filled with the paste, the sounds of his brushing being rough to the ears.


    ''Though, it would be difficult to imitate a similar scene the next time. But, I could still influence Jyorta''s persona, feeding it memories, cues, and instructions, slowly morphing it into my persona over the years. This will make it safer for me, also stabilising my persona, ensuring a conflict between mine and Jyorta''s wouldn''t occur. I don''t want to end up as a mentally retarded patient with a split personality over a slipup.'' The brushing action of his turned soft for a couple of seconds, returning to its previous state. The switch was flawless, making sure Heima wouldn''t notice anything different if she had been standing behind him.


    8:10 AM, Jyorta opened Heima''s cupboard, picking out a set of tracks that was his size. The tracks looked old, judging by the small traces of tear in the ends.


    ''I should buy underwear today, without fail. It is embarrassing to wear her''s¡­'' He thought, looking at his appearance in the mirror, noticing his hair that reached his shoulders. His lean frame, his clean face lacking any facial hair and his long eyelashes; none of his features emitted a masculine vibe.


    "I should get a haircut and put on some weight." He mumbled, walking towards the dining table. The smell of aroma tantalised his olfactory senses, making his stomach grumble in protest while saliva was secreted in his mouth in excess. He gazed at the kitchen with anticipation, wondering the breakfast that Heima was preparing.


    8:30 AM, the bell rang, the figure of Rishinik Walta entered after the door opened. With a confident gait, he sat on the sofa, occupying the same position he sat the previous day. Situated atop the glass table was the mathematics textbook, opened to the designated chapter. Jyorta gazed at the book with anticipation, his eyes filled with interest.


    Seeing his expression, a smile automatically crept upon Rishinik Walta''s face, giving him some motivation. He began the lessons with gusto, making Jyorta reciprocate it in return, creating a harmonious atmosphere.


    10:30 AM, engrossed in his lessons, Jyorta suddenly noticed a shadow looming from behind him. Turning his head, he noticed Heima dressed in formal attire, carrying a bag with her.


    "Sister?" Jyorta looked at her with surprise.


    "I have work. I''ll be back by evening." She replied, heading to the door.


    "What about dad?" Jyorta spoke aloud, his expression one of concern, "He hasn''t returned home since yesterday."


    "He''s¡­just busy. Don''t worry," Heima replied, "Behave obediently and don''t create trouble for Sir Walta."


    Seeing her exit the house, Jyorta mumbled, "Since when have I created any trouble?"


    ¡­


    Heima boarded the lift, exiting when it reached the ground floor. She crossed the road filled with pedestrians walking to and fro, some in a hurry, some in a relaxed state. She entered the opposite building, heading underground through the stairs situated in a secluded spot, one protected by heavy security.


    She first passed by a large room, one surrounded by walls made from the bones of Frenzy Beasts, leaking out a suffocating aura that made her legs tremble. She then passed by another room that was radiating waves of heat despite being shielded under many layers.


    The room situated next made her apprehensive to approach the area, making her change directions, taking another route. The aura and the very air itself had a feeling of insanity, seemingly as if it would make her lose control within a couple of minutes should she stay there, exposed to it.


    After changing directions plenty of times, coming across numerous rooms, each being more bizarre than the other, she finally reached an inconspicuous room, located at the depths of the mansion.


    ''The Bone family has accumulated their strength to such a terrifying degree in a span of 5 years; as expected of an aristocratic family.'' She mumbled, her expression changing for an instant, looking decades older than she was supposed to. She then entered the room, gazing at the figure of Hancent.


    Holding a small urn that was enclosed by a cloth lid, Hancent bawled like a madman, his body shivering like crazy. If not for having already consumed a Cleansement Fruit, he would have long lost control and turned into a monster.


    Heima walked towards him, her shadow looming over his face. She crouched down, her hand propping his shoulders, her trembling fingers showing her support.


    "Dad¡­" She muttered, her voice choked, suppressing the sounds she wanted to produce. She touched the urn in his hands, feeling an electric shock pass through her mind, making her clutch her head in pain. Memories screened past her consciousness, one after the other, cracking the emotions she had bottled up.


    "Mother!" Tears streamed past her eyes, her legs having lost their support, trembling. She kneeled on the ground, touching the lid with her forehead, her hands surrounding its sides, the sounds of her cries reverberating through the air. She and Hancent, the father and daughter cried, not sharing a single word between them.


    There were 80 people in the room altogether, each shedding tears. Jyovic Bone nudged Heima, telling her to follow him. The two of them walked out of the room, heading to a secluded spot among the hallway, away from prying eyes.


    "Can you¡­" Jyovic Bone trailed off, his expression looking like he had swallowed a fly, "Can you stay away from the ceremony that happens next? I don''t want an outsider lingering in our presence in such times, despite me being the only one knowledgeable about you."


    "Grandpa," Heima muttered, her eyes tearing up, "Nothing has changed after that. I am still Heima Bone."


    "Please stay away," Jyovic Bone walked back, leaving Heima standing in her spot. She immediately broke down, crouching on the floor as she began to cry.


    "I am Heima Bone. That is a fact." She muttered, her voice strained, filled with pain as she covered her face. A couple of seconds later, her shivering body stopped, regaining a strange calm. Heima stood up, her back slouched, her eyes red. She sniffed her runny nose, wiping her tears on her sleeve.


    She gazed up, eyes focused on the blank ceiling, her expression vacant, "It would have been for the best if I had a method to destroy a persona. I guess this will be next on my to-do list. Emotions stemming from my subsouls are a real pain." She muttered, her eyes shedding tears once again, making her body tremble.


    "This is a pain," Her trembling voice resounded, turning silent, replaced by the sounds of sobbing.

 Chapter 49：Light

    Jyovic Bone walked along the hallway, his expression complex. He sighed, "Is this the right path? The price for the Aristocratic title¡­"


    "I am Heima Bone. That is a fact." His ears picked up a faint sound, making his body shudder, an expression of distraught etched on his face. His limbs trembled, goosebumps appearing on it.


    Noticing the changes, he wondered aloud, "When was the last time I felt such fear?" The figure of a man, seated on a throne, the figure of a spider in battle with the man appeared in his mind, the two figures emitting a chill that emerged from the depths of his self.


    ''Compared to Ancestor Marble, that man is many times scarier.'' He entered the hall, looking at the time on a wall clock, the sole object present in the room apart from the urns.


    11:59 AM, Jyovic Bone clapped his hands, signalling for the attention of everyone present. Almost eighty pairs of eyes gazed at his direction, filled with sadness that made his heart lurch. He looked around, noticing the gaze of Hancent, one devoid of any expression.


    "It is time," His voice beamed out, echoing across the room, resonating with everyone. In silence, everyone stood up, carrying an urn each, walking towards the end of the room. Hancent followed suit, stopping before the wall situated at the very end of the room.


    Noon, seeing the 80 Bone family members standing next to each other, Jyovic Bone too followed suit, standing at the spot on the left extreme. With a rumble, the wall shuddered, opening up from the bottom.


    After reaching the height of a man, it stopped opening, revealing a murky black brook flowing behind it. The brook¡ªspanning 2 metres wide and a metre deep¡ªflowed at a gentle pace, taking a minute to traverse a distance of 100 metres, the width of the room. It emitted neither smell nor any sound, flowing silently, the only indication of its presence being its colour.


    It lacked a mass, its aura being non-existent. Seeing its appearance, Jyovic Bone became dazed, his expression filled with nostalgia. ''I never wanted to see this again.''


    "Everyone," His voice was light, audible to everyone present due to the silent atmosphere, filled with a serene calm. "The dead have passed the torch to us, the living. But, they will continue to protect our city forever. Glory to Marble City!"


    Saying his piece, he took hold of an urn, filled with the ashes of his younger brother. His younger brother had never married, dedicating all his life to research for the betterment of their family. Hence, he had Jyovic Bone as his only direct relative.


    His hands trembled as Jyovic Bone placed the urn in the brook, watching it float along its surface, three-fourths of it submerged underwater. The urn flowed across the brook, turning phantom as it approached half-way, disappearing into it by the time it reached the end.


    Following his lead, after the urn had disappeared, the Bone family member standing to the right of Jyovic Bone, a man in his fifties placed an urn on the brook. The urn had the ashes of his son, a Tier 4 Ground Controller, the pride of the Bone Family. In the same process, the urn disappeared by the time it reached the end.


    10 people away stood Hancent, his expression looking deader than the ashes in the urns. When it was his turn, he placed the urn filled with the ashes of Henrietta on the brook, watching it flow along its surface. As if he wanted to follow after her, he jumped into the brook, his action only making the others shake their heads. None had the energy to save him, one who had given up on life.


    ''A promising young lad, one filled with ambitions who had confronted me without fear in his youth to ask the hand of Henrietta. Now, after suffering one setback after another, finally witnessing the death of his wife, it seems he has lost the will to live. Maybe, if he thought about the children he is leaving behind, would he still take such an action?'' Jyovic Bone thought, letting out a self-deprecating laugh.


    ''Maybe, he found out something in the end. That was the final straw that broke the camel''s neck.'' Memories of the past flashed across his mind, thinking back to when he was renowned as a hero.


    "Sir Jyovic Bone, I have come to ask for the hand of your daughter. I wish to marry her." A young Hancent in his early twenties stood, his face filled with vigour, his aura sharp to the extreme.


    ''Is this lad only an Area Controller? Even Wave Controllers have but an ounce of his aura. It is quite¡­suffocating. Suffocating? Interesting, to make me think like that.'' Jyovic Bone flashed a smile.


    "Alright, prove to me that you are worthy of her. Even considering the difference in strength, she is already a Tier above you."


    "Go ahead." Hancent stood, his back erect. "Test me until you are satisfied."


    "As you wish," Jyovic Bone smiled, unleashing his aura to the extreme, displaying the terrifying strength of a Transformer. "You pass if you can withstand this for 10 seconds."


    The moment his aura impacted Hancent, like a broken doll, he collapsed, coughing out a mouthful of blood. Various nerves erupted across his body, dying his skin red while his eyeballs showed signs of cracking. It looked like he was on the verge of death; death being a certainty if he wasn''t treated soon.


    Jyovic Bone stood rooted to the spot, stupefied. ''What was with that show of aura, making me excited? He went down in an instant, without even putting up a fight.''


    "Mary!" He shouted, "There''s an injured person here, on the verge of death."


    A lady appeared behind him in an instant, the air stirring up behind her like a tornado had passed through. Showing a trace of anger on her face, she commented, "How many times have I told you to not disturb me? I was in the middle of something important."


    "Hurry," Jyovic Bone pointed at Hancent, "Heal him before he dies. He''s Henrietta''s lover."


    "Okay," With a wave of her hand, a pale blue light appeared, seeping into Hancent''s body. In a second, his condition was stabilised.


    "Your Unranked Skill is really unique. This is on another level," Jyovic Bone praised, an expression of admiration on his face.


    "This is nothing," A pleased expression appeared on her face as she waved her hands. She then noticed his face, pointing at him, "Do you want me to heal you?"


    "Eh?" Jyovic Bone raised his hand, looking at the direction she pointed at, touching his nose. He noticed something viscous dripping from his nose, red in colour. Only then did he notice a faint ringing sound resounding in his ears, one that was very faint, growing in magnitude over time, at a snail''s pace.


    "Interesting," Jyovic Bone muttered, gaining admiration over the youth who proved his worth, without consideration of his injury. It was a reckless behaviour on his part but Jyovic Bone approved of the courage and dare Hancent possessed to do so.


    ''He still had a lot to do in life.'' Jyovic Bone sighed, gazing at the figure of Hancent as he fell into the murky brook.


    ''I let my children down. Maybe, I never had one in the first place.'' His dazed eyes regained clarity for an instant, filled with regret and despair. He watched the murky brook grow closer, its stillness seeping into him.


    His body touched the brook, the plunge silent, without a single splash or stir in the water, as if it was an illusion. His body became submerged within it, turning him unconscious at first contact. As he flowed along the surface, his body turned into a phantom, slowly disappearing by the time he reached the end.


    "Father!" A Shrill scream interrupted the ceremony as a figure dashed to the spot he stood prior to his leap. Jyovic Bone appeared before her, holding her in place, turning to look at the others, "Continue with the ceremony; leave Heima to me."


    With a nod, the next person in the line placed the urn on the brook, watching it disappear. After a few more urns went along the brook, another person jumped into it, dissolving as she approached the end. In the meantime, Jyovic Bone had brought Heima outside, dropping her a fair distance away.


    "Stay," The building vibrated, his anger vibrating the molecules in the air, the increase in their kinetic energy igniting them. He looked at Heima, looking like he would kill her any second.


    "The only reason I am tolerating your existence is due to Ancestor Light''s command. Don''t provoke me."


    "And I keep telling you, I am Heima Bone. I am only connected to that person, I haven''t changed." She replied, her voice cracking in fear. Her eyes then turned complacent, her lips curled up in a sneer, "Or, does that mean you have no issues with offending me?"


    "You should know it by now." Jyovic Bone snorted, retracting his aura as he retreated. With a wave of his hand, he calmed the surroundings, turning it back to normal.


    He snapped his fingers, making a subtle change in the area, creating a faint domain, undetectable to the ordinary senses. Heima''s expression changed, morphing into one of surprise as her legs began to melt.


    "What the hell are you doing?" She screamed, the attack making her unable to react. She had lost control of her legs, only having the option to watch them melt. Her hands too followed suit, melting like wax caught under a flame.


    "I''ve been thinking," Ignoring her shouts, Jyovic Bone continued with his monologue, "What is it that I''ve been pursuing all these years? Is it strength? Is it fame and money? Or is it familial bonds? Do you know the answer?"


    "Isn''t it strength? You are the type to kill your own son to finish your experiments. Strength is the only thing you care about." Heima screamed, her behaviour changing. The way she spoke, her body language, and the way she looked at her surroundings changed in a subtle manner, oscillating between the two.


    "Wrong," Jyovic Bone smiled, "What I pursue is mental peace. Gaining strength is just a means to an end; it is not and has never been my goal. After you appeared yesterday and spoke about Jyorta, it made me think. I then requested to communicate with Ancestor Light and the two of us came to a conclusion."


    "W-What?" Heima stammered, her expression distorting. Then, as if sensing something, she turned towards her back, gazing at an old man who had appeared behind her at some point in time.


    "We are no longer interested in cooperating with you. I feel like your dissociative personality disorder is making you slip away from humanity, making you a threat to us humans." The old man, whose existence looked like one from a painting said.


    "Light!" She screamed, fear stemming from the depths of her heart.

 Chapter 50：Lost City

    "I am still the one in control. You should know better." Heima said, stopping all means of struggle, no longer showing concern to the state of her body.


    "Deific Inference, an Unranked Skill I created just to monitor your existence." Rhachis Ancestor Light smiled, taking out an item from his pocket. It was a crystal lens; its edges were shaped into a pentagon that emitted a yellow hue. The lens had mysterious symbols flashing across it, occasionally forming patterns that resembled a torch or a lantern.


    "Unranked Skills cannot be extracted after death, they dissipate with the owner," Heima spoke, the shock paralysing her mind, her gaze lingering on the item in his hand.


    "From today onwards, it is possible, thanks to the man behind you." Rhachis Ancestor Light held the crystal lens on his palm, making it stand on its edges, its curved surface facing Heima. A gentle light appeared from his hand, entering the lens and emerging on the other, its convergence focusing on the forehead of Heima.


    "Kyaak," Heima screamed; pale blue light appeared behind her, forming into her. It soon branched into many figures, each breaking down and creating new faces. To the very end, the corporal form of a lady appeared, one that barely resembled a human.


    Possessing 10 heads and a body composed of 10 spines, it was an unbalanced figure; fat at the centre and lean at the bottom, making her two legs look like twigs. Of the 10 heads, 6 were composed of Frenzy Beasts, their sizes huge as compared to the human heads.


    Of the 10 spines, one was at the centre, resembling the traits of a human, surrounded by 5 other human-sized spines. To the end were four spines, their sizes dwarfing her entire body, creating huge arcs that protruded her body, joining below her neck.


    The head of what had once been a beautiful woman was affixed in the middle, connected to the spine that ran along the centre. She blinked her eyes, her gaze penetrating through the corporal form, falling on Rhachis Ancestor Light.


    Except for the area on the floor where his foot rested, the rest began to crack, showing signs of melting. They decomposed, emitting a putrid stench, seeping further into the building.


    Jyovic Bone waved his hands, his energy seeping into the floor, controlling the bones that made up the entirety of the underground structure. He hurriedly reconstructed the damaged parts, making the surrounding healthy counterparts occupy the region, offsetting the corrosion.


    "The fact that you can display your presence through her soul," Rhachis Ancestor Light smiled, his eyes flashing with a cunning gaze, "Implies that you are quite close to my city."


    The corporeal figure turned silent, gazing at the figure of Rhachis Ancestor Light with seriousness. She then noticed him looking at the ceiling, a calm expression plastered on his face.


    "Marble," His voice, carrying with it a tone of authority resounded, making her heart palpitate for reasons unknown, "Do it!"


    ¡­


    Sector 3, Ring 4; a man dressed in military uniform walked towards a conference room, planning to deliver a lecture. Held in his hands was a stack of paper, filled with information that documented efficient ways to counter the Frenzy Beasts.


    He had just pushed the double door leading to the conference room when a faint magenta formed on the skin of his right hand. Shocked, he raised his left, noticing it suffer the same; his skin turned magenta, its surface hardening, turning tougher than any material he had encountered to date.


    ''No, this looks just like the material that makes up the city walls.'' He screamed, revealing his aura in full intensity. Five psychic arms appeared around him, showcasing his powers as a Sky Controller. They immediately turned yellow, resisting the invasion of the magenta, showing signs of stopping it.


    An oppressive aura, filled with a terrifying might entered his body, breaking past all the psychic barriers he had erected, destroying his five arms that had turned yellow.


    "Ancestor Marble!" He screamed, his expression one of despair, turning into a sculpture in the next second. With a thud, he fell on the floor, creating small cracks on it. A team of soldiers, dressed in civilian clothes hurriedly approached the sculpture, retrieving it without any commotion.


    In another part of the city, atop the city walls, a Tier 4 Shifter jumped over the city walls, proceeding to intercept a Frenzy Beast that approached through the air. Just when he was about to clash with it, his body turned into a sculpture, crashing into the beast, and dying without a sound.


    A team of soldiers hurriedly intercepted the Frenzy Beast, allocating another team to retrieve the sculpture that had fallen on the ground, having not suffered a single crack.


    A formless wave erupted from Central Command, spreading until the outermost city walls¡ªthe 10th Ring. It even expanded a kilometre into the Wild Zone, encompassing the entire area where humans moved about, creating situations like above all across the city.


    ¡­


    "Y-You¡­You¡­" The corporeal figure behind Heima stuttered, her eyes spewing venom, mimicked by her other nine heads.


    "Y-You what? Please speak human." Rhachis Ancestor Light mocked, imitating her voice. "This is just the beginning. It took me many decades after creating Deific Inference and cultivating a Transformer, retrieving the Unranked Skill cultivated to Tier 5 from his body after death. Thanks to Jyovic Bone here, I could move it forward by a decade."


    "The others will not leave this alone." The corporeal figure said, regaining her composure. "They will pursue this matter. Without me around, contact with the other cities will become impossible. Humanity will become cornered, vanishing one after the other like snuffed out candles."


    "We are aware." Rhachis Ancestor Light shook his head, letting out a sigh, feeling a formless pressure fill the hallways. "If you had only fused your body with humans, we would have turned a blind eye to your existence, giving tacit approval to your deeds like how we did over the decades. But, you had to pull the Frenzy Beasts into it. The moment you did was when we stopped tolerating your existence."


    Rhachis Ancestor Light waved his hands, producing formless energy, condensed into a blade, thin enough to sever any matter, down to its atomic bonds. The blade flew towards Heima, entering her forehead, flashing all across her body. Immediately, a change occurred in the projection behind her.


    Except for the projection that looked like her, the rest were severed, their connection to her disrupted, completely cut off. The other projections were shattered into the tiniest of particles, until they lost their cohesiveness, dissipating into energy.


    The corporeal figure was the last to suffer the brunt of the force, shrieking as she retreated, abandoning the rest of the projections she had carried with her, making them act as her shield, trying to buy time.


    Seeing her dissipating figure, just before she had completely disappeared, Rhachis Ancestor Light opened his mouth, looking like he wanted her to escape in the first place. "It wasn''t me who proposed this plan in the first place."


    A confused expression appeared on her face as she gazed at his smile, one that sent chills creep up her spine. The moment she disappeared, Heima began gasping for air, her body soaked with sweat, feeling a sense of exhaustion stemming from deep within her.


    "As you wanted, I severed Heima''s connection with her. Though, it was only possible since she had been parasitized just recently, making the invasion over her soul only being of the surface level. Any later, and she would have lost her ego, completely assimilated into the collective subconscious of that lady."


    "The price for this will be deducted from your contributions. I hope you are ready to accept the outcome." Rhachis Ancestor Light said, a smile etched on his face.


    "I accept it," Jyovic Bone bowed, his eyes red. He hugged a dazed Heima, pulling her into his embrace, a relieved expression flashing across his face. "The least I could do is reclaim her child."


    "She should have no abnormalities starting today. I have perfectly severed her connection." Rhachis Ancestor Light said with a laugh, "This is good though. In order to deepen the connection, she had approached our city in close proximity. I should go and personally greet her."


    With a flash of light, Rhachis Ancestor Light disappeared from the hallway. Even with his heightened senses, he couldn''t detect his movement speed. "As expected of the fastest human," He mumbled.


    "What¡­happened?" Heima regained consciousness, confusion evident in her expression. She blinked at him, etching his face to memory, the change in her expression bringing a smile to his face.


    "How much do you remember?" Jyovic Bone inquired, gazing at Heima''s face with scrutiny, trying to sense her emotional upheavals.


    "¡­everything. I remember everything I did in the past few months. I also remember strange facts originating from ''Them'' about the plans they were devising." Heima replied.


    "Tell me more about it. You regaining your sense of self is a joyous occasion but, we need to know the plans of that person so that we can warn Ancestor Light. Tell me everything you know." Jyovic Bone said.


    "Okay," Heima replied, beginning to recount all the bits and pieces of information she had received from when she had been a subsoul.


    ¡­


    10th Ring, Sector 7; soldiers were stationed on the city walls, defending against the waves of Frenzy Beasts consisting of Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts, occasionally spotting a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast in the mix. Since the strength and number of Frenzy Beasts were relatively lower than the average, the soldiers were relaxed, throwing out attacks only when necessary.


    "It would be nice if I could nab a Tier 4 Frenzy Beast and get promoted." An Esper said, controlling a chakram to sever the head of a Tier 2 Beast. Spinning the sharp-edged chakram, he sent it through the waves of Beasts, severing their bodies like a meat grinder.


    "Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts are on a whole different level. It would be a wonder if your attacks can make it sneeze." Another Esper replied, followed by raucous laughter from the nearby soldiers. They passed the time by making fun of each other.


    Suddenly, an enormous floating city appeared a kilometre away from the city walls, floating in the air. Its enormous figure cast a long shadow on the ground below, darkening the entire region, making it seem as if night had approached unannounced.


    The appearance of the floating city made the hearts of the soldiers lurch, prompting them to enact a battle-ready stance, sending distress signals to Central Command, reporting the situation.


    One of the soldiers gazed at the floating city, seemingly recalling something from his memories. He suddenly shouted, "Isn''t that the Lost City? Why is it here?"


    "Lost City?"


    "That is Lost City? One of the six strongholds of humanity?"


    The surrounding soldiers discussed, some displaying a relieved expression. If the city spanning a radius of 10 kilometres turned out to be a Frenzy Beast, they would probably be doomed.


    The air stirred as a suffocating feeling permeated through the surroundings; a massive arm¡ªformed from psychic energy, magenta in colour¡ªappeared over Central Command. In the next second, it appeared before the Lost City, slamming against it.

 Chapter 51：Dawn Makes a Second Appearance

    The psychic arm¡ªspanning 100 metres long, magenta in colour¡ªslammed into Lost City, stirring up waves in the air, creating sonic booms that resonated with the frequency of the ground below, making it experience an earthquake.


    A barrier appeared, surrounding the city walls of Marble City, shielding the soldiers and everything within the city from the shockwaves.


    Various vents opened up along the walls of Lost City, looking like cannons. Psychic arms emerged out of them, merging into the walls, attempting to stabilise it. A psychic arm emerged out of a huge cannon, the biggest of the lot. It turned yellow, trying to counterattack the magenta arm.


    With a flick of the magenta arm''s finger, the yellow arm dissipated, leaving the city walls behind it turning magenta, quickly seeping into it. The massive psychic arm split into 6 smaller psychic arms, turning invisible. They placed their palms on the city walls, exerting force on them.


    The Lost City, a gigantic fortress that hovered in the air was pushed away, travelling hundreds of metres each second. Despite the more than thousand psychic arms that emerged out of the city trying to counterattack it, the 6 psychic arms continued to push them away from Marble City.


    "That is enough, Marble." A flash of light appeared, covering the sky with its splendour. It was white, looking like a blanket that covered the sky, encompassing the land. Seeing its appearance, every soldier on the city walls, irrespective of their position or strength, kneeled.


    Citizens within the walls, from Central Command to the outermost 10th Ring, busying about their daily lives kneeled upon witnessing the light. It was a sense of respect, admiration, and devotion that stemmed from the depths of their hearts.


    "Protect the city while I''m away. Unless the situation is urgent, don''t disturb Strongest." Rhachis Ancestor Light shouted, his voice booming across the entire city, creating gusts of wind that carried his sound waves.


    "Okay," A voice resounded, spread evenly across the air, as if pronounced from every direction and position. It was followed by the six psychic arms retracting towards the city, disappearing in an instant.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light raised his arm, facing his palm towards Lost City. His body radiated light, condensing it into a kilometre long hand that clutched one ends of Lost City. Using his position as the centre, Rhachis Ancestor Light spun his body, spinning the city in spirals, releasing his hold after 7 revolutions.


    Massive gusts of winds were stirred as a result of its motion, creating small tornadoes along its wake as Lost City was sent flying tens of kilometres, widening its distance from Marble City.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light raised his hand, creating five streaks of light from each of his fingers. They morphed into 10 metre tall eagles, raising chirping cries as they flew around him. He gazed at Lost City, "Gajara Rahi, how long do you plan to hide within it? If you don''t come out, then I have no qualms of tearing your city to shreds."


    Seeing no response from within the city except for the increase in the psychic arms emerging out, Rhachis Ancestor Light snorted, commanding his five light eagles to attack. After a short-pitched cry, the five eagles flashed, travelling at the speed of light, going beyond the horizon.


    Five huge gashes appeared along the walls of Lost City, the cracks deepening as they melted. The speed of attack was frighteningly high that they broke down the sturdy walls without trouble. A flash appeared as another five gashes appeared on it.


    Every second, the number of gashes increased by five, tearing down the city walls, and allowing the inside to come into view. The five light eagles appeared before Rhachis Ancestor Light, directing themselves at the core of the city. With a flash, they disappeared, just before colliding into the city.


    At some point in time, a black mist had covered the city walls, teleporting his attacks to somewhere unknown. Rhachis Ancestor Light smiled, looking towards the east. Five points of light appeared from there, colliding into the city walls covered under black mist, dispersing a part of them while getting teleported somewhere.


    "I wonder how long you can sustain using your spatial abilities. I heard they are energy draining depending on the distance you teleport. Anywhere you send them, the most you can do is delay my attacks by a second." Rhachis Ancestor Light smiled, creating five more light eagles.


    He gazed at the situation with calm, allowing the 10 light eagles to attack while he took the role of a bystander. After some time had passed, he noticed that Lost City was preparing to teleport away, making its walls begin to distort. "So, that is what you were planning all along. It takes some time to teleport such a massive city after all."


    Rhachis Ancestor Light raised his hand, keeping it in line with his shoulder level, his hands shaped like he was holding a cylindrical rod. A dense fluctuation of light emerged from his body, morphing into a long sword, its handle held in his right hand.


    He opened the palm of his left, creating formless energy atop it, making it spiral. Thin threads appeared from it, attaching themselves along the edge of the long sword, coating it with a mellow hue.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light raised his long sword, making it face the sky. His expression turned serious, "Some minutes ago, I remember telling you that this plan wasn''t initiated by me. Aren''t you curious about who that person was?"


    "¡­who?" A crackling voice emerged out, seemingly a mixture of 10 voices, each produced by disharmonious creatures.


    "Now you are talking," Rhachis Ancestor Light smiled, bringing his hand down. "It was Dawn."


    His long sword increased in length in an instant, turning tens of kilometres long, flashing down upon Lost City, cutting it down in the middle. The black mist surrounding it dissipated, having unable to teleport the flashing sword strike.


    The Lost City was severed into two, splitting into two halves, showcasing the humans and Frenzy Beasts within that vaporised, having been in proximity of the attack. The attack stopped at the centre of the city, before a strange organism surrounded by pitch-black mist. The part of the light sword that touched the area had been teleported away, showcasing a small nick in the mist, unable to be covered in a short period.


    "Gajara Rahi, you have fused yourself with Frenzy Beasts, making your inclination waver from the side of humanity. Your existence has been doomed to be a threat to humans," A voice boomed from beyond the clouds, sounding like a heavenly decree.


    Hearing the voice, the black mist surrounding the strange organism visibly trembled, increasing in intensity. It looked alarmed, making every surviving being within the city to teleport around it, forming a huge barrier.


    The clouds parted way, vaporised into vapour as a huge ball of flames descended, looking like a miniature sun. It immediately exerted a tremendous gravitational pull, preventing Lost City from teleporting away.


    Just the heat the miniature sun released vaporised every organism in Lost City, whether human or Frenzy Beast, irrespective of whether they were Tier 1 or Tier 5. With a loud bang, the miniature sun crashed into Lost City, spewing waves of heat in all directions, making it look like an apocalypse had descended.


    The 10 light eagles surrounded Rhachis Ancestor Light, morphing into a sphere of light that shielded him from the terrifying heat waves. He gazed down, looking at the soil that had melted, forming a magma ground. The Lost City had completely vaporised, leaving behind a tiny black dot, 10 times the size of a human, desperately resisting against the miniature sun that dwarfed it.


    "Humanity is down to five cities now." Rhachis Ancestor Light sighed, picking up the crystal lens from his pocket, disappearing through a streak of light. "I''ll hunt the remaining subsouls that might have teleported away."


    "Okay, be careful." A voice resounded from within the miniature sun, filled with a slight sense of loss. "We have created quite the commotion. They are bound to have noticed by now."


    ¡­


    On a huge continental landmass surrounded by three oceans, to the southern-east corner stood a mountain, spanning 2228 metres tall. Standing next to the colossal mountain was a living creature, equally matched with the mountain.


    The colossal creature had its eyes shut, seemingly in a state of sleep while standing. Its entire body was covered by a dense cluster of wool, the strands big enough to be considered trees. To the top of its head was a pair of horns, curled in a spiral pattern, with ridges spanning along its length, making the surrounding air tremble with just their presence.


    The creature inhaled, creating a vortex at its nostrils, sucking large volumes of air mixed with soil and rocks. The moment it exhaled, the inhaled soil and rocks emerged out as saltwater, forming a massive lake at the bottom. Within the lake lived grotesque fishes, not one having any semblance of sanity.


    A Frenzy Beast that unconsciously treaded the region began to weep, shedding buckets of tears until its body lost all its moisture content. It then fell down like a dried ball of sack, dead. The insane grotesque fishes swimming in the lake immediately jumped towards the land, pouncing at the dead frenzy Beast, feasting on its dried husk.


    Tier 6 Frenzy Beast¡ªColossal Bawling Sheep!


    Sitting atop its forehead was a humanoid figure, looking like a mixture between man and monster. Each strand of his hair, long and transparent, had small suction pod-like mouths at their ends, painting a scary picture. He had no eyes, no ears, no lips, leaving behind a mouth that had neither a tongue nor any teeth.


    His face gazed northwest, seemingly noticing something. His mouth curled up in ridicule, radiating his expression of disdain. He raised his hand, focusing on his thumb and index finger as he inserted them into his mouth, puffing his cheeks.


    Followed by a loud whistling sound, a formless pressure radiated through the surroundings. Immediately, the cry of a bird resounded through the air as a creature appeared, perching on the horns of the Colossal Bawling Sheep.


    "We should get ready to invite a special guest. Alert the others." He spoke, showing not even an ounce of vitality. The bird immediately took off to the skies, letting out sharp cries. Powerful auras emerged, one after the other as they tailed the bird.


    The man raised his right hand, bringing it down with force, slapping the forehead of the Colossal Bawling Sheep. A muffled sound was produced, the shockwaves from the impact stirring up waves in the air. His hand paused with awkwardness, noticing the Colossal Bawling Sheep showing no signs of waking up.


    ''Tap'' ''Tap'' ''Tap''


    The man sent numerous slaps to its forehead, creating thunderous sounds one after the other, finally producing a stir from below. He gazed into the horizon, trailing after the Frenzy Beasts that followed after the bird, heading north-west. "Is this all the person you have chosen is capable of? How utterly foolish," He mocked, hurriedly covering the sides of his face despite possessing no ears.


    A bawling sound resounded from below, the sound waves destroying the mountain beside it, sending massive boulders flying everywhere. "Waahhhh!"


    "Shut up! Get moving! Cry later!" The man shouted, sending hundreds of slaps upon the forehead.


    "Waahhhh!" Followed by the sounds of crying, the Colossal Weeping Sheep took a step forward, making the land below quake. It then took another step forward, pausing for reasons unknown. A couple of seconds later, the wailing stopped as the colossal Bawling Sheep stopped moving.


    "¡­"

 Chapter 52：Search for the Escaped Subsouls

    Two figures stood at the rooftop of the Bone family mansion, their gazes directed southwest. Of the duo, the old man had a gaze filled with admiration, his body drenched with sweat. He smacked his lips, marvelling at the sight before him.


    "How much can you observe, Heima?" He spoke, his eyes unable to break focus from the sight.


    "I can just detect the colours from this distance, despite their size," Heima replied, turning her eyes green. Suddenly, she felt a shock pass through her forehead, making her eyes bleed. She hurriedly deactivated her skill, heaving ragged breaths as she knelt on the floor.


    "I¡­" She struggled to breathe, a small puddle of sweat had formed on the floor beneath her, "I''ve never seen something so¡­vast."


    "This is a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. Let''s get a closer view." Jyovic Bone said, transforming into an 8 metre tall bone giant. Pulling Heima within the hold of his palms, he sprouted a pair of wings to his back, taking off to the sky.


    Despite it being a bit later than noon, the heat and light coming from the south-west direction shadowed the ambient sunlight, further increasing the temperatures of the surroundings. The moment they passed through the barrier after gaining permission from Ancestor Marble, it became evident.


    Waves of heat broiled, igniting the gases in the air, creating a sea of flames for tens of kilometres at a stretch. Jyovic Bone resisted the heat, mending the outer surface area of his giant form that was evaporating as he gained altitude.


    Finally, after achieving an altitude of more than 4 kilometres, they had finally arrived at a spot that was sufficiently cool enough for observation. The wings on his back flapped at a consistent speed, maintain a steady altitude.


    The moment he opened his palm, Heima climbed over, traversing his arm using the spikes growing on it, sitting on his shoulders. The two watched the battle below. A moment later, they noticed many lights zooming towards their location.


    One after the other, Tier 5 Warriors and Espers arrived, carrying the promising younger generation of their respective families, hoping to widen their horizons. They hovered in the air, making use of a myriad of Skills, separated from the Bone family duo by a certain distance. No one uttered any sound, their senses focused on the battle below.


    Huge solar flares appeared out of the miniature sun, like flaming arms as they punched at the small dark sphere trapped around the edges. The dark sphere tried to teleport numerous times, each of its escapes hindered by the destructive attacks of the flaming arms, and the tremendous gravitational pull originating from it.


    "Grandpa," Heima whispered, craning her head towards his ears, "How many of such attacks can you withstand?"


    "Not even one," Jyovic Bone shook his head, letting out a forlorn sigh, "The heat will evaporate me by the time I get close, not to mention receiving it directly."


    ¡­


    At a certain sandy beach, one situated on a tiny island in the middle of the sea, a man appeared, surrounded by 2 humans and 3 Frenzy Beasts. The man was a Tier 5 Transformer while the other two humans were Tier 2: one Esper and the other a Warrior. Of the three Frenzy beasts, two were Tier 2 while the remaining one was a Tier 1 youngling.


    "The greater the strength, the higher the chances of getting discovered; enter the sea and try to survive." The man spoke. The Tier 1 Frenzy Beast was a mix between fish and human, the first of its kind.


    The Frenzy Beast had the upper body of a human attached to the lower body of a fish. The ends of its hands had fins, similar to its back where a large fin grew. Its neck was covered with gills while a gelatinous substance covered its nose, ears, and mouth. It jumped across the sandy shores before entering the sea.


    No sooner had it entered did the three humans and 2 Frenzy Beasts teleport out of the island, heading towards a different area. The man dropped off each at remote locations, using his powers as a Transformer to teleport to locations farther away from each other.


    He had finally dropped the last Frenzy Beast in a desolate spot, situated next to a winding forest, "You have the body of the Floating Spiders. As long as you take refuge here, Light will not hunt you down. Even he doesn''t dare provoke the Floating Spiders without a justifiable reason."


    Saying his piece, the man teleported towards a mountain, planning to hole up in the region and conserve his strength. The region suddenly brightened as a flash of light appeared and disappeared. The body of the man disintegrated until nothing remained of him.


    After the man had disappeared, the Floating Spider inspected its surroundings, gazing at the thick vegetation with caution. The moment it took a step forward, a thin thread of silk emerged, attaching to its back. With a tug, the Floating Spider was pulled, brought to the air, and transported hundreds of kilometres into the thicket of the vegetation.


    A massive globe, its boundaries made up of silk hovered in the air, hundreds of metres from the ground. A single silk thread attached to the ground, its thickness equivalent of a man was all that anchored the structure.


    As the Floating Spider was helplessly pulled past the silk globe, it noticed hundreds of such similar shaped globes, their sizes ranging from a 10 metre radius to a kilometre. The biggest silk dome spanning a radius of 2 kilometres showed some disturbance as the silk extremities that made up the structure opened up, revealing the dense cluster of Floating Spiders roaming about within it.


    As they parted way, a gigantic Floating Spider, 30 metres tall crawled out, standing before the tiny floating spider. It vibrated the surrounding air, pronouncing a language, the contents of which were automatically translated to it.


    "I wanted to research you since long ago. In this entire world, you are a unique existence." A thin strand of silk wrapped around the tiny Floating Spider. Unable to mount any form of resistance, the tiny Floating Spider could only surrender itself to its fate and watch itself turn into a cocoon. It was then kept into custody by the massive Floating Spider.


    Tier 6 Frenzy Beast¡ªFloating Spider!


    A streak of light appeared, colliding into the cocoon, breaking past the silk wrapping by seeping through the gaps that had yet to close. The entity within was destroyed, disintegrated into the tiniest of pieces by the light. By the time the Floating Spider managed to react, the streak of light disappeared, making it seethe with anger.


    "Light!" It shouted, the massive silk globe shuddering along with its shout, opening like the maw of a colossal beast. It took a good while for the opened silk columns of the globe to settle down, returning to its previous position.


    Another humongous silk globe, even bigger than its own, appeared, revealing a 50 metre tall Floating Spider from within, crawling out through the cluster of Floating Spiders. Its appearance sent a wave of fear and worship into every Floating Spider present, including the Tier 6 Floating Spider.


    Rhachis Ancestor Web, the first Tier 6 Frenzy Beast to emerge from their race walked out, gazing at the other Tier 6 Floating Spider, communicating through their own language, "It is better this way. I support Light''s action. Space is capable of turning our own into her and capable of collapsing our race within a day if she went all out. Moreover, something that even the cunning humans hadn''t figured out after researching for more than half a century, I don''t think we can do any better."


    ¡­


    The streak of light stopped above a certain mountain, turning into the figure of Rhachis Ancestor Light. He focused his gaze into the crystal lens held in his hand, sending a beam of light through it, making it fall on the ground.


    ''I''ve already destroyed more than a hundred subsouls. There should still be more that have escaped from Lost City before Dawn launched his attack. I should head into the ocean next,'' Finalised with his thoughts, Rhachis Ancestor Light turned into a streak of light, heading south.


    He stopped after a fraction of a second, gazing at the line-up before him, focusing on the four Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts. To the back stood a colossal Frenzy Beast, its mountainous body balanced across the water surface. Seated on its forehead was a semi-humanoid person, his appearance known to every human. Clutched in his hands was a human, a Tier 4 Esper, her struggles unable to even scratch the semi-humanoid person.


    "Parasite," Rhachis Ancestor Light muttered, his expression turning solemn, preparing for battle. Seeing his actions, the semi-humanoid person laughed, producing no sounds. Immediately, a parasite drilled its way out of the lady''s head, its body composed of four rings.


    The lady immediately died, her body stripped of all its moisture, leaking out of her eyes. A small rumble erupted from the Colossal bawling Sheep, its high pitched cries reverberating everywhere.


    Immediately, except for the semi-humanoid person, the other four Frenzy Beasts vacated the area, escaping. Rhachis Ancestor Light had created a gap of more than a hundred kilometres between them, emitting intense light that formed into five massive light eagles.


    He sent a light eagle each to confront the four Frenzy Beasts, making the final hover beside him, watching the Colossal Bawling Sheep in anticipation.


    The semi-humanoid person smiled, looking at the Wisdom Parasite held in his hands, planning to gain information through it. He opened his mouth, intending to swallow it. It was then, the water beneath the Colossal Bawling Sheep parted way, making it plummet downwards, disorienting its balance.


    The huge body of the Colossal Bawling Sheep was surrounded by water on all sides as it fell, with not a single drop of water touching it, creating a gap of 100 metres. It could notice the sea bed below, approaching it fast.


    "Reef," The semi-humanoid person muttered, his expression changing. As if incited by his words, tens of thousands of water droplets emerged out from the water column, heading towards the semi-humanoid person, like a hail of bullets.


    The moment the hail of bullets closed in, they turned into a column of water supporting the Colossal Bawling Sheep, forming into a platform for it.


    "My sheep can control water; too bad for you, Reef¡­" His words were cut short as a light eagle severed the parasite in his hands, diced into hundreds of fragments, the friction caused as hence burning up the rest.


    The moment the parasite had been destroyed, the light eagle vanished, the same as the surrounding water reverting to their usual, filling up the void that had formed in between.


    "You''ve become stronger once again, Light," He muttered, opening his clenched palms, gazing at the minute scratch marks that had appeared there. He then watched the seawater rushing into him, submerging him deep within it.


    A moment later, he rose, accompanied by the Colossal Bawling Sheep on whose forehead he sat, carried towards the surface. The moment he appeared, he noticed the four Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts return, their gazes vary as they watched the Colossal Bawling Sheep in silence.


    "Losing a little bit of moisture wouldn''t have affected you four in any way." He lamented, gazing at the sky with frustration.


    ''If I could get the Floating Spiders to my side, then these useless four could serve as a gift to them. The humans are planning something once again. At this rate, annihilating them will become increasingly difficult.'' He sighed, commanding the Colossal Bawling Sheep to return to their home base.


    ''Let me find the reason that man claimed you as a counter to me.'' He laughed, unbothered by the previous conflict; opening his other palm, he revealed two Wisdom Parasites, one with a single ring while the other had three rings.

 Chapter 53：New Life

    "Reef, can you handle the subsouls that have escaped into the sea?" Rhachis Ancestor Light paused at a certain spot over the ocean, gazing below at the waves. A small ripple appeared, pulling the waves into a circular pattern and created a hurricane.


    A voice travelled out, "Then, give me that Tier 5 Relic. I don''t have any methods to locate her subsouls."


    "Sure," Rhachis Ancestor Light said, throwing the crystal lens in his hands into the spiralling waters below. "But, this Relic only works in tandem with my light. You would have to find a suitable method to use it."


    "I got it covered," The voice replied, dissipating the hurricane, "One of my enslaved beasts has a similar ability, tough vastly inferior to your own. But, I can manage."


    "If a problem arises, make sure you contact me. I can arrive anywhere in this world in a matter of seconds." Rhachis Ancestor Light said, turning into a flash of light, disappearing from the scene.


    Standing atop a mountain range, he fished out another crystal lens, its edges shaped into a square, looking inferior to the one from before. "I''ll make do with this Tier 4 Relic."


    A blast of light appeared, spreading towards each nook and cranny of the topography, creating a bizarre phenomenon where projections appeared overhead each Frenzy Beast that roamed the land. Failing to find any signs of Gajara Rahi in the projections, he sighed, proceeding towards another area.


    After making a sweep across the entire subcontinent, Rhachis Ancestor Light appeared near Marble City once again, planning to observe the battle situation for a couple of seconds.


    The dark sphere was still resisting against the miniature sun, trying all sorts of methods to break free. Numerous flames appeared from the dark sphere, resisting the flames, serving to counterattack. A yellow psychic arm emerged, slowly turning the flames yellow, making it solid. A flash of light appeared, traversing through the heat and impacting its centre.


    Seeing many familiar Unranked Skills displayed one after the other, Rhachis Ancestor Light sighed, "It seems you have fused with quite a few Unranked Skills of humanity and Frenzy Beasts. Even though they are all of Tier 5 level, the sheer quantity of them can still pose a bit of trouble."


    A voice travelled from within the miniature sun, its tone showing signs of impatience, "Light, can you sever her connections with the subsouls that have fused with her main self? It is taking longer than I expected. She has even managed to get a hold of my Unranked Skill and other power skills from my city."


    "Sure," Rhachis Ancestor Light replied, condensing formless energy atop his palms, making them spin, forming into a triangular-shaped blade. He further infused the formless energy into it, enlarging it until it became as big as his palm. Finally, he coated a layer of light at its centre, sending it into the dark sphere.


    Like a sharp needle piercing through a balloon, the triangular blade punctured the dark sphere, entering the body of a grotesque figure hidden within it. It first flashed past a grotesque looking spine of a Frenzy Beast, dicing its soul into millions of pieces in a matter of seconds, dissipating it into the surroundings as pure energy.


    Constrained by the miniature sun pressing against it from all sides, Rhachis Ancestor Space could not retaliate against the triangular blade, helplessly watching it destroy one subsoul after another. A beam of light fell on her body, lighting up a massive projection behind her.


    In the corporeal projection, there were ten heads in total, the original 10 spines having reduced to 8. Another triangular blade appeared, dicing the outermost head, affecting only the projection. Her fused body remained the same, covered with a multitude of black mist, forming the sphere that tried to mend the gaps formed each time the triangular blades flashed.


    "Dawn¡­Light¡­my existence is the hope of humanity," A shrill scream resounded, layered under eight different voices, becoming seven midway, "Despite your strength, you two can never hope to defeat Parasite."


    "That is our issue to worry about. We would have never initiated this if you had chosen to fuse with only humans. At your present state, are you even human?" Dawn shouted, his voice booming, creating gusts of flames that vaporised the outer surface of the dark sphere.


    "Are you confident that my successor will turn out different," Rhachis Ancestor Space laughed, showing no signs of fear despite the dark mist surrounding her thinning out. "We have only one path, the very same that I have embarked upon. That is the only way to defeat Parasite."


    "¡­" The attacks on her further increased in intensity, destroying the projections of her heads and spines one after the other.


    "So you chose to remain silent," Only a single voice boomed out from Rhachis Ancestor Space now, her sole figure existing in the projection behind her. Like a chain reaction, the extra spines and heads that had fused into her body seeped out, revealing a humanoid body from within, leaking out a malevolent aura.


    The dark sphere had completely dissipated at this point as she looked at the flames converging around her, "I ran out of energy." She then shouted, using the last vestiges of her strength, "Know this, I have never betrayed Humanity!"


    The flames drowned her, burning her body. Despite the high temperatures, her body burned at a slow pace, displaying the terrifying extent the strength her body had accumulated. The miniature sun burned in silence for a good two hours, finally destroying every last bit of Rhachis Ancestor Space''s body.


    Only when her body had been completely vaporised did Rhachis Ancestor Dawn retract the miniature sun, hovering in the air as his body emitted rising steam through the bruises filling his body.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light appeared beside him, his expression solemn, gazing at a pale blue light before him, "You have become strong enough to injure Dawn."


    "In the end, I could only give him light injuries," The pale blue light formed the face of a teenage girl, flashing a bright smile. "At the very least, I am my true self during my last moments. Thank you, Light. Also, even though Parasite managed to capture two of my subsouls, I have already detonated them. The two wisdom parasites in his possession now only contain fabricated information. This will be my final act for humanity."


    Seeing her appearance, a nostalgic expression flashed across the two old men, making their bodies tremble. A single droplet emerged out of Rhachis Ancestor Light''s eye, quickly transported away by a minute flash of light. One of the pillars of humanity who had fought alongside them for more than a century had been killed under their own hands. It was a frustrating feeling.


    "Can you answer one last question?" The girl sported a wry smile, her tear-filled eyes looking sad, "Was it Jyorta Bone? Or was it George Eagle?"


    Rhachis Ancestor Light sighed, his choking voice suppressed under his willpower, "It was George all along. I thought you, of all people, would have discovered it first."


    "I see, so it was George. To think I assumed it was Jyorta," She sighed, gazing at the face of Rhachis Ancestor Light, "I never had any methods to discover one of my own. Maybe the tubed freak made me as such to prevent possible problems from cropping up? Among all the Unranked Skills I had obtained, Deific Inference wasn''t one of them. Despite my subsouls having prominent positions in your city, I hadn''t known of its existence till date. I am awed at your ability to block information."


    The pale blue face was dissipating, turning transparent with each passing second, "Even after fusing with thousands of souls, my soul could still not affect reality. Man, this is depressing." She then looked at the two before her, her gaze turning serious for a second, "Despite me changing after fusing with humans and beasts alike, I have never once deviated from my goal, not even for an instant. If you don''t find a better method, my successor will have to take a similar path."


    The pale blue face completely dissipated, accompanied by a minor gust of wind. Rhachis Ancestor Dawn stared at the evening sun in silence, his expression lost. He then sighed, "I should probably head back for now. Parasite has been alerted, start preparing for war."


    "I will," Rhachis Ancestor Light said, creating a light eagle twice his size. With a nod, Rhachis Ancestor Dawn held its neck, sitting on its back as Rhachis Ancestor Light sent it away with a streak of light, heading towards the stronghold of Rhachis Ancestor Dawn, Dawn City.


    A second later, the light eagle returned, the top half of its body melted, looking on the verge of dissipating. Rhachis Ancestor Light waved his hands, dispersing the light eagle, and gazing towards the southeast, his expression solemn.


    "By the time you finish your preparations to wage war against humanity, Strongest would have completed his Tier 6 Skill. He will lead humanity to greater heights," Rhachis Ancestor Light murmured, flying at slow speeds towards Marble City. After passing through the barrier, he arrived at Central Command in a streak of light, planning to rest in his home.


    "Right, I still have to remove the rest of her subsouls." With a groan, he flashed from his residence, a crystal lens in his hand, heading further north.


    ¡­


    Thousands of kilometres east to their city, swimming within the shallow waters adjacent to a tiny island, a half-human half-fish Frenzy Beast paused for an instant, its expression changing. After a good hour had passed, the Frenzy Beast opened its eyes, its gaze relaxed.


    "Thanks to Rhachis Ancestor Light severing my connection with all my subsouls and destroying my main soul, I am back to square one. But, this is for the better. I remember everything; the knowledge pertaining to both Humans and Frenzy beasts but, my soul is my own. Gajara Rahi is dead, her personality annihilated in the battle but, I am different. Of all the personalities I had possessed before, my current personality is¡­quite different and has never been fused with others. I should give myself a good name, to start my new life."


    The Frenzy Beast raised its hands, placing it below its chin, a look of thought flashing across its face, "Hmm, how about¡­ Jyavreh Sahi?"


    ¡­


    Marble City, Sector 4, 5th Ring; seated within a cafe were two teenagers. The boy looked quite excited at the prospect of going on a date as he kept talking nonstop, trying his best to act elegant and mask his excitement with no avail.


    Seated opposite to him was a girl with a cheerful face, sporting a petite body frame, looking younger than her actual age. Suddenly, her expression changed minutely, unnoticed by the boy. Her brows scrunched up, her eyes closed as she digested the information pouring into her head.


    She closed her eyes for a good two minutes, the boy finally noticing her disinterest. He looked disappointed, turning silent when the girl opened her eyes, her lips curling up into a smile, "I remember everything, George."

 Chapter 54：Thoughts

    ''Based on what Rhachis Ancestor Light said, George is my successor; then, what was Jyorta going about that day when the language teacher lost control? Does that mean Kaushik is the real name of George Eagle and he could notice the hints? But, Jyorta doesn''t strike as a perceptive individual. Or maybe, George had slipped up some information to him while trying to take over his soul but failed eventually? What was the actual reason?'' The girl thought, sipping her coffee.


    She raised her head, looking at the surprised expression on the boy before her, her lips twitching, ''He is a better actor than me. All along, he made Jyorta enact as the strange one while he observed in silence under his shadow, plotting his schemes, spanning years. He is a frightening individual indeed. I shouldn''t give him any hints of my existence since even Rhachis Ancestor Light and Rhachis Ancestor Dawn believe all of my subsouls have been annihilated.''


    "We should call Jyorta and hang out together, just like old times." The girl, Laila said. "I believe he is struggling to cope up with the changes. As childhood friends, we should help him when in need."


    "Sure, I was thinking of doing so myself," George nodded, his expression turning sour for an instant before becoming cheerful.


    "Alright," Laila stood up, paying her share of the bill, "It''s getting late. My mom ordered me to be back before sunset. You don''t need to see me off."


    ''In order to hide my identity, I haven''t inherited any traits of my main soul, same with the other subsoul that has fled into the sea. Now, we are two different entities of the same individual, inheriting the same memories but no longer sharing a connection with one other. But, this way, my journey to the top will be fraught with difficulties.'' With a shake of her head, she boarded a metro train, heading towards her home.


    ¡­


    6:30 PM, the sun was beginning to set. After a healing session from Jyovic Bone that reoriented her limbs to their proper place and aligned her muscle mass accordingly, Heima took a bath, changing into a set of new clothes.


    With a bag of sweets in her hand, she entered her house, noticing Jyorta sitting on a couch, gazing at the TV with excitement. The program aired an action movie that focused on an Esper''s heroic activities, detailing about a Raid where he played a major role.


    Both the Raid and the characters were fictional and had been animated but, their choreography, the dialogues, and the accompanying music still made his blood boil.


    "Sister! You''re back!" Upon noticing her appearance, Jyorta sprung up, hands spread wide, hugging her. He then sniffed, his nose trailing the aroma that emanated from the sweets.


    Seeing his appearance, clothed in her old shirt and pant that were embroidered, Heima let out a chuckle. She gave him the box of sweets, ruffling his hair, "I am feeling tired. I had stopped by our family mansion on the way back and had to do some tasks. If there is nothing important, don''t disturb me."


    "What about dad? Have you managed to contact him?" Jyorta inquired, his hands unwrapping the package, carefully biting into a piece of sweet. Made from Cashew ground into a paste and boiled until it semi-hardens while adding many other enriching ingredients and finally the copious presence of ghee, the aroma from the sweets made his mouth water.


    "He''s really busy. I don''t even know when he could return. He has a lot to consider and doesn''t have the leeway to leave work." Heima replied, closing the door to her room with a thud, her stoic expression crumbling down, the memories and emotional waves finally crashing into her like a torrent.


    She kneeled on the floor, tears streaming out of her eyes, the memories of her parents playing in her head in a loop. She closed her mouth, preventing her screams from leaking out, her body trembling. She kneeled, her hands enclosing her legs while her back leaned on the door, silently sobbing.


    ''First, the incident with Jyorta; the disaster affected both mother and father. Still, they retained hope even when he stayed in a coma over the years. But, things changed when Rhachis Ancestor Space took over my soul, under the orders of Central Command.''


    ''Even though this was supposed to be kept under wraps, they somehow came to know of my situation which eventually led to their demise. Mother couldn''t focus on her battles due to her disturbed mental state and ended up getting killed by a Frenzy Beast when the Wisdom Parasite in her tried to take control. This news shook father to the core, his will to live dissipated.''


    ''Jyorta, on one hand, was unconscious, showing signs of waking up over the years but hadn''t done so until now. On the other was me, under Gajara Rahi''s control, behaving erratically with a cold demeanour, acting alien. Unable to tolerate it, he committed suicide while sending off mother''s ashes. If only they endured for a week; mom would have found out about Jyorta waking up and such a situation would have never developed.''


    ''Grandpa is also untrustworthy. He''s a splendid actor, filled with a cunning nature. In order to achieve his goals, he wouldn''t hesitate to develop the Bone family. At the same time, he also wouldn''t hesitate to send it on a path to ruin. Among the family members, only Uncle Hubert is on my side but, considering the current state of things, he lacks the authority to affect the situation.''


    Her thoughts spun, painting a clear picture amid her sadness. Everything she experienced over the past five years played in her head, a significant portion of them being the memories inherited from Gajara Rahi, each piece of them being a feat of the legends.


    She craned her neck, lifting her head, gazing at the skin on her hands, her pupils enlarging, taking everything into view. She let out a self-deprecating laugh, murmuring, "In the end, I have to become strong enough to hold my fate in my hands. Only when I have control over all variables would I be able to safeguard my family. These old fogies, with their endless schemes¡­"


    She noticed goosebumps appearing on her hands, evident due to her scrutiny, a slight prickling sensation coursed through her body. Her hands parted, revealing a bag of sweets resting on the floor before her, a faint black mist surrounding it, dissipating in the fraction of a second. A sense of exhaustion also stemmed from the depths of her soul, tiring her.


    "A parasite survives in the host, using the nutrients in it to develop. As a side effect of its actions, the body gets nurtured¡ªa trait displayed only by the Wisdom and Frenzy Parasites¡ªincreasing in its strength, eventually developing a Skill: an amassing of thoughts, memories, genes, physical capabilities, etc. creating a mystical phenomenon that could affect reality."


    Thinking back to the line stressed numerous times back in the military academy, Heima laughed, "So, even a Soul Parasite is no exception. I guess the apt term would be¡­a Psychic Parasite?"


    Sitting in the living room, Jyorta extended his hand to the right, feeling it grasp air. Curious, he turned his head, only to find the bag of sweets missing. "Strange, where has it gone?"


    He turned around, searching near the couch, beneath a stack of notebooks placed on a glass table nearby and eventually widening his search, covering the entire living room. He then sat in silence, his mind distracted, ''Is Heima standing behind me? Dammit, at this rate, I will suffer a mental breakdown.''


    His back was covered with sweat, his face scrunching up into a mild frown. He went to the kitchen and fetched himself a glass of water, downing it to calm his emotions. He then continued to watch TV until he felt bored.


    ''I should be careful.'' The thought hit him as he switched off the TV, heading to his room. He closed the door the moment he entered, switching off the lights, turning the room dark. He closed his eyes, resting his body atop the bed, his soul searching for the presence of other souls in his vicinity.


    ''The range of my soul''s senses is only limited to one metre, but I should be able to detect something amiss even if I can''t sense Heima''s presence. After all, her body is protected by a barrier and I could previously detect the barrier without trouble.'' He controlled his body, settling with his regular sleeping posture.


    ''Depending on the method of application, I can use my personalities to multitask.'' In a matter of seconds, he fell asleep. The moment he fell asleep, Jyorta''s persona turned inactive. Since the main persona didn''t possess a body in the first place, it could remain active for as long as necessary, requiring neither rest nor sleep.


    ''Even though Jyorta''s ego has been eliminated and his soul broken up into bits and pieces and assimilated into my soul, I have still retained his emotions, personality, and character. The more I continue to develop Jyorta''s persona, using it in my daily activities, the more it creates the chances for me to develop a split personality.''


    ''Also, it takes time to convert him to my persona. But whether it will be optimal for this world''s logic or not, I can''t say for sure. I don''t know whether I would lose the ability to multitask after converting Jyorta''s persona but it still is a ticking time bomb. I should resolve it soon.'' He sighed, using his past methods to control only certain parts of Jyorta''s brain to think.


    After thinking for a long time, he decided to go along with this method. He would think on the background and transmit the information to Jyorta''s persona, directing his actions, thought processes, and behaviour until both the personas became one.


    Heima washed her face with cold water, looking at her reddened eyes in the mirror. Her gaze hardened, filled with resolve to strive for power. She stared at the mirror for an hour, playacting, preparing dialogues, expressions, and behavioural patterns for various situations she would face soon.


    Her expression calm, her gaze steady as Heima approached Jyorta''s room. With a light knock, she twisted the doorknob, parting the door. Along the way, she noticed the time displayed on the clock, calculating something, her gaze filled with cunningness.

 Chapter 55：Coming Out Clean!

    The door creaked open, displaying a screen of light within the room, shielding a portion of it from the rest of the world. Standing within the screen of light was an old man wearing a loose green robe. Held in his hands was a crystal lens, its edges shaped in the form of a square.


    The crystal lens faced the body of Jyorta, the light emitted from the old man entering it on one side and emerging from the other, falling onto his body. A pale blue projection lit up behind him, forming the figure of a slightly mature version of Jyorta.


    Many facial features, body language, and expression were slightly off from the usual Jyorta, looking like something foreign was mixed into them. The mature projection of Jyorta was crying, parts of it were feeling sad while the rest looked terrified.


    Noticing the appearance of the old man, Heima instinctively kneeled on the floor, bowing to him. The old man raised his hand, beckoning for her to enter.


    With a nod, Heima stood up, taking a hesitant step forward, her body passing through the screen of light. The moment she entered, the sounds of crying filled her ears.


    "Sorry, I still have a lot of work to do," The old man nodded at her, "So, I came early. I have been talking with him for the past hour and have already learnt everything I need to know."


    "He''s¡­" Heima trailed off, her expression puzzled. Numerous thoughts clashed in her head, unearthing the multitude of memories she had inherited. "Why is he in that state?"


    "Well, you see," The old man muttered, a disappointed expression on his face, "He had committed an act that went against his principles. He had bottled up that memory to a corner but, my interrogation brought it out. Now, he''s affected by it."


    "Anyway, he''s just a child, so his mind isn''t that strong." The old man said, gazing at Heima, "If you have anything you need to ask, then do it now. In his present state, he can never lie."


    Heima nodded, expressing her understanding. She turned to look at the projection hovering above Jyorta''s head, shedding tears, "What is your impression of me, mother, and father?"


    Hearing the question, the old man scoffed. The projection gazed at her, opening its mouth despite the cries, the intensity of light falling on it intensified a little, suppressing its struggles, "¡­family."


    "He is Jyorta Bone in the truest essence." The old man said, observing the projection''s actions. The moment the light he emitted intensified, the cries of the projection dissipated, looking blank.


    "Do you have an objective?" Heima iterated her second question, her expression softening.


    "Survival," The projection replied, its voice mechanical.


    "When you become strong in the future, what are you planning to do?" Heima spoke, her expression becoming bright.


    "First," The projection pointed a finger at the old man, "Beat him senseless until he cries."


    Following its hand, a faint black mark appeared on the old man''s clothes, a couple of strands had snapped. The projection then raised its hands, pointing at its face, "Then, if possible, I will try to defeat the Mother Parasite¡­if possible. I don''t even know what that even is. The creepy-haired man just brought me here with that sole objective to fulfil. If it is beyond my capabilities, I wouldn''t even look in that direction."


    "Then, what do you want to do in life?" Heima asked, unable to stop her face from twitching. A trace amount of sweat had formed on her forehead; his first objective was quite a bold declaration.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light snickered, dusting the small black mark on his clothes, his face filled interest, "Hope you become strong enough for that."


    "I want to stay healthy and slack off, read books, play games, and eat good food." The projection replied; a change occurred on its face as Rhachis Ancestor Light stopped emitting the light, enclosing the crystal lens in his palm.


    The projection still existed, brimming with anger, suppressed under the action of its willpower. It then looked at Heima, a wary gaze flashing on its face, "So, whatever you were planning to observe, is it done?"


    Heima stood transfixed, her expression warping. She took a deep breath, heaving a sigh, "Do you know that there is another existence in this world similar to you? I had become a subsoul of her; a subsoul is¡­"


    "I know," The projection nodded, intending for her to continue, having not noticed a beam of light still falling on its back.


    "The actions were done by her. The fusion was yet to be finished by then, so it led to many discrepancies in my actions. Thanks to Ancestor Light here, I have become free. Do you know why that had been the case?" Heima said, noticing the beam of light from the corner of her eye.


    "I have no idea." The projection shook its head, its eyes showing puzzlement. It then craned its head to the back, failing to notice anything amiss.


    The projection then looked at Rhachis Ancestor Light, opening its mouth to speak, "Are you someone who stands at the peak of this world?"


    "Yes," Rhachis Ancestor Light nodded. "What do you want to ask? Despite your unwillingness, you have cooperated with me for an hour. I''ll give you an honest answer."


    "For this world¡­" Its voice trailed off, taking a moment to reconsider, "What is the optimal mentality?"


    "Well¡­" A look of surprise flashed across his face, his expression one of thought, "Selfless at all times but, selfish when necessary; desperate for knowledge and strength but, never cross your mental blocks to achieve them; cherish your bonds but, never despair when they are severed."


    "I see," The projection nodded, turning transparent.


    Noticing the time displayed on his watch, Rhachis Ancestor Light looked at Heima. "The ashes of your mother have been mixed into the brook that flows at the depth of your family mansion, right?"


    "Yes, including my father who jumped into it with my mother''s ashes." Heima nodded, her brows twitched a little, showing no other reaction other than that.


    "Then, if you make sufficient contributions, you can put forth a request to Strongest and meet them." Without explaining further, Rhachis Ancestor Light threw the crystal lens towards the sleeping body of Jyorta, "Consider this as a gift from me. I won''t be interfering in your lives any further; I have many things to do."


    With a flash of light, Rhachis Ancestor Light disappeared, passing through the window. A moment after his disappearance, the projection collapsed as Jyorta woke up with a start, his face ashen. He gazed at Heima, his expression crumbling, "Father¡­and mother¡­are dead?"


    Many thoughts flashed through her mind, her emotions in a flurry. She walked towards him, pulling him into her embrace, her expression turning soft, gazing at his crumbling expression, "A couple of months ago, it would have been impossible for me to accept your existence. But, after becoming something similar for the past few months, it has become easy to accept you. At the end of the day, you are still my brother."


    At the terrace of the skyscraper, a figure flashed into existence; the beam of light transformed into an old man. Rhachis Ancestor Light looked at the sprawling cityscape below him, his gaze mixed with a multitude of emotions.


    He opened his mouth, closing it after a momentary hesitation, repeating the action a couple of times. A sound appeared, reverberating around him, audible only to his extraordinary senses. "He''s just a child, don''t expect too much from him. Also, I just checked his history. He''s impressive for his age but, his mentality is unsuitable for this era."


    "Just monitor and occasionally guide, steering him on the correct path." Rhachis Ancestor Light sighed.


    "I beg to differ. There must have been a reason he was picked. Let us take a wait-and-see approach." The voice replied, vanishing without a trace.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light stood in silence, gazing at the people walking on the road below, seeing the flurry of activities. Despite the massive commotion that had occurred in the afternoon, people had already returned to their busy lives by evening.


    The sky was dark, the stars shining on the blanket of darkness, like gems embedded into it, emitting light. A pale crescent moon occupied a spot, the biggest in the blanket of darkness, possessing the greatest splendour.


    "What is displayed may not be absolute. Only time will tell," With a flash, he disappeared, his departure unnoticed.


    ¡­


    "Lanprita, once Laila finishes her 10th standard, we shall move back to the 7th Ring." Laila''s father, Mavelin said.


    "Did something happen?" Laila''s mother, Lanprita inquired, her expression filled with concern.


    "Just some official reasons; ever since I became a Transformer, I have been tasked to take up positions with real authority. Since I grew up in the 7th Ring, they want me to take control of Sector 1 there. At present, I will be serving there as a Deputy under a higher-up. But, in a matter of years, I will be in command of the entire Sector." Mavelin replied; his actions restricted, showing a lack of control of his tremendous strength.


    "That is wonderful news!" Lanprita exclaimed, "As long as you are not sent on dangerous expeditions like the Flying Signature Raid, this is for the better."


    "There probably won''t be a Raid of such scale for at least two decades. So, my risks out in the Wilds will be lower. After all, I am a true powerhouse." He smiled, flexing his muscles that were thinner than years ago. Though, the tremendous power hidden within them spoke otherwise.


    At the corner of the room sat Laila, combing the hair of her little sister who had recently celebrated her fourth birthday. Just when she was about to run away, Laila caught hold of her, "Sight tight, or Rear Face will catch you."


    "No!" Her sister shouted, her shrill scream making her ear tingle, "I don''t want Rear Face to catch me!"


    Holding her struggling sister, Laila continued to comb her hair, her mind adrift, ''If those two survive the Induction Ceremony, then we would meet in the military academy. Well, it would be pretty comical if George died in the ceremony considering his advantages.''


    She let out a chuckle, tickling her sister, ''It would be interesting to see his growth and the path he chooses.''


    Volume 1: Foothold¡ªThe End!

 Chapter 56：Prequel to the Ceremony

    1st November, year 333 of the Dawn Era; the sun rose up, casting its gentle light on the cityscape, dissipating the mist that had formed, and generating a sense of warmth in the chilly air.


    7th Ring, Sector 12, Baker Street, 3rd Residential Complex; a certain house on the 28th floor had its silence disrupted by the shrill screams of an alarm clock, its monotonous sound reverberating through the air, echoing across the halls.


    7:00 AM, the sonorous buzzing of the alarm made the boy sleeping next to it feel irritated, tossing and turning around on the bed, clenching the bedsheet and wrapping it tighter around the ears.


    The alarm buzzed nonstop for 5 minutes, the body getting used to the sound, falling asleep once again. Despite the shrill noise, the sonorous sound that had the same repeating rhythm was soon glossed over by his senses, his slumber undisturbed.


    7:15 AM, another alarm buzzed, the sound arriving from a different location, its buzzing different. Like a chain reaction, the previous alarm too buzzed, its shrill sounds intermixing in the air, creating a distortion of noise, polluting the once peaceful surroundings.


    Irritated, the boy could no longer sleep. He got up, his eyes wide awake, gazing at the two alarm clocks that felt like they were competing against one another¡ªthe prize being his awakening.


    The boy looked at the time, feeling his eyes droop. "I can sleep for five more minutes."


    Making the two alarm clocks shut up, he draped the bedsheet over him, seething with bliss. With a relaxed expression, he slept. No sooner had he closed his eyes did the alarm buzz, its sonorous noise ear piercing.


    7:30 AM, the boy noticed the time, feeling tired. "I took a shit just before sleeping. My bowels are almost empty. So, I only need to brush my teeth and take a bath. I still have plenty of time."


    No sooner had he closed his eyes did the alarm ring once again, the two sounds of different pitch, frequency, and rhythm intermixing with each other, generating an astounding racket of noise.


    7:45 AM, the boy raised his eyebrow, slightly craning open his left eye, noticing the time. "Today is the Induction Day. I will probably swallow a disgusting parasite. What use is in brushing? Also, sister said everything will become messy at the end; so, do I even need to take a bath?"


    "Five more minutes," The boy murmured, covering his head with the bedsheet. Followed by the sound of a door being opened, Heima entered, dressed in a set of baggy clothes, covering the battle gear worn underneath.


    She walked towards the sleeping boy, her steps silent. She sent a kick to his stomach, giving him a slap on the head when he got up in protest. "Get ready!"


    She dragged him to the bathroom, pushed him inside, and locked the door. With a grumble, the boy began to freshen up, taking his sweet time emptying his bowels. Heima slammed against the door, urging him to hurry. Letting out an exhausted grunt, she went towards the kitchen, making her a cup of coffee.


    Holding a piping hot cup of coffee on her right, she flipped through the newspaper using her left, reading the headlines aloud, "A Shifter was jailed, heavily penalised for fleeing from the battlefield. Transformer Cosmi Tumbler has retired from duty, solely focusing on his Academic duties."


    "What? It''s already 8:30? Sister!" A voice trailed as a boy rushed out, a towel draped over his lower half. "We were asked to assemble at school by 8:30 AM. Sister, why didn''t you wake me up sooner?"


    "Take a look at the time," Heima pointed at the wall clock in the living room, her voice disinterested. The boy gazed at the time, his expression morphing into one of shock.


    7:30 AM, Heima gazed at him, noticing his developing muscles, adding a bit of masculinity to his lean frame. "I changed the time in your alarm clock to an hour early. Otherwise, you would never get ready on time."


    "So, I still have an hour?" The boy laughed, expressing his delight, heaving out a breath of relief. Humming a tune, he turned around, heading to his room to get dressed up.


    Donning a well-ironed white cotton shirt over his cotton vest, he calmly buttoned them, noticing an extra button at the end. Seeing that he had buttoned it wrong, he unbuttoned everything, beginning from the top.


    The black cotton pants were loose at the thighs but tighter at the legs, giving him the feeling of a jester. He then wore a half blazer atop his shirt, grunting. "Despite it being winter, it is still hot enough. This uniform is a pain to wear and has a stupid design."


    The belt had a logo of 4 inscribed on it, affixed within seven concentric circles, showcasing his affiliation to the 4th Academy in the 7th Ring.


    7:45 AM, he sat on the sofa in the living room, gazing at the clock. He then swerved his head to the right, gazing at his sister reading the newspaper with gusto, a second cup of coffee in her hands.


    "Sister¡­" He hesitated, swallowing his saliva, his eyes darting to and fro.


    "No games, just sit tight. We still have 15 minutes before the metro train heading towards your school will arrive." Heima replied, turning a page and gazing at a large banner of a man wearing a pair of shades, showcasing an array of spectacles at the bottom¡ªan advertisement.


    Her interest piqued, she looked through the spectacles, noting the address of the shop, planning to make a stop later. She then noticed Jyorta gazing at the wall clock, hands folded before him, his chin resting over them. His leg tapped on the floor, its rhythm rapid.


    ''He''s getting nervous,'' Heima sighed, planning to distract him when he abruptly stood up, rushing towards the restroom.


    "What happened?" She shouted, her eyes widening.


    "Loose motion!" Jyorta screamed, his figure dashing past her, in a fluster.


    7:58 AM, Jyorta returned, hand above his stomach, looking distressed. He looked uncomfortable, seemingly as if he would rush to the restroom any moment.


    "Let us depart," Heima placed her newspaper¡ªfolded perfectly along its folds¡ªon the glass table before her. Carrying a handbag, she fetched out her ID card and Jyorta''s, placing them both in a front zip.


    Wearing a school bag that looked heavy, Jyorta accompanied Heima, hurrying towards the metro station. The train had arrived by the time they reached, prompting them to break into a sprint to enter a compartment before the doors closed.


    "There''s a vacant spot at the end, sit there." Heima pushed Jyorta, making him occupy a vacant seat. A lady who had eyed the seat and was surfing through the crowd cussed in anger. Hearing her cuss, Heima laughed, sending a glare in her direction, shutting her up.


    She inched through the crowd, standing beside his seat, placing her handbag atop his school bag, all shifted to over his lap.


    "You know," She began, "They are launching a new game today. The one you had been anticipating for the past 3 months. What was its name again? ¡­Doragun Sash?"


    "Dragon Slash!" Jyorta shouted in excitement, covering his face immediately, hiding his embarrassment. "The launch is today? Great!"


    "I saw it in the news when you were taking a bath. The graphics were quite stunning. It also said it has a feature where you can control the movements of your characters using just voice input. How do you even use that?" Heima said, showing a look of curiosity.


    "It is quite simple," Jyorta spoke, his tone calm and steady. "You enter an interface where you can customise many actions to a single keyword. Suppose you want to move the character 5 steps diagonally to your right, you can set it to ''Jumbo''. So, whenever you say jumbo, the character moves five steps diagonally to the right. You can specify many things in this manner, and use whatever words you want to invoke them. Once you get the hang of it, it is quite fun."


    "The way you speak¡­" Heima laughed, "Is no different from a brat that just became a teenager."


    "It is good to be young," Jyorta sent a provocative stare at her, "Unlike a certain someone who gets called aunty by children. How many times was it in just this week?"


    "Brat," Heima tickled him, making his jerk violently. The middle-aged man seated next to him sent a glare his way, adjusting his overcoat whose ends were a bit crumpled due to his jump.


    "Hehe," Heima laughed, staring at him, disdain in her eyes, "You are 100 years too early to retort me."


    Jyorta let out a sigh, looking at the ceiling of the train, his expression etched with arrogance. "It is not my fault for being eternally young."


    Seeing his facial expression, Heima''s eyebrows twitched, resisting her urges to beat him up; a smile crept upon her face, ''He''s finally become calm.''


    8:20 AM, the metro train arrived at their stop; the two alighted, hurrying towards the inspection counter, waving their IDs through a machine that allowed them passage. Security personnel stood on the sides of the machine, their expression bored as they watched the flurry of people walking to and fro.


    Passing through numerous hallways, the duo began to sprint. They had less than 10 minutes to arrive at the designated location.


    8:29 AM, the duo arrived before a classroom labelled, ''11B'', Jyorta panting. Heima handed his school bag over, making him enter the classroom, "I''ll be waiting here. Don''t worry, you''ll be fine."


    "Okay," There was slight nervousness in his voice but, Jyorta entered the classroom, occupying his seat. Heima stood in the corridor, gazing at the students that entered. Either parents or legal guardians of the students stood in the corridor, creating a hushed silence, their face depicted with nervousness.


    ''He''ll be fine¡­'' Heima thought, noticing her lack of confidence. She then shook her head, opting for an optimistic mentality. Seeing that none of the people near her were familiar, she chose to remain silent, standing at her spot like an erect statue.


    There were hushed voices from some people, from the ones who apparently had an inkling of her identity. She could hear voices spouting ''Bone Family this¡­'' and ''Bone Family that¡­'' from them, making her shake her head.


    ''He can display his overwhelming advantage once the ceremony ends but, the ceremony itself is a big risk factor for him. Gajara too suffered from it, almost failing. I hope everything ends well.'' She thought, silently praying.


    A teacher entered the class, prompting the students to get up and greet her. She looked at the nervous faces of the students, her booming voice striking the eardrums of everyone present, "Everyone, follow after me. We will be moving to the topmost floor. Your parents or guardians will wait here."


    Without any noise, the students stood up, following after the teacher. Once they exited the class, they emerged into the corridor, forming a long line. As Jyorta entered the hallway, Heima approached him, whispering into his ears.


    "All the best!" With a nod, Jyorta walked away, following the line heading towards a lift that took them to floor 32, the topmost floor in the 4th Academy.

 Chapter 57：Parasite Ingestion

    Floor 32 consisted of a long narrow hallway with soundproofing installed everywhere, allowing no sound to leak out. Rooms were situated on both sides of the hallway, numbering from 1 to 40. A class usually only had about 30 students, give or take. The extra rooms were for cases when students transferred at the last minute.


    The door to each room was closed shut as a nurse stood before them respectively, holding a name pad in their hand, their gazes warm. The teacher lead the students¡ªnumbering 31 in total¡ªto the long, narrow hallway, seating them on the floor, forming a line.


    She walked to the front, talking to a person that looked like the head nurse. "Are the preparations in order? Anything we need to consider?"


    "None," The head nurse replied, her tone rigid. She seemed to be in her forties, possessing the strength of a Ground Controller, a Tier 4 Esper. She looked at the teacher, her voice turning polite, "Everything is in order. Once their name is called, send them in."


    Taking a notepad, the head nurse stood before the long queue of seated students, "First student, Ashten Coorg."


    A slightly good looking boy stood up¡ªseated at the very front. He walked forward, stopping before the head nurse as she directed him towards room number 1. The boy turned behind, gazing at the faces of his friends, a smile emerging on his face as he gazed at Jyorta flashing him a thumbs up.


    The nurse who stood before room number 1 placed her hand over Ashten Coorg''s shoulders, leading him into the room. Seeing her action, the students hooted, letting out screams of exclamation.


    Once the door closed shut, the head nurse called for the second student. A girl that looked taller than the boys stood up, her expression calm as she approached room number 2. The nurse stationed before it brought her inside, in the same manner.


    As the students before him were lead inside one after another, Jyorta began to feel tense. His heart started to beat faster as the students seated before him reduced one by one. Finally, when there was only a single student before him, Jyorta could hear the sounds of his heart, his face flushed red while sweat covered his forehead. His back was laced with sweat, making the clothes stick to his skin.


    Just when he felt his stomach rumbling with discomfort, the head nurse made eye contact, "Number 31, Jyorta Bone."


    Jyorta stood up and walked forward, his shoes making knocking sounds in the otherwise silent corridor, the soft carpet dampening the sounds when he approached room number 1. He craned his head towards it, trying to peek inside but to no avail.


    His heartbeats were beginning to slow, once it was his turn, his nervousness was beginning to abate. Jyorta crossed one room after another, having walked most of the hallway, finally arriving before the room numbered 31.


    The nurse standing before its door was quite tall, spanning almost 6 feet. She had a slender musculature but the faint lines in her arms said otherwise. The nurse flashed a smile, making Jyorta''s mind blank out for a couple of seconds.


    "Hello there," With a greeting, she slumped her arm over his shoulder, making his body shudder involuntarily.


    "H-Hello," Standing in close proximity and feeling the soft contact, his heart raced once again, making his limbs stiffen. He then followed her lead, entering the room and gazing at a green curtain. The curtain masked everything inside¡ªplaced a couple of feet away from the door¡ªshielding from prying eyes.


    Jyorta noticed the thick doors, recalling back to the doors used in aeroplanes. They were strikingly similar, their sturdiness and soundproofing apparent.


    The nurse pulled the curtain aside, revealing a large hospital berth. To the side was a cupboard, the contents within unknown. A large machine was beeping, situated behind the berth. Near the door was a small table, situated atop it was a loose gown, green in colour.


    "Change into this gown first. Other than this fabric, there shouldn''t be anything else on your body, understand?"


    "Yes, sister." Jyorta nodded, picking up the gown, feeling its coarse fabric, looking numerous times inferior to the ones he wore daily. He then stared at the nurse, gazing at her watching him. The two looked at each other, the atmosphere turning awkward, making him feel embarrassed.


    "You can change behind the curtain," The nurse pointed at the green curtain near the door. With a nod, Jyorta thanked her, heaving a sigh of relief. He then closed the curtain, mentally cursing when he noticed it being a bit transparent, allowing shadows to appear on it.


    He first removed the half blazer, holding it with two fingers using a gap in the design. He then unbuttoned the shirt, removing it, followed by the cotton vest. Finally, he picked up the green gown and wore it overhead.


    The gown slid over his body without struggle, looking quite loose. The coarse material pricked his skin, making him feel the itch. The gown spanned all the way below his knees as Jyorta lifted it a bit and unfastened his belt and removed his pants.


    He hesitated for a good 20 seconds when he was about to remove his underwear, his face flushed red. Mustering some strength, he removed his underwear, the prickling sensation from the gown making him feel irritated in his sensitive areas.


    He folded his school uniform, placing them above the nearby table. He then noticed the nurse setting up some apparatus, consisting of a tube, pipeline, holders, etc. originating from the machine next to the berth.


    "Lay down on the berth," She pointed at the berth, patting its surface. Without protest, Jyorta sat on the edge of the berth, feeling it hard like stone, its texture worse than his gown. It felt weird, lying down on the hard berth without a pillow, his head aligned with the rest of his body, all on the same horizontal level.


    "Now, don''t worry; these are just procedures installed for your safety." The nurse appeared on his right, holding his hand, the warmth spreading from her body.


    Jyorta felt something cold clamp his right hand, its surface having a metallic feeling. Gazing at his right, he noticed an object similar to a bracer clamped around his hand, its edges curved, and its surface smooth. A pair of chains emerged from behind it, one attached to the floor on the bottom, and the other attached to the surface of the machine¡ªon the same level as his hand.


    He also noticed the skeletal part of the machine, made from reinforced steel, looking sturdy, its ends bolted to the floor. The nurse did the same to his right leg, attaching the chains emerging from the bracers to the bottom and the side respectively.


    She then leaned over his body, reaching her hand to his left hand. As she bent from the other side, and due to the wide span of the berth, she had to lean quite considerably, making the mounds on her chest scrape past his chest.


    Jyorta''s face reddened, an instinctual reaction occurred on his lower body, making him seethe with shame. It was as if the nurse hadn''t noticed it, leaning further to secure the bracers, making her stomach area scrap past his right arm, the soft sensation, and the smoothness of her dress giving him an electrifying feeling.


    She then did the same to his left leg, bending below the berth, activating something. The chain attached to the floor moved, arriving vertically below his respective limbs, a small bore appearing within the berth at the four locations to facilitate the chains.


    The nurse then pulled out a leather belt, strapping his hips, not batting an eye to a certain mound below. She then pulled the strap, making his body clamp on the bed, unable to move. A slight sense of fear emerged in his heart, feeling a lack of freedom in his body.


    The nurse then walked towards the machine, retrieving something from it, enclosed within her palms. She then sat on the berth, sitting near his hip. Her left hand supported her body while her right adjusted the leather belt strapping his hip, "Tell me if it feels restrictive."


    "It is fine," Jyorta replied, his eyes darting, unable to determine where to look.


    "Then, it''s fine." The nurse leaned closer, a distance of 2 feet between their faces. As her right hand adjusted the leather strap, her little finger flicked, brushing past the mound below, the contact being minimal, for in instant.


    Something shattered from within Jyorta, his breathing ragged, his face turning beet red, the air he exhaled turning hotter. The bump on his lower body became bigger, its size apparent through the gown.


    The nurse leaned closer, her eyes burning with passion. When there was less than 15 centimetres between them, Jyorta could feel her breath, his mind turning blank. Her face was outlined in his view; her broad facial features, her parted lips, looking lively and her burning eyes, they involuntarily heated up his body.


    "Can you¡­" The nurse further inched the distance, her voice a whisper, "Open your mouth."


    Jyorta''s mouth opened, his gaze transfixed on her, his mind filled with chaos. This scene just sent his years of experience down the drain, captivating him, making him unable to break out, unwilling to break out, wanting to further immerse himself into the feeling.


    "Wider¡­open wider," The nurse whispered, her face mere inches away from his. Jyorta opened his mouth wide, giving the nurse the chance to place an object in his mouth, shaped similar to braces. The braces had the sides walled up, covering his teeth on the front and the edges, creating a line between the upper and lower jaw. This prevented him from closing his mouth.


    The nurse placed her left hand over his cheek, her right trailing up, and taking hold of a tube. The orifice of the tube was connected to the braces, using a small impression lock. She then slid the ring on the tube forward, making it arrive above the locked part.


    The ring looked like a mix between three rings, the ends being orange in colour while the middle part was white and spanned the width of a finger. The nurse used her thumb and index finger, clamping them on the white ring, using the fingers of her other hand to rotate the orange rings clockwise, tightening the mechanism.


    She rotated it for a calculated number of times, the quantity designated overhead, atop the machine. She then swiftly inserted a needle into the vein on his right hand, repeating the same for his left.


    The needle was attached to a syringe, a narrow, transparent tube extended out from it, connected to the machine. The nurse hurriedly switched on many buttons on the machine, whirring it into life. She then opened the cupboard behind her, revealing many cartridges, having a volume of 200 millilitres.


    She then took out each cartridge¡ªfilled with different coloured solutions, some viscous, some gelatinous, while others were aqueous¡ªand inserted them in their respective grooves in the machine. Followed by the sounds of something getting punctured, the solutions within the cartridges got sucked into the machine, stored somewhere within it.


    Finally, the nurse removed a large cylinder, twice the size of her arm, her movements careful. She inserted it in the machine with care, carefully checking each action of her. Done with the insertion, she inspected every detail, taking proof of everything, machine data, picture, and video.


    Some time had passed since she began her work, allowing Jyorta enough time to cool down. He then noticed the placement of cameras in many locations in the room, his heart rate speeding up.


    Finally, done with all preparations, the nurse shut a covering over the machine, allowing only the actuators¡ªbuttons and switches¡ªto remain accessible. She then pressed a button, making a soft sound emit from the machine, the sounds of jelly being squished reverberated, its sound drowned by the machine''s whirring.


    The nurse inspected the situation through the monitor on the machine, her voice stoic, "Phase 1: Parasite Ingestion¡ªBegin!"

 Chapter 58：Parasite Digestion

    WARNING: The following scenes may not be appropriate for people with a faint heart. Reader discretion advised!


    Hearing the stoic voice of the nurse that was in sharp contrast to her previous animated self, Jyorta''s heart lurched. He then heard the sound of a motor pumping a fluid, followed by the sound of water flowing through a pipe.


    Jyorta noticed the pipe connected to his mouth vibrating, a pale blue liquid flowed through it, rushing towards his mouth. In the meantime, the nurse attached a tiny tube to the main tube connected to his mouth, fitted with a lever tap mechanism.


    Just when the pale blue liquid neared his mouth, the dress of the nurse fluttered as she used her psychic energy, stopping the fluid from flowing into his mouth. As she opened the tap, she directed the fluid through the tiny tube, allowing the fluid to collect within a tank.


    The process continued for a good one minute before Jyorta noticed a shadow cast over his face. The sounds of the machine reverberated through the air but a certain disgusting sound slowly neared him, filled with the sluggish sloshing of gelatinous fluids.


    It looked white, sporting a suction pod-like mouth at the front and a sea cucumber-like tail to the back. It had two bulging eyes, seemingly regressed in development due to a lack of sunlight while hair-like projections existed all over its body, squirming as they propelled its sluggish body forward.


    The creature was almost as big as his arm and had similar dimensions, its grotesque features vividly displayed. The moment he noticed its appearance, Jyorta''s body wriggled in resistance as he tried to break free of his restrains.


    The nurse waved her hands, using her psychic energy to hold his body in place, suppressing his struggles. There was despair evident in his expression, his eyes drooping to the back, showing signs of losing consciousness.


    The nurse pressed a button on the machine, making a certain drug enter his nerves, keeping him awake. His mind suddenly experienced exceptional clarity, his eyes widening, focusing on the approaching creature in full detail.


    The creature slouched, wriggling forward by a centimetre each second, making him want to scream and break free, ensuring to never step foot in the place ever again. His muffled screams rang out, echoing across the room. The nurse paid attention to his body condition, a part of her attention on the monitor as the creature approached his mouth.


    Humanity''s product to gain power, Wisdom Parasite!


    The presence of the braces prevented him from closing his mouth, leaving his tongue as his sole defender. The moment the Wisdom Parasite entered his oral cavity, his tongue shot out like a whip, landing on it, trying to push it out.


    The nurse closed the tap that was directing the pale blue fluid away, making its only path of movement being forward. The pressure pumped by the motor pushed the pale blue fluid, which in turn impacted against the Wisdom Parasite, pushing it forward at high speeds.


    Like a slippery eel, the Wisdom Parasite entered his mouth, wriggling through his throat, and finally making headway into his stomach. The moment it reached his stomach, it began to wriggle its top half, its bottom half had become stuck midway.


    Jyorta began to wheeze, gasping for air, his face turning blue. The pressure of the pale blue fluid acted from the front, suffocating him. The nurse hurriedly infused her psychic energy into his throat, inspecting the region that led to the problem.


    Her forehead was soaked with sweat as her mind whirred with thoughts. She delicately controlled her force application, directing the force from three different angles on the sea cucumber-like tail that had secreted some acid, corroding the walls and sticking to it.


    She immediately tore off the section of its tail, allowing the force of the pale blue fluid to flush the rest of its body into the stomach first. The presence of the flowing pale blue fluid dissolved the secreted acid, washing the stuck tail into the stomach.


    The nurse hurriedly used her psychic energy, corking the flow in the tube and pressed a switch on the machine, switching off the motor that pumped the fluid. She then massaged the constricting muscles in Jyorta, making him gasp for air, his complexion improving.


    The nurse then began to unfasten the ring on the tube, holding the white ring and twisting the orange ring anti-clockwise. As she pushed the ring behind, she applied some force on the tube, removing the impression lock.


    She adjusted the braces, making him close his mouth, giving his jaws some rest. Though, she didn''t remove the braces, lest Jyorta bit his tongue due to pain. She then switched off another switch in the machine, stopping the drug that continued to rush into his bloodstream.


    The moment the drug sopped, Jyorta''s eyes drooped, he had fainted. His expression was filled with disgust, despair, and fear, an amalgamation of all negative feelings. Looking at his sleeping face, the nurse heaved a breath of relief, "Phase 1: Parasite Ingestion¡ªcompleted successfully!"


    She then removed the tube from the machine, packing it into a designated box. All the excess materials were packed into neat boxes, and stuffed inside a trash can.


    9:15 AM, done with all her tasks, she sat on the berth, occupying the space near his legs, gazing at the time.


    She then monitored his vitals, keeping an eye on the situation in his stomach through her psychic energy and also paying attention to the data continuously flashing on the monitor.


    10:20 AM, Jyorta woke up, feeling hungry. A feeling of hunger pervaded his entire being, making him suspect staying in a state of hunger for more than a week. He felt his stomach secrete acid in excess, burning up his insides, painting him the feeling that he had an ulcer.


    "It will be painful but, think about your family. Imagine the look on your sister''s face if you fail to overcome this pain. I''ve seen even weak-willed people get through this with ease, not to mention a strong lad like you." The nurse said, holding his hands, giving him a protective feeling.


    She then used her psychic energy, tapping on a couple of buttons. A certain drug entered flowed through the tube, arriving at the syringe. Passing through the needle inserted into his veins, the drug entered his bloodstream¡ªits effects to keep him awake, mixed with pain killers.


    "Phase 2: Parasite Digestion," The nurse said, "The Wisdom Parasite will try to struggle but, you can defeat it easily. Chant with me¡­in your mind."


    "I am Brave; I am Strong; I can Win; chant it continuously, don''t stop for even a second." The nurse said, noticing the time, hearing a faint rumble resound from within his stomach.


    ''I am Brave; I am Strong; I can Win,'' Jyorta thought, mentally shouting to clear away all his stray thoughts. Suddenly, his thoughts scattered as his body experienced a violent jerk.


    Intense pain originated from his stomach, forming a huge bump overhead, visible through the gown, moving up and down. The nurse held his hands, constantly chanting the same phrase over and over, using her psychic energy to reinforce the walls of the stomach.


    Not once did she affect the Wisdom Parasite in any way. Precedents stated that when the nurses helped the students suppress the Wisdom Parasite in Phase 2, it led to the body failing to digest it, eventually resulting in the student''s death. So, all nurses were strictly instructed in the actions they could undertake, leaving no room for voluntary choices.


    The nurse reinforced his stomach, not going beyond the designated limit, helping him as much as was possible.


    "Guh," Blood leaked out of his mouth, seeping through the gaps between the braces, his body flailing like a broken leaf, dancing in the wind, having naught but a single point anchor.


    ''I am Brave; I am Strong; I can Win!''


    ''I am Brave; I am Strong; I can Win!''


    ''I am Brave; I am Strong; I can Win!''


    Jyorta chanted mentally, shouting to his limits, in an effort to forget the pain. He bit into his braces, the force exertion giving him mere moments of reprieve. The thrashing in his stomach intensified, further inflating his stomach.


    Bile juices were secreted in increasing concentrations, improving their acidity, countering the Wisdom Parasite, seeking to nullify it. They continued to dissolve its body while the Wisdom Parasite struggled to ensure its survival, its thrashes following a disharmonious tempo.


    It first thrashed wildly, hitting against the stomach walls. It then turned still, accumulating strength, its body getting dissolved by the stomach acids. Finally, it launched a powerful strike, trying to force its way up through the food pipe.


    The nurse intervened promptly, preventing its escape by constricting the surrounding stomach muscles. Even though this action further intensified Jyorta''s pain, she continued with her actions, not allowing the Wisdom Parasite to come into direct contact with her psychic energy.


    Even in the previous case when she severed its tail, she had controlled the surrounding fluid to act.


    When the Wisdom Parasite found that it could no longer escape through the blocked exit, it turned towards a certain section of the stomach, the part that had been damaged the most. It coiled its body, storing strength in its muscles, the hair-like projections surrounding its body intertwined with one another, pulling at each other, using the elastic properties of its musculature.


    ''Remember; never try to convert the Wisdom Parasite into your subsoul before the ceremony ends. Gajara Rahi had used a subsoul of hers as an experiment¡ªa 17 years old human boy¡ªmaking the Wisdom Parasite entering his body into a subsoul. During Phase 4 of the ceremony, the Wisdom Parasite fused with his entire nervous system, turning him into a Child of Wisdom. You should know the risks that a Child of Wisdom faces, right? So, never attempt it.''


    Just when he was about to attack the soul of the Wisdom Parasite, the warnings of Heima flashed, making him drop the idea. His brows scrunched up, his eyes turning sharp, filling his entire being with rage¡ªpure, unadulterated rage.


    He used the entirety of his emotions, clubbing all the injustice faced in his life, his imprisonment, his prior death, etc. into his mentality, stabilising his sanity and willpower. He endured the pain; his stomach secreted the acids and withstood the blows of the Wisdom Parasite.


    The nurse noticed a beep flashing on the monitor, her senses picking up its contents despite not viewing it directly. A smile emerged on her face as she infused her psychic energy into his stomach, riling up all the stomach acid.


    Under the guidance of her psychic energy, the acid began to rotate, creating a miniature hurricane, its spirals turning into sharp blades that diced the body of the melting Wisdom Parasite. Once diced into pieces, she inspected its condition, noticing that it was on the verge of death.


    Any later and the Wisdom Parasite would have launched its most powerful attack, the possibility of it drilling out of his stomach as a result was pretty high. Even otherwise, the damage to his internal organs would have been severe, leading to a failure in the ceremony.


    Students that failed the ceremony weren''t given the option to live. Either they die under the hands of the nurse or try their luck out in the Wilds which was tantamount to a gruesome death sentence, the possibility of which was a startling hundred percent.


    She then left the rest to Jyorta, retracting her psychic energy, "Congratulations, you have endured the difficult part. Now, all we need is some time to finish the digestion process, concluding Phase 2."


    No sooner had she stopped administering the drug, Jyorta fell unconscious. It looked like her words fell on deaf ears. She then sighed, "The hardest part has yet to come. Hope you can survive through that."

 Chapter 59：Absorption, Assimilation, and Ejection

    11:AM, Jyorta was in a state of deep sleep, his eyebrows moved up and down, the tip of his nose line expanded and constricted, his lips trembling. He seemed to be experiencing a bad dream.


    Jyorta found himself seated within a classroom, listening to a boring lecture. A familiar figure stood before the whiteboard, scribbling something, the contents masked by her body. He could only see her back, her face obscured under a shadow, shielded from his line of sight.


    Suddenly, followed by an ear-piercing sound, the figure moved sideways, showcasing the word ''Murderer'', written in his native language ''Tamil''.


    Jyorta heard a cacophony of noises, noticing his classmates appear around him, encircling him. He noticed their faces obscured by a shadow, as if their faces had been erased. Though, he could determine their identities judging by their figure and body language.


    "Murderer!" The crowd shouted, their voice chorus. Jyorta tried to stand up, wanting to raise his voice but was unable to control his body. He then felt his body relaxing on the seat, as if enjoying the chorus.


    "Murderer!" They shouted, 30 voices filled the surroundings, the sounds echoing across the classroom, amplified by their voices. They shouted the same word, separated by harmonised gaps, the frequency resonating through his body, awakening something from within him.


    The crowd parted way, allowing the teacher to walk forward, her shadowed face morphing. Granules like mosaic appeared on the shadow, the lines of white and grey intermixing to produce a chaotic feeling, morphing into scales that covered the rest of her body, making her ensume the very same figure when she lost control.


    "Hahahaha!" Carefree laughter resounded from him, the tone bereft of emotions. Jyorta stood up, feeling his line of sight proceed way taller than his usual, almost touching the ceiling.


    He brought his hand forward, displaying sharp claws on the otherwise overgrown hand, possessing a thumb and two fingers, lacking a humanoid feeling. With a swipe of his hand, the teacher had her body shredded into 3 pieces, dissolving into smoke.


    He then lifted his leg, transformed into a behemoth, becoming a stump wider than the surrounding students. With a stomp, 3-4 students were squished, their bodies dissolving into black smoke.


    Jyorta continued with his attacks, annihilating every figure present in the classroom, leaving him behind, the sole living being. The classroom immediately turned vacant, the whiteboard, tables, benches, books, etc. all disappeared, replaced by walls of white.


    The dimensions of the white-walled room were the same as that of his classroom, having a single door on one side, its size big enough to fit his gigantic body. Jyorta walked towards it, unable to control his body, his destination apparent.


    The giant turned the knob of the door, feeling it stuck, unmoving. Exerting strength, his giant form failed to turn it. Raising his hand, applying strength in his overgrown fist, Jyorta slammed it on the door, the resulting sound equivalent to a bomb blast.


    Despite the power, the door showed no response, not displaying even the slightest of tremors. His giant form pounded the door, the force applied increasing with each passing second, resulting in blood spurting out.


    The door looked like an unmovable object, fixed in place, like the absolute rule of the dimension. The speed and force of the pounding increased to its zenith, forming a synchronous sound like the beating of the drums.


    The sound rang in his ears, disorienting his senses, making his vision cloudy. By the time he regained his senses, he found himself staring at the face of the nurse, sitting beside his legs. Noticing his stare, she smiled, her expression gentle.


    Jyorta felt something flowing in his body, from his stomach to the lower regions. It was a weird feeling, something he had never experienced till date. From his lower body, he felt it flow up, passing beneath his stomach, heading towards his heart.


    Reaching the heart, the feeling dispersed, spreading across his entire being. Slowly, he felt his head becoming heavy; a sense of stuffiness pervaded his being. The increase in the weight of his head put a strain on his neck, the hard surface of the bed further worsening the effect.


    As time continued to pass, the heavy feeling in his head further intensified, making him let out a groan, the sound muffled due to the braces covering his mouth. It was a slow process, accompanied by zero pain except for the strain he felt in his neck and the uncomfortable feeling in his head.


    "Esper¡­" The nurse muttered, her expression hardening, replaced by a tone of absolute seriousness. Her demeanour changed, adopting a vigilant pose, her attentiveness raised to the extreme.


    "Phase 3: Parasite Absorption¡ªcompleted successfully." The nurse said, her voice loud, intended for the cameras that recorded everything. "Beginning phase 4."


    The feeling from his stomach disappeared, same with the area where his intestine existed, followed by his heart. Finally, it seems as if everything had congregated at his head, present in and around his brain.


    Just when Jyorta was about to take a momentary breath of relaxation, intense pain originated from his head, making his body shudder. Veins popped on his forehead, blood dripped out of his nose, a shade of crimson mixed with white.


    His eyes turned red, the lens changing shape, like an octopus flailing its tentacles. Muffled screams rang from Jyorta, his shouts looked like the wails of a deranged person, bordering on insanity.


    His face flushed red, his heart thumping erratically, his eyeball moving haphazardly, looking like it would pop out any second. The feeling of boiling water poured into his head, burning up his sensitive brain, the pain made him mad.


    He wanted to cut off all connections to his body and wait it out until everything concluded. But, he knew that the moment he cut off the connection with his body, his body would no longer be his own. The Wisdom Parasite would become the owner and might very well assimilate him into it.


    Jyorta struggled, trying to use his thoughts to muster his willpower but found his thoughts failing to take form, the brain becoming uncooperative. His thoughts came to a halt, looking like he was slipping, his mind steadily turning still, like a frozen lake.


    The nurse infused her psychic energy into his body, artificially actuating his internal organs that were failing one by one. Every time his heart failed to beat, she would forcefully execute the process, preventing him from experiencing a heart attack.


    Slowly, Jyorta found his brain slipping away from his control, a foreign invader sought to wrestle control. The substance that had converged to his brain began to fuse, intensifying the pain, disrupting his thoughts, emotions, will power, feelings¡ªeverything.


    Jyorta struggled to stay awake, striving to increase the fusion process, allowing the invasion to spread faster while seeking to keep his ego undamaged. Drugs gushed into his bloodstream in copious amounts, through both his hands, helping him stay awake and resist the pain. They tried their best to ensure his internal organs from failing.


    The nurse''s head was slick with sweat, showing slight traces of exhaustion. She gritted her teeth, biting her lips, raising her concentration to the limits. If she slipped up for even an instant, Jyorta would die.


    A beam of light fell on his head, scanning something in real-time. Numbers flickered on the monitor, starting from zero. They steadily rose up, increasing by a count of ten for every minute.


    The nurse gritted her teeth, her eyes red, filled with tension. Her gaze fell on the monitor, looking at the numbers steadily climbing up, noticing Jyorta looking on the verge of falling unconscious, despite the effect of the drugs.


    He was approaching the limit of the pain he could withstand, his body seeking a total shutdown.


    The moment the numbers on the monitor touched 50, the nurse heaved a sigh of relief, a smile emerging on her face. She then stopped looking at the monitor, diverting her complete attention to Jyorta, helping him as much as was possible.


    Finally, Jyorta was no longer able to hold on, falling unconscious. The moment he fell unconscious, the burning feeling in his head reduced, ebbing away like the tide. It abated in a matter of seconds; a feeling of coolness pervaded the region, mending the damage, restoring the order.


    The nurse let out a breath filled with exhaustion, "Phase 4: Parasite Assimilation¡ªcompleted successfully."


    She then gazed at the monitor, noticing the numbers displayed on it, "Sync Rate is 71%."


    She pressed a couple of buttons on the machine, stopping the flow of the drug, inserting a new drug, its flow slow but steady, dripping into his bloodstream drop by drop, its quantity minimal.


    The signs of strain on his neck began to decrease little by little, taking its sweet time. A thin stream of blood mixed with a white substance dripped out of his nose, eyes, and ears.


    His body began to sweat, the beads of sweat forming across all the pores on his skin, mixed with other substances, tracing a white hue.


    Seeing the scene, the nurse opened the cupboard, taking out a sophisticated gas mask, wearing it. She spoke, her voice loud but muffled, thanks to the gas mask, "Final Phase, Phase 5, beginning."


    The nurse retreated to a corner of the room, using her psychic energy to monitor his condition and actuate the buttons on the machine when necessary.


    Followed by his body sweating, his urethral and rectal sphincters loosened up, leaking out urine and stool, stenching the room with a nasty smell. His other bodily fluids slowly seeped out through their respective orifice, dehydrating his body.


    Mixed with the fluids was a white substance, the remainder of the Wisdom Parasite that hadn''t fused with his brain, ejected out of the body by his body''s natural metabolism. The process was slow; the job of the nurse was to prevent any congestion as the body fluids seeped out.


    An hour later, affected by the intense stench, Jyorta woke up, his eyes unfocused. He stared at the body waste collected around him, his expression unchanged, looking blank.


    Noticing that he had woken up, the nurse hurriedly began to clean all the excreta, thanking the heavens that she was an Esper, thereby not having to make any direct contact as she cleaned. The psychic energy flashed, lifting the waste fluids and stuffing them inside an airtight trash can.


    She removed a couple of cleaning tools from the cupboard, swiftly proceeding to clean the room, not once moving from her spot, her hands folded. Within a couple of minutes, the room was sparkling clean; the trash can was sealed, unable to leak out any pungent smells.


    She pressed a button on the machine, opening a vent at the top, circulating the air with the environment, bringing in the fresh air. Ten minutes later, the machine released some room freshener, its scent mild to the smell¡ªlavender.


    She then removed her gas mask, her tone soft, "Phase 5: Parasite Ejection¡ªcompleted successfully. The Induction Ceremony for the individual, Jyorta Bone was a success. The resulting Sync Rate being 71 percent."


    Jyorta stared at her in silence, trailing after her actions, looking like he could sense something moving about in the room, something undetected to his regular senses. He stared at her, his expression blank as the nurse removed the braces from his mouth, using her psychic energy.


    She then walked out of the room, shouting, "Rehab nurse for room 31."


    "Coming!" Another nurse shouted, running towards her, entering room number 31. The nurse sighed, looking past the nurses transporting berths filled with students, either dead or killed.


    She mentally counted the berths, her expression changing for the worse, "17 students have died and only 14 students have survived. At this rate, we will lose our standing as the 4th Academy and would be pushed further back."


    "Our results this time have been lacklustre. The highest Sync Rate this time is just 74%. If we deliver the same performance next year, then we would definitely lose our standing, our title dropping to either 5th or even 6th Academy." Another nurse appeared, her expression distraught.

 Chapter 60：Mental State of New Espers

    Class 11 A, Heima sat in Jyorta''s seat, nervous at the result. She recalled her horrifying experience from the Induction Ceremony, giving her nightmares to this day.


    ''Jyorta, survive!'' Her expression lost; pessimistic thoughts emerged in her head, making her emotions experience turmoil. Similar to her, parents or guardians sat in the seats of their respective ward, their expressions not different from her.


    Suddenly, the silent atmosphere turned chaotic as a teacher walked in, the very same lady that led the children out in the morning. She held 31 documents in her hands, her expression strict, "Once you are done looking through the documents, please return them. Anyone who does so otherwise will be severely punished."


    She emitted psychic energy from her body, lifting 3 sets of the document each time, sending them to the designated individual within a second, repeating the process. In a span of 10 seconds, she had distributed all the documents.


    Her hands shivered as Heima held the document, enveloped in a brown cover, sealed by an impression hold button. She opened it with care, afraid to damage it but, even more afraid to peek into it, lest the result turned out different than her wishes.


    A stack of papers were pinned, looking similar to an unbound notebook. As she pulled it out, a set of numbers in large green font appeared, displaying the number ''71''.


    The moment she saw the number, Heima broke out in tears, her expression filled with relief and gratitude. She silently cried, feeling happy.


    ''He has survived!''


    Taking a minute to collect herself, Heima pulled out the entirety of the stack of papers, trying to look into it in detail. Suddenly, she was interrupted as a powerful aura burst out from behind her, seething with rage but also with¡­disbelief.


    The moment the aura appeared, numerous auras erupted one after the other, the parents faced with the death of their children burst out like raging volcanoes, unable to calm their emotions.


    Heima and some people faced with the good news either had happy expressions or an expression of relief. A couple of people also flashed a disappointed expression.


    Faculty members suddenly entered the classroom, each emitting powerful auras of their own, seeking to intimidate the raging parents and preventing the aura from leaking out into the open, lest it affected the students.


    "This is a school, calm your emotions." A man walked out, his aura masking the auras released by everyone, snuffing them out. Noticing his status as a Shifter, one at the peak of Tier 4 judging by his aura, the crowd calmed down, bottling up their emotions.


    "You have 30 minutes to read the document. We will retrieve them after that." Saying his piece, he walked away, not having any doubts that no one will dare lash out. In the previous clash of auras, he had already determined their strength and mentality and had made a judgement.


    He pulled the teacher responsible for the class, asking her with a hushed voice, "The lady sitting in the 3rd bench on the second row, who is she?"


    "Oh, her?" The teacher blinked her eyes, recollecting the information, "She is Heima Bone, elder sister of Jyorta Bone. Sir, why do you ask?"


    "Nothing," With a shake of his head, the principal walked away, his forehead filled with sweat.


    ''She didn''t even bat an eye at my aura, as if it was trivial. She also looked ready to kill me if I acted; as expected of an Aristocratic family. They are all filled with terrifying individuals.'' The principal headed to his office, looking at the final reports submitted on his table.


    "The results of this month are even worse as compared to October. If we don''t redeem ourselves in December, the academy would lose its position and fall lower. My benefits would also decrease and the students joining will also decrease in quality, creating a vicious cycle. Not everyone will be lucky to get a student like Ravis Macht." The principal muttered, summoning the teacher in charge of the November batch, their Induction Ceremony scheduled on December 1st.


    "The fate of our Academy will depend on the performance of your students. Increase their training session; do whatever you feel will increase their chances of survival. As long as they won''t tarnish our reputation, use whatever method you feel plausible." The principal commanded.


    "Yes, sir," The teacher replied, his gaze resolute. He too knew the importance of upholding the position of their academy. His salary, connections, and the resources accessible to him depended on it.


    ¡­


    A nurse ripped apart the green gown, using a wet towel to wipe his body. She switched between a regular wet towel and the one dipped into a soap solution, alternating between the two as she cleaned Jyorta''s body.


    Not once did she make any contact, only using her psychic energy to do her tasks. Three psychic arms emerged from her, indicating her strength as a Wave Controller, a Tier 3 Esper.


    One psychic arm held a wet cloth while the other held a cloth dipped in a soap solution. The final psychic arm was used to prop Jyorta''s body, moving his limbs to clean all the unreachable areas.


    20 minutes later, the nurse heaved a sigh of relief, taking a seat on a nearby chair. She then lifted his body, changing him into a set of new clothes, a white cotton gown, its material soft and porous.


    She then brought him outside, his body hovering in the air, carried by her psychic energy, the three psychic arms working in tandem, balancing his body to prevent any discomfort. She opened the door, walking into the hallway, the figure of Jyorta floating behind her, gazing at her back, a blank expression on his face.


    He moved neither his fingers not uttered a single word, looking almost dead except for the fluttering of his eyelids. Often, a stupid grin would emerge on his face, turning into one of grief in a matter of seconds, soon morphing into anger.


    Jyorta looked insane, as if he had become a mentally retarded person, his mental focus regressing until it had become childlike. Gazing at him, the nurse sighed, using a piece of cloth to wipe the drool that leaked out of his mouth.


    "You can transfer him to the rehabilitation ward. He''s the only Esper, send him first. The warriors will be transferred after him." A nurse appeared, the same lady who had taken care of Jyorta''s Induction Ceremony, motioning for her to move.


    The rehab nurse nodded, bringing Jyorta towards the end of the long hallway, entering through a double door situated on the right. It led to another hallway, showcasing rooms divided by a clear border, one red, and the other blue.


    The rehab nurse proceeded towards rehab room number 1, the one on the blue side, meant for Espers. The blue door looked sturdy and airtight, similar to the ones from before.


    The door parted way to reveal a room, twenty feet in length, and 15 feet in breadth. A berth was installed at the centre, the mattress looking soft. The room was empty, bereft of any other objects.


    The rehab nurse placed Jyorta on the bed, noticing him watch her actions, flashing a stupid smile. The nurse accompanied him; her only task was to take care of him.


    After the Induction Ceremony, the actions of Espers and Warriors would become different.


    Warriors would lose all control of their involuntary muscles, requiring artificial actuation by the nurses, using their psychic powers. They would also continuously vomit every excess fat, tissues, and bile stored in their body. The reason was due to their spinal cord still in the process of adapting to the changes, thereby requiring time to get its commands back together.


    For Espers, it was a different matter altogether. They would become unable to think, act, or behave, becoming worse than babies. Their emotions, feelings, memories, etc. would all be in a mess, thereby requiring greater care.


    Also, they would suddenly behave erratically, taking unspeakable actions; there were precedents where they bit their tongue and died. Their actions wouldn''t correspond to any logic or control and would require continuous observation. It would take them anywhere between 2-4 weeks to get back their bearings and turn normal, gaining functional control.


    The nurse waved her hands, using a psychic arm to hold Jyorta''s right hand, preventing him from stuffing his forefinger and middle finger into his nose. Jyorta looked at her, his eyes darting to his hand, his gaze boring into it. He then began to cry, leaking no sounds and tears.


    His body showed no signs of a person who was weeping, only his face morphing into a crying expression, painting an eerie picture. The nurse continuously controlled his actions, preventing him from causing self-harm.


    She spread one of her psychic arms out of the room, noticing the time displayed on the wall clock hung along the hallway. Except for her nurse uniform, she didn''t carry anything else on her. She also maintained a distance of more than one metre from Jyorta, only using her psychic energy to help him.


    The berth Jyorta slept on didn''t have any railings, the mattress covering the entirety of the surface area at the top. The sides of the berth were made of metal, looking like the entirety of it was cast. The entire surface was machined of all irregularities, leaving behind only a smooth surface.


    There were no joints, no nuts, no screws, etc. showing the meticulous thought that went into the room. At the topmost corner of the room was a camera, continuously recording everything that happened in the room. It also had numerous sensors embedded into it, transmitting all the data to a control center where a team of personnel watched everything.


    Should anything unexpected arise, they would be immediately alerted. They would then be able to take an appropriate response to the situation. Also, the camera was situated more than 3 metres from the ground, thanks to the high ceilings, situated beyond Jyorta''s reach.


    The nurse exuded a demeanour filled with patience, constantly preventing Jyorta''s actions, playing with him, distracting him otherwise, etc. She also kept a mental note of the time.


    When it was time, she suppressed his entire body with her psychic energy, inserting a needle into a vein in his hand, sending a nutrient solution into his bloodstream through it. It was for less than 20 seconds, the amount she sent in was minute.


    She hurriedly retracted the needle and the nutrient solution away, opening the door and handing it over to another nurse. The process repeated itself in regular intervals, the holes opened by the needle healed when she emitted pale blue energy, infusing it into her psychic arm and making it touch the injured area.


    Every rehab nurse possessed the Unranked Skill Regen and were Wave Controllers at the very least. They didn''t give any drastic healing treatment, leaving everything to the natural recovery of the body. This process also made the body tougher and robust, increasing their survival rates outside when faced with an injury and didn''t have a healer stationed nearby.


    Every action of theirs was viciously calculated, taking the future into account.

 Chapter 61：Erratic Behaviour

    8th November, year 333 of the Dawn Era; a week after the Induction Day, Heima boarded a metro train, heading towards the 4th Academy. She sat on a window seat, her gaze lingering on the skyscrapers that flashed past, her mind deep in thought.


    Alighting at her stop, Heima proceeded through the numerous checks, taking a long walk in the inner corridor that passed through a couple of buildings, finally arriving at the entrance of the 4th Academy¡ªa narrow security check.


    Once she entered through it, blinding sunlight fell on her face, making her eyes squint. There was a small pathway that coursed 100 metres, leading to a 32 storey building; the area it occupied was far larger than 20 skyscrapers combined.


    Flashing her ID card and designating her purpose of visit in a register and getting official permission from the person in charge, Heima boarded a lift, heading straight to the 32nd floor.


    A security personnel stood next to the lift, giving her directions the moment she stepped foot on the floor. She gave the personnel a perfunctory thanks, heading towards rehabilitation room number 1, the walls of which were painted light blue.


    She knocked on the blue door, producing light knocks. The door opened as a nurse walked out, smiling at her, "He is already capable of speech; his recovery rate is also better than the Espers we had dealt with till date."


    With a nod, Heima entered, closing the door behind her. The nurse didn''t mind her actions, standing outside the room, ready to enter should a situation arise. Since everything in the room was monitored, not to mention the entire area being under the surveillance of her psychic energy, the nurse wasn''t worried.


    "Sister, you''re back!" A cheerful voice resounded from Jyorta, his face crying. Heima stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded, noticing his contrasting appearance. Seeing her behaviour, anger flashed across his face, despite his tone sounding normal.


    "I am unable to control my emotions yet. Everything feels erratic, hahaha."


    "How are you feeling?" Heima inquired, taking a seat atop the berth, moving his feet aside to make some space.


    No sooner had she asked her question, the blanket covering Jyorta''s body trembled. Waves formed across its surface, similar to a tide, each crest rising up to a centimetre high. Seeing the scene, Heima gave a nod of approval. Jyorta''s rate of deciphering his abilities was many times faster than the average Esper.


    Most Espers took at least a month before they could emit psychic energy, not to mention controlling it.


    "My experience helped me," Jyorta said, not emphasising further, his expression akin to raucous laughter. "The nurse said that I could be discharged after a week. It feels strange when I get angry over nothing."


    "I also suddenly feel like crying, laughing, constipated, all sorts of emotions, for no reason at all. It also feels scary that I couldn''t remember anything that happened over the past week, starting from the 4th Phase or whatever in the ceremony." Jyorta said, raising his hands, trying to hold his nose.


    A psychic arm appeared, holding his hand in place. Seeing the scene, Jyorta spoke, "My body also behaves weird, and it sometimes takes actions without my thought. The first time was scary; thankfully, the nurse lady was kind enough to explain everything to me."


    "Yeah, I heard about it from my Esper friends. They too had faced the same situation as you. By the end of the month, they all gained complete control of their bodies. For you, it might be faster." Heima said, standing up.


    There was a perverted look on his face as Jyorta gazed at her, "Are you leaving already?"


    "I have to go on a mission. I got the message that I could visit you today. So, I planned a visit before heading to my mission. Don''t worry, it''s not risky. I''ll be back before you get discharged." Heima said, adjusting her dress, planning to knock the door.


    The door opened before she could knock. The nurse entered, boding her farewell. With a nod, Heima waved at Jyorta, "If anything happens, contact me."


    "Okay," Jyorta shouted, his tone filled with seething rage, the bedsheet on him forming tiny waves, their rate of movement faster than before.


    Once Heima was gone, the nurse closed the door, noticing Jyorta''s complexion. He had lost some weight as compared to 5 minutes ago, the energy stored in his fat consumed to actuate his psychic energy.


    "You should try to control your psychic energy from leaking out as soon as possible." The nurse said, standing at a distance of 2 metres away from Jyorta, sweeping the entire room with her psychic energy, searching for any unwanted objects that might have accompanied Heima. It was a precautionary measure, the training of which was instilled into every rehab nurse.


    "Your psychic energy is emitted from your brain. It is generated through your thoughts, will, and emotions. Try to maintain a meditative state as long as possible. I know it would be hard for you in your current situation but, just keep trying to achieve it." The nurse said, teaching him about the psychic energy, exclusive to Espers.


    Jyorta closed his eyes, concentrating on his thoughts, his face morphing into one of pain. A drop of tear leaked out of his eyes while he got a runny nose. In ten seconds, his nose became normal while he felt a ringing sound in his ears, the sound ear piercing.


    "Aargh!" Jyorta shouted, his voice tinged with anger and frustration. He flailed his hands, his right patting on the berth while his left sent a punch to his cheek. Just before his left hand made contact, it was paused, thanks to the nurse.


    "Try it again," The nurse spoke, her expression unchanged.


    "Shut up!" Jyorta shouted, his gaze filled with hatred, looking like he wanted to rip her apart into numerous pieces. After a couple of seconds, he became calm, speaking, "Okay, sister. But, this is really hard."


    "I know it is. After all, it is not easy to control your emotions. Our actions are always affected by our emotions. But, try it. As long as you control your emotions, you will be able to stop your psychic energy from leaking out." The nurse said, not caring about his previous outburst.


    Jyorta closed his eyes, trying to control his emotions. The next second, he began to cry, actual tears streaming out of his eyes. His mouth had a wry smile, painting a contrasting expression. He moved his hand, trying to wipe his tears.


    The moment he touched a tear droplet, his forefinger shot forward, trying to poke at his right eye. The finger paused 3 centimetres before his right eye, the nurse reacting on time. Suddenly, his head jerked forward, intending to collide the finger with his eye.


    The nurse detached another psychic arm from herself, pulling his head to the back, stopping it just a mere centimetre from his finger. Trace amounts of psychic energy emerged from him, coagulating around his long eyelashes, making them flutter like grass caught in a gentle breeze, brushing past the tip of the forefinger, numerous times, creating a tickling sensation.


    The nurse increased the force applied through her psychic energy, separating his hand from near his head, creating some distance between the two, heaving a sigh of relief.


    She looked at Jyorta; trace amounts of sweat appeared on her forehead. ''His actions are becoming crafty. Most Espers at this point would barely use their hands to touch their cheeks. What kind of life has he led to date?''


    "Concentrate," The nurse said, her voice bordering on a shout, startling Jyorta. He hurriedly concentrated, trying to focus and control his emotions. A faint sense of exhaustion seeped through him, having used his budding psychic energy multiple times. He could also instinctively feel that he had lost some weight after using his psychic energy, the sensation becoming apparent after each use.


    ''It is not easy to gain power,'' He thought, gaining a momentary clarity. His thoughts were soon filled with chaos, disorder becoming the norm, breaking his concentration.


    Every piece of memory he had stored in his brain, the ones belonging to Jyorta, and the extensive memories he had as Kaushik, all appeared like a jumbled cluster, spinning everywhere around him, making him forget about everything, lost in the memory world.


    "No!" He shouted, his tone filled with despair. His eyes were filled happiness, looking bright like a child who had just obtained candy for free. His breathing became ragged, like someone who had sprinted for a kilometre.


    Ten seconds later, his eyes displayed sadness while his mouth let out squeals like a baby; his breathing turning stable like someone in deep sleep. It wasn''t just his emotions and memories that were in disorder. Even his basic functions had become the same.


    "This is hard," He sighed, getting it right for once. Immediately, his mouth opened up, leaking no sounds, imitating laughter. His hands rose up, spread wide, facing the nurse, seeking to give her a hug.


    "Oh, my," The nurse laughed, her smile relaxed, gazing at Jyorta. She waved her hands, preventing his right hand from pinching his left, "If you manage to control your emotions for more than a minute, this sister will give you a tight hug."


    Seeing her wink at him, Jyorta flashed a face of disdain, his mouth curling up into a wide grin, "Deal!"


    He closed his eyes, intending to enter a state of meditation. Suddenly, his right eyelid opened up involuntarily, making it difficult for him to keep his left eyelid closed shut. His right eye slowly turned red, as if he had been crying for a long time. His left eye looked normal, painting a comical picture.


    Jyorta continued to concentrate on controlling his emotions, getting some nutrient solution shoved down his throat by the nurse at regular intervals, and making a mess of himself whenever his sphincters performed wrongly or when he suddenly began to sweat a lot.


    The nurse also secretly retreated in and out of the room, one of her psychic arms lingering around him. She replenished her expended energy in equal intervals, ensuring she doesn''t run out of energy should a situation arise. She also switched with another nurse by the end of the day, taking a 4-hour nap, returning to her duty immediately.


    The scene inside the room was a chaotic mix of everything.

 Chapter 62：Calendar

    15th November, the year 333 of Dawn Era, it was evening by the time Jyorta got discharged. Accompanied by Heima, he left the 4th Academy, boarding a metro train back home.


    "I probably won''t be coming here again." He sighed, murmuring, "The memories of my first year at school."


    "You are quite calm as compared to me from back then," Heima said, recalling her experience. The fear she experienced, the weakness she felt, and the disgust she masked at a creature residing within her; her eyes flashed with thought, recalling things she never wanted to remember.


    "I''ve been experiencing all sorts of emotions for the past one week. I feel like I have exhausted a month''s supply of emotions," Jyorta said, wincing in pain as he began to climb up the stairs, his body failing to cooperate with him.


    "My memory is filled with the rehabilitation ward," Jyorta sighed as he got carried by Heima, his weight posing zero challenge to her. Disregarding the stares from curious onlookers, Heima boarded a train, heading back home.


    She dropped him at the doorstep, opening the door after a series of procedures, finding the living room coated with a faint layer of dust. She then noticed the door to the balcony ajar, the reason for the accumulation of dust.


    Heima looked to her side, motioning for Jyorta to enter, "Sit somewhere; let me clean the house first. I''ll then cook us dinner."


    Jyorta nodded, finding a sofa to sit on. He slumped on it with force, raising a small dust cloud, giving him a fit of cough. He found the remote on the table before him, switching on the TV. He surfed through the channels, stopping on a channel, his eyes widening in shock.


    "T-Tom and Jerry?" He blurted out, his shout deafening. He then looked at Heima, noticing her gaze. "I grew up watching this cartoon. H-how can this appear here?"


    "Are you sure this isn''t something similar?" Heima inquired, her brows scrunched up into a frown.


    "No, this is the exact same version. This cartoon is a masterpiece; I have watched each episode at least 10 times. So, I know each minute action, the position of each character, the plot, the action, and the accompanying background music. They are the exact same." Jyorta frowned, his thoughts exploding.


    Over the past year and a half, he experienced many things the world had to offer in full, despite his area of exploration limited to his home, school, and the nearby market. He witnessed strange products, each of which being bizarre.


    The only familiarity he felt was the food but, that didn''t seem odd to him. The cuisine in his previous world incorporated everything edible under the heavens, so it wasn''t a surprise that he found something familiar. But, it was only familiar, not similar. The taste, the ingredients, many things were different which led him to believe that the civilisation here also invented dishes along the line of his previous world.


    But now, seeing a show that was a hundred percent match from his memories, Jyorta fell into deep thought, his mind turning chaotic. "Sister, is this the first time this show has aired?"


    "Hmm, nope." Heima shook her head, "It airs on this channel at this period every year. You were busy with the exams last year, so you hadn''t watched much TV. But, I myself have seen this show thrice."


    ''When my body was under Jyorta''s control, he hadn''t seen this show even once. Or maybe, he just wasn''t interested? Then¡­''


    Jyorta closed his eyes, looking through his memories, using his blue soul''s capabilities to the limit, searching through the information, and filtering the ones that originated from him and the ones that originated from the previous Jyorta.


    ''Hmm, there is nothing out of the picture here. The shows the previous Jyorta enjoyed during childhood are not familiar to me. Then, why is Tom and Jerry the only exception?''


    His train of thought slowly changed, his expression turning into one of alarm, "Sister, do we have old calendars in our home?"


    "They should be in the storeroom. Let me fetch them," Heima replied, her expression serious. Many memories that she had inherited from Gajara Rahi surfaced, giving her clues and furthering her confusion.


    She entered the storeroom, dug through a pile of old books and papers, and picked out a rolled bundle from within. She coughed a couple of times, dusting the bundle as she unravelled it. She then brought them out, laying them on the floor in the living room.


    Jyorta flipped through them, looking at the months, dates, etc. his expression lost. "12 months¡­January 31, February 28¡­December 31 for a total of 365 days; there are seven days per week, addressed from Monday to Sunday. The years 330 and 226 have 366 days, the extra day allotted to February, giving it the 29th day. This is the Gregorian calendar used in the 21st Century. How come I never noticed it and took it like it was obvious?"


    "Yes, Dawn Era." Jyorta turned towards Heima, "Sister, do we have anything before that, before the Dawn Era? The oldest calendar we have is only the year 225."


    "I''m afraid we don''t have that." Heima shook her head, "Even if grandfather possessed them, he wouldn''t show it to us. Though, I doubt even he has it. Probably only the two Royal families possess them since they existed from the beginning of Dawn Era."


    "Sister," Jyorta spoke after some thought, "The internet available to you is different from the one available to the regular populace right?"


    "Yes, though our search results there would be heavily monitored. Once you graduate from the military academy, you too would have access to it." Heima replied.


    "Then, search for the terms: twitter, messenger, falcon 9, and blackberry. See if anything pops out." Jyorta said. Immediately, Heima entered a soundproof room, searching up the results on a computer.


    She closed the door, barring Jyorta''s entry. There was a possibility that they might look at the person who was searching, and if they ended up finding the presence of Jyorta¡ªsomeone who hadn''t yet obtained the qualification to access it¡ªthen things would get difficult for Heima.


    Even in the best-case scenario, she might be jailed and required to pay a hefty fine. Moreover, she could just transmit the search results to him by word of mouth. As long as no one knew of it and as long as Jyorta didn''t leak it to a third person, everything would be fine, with none the wiser.


    After 10 minutes, Heima walked out, her expression puzzled, "The meaning of the word Twitter appeared, related to the sound a bird produces, filled with its usage in sentences and other related stuff. Blackberry is a fruit that grows in the wilds, very far to the northwest of our subcontinent. Falcon is a Frenzy Beast; it neither possesses any distinct trait that sets it apart from the others nor powerful strength, the max documented being Tier 4."


    She then continued, her expression changing a little, "As for messenger, nothing popped out. But, from my memories, it is a pigeon Frenzy Beast that has been enslaved in Reef City. It has many uses¡­"


    Seeing his crumbling expression, Heima stopped elaborating, "I also searched for some other things from my memories, stuff that wasn''t too obvious. But sadly, nothing came up."


    "Then¡­" Jyorta let out a sigh, "Forget it for now. We''ll find more in the future. Sister, I''m hungry. Let us eat."


    "I''ll clean the room first," Heima said, picking up a broomstick. She paused, looking at Jyorta, "There are levels for our information access, depending on our strength. I currently have level 3 access. Once I become a Shifter, I''ll have level 4 access and be able to search for more. I''ve also had many questions popping up due to the memories I inherited but, only when our strength rises will we be able to unravel the answers to them."


    "Strength¡­" Jyorta muttered, his expression changing.


    While Heima cleaned the house, Jyorta dragged his self to his room, taking his time to dust the area. He opened his cupboard, intending to take a brush to help him clean the intricate parts. His gaze fell on a folder, its contents slightly disarranged.


    Jyorta picked up the folder, looking at his certificate for completion of the 10th standard. As for the 11th standard, he had yet to receive. It was due next week since he had survived the Induction Ceremony.


    "50¡­45¡­56¡­61¡­76¡­43¡­48; quite the below-average score if I must say. Except for the Modern Rodawri subject, it was difficult to hold back on the others. In preparation for the military academy, I got a bit serious with my 11th standard exams. Only in such a manner will I not raise any suspicions should I give an exemplary academic performance in the military academy. They will just assume I worked harder than anyone else." With a chuckle, he enclosed it inside the folder, stashing it away safely.


    He then noticed a long cardboard box at the bottom, exclaiming, "Let me see if anything has changed."


    He removed the lid and picked out a narrow piece of paper, a metre in length, and 2 centimetres in breadth. There was a tiny loop made from cotton thread, attached to one end. Jyorta hung it over a hook suspended in the air, situated in the middle of the room, hovering a metre and a half from the ground.


    One side of the strip of paper had lines drawn on it, looking like markings composed of three different lengths, separated at regular intervals. It had the least count of 1 millimetre, marked with a short line. There was a medium line every 5 millimetres and a long line that depicted a centimetre, the resultant number printed to its right. It ranged from the number ''0'' to ''100'', for a total length of 100 centimetres.


    Jyorta sat on the ground, focusing on the number ''0'' at the bottom, his line of sight horizontal to it. The paper strip hung 2 feet away from him, its surface unmoving due to a lack of wind.


    As he focused his attention on the paper, the blue soul within began to chant the verse imparted by the creepy-haired man, creating two Soul Corneas.


    The blue soul extended a soul cornea out of his body, noticing its rate of dissipation similar to before. Slowly, he made it touch the paper strip, making contact with the number ''0''. Nothing happened, the Soul Cornea passed through it, unable to affect reality.


    "Now, corrode!" Jyorta shouted; the Soul Cornea turned pitch black, beginning from the portion near his head until its end, looking like the depth of the cosmos, one bereft of light.


    A small inky black substance appeared over the number ''0'', spreading through it like a blotch, corroding it like a flame, covering its 2 centimetre wide area within a second and spreading further upwards. It proceeded up like a tide, infusing a certain substance into it.


    Jyorta noticed the numbers the black ink drowned, watching it proceed up like an unstoppable tide. Finally, the area where the number ''0'' existed crumpled, disintegrating into fine dust. Starting from it, fine ink-black dust fell from the strip of paper, stopping just a single millimetre from the number ''8''.


    The strip of paper had its length reduced to 92 centimetres. Jyorta became tired, looking no different from someone who had run a marathon. He looked at the result, grunting in irritation, "The result this time is even lower than the one I obtained on October 31st."


    "Of course it will be lower. Your body is currently exhausted from having your psychic energy leaking out at regular intervals." Heima entered the room, taking a glance at the paper strip.


    She pulled him up, her voice harsh, "Even though you managed to control the spilling of your psychic energy, you have lost a lot of weight. Look at this skinny stick, is this something a boy your age should have?"


    "¡­" Jyorta blinked, once, twice, thrice, his gaze perplexed. He placed his hand over his stomach, hearing it rumble with protest, "Then let''s eat. My potential girlfriends would feel pain in their hearts if they were to see my current appearance."


    "You don''t have a single girlfriend, not to mention multiple." Heima retorted, pulling him towards the dining room.


    "Potential girlfriends¡­you know¡­potential."


    "I have no idea what you are talking about."

 Chapter 63：Attachment Towards Previous Life

    November 30, the year 333 of the Dawn Era; it was night-time as three people sat around a dining people: a teenage boy, a lady in her early twenties, and an old man, silently eating their food.


    Jyovic Bone raised his head, gazing at Jyorta, "Your Sync Rate is quite the disappointment. But, at least, you''ve become an Esper. This way, you could contribute to the family to a greater extent."


    "Yes, I understand," Jyorta nodded, looking disinterested, focused on gorging the food. "Basically, I need to do things that will raise the prestige of the Bone family¡­something along those lines right?"


    "Who cares about something trivial like that?" Jyovic Bone laughed, "You are different from the rest. Don''t bother yourself with pointless stuff like upholding the glory of the Bone Family. There are other family members to do that."


    "Then¡­" Heima interrupted, curiosity plastered on her face. "Do you want to forge new connections using him? You have even obtained a method to contact Rhachis Ancestor Light; are other connections even necessary at this point?"


    "Indeed, I have more than enough connections," Jyovic Bone replied, his tone placid, "The other old fogeys of our family are also working towards that. All I want from Jyorta is one thing¡­"


    "And, that is?" Jyorta trailed off, stuffing his face with a mouthful of bread, dipped in gravy, its tantalising aroma enchanting his nostrils. The taste made him involuntarily close his eyes, relishing the taste.


    "We possess an Unranked Skill, Bone Devour. I suppose Heima has mentioned it to you prior to this?" Seeing Jyorta nod, Jyovic Bone continued, "But, this skill can only be inherited by Warriors. That too, only by Tier 4 Shifters and Tier 5 Transformers. Due to its characteristics, anyone below that cannot gain the Skill."


    "But," Just when Jyorta was about to speak, he was interrupted by Jyovic Bone, "But, our family has also produced many Espers. We have a significant number of them even when compared to other Aristocratic families."


    "You mean to say¡­" Jyorta spoke, his eyes widening in surprise, "Our family needs an Unranked Skill for Espers and I should strive to create one?"


    "Yes," Jyovic Bone nodded, "Your train of thought is different as compared to the rest of us. So, if you were to create a Skill, it would be quite different from the norm. Your predecessor created an Unranked Skill to manipulate space. It is unique and almost impossible to counter. Within the span of a century, she had become strong enough to be able to fight against Rhachis Ancestor Dawn."


    "I understand," Jyorta nodded, not speaking anything else, finishing the last morsel from his plate.


    "Any resources you need to create the Skill, the family will provide you. Also, this would have to wait until you become a Wave Controller at the very least. So, you have many years to think about it." Jyovic Bone said, putting his plate in the sink and washing his hands.


    He sat on a sofa in the living room, looking at Jyorta who sat opposite to him, frowning. "Do you know about anchors?"


    "What anchors are you talking about? There are many types of anchors." Jyorta poured some fruit juice in a glass and began to drink it, using a tablespoon to drink it like it was a soup.


    "You know that unlike Espers, Warriors nurture a Skill at every Tier right?" Seeing him nod, Jyovic Bone glanced at Heima, wondering how much she revealed to him. "Bone Devour requires 3 anchor points. So, if a Tier 3 Developer were to inherit it, then he would lose all the three Skills he had nurtured, making the Unranked Skill the only Skill he would possess."


    "Though," Jyovic Bone let out a self-deprecating laugh, "At Tier 3, Bone Devour is practically useless. It does not exhibit any of its characteristics and functions horribly than an average Tier 2 Skill. Hence, only Shifters and above inherit it."


    "Coming back to the point," Jyovic Bone said, raising his hand, clenching it into a fist, "Unranked Skills for Espers require zero anchors. Since Espers don''t possess any Skills, it is easy for them to accommodate an Unranked Skill. They can gain an Unranked Skill even at Tier 1. This is a major advantage. Do you now understand why I want our Bone family to possess an Unranked Skill for Espers?"


    "Understood," Jyorta nodded, his expression serious, "Once I have become stronger, I will try to work on it."


    "Any resources, personnel, talents, research subjects, etc. anything you need will be given. Creating an Unranked Skill is a daunting task. The research for Bone Devour began from my grandfather''s generation; they poured a tremendous amount of resources and manpower, sacrificing many things in life. Finally, I was the one who had completed it, that too in my later years." Jyovic Bone sighed, recollecting the sacrifices his predecessors shouldered.


    "I am not in any hurry. Even if it takes a century, as long as we obtain an Unranked Skill, time doesn''t matter. This is for the benefit of the family. I already possess everything I need. Bone Devour is my legacy." Jyovic Bone stood up, approaching the exit.


    He turned around, looking at Jyorta, "Just be careful to not expose yourself out there. Every action taken in the military academy is heavily monitored so, don''t stir up anything unusual. Just focus on raising your strength using the abundant resources available there."


    Jyorta flashed a smile, boding him farewell. Once the door was closed, Jyorta switched on the TV, raising its volume until it became uncomfortable to bear. He sat on the sofa, making eye contact with Heima. Heima heaved out a sigh, sitting beside him.


    "How much of what he said is the truth?" Jyorta spoke, his voice hushed, bringing his mouth near her ear. The ear-piercing sounds from the TV ensured that their conversation wouldn''t leak out.


    Anyway, once he closed the windows and the door that lead into the balcony, he wasn''t worried about the sounds disturbing their neighbours. There was basic soundproofing installed in every house. He was just being cautious since Jyovic Bone was a Tier 5 Transformer.


    "You don''t need to worry. He''s a Transformer and not a Sky Controller. Moreover, he has already consumed a Cleansement Fruit ages ago. So, the only Skill he possesses is Bone Devour. Even though his ear is sharper than an average human, it''s not to the extent you are assuming," Heima replied, a smile etched on her face. She imitated his action, whispering in his ear.


    "Better to be careful than being sorry," Jyorta said, "Coming back to what he said¡­"


    "Don''t mind the stuff he said. No one knows what goes on in his mind. Anyone who has lived as long as he does will be brimming with a cunning nature. All you need to do at present is to focus on increasing your strength." Heima replied.


    "Also," She began, her voice loud, "The Trait Fruits, get as many of them as possible. They would aid you a lot in your journey. Also, aim for the Unranked Skill Regen. As an Esper, that is the only Skill in your reach. As for the other 3 Unranked Skills for Espers in our City, they are all in the hands of the two Royal Families."


    "I was planning to aim for that from the very beginning," Jyorta nodded, "In any situation, having the ability to heal oneself is of vital importance."


    "Moreover," Heima craned her neck, inching her mouth towards his ears, her words a whisper, "Never experiment with your corrosion when you are at the military academy. Every inch of the place is under the watchful eye of Madam Mary, the principal of the military Academy. She is also the one who created the Unranked Skill Regen."


    "I will keep that in mind," Jyorta nodded, switching off the TV. "Will you be accompanying me tomorrow?"


    "No, I have work. I''ll be going to Wild Zone 12 for a mission. This is slightly risky since there is a high chance of encountering Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts; especially those disgusting Ring Worms. They have a tough body and a soft inner carapace, diffusing the power of the attacks falling on them. So, I have to make some preparations and report early." Heima replied, ruffling his hair.


    "Will you be fine without me?" Heima inquired, her tone filled with worry.


    "I''ll be fine," Jyorta snorted, "If we count my memories, I am technically older than you. Even otherwise, I can ask some random girl in the academy and she is bound to help me."


    "From which of the two idiots did you inherit this narcissistic character?" Heima muttered, facepalming. She then remembered something, glaring at the teenager, "Have you packed your bags?"


    "I still have time. It''s only 8:30 PM; I''ll do it in the morning." Jyorta waved his hands, acting like it was no big deal. Heima sent a kick at him, landing squarely on his butt, urging him to pack his bags.


    "Fine," Jyorta replied, entering his room. Suddenly, he felt the world brighten up, the surroundings displayed to him in exceptional clarity. He also felt a strange sensation, as if he was one with the air, its gentle flow prickling his sensation, causing him to notice the minute swaying of the fine hair on his arm, in response to the presence of his psychic energy.


    ''I am one with ME!'' A smile crept on his face, the minute changes giving him euphoria. He also began to feel a mild headache, feeling something accumulating within his head in trace amounts, so insignificant that he wouldn''t have noticed them if not for the sudden sensation.


    "From this day onwards, there is only Kaushik¡­I mean, only Jyorta." Jyorta hummed a tune, picking up his clothes. He took out two bags: a shoulder bag and a trolley bag. The trolley bag was huge, twice the size of the shoulder bag.


    Jyorta packed his clothes and daily necessities, not carrying anything extra. He picked up a large notebook, A3 in size. He flipped to its first page, gazing at the face of a familiar youth. He then flipped the subsequent pages, looking past one familiar face after another, finally stopping on a particular page.


    There, the faces of a middle-aged man and a relatively younger-looking woman were drawn, black and white¡ªpencil sketched. The middle-aged man had sharp facial features, his countenance rough, looking like someone who had served in the military.


    He had white sideburns while the hair on his top looked less dense as compared to the sides, looking like he would become bald within a decade. He sported a long, bushy moustache, their ends curling up, oily black in colour, painting his image like the wrestlers of the 20th century.


    The woman had a round face, baby cheeks that never disappeared due to age, long curly hair that reached her hips, tied into a braid. Her hair to the front looked a bit messy, the strands refusing to be tied up. She had a gentle smile, her eyes twinkling with wisdom, looking like someone with countless academic accomplishments to speak of.


    "This is from my deepest reserves of memory yet, why? Why do I feel nothing when I look at it? As the creepy-haired man said, I have really lost my attachment to my previous life." Jyorta sighed, packing the drawing book into the trolley bag.


    He then noticed his headache turning worse, making him shout, "Sister, I got a headache."


    "That is wonderful news!" A voice trailed back, "Try to bear with it. The pain will eventually disappear within a couple of hours. It wouldn''t be that severe at Tier 1."


    Jyorta heaved a sigh, quickly finishing packing. He rechecked the two bags, counting all the things, and ensuring that he hadn''t left anything behind. Done with all the work, he slumped on the bed, "Military Academy, here I come."

 Chapter 64：Path

    6:30 AM, dressed in a suit, Heima opened the door to Jyorta''s room, planning to wake him up. The moment she entered, she noticed him sitting cross-legged, his expression one of ease.


    "You woke up?" She exclaimed in surprise, taking a second glance at the time, wondering if it was supposed to rain today.


    "I couldn''t sleep," Jyorta opened his eyes, displaying his tired features, "I barely got a couple of hours of sleep. I drank too much water last night and had to attend nature''s call in the middle of the night. After that, I could no longer sleep."


    "I''m off to work now," Heima said, ruffling his hair, "I made some breakfast; eat it before you depart. Also, don''t try to sleep now, get ready, and play a game or two until you depart."


    "I will; don''t worry." Jyorta laughed, "I was just about to deal with the entity inside me. Even though it doesn''t pose much threat to me at present, I don''t want to take any chances. Also, this would improve my control over my psychic energy; so, one way or the other, I would have to do it."


    "Just make sure you don''t attempt it on other people." Heima pulled him into a hug, her hand ruffling the back of his head, "Most people have sturdy egos. Don''t take any unnecessary risks and use all the advantages you have to their full extent."


    "I know," Jyorta wrapped his hand around her hip, burying his head on her stomach, feeling the warmth. After going through numerous difficulties, Heima had finally come to terms with his existence, the inherited memories influencing her mindset to a great extent.


    Moreover, she was the sole person in this world who didn''t try to use him, accepting him for what he was. She also wholeheartedly supported him and imparted precious knowledge to him early, to help him survive and make optimal decisions in the future.


    "The previous you was just an ego that had detached itself from your main self during birth. Even then, it almost led to you getting a split personality. So, you must always make sure to have a complete grasp of your ego and ensure it never detaches from you." Heima said, breaking away from the hug.


    "The previous me was an exception; I was unaware of it all along. It was also probably due to my ego being too much to handle for a baby. That resulted in the detachment of a fragmented ego from me. It must have been an arrangement by the creepy-haired man." Jyorta sighed. When he first learned about the truth, even he felt shocked, almost failing to express his frustrations.


    ''I had been plotting, planning, and fighting against my own. How ignorant and stupid of me,'' Jyorta sighed, fishing out a crystal lens from his pocket. It was this Artifact that led him to the truth; though, it had taken months of experimentation and observation, substituting with Heima''s abundant knowledge.


    The lens had mysterious symbols flashing across its surface, forming into symbols that represented a lantern, torch, and the stars. Its ends were shaped into a square, their edges blunt. It was the Tier 4 Relic created from extracting the Unranked Skill Deific Inference from a Ground Controller.


    "I can use this to always keep an eye on myself. Don''t worry, sister; I will make you proud." Jyorta flashed a smile, placing the crystal lens in a concealed pocket within the trolley bag.


    "Oh yeah," Heima exclaimed, remembering something she had almost forgotten, heading out of the room. She soon returned with a small box, its design plain, formed by a dull shade of white, bordering grey.


    "What¡­is this?" Jyorta said, taking the small box into his hands, opening its lid, his curiosity piqued. Though, the moment he opened the lid, a vast overbearing aura impacted him, making him shudder; the air in his lungs gushed out through his nostrils, preventing him from taking another breath.


    Heima hurriedly closed the lid, sealing off the aura, her hands feeling a mild shiver. She looked at Jyorta, looking at his body drenched with sweat, the clothes sticking to his body. As time passed, Jyorta slowly regained his breath, his thumping heart steadily becoming calm.


    Noticing his gaze, Heima smiled, "Inside the box is a Tier 5 Artifact, made from a Tier 5 Floating Spider''s remains. The Artifact is a book, compiled with the information related to Espers that our Bone Family has accumulated to date. It is a gift from grandpa, or so he claims."


    "Couldn''t you have just written it on a normal piece of paper? Isn''t this¡­overkill?" Jyorta gasped, unable to move his limbs for the time being. The previous display of aura had suppressed the functioning of his nerves, looking like it would take some more time before they could function normally.


    "When you are doing a mission in the Wilds, even a Tier 5 Frenzy Beast can pop up unannounced. Just its aura alone would render you useless, your thoughts freezing up. This will help you to get your bearings in such critical situations. Get used to this oppressive feeling every day, until your body gradually gets accustomed to it. You don''t need to worry, this box prevents the aura from leaking out," Heima said, pointing at the box.


    "Also," She began, her expression serious, "The information stored in it is pretty important. It''s the fruits of labour of generations of Espers from our family. Storing it elsewhere will increase the chances of information leakage. Moreover, the Artifact is made in such a way that only you can open it. Grandpa had used some of your blood infused with your psychic energy and fused them into it. Even if a third person were to forcefully open it, suppose he/she had Tier 5 strength, the contents within it would become blank. No words will ever form on it, permanently destroyed."


    "I see," Jyorta nodded in praise, his expression filled with longing. "I hope I can one day reach such a level."


    "You will, definitely!" Heima replied, gazing at the time displayed on her watch. "I have to get going now. Take care; don''t miss me too much."


    With a wave of her hands, Heima exited the house, rushing towards the metro station along the way, seemingly in a hurry. Jyorta gazed at his room, the silence suffocating. He slowly propped himself to a seated position, feeling some strength return to his stiffened limbs.


    He closed his eyes, taking the view of the blue soul in him. The surroundings turned dark¡ªpitch black¡ªthe only source of light being a massive blue soul and a tiny wisp hovering near it.


    ''I''ll deal with you in a moment,'' Jyorta thought, focusing his concentration within his soul, tracing past the information currents stored in it, segregated into mysterious symbols, forming the essence of knowledge, his accumulation over two lifetimes.


    ''When I first came to this word, I attached myself to Jyorta''s soul, slowly invading him. But, unknowingly to me, a part of my ego detached from me, fusing with his soul during the 8 years I wasn''t lucid. This shaped his character which mostly included my recessive characteristic traits. Over the years, his ego slowly developed, and by the time I gained clarity, he looked like a different person.''


    ''But, the crux of the issue is clear. Despite his core being different, he was basically a part of me. If I had known of this beforehand, I could have taken a different approach.'' He thought, focusing at the innermost region of his soul.


    Two spheres of distinct differences had fused to become a unity, forming the current core in his soul. It was his entire being condensed into matter. The majority of it existed from before he arrived in this world but the minority originated from Jyorta; it was the core of him.


    ''If I hadn''t influenced him at birth, maybe he would have grown up to be a different individual. Even sister doesn''t know of this detail, neither does that old man who goes by Rhachis Ancestor Light. Deific Inference only reveals my psyche but not my real soul. Maybe it is because it is only a Tier 4 Relic? I can''t say the same for higher Tiered Relics.''


    ''I''ll just focus on my current issue and develop step by step.'' Jyorta thought, using his blue soul to sense the wisp hovering beside him. The wisp originated from the Wisdom Parasite fused into his brain, looking no different from a baby''s soul.


    Jyorta mentally chanted the verse imparted by the creepy-haired man, creating two Soul Corneas. He made one connect with the wisp and wrapped the other around it, cutting off its connection to its physical body, easily overwhelming its resistance.


    The current blue soul looked a hundred times larger than the wisp, its form hulking over the latter. The moment it began the invasion, it had converted the wisp into a subsoul, the process taking no more than a couple of seconds.


    Seeing the simplicity, Jyorta realised that the Wisdom Parasite''s soul was still undeveloped, lacking an ego, belonging to that of a newborn''s. It was why converting it into a subsoul was so simple and easy. The two soul Corneas retrieved a couple of memory fragments from the new subsoul, five in number, their contents related to some vivid memories of his Induction Ceremony.


    "So, even its mental growth is based on its host; a parasite in the truest sense. But, its symbiotic characteristic is what makes it alluring, capable of imparting power to the weak human bodies." Jyorta muttered, making the subsoul possess zero memory fragments.


    "My growth fully depends on my experiences and the passive nature of the Wisdom Parasite. The more it gains an ego, leeching off my experiences and making them its own, the more dangerous it becomes. But now, it''s my subsoul. As long as I ensure to remove all the memory fragments from it whenever they accumulate and prevent it from forming an ego, I would be safe.


    "Sister said Gajara Rahi used this advantage to breeze through her cultivation journey, eventually becoming Rhachis Ancestor Space. Even though she had faced a lot of obstacles, many of which were life-threatening in her journey, none of them originated from within her. They were all external dangers." Jyorta muttered; his expression eased up.


    He didn''t want to develop his subsoul until its ego became strong and tried to wrestle control with him. This was a mistake Gajara Rahi had endorsed, developing her subsouls until they tried to wrestle control with her, trying to become the main soul. Even though many factors were at play which led to her situation, he didn''t want to take his chances.


    Despite the numerous subsouls she possessed, only her main soul managed to reach Tier 6. Moreover, the subsouls only had partial traits of a Psychic Parasite, the ability to parasitize other souls not being one of them.


    ''Learn from the examples of your predecessors.'' Heima had imparted plenty of knowledge over the past year, the knowledge she had obtained from Gajara Rahi. Even though the information she gave was naught but the tip of the iceberg, it was still sufficient for Jyorta to make a mental plan, of the path he would tread on.


    7:00 AM, Jyorta gazed at the time on the alarm clock, his gaze bright, "I''ll get ready." He packed the box in his trolley bag, secured by rope, and placed beneath the clothes. Ensured that it wouldn''t open by itself should the trolley bag experience a jerk, he took out a spare towel and entered the bathroom.


    7:50 AM, finished with his breakfast, Jyorta inspected his appearance once and looked at the contents in his luggage, making a final confirmation.


    "I''ll be away from home for the next one year." Letting out a sigh, Jyorta closed the door to the living room, engaging the self-lock mechanism. He then proceeded to carry his luggage and headed towards the metro station.

 Chapter 65：Unravelling Embarrassment

    8:00 AM, 3rd Ring, Sector 1; Heima entered a skyscraper, looking similar to a modern palace. She entered a small, inconspicuous door to the side, seeing a row of steps trail downward. Continuing along the dark, narrow path, she raised her speed, her body transforming into a blur, creating gusts of wind along her wake.


    Within a minute, she had arrived at the Lower Strata, standing inside an inverted lighthouse, 30 metres below the ceiling. She made a jump, taking a free fall towards the ground¡ªspanning 300 metres from the ceiling.


    Along the way, she raised her hand, catching hold of a silk rope, its shade transparent. Though, the sliver of aura it released made its location apparent. The moment she caught hold of the silk rope, the part below her hold snapped, bringing her forward.


    She experienced the feeling of rowing a swing, accelerating along the path due to the inclination and its vertical height. Her hair tied into a bun unravelled itself, flowing along with the wind as her body was brought towards the position vertically downward the pivot, accelerating to its maximum.


    Heima let go of her hold; her body bolted across the air, crashing into a net along the path of flight, its base forming a massive depression. The next moment, a recoil occurred, pushing Heima''s body towards the direction she came from.


    Heima exerted strength in her hands, coiling her finger around a strand in the web, pulling at it to brave through the recoil, preventing her body from getting flinged out. The process repeated itself numerous times, her body oscillating by the mean, forming damped amplitudes that slowly came down to a halt.


    Heima released her hold, making a backward jump, allowing her legs to land on the ground, her body tumbling along with the flow. Her mind spun, making her lose her balance while she felt a hurricane form in her stomach, making her want to throw up.


    "Oh, Heima stood up after just 11 seconds. She''s made a record once again," A raspy voice echoed as a man with a slender figure sauntered out, his expression akin to a scorn.


    "See this jealous dude getting riled up over nothing," A lady walked up towards Heima, her expression one of ridicule as she gazed at the man with a slender figure, "Who was that charming fellow who fainted midway?"


    The man with a slender figure snorted, walking away towards a pair of double doors, their height only reaching up to his knees. He paused before the door, slowly kneeling on the floor, inching his body forward, and holding a sleeping position.


    "Haap," Emitting a dense fluctuation of psychic energy, he shot forward like an arrow, entering through the double doors, pushing them aside like they were scraps of paper. Seeing the scene, Heima felt a mild headache throbbing up.


    She ran along the ground, speeding to her limits, creating a long broiling spiral along her wake, her body crouched forward. The moment she neared the pair of double doors, she leaped forward, taking a stance similar to a person diving into the water. Her fists shot the double doors open, giving her body room to enter, sliding onto a long corridor.


    She hurriedly picked herself up, using the speed of her sliding, exerting strength into her hands to perform a leap. Midair, she lifted her legs upward, bringing them towards a pair of large double doors, looking sturdy.


    The kick sent the double doors open, wide enough for her flying body to pass through, allowing her to appear in a wide room. Her feet slid on the ground for 20 metres before her body came to a stop, giving her the reprieve to gaze at her surroundings.


    The room was a massive 2 kilometres wide and 3 kilometres long, the dimensions appalling. It was 300 metres tall, taking up all the vertical space in the Lower Strata. Attached to the ceiling was a massive TV screen, circumferential in its design, forty-five degrees to the ground, visible to all areas.


    There were at most 3000 people gathered in the area, making the massive hall look vacant. Heima stood before her colleagues, consisting of a team of 19 members, all Tier 3 in strength. She stood in silence, gazing at the screen above.


    "You are all gathered here," A voice resounded through the region, carrying with it a hidden force, involuntarily making their bodies shudder. An image flashed on the screen, displaying the figure of a Frenzy Beast.


    The beast had a long nose, a single elongated eye on the top, and a serpentine body. Its tail looked ethereal, morphing between phantom and reality. It neither had limbs nor any wings but it floated in the air, hovering 2 feet from the ground.


    "This Frenzy Beast has yet to be named. It was first discovered 5 hours ago by a scout team, roaming about 20 kilometres beyond Wild Zone 12. It is extremely sensitive to threats and has the ability to disappear without a trace. It has Tier 4 strength and would only hunt Tier 3 and below creatures. Your mission is to capture it alive and bring it back."


    The crowd immediately turned silent, the silence chilling. The voice continued without pause, as if mechanically recorded, "It''s a team mission. Teams 1 to 150 can move out. The successful team/teams will be extensively rewarded."


    "Team 136! Moving out!" Heima shouted, her voice deafening. Immediately, 19 voices echoed from behind her, "Team 136, moving out!"


    The team of twenty immediately rushed towards a large section that had opened, opening a pathway wide enough to carry 100 people side by side. Heima and her team rushed into the pathway, jumping into a large rectangular box, attached with rollers.


    Her team mimicked her action, grabbing hold of a silk rope, pulling at it. Immediately, the rear end snapped as a tremendous force pulled at them. Followed by her instructions, they exerted force into an indentation in the rectangular box, transmitting the force to it.


    The rectangular box shot forward, carried along by the contracting silk rope, gripped in their hands. They traversed tens of kilometres in a straight line, the pathway traversing from the 3rd Ring until the 10th Ring, opening up into Wild Zone 1.


    Her team hurriedly jumped out of the rectangular box and rushed in the direction of Wild Zone 12, seemingly in hurry but, their gaze steady, cautiousness ever-present in them, ingrained into their bodies through experience.


    "The abilities of this monster are a mystery; we have to be careful should we discover it. Just follow my lead and act accordingly," Heima said, her voice transmitted to her team members as they sped along the ground, taking careful note of their steps. Danger could pop up any time in the Wild Zones, so they paid heed to caution as a priority.


    ¡­


    Like clockwork, Jyorta slumped his shoulder bag over his shoulder, feeling a bit strained due to the weight, the only reason he carried as such was to seem cooler. He dragged the trolley bag with the other hand, waiting on the platform for a metro train.


    8:00 AM, a train arrived at the station, one that went to his Academy. Jyorta boarded it and luckily found a seat to occupy. He then gazed into the window, situated 7-8 steps to his left, watching the similarly built skyscrapers flash past by.


    8:15 AM, Jyorta alighted at his station and proceeded towards the 4th Academy, taking the familiar path. Passing through a bunch of inspections and asking for details, he finally arrived at the front of an auditorium.


    The auditorium was capable of seating 100 people, filled with a paltry sum of students, numbering 14 in total, including him who had just arrived. He placed his luggage near him, occupying 2 extra seats. To his left sat his friend Ashten Coorg, looking silent, gazing at the empty podium, having not noticed his arrival.


    "Are you feeling nervous?" Jyorta spoke, finally getting attention from his unresponsive friend.


    Ashten Coorg turned around, his eyes turning red, tears welling up from within them, "My sister is undergoing the Induction Ceremony today. I am scared for her; unlike me, she cannot tolerate pain. She has been a delicate girl since childhood,"


    "Don''t worry," Jyorta flashed a calm smile, "She is stronger than you think. She just hides her pain better than everyone. So, just have some confidence in her. I can guarantee that she would do better than you, by a wide margin."


    The two were twins, separated by 5 minutes. Ashten was born on October 31, 2 minutes before the next day began. His sister, Ashray Coorg was born five minutes later, officially declared as born on the 1st of November. Hence, her Induction Ceremony was scheduled a month later.


    "But you have never met her. How can you be so sure?" Ashten Coorg retorted, his eyes widening in surprise.


    "Guess?" Jyorta laughed, his laughter infecting his friend, bringing a smile to his face. "So, I was in the supermarket one day and I spotted a pretty¡­"


    "Wait for a second, you actually met her before? How come you never mentioned it till now? Moreover, how did you even recognise her?" Ashten spoke fast, his words spewing out like a trail of bullets.


    "Oh, about that," Jyorta nodded in thought, "That day when I came to your house and you were gone somewhere, your mother¡­"


    "Stop, stop, stop!" Ashten flailed his hands, his expression one of frustration, "You didn''t speak much and just went away after finding my absence right?"


    "On the contrary," Jyorta laughed, his expression jovial, "The dinner was delicious while your mother showed me your baby pictures. Oh, the one where you made a sleeping pose while you pissed, your piss making an arc until it perfectly landed in your mouth; that shot was awesome."


    Ashten Coorg facepalmed, his expression devastated, muttering, "What the hell have you been showing, mother?"


    "After that," Jyorta continued, his smile beaming.


    "There''s still more?" Ashten blurted out in shock, his scream echoing in the auditorium, making his classmates turn their heads, their gazes curious.


    A girl made eye contact with Jyorta, trying to establish communication, seeking to receive an encrypted answer. She noticed Jyorta raise his eyebrows, moving them to the side a little, pointing towards Ashten Grey, his mouth curling up a little while his eyes blinked once.


    The girl''s face beamed with liveliness, feeling like she had unearthed some juicy gossip. As if she had inserted spring into her legs, the girl stepped over the cushion seats and hopped towards their location. Immediately, the other students too scrammed over, their curiosity winning them.


    "What happened?"


    "Out with it, Jyorta?"


    "Who did you meet this time?"


    "It''s not me," Jyorta shouted, their attention fixed on him, surprise filling their eyes. He then pointed towards his friend, exclaiming, "Ashten loves frog patterned underwear. He also has a wide collection: frogs, lions, and even worms."


    "Eww, worms." A girl showed her disgust, gazing at Ashten from top to bottom, as if she couldn''t believe it. The others too displayed similar expressions, wavering between disgust and laughter.


    Seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, Ashten riled his brain, trying to think up an effective counter, not caring about the dignity of his friend. After all, his dignity had already been damaged by his previous statement.


    "Then," Ashten shouted, slumping his hand over Jyorta''s shoulder, "This mister here has a habit of cross-dressing. The number of guys he has fooled is¡­"


    Just when he was about to trail his answer to make a bigger impact, he noticed the crowd turning silent, looking at him with wonder.


    "I know that."


    "I know it too."


    "I usually take him cross-dressed as a girl and go shopping to buy some gifts for my boyfriend." A girl commented.


    "Yeah, most of the girls do that," Another girl commented, winking at Jyorta.


    "¡­" Ashten gazed at Jyorta, flabbergasted, muttering, "When have you been doing such things? And, to think I called you my friend."


    Jyorta coughed, looking to the side. Seeing the situation, he began to whistle, failing to produce any sounds due to his inability to whistle. Just in time, the door opened; the principal sauntered in, accompanied by four other teachers.

 Chapter 66：Dorm

    8:30 AM; the principal looked at the students huddled near a couple of seats, seemingly in a discussion. He coughed once, his voice booming out, reverberating around the auditorium, and ringing in their ears.


    As the students clutched their head due to the noise, the principal smiled, "It seems you lot are feeling better than I expected. Anyways, pick up your bags and follow me out."


    With a wave of his hands a large door opened behind him, leading into a long, dark corridor. To the end was a lift, looking massive. As the students followed after the principal, the remaining 4 teachers trailed at the back, ensuring the students hadn''t left anything behind.


    The lift opened as everyone entered, the area spacious enough for them to mess around with one another. A couple of minutes later, the lift doors opened, presenting a dark pathway. Two soldiers immediately walked towards them, noticing their arrival.


    The principal handed over a stack of documents, detailing their purpose. A soldier inspected them quickly, giving them the green signal in a matter of seconds.


    "Don''t move around; stick closer to me. This is a military region, refrain from stirring up trouble." The principal muttered, his voice reaching the ears of the 14 students, loud and clear to them.


    No sooner had he said his piece did the pathway began vibrating, the tremors increasing in intensity after each passing second. A behemoth of steel, attached to large wheels that rolled on the rails appeared, its visual appearance overwhelming the students.


    The train soon stopped, aligning an empty compartment towards them, its doors open. The soldier spoke, gazing at the principal, his expression stern, "This compartment will be for your exclusive use. But, ensure that the children don''t peek and move about anywhere they are not supposed to."


    "Got it," The principal replied, his expression hardening. He led the students into the compartment, making them sit comfortably. The four teachers each took up positions in the corners of the compartment, seeking to monitor the student''s activities while at the same time safeguard them against harm.


    Without any indication, the train began to move. Seeing the compartment move past him, the soldier scoffed, his expression filled with traces of anger, "This jerk; he thinks he can do anything just because he became a principal."


    "Don''t concern yourself with him. Judging by their strength and numbers, it seems the 4th academy has failed to produce any spectacular results. A month later, they will be demoted to the 5th academy or even further below." Another soldier commented, followed by jeering sounds.


    Being in the presence of the principal, the students didn''t talk, silently sitting on their seats. Though, some communicated through their eyes, silently laughing. It was as if they could completely understand the other person''s remarks without uttering any words.


    A girl looked at her friend, motioning towards Ashten Coorg through her eyes, her fingers trailing the shape of an underwear, followed by the wriggling of her hands. The two girls clutched their stomachs and laughed, their actions noticed by their friends, quickly catching on the subject at hand.


    The train arrived at their destination as the principal, the 4 teachers and the 14 students alighted, looking at the brightly-lit corridor, the ends of which had a couple of lifts, looking massive. They boarded a lift and arrived at a wide, vacant hall, their lift situated in its middle.


    Some distance to their front was a pair of double doors, opened wide to reveal a wide ground, layered with well-trimmed grass. The principal led them outside the building, making them walk on the grass field.


    As the students gawked at their surroundings, their questions piling up, they entered an indigo coloured building, situated to the right of the ground. Situated on its ground floor was a reception counter.


    A lady looked at her computed with focus, her concentration levels admirable. Though, judging by her demeanour, it was apparent that she wasn''t focusing on her work. The principle stood before her and coughed a couple of times, finally gaining her attention.


    The reception lady hurriedly cleared something in her monitor, her actions a fluster. She then regained her calm, looking at the principal.


    "Students of the 4th Academy, October batch," The principal said, presenting her a name list, attached to a document. The document consisted of the details of each student, concise in nature. The reception lady inputted all the details to their server, returning the document once she was done.


    "Your accommodation is on the floor above, rooms 107 to 119. For the student Jyorta Bone, the accommodation is in Psychic Block, Indigo building. I''ll call an attendant to lead him." The reception lady pressed a couple of buttons on her screen and printed out two sheets of paper.


    Two attendants arrived, each taking hold of a sheet. One attendant turned around, calling out, "Jyorta Bone?"


    "Yes, sir," Jyorta stepped forward, raising his hand.


    "Follow me," The attendant said and exited the indigo building. Jyorta waved at his friends and followed after him. They walked on the ground that had a soft texture due to the well-maintained grass, from one end to the other; Jyorta reached the other side, entering another indigo coloured building.


    Jyorta felt a bit exhausted, having to climb three floors while carrying his luggage. Along the way, he couldn''t spot any lifts. Arriving before a room, the attendant gave him a key, "This is your room, room 313."


    Before he could say anything, the attendant disappeared. Feeling the metallic texture of the key, Jyorta hummed a song, opening the door and gazing at the room that would be his for the next one year.


    "Yep, this is quite cramped. It seems I got too used to the size of our house," Jyorta made a self-deprecating comment and placed his luggage atop the berth. He closed the door and hung the key in a nearby socket.


    The breadth of the room was a bit larger than the length of his bed, painting a narrow feel. The bed looked like the cheapest model from his memory, the berth feeling coarse and hard to the touch.


    "Thankfully, I came prepared." Jyorta laughed, pulling out a soft bedsheet, looking thick while its texture smooth. He placed the bedsheet on one corner of the bed and began to unpack. He layered the floor of the cupboard with a sheet of paper he had brought from home and attached some hooks on the wall, intending to later hang his clothes on them.


    "At least, it has been well cleaned," Jyorta muttered, placing his clothes into the cupboards spanning on the three walls. Except for the Tier 5 Artifact and the Tier 4 Relic, he emptied the rest from his bags and segregated them in the appropriate places.


    He then stuffed the two bags within an empty section of the cupboard, placed directly overhead his bed. His bed was aligned with the narrow wall, attached to a window. The window was only two feet high, perfectly situated between the cupboard and the bed.


    Jyorta looked through the window, gazing at the row of students moving about on the ground, performing the morning drill. "This is a lively atmosphere."


    There was a knock on his door as the attendant entered, carrying a bag with him. "This has 3 sets of your uniform and 3 sets of tracksuits. When they get damaged during exercise, you can apply for a new one; of course, after submitting the old one. Also, you have to assemble in the auditorium by 11:30 AM, the auditorium in the head office building, the one you arrived at."


    The moment he received the bag, the attendant disappeared, uncaring for his reply. Jyorta heard some noise from the corridor as students began to appear one by one, each carrying heavy luggage. They were from the same batch as him. Since it was a mixed dorm, he spotted the faces of many girls, which bordered the majority.


    Statistically speaking, there was an Esper for every 8 Warriors. The majority of the Warriors were men while the majority of the Espers were women, split into a 60:40 ratio.


    Jyorta opened the bag, looking at the given clothes. The uniform consisted of tight-fitting pants, made from an elastic material, grey in colour. The shirt was white, made from the same material as the pant; the collars grey, connecting to a line along the shoulder, forming another border on the full-length shirt. The area around the button was also grey, the buttons hidden beneath a strip of cloth, its material sturdier.


    To the back of the shirt was the number 10, printed in a shade of grey, showcasing him as part of the October batch. Beneath the number were the words, ''Academy of Perseverance'' printed in bright gold. There was also a belt attached to one of the pants, the number 10 inscribed on its buckle.


    The tracksuit was fully white, looking plain except for the number 10 printed on the back, grey in colour. There were also two sets of shoes, one for the uniform and the other for the tracksuit. Jyorta emptied the bag, arranging them within the cupboard, finally noticing an envelope placed at the very bottom.


    The envelope was made from paper; as Jyorta tore it open, an ID card slid out. His name, face, and other details were printed on it. It also had an electronic chip embedded to its right extremity, apparent from the first glance. It came with a cord attached so Jyorta could just hang it over his neck.


    10:30 AM, changing into his new uniform, Jyorta noticed the time displayed in his watch. He then arranged the soft bedsheet over the berth, giving the hard berth some feeling of softness.


    "I guess I''ll roam around the campus for 30 minutes before reaching the auditorium. Will the books be given once the orientation concludes?" Jyorta closed the door, locking it, and pocketing his key.

 Chapter 67：Haesha

    The moment he closed the door, he could notice a flurry of activities from the sounds echoing in the hallway. The sounds of bags getting dropped, the sound of something soft colliding into the wood, etc. as he heard the sounds, Jyorta proceeded to walk towards the end of the hallway, his destination being the flight of stairs.


    The other end of the hallway had the common restroom, separated between girls and boys¡ªspacious. As he approached the stairs, he noticed a girl exit her room, situated next to the stairs. Noticing the only individual other than her, dressed in uniform an hour before the reporting time, the girl stared at him, her stare lingering for more than a second.


    Jyorta raised his right hand, showcasing his palm towards her, shouting, "Hello there, I am Jyorta, from the 4th Academy."


    "I am Haesha," The girl smiled, mimicking his actions. "I am from the 7th Academy. Everyone from my class have become Warriors, leaving me behind as the sole Esper."


    "Wow, my class is the same too." Jyorta laughed, pointing his hand towards the stairs, "I was planning to sight-see the academy since I have some time to kill. Do you want to join me?"


    "Sure, I was planning to do that anyway." The girl smiled, taking the lead, pocketing her key. Jyorta noticed her uniform, a grey plain gown reaching her knees. The top half of the gown was designed similar to a full-length shirt, except lacking the button area. The collar was a darker shade of grey, separated by a thin strip of white, creating a contrast.


    She wore white leggings, their ends laced with grey embroidery. The shoes weren''t much different to his own, designed for ease of wear, the only difference being a lack of lace, looking plain. The girl had her hair tightly braided, looking like a sturdy rope, reaching her hips. The ends were tied up by a ribbon, its colour grey¡ªprovided by the academy.


    She wore a single ivory bangle on her right hand and strapped a watch on her left. She sported two earrings, teardrop-shaped, and grey in colour, matching her uniform. There existed a small bindhi on her glabella; a grey dot designed like a rain droplet, grey in colour, accentuating her appearance, giving her a sense of charm.


    As the two descended the stairs, Jyorta''s eyes couldn''t help but dart towards her, acting sneaky. His heart raced up, steadily accelerating as Jyorta tried his best to act natural.


    ''She is pretty,'' He thought, mentally shaking his head. ''Act natural; behave just the way you usually do. Don''t try anything weird and creep her out.''


    "Do you know when we will get the books? Or, is there a specific place we were supposed to register?" Jyorta turned around, gazing at the girl walking to his right, pacing a step behind him.


    "You didn''t know?" The girl sported a surprised expression, "We had to line up in the head office to collect our books. The Warrior section were the first, followed by us Espers. It was troublesome to carry the heavy books to the third floor with my luggage in tow. I had to bring them up in batches."


    Jyorta blinked once, taking a couple of seconds to digest the information. He then realised the source for the sounds he heard before in the hallway. It was the students dropping the books on the table, their frustrations having to study the mountainous material evident, producing the noises.


    Feeling that the attendant had forgotten to inform him and at the possibility that the books might run out of stock should he turn up last, Jyorta became a bit flustered, "Are they still handing out the books? Will I be able to receive it now?"


    "Probably," Haesha nodded, "The line was quite long when I received my books. Let us hurry there; we might still have a chance."


    The two walked briskly, heading out of the indigo building, and rushing towards the head office. They had to walk on the side of the ground due to the students from other batches engaging in their morning drill.


    Entering the head office, Jyorta looked around him, failing to find anywhere that might have books. Haesha pointed towards the stairs, motioning for him to follow, "It is on the second floor."


    He didn''t pant much, climbing two storeys worth of stairs wasn''t much of a daunting task. Arriving on the second floor, Jyorta saw a wide-open section along the wall, shaped into a stall. Four people were standing within it, handing out a bag filled with books to the students.


    The line of students consisted of less than 10 people as Jyorta hurriedly joined the line, ensuring to not create any commotion. He turned his head, seeking confirmation with Haesha through eye contact. Seeing her nod, he sighed in relief, gazing into the stall.


    Books were piled up into many rows as a person picked up a set by memory and placed them inside a bag, his actions rough, uncaring if he damaged the books. There was also a variety of stationery arranged behind the row of books, showcasing everything a student might need. Arranged further back in a messy pile were miscellaneous goods ranging between clothes, toys, etc.


    After waiting for a couple of minutes, it was finally his turn. A man spoke in a gruff voice, extending his palm forward, "ID?"


    Jyorta hurriedly removed his ID and handed it over to the man with the gruff voice. He then noticed the man flashing the ID on a machine, making it produce a beep sound. Immediately, the machine whirred and produced a sheet of paper.


    The man took a bag filled with books¡ªarranged by the person behind him¡ªand placed the slip of paper into it, handing them over to Jyorta, his gruff voice producing an unclear sentence, "This only consists of the basic courses. You can later come to get the books for your chosen electives."


    Just when Jyorta was about to inquire him to repeat the sentence, he noticed the man motioning for him to go away, looking intent to close the stall. Suddenly, followed by a flurry of steps, two boys emerged out, their breaths disarrayed.


    As they arrived before the stall, the man with a gruff voice glared at them, "Punctuality is a trait preferred here in the military academy. If you are late even for a simple errand like this, your futures are bleak."


    As the two kids bowed their heads in shame, listening to the man with a gruff voice scold them mercilessly, Jyorta walked away, his expression calm, as if he was the most punctual student present in the academy.


    "You''ve cut it quite close. Those two students will probably have to face some punishment and write apology letters," Haesha lifted her hands, bringing her index finger closer to her thumb, separated by a hair''s width, expressing how he escaped by a close call.


    "Thanks to you, I survived that," Jyorta laughed, his expression relieved. He looked at the bag on his hand, feeling the strain in his arms as he carried it.


    "Man, studying is such a pain. If only it was possible to grind the books into juice and drink it, gaining all the knowledge." Jyorta lamented, sporting a wry smile.


    "It should be relatively easy for us to study. The students from the Warrior section will find it more difficult." Haesha smiled, accompanying him as they walked on the grass ground, heading towards their dorm.


    Reaching the third floor, Jyorta took deep breaths, trying his best to act like the physical task from before didn''t make him lose breath. He then walked towards his room, turning towards Haesha, "Can you hold this for a second? Let me open the door."


    "Sure," Haesha took hold of the bag as Jyorta fished out his key and opened the door. He pushed it away to the limit and turned around, bowing a little with his hand placed before his chest, "Welcome to my humble abode."


    "Sure, sure," Haesha rolled her eyes and stepped in, placing the bag above the nearby table. She glanced at the time in her watch, gazing at Jyorta, "There''s not much time left. Let us find some good seats to sit."


    11:10 AM, the duo arrived before the auditorium, entering through a wide double door. Finding a couple of seats in the centre of the third row, the two made their way. Along the way, Jyorta looked at his surroundings, trying to find a familiar face but failing to find none.


    ''I guess they have yet to arrive,'' He thought, sitting on a seat. To his left sat Haesha, her seat being the left extremity of their row. Next to her was a footpath meant for movement; further to its left was another row, trailing until the wall of the auditorium.


    ''On a rough estimate, this auditorium can accommodate at least 2000 students.'' Jyorta turned his head to his left, whispering, "Did you find any of your classmates?"


    "Not yet," Haesha whispered back, "I think most of the people who have arrived till now are Espers. I can feel the psychic energy leaking out of them."


    She then turned around, her gaze falling on Jyorta, "I couldn''t feel any psychic energy leaking out from you. If not for your accommodation being in the same block as me, I would have assumed you were a Warrior."


    "Well, I became normal at a quicker pace. This gave me more time to learn and control my psychic energy. My family elders also gave me many pointers and actively helped me control the leakage." Jyorta said.


    "Family huh," Haesha muttered under her breath, her gaze curious, "If you don''t mind me asking, how much is your Sync Rate?"


    "71%," Jyorta replied, "Why do you ask?"


    "What the heck?" Haesha looked shocked, almost failing to control her voice, "It would have been normal if your Sync Rate was in the 50s. But, controlling it so early in the high 70s is quite impressive."


    "Really?" Jyorta laughed, unable to comment further. Judging by her reaction, even he was illusioned to think that he was better than what he had thought.


    "If possible, do you mind giving me some advice about controlling my psychic energy? I am the first Esper in my family; so, I am clueless about many things."


    "Sure, I don''t mind." Jyorta smiled, noticing a familiar figure appear.

 Chapter 68：A Dogfight

    "Once we get a break, I''ll teach you some tricks to control your psychic energy from leaking out," Jyorta said, noticing a familiar face from the corner of his vision. Just when he turned around to wave at the person, his body froze up, a sense of terror gripping his heart.


    The blue soul immediately severed all connections with his nerves that affected facial expressions, going into overdrive.


    ''H-How is she still alive? Sister said Ancestor Light and Ancestor Marble worked together to destroy all the subsouls of Gajara Rahi. Then, how can she still be alive? Even though she was secretly converted at the same time as sister, Ancestor Light had used the Tier 5 Relic made from Deific Inference. He should have detected her existence. Dammit, this doesn''t make sense.''


    The blue soul hurriedly created a false persona and overlaid it on his persona¡ªa contingency measure it had prepared beforehand, creating numerous false personas¡ªmaking him act accordingly.


    Jyorta waved his hand, making the target of his action notice him. The girl waved back, noticing that there were no empty seats near him. She then pointed towards her back¡ªat a vacant seat 3 rows behind her¡ªinforming him of where she would be sitting.


    With a nod, Jyorta turned around, acting natural, showing no abnormalities. Haesha looked at him, "Your classmates have begun to enter?"


    "Ah, no," Jyorta shook his head, removing the false persona and storing it within the blue soul, "She was my childhood friend. We had studied together until the 5th standard. After that, she moved out to the 5th Ring. I didn''t know when she had returned."


    Haesha turned around, taking a glance at the girl, "You don''t seem that close."


    "Well, we haven''t talked much over the past 6 years. I met her once last year; it was an awkward experience." Jyorta shrugged, "At present, it is more like an obligatory acknowledgment since our parents are close friends."


    "Obligatory acknowledgement¡­?" Haesha muttered, breaking out into a laugh, and slapping his arm, "What the heck is that? Don''t use weird vocabulary. Just say that you are on Hi-Hi, Bye-Bye terms."


    "Hi-Hi, Bye-Bye terms?" It was Jyorta''s turn to laugh, "I guess it is like that."


    ''For some reason, Laila is alive. Does that mean she had escaped the grasp of Ancestor Light? But, he didn''t strike as a careless person; so, how? Anyway, I should steer clear from her. I should only maintain a Hi-Hi, Bye-Bye relationship with her.'' Jyorta turned silent.


    "Eh?" Haesha turned around, her gaze focused on one of the pathways the students streamed in, her interest piqued. She slapped Jyorta''s shoulder numerous times in excitement, almost jumping, "Jorta, look, a fight. Two people are fighting."


    "It''s Jyorta," Jyorta replied, following her line of sight.


    "It''s the same. Watch the fight first." Haesha shouted, her gaze lingering on the two students tussling with each other.


    Jyorta too followed suit, noticing the two students glaring at one another, their face up close, their hands locked with each other in a hold¡ªa contest of strength. Among the two, one boy had an average height while the other was quite tall, a head taller than the other.


    "Tower shoot; remove your rotten mug away from my sight. Don''t you see you are polluting the environment?" The shorter boy shouted, his voice strained, creating a vulgar tone.


    "Oh!" The taller boy shouted, his voice unnecessarily loud, gaining the attention of everyone nearby, "I was just wondering about why the auditorium is filled with a suffocating stench. No wonder! You are here!"


    "When I''m done with you, you will become the shortest shrimp in this entire academy." The shorter boy sent a straight right to the taller boy''s face, raising exclaims from the crowd. The taller boy held his left cheek as he took a step back, crouching a little as he turned angry, sending an uppercut.


    "Ooh," Jyorta exclaimed, seeing the taller boy''s punch connect to the shorter boy''s stomach, making him clutch it in pain. Seeing a fight live was many times better than watching it on television.


    "Aargh," The shorter boy shouted, raising a shrill scream as he jumped at the taller boy, holding him and tumbling down together due to the collision. He sent a hit with his elbow, using his head to bump into his chin, and rained down one punch after another.


    The taller boy retaliated similarly, using his taller stature to an advantage, each of his knee kicks pushing the shorter boy away. The shorter boy guarded using his palms, absorbing the force using his arms like a spring, traversing a couple of steps to ease the pain coursing through his body. Without relenting, he jumped towards the taller boy and entered into a dog fight, swiping with his nails, and attacking everywhere he could reach.


    "Awoo," The taller boy howled in pain, having his groin area hurt. As if a beast maddened with fury, he bit the shoulder of the shorter boy, using his body weight to press on the other. He flailed his arms, using his greater reach to rain down blows, his maddened attacks unstopping.


    Seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, the surrounding students hurriedly entered the fray, separating the two. Some students held their noses and wailed in pain, having gotten hurt while separating the two mad dogs.


    11:30 AM, a side door near the dais opened as an old woman appeared. The moment she entered, she noticed the commotion, her brows scrunching up.


    "Ugh, boys," She raised her hand, emitting her psychic energy.


    Jyorta hurriedly turned his head around, like a frightened feline, his body tensing up. He felt like he was staring at a raging tsunami, its size going beyond his senses.


    The two students who were still struggling while held down by the others turned still, their bodies unmoving. As if scared that they had done something, the students who held them separated away, creating a distance.


    "If you want to fight, there is an arena available for that. Each task in its respective place, got it?" The old lady said, her voice pleasant to hear, travelling across the auditorium. Immediately, a tiny ball of water-like substance formed before her, shining with a pale blue light. It separated into two streams, flowing into the two injured students one after the other. It then split into smaller streams, entering the bodies of the students who were mildly injured due to the scuffle.


    "Yes, ma''am," The two students replied, their gazes filled with wonder, looking at their disappearing injuries, their bodies healthier than before. They each sent a hateful glare at the other, retreating away from the scene.


    "Good," Saying her piece, the old lady walked towards the dais, situated at one end of the auditorium¡ªa raised platform, visible from every seat in the auditorium. She walked towards the podium, taking the mike into her hand, tapping on it a couple of times, checking if it functioned properly.


    "Good morning, students," The old lady said, her voice neither loud nor a mumble, falling into the ears of every student present, clearly audible.


    "Good morning, Ma''am!" The students echoed back, standing up. A couple of seconds later, when the old lady waved her hands, they sat down, taking a proper seated position. The students who were still on the pathway hurriedly occupied the nearby seats, taking the effort to not stand out.


    The old lady spoke in the mike, "My name''s Mary Veera; you can call me Madam Mary. I am the Principal of this Academy, the one in charge of you for the next one year. On behalf of the academy, I welcome you all. As a small joining present, let me give you something. Even though some of you have experienced it just now, you will get to experience it again."


    The students turned excited at the prospect of getting a present. Also, witnessing how she cured the injuries of the two students in a matter of seconds, they were curious to experience it for themselves. They watched Madam Mary raise her hands high; a pale blue colour converged towards her palm, increasing in size.


    It looked like a ball of water, spinning mid-air, growing in size until it was as big as a watermelon. The ball of water then split into hundreds of tiny wisps, flowing towards all the students present, entering their bodies. Followed by surprised exclaims, the students felt their bodies gaining some mass, making them feel healthier.


    Jyorta focused on his senses, trying to trace the flow of the wisps as they flowed into each student. His perception changed, increasing his concentration. Even then, he could only notice a streak of light emerging from the watermelon shaped ball before Madam Mary, taking but a fraction of a second to enter the bodies of every student present.


    The moment a wisp entered his body, Jyorta felt some warm energy course through him, subtly increasing his muscle mass. It also healed the parts of his body that were damaged during the Induction ceremony and had yet to fully heal.


    ''This is miraculous,'' Jyorta smacked his lips, enjoying the experience. His spirits were uplifted, bringing him a sense of joy, clearing his mind of all thoughts. He noticed Haesha having an expression similar to his own, her gaze filled with a sense of longing.


    "How was that? Did you like my present?" Madam Mary chuckled.


    The auditorium was immediately filled with deafening cheers, making her shut her ears. Seeing the lively atmosphere, Madam Mary pursed her lips, her gaze softening as if the ones before her were her children. After some time when the crowd had calmed down, Madam Mary continued her speech.


    "Starting from today, you will be spending the next one year in this academy, away from your family. You would face many life-threatening situations here, so much so that you might want to quit. But, let me get this straight."


    Madam Mary turned serious, making the students sit up straight, "The only way you can quit is through death. I repeat, once you have entered here, as long as you are alive, you will continue to fight for our city. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes Ma''am!" The students echoed, their collective voices shooting through the roof.

 Chapter 69：Doppler Family

    Seeing their brisk response, Madam Mary felt happy, "Good, that''s the spirit. As expected of the future pillars of our city. Now, the way you are taught here and the way you were taught in your previous Academy might be different. First of all, there will be no classrooms; you all will undergo a collective lecture in the auditoriums. For general knowledge lessons, you will assemble here. As for the others, the details have already been posted on your bulletin boards."


    The students nodded to her words, showing that they had already gone through the details beforehand. Jyorta gazed at the principal, feeling like she looked familiar. Especially, her manner of speech, and her body language, they were strikingly familiar. Seated close to the dais, he could also notice her facial features, partly resembling his mother.


    Despite his confusion and curiosity, he paid attention to the speech. "In this academy, you will no longer be addressed as students. You will be called Cadets. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes Ma''am!" The children echoed.


    "Good; now, as Cadets, you get some perks. First, you will get access to a ''Portal'', a place where you can watch videos and surf through documents detailing actual raids, battle tactics, martial arts, etc. It is situated inside White building, the one situated at the very end of the academy."


    A screen lit up behind her, displaying the layout of their military academy. It was shaped in the form of a rectangle, its sides coloured in a varied manner. It had tall buildings on all four sides¡ªconnected to one another, forming a row¡ªacting as a wall that separated the academy from the outside world.


    The buildings on the right were named the Rhachis Block, further divided into seven buildings, starting from Red at the top to Violet at the bottom¡ªthe seven rainbow colours. The buildings on the left were named the Psychic Block, similarly divided into seven buildings.


    To the bottom was a grey building, named the ''Head Office'' while the building at the top was white in colour, looking like it housed a myriad of facilities. Madam Mary gave a brief account of each building, emphasising to further look into the posters pinned on their bulletin boards.


    Switching off the screen behind her, Madam Mary paused for a moment, catching her breath, "Second, you will be provided with a set of uniforms that range from battle wear, training suit, meditation clothes, etc. I think you have received them already, judging by your appearance with the uniforms."


    Seeing everyone nod, she continued, "Third, you can issue weapons, armours, and many more to train and familiarise yourself, getting accustomed to all situations."


    She waited for a couple of seconds, allowing the students to digest the information, "And, last but not the least, irrespective of the degree of injuries you sustain in your training, be it broken bones, injured organs, or even severed limbs, don''t worry. You have me here; I can heal you back to full health in no time. So, train to your heart''s content." Saying so, she lifted her arm, showcasing her biceps in an effort to assure them.


    Jyorta chuckled, receiving a glare from Haesha, immediately turning silent. Thankfully, he was really quiet and hadn''t gained attention from anyone other than Haesha who had coincidently glanced his way.


    On seeing that the students hadn''t understood her joke, Madam Mary sighed and continued, "Actually, we have a merit system in place here. You can get merit points from passing various tests we would conduct in different fields. Using the merit points you have amassed, you can exchange it for a myriad of treasures; treasures that you could never imagine existed, all accessible to you."


    ''Finally, it''s here.'' There was a glint in his eyes as Jyorta observed Madam Mary, anticipating her next set of words.


    Madam Mary chuckled, seeing the eyes of the students glisten upon the mention of treasures, "A pamphlet will be sent to you later, detailing all the treasures and the corresponding merit points needed to exchange for them. You will be allowed to consult your parents once about the matter, tonight. I''m sure they would be able to set a goal for you."


    After that, she continued to talk about the decorum they needed to maintain, the curfew, discipline, and other topics. She then introduced the faculty that would teach them and the availability of various courses. Finally, at the end of the session, a teacher walked out, distributing a pamphlet to everyone present, using his abilities as an Esper.


    As the pamphlet flew into his hands, Jyorta closed his eyes, trying to sense the flow of psychic energy, letting out a sigh. "It is difficult to get a grasp on other''s psychic energy."


    "Of course, it is. The psychic energy of each individual has a subtle difference, making them differentiable. Though, I don''t know what it is that makes them so," Haesha whispered, her eyes glued to the pamphlet.


    The more she read the pamphlet, the greater her shock became. Her hands trembled, feeling as if the pamphlet weighed heavier than she could carry; her eyes flushed with a heated gaze, boring into it.


    "You shouldn''t focus on the obvious bait," Jyorta whispered, placing his hand on her shoulder. For some reason, he felt like he needed to help her. It was probably his teenager heart manipulating the strings from behind the scenes.


    "You mean¡­?" Haesha managed to retract her gaze with great difficulty, struggling to control herself. She looked at Jyorta with curiosity, "There are Unranked Skills for the take, two of them in fact. What else is more important than those?"


    "I''ll tell you later. Trust me, my sister told me many things. She has plenty of experience and has been one of the best to graduate from this academy to date." Jyorta sported a smug expression, as if all the achievements were his own.


    "Fine," Haesha heaved a sigh, thinking, ''I will contact father tonight and see what he has to say.''


    Seeing shocked exclaims echo throughout the auditorium, some louder than the others, Madam Mary smiled, "Since this is your first day, that will be all for today. Don''t roam around the grounds when students from the other batches are training. Also, don''t enter restricted places without obtaining prior permission."


    Noticing that the students were about to get up, she waved her hands, "Remember, punctuality is the most important trait required here. Classes will begin from 8:30 AM; so, remember to report on time. You can leave now."


    Madam Mary walked towards the door near the dais, taking a final glance before exiting. The students began to get up from their seats one by one, walking towards the six exits in the auditorium, forming groups.


    "I am going to meet my classmates," Jyorta turned around, glancing at Haesha still focused on the pamphlet on her hands. "¡­Haesha?"


    "Yes, sure," Haesha stood up, retracting her gaze from the pamphlet, "We will meet at the cafeteria during lunch. I heard Espers and Warriors eat at different sections, with the Warrior''s section being many times larger than ours."


    "That sure is the case." Jyorta nodded, "After all, most of the students are Warriors while only a minority are Espers."


    The two followed a long line and inched forward, talking about the rumours they had collected since arriving at the military academy. They eventually made their way out, squeezing through an exit and descending to the ground floor.


    Once they walked out into the open, Jyorta couldn''t help but stretch his limbs and take in a deep breath of the fresh air. Finally, noticing one of her friends, Haesha turned around, "See you during lunch."


    Seeing her departing figure, Jyorta placed a hand on his chest, frowning, ''I feel like my heart is about to burst. I thought my resistance against beautiful girls was pretty high considering I am around my sister every day. Sigh, is it because my body is that of a teenager''s? Or is it due to me lacking an attachment to my previous life, making my current experience a novelty?''


    Letting out a sigh, Jyorta summoned his willpower to avoid having his gaze trail after her, directing his vision to the other side. As long as he didn''t see anything, he would be able to control himself. Soon, he noticed his friend Ashten Coorg talking with some of his classmates, forming a group around a corner.


    "Hey guys, miss me?" Jyorta laughed, barging into the group without any sense of decorum.


    "Jyorta," A boy turned around in surprise, noticing Jyorta''s hand slumped over his shoulder. He hurriedly raised his hand and pushed Jyorta, retracting from his hold.


    "Don''t talk to this traitor." A boy muttered, distancing himself from Jyorta.


    "Yeah, he''s the enemy of our brotherhood." Another boy shouted, looking at Jyorta with scorn.


    "Player," Ashten Coorg said, his voice low pitched, behaving like he was betrayed.


    "Guys?" Jyorta looked at them in shock, wondering at their reaction. His thoughts failed to form as he felt shunned from their stares.


    "Jyo~ta~" A girl jumped from behind, wrapping her arms around his shoulder, looking at the gazes of the surrounding boys. She snorted in disdain, calling her friends, "I smell jealousy in the air~"


    "Right~" Another girl piped in, joining the group, sending a derisive sneer at the boys.


    "Let me tell you," A girl pointed her finger at Ashten Coorg, "If you were in his place, you wouldn''t have even dared to approach the girl, not to mention sit beside her through the entire lecture."


    "That doesn''t matter," Ashten Coorg looked at Jyorta, his lips curling up, filled with 20 percent perviness and 80 percent fawning. "My dear brother, introduce me to that pretty lady. If you do, the entire 18 generations of my successors will worship you as our godfather."


    As goosebumps appeared on his skin, and a feeling of disgust coagulated within him, it dawned on Jyorta, the realisation for their strange behaviour finally kicked in. They wanted him to introduce them to a girl.


    The girl who had slumped her hands on his shoulder chuckled, "Even if you plan on riding Jyorta to get acquainted with the girl, making her your girlfriend would be an impossible feat. You shouldn''t bite more than you can chew; after all, she is from the Doppler Family."


    "The Doppler Family?" Jyorta sounded out, feeling confused. ''Based on her reactions, Haesha doesn''t seem to hail from an Aristocratic family. So, who are they talking about?''

 Chapter 70：The Pamphlet

    "The girl who sat to your right," The girl who had slumped her arms on his shoulder said. As if realising something based on his clueless reaction, the girl looked at him in shock, "You mean, you didn''t know?"


    "How am I supposed to know someone I haven''t conversed with?" Jyorta shrugged his shoulder, "Besides, I don''t even know who sat beside me. My attention was on the principal''s speech. You know how important the contents were, Esina."


    "Is this guy for real?" Ashten Coorg muttered, his expression bordering on disbelief, "She is Dalna Doppler, fourth daughter of the Doppler Family head. Moreover, she is by far, the prettiest girl in our batch. Also, she had quite a few academic accomplishments at an early age, even having created a new mathematical formula."


    Another boy chimed in, "This is not to mention her Sync Rate being the highest of our batch. She has a whopping 86 percent."


    "Jyorta," Another boy stepped forward, looking like he had lost the chance of his lifetime, "She is the scion of an aristocratic family. Getting her is equivalent to a life of luxury."


    "Yeah," Even one of the girls couldn''t help but show her disbelief, "She is so pretty that heads turn around whenever she passes by. How come you haven''t noticed her when she sat right next to you?"


    "I told you, my attention was on the principal. She was telling many important details. It would be a pain if I were to forget them." Jyorta let out a wry laugh, trying to find an excuse to steer the conversation away from the topic.


    "We too were hearing the same speech." Another boy chimed in, creating the perfect counter, "It was important but, not to the extent that It had captured our entire focus."


    "But, if you are a Jyorta then, act like a Jyorta." Ashten Coorg said, making the boys nod their heads, showing their approval.


    "Did you¡­just use my name as a derogatory term?" Jyorta raised his hand, acting like he was pissed, looking intent to beat Ashten into a pulp.


    The girl, Esina¡ªher arms still slumped on his shoulder¡ªlaughed, "I thought you were just nervous and tried to avoid her. After all, she is an aristocrat and it is best to stay away than to offend one. But, seeing you claim having not noticed her, are you okay? Is there some problem that is troubling you?"


    Esina placed the back of her on his forehead, her gaze focused. She repeated the same to his neck murmuring, "You don''t seem feverish. Then, what is the reason?"


    "I am perfectly alright," Jyorta sighed, pointing a finger at himself, his words carrying an inquiring tone, "Besides, why should I be nervous around her? I too am from an aristocratic family."


    Esina blinked once, twice, thrice, taking the time to digest the information. She then retracted her hands, massaging her forehead, "From time to time, do remind us of that fact. We keep forgetting it."


    "Wait, Jyorta is an aristocrat? Since when? Did he already get engaged to an aristocratic lady?" It was Ashten Coorg''s turn to be surprised, trailing his gaze between Esina and Jyorta. There was shock and admiration in his gaze, lingering on Jyorta, marvelling at his friend''s geniuses in certain things.


    "How are you even his friend?" Esina smacked her forehead, feeling a bit frustrated. "His last name is Bone, belonging to the Bone family."


    Noticing Ashten''s astonishment, Esina wanted to facepalm. She shifted her line of sight, facing the White Building situated farther from her, "Anyway, I heard there are many exciting things to see in the White building. Let''s go there."


    "Sure," Jyorta nodded, a relieved expression plastered on his face, "I too heard many rumours."


    The rest of his classmates echoed their opinion, moving along as a group. Ashten Coorg silently slithered his way towards Jyorta, whispering in his ears. "Suppose you get a chance to talk to her in the future, do remind her of the fact that a brave warrior by the name of Ashten has composed a poem for her."


    "Wait, you composed a poem for her? That is so not cool dude." Jyorta whispered, his expression bordering on disgust. "You don''t even know her. Doing something like that will get you the label of a creep."


    "Don''t worry," Ashten Coorg flashed a smile, "I won''t reveal it to anyone until the opportune time. Though, do me a favour and edit the contents once."


    "It''s not like I can write poems better than you," Jyorta shrugged.


    "But, you are better than me at the cheesy stuff. Wisdom should be inherited from the pros." Ashten raised his eyebrows, flashing a smile; his face looked like one who had comprehended the essence of the universe.


    "Though, if you can set me up with someone from your family, that would be for the best."


    "Scram!"


    ¡­


    1:50 PM, Jyorta exited the White Building, feeling his head spin. He turned around and waved his hands towards his classmates, heading towards the cafeteria designated for Espers.


    Along the way, he opened the pamphlet, gazing into its contents, feeling his movements pause in shock. ''Haesha''s reaction is justified. The contents are even more amazing than from sister''s time.''


    [Unranked Skill: Flight] [Warrior] [55,000 Credits]


    [Unranked Skill: Regen] [Esper] [1,10,000 Credits]


    [Trait of Growth] [1,00,000 Credits] [x1]


    [Trait of Severability] [90,000 Credits] [x1]


    [Trait of Recovery] [6000 Credits]


    [Trait of Resistance] [7000 Credits]


    [Trait of Efficiency] [12,000 Credits]


    [Trait of Temperance] [15,000 Credits]


    [Trait of Dominance] [3000 Credits]


    [Trait of Nullity] [4000 Credits]


    [Tier 1 Frenzy Fruit] [10 Credits]


    [Tier 2 Frenzy Fruit] [100 Credits]


    [Tier 3 Frenzy Fruit] [1000 Credits]


    [Tier 1 Artifact] [100 Credits]


    [Tier 2 Artifact] [1000 Credits]


    [Tier 3 Artifact] [10,000 Credits]


    [Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit] [10,000 Credits] [x100]


    [Tier 5 Frenzy Fruit] [50,000 Credits] [x2]


    [Tier 4 Artifact] [30,000 Credits] [x10]


    [Tier 3 Relic] [8000 Credits] [x20]


    [Tier 4 Relic] [60,000 Credits] [x3]


    "Trait of Severability, and Trait of Growth," Jyorta muttered, his expression one of shock. Even though his knowledge about the Wisdom Parasite was limited, these two traits served to collapse his newly founded ''common sense''.


    Looking at a small description attached to them in the pamphlet, Jyorta felt his head spin, his thoughts running amok. Finally, after a couple of minutes, he could bring his mind to ease, his thoughts becoming coherent.


    ''Even though the Trait of Severability looks amazing, it is expensive. Also, Frenzy Fruits are relatively less cheap. Moreover, considering my uniqueness, I probably wouldn''t need them much. The same goes for the Trait of Growth; I would never need to eat a Cleansement Fruit in my life, so it is also unnecessary.''


    "So, my goals are unchanged. Trait of Efficiency and Trait of Recovery are my first priority followed by the Unranked Skill Regen and Trait of Resistance. If I could still amass some extra Credits, I will exchange them for Frenzy Fruits and increase my Sync Rate." Jyorta pocketed the pamphlet and continued to walk, his gaze turning sharp. Underneath it was excitement, broiling amid a multitude of anticipation.


    2:00 PM, Psychic Block, Blue building; Jyorta peered into the open section of the ground floor, at the cafeteria. It was bereft of walls, except for a couple of pillars to support the weight of the building, placed at equivalent distances.


    Circular tables were placed along the open hall, each capable of facilitating four people. The chairs were of a simple design, lacking an armrest. On a rough estimate, Jyorta could spot 200 tables. To the other end was what appeared to be a kitchen, cordoned off by a raised slab of wall, reaching till his hips, overlaid with granite.


    Chefs were stationed in the numerous stalls, each preparing various types of food¡ªfrom snacks to lunches. There was a counter at the entrance; a long line of students had formed, numbering at least 30, queued before the counter, ordering their food.


    The man behind the counter pressed a couple of buttons on a large pad according to the demand, printing a slip. A student scanned his card under a designated scanner and took the slip, heading towards the section with the chefs¡ªit was self-service.


    Jyorta entered the cafeteria, noticing the emission of psychic energy from some of the students. He could immediately guess that they were from the October batch. As they were yet to be trained, they couldn''t perfectly control their psychic energy from seeping out. People like Jyorta were an exception, thanks to his background.


    As he trailed his focus to every girl who emitted some fluctuation of psychic energy, Jyorta failed to find Haesha. ''Has she not arrived yet?''


    Just when this thought popped into his head, he could feel his heart begin to race. He also experienced the sensation of water vapour¡ªor its equivalent¡ªseeping out from the pores on his skin, a sensation he felt when he tensed up or when he was apprehensive about something.


    ''Is she¡­not coming? I guess I''ll stand in the line and wait. After all, it is a long line and our lunch break is only 30 minutes long. Moreover, I should act cool.'' Jyorta joined the queue at the counter, taking a mental note of the people before him, lest someone cut the line. It was something he had experienced innumerous times during his previous lifetime. The number of patient people he had seen could practically be counted on two hands.


    2:14 PM, there were only 3 people before him. Jyorta became bored, having to stand in the line while doing nothing. He then noticed Haesha enter in a hurry. The moment she noticed him, Jyorta waved his hand, indicating that he would buy her food.


    Not wanting to join the line abruptly and create trouble for herself, Haesha secretly handed her ID to Jyorta when the person behind him wasn''t paying attention. She then motioned her lips, informing him that she would take the same lunch as him. Without pause, she retreated from the area, intending to find a seating place for the two.


    ''She is quite sharp and animated; I am liking her more and more, haha.'' Jyorta smirked, handing over the two ID cards at the counter. The man behind the counter gave him a look, expressing nothing as he noticed Haesha''s ID card along with his. Without uttering any words, he printed the requested food item and handed two slips, scanning both the ID cards in the scanner.


    Taking the two slips, Jyorta went towards the delivery area¡ªit was sparsely crowded due to its long servicing area and the greater number of chefs available¡ªand picked up two plates filled with food.


    Noticing Haesha occupy a vacant table in the middle of the hall¡ªwaving towards him for an indication¡ªa smile crept up his face.

 Chapter 71：Survival Enactment

    "I thought you had been held up somewhere and wouldn''t be able to make it here," Jyorta said, placing the two plates of food on the table.


    Pulling a plate closer to her, Haesha replied, "My friends dragged me towards the cafeteria designated to Warriors. Helpless, I could only tag along. But, when I scanned my ID card in the counter there, the person behind it denied me food. Noticing the time, I had to rush here."


    She dipped her index finger in the gravy, tasting it with a slight lick. A frown emerged on her face as she began to eat her food, "If not for you, my only choice would have been to stay hungry."


    "Well, my friends too coerced me to accompany them. I just logically refused them since Espers have separate areas for almost everything here. But, one of them suddenly tried to guilt-trip me for no reason. Even his choice of timing and the reason was out of the blue," Jyorta said, putting on a pitiful face.


    "Oh," Haesha looked interested, her eyes widened as she gazed at Jyorta, signalling for him to continue.


    His heart skipped a beat as he met her gaze, trying his best to nonchalantly divert his focus to his food, "Long ago, we were playing a punching game. During my turn, I tripped and gave him a stronger punch. Even then, it was a light punch at most since I was pretty frail back then. It then led to some mocking remarks that resulted in the girls showing support for me and opposing the boy. Well, it was all a game in the end but, that guy has now become shameless and is using that incident to act like a victim. He remarked that that incident decreased his charm with the girls and made his life worse. Continuing with that flow, he requested a favour."


    Placing a morsel of the food in his mouth, Jyorta frowned at the taste, continuing, "The favour was me introducing him to one of my pretty relatives¡­supposedly. Once I refused, he latched on to me like a leech, addressing me as grandpa, ancestor, and a weird word. It was¡­yeah, it was grandstor. I don''t even know what that means."


    "Well, couldn''t you introduce someone to him? Once you do it, he would stop bugging you right? Since everything will depend on his efforts following that," Haesha spoke, giving a neutral opinion.


    "Well¡­" Jyorta trailed off, expressing a helpless smile, "One of my friends has a crush on him. She is pretty close to me and has shared many things over the past year. Even though she had given many hints, the dude is pretty dense and oblivious to her feelings. Suppose I introduce one of my relatives to him and they become close, my friend would pretty much kill me."


    "If he is oblivious to hints, just state the fact directly to his face." Haesha raised her hand, twirling the ends of her braid. "A friend of mine liked this boy. Unlike her, he was somewhat popular in our class and also received considerable attention from the girls. Do you know what she did to win him over?"


    "She¡­" Haesha trailed off, tilting her head to the side, pausing for greater suspense. Seeing the mildly irritated response from Jyorta, she laughed, "She concocted some fishy sketch and enacted it. At the end of it, she slapped him. It was a vicious slap, or so she claims."


    "Then, before anyone could notice, she kissed his cheek, the same place she slapped and ran off. The next thing we knew, the boy fell for her."


    "How¡­is that possible," Jyorta looked confused, "If a girl were to slap me, the most I would do is become angry. Something like falling for her is not possible. No sane guy would do so."


    "It worked like a charm," Haesha laughed, "They were both weird and their weirdness was perfectly in sync with one another."


    The sound of a bell ringing interrupted their conversation. Once the bell rang, there were a couple of shouts from the chefs, informing the students that the cafeteria was about to close.


    "Man, I have only eaten half of the food. 30 minutes is too short of a time period considering the queue that forms here." Jyorta muttered, getting up from his seat as he noticed everyone else doing the same.


    "We can walk slow and finish it by the time we reach the place to drop the plates. We can use the same queue, right?" Haesha smiled, gobbling a morsel of the food. Seeing her actions and at the fact that there was a precedent, Jyorta wasn''t embarrassed to eat food while walking. He then noticed many other students mimicking similar actions, making him laugh.


    "It seems there are many smart ones here," Jyorta remarked, gobbling up his food quickly. Anyway, he was a quick eater and had no qualms about stuffing his face full of food. Haesha was a lot slower than him, unwilling to make a mess and eat in an inelegant manner.


    Dropping their plates in a designated corner and washing their hands, the duo exited the cafeteria. Jyorta turned around, looking at Haesha who appeared to be thinking of meeting with her friends. Thoughts rapidly flashed through his mind as he concocted a plan.


    "Let''s head to the White Building. Access to the portal is not restricted even during class hours. Moreover, there are many outlets for use so we don''t need to fear them being preoccupied. We''ll continue from where left off in the morning."


    Haesha''s eyes lit up as she readily nodded, "Let''s go. I was about to ask you anyway."


    ''No, you were about to meet your friends.'' Jyorta thought, accompanying her towards the White Building. He pondered and made a mental note of his behaviour, ''Am I acting too close to her even though we just met today? I definitely am; she seems like a nice person and is probably going along with me to not seem rude. Maybe, the fact that she doesn''t know anyone among the Espers is also at play. At least, I am familiar to her after our interactions.''


    He then noticed students marching out from the head office, wearing tracks, settling at the centre of the large ground.


    A man flew through the sky, creating gusts of wind, landing before them. He observed the students, shouting, "Cadets; 20 days later, you will have to face the graduation ceremony. In response to that, we will be enacting a survival training today."


    With a wave of his hands, the ground rumbled, producing a dust cloud. Jyorta noticed ten streaks converge towards the ends of the ground, pausing to reveal the figure of humans, possibly the faculty members¡ªall seemed to be Espers.


    "I heard that except for a select few teachers, the rest are Espers," Haesha muttered, gawking at the feat before her.


    Cracks formed on the ground as the ten Espers emitted a dense fluctuation of psychic energy, lifting large blocks of soil, sending dust clouds spreading everywhere, masking the sight of the students.


    A teacher hovered in the centre, shouting, his voice reverberating all across the ground, "Your task is to survive this for 10 minutes. Credits will be awarded based on your injuries. No injuries will net you 300 credits. The more you get injured, the lower you earn. Are you ready?"


    "Yes, sir!" Followed by a deafening sound, the Cadets began to run in all directions, trying their best to find shelter against the falling rocks. The teachers continued to lift large pieces of the ground and send it flying towards the ground¡ªtheir pattern random. Some teachers even discreetly targeted the Cadets who won their animosity, having the time of their lives.


    "107, 359, and 468; eliminated," A teacher''s voice resounded as three Cadets were lifted from the ground, their bodies drenched in blood. A pale blue light entered their bodies and immediately began to heal their injuries.


    Two teachers worked together to safeguard the students from excessive harm while the rest worked to rescue and heal the wounded students.


    Hearing a teacher call out numbers one after the other, Jyorta watched the scene in a daze, exclaiming, "They are maniacs."


    "I want to join that," Haesha murmured, turning excited.


    "Do you like to suffer," Jyorta gazed at her in shock, involuntarily taking a step back.


    "Of course not," Haesha rolled her eyes, her gaze not once detaching away from the survival enactment, "I would love to be a part of the throwing lot."


    "Well, I would love to do that too," Jyorta replied, being honest, his gaze filled with longing. "But, we need to be Wave Controllers to do that at the very least."


    "Wave Controllers?" Haesha turned around, looking confused. "Are they Tier 2 Espers?"


    "No, they are Tier 3 Espers. We will probably be informed of this information in a couple of days." Jyorta replied, noticing students from his batch converge outside the grounds, gazing at the phenomenon. There were many exclamations from them as the teachers hurled large blocks, raising one shrill scream after the other from the Cadets.


    "64, 86, 111, and 713; eliminated." As the voice resounded, four students were lifted from the dust cloud, and carried towards a raised platform on the edge of the ground, receiving treatment. As the dust cloud increased in size, it gradually spread towards his direction.


    Jyorta pulled the sleeve of his shirt, covering his nose with it. He then noticed the dust cloud stopping 3 metres from him, blocked by a barrier that had appeared since long ago, unnoticed by his senses.


    "Time''s up!" The voice resounded as the teachers dropped the blocks of soil, retracting their psychic arms. They then emitted a uniform release of their psychic energy, slamming the dust cloud to the ground, clearing up the atmosphere.


    Weary figures got up, digging through the soil, coughing. Their bodies were brown, filled with patches of green as they tried to dust themselves. Black marks coagulated on their dress, a result due to the mix between their blood and the soil.


    Some students plopped to the ground, uncaring of the surrounding gazes, beginning to weep. Others shouted in pain, clutching parts of their bodies that had suffered from broken bones. But, everyone had an expression of relief, having survived the onslaught.


    "Yorta¡­" Haesha trailed off, swallowing her saliva in fear, her eyes glued to the injured Cadets.


    "It''s Jyorta," Jyorta replied, swallowing his saliva, trying to pacify his shivering arms.


    "Do we have to experience these exercises too? Can''t we opt for a different course?"


    "From what I know, courses related to martial arts are compulsory."


    "We are screwed."


    "Indeed."

 Chapter 72：Dedicated Credit Ranking System

    "Students on the sideline," A voice reverberated through the surroundings, mellowed out under the flurry of discussions. "Don''t waste your time standing idle. The training exercise has concluded."


    Another voice appeared, its source seemingly dispersed, "Inform all the students from the October batch to assemble at the entrance of the White Building."


    "I reckon most of the students from our batch are here," Jyorta muttered, his gaze transfixed on the ground. The injured Cadets were gently carried away by the teachers, their injuries treated by a pale blue light.


    Some of the Cadets had suffered from multiple bone fractures, having fragments of their bones lodged into other places. They were hurriedly operated by a panel of doctors, cutting open the area, using their psychic energy to guide through the damaged parts. Once they were removed, the pale blue light coagulated around the region and restored the lost flesh, blood, nerves, and bone.


    The large ground was soon vacant, with not a single soul present, the presence of the barrier preventing anyone from entering. Jyorta stretched out his hand, placing it on the barrier, feeling it through his senses.


    ''It has a feeling similar to polished granite; cold and hard but, creates the illusion of soft to the touch.'' Jyorta retracted his hand, feeling the barrier disappear. He then noticed Haesha mimicking his actions, trying to get a feel of the dense psychic energy present in the barrier.


    She turned around, her mind preoccupied with the survival enactment, "Shall we proceed towards the White Building?"


    "Sure," Jyorta nodded, accompanying her. Along the way, he noticed Espers from his batch walking beside him, their discussions detailing the scene they had just witnessed. Ten minutes later, they had all assembled before the White Building, forming a dense group.


    Surrounding him were Espers, emitting psychic energy in trace amounts, unable to control the leakage perfectly. To the right joined another stream of students, greater in number, their pace brisk, filled with strength¡ªthey were Warriors from the October batch.


    Jyorta looked at the wall of the White Building, taking a closer glance now that he had the chance. It was sleek and had a gentle lustre, unlike all the other buildings in the academy. He had blinked once before the view changed.


    An elevated platform appeared as Madam Mary stood above it, holding a remote in her hands. Her sudden appearance startled the students. There was neither a stir in the air nor were any sounds produced; her arrival was silent and inconspicuous.


    "Good afternoon, Cadets." Madam Mary smiled, pressing a button on the remote. An image flashed to existence on the wall of the white building, displaying a series of rows filled with names, having a certain number designated alongside them.


    "What we have here is a dedicated credit ranking system. Once every month, it refreshes and ranks the Cadets based on the number of credits they have accumulated. Cadets ranked in the top 10 will be awarded with Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits: with the 10th rank holder awarded 1 Frenzy Fruit while the 1st Ranked Holder gets 10 Frenzy fruits."


    "For the October batch, this screen will display the rankings on the 10th day of every month. The rewards will also be given every month. Strive to work your hardest and get all the rewards." The moment she completed her sentence, Madam Mary disappeared from the scene. The platform she had been standing on also followed suit, silently disappearing from their vision.


    Jyorta craned his gaze towards the top of the screen, looking at the words, ''Dedicated Credit Ranking system: January Batch.''


    Below them were students listed from Rank 1, all the way to Rank 841, separated into 9 columns, each column showcasing 100 ranks. Rank 1 shone with a golden hue, followed by rank 2 being silver and Rank 3 being bronze. Ranks 4 to 10 were in yellow while the rest were a dull grey, barely visible due to the colour nature of the White Building''s wall.


    "Rank 1: Hrita Bone¡ª79,348 Credits," Jyorta read aloud, feeling the name familiar. He tried to recall the person but failed to unearth any related memory, ''I guess I have never met this person. After all, there are too many people in the Bone family.''


    "Rank 2: Djun Doppler¡ª64,896 Credits; Rank 3: Khasta¡ª64,878 Credits," Haesha read out the rest, exclaiming, "The competition is fierce."


    She then trailed her gaze towards the bottom, looking at the credits scored by the person at the 100th rank, feeling shocked, "18,242 Credits? Why is there such a wide disparity?"


    "I have no idea," Jyorta shook his head, "I suppose we will find the reason within a month."


    "So, the gap between us has become wider," A boy among the crowd snorted, walking into the White Building, holding a book in his hand, looking worn out. Jyorta acutely sensed something amiss, feeling the Espers around him suddenly retract the psychic energy they had been emitting.


    Soon, he saw more than half of the crowd walk away, with each of them carrying items ranging between books, metal disks, a stack of papers, etc. Seeing their retreating figures, Jyorta noticed the number ''1'' printed to the back of their shirts, "When did these people join our crowd and mingle as one of us?"


    "I never noticed them," Haesha said, feeling alarmed.


    "Don''t worry about that," A girl to her left replied, shocking Haesha. "You''ll learn many things here besides studying. Practical knowledge nets you the most credits. Well, you''ll learn them soon enough I guess."


    "You are¡­?" Haesha inquired, looking hesitant, taking a step back. The girl pointed towards the top of the board. As Haesha followed her direction, the girl looked at Jyorta, "Don''t shame us; even if you don''t fare as well as Heima, at least try to uphold the bare minimum so that you don''t end up as an embarrassment."


    Hearing the vicious remarks from a stranger, Jyorta turned around, taking a detailed glance at the girl. Haesha turned around, having figured out the girl''s identity, her expression one of surprise, looking at the developing situation in alarm.


    "Do you know me?" Jyorta pointed a finger at him, thinking about the conversation he had shared with Jyovic Bone a night before.


    "I don''t think anyone from our family is ignorant about you. You''ve made quite the history after all." The lady sneered, "Also, considering your lineage, the fact that you had obtained a Sync Rate of only 71 percent is laughable."


    "Well," Jyorta flashed a smile, his eyelids closed halfway, "I''ve never heard about you. I suppose you have nothing illustrious to show for yourself."


    Controlling her anger, Hrita Bone looked into her watch, noticing the time ticking past without delay. "I don''t have time to waste with you. Your worth will be shown on the 10th of next month. I''ll see how you fare."


    She then looked at Haesha, scrutinising her, "You seem to have a high Sync Rate. A piece of friendly advice for you, find someone better to be friends with. Your circle of friends also limits your future development."


    Saying her piece, Hrita Bone walked away, heading into the White Building, seemingly in a hurry. On the way, she met a couple of people and entered into a flurry of discussions, arguing about academic topics.


    "She seems to know you." Haesha turned silent, feeling that she shouldn''t inquire further. She then directed her gaze on the screen, her focus lingering on the line shining with a golden hue.


    "I am somewhat well known in my family, thanks to an accident." Jyorta looked at the credit score of Hrita Bone, a smile emerging on his face.


    "Family¡­" Haesha focused her attention on the word, linking it to the previous conversation, getting a grasp of the situation. She then noticed two people walk towards them, their line of sight falling on Jyorta.


    "Man, there are just too many Warriors." Ashten Coorg waved his hands, "Swimming through that crowd took us some time."


    "You said you had something important to discuss, Jyorta," Esina said, introducing herself to Haesha. Taking a hint from the serious atmosphere, Ashten Coorg didn''t make any jokes, going along with the flow.


    Once the introductions were complete, Jyorta led them into the White Building, climbing towards the first floor where they found a small room meant for group studies. The door had a small scanner where they waved their ID cards. Followed by a beep sound, they entered the room.


    The room was 10 feet long and 8 feet wide. A huge 80 inch TV was fixed on the wall at the end¡ªswitched on¡ªas the logo of a blue sphere surrounded by three rings kept turning around. The words ''Portal'' kept flashing below it, forming and disintegrating in style.


    To the middle was a wooden table capable of facilitating 4 people. A mouse and a keyboard were placed on it, lacking any wires that trailed from them. The keys were embedded with letters from the Modern Rodawri language, their quantity only being a bit extra than the keyboard from his memories.


    The chairs had an armrest, the bottom sporting a soft cushion, making Jyorta thank the heavens in gratitude. Jyorta sat on the left, taking the position closest to the TV. To his front sat Ashten Coorg while to his right sat Haesha. Esina occupied the remaining spot, taking out a notepad and a pen.


    Jyorta took out the pamphlet from his pocket, placing it on the table, producing a mild thud. "The items listed in this can improve our lives for the greater good. But, there is a limit to how much we can exchange, evident from the rankings. So, we have to prioritise what we need based on our requirements and not just blindly charge towards the Unranked Skills."

 Chapter 73：An Encounter With Death

    "Aren''t Unranked Skills the most important?" Haesha interjected, looking confused. She glanced at Ashten and Esina, finding them sport the same confusion as her.


    "Unranked Skills are the most important; that is an irrefutable fact," Jyorta nodded, "But, there are other methods to get them, apart from here. Sure, it would be many times difficult but, it''s not impossible."


    "Take the Unranked Skill Regen, for example," Jyorta pulled the keyboard towards him, typing a set of words on it. Immediately, the TV screen displayed the relevant information; as Jyorta scrolled through it, he found related data.


    "There are two ways to get it: either through the military academy or by becoming a nurse/doctor. You would need to study for 5 years in a medical institute; and, the tuition fees is expensive, not to mention the difficulty of getting an admission. As for the Unranked Skill Flight¡­" Jyorta entered the keywords, pulling up another page.


    "Other than through the military academy, you can get it from joining the Imperial Corps." Jyorta faced the three, pointing the data on the screen for them to see.


    "So, even though Unranked Skills are the top priority, we still have a chance to obtain them in the future considering we work hard enough." Esina concluded, looking at Jyorta, "Then, what do you think we should focus on first?"


    "What I am telling you next should stay with us," Seeing the others nod their heads in all seriousness, Jyorta continued, "Based on my sister''s experience, we have to consider Traits as our first priority. Apart from here, it is almost impossible for us to get a hold of them. Though, we will first prioritise two of them."


    "What are they?" Ashten Coorg inquired, his jovial nature from the morning disappeared, replaced with all seriousness.


    "Trait of Temperance and Trait of Efficiency; they should be given the highest priority. Traits are equivalent to passive Skills; just that they are at most Tier 2 in effect. Even then, the help they provide would be significant even at higher Tiers. After all, every advantage helps at such levels." Jyorta said, pulling up the information for the two traits.


    The effects of the Trait of Temperance are focused on a breakthrough. It suppresses and conceals the amount of information that the Wisdom Parasite can access from the host¡ªpassively operating 24x7. This invariably hinders its development which will give the host more time to prepare. During the ''Mental Battle'', it strengthens the host, increasing the chances of success.


    The Trait of Efficiency, on the other hand, increases the body''s metabolism and accelerates the Wisdom parasite''s ''Nurturing Effect''. It also hastens the formation of the Heart/Brain Crystal.


    "Using the two Traits in conjunction, your chances of survival and future growth are enhanced," Jyorta said.


    "Temperance and Efficiency," Esina looked at the pamphlet, making a mental calculation, "Added together, they total to 27,000 Credits, which is a lot. You need to be in the top 80 at the very least to exchange for them."


    "It will be difficult," Ashten muttered, feeling his emotions cool down. "There are also the Frenzy Fruits we require to raise our Sync Rate. The higher our Sync Rate, the stronger we are."


    "Indeed," Jyorta nodded, "At this point, if we want to become stronger, we must enter the top 10 in the rankings. That way, we will get enough leeway to strive for the Trait Fruits."


    "I still don''t know the method to earn Credits." Haesha pulled the keyboard, typing into it. Immediately, the screen flashed as the detailed instructions to amass credits appeared. Reading through it, Haesha''s eyes lit up, feeling some hope.


    There were 15 subjects in total, from mathematics to martial arts. Each subject was further subdivided into chapters. For example, the subdivision of the mathematics subject will include the chapters of Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, etc.


    Depending on the subject of choice, the mode of testing would be different. For a purely academic subject, one would be required to appear for a written exam. Exams will be conducted per chapter, the marks awarded out of 100.


    Scoring 50 or above will be certified as passed and the score will be directly converted into credits. For example, a student appeared for an exam on Algebra and scored 82 out of a hundred. He would then be awarded 82 Credits.


    "Depending on the number of chapters one can clear, the Credits one can amass will vary." Haesha read aloud, commenting, "This is a simple and straightforward approach. So, they seek to quantify our academic knowledge and reward us accordingly."


    "Yes, but there is a catch," Jyorta scrolled below, pulling up a statement in bold on the screen, reading it aloud, "The chapters under the Martial Arts Subject are more rewarding."


    Ashten spoke, his gaze transfixed on the screen, "The time of exam for an academic subject paper is generally 3 hours. This gives the student at most 2 chances to appear for an exam per day. That is if we exclude a shortage in sleeping time and the daily activities that will strain both the body and the mind. Even then, suppose he scores a centum in every test, the most he could amass will amount to 70,000 Credits."


    "But, the tests for many chapters under the Martial Arts subject are short, with some requiring just a minute or two to finish," Esina muttered, raising her volume, feeling a throbbing headache.


    "There are also activities like today''s survival enactment where they will award extra Credits," Haesha recalled the incident, feeling her heart beat faster, making goosebumps appear on her skin.


    "Let us all work hard to claim as many items from the list as we can." Jyorta raised his fist, bringing it forward. Seeing his drive, Esina chuckled, colliding her fist onto his. Ashten and Haesha too followed suit, raising a cheer to rouse their fighting spirit.


    "Yeah!"


    ¡­


    Wild Zone 12, Heima and her team hid behind a rock, making her eyes turn green. She first inspected the ground below them, heaving a sigh of relief, proceeding to scan the surrounding area. She wore a set of loose garments, made from cotton. Beneath them was skin-tight armour, made from the leather of a Tier 4 Frenzy Beast, lacking zero indentations or protrusions.


    It covered her entire body from head to toe, looking as if made from jelly. A visor covered the area before her eyes while there existed numerous pores on the area of her nose and ears¡ªtheir opening and closing under her control. It also came with psychic shielding capabilities, its expense greater than any Tier 4 Artifact.


    A quill was embedded in the area of her chest, enclosed underneath a transparent filament. It had 3 segments on the feather part, showcasing its state of a Tier 4 Relic. It was the deterrent against external psychic energy from invading her body. Heima''s armour was a fusion between a Tier 4 Artifact and a Tier 4 Relic.


    "Number 2 and number 3, scout for its appearance," Heima murmured, using the quill embedded in her armour to transmit her voice, making them reach the ears of her teammates, preventing the sound from leaking into their surroundings.


    Even though she couldn''t utilise the quill to enact the qualities of an Esper, she could still mimic the basic functions. Two people nodded and disappeared from the spot, reappearing after a couple of minutes, shaking their head sideways.


    "Then, we''ll proceed further into the Wild." Heima led the group, making them follow along a narrow path, their steps cautious, never venturing out in the open. She had her eyes turned green, constantly vigilant of her surroundings.


    "Stop, Ring Worm ahead." She transmitted the message, pointing in a certain direction, "It is situated 100 metres below ground, approaching our location from 50 metres away. It has most probably sensed our location; a battle is imminent."


    "Number 3, what is its strength?"


    A man paused for a second, hurriedly motioning by raising 4 fingers. He then showcased his right arm and trailed using his left, traversing from the elbow to a spot above halfway. Heima noted, "Tier 4 Ring Worm, with a possible Sync Rate of 63 percent."


    She then gazed at the faces of her team members, noticing them nod at her, "We can''t outrun it. So, our only option is to kill it and be quick about doing so. The moment it nears the surface, we will spread out, formation 3."


    Heima pulled out a sword, 80 centimetres in length and 5 centimetres in width, lacking a lustre, its aura retracted, looking no different from a piece of metal. She saw a long, green figure approach their location, the concentration of green varying across its body.


    She made a mental note of its vital points, giving a signal to her team a moment before it drilled out of the ground. As the Ring Worm emerged out, 20 figures scattered from its front, creating a distance, spreading its attention.


    Tier 1 Skill¡ªLife Aura Sense!


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªSpeed!


    Tier 3 Skill¡ªSensory Invisibility!


    Heima readily activated all her Skills, masking her from the senses of everyone present and raising her speed. Just in time, one of her teammates hollered, emitting a dense fluctuation of aura, making the Ring Worm focus its attention towards him. He then stomped on the ground, forming a dust cloud that masked its vision and sending tremors course through the ground.


    Using the tremors to mask her action, Heima exerted force into her legs, facing the back of the Ring Worm. With a stomp, she flickered atop the head of the Ring Worm, her blade facing downwards.


    She mustered all the strength in her, plunging the sword into its head. Just before the sword pierced through its head, it revealed the aura of a Tier 5 Artifact, its edge shining with sharpness, easily piercing through its tough exterior. Using her Tier 1 Skill, she aimed at the place where the densest of the Ring Worm''s life aura congregated.


    The skin of the Ring Worm turned grey, spreading towards its muscles, slowing down the motion of the sword, completely stopping it when it was only halfway in. Her teammates focused their attacks all across its body, aiming at the other vital spots signalled by Heima.


    Just when she was about to launch another attack, the shriek of her teammate resounded through the air. A serpentine Frenzy Beast appeared, having a long nose. Underneath the long nose was a parted region, revealing a set of teeth, blunt in shape which it used to bite the head of her teammate.


    The strength of its bite shattered the man''s head, spilling out copious amounts of blood and grey matter which were sucked into the long nose of the Frenzy Beast. Its tail looked ethereal, morphing between phantom and reality.


    Seeing the death of her teammate, a black aura appeared around Heima as she teleported, appearing above the Frenzy Beast''s body, slashing with her sword.


    "What?" Shock filled her face as her sword passed through its body, slicing the ground. The Frenzy Beast escaped without a single scratch.

 Chapter 74：Long Nose Frenzy Beast

    The moment her sword slashed at the serpentine Frenzy Beast''s body, she failed to receive any feedback, feeling her sword pass through its body like it was an illusion. She then noticed the body of the Frenzy Beast turn green, showcasing its life aura in her eyes.


    The Frenzy Beast swiped its tail, impacting Heima, caught unawares. As her body was sent flying, she noticed the direction of her flight aimed towards the Ring Worm. Mentally cursing the Frenzy Beast, she made a black aura congeal around her body, quickly teleporting her.


    Appearing atop a nearby rock, Heima clutched her chest, feeling a constricting pain. The momentum of her flight had been absorbed into her body, carried over when she had teleported. Due to the change in inertia her body experienced¡ªgoing from a state of motion to a state of rest in the fraction of a second¡ªshe felt a massive strain on her muscles, damaging her internals.


    Taking the chance when she had teleported away, the Frenzy Beast disappeared from everyone''s vision, appearing above the head of another lady. The lady was quick to react, thanks to her being an Esper. A chakram¡ªdisk-shaped object with sharp ends¡ªflew out of the backpack she carried, raising its rpm (Revolutions per minute) to the maximum, its edges glistening with a deadly hue.


    The chakram collided into the body of the Frenzy Beast, passing through it, failing to deal any damage. The moment the chakram passed through its body, Heima noticed the green figure of the Frenzy Beast in her vision turn transparent, lacking any colour, as if it wasn''t alive at that instant.


    Taking the chance, the Esper lady infused her psychic energy into her armour, pulling her behind, creating a distance from the Frenzy Beast.


    The Ring Worm let out a screech, its sounds barely audible, produced from the scrapping of two muscles. Its body hardened, raising sparks as the attacks landed on it, failing to cause significant damage.


    The Ring Worm burrowed into the ground, its haphazard digging sending large patches of soil flying into the air, blocking the vision of the team members. It then burrowed out from a different region, lunging at a man, its mouth opened wide.


    The man suddenly released a dense green mist, coagulating them into the opened mouth of the Ring Worm. The green mist seeped into its muscles, spreading through its bloodstream, and turning its body sluggish.


    He hurriedly retreated, barely escaping from getting devoured. Suddenly, the serpentine Frenzy Beast with a long nose and an ethereal tail appeared behind him, whacking his body with its tail.


    The man tried to turn around and defend against the attack, failing to do so under the unexpected ambush and its overwhelming speed. The impact sent him flying into the air, towards the mouth of the Ring Worm. Heima appeared above the Ring Worm''s head, plunging her sword into the wound she had inflicted earlier, piercing through the defences.


    The Ring Worm wriggled in pain, turning its head, allowing the man to collide into its body. Using the momentum of the collision, the man slashed with his sword, creating a long gash, coughing out blood himself.


    The serpentine Frenzy Beast once again appeared behind him, lashing out another vicious attack with its tail, shattering his rib bones, and dislocating the bones in his spine. A chakram attacked it, taking the moment when it lashed out at the man, creating a long gash on its body.


    "The length of its ethereal tail shortens every time it does that trick." A voice transmitted the information to the ears of Heima, copying the same information to the other team members within a second.


    Heima plunged the sword deep until the hilt, pulling it sideways and widening the wound. She focused her attacks on the head of the Ring Worm. Suddenly, the serpentine Frenzy Beast appeared before her, its senses capable of looking past her Tier 3 Skill. It opened its mouth, intending to bite her head.


    Barely managing to reach in time, Heima raised her hands, hurrying to congeal the black aura around her body. The serpentine Frenzy Beast was faster, its unexpected appearance giving her little time, biting into her left arm, crushing it. An instant later, she disappeared, appearing behind it and plunging her sword through its body.


    Just when she had plunged the sword part way into its body, the serpentine Frenzy Beast turned phantom, slipping past her blade like an illusion, passing through the body of the Ring Worm and entering the earth. Heima hurriedly tore a piece from the loose clothes she wore, wiping the blood of the serpentine Frenzy beast that had spilled before her, pocketing it.


    She then teleported under the Ring Worm, and created a long gash on its body, making use of the wounds created by her teammates. Using the chance when the serpentine Frenzy Beast had yet to make an appearance, she created long gashes along the skin, in the places that led to its vital spots.


    The three Espers in her team released their chakrams into a gash, cutting into it like a saw blade. One of the chakrams soon managed to sever a vital part, damaging the Ring Worm. It then led to an accumulation of injuries as the Ring Worm soon died under their assault.


    Heima looked around, vigilant of her surroundings. Frenzy Beasts that had the habit of ambushing always attacked the moment after victory, taking their prey by surprise when they were the least guarded. Her teammates hurriedly began to cut up the corpse of the Ring Worm, fishing out an orange Heart Crystal¡ªfist-sized, having spots of black covering its surface¡ª and safeguarded it within a box.


    The three Espers, on the other hand, began to treat the man who had suffered the most injuries and was on the verge of death. "He needs to be operated and have the broken bones removed before we can heal him. His spine has also suffered massive damage and created a sharp decrease in his Sync Rate."


    "Lets us retreat," Heima commanded, "Take turns to treat him while on the run. All team members will protect the Espers while they recover their energy."


    The Esper lady created 3 psychic arms, infusing one into her armour to increase her running speed while infusing the other two into the armour of the injured man, keeping his body afloat. Another Esper created three psychic arms, one holding a sharp blade, one turning into a shade of blue while the remaining one entered his body.


    A small section was cut open on his chest by a psychic arm as the other psychic arm brought out a broken bone. The third psychic arm that had turned pale blue healed the damaged parts, serving to keep the man alive.


    The final Esper took out a small, rectangular box from his clothes, retrieving a thumb-sized Brain Crystal, white in colour, having three stripes, and lacking any black spots on its surface. He then closed his eyes for a second, allowing tendrils of blood to seep out through the pores on his face and the seven orifices. They immediately converged before him, coagulating into a crimson sphere the size of his fist.


    Two parallel lines appeared on its smooth surface, separating to form a fat strip. Numerous tendrils converged below the strip as it gained in mass, forming into what appeared to be legs. The strip slowly morphed into the shape of a caterpillar, equivalent to the length of his palm.


    The caterpillar turned its head, taking a glance at the face of the man, snorting once. It then picked up the thumb-sized Brain Crystal, holding it using 2 pairs of its forelegs. It bit into it, taking a small piece, chewing it like it was delicious. The man turned slightly impatient, urging it to eat faster but, the caterpillar ignored him, taking its time to relish the taste.


    On her cue, one of her teammates retrieved a bag, packing the body of their headless comrade. He took out a knife and cut open the dead man''s body, fishing out a wriggling spine, storing it in another bag. He then secured the bag containing the spine inside a metal box, its walls sealed to prevent heat, light, sound, force, or even energy from leaking out.


    He held the box, giving the larger bag to his comrade, making him carry it. Immediately, their team began to retreat, their cleanup spanning less than 20 seconds.


    "Be careful of that Frenzy Beast from ambushing us. Espers, be ready to signal us at a moment''s notice." Heima reminded, taking the lead once again, feeling sweat trail over her eyelids. Having teleported many times, she was running low on energy.


    It would take too much time to recover her energy; moreover, it was almost impossible to do so while on the run. Only Espers who were capable of multitasking with ease were capable of doing that, given they had comrades to protect them from harm.


    It was late in the evening, their team was becoming tired, the number of wounded having increased. Just like what she had feared, the serpentine Frenzy Beast attacked them once again. It also pulled some Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts from the surroundings to rush their team, giving it the space to launch numerous sneak attacks, claiming one kill after the other.


    The serpentine Frenzy Beast continued to act in such a manner, displaying its cunning nature. The moment they had killed off the lured Frenzy Beasts or if they had managed to inflict wounds to it, the serpentine Frenzy Beast would vanish once again.


    Heima made a mental count, her expression turning grim. Including her, there were only 14 people in her team, each suffering from severe injuries. The serpentine Frenzy Beast had already claimed the lives of 6 people, showing no signs of relenting its pursuit.


    "How much farther from the City are we?" Heima murmured, feeling her left hand begin to rot. She also experienced a feeling of madness sprouting within her, enriching the entity inside her with euphoria.


    After fighting against higher tiered Frenzy Beasts, her right hand had turned numb. She was also running dry on energy, having to expend the energy reserves stored in her fat. Moreover, she was unable to summon out the crimson centipede, the entity inside her showing signs of rebellion.


    "We are 85 kilometres from the city," The Esper lady replied, looking drained, her eyes lacking liveliness.


    ¡­


    8:00 PM, when it was finally his turn to call, Jyorta dialled the number to his home, hearing a ringing sound. As Madam Mary had permitted them to call home once, everyone ensured to make a call. So, he had to act like them despite knowing everything he wanted beforehand. This was to prevent the teachers from suspecting his family members of teaching him classified information before he was qualified to know.


    As the call failed to connect, Jyorta frowned, "Is sister not back home yet?"

 Chapter 75：Auditorium

    "What happened?" A teacher inquired, having noticed his situation.


    "My sister said she had some important work to do today. I think she has yet to return home. Can I make a call tomorrow?" Jyorta put on a troubled expression, his gaze showing traces of worry.


    "What about your father or mother?" The teacher inquired, pulling out a register, flipping through the pages to pull out his information. Seeing the words ''Deceased'' affixed next to his parents, the teacher let out a grunt, showing his sympathy.


    "There won''t be any issues. You can contact your sister tomorrow," The teacher replied, walking towards another booth, talking with a student who had a similar issue.


    "Thank you, sir," Jyorta bowed, exiting the area. He then walked onto the ground, feeling the sensation of the soft grass. Through some magical means, the staff had recovered the damaged ground from the afternoon to its pristine state.


    Finding an open spot, Jyorta laid down, the sensation of the grass feeling many times better than the bed in his dorm. He then gazed at the sky, getting a clear view of it, his expression one of genuine worry. As someone who hadn''t delved into astronomy and didn''t have much interest in the field, he couldn''t recognise any constellations, the sky looking like a black paper sprinkled with shining dust to him.


    ''I hope sister is safe. Even though she has the ability to teleport, it drains large quantities of energy per each use, even for short distances. Moreover, judging by her reaction in the morning, the mission this time seemed to be a dangerous one.'' The more he thought, the greater his worry became.


    Heima was the only person he cared for as his family, his emotional anchor in this world. He dared not imagine what he would become should something happen to her.


    ''No use in worrying. I should strive to raise my strength. If I want to be safe in this world, I should become a Ground Controller at the very least.'' Jyorta stood up, dusting his clothes, heading towards his room.


    8:30 PM, opening a mathematics book, he began to go through it, refreshing his knowledge. "Everything here is the same as my memories. Even the Euler''s formula is listed here, no different from what I have learnt and used. Euler, Jacobian, familiar names are appearing one after the other. Is this really Earth? Or a parallel universe that is strikingly similar to Earth?"


    Setting his confusion aside, he began to skim through the contents, quickly going through the basics and attempting the advanced stuff. After all, as an ex-engineer, he was well versed in the subjects of Maths, Physics, and Chemistry. Also, as someone who had prepared for the IITs [1], the problems listed out in the textbook were mere child''s play.


    Jyorta took out a notebook from the pile he had issued earlier, solving one problem after another. He busied himself, ensuring to take the long-winded approach for each problem, solving it step by step. Once he practiced his habit through the longwinded approach, he began to solve them in full earnest, using shortcuts.


    The answers to the mathematical problems, the ones listed out in the textbook, almost a page long were solved by him within 5-6 steps, saving a lot of time. His expression looked similar to a zealous student, like someone who had devoted himself to the pursuit of knowledge, having fun through studying.


    11:30 PM, putting down his pen, Jyorta looked at the number of pages he had filled, gazing at the topics he had covered. He then closed his notebook, got up from the chair, and stretched his limbs.


    "I have briefed through 7 chapters and have recalled all the related knowledge. I''ll go through the rest and finish them by the end of this week, proceeding to the other subjects. My advantages are the academic subjects I''m well versed in. I have to use them to gain as many credits as possible."


    Feeling a light throbbing in his head, Jyorta sighed, "I will appear for the exams starting from the third week and gain an advantage on the rankings. Also, my Brain Crystal is starting to develop. After a week or so, I would be able to use my psychic energy in earnest."


    Jyorta closed his eyes, using his blue soul to chant the verse of the creepy-haired man, shedding away the murky substances that had formed in his soul. Even though his soul had become something that couldn''t be corrupted, his current soul was an amalgamation between the original blue soul, Jyorta''s soul, and the subsoul from the Wisdom Parasite of the late language teacher.


    He had to constantly shed off the corruption that stemmed from them and the subsoul of his Wisdom Parasite. Done with the task, Jyorta closed his eyes, using the blue soul to sever some connections, making his body enter a state of rest.


    Normally, it would take him a long time to sleep, even if he were tired. Only when he was dead tired would he fall asleep the moment he closed his eyes. Now, using his advantages, he could directly enforce his body to enter a state of sleep. It was just a minor added advantage.


    7:15 AM, waking up from the sound of the alarm, Jyorta tossed and turned, covering his ears with the blanket. The sounds of the alarm soon stopped; his eyebrows eased in peace as a mild smile crept on his face, entrenched with the morning bliss.


    Warm rays of sunlight entered the room, giving the feeling of warmth, making his body float in the dreamland of slumber. Suddenly, an ear-piercing noise shattered the peace, its sounds irritating to the ears. The sounds were so high pitched that he could feel the soundwaves striking against his skin, its echo an annoyance, rivalling the mosquitoes from his memories.


    7:30 AM, as the alarm continued with its high pitched shriek, loud knocking sounds echoed from his door. Someone seemed to knock on the door, their knocking sounds soon becoming loud thumps, rattling the door.


    Irritated by the thumping noise, Jyorta woke up in a flurry, his gait matching his temper. He unlocked the door and pulled it aside, his actions rough.


    "What?" He shouted, expressing his irritation.


    "Switch off the damn alarm!" A voice trailed back, sounding even more irritated than him. "My sleep has been disturbed because of it."


    "Good for you," Jyorta slammed the door shut, "Take a jog while you''re at it."


    "Arrogant bastard," The person who had knocked the door cursed aloud, walking away with loud steps. Jyorta slept on the bed, covering his face with the bedsheet, his irritated expression soon becoming one of peace.


    7:45 AM, the alarm rang once again, echoing two different tunes. He had set the first alarm to ring from 7:15 AM, ringing once every 15 minutes. The second alarm would start to sound from 7:45 AM, signalling that he was running late.


    The two sounds intermixed to produce a cacophony of noises, irritating him to the utmost limit. Jyorta threw the bedsheet in anger, watching it collide into the wall. Just when he was about to punch the alarm clock, he paused in place, realising that he had bought them with money.


    "There''s only 45 minutes before class starts," Jyorta murmured, picking a basket and placing his uniform, underwear, and toiletries in it. He then carried it with him, exiting the room, ensuring to lock it, placing the key in his basket.


    He turned left, proceeding towards the end of the hallway. On the way, he noticed Haesha, already dressed in her uniform.


    "Morning!" Jyorta greeted, waving his hands.


    "There''s not much time. The White Building is quite far from here," Haesha replied, waving back.


    "Don''t worry; I''ll be there on time." Jyorta smiled, "Just reserve a seat for me."


    "Okay, I will."


    8:20 AM, Jyorta held an empty notebook, slipping a pen in his pocket, dashing along the hallway. He then haphazardly descended the stairs, almost slipping a couple of times. Exiting the Indigo Building¡ªhis dorm¡ªhe dashed towards the Blue Building, situated right next to it.


    He peered through the open section, noticing a long queue that had formed, grunting in distaste. He observed every seated student, hoping to find a familiar face.


    "Dammit, no luck today," Jyorta cursed, dashing towards the White Building, traversing the long distance. On the run, he fished out a folded poster from his pocket, looking at the timetable, making note of the room he had to rush towards.


    "Auditorium 8¡­in the 7th floor?" Jyorta groaned, increasing his speed, swerving through the gaps between groups of students who were walking. Most of them seemed to have classes in the nearby buildings, evident by their pace.


    "Sorry," Jyorta apologised, his tone lacking the necessary feelings. He didn''t even bother to observe the faces of the people he had bumped into, wiping the sweat that started to form on his face.


    8:29 AM, arriving on the 7th floor, Jyorta figured out the location of auditorium 8, pausing when he crossed a restroom. He hurriedly entered it and splashed some water on his face, exiting immediately.


    He then took out another kerchief, wiping his face as he entered the auditorium, feeling the doors close behind him.


    ''Safe!'' He mentally exclaimed, looking at the seated students gazing at him, as if wondering why he was late on the very first day. Ignoring their gazes, Jyorta scanned past their faces, pausing at the one that registered as ''beautiful'' in his eyes.


    Noticing the vacant seat beside her, a smile beamed on his face as Jyorta briskly walked towards the spot, tidying his appearance in an instant, pocketing his kerchief.


    8:30 AM, a middle-aged lady standing on the dais spoke, "First rule of the military academy: punctuality is the most important trait for a Cadet."


    Jyorta hurriedly seated himself, flashing a smile at the girl beside him, looking ready to begin the day''s lessons.


    [1]: Indian Institute of Technology, said to have one of the harshest entrance exams for the undergraduate level.

 Chapter 76：Brain Crystal

    "Good, all 131 Espers of the October batch have made it here," The middle-aged lady, Madam Rizenne smiled, taking a glance at Jyorta. She then pressed a button on the remote held in her hands, flashing the image of a human on the screen behind her.


    The image looked blank, like a shadow, save for the white dot on the glabella. Madam Rizenne motioned for their attention, "Everyone, concentrate on the area highlighted in white. You can close your eyes for improved focus."


    As everyone silently enacted her instructions, Madam Rizenne continued, "I''ll give pointers personally to each of you, one by one. Until then, just focus on the mentioned area."


    Madam Rizenne jumped down from the dais, her body gently descending to the floor, producing no sounds. There seemed to be a gap of a millimetre between the ground and the soles of her footwear, ensuring no sounds were produced when she walked.


    A boy sat on the seat in the first row, situated to the left extreme, his eyes closed, trying to focus. Madam Rizenne stood before him, placing her forefinger on his glabella, "I will suppress your psychic energy now. Concentrate on the feeling and get used to it. When you get the idea, you would be able to control the leakage of your psychic energy at will."


    As the boy tersely nodded, Madam Rizenne emitted a gentle fluctuation of psychic energy from her fingertips, spreading it over his skin, swerving to block all contact with the surroundings. The boy immediately experienced a suffocating sensation, feeling his psychic energy being blocked, preventing it from seeping out.


    A second later, Madam Rizenne retracted her psychic energy, noticing his psychic energy leaking out once again. Her gaze filled with patience, she said, "We will do it again. Don''t worry; you can take your time to get a feel of it. The first time is the greatest hurdle."


    As she instructed the boy, occasionally sending a glare at the students who peeked in her direction with curiosity, Madam Rizenne made a mental calculation. After 27 times, the boy finally got a hang of the feeling, beginning to gain control over the leakage of his psychic energy.


    "Take the same steps and you will soon be able to prevent your psychic energy from leaking out. It is just a matter of getting used to it from now on." Madam Rizenne smiled, discretely sending two of her psychic arms over to the podium.


    Placed above it was a register, a pen lay next to it, its cap open, showcasing the pointed nib. A psychic arm flipped through the pages, stopping at a name, the face affixed next to it belonging to the boy she had just instructed. The other psychic arm picked up the pen, scribbling the number ''27'' under a certain column.


    The page was then flipped over, stopping before the details of another boy, the next person that Madam Rizenne began instructing. The process was slow, with each student consuming at least 10-15 minutes, taking numerous tries to get accustomed to the feeling.


    Jyorta closed his eyes, using his blue soul, going through the information stored in it. Using the connection between the blue soul and the brain, he accessed the information, memorising everything until they were at his finger-tips, ready to recall at a moment''s notice.


    ''Academic knowledge takes priority, followed by the information sister has imparted to me over the past year and a half. I should go through them as many times as possible, making me prepared to recall them even while asleep or in a drowsy state.''


    With a thought, he switched the vision of the blue soul, feeling the world around him turn dark. His blue soul was massive, crystal clear, and radiating a blue hue. Hovering next to his blue soul was a wisp, the subsoul originating from his Wisdom Parasite.


    He could also sense 8 other souls in his periphery, their sizes relatively similar, and the degree of their murkiness varying with each other. Hovering beside them were tiny wisps, looking almost transparent, except for faint murkiness that steadily permeated through them.


    He felt an intense stench, filled with a myriad of thoughts and emotions, the desires of their selves entrenched into their souls, weighing them down.


    ''The three students to my front, the three to my back, the one on my right and finally, the one on my left, belonging to Haesha.'' Jyorta focused his gaze on Haesha''s soul, looking at the murky mass, the rings embedded into them being numerous.


    ''It seems she has a lot of pressure placed on her. There is also ambition, desire, apprehension, and other feelings, pressing down on her.'' Jyorta retracted the vision of his blue soul, not intending to do anything.


    He had to be careful in the military academy. Even though there didn''t exist any individual who could sense his soul, he still didn''t want to take his chances. After all, he didn''t know the details of the myriad Skills that existed in this world.


    Two hours later, Madam Rizenne finished instructing Haesha, her smile turning wider, the difference being minuscule. She then noticed Jyorta sitting in peace, not emitting a trace of psychic energy. One of her psychic arms flipped through the register on the podium, pulling up his information.


    ''He''s the scion of the Bone Family. No wonder," She nodded, patting his head a couple of times, proceeding towards the next student. Jyorta opened his eyes, feeling surprised at the sudden head pat, trailing his gaze to her back. He then closed his eyes, continuing the process of surfing through his memories.


    ''Even if I were to forget it, the information stored in my blue soul will never be erased. This enables me to go through them again and again, as many times as necessary until it becomes a part of my muscle memory. This is a major advantage.'' A smile crept on his face as Jyorta indulged in his thoughts.


    He then focused in the area of his head, feeling the numerous connections that spanned between his soul and his body, trailing like a complicated web, the network looking complex. He trailed his gaze over each strand, going towards the part of his body it connected to, repeating the process until the memory became etched deep in his brain.


    A wise man once said, "The fastest thing in this world is a thought. A thought can travel the universe in the span of a second."


    ''If I become well versed in them, I can recall the contents within an instant when necessary; it would be of great help to me in the future. There has never been an instance in history where information failed to be of use. The difference between a human and an animal is how well they can make use of the available information and gain an advantage in their quest for life.''


    As he continued to memorise all of his connections, he came across a part of his body that hadn''t formed a connection with his soul. It was a tiny, white crystal, the size of a rice grain. It had a stripe on its surface, the single line dividing it into two halves.


    ''Brain Crystal!'' With a thought, he extended a tendril from his soul, intending to form a connection with it. Without any surprise, the tendril formed a connection with the Brain Crystal, beginning to sap the energy stored in it.


    Noticing the situation, and feeling a small increase in the size of his soul, Jyorta hurriedly severed the connection, ''So, I can directly make use of the energy from the Brain Crystal. Does this mean that I would be able to use my corrosion ability to a greater extent? I can''t wait to try it out.''


    Jyorta turned excited, unable to control his excitement. His hands turned jittery while a wide, stupid grin formed on his face. He then remembered the warnings of his sister and grandfather, reining in his emotions.


    ''I will patiently wait until I graduate from here. After all, I do have the time to spare. Moreover, I have just begun my journey as an Esper. There are many things that I will come to know of in the future.'' His mind turned calmer but the stupid grin on his face refused to fade away, his body being more honest than his mind.


    11:30 AM, finished with instructing everyone, Madam Rizenne appeared atop the dais, "You will be having a 30 minutes break. After that, you are to assemble in the auditorium of the Head office building. There, you will be having a collective lecture on history with the Warriors."


    Saying her piece, she exited through a door beside the dais, her gaze steady, showing zero signs of exhaustion.


    "I feel like Madam Rizenne is stronger than she lets on. What do you think, Jyorta?" Haesha rubbed her eyes, getting accustomed to the light. She then noticed Jyorta flashing a foolish grin, despite his eyes sporting a look of seriousness, painting a comical sight.


    "My sister had once commented on this topic," Jyorta took a couple of seconds to think, recalling the incident, "She said that Madam Rizenne was the person to take charge in the Medical Corps during the absence of Madam Mary. I don''t have an inkling of her actual strength but, I know that she is someone with a lot of weight in our city."


    "I need to work harder," Haesha clenched her fists, her expression filled with determination.


    Jyorta felt his stomach rumble, having not eaten any breakfast. Going without food in this period will have a negative influence on his body. After all, the Wisdom Parasite in him used the energy from the food to nurture his brain and develop his powers as an Esper.


    "Let us quickly grab some food before heading there, okay?" Jyorta turned around, asking for her opinion.


    "Sure, I don''t mind. We have free time for the next 30 minutes anyway." Haesha replied, thinking of the ways to make use of her time, her thoughts churning towards her goals.

 Chapter 77：Parasite

    Walking out of the White Building, Jyorta noticed students dressed in tracks, marching in a file towards the centre of the ground, situated very far from him. The distance was so great that he could barely make out their figures.


    "Is something happening today too?" Haesha sounded out, feeling curious while at the same time apprehensive about the situation. She knew that she would have to experience the same during the duration of her stay in the military academy.


    "Let us take a good view while sitting in the cafeteria." Jyorta said, "After all, it is the building closest to them."


    The ground was a large piece of land, spanning 1000 metres in length and 400 metres in breadth. The large area was used for a myriad of exercises, drills, training, etc.


    11: 45 AM, occupying a seat closest to the open section, Jyorta gazed at the training exercises. Placed before him was a plate of food, filled to the brim. Accompanying them was a fruit juice, suited to his palate. Haesha ordered some light snacks, munching them in silence while looking at the training exercise.


    "Come on Espers, is that the best you could do?" A Warrior shouted, followed by raucous laughter. He dodged a ball that flew his way with relative ease, his expression full of taunts.


    An Esper held a basket in his hands, filled with ping-pong sized balls, their material slightly denser. A ball floated out from his basket, flying towards the Warrior, its speed a snail''s crawl, failing to hit him.


    Every time he dodged, the Warrior taunted the Esper, infuriating him. Finally, unable to bear with it, the Esper picked up a ball using his right hand and took a step forward, assuming a throwing posture. He exerted strength in his hand and threw the ball with force, making it land on the jeering Warrior''s face.


    Even though the hit barely hurt him, it served to damage his pride. The Warrior charged towards the Esper, intending to punch him.


    "Number 536 and number 653, failed." A voice resounded, making the Warrior pause, dumbfounded. He then noticed the Esper sporting an expression similar to his own, looking at his hand that held the ball. It was only then that the two of them remembered the contents of their training exercise.


    Each Esper was given a basket filled with balls, numbering around a hundred. They were tasked to use their psychic energy on the balls and hit the Warriors with them. The task of the warriors was to dodge the attacks, provided they stay within the boundary.


    The boundary was a wide barrier erected from psychic energy, steadily shrinking towards the centre. Scores were bases on the number of hits/misses. Espers gained a point for every hit while the Warriors gained a point for every successful dodge. The scores were calculated by the teachers, with the final score directly converted into credits.


    There was a disparity in their numbers, with the Espers disadvantaged due to their powers being weak at Tier 1. But, Espers had more chances to score considering they held the initiative, while Warriors had lower chances due to their greater numbers.


    This was why they taunted the Espers to attack them. As long as the Espers attacked them and missed, they would reap credits. For them, it was an easy way to rake in a larger number of credits.


    Seeing the development on the field, Haesha felt confused, gazing at Jyorta, "I thought Espers were stronger. But, why are they getting owned here like they meant nothing?"


    "Espers at Tier 1 and Tier 2 are kind of useless. At these 2 Tiers, it is a guaranteed loss for them when they fight against the Warriors. At Tier 3, they are more or less evenly matched and would begin to dominate Warriors at Tier 4 and Tier 5. I also heard my sister mention that their strength once again becomes more or less equal at Tier 6." Jyorta whispered, taking caution to prevent prying ears from hearing their conversation.


    Even though everything he mentioned was available in the ''Portal'' to refer, it had just been a day since his arrival. So, he had to take caution and pay heed to his words, not talking beyond necessary, acting like an enthusiast whenever possible. It was a front to cover up possible blurts in the future.


    11:55 AM, finished with their food, the two of them exited the Blue Building, walking towards the Head Office. Following behind some familiar faces of their batch, they soon arrived before a large auditorium. It had an entrance in the form of a double door, numbering six in total, located across various places in the auditorium.


    There was an elevation for each row, circular in shape, the seats looking comfy, capable of seating 2000 people. There was a dais at the front, its height allowing everyone seated to view without trouble. To its end was a large white screen, 15 metres in length, and 10 metres high. A podium was situated to a corner on its left, its position calculated so that the screen behind remained unobstructed.


    11:58 AM, as the duo entered, they saw a staggering number of students walking to and fro, trying to find their friends and seat themselves according to their preference as a group. Jyorta glanced around, trying to scan for his friends, failing to find anyone amongst the crowd.


    Too many people were around him, hindering his vision, making him unable to spot his friends. Moreover, none of his friends had physical traits that stood out among the crowd, making his search all the more difficult.


    Letting out a sigh, Jyorta turned around, finding Haesha missing, seemingly disappeared. He soon noticed her figure at the farther back, dragged away by her friends, engaging in chatter, laughter echoing amongst them. Haesha turned her head, looking at him, sporting a wry smile, and expressing her apology, her actions quick.


    Jyorta nodded, letting out a chuckle. "Guess she''s pretty popular among her friends."


    He then found a random seat to occupy, situated next to the path, noticing at least 5 seats to his right being empty. As he occupied his seat¡ªidling around¡ªsix people walked towards him, four boys and two girls, forming a group.


    A boy among them walked forward, pointing towards an empty seat 3 rows forward, whispering at Jyorta, "Bro, can you sit there?"


    "Sure, I don''t mind." Jyorta smiled, vacating the seat, walking forward. He then neared the empty seat, asking the person sitting next to it, "Excuse me, can I sit here?"


    The boy nodded, looking mildly disappointed at the fact that a boy approached the empty seat first. Jyorta occupied the seat, thinking, ''Ah, the troublesome nature of a teenager. Well, I am not that different myself.''


    At noon, Madam Rizenne walked in, closing the 6 doors upon entry. She then scanned past the crowd, "So, all 878 students from the October batch are here."


    "For our first class, let us start with something you all are familiar with," Madam Rizenne said, making the image of an old man with oriental features appear on the screen. "He is Rhachis Ancestor Dawn, the first Tier 6 Warrior to emerge from humanity."


    The image then flashed to another old man, his facial features looking delicate, having an androgynous face. His eyes made one fearful, the image creating a sense of suppression. "He is the second Tier 6 Warrior to emerge, Rhachis Ancestor Reef."


    The image finally changed to one they were the most familiar with. Before Madam Rizenne said anything, the crowd echoed the words, "Rhachis Ancestor Light."


    Madam Rizenne nodded, "These three were the first pillars of humanity. Only under their banner did we survive and develop, eventually creating 5 strongholds for humanity."


    A hand on the first row rose, the actions abrupt, gaining attention from everyone present. Getting a nod of approval from Madam Rizenne, the girl¡ªwho had raised her hand¡ªstood up, grabbing hold of the mike that flew her way, speaking into it. Her voice was smooth, and melodious, making the listeners want to hear more.


    "Ma''am, I thought there were six cities?"


    Hearing the question, Madam Rizenne turned silent, motioning for her to sit. She then flashed the screen back to Rhachis Ancestor Dawn, "The arrival of Rhachis Ancestor Dawn signalled the rise of humanity from its dark ages. As a show of respect and hope, we have named our current era as the Dawn Era."


    Ignoring the signs of confusion that cropped up the girl''s face and the others who were looking forward to the answer, Madam Rizenne continued, "Before Rhachis Ancestor Dawn appeared, humanity was on the brink of extinction, having to face the onslaught of the Frenzy Beasts that grew powerful day by day, their numbers exponentially increasing. It was an apt scenario for the term Dark Ages."


    Judging the pace of the speech, Jyorta frowned, ''She seems intent to dodge the question. But, why does she have to do that?''


    "The cause of the Dark Ages was thanks to a sole individual, the First Ancestor, one who is strong enough to face off against six Tier 6 Ancestors and come out unscathed." The screen flashed to a humanoid individual, looking like a fusion between man and beast.


    His face was blank, bereft of any facial expressions, except for a mouth that lacked a tongue or teeth. Each strand of his hair, long and transparent, had suction pod-like mouth at their ends, painting a scary picture.


    "He is the reason for the destruction of the 6th city of humanity," Madam Rizenne finally gazed at the girl who had asked the question, "The details of it are classified. If you want to learn more about them, you would have to become a Transformer or a Sky Controller at the very least."


    Her expression then turned solemn, a feeling of anger accumulating underneath her tone, "He is the strongest of all the Ancestors. He is the source of the Frenzy Parasite that gives strength to all Frenzy Beasts. Each strand of his hair is a Frenzy Parasite. He could create a million of them in an instant."


    "Moreover," Her expression was tinged with hopelessness and despair, infecting the students, "Every living being, whether human or Frenzy Beast, once they lose control, he would gain control of them. He can influence all the parasites in the world, and make them do his bidding."


    "He goes by many names," Madam Rizenne let out a forlorn sigh, "The First Ancestor, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, Beast God, and finally¡­"


    "Mother Parasite."

 Chapter 78：Labyrinth of Frenzy

    "Mother Parasite."


    The two words sent his mind into chaos, exerting mental pressure on him. Moreover, the hair of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite was an exact replica of the creepy-haired man, further serving to confuse his mind.


    "What¡­the hell is even happening?" Jyorta facepalmed, muttering in confusion, his expression one of fear, mixed amid broiling suspicion.


    ''Does that mean the creepy-haired man was similar to Rhachis Ancestor Parasite? Even if he was, is he on the side of humanity? Also, why did he bring me here? How am I supposed to face against a monster that is claimed to come out unscathed from a fight with six Tier 6 beings? Moreover, how can I stay assured that he hasn''t done something unspeakable to my soul that will erupt at the opportune time?''


    Jyorta closed his eyes, using his blue soul to overlay a false persona¡ªone of calm¡ªon him, thinking. He slowly sorted his thoughts, taking the view of his blue soul, trying to look into its depths, in fear of encountering something dangerous.


    Fortunately or unfortunately, he failed to find anything amiss, making him wary. For external problems, even if they were too much to handle, there existed solutions to rectify them. But, internal problems were tricky, often hiding in you, becoming you, their existence fused into you.


    ''If the creepy-haired man actually did something to my soul other than what I''m aware of, then I will be damned. I can''t do anything about it. So, I will just focus on what is feasible for now.'' Sorting out his thoughts, Jyorta retracted his false persona, listening to Madam Rizenne.


    "We will go into detail about him on a later date. Some books in the library are a compilation of his involvement in various matters; they are just a brief account and can be accessed by you at present. If you are interested, you can further read about them in the Portal." Madam Rizenne then continued to talk about other topics, finally concluding the lecture.


    2:00 PM, Jyorta sprinted towards the cafeteria, hoping to join the queue early, and avoid the scene from the previous day. When he had reached the area, he noticed the queue just forming, with there being less than 10 people.


    He joined the queue, placating his thumping heart, his mind distracted to the contents from before. ''Do I have to face such a monster in the future? Moreover, will I even become strong enough to warrant something like that?''


    Showing his ID card and getting a slip, Jyorta walked towards the food counter, giving his slip to a chef stationed there, preparing the food of his requirement. In practiced motions, the chef received his slip and retrieved an empty place, quickly filling it with calculated proportions of the food.


    Jyorta motioned with his hands, touching his thumb on his index finger and sliding it down, asking for an extra portion. The chef stared at him, the intention behind it vague, adding an extra portion. Jyorta nodded his head, a smile beaming on his face, thanking the chef. He then found himself a vacant table to sit, starting to dig into his food in a hurry.


    The smell and taste of the food cleared up his thoughts, ''From what I know, Gajara Rahi hasn''t faced anything of the sort even after being a Tier 6 Warrior for almost a century. The cause that led to her demise is because she created too many subsouls¡ªmost of which were of the Frenzy Beasts¡ªand absorbed them into her main soul, eventually causing her to suffer from a multiple personality disorder. The other Ancestors also acted against her. They are as a result of her actions¡ªan external threat.''


    ''As long as it''s not obvious, I should opt for an optimistic mindset. I''ll deal with any problems when they arise and strive to increase my strength for the time being. After all, if I am not strong enough, I can only continue to dance in the palm of others.''


    "One step at a time; I will prepare for the future." Jyorta murmured, continuing with his lunch. Even though the food wasn''t exactly to his liking, it seemed to have a high nutritional value. Moreover, he required a lot of energy to nurture his powers; so, he wasn''t picky.


    Within a minute, all the tables surrounding him were filled with Espers, talking, and eating. Two girls approached his table, "Hello, can we sit here?"


    "Sure, feel free," Jyorta nodded, his gaze focused on the food before him, his mind thinking about the subjects he had to study next.


    "Maths will take a week to finish. Physics and Chemistry are my strong suits; they will need at most 4 days considering all I need is a revision. The contents of the computer science subject are pretty easy too. History and language¡­I''ll think about them in the future when I have read enough. Commerce and accountancy¡­I know next to nothing in them. I''ll first score as many credits as possible from my strong subjects." Jyorta murmured, his mumbling barely audible.


    He was lost in thought, the feeling of wanting to become stronger growing in him. It was only when he had finished his food did he break out of his thoughts, hearing the conversation between the two girls. Also, at some point in time, another boy had arrived, occupying the final seat.


    "I heard Khasta managed to breakthrough yesterday and became an Amplifier. Also, his breakthrough was supposedly so smooth that he walked out an hour later, looking as if he had just eaten some snacks."


    "I saw him just now," The other girl nodded, "He looks perfectly healthy, as if he hadn''t lost even a single kilogram during his breakthrough. This will drastically change the rankings of the January batch next month."


    "Indeed, making a successful breakthrough to Tier 2 nets you 20,000 credits after all. Seeing his success, the other two top rankers are also planning to breakthrough by the end of this week."


    "You should have seen the top ranker from the November batch," The boy interrupted their conversation, receiving glances of surprise. He then smiled, acting as if they were close friends, "He is an absolute maniac. He has already exchanged for the Trait of Severability and is now aiming for the Trait of Growth."


    "How is that possible?" Hearing the claims, Jyorta couldn''t help but interrupt, "The Trait of Severability costs 90,000 Credits while the Trait of Growth costs 1,00,000 Credits. Altogether, they add up to 1,90,000 Credits. Isn''t such a number impossible?"


    "You are¡­" The Boy looked at his shirt, smiling, "You are from the October batch, right? It is normal for you to not know. There is something called the Labyrinth of Frenzy. It will be open to you during your final three months here. You can accumulate a lot of credits there."


    "Labyrinth of Frenzy¡­" Jyorta muttered the name, memorising it.


    "Back to the point," The boy turned around, looking at the two girls, "The total duration of his stay there has exceeded one week."


    "A week?" One of the girls muttered out in shock. As part of the December batch, she knew very well of the dangers that inhabited the Labyrinth of Frenzy. She could hardly survive there for an hour before retreating with grave injuries. The duration of a week was too much to think for her.


    "Moreover," The boy continued, "He has also vowed to exchange all the Traits available and strengthen himself to the maximum."


    "All the Traits?" The other girl too expressed her shock, mentally calculating the number of credits needed for that. Noticing the time displayed in his watch, the boy began to gobble his food, almost choking a couple of times.


    Jyorta looked at the boy''s shirt, noticing that he too was from the November batch. "Senior¡­"


    The boy coughed violently, spilling the contents from his mouth, raising disgusted shrieks from the two girls. He then gulped down half a glass of water and tapped his chest, gazing at Jyorta in anger, "Stop with the bullshit senior business. I am just 11 months older than you."


    "Call me Rakh,"


    "Rakh, can you tell me more about the Labyrinth of Frenzy? I am curious about it." Jyorta stuttered, failing to pronounce the name correctly on the first try. He then noticed Rakh taking a second glance at his watch, getting up from his seat.


    "Sorry man, got to go. You can search up the information in the Portal though. Everything you need to know is there." Saying his piece, Rakh hurried with his empty plate, dropping it in the designated area. After washing his hands, he bolted towards the exit, his speed shocking the nearby Espers.


    "¡­He was a Warrior?" Jyorta exclaimed, taking a glance at the two girls. One of the girls grunted in annoyance, looking at the unfinished food on her plate. Some particles of the food had flown to her plate from before, making her disgusted to even touch it.


    "He probably stole the ID card of an Esper and sneaked here. Many Warriors do that since the cafeteria for Warriors is almost ten times as crowded as ours."


    "Wait, I remember his name," The other girl smacked her forehead, her voice shrill, "He''s Rakh Veera, the top-ranked student from the November batch."


    "Does that mean¡­" Jyorta wanted to laugh, "He was talking about himself as a third person?"


    "No wonder his face looked familiar. Though, everything he said is probably true. I heard one of my friends mention that he had the habit of spreading rumours about himself. He claims the pressure from the rumours motivates him to work harder."


    Finished with his lunch, Jyorta returned to his dorm, changing into a tracksuit. He then sighed, "Whatever world it may be, geniuses exist in large numbers, standing head and shoulders above their peers."


    "Well, that is what makes life so interesting. Challenges, rivalry, and competitiveness, they exist everywhere." With a smile, Jyorta exited his room, heading towards the open ground.


    He followed behind some familiar faces¡ªEspers from his batch¡ªand marched on the ground, his heart feeling slight trepidation, wondering the training activities he would have to face.

 Chapter 79：The First Training Exercise

    2:30 PM, Jyorta looked at the students converging on the ground, occupying the area next to the Head Office. He could feel the emission of psychic energy from some people near him, the rest were seemingly Warriors. Taking a look at their shirts, he figured everyone belonged to his batch.


    Suddenly, something crashed into the ground before them, sending patches of grass mixed with soil flying everywhere. A small crater around a metre in radius had formed; the man standing at its centre looked at the students.


    "Welcome to the military academy, Cadets." His booming voice resounded through the crowd, making them clutch their ears, trying to muffle the sounds. "Though, I like its other name better. So, welcome to the Academy of Perseverance."


    He took a step forward, producing a dull thud on the ground, forming an imprint, "I am Rishen Veera, your physical training instructor. You can just address me as Rishen Sir; the other Cadets seem to address me that way."


    Rishen Veera then motioned for them to stand in formation, "Make 20 columns. Considering your strength, there will be 42-43 Cadets standing in each column. Hurry up!"


    As the students hurriedly formed lines, Jyorta randomly picked one to join. He had to crane his neck, peering over the shoulder of a tall boy who stood before him, looking at the 15 other students in the line; there were more to his back. Unable to look at Rishen Sir due to his vision being blocked, he attentively listened to the sounds, hearing him talk.


    "We will generally address you as Cadets during training activities or while in a lecture. But, most teachers just mix it up between students and Cadets; so, don''t mind it." Rishen Veera said, nodding in praise at their quick reaction.


    "The time is currently 2:35 PM; we have class till 4:30 PM." He smiled, his expression sending chills to the students who stood in the first row. "Stamina is the most important when you roam the Wilds in the future. Even if you exhaust your energy, as long as you can run and fight using your body, your chances of survival would increase. Moreover, you would generally have to run for long distances during every mission, making stamina training a necessity."


    "For starters, you would be running along the path we make," Rishen Veera looked up into the air, "Ground staff, can you handle this matter? Please use design number one."


    Following his shout, ten streaks flew towards them, stopping in the air, hovering at an altitude of 20 metres from the ground. Without speaking anything, they each spread put along the breadth of the ground, waving their hands as they emitted a dense amount of psychic energy.


    Jyorta hurriedly closed his eyes, trying to get a feel of the psychic energy emitted from the staff nearest to him. He soon noticed the psychic energy around the staff converging into a psychic arm. "1¡­2¡­3¡­4; the staff is a Ground Controller," Jyorta exclaimed, looking at the staff with interest.


    Suddenly, a narrow gorge appeared on one edge, trailing from one end to the other, spanning a kilometre in length. Immediately, more than 20 gorges appeared on the ground, parallel to one another, trailing along the length of the ground, creating numerous paths.


    As the surrounding students exclaimed in shock, Jyorta noticed the staff converging all the four psychic arms into a larger psychic arm, making it assume the shape of a hand. The psychic arm then ploughed the field, spilling out soil in clumps of various sizes, ranging from a metre to 5 metres in size.


    The entire ground became messy, the terrain uneven, filled with hurdles. Once it was done, all the ten staff used their psychic energy to further deepen the gorge, also making its width span 4 metres. Jyorta peered into the gorge, feeling apprehensive of its depth, thinking, ''It is at least 5 metres deep. If I fall into it and come into contact with a sharp rock, I might very well say my farewell to this world.''


    "Now, Cadets," Rishen Veera shouted, making the students clutch their ears once again, "You will start the course from the Warrior Block and try to arrive at the Esper Block. Starting from this Head Office area, you will proceed straight, take a left turn when you approach the White Building area, and return here, finishing a round. Then, you will make a ''U'' turn to your right and once again dash towards the White Building area, continuing with it."


    Seeing the looks of the students, Rishen Veera laughed, "Don''t worry; you only need to avoid the gorges. There is just a single path for you to take, and that is to proceed straight. You would be making 10 trips in total, shuttling between the two ends of the ground, the distance rounding over to 20 kilometres. Moreover, you will be awarded Credits based on when you finish. First place gets 100 credits while the hundredth place gets 1 Credit. Beyond that, you will not get anything."


    "Even if we only have a single path to take, amid this crowd, and considering the narrow area for travel, it is not going to look pleasant." Jyorta murmured, raising his vigilance.


    Suppose he trips and falls over, amid the rush, there was a fair chance that he would be stepped upon. In the rush for credits, people would most probably become blind. Moreover, the people on the back will continue to push the people on the front, raising the chance for a stampede.


    The students then marched along the edges and arrived near the Warrior Block, to the corner adjacent to the Head Office Building. This was the starting point, with the end situated in the corner between the Head Office Building and the Esper Block. They faced in the direction of the White Building, crouching a little, looking ready.


    "The time limit is 4:30 PM. You have 110 minutes. Begin!" The moment he shouted, the students on the first row started to run, sprinting onto the rugged path. With the very first step, most of the students lost balance, tripping, and falling. An instant after their fall, they hurriedly picked themselves up and started to run, traversing the path that was many times worse than an obstacle course.


    Moreover, the path to run was only about 16 metres wide, painting a narrow space for the crowd of 800+ students. After a couple of seconds, the boy before him started to move. Jyorta became alert, trying to create some space for himself so that he doesn''t get pushed around.


    Taking the first step on the path, Jyorta mentally cursed. ''How the hell did they change the texture of the soil? This feels like sand. Moreover, there are many rock-like objects strewn around. They are probably the soil clumped into rocks under the pressure exerted from the psychic energy of the staff. Though, I don''t know how much force they used to achieve this feat.''


    No sooner had he proceeded 10 metres, the crowd before him became denser.


    Jyorta jumped on his spot, raising his line of sight, looking at a large rock that was 5 metres wide and 2 metres high. Students pushed and pulled at one another in order to advance faster.


    Jyorta jumped again, taking a look towards the sides, gazing at numerous students falling into the gorges as they tried to avoid the obstacles and the crowd.


    ''This is mayhem.'' Jyorta sighed, feeling perplexed. He wasn''t tall and buff like some of the students surrounding him, making him feel as if he would be squished any minute. He cautiously inched forward, covering his face from the elbows that flashed in every direction. Many didn''t seem to care if the elbows they flailed hit the faces of others.


    "Ouch!" A girl two meters diagonally to his left screamed, clutching her nose that bled profusely. Tears streamed from her eyes as she felt the pain. She then saw the boy who had unconsciously hit her, inching forward in his struggle to climb over a large rock.


    Her expression morphed, clouded with anger as she jumped towards the boy, not reacting to the couple of hits she received in her dive, grabbing hold of the shoulder of the boy. She then bit his left arm, making the boy raise a shrill scream. The two immediately began to fight each other, infecting the others surrounding them when they received a couple of hits.


    "Gohff," Jyorta grunted, clutching his stomach in pain, involuntarily crouching down. No sooner had he done so did a student trip over his crouched body, falling next to him¡ªhis legs locking Jyorta in place.


    Like a chain reaction, two more people fell, suffocating him under their body weight. "Get off from me," Jyorta screamed, gasping for breath, trying to wrestle out.


    "Blind idiots! Stop for a second!" Another boy cursed as he got stepped upon by a student.


    "Where are you touching me?" A girl let out a shrill scream, grabbing the hand of a boy that touched had her butt.


    "It was an accident!" The boy screamed, getting pushed from behind.


    "As if; die, pervert!" The boy was ganged up by the girl and a couple of her friends, getting beaten up and eventually pushed into the gorge.


    "The students of this batch are wilder than the previous one." Rishen Veera laughed, carried to the air by a psychic arm, made to hover next to a staff. "Please ensure that no deaths occur."


    "They would probably be making a lot of enemies like this. The previous harmonious atmosphere has been shattered." A staff replied, picking up the students that had fallen into the gorge, placing them on the vacant area before the Head Office. The staff also monitored the conditions of the students broiled into the chaos, planning to pull them out when their injuries surpassed a threshold.


    A team of Espers arrived at the scene, beginning to treat the wounded students, prioritising the gravely injured ones. Those with minor scraps on their limbs were set aside for the moment, only given care when all the seriously injured students had been treated.


    "Dammit," Jyorta cursed, wriggling his way out of the entanglement like a worm, using his shorter stature and lean body frame to his advantage. He then pulled the shoulder of a boy who was climbing over the large rock, using the power to push himself over.


    "Bastard," Ignoring the cursing of the boy, Jyorta used the boy''s thighs¡ªperpendicular to the ground since he was climbing up¡ªas a foothold and gave a push, tumbling over the top of the large rock.


    His jump wasn''t perfectly calculated, his footwear hitting the top edge, losing his balance. He then fell over, traversing the large rock, and falling behind a girl who had just propped herself up. The force pushed her forward, implanting her face on the ground.


    Jyorta noticed her, becoming shrewd; he hurriedly side-stepped, weaving through the crowd, taking a different direction. The girl hurriedly got up and gazed behind her, noticing a boy who had just jumped down. Misunderstanding him for the target that had pushed her, she kicked him in the groin region, expressing her anger.


    "Awoooo!" The boy howled in pain, making the surrounding boys unconsciously shield their groin area as they marched forward. Taking a glance forward, Jyorta noticed numerous batches of students, crowded in various places, blocked by stones of various sizes.


    "Dammit," He became vexed. After getting hit multiple times and suffering from a stampede, he had barely traversed 20 metres from the starting line.

 Chapter 80：Disappointment

    3:00 PM, 20 minutes since the start of the race; Jyorta gasped for breath, feeling exhausted. He looked to his left, noticing students run in the opposite direction, beyond the gorge. To his front was the White Building, separated by a barrier that prevented his exit.


    Jyorta reached the end, following the crowd as he turned left, walking through a small section that lacked the gorge. With his back facing the White Building, he began to jog forward, beginning his return. He was just halfway into the first round.


    "Not again!" He groaned, gazing at a large rock that came into view, spanning the width of the path. It was 5 metres in height, its surface rough, forming indentations of all shapes. Jyorta hurriedly trailed his gaze, looking at a spot that seemed easier to climb.


    ''Well, it''s not like the others are idiots.'' He gazed at a section on the rock that looked the easiest to climb, evident by a small crowd that had formed before it. Trial tested by the students that came before them, they had figured out the place that seemed the easiest.


    "Don''t fight, the crowd has gotten thin. Conserve your energy; don''t waste it on meaningless fights." The moment he neared the area, Jyorta shouted, receiving numerous glares. A minute later, Jyorta got the opportunity to climb over, looking from the top that was similar to a cliff.


    Only at this place was the descent easier; even if climbing at other places was easy, descending from there led to grave injuries should they slip up. That was why Jyorta joined the crowded area even if he had to waste an extra minute. After all, experience mattered. The ones that went first had braved the uncharted path, suffering various injuries.


    20 seconds later, Jyorta reached the ground, feeling pain in his ankles. The ground was uneven, a single misstep leading to a sprain. Even though he had gotten a bit used to the unevenness, it was still a daunting path to traverse. The staff had taken measures to create variations per each path, ensuring the students wouldn''t get accustomed to the terrain.


    Many boulders blocked his path but, as long as there was some gap along the sides, Jyorta would squeeze through them. Moreover, since the crowd had considerably thinned out, he didn''t have to wrestle his way for every step forward.


    "Hello, Jyorta," A voice resounded behind him. The next second, the figure of Ashten Coorg appeared, looking fine for the most part. He then waved his hands, overtaking Jyorta, "Bye, Jyorta."


    "This race is favoured towards the Warriors." Jyorta murmured, trying to control his breath, intending to conserve his stamina. He then looked to his back, noticing George flash him a smile.


    "Long time no see, Jyorta." George smiled, retracting his gaze, marching forward, keeping an eye on the ground. He was a head taller than Jyorta, his body considerably built. Currently, he was the least injured among everyone he had noticed.


    ''Did he stand at the very end and managed to avoid the slaughter-fest that happened?'' Jyorta thought, finding a suitably sized rock to sit on. He planned to rest for a couple of minutes before resuming his run. As he massaged his aching legs, he noticed a figure coming to a halt next to him.


    "Are you tired?" Haesha inquired, looking at his appearance.


    "Yeah," Jyorta nodded, his words incoherent as he struggled to catch his breath. "I got plenty of hits in the starting area."


    "Don''t rest for more than 5 minutes. A huge crowd is coming," Haesha pointed towards a spot in the previous path, at a position 200 metres from the White Building. "They are part of the gang that waited at the starting line after seeing that¡­fight between the students that entered first."


    "You seem quite fine," Jyorta said, taking a glance at her appearance.


    "Haesha, let us hurry before more people crowd the area." A girl''s voice resounded as 4 girls arrived, sporting mild injuries.


    "See you at the finishing line, Jyorta." Haesha waved her hands, continuing to run along with her friends. They were commenting and giggling with each other, looking relaxed. One of them glanced his way and whispered to a friend near her.


    ''I hope they are not badmouthing me.'' Jyorta thought, feeling drained. A minute later, he saw the number of people passing by him increase, making the path feel a bit crowded once again.


    "I should get going," Jyorta stood up, feeling the muscles in his legs ache. He then began to jog, taking his time to conserve his energy, slowly going forward. He then noticed a petite figure jogging beside him, having not broken a sweat.


    The moment he gazed at her, the blue soul in him immediately overlaid a prepared persona over his¡ªone of calm, unflustered at everything.


    "Hello there, Jyorta. You seem pretty beaten up." Laila said, flashing a gentle smile. Her tracksuit lacked a single blemish, as if she had just arrived. She jogged on the uneven ground, not once losing her balance, enjoying the atmosphere.


    "Hello Laila," Jyorta let out a self-deprecating laugh, "I got under a stampede twice, just my bad luck."


    "Well, don''t delay too much. The time is ticking away," Laila smiled, her laughter gentle. She then overtook him, quickly traversing the path without trouble.


    ''As expected of Rhachis Ancestor Space; something like this is a mere cakewalk for her. '' Jyorta gazed forward, noticing another obstacle that had appeared. It was a pit, spanning 5 metres in length and sporting a depth of 2 metres.


    Jyorta looked at Laila perform a jump, landing inside the pit with composure. She then glanced at Jyorta, motioning for him to follow with her eyes.


    Laila crouched low, her expression focused on the wall before her. Springing forth like a feral being, she rapidly approached the wall and jumped, bringing her feet forward and raising her hand up. The moment her soles touched the wall, her legs acted as the springs that cushioned her momentum, storing the kinetic energy in her.


    As her hands dug into the soil on the top, she exerted force into her legs, sending a bit of soil downwards as her body shot up. Mimicking the sprinting pose of a cheetah, she arrived above ground, taking a couple of steps forward to dissipate her built up momentum.


    As she dusted her hands that were coated with dust, she waved at Jyorta, proceeding to jog further. Having seen her actions at full swing, Jyorta was star-struck, stunned into silence for a couple of seconds.


    "She is so cool." Jyorta took in a deep breath and jumped into the pit, rolling on the floor a couple of times to ease the momentum. He then stood up and gazed at the 2 metre high wall before him, his surroundings being relatively darker.


    Another boy was inside the pit, also having witnessed Laila''s jump. He crouched low and sprinted, heading towards the wall, planning to mimic her actions. The moment he saw his pose, Jyorta somehow knew that the boy was about to screw up.


    A second later, he began to run after the boy, separated by some distance, his gaze boring into the boy''s actions. The boy imitated Laila''s actions, performing a jump, bringing his legs forward while raising his hands. His legs touched the wall but, his hands were a fraction of a second late, initiating the response from his legs that had built up power.


    Like a spring released from its compression, his legs unravelled, pushing his body back. Moreover, his contact with the wall wasn''t perfect in the first place, making his foot slip, bringing his legs downward.


    The boy fell on the ground, situated 3 feet before the wall, crouched, feeling some pain in his limbs. Suddenly, a massive weight stepped on his back, its pressure forcing out the air in his lungs. Using the kneeling boy''s back as a foothold, Jyorta jumped up, pushing his hands to reach above ground while also raising his right leg to the side.


    The moment his hands made contact, he transferred the rest of the momentum to his right leg, making it reach the surface. Adding force onto his right leg, he pulled his body up, rolling in a clockwise direction, coming to a stop after four rotations.


    He picked himself up and dusted his dirty tracksuit, greeting a string of expletives. Jyorta peered forward, noticing the boy attempting to jump once again. Without willing to show his face or make his voice known, Jyorta turned around, dashing away from the area.


    Only when he had overtaken at least 10 people did he slow down, conserving his energy as he jogged forth. Finally, he had reached the area near the Head Office Building, taking a right turn and passing through the small section that lacked a gorge.


    Facing his back to the Head Office Building, he began jogging forward, passing one injured student after another. Many were resting, having suffered numerous injuries that weren''t serious to the extent to be pulled away from the race. He then looked to his left, noticing George running on the adjacent path.


    "He has already completed the second round," Jyorta muttered, noticing George''s complexion that looked brisk. It seemed he still had a lot of stamina left in him, judging by his unwavering pace and his demeanour brimming with fighting spirit.


    Jyorta continued to jog, subconsciously raising his speed after having witnessed George. When he had reached the White Building once again, a booming voice rang out, "50 minutes are up; you only have an hour remaining."


    Hearing the voice, the students groaned, looking at the distance they had traversed. Jyorta looked at the White Building before him, his mood turning worse, ''I have only traversed 3 kilometres till now. If I want to even finish the race, I would need to speed up.''


    Gritting his teeth, Jyorta raised his speed, noticing a couple of students near him break into a sprint, unearthing all the energy from their bodies. Jyorta too followed suit, brushing past one obstacle after another.


    As time passed, Jyorta''s breathing became ragged, his legs failing to keep up with his brain''s coordination. Finally, when he arrived before the Head Office again, the booming voice resounded, signalling the end of the race.


    "Time''s up!"


    Jyorta tripped at the sound, falling on the ground and further scraping his injuries, his tracksuit covered with blood. He looked towards his right, looking at the people farther away, separated by many gorges, his expression turning dull.


    ''In the end, I only managed to travel 8 kilometres.''

 Chapter 81：The Hope to Reach The Peak

    ''After that entire struggle, I didn''t even cross half the distance.'' Jyorta thought, finding his body being lifted, and brought towards the area near the Head Office Building. A pale blue light entered his body, healing his injuries and revitalising him.


    Jyorta closed his eyes, feeling down, his mood worse. The blue soul inside him overlaid a false persona over him¡ªone of optimism, calmness, and focus. Immediately, Jyorta began to sense the workings of the pale blue light, watching it heal the injuries in his body.


    Even though he didn''t learn much, he still observed its actions, in response to the future when he accumulates more knowledge and experience. At that time, he could recall these incidents and infer the essence of the Unranked Skill Regen.


    Moreover, he planned to exchange for the Unranked Skill before he left the military academy. Therefore, he wanted to observe the ingenuity of use incorporated by professionals that treated hundreds of injuries almost every day.


    Within a minute, he was nursed to full health. His body brimmed with vigour, his strength recovered to a great extent, making him feel he had enough energy to run at least another 3 kilometres on the rugged path.


    "You can assemble there," The staff dropped him on the ground and pointed towards a corner. He then picked up a student from near the White Building. Jyorta marvelled at the range that the staff could spread his psychic energy into, wondering when he would wield such amazing powers.


    He obediently joined a line, looking at the face of Ashten Coorg, covered in dust, mixed with blood.


    "How much did you travel?" Jyorta inquired, still retaining his false persona. He planned to do so until his depressed state calmed down.


    Since his soul was currently an amalgamation of his blue soul, Jyorta''s soul and the subsoul of the ex-language teacher''s Wisdom Parasite¡ªwith their egos destroyed and their personalities attuned to his¡ªhe could temporarily modify their personas based on the collection of his memories, making them take over his body.


    It was something he had discovered when Heima was still under the influence of Gajara Rahi and had given him quite the scare and mental pressure. He slowly developed it over the past year until eventually creating a false persona, one that wouldn''t develop an ego in the short term, as long as he was in control.


    He didn''t experiment with the time limit to their use before they started to form an ego, as he had only used them for short intervals each time. Currently, the previous Jyorta''s soul was modelled to house the false persona of one with calmness, optimism, and focus.


    He had set aside the subsoul of the ex-language teacher''s Wisdom Parasite, for now, planning to modify it into a different false persona based on his future need. Even if they developed an ego, as he was constantly monitoring them every day, he would be able to notice and make a prompt decision.


    Moreover, he was researching the properties of his blue soul and planned to eventually extract the extra souls from his blue soul. Thinking of the creepy-haired man, he decided to modify the previous Jyorta''s soul into something similar to his, in preparations for the future. After all, he had many considerations.


    "I crossed 14 kilometres and had almost reached the 15 kilometres mark. Too bad, my injuries became too severe and the staff had to pull me out." Ashten Coorg sighed, thinking of his reckless behaviour.


    After his talk with Jyorta and the others, and thinking of the large number of Credits required to exchange for the numerous Traits, he started craving for the Credits. Moreover, having seen the ranking board, he knew how intense the competition would turn out to be.


    Therefore, he pushed his body to the limits, uncaring of the injuries sustained, aiming for the Credits. In the end, he ended up with none. He gazed at Jyorta, "How did you fare?"


    "I didn''t even cross the midpoint," Jyorta sighed, looking at the students that joined the group, looking tipsy, their bodies drenched in blood. None of them made much of a fuss. After undergoing the Induction Ceremony, their pain tolerance had risen up to staggering heights, beyond what children their age ought to have possessed.


    Soon, everyone had joined, forming a similar formation as before the race. Though, the atmosphere was different, with many glares of hatred being exchanged between the students. Many had etched the faces of the people who had wounded them in the initial run and made them unable to finish the race.


    A staff flew towards them, carrying Rishen Veera using a psychic arm, making him hover at a height 2 metres above the ground. The rest of the staff began to level the ground, creating a barrier that separated the ground from the surroundings, lest the dust cloud irritated the others.


    The students could feel the tremors coursing through the ground as the staff crushed the rocks into fine dust and filled the trenches and gorges. They then slammed the ground using their psychic arms and hardened it, finally retracting their psychic arms and emitting dispersed psychic energy, slamming the dust cloud to the ground. Their work efficiency was impressive.


    As Rishen Veera hovered in the air, his booming voice rang out, "Cadets of the October batch; your performance has been subpar to say the very least, the worst as compared to all the batches currently here."


    "But, for those who have completed this training exercise, which is technically quite difficult for Tier 1 Warriors and Espers, we have to congratulate them. There are 3 people in total; I will call upon them in order now."


    ''So, three people made it to the finish line.'' Jyorta thought, feeling somewhat shocked. Even if he hadn''t been injured in the initial stampede, he still didn''t have the confidence to finish it given the time constraint. As he progressed more and more, he had come across path-wide pits and boulders at increasing frequency.


    "The one to finish first is Dalna Doppler; she had completed it with more than five minutes to spare." Rishen Veera shouted as the staff beside him lifted a girl from the crowd, making her hover in the air beside them.


    Her entire clothes were muddy, covered in blood, their concentration greater than the students that had been pulled out. Her hair was dishevelled, while her face was smeared with dirt and grime. But, even then, the aura of victory she released made the hearts of many boys skip a beat, including Jyorta''s.


    ''Now I under why Ashten and the other guys made a fuss yesterday.'' Jyorta thought, wondering about the other two who had finished the race.


    "Even though she had fractured a hand, she was unwilling to give up, refusing the staff from picking her up. She also insisted that her injuries weren''t serious and even proved it by breaking into a sprint, despite her state." Rishen Veera didn''t stint on his praise, "She has perfectly showcased the demeanour of an exemplary student. You all should take a pointer from her."


    "Now, the next to finish is George Eagle; he finished with more than a minute to spare." George was lifted from the crowd, making him hover a foot behind Dalna, to her right.


    George''s clothes were muddy and covered in blood but, his expression was unchanged, looking as if he could run another lap of the obstacle course. His expression was neither proud nor humble, silently staring at the back of Dalna Doppler, his fighting spirit ignited.


    Seeing his expression, a smile crept upon Rishen Veera''s face. The staff beside him looked at the two students with a favourable light. Judging by his expression, he looked like he would keep an eye on them and provide pointers if necessary.


    "Finally, the one to come in third was someone we hadn''t fathomed to finish. It was done by an Esper." Rishen Veera smiled, raising bouts of shock and suspicion among the crowd. "You heard me right, it was an Esper who came in third and was the last to finish. An Esper overtook you in a race that steeply favoured the warriors."


    "She finished a mere 2 seconds before the time limit; the final Cadet to finish the obstacle race, Laila." Following his shout, the staff lifted a petite girl from the crowd, making her hover 2 feet behind Dalna Doppler, to her left.


    Laila sported a calm smile, looking undisturbed by the gazes. Except for the dust that covered her tracksuit, there wasn''t anything else on it, not even a single drop of blood.


    "We began to focus most of our attention on her the moment she reached the 4 kilometre mark. Each of her actions was lithe and filled with grace. She perfectly displayed the mind to body coordination that an Esper can possess.


    "She has also grasped an ample use of her psychic powers to augment her body control when necessary. Only zealous people who focus their mind and body on their powers would be able to achieve this feat so early. You should learn from her and strive to be more like her." The students felt shocked, showing signs of admiration, and feeling the gap between them¡ªthose who stood on the ground¡ªand the three students who hovered in the air.


    Jyorta looked calm, his gaze provocative, his fighting spirit ignited. ''I have my weakness but, I also have my strengths. Now, this is more like it. Even if I''m off to a bad start, I''ll overcome them all and reign at the top.''


    "Dalna Doppler, 100 Credits; George Eagle, 99 Credits; Laila, 98 Credits; The rest, 0 Credits; take a bath and get some rest. You are dismissed." Rishen Veera waved his hands as the staff beside him dropped the three students, his actions gentle. Soon, everyone vacated the area, mostly dragging their feet, looking sullen.


    Along the way, Laila took a glance at George, her expression feeling a mild sense of alarm for an instant before reverting to her cheerful demeanour. She then hopped and joined with her friends, accompanying them back to their dorm.


    All the 10 staff members converged before Rishen Veera, their expression stoic as they gazed at Laila. One of them muttered, "She has the hope to reach the peak."


    "Indeed, after all, breaking the existing norms, there has only been a single precedent."


    "True, she carries herself with the demeanour and confidence of one who can reach the peak."


    "That is good. Only with such a disposition will she be able to reach the summit one day."


    "Yeah, watching her reminds of Rhachis Ancestor Strongest."

 Chapter 82：Advice

    5:00 PM, Jyorta returned to his dorm, placing a towel and a pair of baggy clothes inside a basket. He picked up a shampoo and soap, placed them inside it, and closed the door. After locking it, he placed the key underneath his towel, carrying the basket as he headed towards the restroom.


    After taking a nice shower that spanned 30 minutes, he changed into his regular clothes and returned to his room. He sat on the bed, gazing at the ground through the window, looking at the ground staff sprinkle something over it.


    They then released a dispersed concentration of the pale blue light, making it sprinkle down on the ground. Immediately, the ground was covered by patches of green, soon growing to the previous height in a matter of minutes.


    "There are many ways to use the psychic energy of Espers. I should also begin to learn more about them." Jyorta muttered, thinking back to Laila''s actions. Her gait, her confidence, her demeanour, and her attitude, they all left a deep impression on him.


    ''Tier 6.'' He thought, opening the cupboard overhead, and taking out a trolley bag. He carefully fished out a small box, recalling the instructions that Heima gave him. He concentrated, focusing on his forefinger, permeating his psychic energy through it, making a trace of it seep out.


    The box absorbed his psychic energy and erected a spherical barrier, enveloping him. Jyorta touched it with his hand, feeling the sensation of granite¡ªhard, and smooth to the touch but, painted the illusion of it being soft.


    He placed the small box on the bed before him, increasing the distance between them by a margin, feeling tense.


    Jyorta took a deep breath, gently opening the lid, ensuring the gap he parted not exceeding 2 millimetres. The moment a gap appeared, a dense aura slammed into him. He instinctively retracted his hand, watching the lid close by itself.


    His body shuddered in fright, like an insect caught under a storm, the broiling winds scattering its insignificant body, the rain drowning it with a hail of impacts, and the sparks of lightning that streaked through like a death sentence.


    Jyorta gasped for breath, clutching his chest, struggling to overcome the sensation of oppression. His body was soaked with sweat, trembling like crazy, failing to respond. His limbs hung limp, unmoving. It took 15 minutes before Jyorta could regain his bearings, taking a glance at the time.


    He slowly reached out his hand to the box, infusing a bit of his psychic energy, dispersing the spherical barrier around. He then stretched his left hand, feeling a bit strained as he grabbed hold of a water bottle, downing more than half its contents.


    Taking a meditative position and closing his eyes, Jyorta took in the view of the blue soul, feeling the world around him turn dark. There was the presence of his blue soul, looking huge, emitting a blue hue. Hovering next to it was a wisp¡ªthe subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite.


    The blue soul focused on a particular tendril, trailing along it, ending up at the Brain Crystal. Observing it closely, the formation of the Brain Crystal had increased, albeit the difference being minimal.


    ''So, the nurturing effect of the Wisdom Parasite increases under pressure.'' With a thought, the blue soul extracted the memories of his previous 15 minutes and segregated it to one corner inside it. Exiting from its vision, Jyorta opened his eyes, feeling his body regaining most of its functions.


    He then stood up and began to pace within the room, getting a feel of his body''s behaviour while trying to bear with the headache. 15 minutes later, he felt perfectly alright, taking a glance at the small box once again.


    ''I should make use of my advantages and prepare myself to the utmost limit.'' Jyorta recalled the experience of gazing at the three students hovering in the air, the feat of the staff changing the terrain of the ground, and levelling it in a matter of minutes.


    Taking a seated position on the bed, he once again pressed his index finger on the box, creating the spherical barrier. This was installed to conceal the aura emitted from the Tier 5 Artifact inside the box, lest it affected the other students.


    Moreover, it was something created by Jyovic Bone, a Tier 5 Transformer who had created an Unranked Skill. The arrangements he made were so meticulous that even if a Tier 4 Ground Controller were to stand outside the barrier, he wouldn''t be able to detect anything.


    Once the barrier formed, Jyorta took a deep breath, slightly parting the lid, once again embracing the suffocating aura that slammed into him. The lid closed instantly, blocking out the aura. But, just the fraction that impacted his body made him convulse.


    6:30 PM, Jyorta walked to the cafeteria and ordered some snacks. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were served only at designated times, the intervals of each limited to 30 minutes. But, snacks were available 24x7. Moreover, they were all available to the students for free, courtesy of the military academy.


    Filling his plate with snacks that lacked any taste but boasted high nutritional value, Jyorta occupied an empty table, quickly gobbling the food. Under the effects of the aura released from the Tier 5 Artifact, the Wisdom Parasite in him increased its ''Nurturing'' effect, meaning, it sapped greater quantities of the energy stored¡ªaccumulated as carbohydrates and fats¡ªin his body.


    ''If I continue to eat and use the Tier 5 Artifact at regular intervals, I would be able to create a synergic effect, increasing the speed of the formation of my Brain Crystal. Eating snacks once every 3 hours while feeling the aura once every 90 minutes, and studying my subjects during my recovery period.'' Jyorta created a mental sketch.


    ''Also, I need to begin studying the methods to use my psychic energy. The elders from the family have only instructed me on the basics of basics. Since everything the Bone family has compiled about the Espers is in the Tier 5 Artifact I have, they haven''t said anything much. Sister too hasn''t commented on the topic, saying that I wouldn''t understand the complicated stuff without having experienced the basics.''


    Finished with eating, he returned to his dorm, beginning to study while his stomach digested the food.


    7:30 PM, he once again experienced the aura of the Tier 5 Artifact, the shivering from his body more intense as compared to before. He then decisively stopped to use it for the next six hours, alarmed that his body might suffer from something unknown.


    8:00 PM, he went to the cafeteria and was one of the first to join the queue. Presenting the slip to the chef at the service section, he motioned for him to put an extra portion. Thanking the chef, he occupied an empty table, beginning to eat the food, soon finding his stomach full.


    He hadn''t even finished half of the food on his plate, looking at his bulging belly, lamenting at the fact that his stomach had yet to fully digest the snacks he had eaten before. Just when he was thinking about what to do with the food, he noticed a familiar face sitting near him.


    "Rakh, are you sure you can eat in the Esper cafeteria every time?" Jyorta looked at the person, recalling the afternoon''s incident.


    "Of course I can," Rakh laughed, "I mean, I have the IDs of more than one Esper. If one gets confiscated, I can use another without trouble."


    "Moreover," He continued, taking a glance at his plate, noticing the half-eaten food, "The Warrior cafeteria is always overcrowded. If I line up in the queue there, I would waste too much time. Most warriors there line up at least 30 minutes before the dinner timings. Talk about people with free time."


    "Rakh, can you tell me more about the Labyrinth of Frenzy?" Jyorta inquired, amazed at the speed that Rakh gobbled his food with.


    "Sure, if you give me the remaining food on your plate. I can tell you my insights." Rakh smiled, seeing Jyorta push his plate towards him without hesitation. Rakh laughed and scooped the contents into his plate, returning the empty plate.


    "The entrance to the Labyrinth of Frenzy is situated below the Red Building. In the Red Building, you can find numerous cells, with each cell housing a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast. You can enter them and fight to gain experience. But, you will not gain any Credits should you kill one."


    Rakh grabbed another mouthful and stuffed it in his mouth, his actions efficient, "But, the real challenge is the Labyrinth of Frenzy. Even though its entrance is in the Red Building, the Labyrinth of Frenzy spans the area of our Academy."


    He then paused, lowering his voice, "Moreover, it has many levels, proceeding to the bottom until the Lower Strata. Each level spans a height of 30 metres, with its floor thickness also being 30 metres. There are five levels altogether, with the fifth level based on the Lower Strata. The labyrinth is an expansive maze, filled with Tier 1 and Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts that roam freely."


    He then resumed eating, pausing each moment while he chewed, "Level 1 consists of weak Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts, similar to you. Level 2 consists of medium to peak Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts while Level 3 is full of peak Tier 1 frenzy Beasts and weak Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts. Level 4 is full of Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts while Level 5 is filled with peak Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts. And, if your luck is worse, you might even chance upon a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast."


    "Even though everything is monitored, the staff will ignore the Tier 3 Frenzy Beast that recently managed to breakthrough. Once it gets a bit stronger, they would pull it out." Rakh then pointed at him, "Everything there is dependent on your Sync Rate. You will soon learn in class about getting a grasp of a person/beast''s Sync Rate based on the aura they emit."


    Rakh then raised his hand, putting forward his index finger, "Killing a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast nets you 10 Credits, if its Sync Rate is between 91 and 100. If its Sync Rate is between 51 and 60, you will only get 6 Credits. As for Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts¡­it is 100 Credits for a Tier 2 Frenzy Beast with a Sync Rate between 91 and 100, and¡­you get the idea. This is what I have inferred based on my experience. So, prepare accordingly."


    Rakh stood up, his plate empty, glancing at Jyorta, "The only piece of advice I can give you is to learn fighting techniques and try to augment it with your psychic energy. Yeah, similar to what the Laila person did in the evening. Your psychic energy is really weak at Tier 1 and Tier 2, so try to supplement it with your physique."


    "And finally, you must have a lot of stamina. After all, only when you reach the surface with the Heart/Brain Crystals of the Frenzy Beasts you have hunted will you be awarded the respective Credits."

 Chapter 83：Essence of Frenzy

    8:30 PM, Jyorta made a call to his home once again. As he hadn''t managed to contact the previous night and inquire about the things in the pamphlet he should strive for, he had to make a call.


    Prying eyes existed everywhere in the military; so, he had to ensure that he acted in line and not expose the fact that he had been informed of everything beforehand. Moreover, he was also worried about his sister, the prime reason for his call.


    After three rings, the call connected as a calm voice resounded through the speaker. "Sorry, I had just returned from my mission. It took longer than I thought."


    "It is fine, sister; as long as you are safe." Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief; her voice soothed his tensed nerves. Moreover, he could infer from her tone that she was just exhausted, her mission being taxing. Other than that, she seemed fine for the most part.


    "How do you feel about the military academy? Is it fun?" The voice resounded, its tone filled with curiosity.


    "Yeah, it is fun. They made me run through an obstacle course, calling it stamina training. I don''t know if my stamina improved but, I can definitely take a better beating now." Jyorta laughed. Since his body was perfectly fine, he could brush off the day''s incidents, calling it a bad memory.


    "Well, you will eventually get used to it. It gets harder and harder as you proceed with your stay there. Eventually, you would hope for this obstacle course since everything else would be many times gruesome. Alright, I think they have a time limit to the conversation. Hurry up with the list."


    Hearing the urging voice, Jyorta laughed and iterated everything in the pamphlet. He didn''t go into specifics except for the Trait of Growth and the Trait of Severability, which were inquired by the speaker. The staff soon motioned for him to hurry up, informing him of the time running out.


    "Alright, you should first get the Trait of Efficiency followed by the Trait of Temperance and the Trait of Resistance. Considering your capability, you would be able to get them all soon. Okay, I need to get going. I am still in the middle of work. Don''t stress yourself; take care."


    "I will," Jyorta nodded, "Be safe, sister."


    Hearing the call disconnect, Jyorta sighed once, feeling his mind relax. He then thanked the staff and proceeded towards his dorm.


    On the other side of the phone, a lady placed the receiver down. She had short stature and a slightly plump figure. Her face glistened with an oily sheen while her eyes sported a vicious look, making the others involuntarily take a step back.


    She turned around, looking at a man standing ten feet away from her, maintaining a distance that was more than necessary. "How is Heima?"


    "She is still mad." The man sighed, his voice concealing a mild shiver, trying his best to rein in his fear. "The Essence of Frenzy has seeped all the way to her heart. At present, she is no different from a Frenzy Beast. Thankfully, she has exhausted the energy in her Heart Crystal."


    "Let me repeat," The lady''s voice resounded, sounding pleasant, bordering on a lullaby. "How is Heima?"


    The man blinked twice, his forehead covered with sweat while his hands began to unconsciously shiver. His mind went into overdrive as he thought through his reply, trying to link it to her question.


    He then spoke out, mustering every ounce of his willpower, "The Essence of Frenzy has seeped into her heart and brain. It has also affected her Wisdom Parasite, further raising the chance of her losing control. Even though the best of our doctors are operating on her now, the chances of her survival are almost zero."


    "For the last time, I''ll repeat my question." The lady smiled, painting a picture of innocence only possible for pure-hearted kids. "How is Heima?"


    "S-She¡­she is¡­she has¡­" The man stuttered, his mouth shivering nonstop, failing to produce a coherent word. He then heard the lady sigh, his expression morphing, feeling his mind plunge into despair.


    "If Heima doesn''t survive, I''ll ensure that the lot of you will accompany her. Calling those inexperienced kids as the best, how ironic. If they fail to treat her by tonight, then they can jump into the Memoir Brook." The lady gave their death sentence as if she was sipping her coffee and commenting on its taste.


    The man nodded his head like a chick that lost its composure; he rushed out in a fluster, scrambling on the floor as he fell a couple of times, painting a sorry sight as he hurried towards the doctors, intending to inform them.


    All along, the lady looked at the phone she had put down, basking in nostalgia. She then heard a flurry of footsteps as a middle-aged man walked in, wearing a set of loose, cotton clothes. He didn''t wear any other accessories on him, seemingly having a preference for minimal necessities.


    Even though he walked barefoot, the sound produced when the soles of his feet touched the ground was equivalent to a steel slab dropped on the ground. Receiving a glance from the lady, the middle-aged man changed his gait, not producing any sounds as he walked.


    "Mother, how is Heima? I didn''t want to disturb her treatment so I have yet to see her in person." The middle-aged man spoke, his tone filled with respect.


    "It is not looking good but, she will pull through. She''s a strong child." The lady said, gazing at the middle-aged man.


    "If only Gajara Rahi had more subsouls that hadn''t had their original egos destroyed, it would have been a bit easier." The middle-aged man sighed.


    "Indeed," The lady nodded, "After the death of Space, we have lost contact with the other cities. Even though Ancestor Light''s Unranked Skill can be used to communicate, the travel path to each city falls in the territories of Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts. The last thing we need is to be besieged by them on all sides."


    "So, Heima is a valuable existence for humanity. Moreover, since she has inherited the memories of Rhachis Ancestor Space, as long as she doesn''t die a premature death, she has a shot at Tier 6." The lady said.


    "If it comes down to it, I can use my Unranked Skill on her." The middle-aged man said, "Something is better than nothing. At least, I can preserve the ability in its embryonic stage. I can then research and eventually develop it until Tier 6."


    "It carries a lot of risks. After all, only Rhachis Ancestor Space was well versed in the domain of souls. If you attempt it without much knowledge, and some complications were to arise, humanity would lose a pillar." The lady said, expressing her worries.


    "I''ll remember it, mother," The middle-aged man replied, falling silent. He then noticed the lady placing a hand on her forehead, as if she had forgotten something important.


    She looked at his eyes, her gaze filled with anticipation, "How is your progress in nurturing your Tier 6 Skill?"


    The middle-aged man shook his head, "I have already understood its essence. Now, I just have to wait and accumulate the necessary experiences to eventually complete. If nothing surprising happens, it would take me another decade at the very least."


    "That is¡­wonderful." The lady clapped her hands, her face beaming with joy, "The greater the time to nurture it, the more comprehensive it turns out. Anyway, our city is currently safe. Ancestor Light and Ancestor Marble are more than enough to deter our enemies."


    "In preparation for that, I will be roaming around the city and the Wild Zones in disguise." The middle-aged man smiled, "Also, I plan to meet Kaushik. I want to see how he is faring."


    "Well, make sure you create a good impression on him. I heard about how Ancestor Light conversed with him; that child now hates him."


    "If all your secrets were stripped bare and hung out in display, you wouldn''t take it lying down. Kaushik''s reaction is justified." The middle-aged man said, his expression tinged with a trace of disgust, "Moreover, I don''t like him either."


    ¡­


    Returning to his dorm, Jyorta sat atop his bed, deep in thought. He then retrieved the pamphlet and laid it on the table, taking a glance at its contents, hovering above a certain line.


    [Trait of Efficiency] [12,000 Credits]


    "The sooner I obtain this, the greater my advantage. I guess no amount of knowledge can beat practical experience." Jyorta murmured, taking a glance at the math textbook. He stored the small box containing the Tier 5 Artifact in his trolley bag, securing its lid with rope. He then placed it in the cupboard overhead his bed.


    Changing into his uniform and strapping his watch on his left wrist, Jyorta hung his ID around his neck. Placing a pen with a smooth ink flow in his shirt pocket, he picked up his key and exited his room. Locking the door, he pocketed his key, walking towards the stairs.


    On the way, he noticed the students in the hallway shooting him weird glances. Ignoring their gaze, he exited the Indigo Building, heading towards the White Building.


    9:00 PM, finishing a set of procedures that were efficiently executed, Jyorta sat inside a small room. Spanning 6 feet long and 4 feet wide, the room gave him a cramped feeling. There was a table that spanned the breadth of the room, situated to the end. Placed on it were a keyboard and a mouse¡ªboth wireless. There was also an empty notebook, sporting 30 pages.


    Affixed on the wall was a large monitor, its screen flashing to a set of instructions. Jyorta gazed around, looking at 6 cameras, affixed at various places, making it impossible for a student to cheat.


    Suddenly, a wave of psychic energy washed over his body, inspecting if he carried anything extra. After a second, the psychic energy disappeared as a voice echoed in the room.


    "Subject: Algebra. Test time: 3 Hours. Test type: MCQ." [1]


    Jyorta smiled, his lips curled up further at the mention of the term ''MCQ''.


    ''Now, I can use my shortcuts and quickly finish this test.''


    He moved the mouse, making the cursor hover on a large green button with the words ''Begin Test'' inscribed on it. With a click of his mouse, he began the test.


    [1] MCQ: Multiple Choice Questions

 Chapter 84：Martial Arts for Espers

    A page flashed on the monitor, displaying a set of instructions. Jyorta glanced on them, hovering his gaze above three important lines.


    [The Questions are multiple-choice based, with each question having a single correct answer.]


    [Correct answer gives you +3 marks while a wrong answer gives you -1 mark. Unanswered questions will be awarded 0 marks.]


    [The final score will be out of 300. The credits awarded will be the score divided by 3 and rounded off to the nearest digit.]


    Jyorta read through them in detail, etching the instructions to memory. He clicked an icon at the bottom right corner, refreshing the screen.


    The serial number ''1'' appeared on the left, separated by a column. To its horizontal right was a question, spanning a small paragraph. Below the paragraph were four options, marked ''A'', ''B'', ''C'', and ''D''.


    Next to each option was a Radio Button¡ªa tiny circle when clicked gets filled with green¡ªplaced at appropriate spots, un-glaring to the eyes. To the right of the screen existed another column, displaying row after row of numbers in a shade of white, pertaining to each question.


    As Jyorta answered a question and proceeded to the next question, the row belonging to ''Question 1'' became green.


    There was also a line of buttons¡ªfour in total¡ªat the bottom of the screen.


    [Answered] (Green in colour)


    [Mark for Review] (Purple in colour)


    [Reset Choice] (White in colour]


    [Finish Test] (Light Blue in colour)


    Jyorta continued to breeze through one question after another, finding them simple.


    As he clicked on a question number in the right column, the respective question appeared on the screen. To him, they were easy, not worth an effort. Pulling the rough notebook closer to him, he scribbled variables and numbers on it, solving the question within 3-4 steps.


    Some questions took him more than 30 seconds to solve while others didn''t even require him to think, thanks to the answer present in his memories. All he did was check whether the questions were the exact same as the ones in his memories.


    9:34 PM, Jyorta clicked the light blue button at the below, finishing the test. The screen turned white, refreshing after 20 seconds. It displayed his final score, green in colour, its size taking up half the monitor.


    [Score: 300/300]


    [Credits obtained: 100]


    Jyorta stood up and stretched his arms, exiting the room. ''That was quicker than I had expected.''


    Having completed a 3 hours exam within 35 minutes, Jyorta still had some time left to give another exam. He then completed the preparations to take it and once again entered the small room.


    10:50 PM, Jyorta exited the room, a smile etched on his face. Even though the second test took longer than the first, he had still scored a centum on it. Taking a glance at his watch, Jyorta returned to his dorm, planning to sleep.


    11:00 PM, entering the Indigo Building and arriving on the third floor, Jyorta noticed the sounds of murmuring from the room adjacent to the stairs.


    ''Haesha too is working hard.'' With a smile, he entered his room, taking out his trolley bag from the cupboard overhead his bed. He then fished out the small box secured with ropes, untying it with patience.


    He placed the box on the bed and sat before it, infusing his psychic energy into it, erecting the spherical barrier. Taking a deep breath, he parted its lid by a margin, receiving the full brunt of the aura, symbolising the strength of a Tier 5 being.


    Within an instant, he retracted his hand, suffering from the convulsing of his body. The convulsion was lower than the previous time but was still higher than his first attempt. His hands shivered as he involuntarily began to clatter his teeth, producing a sonorous sound.


    11:20 PM, heaving out a sigh, Jyorta downed more than half the contents from his water bottle, feeling a strain in his muscles. There was a constricting pain that made it difficult for him to breathe, inconveniencing him.


    Jyorta stretched out a little and went to the restroom, splashing water on his face. He returned to his room and placed the small box in his trolley bag, secured with rope. Once he stashed it overhead in the cupboard, he took a towel and wiped the water from his face.


    Taking a glance at the time, he went to the cafeteria and ordered some snacks to eat, feeling a sense of hunger that was increasing in magnitude. Finally, done with the day, he returned to his room and slumped on the bed.


    He picked up a chemistry book and glanced through the first 30 pages, his gaze not lingering on each page for more than 10 seconds. He then placed it on the table, taking a perfectly flat position on the bed.


    Using his blue soul to sever some connections, his body quickly entered a state of rest, falling into slumber. The blue soul though, was active since it didn''t need any rest. Pulling out the memories of the past five minutes, it converted the information stored in the form of images into lines of text, using a part of the brain to help with the process.


    ''For chemistry, most of it functions on memorising stuff. Very few concepts require calculations. I''ll use my sleeping time to accumulate the knowledge of all the theory subjects. Even though accessing the information from my soul takes longer than through my brain, this is efficient considering my time constraints. Moreover, I have the leeway of time during the tests since the questions are of the MCQ type.''


    7:30 AM, the gentle rays of the morning sun shone through the window, falling on the face of Jyorta. His eyelids squinted; his body turned to the other side, facing his back to the rays of light.


    "Turn off the damn alarm!" Followed by an ear-piercing shout, loud, thumping noises resounded from his door, serving to irritate him. Jyorta pushed the bedsheet aside, making it hit the wall near his feet.


    He walked towards the door and pulled it open, his actions rough. "What is your problem? Don''t you have the common sense to not disturb my sleep?"


    "That should be my statement. Switch off your damn alarm. The sound woke me up." A voice trailed back, its owner possessing a tall stature. He also had a lot of muscle growth on his limbs, creating a sense of oppressiveness.


    "Getting up early is good for your health." Glaring at the boy, Jyorta slammed the door shut, producing a loud thud. He then returned to his bed and pulled his bedsheet over his body, trying to sleep.


    Finished with converting all the information, the blue soul became inactive during the middle of the night. After all, it used the brain to think and sort out the thoughts and information. If it went overboard, Jyorta would feel tired after waking up, looking like he had pulled an all-nighter.


    Thanks to its ability to sever connections with the body, Jyorta''s sleep quality was high.


    Looking at the door slamming shut, the boy wanted to curse. It was then he noticed sweat forming on his forehead, making him wonder the reason. His hands also faintly shivered, the effect almost negligible. Linking it to his anger, the boy shook his head, returning to his room, planning to get ready while he was at it.


    "He''s a real bastard."


    8:15 AM, Jyorta sat in the cafeteria, eating his breakfast. After seeing the face of the annoying guy, he no longer felt like sleeping. Hence, he had gotten ready early, giving him the time to eat breakfast.


    "Morning, Haesha." Jyorta waved his hands, greeting the girl that approached with a plate in her hands. Placing the plate on the table, Haesha began to eat her food, a slight sense of urgency in her actions.


    Jyorta pulled out the poster¡ªthe one with the timetable¡ªfrom his pocket, using his left hand to wriggle it in the air, unravelling it after a couple of attempts. He then noticed the class, realising the reason for her actions.


    Taking a glance at Jyorta, Haesha pointed at the timetable, "They will be teaching us the fighting techniques used by Espers. It is the most important class of all."


    "Then, let us hurry and occupy a good spot." Jyorta gobbled his breakfast, feeling his hunger abate.


    8:25 AM, grunting at the number of floors they had to climb in the Yellow Building, the duo finally reached their designated class, looking at the Espers from their batch filing in. They hurriedly entered the room and looked at the varied scenery.


    The walls on the side had numerous compartments installed in it, forming closed racks. The room was 30 metres long and 50 metres wide, segregated into 10 steps. Each step spanned the breadth of the room, spanning 3 metres in cross-length, forming a row.


    Each step was a metre higher than its precedent, instilling the room with a feeling of steepness.


    "Let us occupy a spot as lower as possible," Jyorta whispered, taking a glance at Haesha.


    "I too prefer the same. The room has a weird structure and is making me tense." Haesha nodded, pointing at a spot on the third row.


    Floor mats¡ªspanning 2 metres in length and breadth¡ªwere placed at equal intervals, numbering 15 per row. It was a bit difficult to climb the metre high steps as the duo finally seated themselves on adjacent floor mats, sitting cross-legged.


    Soon, all 131 Espers had arrived, occupying 9 rows, with the 9th-row seating 11 Espers. They were seated high up in the room, feeling nervous, gazing at their classmates sitting further below.


    One of them looked jittery, experiencing a sense of vertigo. His eyes darted to and fro, intending to swap places with someone on the first row, situated on the ground level. Unfortunately, before he could open his mouth, a teacher walked in, looking fierce.


    8:30 AM, the teacher gazed at the faces of everyone present, etching them to her memory. Her gaze sent chills into them as they involuntarily bowed their heads, unwilling to make eye contact.


    "Good, it seems the October batch is filled with punctual students." Followed by her statement, all the compartments arranged along the walls opened, gushing out numerous objects, raining them down on the students.

 Chapter 85：Advantages of Espers and Object Refinement

    The items that fell were of two types: disks and spindles. The disks were light, its radius varying between 2 centimetres and 30 centimetres. The spindles were relatively heavy, their cross-section spanning 1 centimetre while their length varied between 5 centimetres to 15 centimetres.


    The myriad of the items converged in the air, forming a large pile. They then split into 131 portions, arriving before each Esper.


    A pile of items fell on his floor mat, landing 5 centimetres away from his foot. Jyorta looked at Haesha, noticing another pile formed before her, placed 5 centimetres from her legs. He also noticed it repeating with everyone he could see. On closer inspection, even the items scattered into the pile were the exact same.


    ''That mess was segregated in the fraction of a second and split into 131 portions, with each portion placed at the exact same distance from the foot of each Esper. Her senses, calculation, and her psychic energy, they are all terrifying.'' Jyorta thought, bringing his arm forward to touch an item from the pile.


    "Ouch!" Jyorta winced in pain as his arm was swatted away. Immediately, numerous similar sounds echoed across the room, the injured Espers flailing their dominant hand that they used to reach out to the pile.


    "Did I tell you to touch them?" A stern voice rang out, involuntarily making every Esper sit with their backs erect, feeling nervous.


    "Once I''ve finished instructing you, you can proceed to touch them. Now listen," The lady began her introduction, hovering 6 metres in the air, her body unmoving, more rigid than a statue. "I am Mila Marble; you can address me as Madam Mila. I will be teaching you everything about your psychic energy: its uses, actions, nurturing, accumulation, etc."


    "In this one year, you will be whipped into shape to be bonafide Espers." She swept her glance across everyone in the room, pausing for a second on Laila and Jyorta. "So, only two people can prevent their psychic energy from leaking out."


    "Now, I will first give a lecture on the psychic energy of Espers," Madam Mila said, "There are two ways to affect matter: one, using the physical body to apply force, and two, applying dispersed force that doesn''t require direct contact. We Espers fall on the latter."


    "In the early days, the act of using psychic energy and affecting matter was termed Psychokinesis. The term Psychokinesis is wordy and is hardly used at present. The term has become redundant when Unranked Skills for Espers came into the picture." Madam Mila said, her mouth unmoving.


    She vibrated the surrounding air through her psychic energy, showcasing its uses in day-to-day applications. "As the Wisdom Parasite fused into our brain nurtures it, a Brain Crystal would eventually form. It is a condensed form of our psychic energy mixed with particles of the Wisdom Parasite''s body."


    She then created a psychic arm, turning it yellow, allowing everyone to see it clearly. "Think of it as an extra arm that behaves in the way we will it to, lacking any physical limitations. Normally, psychic energy is dispersed; we can use it to affect a wide area. No physical material can block its permeation. But, for the sake of efficiency, we use our psychic arms during battle."


    The yellow psychic arm slowly moved up and down, tossing and turning, clenching and relaxing, performing the basic actions, "Warriors nurture a Skill at every Tier while Espers nurture a psychic arm at the same. At Tier 2, we will have 2 psychic arms, and at Tier 3, we will have 3 psychic arms. Once your Brain Crystal finishes forming, you would be able to create a psychic arm."


    The yellow psychic arm then multiplied, becoming two, repeating the set of actions, "There is one advantage that we have over Warriors¡­well, many in fact. First is that, when Warriors nurture a Skill at Tier 1, its strength is limited. The lower Tiered Skill has a ceiling, almost useless at higher Tiers."


    "For example," As she said, the two yellow psychic arms fused into a whole, forming a small cylinder, 10 centimetres in radius, and a metre in height. To its side bottom, a tap appeared, its nozzle faced in the horizontal direction.


    A fluid similar to water appeared in it, visible to everyone present as the cylinder became a transparent shade of yellow.


    "Consider this tap as the Tier 1 Skill of a Warrior and this cylinder as the energy in their Heart Crystal. The volume of the cylinder is the amount of energy they possess and the liquid pressure is the quality of their energy." As she said, the tap opened, leaking out a stream of water, making an arc as it fell.


    "Now, it changes for a Tier 2 Skill." The cylinder expanded downwards, becoming 2 metres in height. Another tap appeared to the bottom on its side, twice bigger than the previous tap. As she opened it, a thicker stream of water gushed out, making an arc in the air.


    "Now, see the difference; despite the increased volume and the pressure at the bottom increasing, the arc made by the first tap remains the same. This is because it is situated one metre from the top while the second tap is situated 2 metres from the top. In simpler terms, despite the quality and quantity of energy increasing, the output of a Tier 1 Skill remains the same, whether they invoke it as a Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 Warrior." Madam Mila glanced around, noticing every Esper being able to understand her words.


    "Espers are also smarter than Warriors. This becomes apparent the higher the Tier since we develop our brains. Coming back to the point, at higher Tiers for Warriors, the Skills they have nurtured during Tier 1 and Tier 2 will prove to be useless." She then dispersed the cylinder, creating a yellow psychic arm.


    The yellow psychic arm lifted a spindle, almost looking like a spear. It was two metres in length and had a diameter of 5 centimetres, looking thick and sturdy. The moment the yellow psychic arm grabbed hold of it, the spear-like spindle turned yellow.


    "I am using my Unranked Skill to make my psychic arm visible to you. Otherwise, you wouldn''t be able to understand just by depending on your undeveloped senses." Madam Mila said. She then held the spear-like spindle using the yellow psychic arm, moving it forward, the pace slow.


    "The psychic arms of Tier 1 Espers can only execute a linear motion. If you control an object, you can only move it up and down or forward and backward." She then raised her brows, creating a subtle change in the yellow psychic arm. The spear-like spindle immediately began to spin along its axis.


    "At Tier 2, your psychic arm can also make objects spin in place. A single psychic arm is enough to achieve this feat." She then raised her other brow, causing another change in the yellow psychic arm.


    The spear-like spindle that was rotating along its axis also began to spin¡ªlike the blade of a fan¡ªalong the middle of its shaft as the focus. It raised gusts of air, producing a high-frequency sound of wind being cut.


    "The advantage we Espers have is that when we become a Wave Controller, all three of our psychic arms can do this. We also have many other advantages that I will explain to you in future lessons. This is why, even though Espers are weak at Tier 1 and Tier 2, they can easily gain the upper hand against Warriors in Tier 4 and Tier 5." Madam Mila smiled, retracting the yellow psychic arm, allowing the spear-like spindle to fall on the ground, producing a loud thud.


    Jyorta trailed his gaze towards it, looking at the large crack that had formed on the floor, with the spear-like spindle not suffering a single scratch. He then heard Madam Mila speak, "I guess this spindle can now be counted as a Tier 5 Artifact."


    Noticing the shock on the faces of the Espers as they trailed after the spindle, Madam Mila didn''t continue on the topic. "So, our first lesson today is learning to control an object using your psychic energy. Even if you don''t have a psychic arm, don''t worry. Just the dispersed psychic energy should do the trick for light objects."


    "You need to know a small theory for it." Madam Mila said, beckoning for the attention of everyone, "Even though psychic energy can pass through all matter, it suffers from some resistance. The resistance varies depending on the material. The greater the resistance, the more your psychic energy consumed."


    "So, in order to counter it, we have come up with a technique. This is a must for every Esper since the greater part of our strength lies in manipulating objects." Madam Mila continued, "We termed it Object Refinement."


    "You take an object of your choice and pass your psychic energy through it, over and over again. As you continue to do it, the resistance offered by the object decreases as it gets more attuned to your psychic energy. After a certain period, its resistance to your psychic energy will become zero. At that point in time, you can call it your Refined Object." She said.


    As the Espers gazed at the yellow spindle, Madam Mila continued, "You can sense the presence of your Refined Object when in range. Moreover, the psychic energy of each individual has subtle differences; meaning, you can''t make use of the Refined Objects of others. Also, the resistance it offers will be even greater than the original material."


    "We will talk about the Domain, Speed, and Force on a later date. Let us concentrate on Object Refinement for today." Madam Mila motioned their attention to the pile of things before them, "Pick up a lightweight item and begin to refine it. This will be your first assignment."

 Chapter 86：Refined Object

    Jyorta looked at the pile of items before him, picking a tiny disk, 3 centimetres in diameter, and weighing a gram. The disk was paper-thin, its ends blunt. Its material seemed hard enough to not get crushed under his fingers.


    Jyorta focused his attention on it, inspecting its smooth surface that had lustre similar to a mirror. He willed his psychic energy, feeling a thin stream emerge from his brain and course through his body, gushing out from the fingertip of his index finger.


    "You don''t need to send it through your body; it takes too much time to do so. Directly permeate it through the air; after all, the production and transmittance of your psychic energy is dependent on your brain and not any other organs." As the voice of Madam Mila echoed in his ears, Jyorta nodded, retracting the psychic energy flowing through his body.


    He then closed his eyes once, feeling the psychic energy flowing within his brain, mixed with the sparks of electric currents that flashed from one neuron to another. He then willed his psychic energy, pulling a stream out of his head, coagulating it before his face.


    He felt a strange feeling as if a part of him had been pulled outside his body, seemingly like an astral projection. The psychic energy then flowed towards the disk in his hands, taking a bit more than a second to traverse.


    As it gushed into the disk, Jyorta felt some feedback. The object offered some resistance to his psychic energy, behaving like it had sentience. His psychic energy coursed through it, flowing between its molecular structure, and giving feedback at each instance.


    The feedback was grainy; the information provided was unclear, making him feel like he was watching an old cable TV that had lost its connection, displaying grains on its screen and producing a grating sound.


    "Don''t try to focus on the feedback. The current you is unable to comprehend it; only Wave Controllers and above can do it." The voice of Madam Mila rang out, breaking his focus. He then ignored the feedback, trying to focus on manoeuvring his psychic energy through the disk.


    Like dipping an object in water, his psychic energy washed over the disk once, twice, thrice, passing through each of its molecules, feeling the resistance decrease after each time. Finally, after the tenth time, he could no longer feel any resistance from the disk.


    Moreover, a mysterious feeling formed in his mind; it was as if the disk had become an organ that existed outside his body, one that he could control. The moment the thought appeared, the disk slowly floated up, its form unstable, lacking a balance that could support it firmly.


    "Try to stabilise it first." The voice echoed in his mind, guiding his thoughts, "Think of it like holding a book on the palm of your hand. Use that image to focus on the disk. It will be difficult without the psychic arm but, as you train this way, your control will increase."


    Jyorta took in the view of his blue soul, watching the surroundings turn dark. There was the blue soul, looking big, and shining with a blue hue. Hovering next to it was a tiny wisp, sprinkled with faint traces of black, emitting a mild stench.


    The blue soul extended a soul tendril towards the Brain Crystal, forming a connection. As the energy from the Brain Crystal gushed into it through the soul tendril, its vision experienced some changes.


    There was a thin stream--slightly concentrated at the centre that became dispersed over the edges, looking like escaping mist¡ªoriginating from his head, flowing towards the hovering disk. Moreover, there were traces of mist clouding its vision, possibly from the dispersed psychic energy of Madam Mila, its contents unable to be discerned.


    After a connection was established, even though the energy in the Brain Crystal was being drained at a rapid rate, the control over the disk increased.


    The hovering disk immediately stabilised, no longer shaking like a tin can that was dropped over the ocean. The blue soul observed the shape of the flowing psychic energy, making a mental note of it, saving the memory in its soul, condensed into blue inscriptions.


    The blue soul immediately severed the connection with the Brain Crystal; Jyorta exited its view. He then noticed the disk beginning to shake once again, looking unstable. The psychic energy flowing into it also thinned considerably, making Jyorta feel a drain in his energy reserves.


    He then remembered the structure of his psychic energy that managed to stabilise the disk, trying to replicate it once again, steadily reducing its unstable form.


    At first, the disk shook like a tin can floating on the sea, when it was the time of high tides. It then slowly developed, gradually improving its stability, finally looking like a tin can floating on the normal sea.


    As Jyorta continued to improve the psychic energy based on his memories, the shaking of the disk eventually reduced to a minimum, looking like a tin can floating on a lake that had a gentle breeze sweeping past its surface.


    Madam Mila hovered in her spot, unmoving. She had her eyes closed, using her psychic energy to guide each Esper, making a note of their improvement.


    ''Jyorta Bone has innate instincts in manipulating his psychic energy. He is quick to find and rectify his mistakes; his learning process is also quite fast.'' She nodded in approval, the first action she had taken since her arrival.


    She then gazed towards the back, looking at a particular Esper seated on the 9th row. Using her psychic energy, she inspected the spindle hovering before the girl, a rare trace of shock appearing on her face.


    ''It is perfectly stable. Her use of psychic energy is ingenious while her control is impeccable. Only veteran Wave Controllers and above can possess such delicate control.'' She thought in wonder, heaving a sigh of exclamation.


    ''Rishen Veera proclaimed her talent and disposition, saying she had a shot at the peak. The ground staff also supported his words, praising her to a great extent. But, this¡­talent; it is almost as if she was born to be an Esper.''


    On noticing the Espers running out of psychic energy to use, Madam Mila used her psychic energy to vibrate the air, "We shall stop at it for now."


    Looking at the Espers holding a Refined Object in their hands, she continued, "The materials used to make these objects are ones with the least resistance towards psychic energy. When you become a Tier 2 Esper, its resistance towards your psychic energy might very well be zero."


    "Also, you should have gotten some ideas as you controlled your Refined Objects." She said, "The titles allotted to each Tier of Warriors and Espers are related to the abilities they gain at that Tier."


    "Tier 1: Line Controller. Your Refined Objects can only travel in a straight line."


    "Tier 2: Area Controller. Your Refined Objects can both travel in a straight line and spin in place."


    "Tier 3: Wave Controller. Your Refined Objects can spin along two perpendicular axes at the same time. It can also travel in arcs. Your modes of attacks are no longer limited to linear progression."


    9:00 AM, seeing every Esper feeling a bit overwhelmed with the details, Madam Mila stopped speaking, "Take a break for 90 minutes. Head to the cafeteria and fill your bellies. We will continue with classes after that."


    Jyorta nodded, heaving an exhausted sigh as he stretched his arms and looked at Haesha. "It was tiring."


    "Yeah," Haesha nodded, getting up from her spot, "Even though we just ate breakfast, I am starting to feel hungry again."


    "Me too," Jyorta laughed, placing a hand on his stomach. The duo then exited the room and walked along the hallway, trying to peek into the other classrooms that they passed by. Looking at the doors of each classroom closed shut, they felt a bit disappointed, unable to satisfy their curiosity.


    Walking to the cafeteria, they each ordered a plate full of snacks, carrying the heavy plates without a sense of embarrassment. Most of the Espers seated there too had similar proportions of food on their plates.


    The cafeteria was vacant for the most part, the tables looking empty. The duo occupied a vacant table. Trying his best to eat in grace, Jyorta looked at Haesha, feeling his heart skip a beat as they made eye contact.


    "It was pretty difficult to control it," Haesha began, feeling vexed, "I hardly managed to lift it at the end. Even then, it looked like a stalk of grass caught in a storm. I lost hold of it many times."


    "It is difficult to grasp but, once you get an inkling to its usage, you would never forget the process." Just when Jyorta was about to share his insights, a voice interrupted. The blue soul in him hurriedly overlaid a false persona on him¡ªone of calm, optimism, and full of focus.


    ''I feel fear whenever I see her; moreover, the feeling is instinctive.'' Jyorta looked at the petite girl that joined their conversation as if it were natural, occupying a seat.


    "Hello, Laila." Jyorta smiled, his expression genuine, thanks to his false persona. "How was your experience with the Object Refinement?"


    "To be honest, it was pretty difficult. It used up most of my psychic energy before I could refine the object. I had chosen a spindle by the way." Laila replied, recounting her experiences. Since the two of them hadn''t witnessed her actions in class, thanks to them seated on the third row, they believed everything she said.


    ''If I hadn''t known of her identity, I too would have believed her so-called experience.'' As the thought flashed through his mind, Jyorta raised his hand and gobbled his food, his ears trained to the conversation.


    At each interval, he would share bits and pieces of his insight, getting a gist of things from their point of view.


    If possible, he wanted to probe for some tricks from Laila. But, he was unable to muster the courage to weave his words in such a way that it would lead the situation to his favour. So, he neither spoke nor inquired about anything more than necessary.


    ''The petite lady sitting before you is an old monster who stood at the peak of this world for more than a century. Never forget it.'' He set a mental reminder in his head, flashing a smile of interest to the conversation, looking happy to share and receive insights.

 Chapter 87：Statue

    9:25 AM, finished with the snacks, Jyorta excused himself. Putting his plate in the designated area, he washed his hands and walked towards the exit, intending to head to his room.


    Once he had moved away from their proximity, Laila looked at Haesha, "I am still feeling hungry. Why don''t we go for another round of snacks?"


    Haesha shook her head, replying, "No thanks, I am feeling full."


    Laila laughed, inching closer to her, "Even if you feel full, it is best to eat as much as you can. The more you eat, the more energy available to the Wisdom Parasite in you, and the faster your Brain Crystal forms."


    "This is the single piece of advice my father gave me," Laila said, her voice a whisper, "After your Induction Ceremony, your body is not your own. So, take the chance to run as fast as you can and ensure that the Wisdom Parasite never catches up to you. After all, it has the prefix of Wisdom for a reason."


    "I''ll heed your advice," Haesha nodded, getting up from her seat, intending to grab another plate.


    "Good girl," Laila laughed, removing her ID card, and placing it on Haesha''s hands, "Get me a plate; I''ll leave the choice to you."


    Seeing Haesha nod and walk away obediently, Laila gazed at the figure of the walking Jyorta through the open section of the cafeteria. She leaned on her table, her eyes sparkling in vibrancy, her smile making the surrounding Espers blush for some reason.


    Suddenly, Jyorta felt goosebumps on his arms as the feeling of a mild electric shock cropped up his spine, making him feel alarmed. He then swerved his head, looking at the sun that radiated heat, making him wonder the chill he felt.


    Shaking his head, he hurried towards his room, closing the door behind him upon entry. He took out his trolley bag and fished out the small box. Untying the rope binding it, he placed it on the bed, sitting before it.


    Finished with erecting the spherical barrier, he opened the lid once again, ensuring the gap being as minimal as possible. The brutish aura hit him; his thoughts froze over, his mind turning blank, his body turning weak.


    "Ghoff," Jyorta wheezed, unable to control his limbs, feeling a suffocating feeling as his lungs failed to expand and contract. His stomach churned in discomfort, the food mixed with his bile juices inching their way up his food pipe, the bottled up contents about to spill out.


    Jyorta fell on the bed, pressing his jaw downward, locking the pathway for food travel, trying his best to resist vomiting out everything he had eaten. The blue soul hurriedly created a soul tendril, attaching it to the lungs, forming a second connection with it.


    It tried its best to override its frozen state, struggling to make it work again. Jyorta felt his body begin to cool down, a sense of drowsiness clouding over his senses. The blue soul hurriedly created numerous tendrils, ensuring that none of the parts of his body failed on him.


    A minute later, Jyorta wheezed, taking a deep breath of air, feeling his body regain a bit of its lost heat. He then tried to prop his body, feeling his hands shiver like crazy as he placed them on the bed. Heaving out a sigh, he rested in the same pose, taking his time to regain his bearings.


    9:45 AM, inching his shivering hand towards the water bottle, he struggled to lift it, spilling more than he had drunk. Looking at his shirt that had been drenched by the water, he looked a bit lost as he got up, feeling his legs shiver.


    ''Just a Tier 5 Artifact is capable of making me feel this way. I don''t know how strong a Tier 5 Relic would be, not to mention a Transformer or a Sky Controller. Probably just their auras alone would be enough to kill me.'' He thought, sitting on his bed. He then got up with difficulty, his body feeling heavier than he was used to.


    The blue soul in him tripled its connections, maintaining his body''s state through forceful means. Jyorta took out a handkerchief, wiping the soaked regions on his shirt. He then exited the room and headed towards the White Building.


    9:55 AM, closing in on the White Building, he noticed the wall no longer white, replaced by a picture.


    "Dedicated Credit Ranking System: March Batch." Jyorta read aloud, bringing his gaze downwards, looking at the Credits accumulated by the top three students.


    "The top scorer is from the Veera Family, having accumulated 56,947 Credits. The second ranker is from the Doppler Family, with a score of 56,921 Credits. The third ranker is from the Bone Family, with a score of 55,672 Credits. All three are from Aristocratic families." Jyorta murmured, looking at the other ranks, feeling a great disparity below the 20th rank.


    ''The top 10 in the March Batch have scores pretty next to one another. Anything can happen.'' Jyorta shook his head, unwilling to waste his time. He then dragged his weary body towards the White Building.


    The rewards listed in the pamphlet weren''t unlimited. The valuable ones were available in limited portions, exclusive to each batch. Hence, the Aristocratic Families ensured that at least one child from the younger generation was born every month.


    This reduced the competition between family members while raising their chances of gaining more resources. After all, the treasures available in the pamphlet were funded by the two Royal Families. No Aristocratic Family could shoulder the production costs for them on their own; the demand vastly outstripped their capacity.


    Beginning from the 4th Ring, Aristocratic families settle in a particular area, making it their base of operations, gradually spreading their influence in the region. From the 4th Ring till the 6th Ring, each Ring had two Aristocratic Families settled within them, having more than 200 years of history.


    Among them, the Veera family was at the top of the Aristocratic Families, possessing two Unranked Skills. Their base was in the 4th Ring, with a smaller part occupying the 7th Ring, due to its special nature.


    The Doppler Family and the Bone Family that had recently emerged had their roots in the 7th Ring. So, altogether, three Aristocratic Families operated and spread their influence in the 7th Ring.


    The rest of the Aristocratic families operate around the 8th and 9th Ring. The 10th Ring that was still being developed was under the direct control of the two Royal Families: Light, and Marble.


    They hand over certain large scale missions to the Aristocratic Families, to clear the Wild Zones every once in a while, in order to further expand the city.


    Central Command or Circle Zero for short was the headquarters of Marble City. Rings 1, 2, and 3 were exclusive to the two Royal Families.


    Jyorta browsed the information in the Portal, gaining partial comprehension about the city of his delving. Not much information about the first three Rings was available, possibly filtered. Also, he couldn''t directly pull up the information about the Aristocratic Families, except for their family name and their base of operations.


    When he searched for the Unranked Skills, only Regen and Flight popped up. The rest, including his Bone Family''s Bone Devour, didn''t appear. At first, he planned to appear for a test and accumulate some Credits but, thinking it through, he wanted to look up more information first.


    ''I will study during the evening and appear for tests in the night. This way, I will have a stable routine.'' Jyorta thought, pulling up more information in the Portal.


    10:15 AM, noticing the time, he exited the White Building. While walking towards the Yellow Building, he noticed students running around the ground, wearing tracksuits. It was normal running, separated by Warriors and Espers.


    The Warriors made a perimeter around the ground while the Espers shuttled between the longer ends, their paths straight. Jyorta took five minutes to observe them running, taking note of the Espers. He saw them using their physical bodies to run, never making use of their psychic energy to augment their pace.


    "Now, this is what I meant by stamina training; just plain, simple running." Jyorta murmured, picking up his pace.


    10:25 AM, seated in his spot, Jyorta looked at the Espers of his Batch walking in, leaking out psychic energy in small but, steady streams. Many seemed to have made improvements; the amount of psychic energy leaked was almost negligible when compared to before.


    Soon, Haesha returned to her seat, shooting a glance at Laila sitting on the 9th row. Gleaming something through eye contact, she shifted her line of sight, looking beyond the 9th row, at the 10th row that was attached to the wall.


    Haesha noticed Madam Mila standing there like a statue, her figure taking a couple of seconds of observation to register in her eyes. The moment she wanted to open her mouth, a voice resounded in her ears, inaudible to everyone else.


    Haesha turned silent, gazing to her front, her mind whirring with thoughts.

 Chapter 88：The Five Statues and the Unconscious Corrosion

    10:45 AM, murmurs echoed across the room as the Espers talked in hushed whispers. They were surprised that Madam Mila hadn''t arrived to class in the time she had designated. It was surprising because everyone in the military academy emphasised about punctuality.


    "Maybe, something happened?" An Esper sitting on the 6th row whispered, his tone belonging to one in search of gossip.


    "Nothing can happen here," A girl sitting next to him snorted, "This place has many Tier 4 Warriors and Espers. Moreover, the Vice Principal is a Transformer while the Principal is a Sky Controller. With their presence, nothing could happen to this academy."


    "That is true," Another Esper interjected, his tone filled with suspicion, "But, what if a Wave had occurred? The previous Phantom Wave had created severe casualties from the 10th Ring, all the way to the 7th Ring."


    "Fool, that is only because people were dispatched from here. No wave has ever managed to break through our walls. The walls were created by Psychic Ancestor Marble. Unless a Tier 6 Frenzy Beast attacks it, the walls would never even suffer from a scratch." The girl retorted, unconsciously raising her voice.


    Suddenly, the door was slammed open as five humanoid figures walked in, yellow in colour, made from crystal. Their faces sculpted to resemble a human face, looking lively despite being solid.


    Jyorta looked at their faces in shock, exclaiming aloud, "Rakh?"


    Hearing his shout, the five humanoid figures turned to gaze in his direction, making him feel a sense of oppression. Their facial features morphed, with each sporting a distinct emotion. They ranged from Anger, Laughter, Calm, Sorrow, and Despair.


    The Sorrow Figure closed the door behind them, guarding the exit. The other four figures bumped their fists, looking ready for a fight.


    "Jyorta, be ready to fight." At some point in time, Haesha appeared beside him, holding a long spindle, looking ready for battle.


    Jyorta nodded, picking up a rod that had a blunt end, its head sporting a small bulge. It was altogether 60 centimetres in length. The four figures sprinted towards the Espers in their proximity, raining down punches and kicks.


    Some Espers were caught off guard, unable to react as they suffered from the blows, crying out in pain. In his hurry, an Esper controlled his Refined Object¡ªa disk that had a diameter of 3 centimetres, weighing a gram¡ªand sent it flying towards the Anger Figure.


    The Anger Figure swatted it towards the side, as if brushing aside a feather that had fallen on its shoulders. The moment the disk flew some distance away from the Esper, it no longer responded to his thoughts, looking no different from a normal object.


    The Anger Figure sent a punch to the stomach of the Esper, reeling his body a step back. The Esper clutched his stomach in pain and kneeled, unable to fight. The Anger Figure sent a kick, knocking him unconscious. It then targeted the nearest Esper, lunging at its prey.


    The Despair Figure fought its way towards Jyorta, knocking out an Esper with every two hits. Clenching the rod in his hands, Jyorta charged forward, overlaying the false persona on him¡ªone of calm, optimism, and full of focus.


    Taking the gap when the Despair Figure punched at an Esper, he lunged forward, slashing horizontally, hitting on its right shoulder. A loud ringing sound echoed as if he had struck a hollow metal, the sounds disorienting his senses.


    In the fraction of a second it took for him to react, the Despair Figure swiped at him with its elbow, making him lose balance as he tumbled to his back. The Despair Figure connected its actions to its next attack, sending a kick. Haesha used her spindle like a spear, arriving on time to make its tip come into contact with its leg, making use of its force to pierce into it.


    Just when Haesha felt that her attack was a success, she watched the Despair Figure continuing its kick, her spindle passing through its leg and coming on the other side, like a train passing through a tunnel.


    The kick made contact with her stomach and sent her flying, a trail of blood accompanying her. His false persona shattered as Jyorta lunged forward, grabbing hold of the hip of the despair Figure. Using his body weight, he made the Despair Figure lose its balance, pressing it down on the ground.


    "Attack!" Followed by his shout, the surrounding Espers converged on the Despair Figure with punches and kicks. As Jyorta held down its left hand, another Esper held down its right. Two more people sat on the legs, using their body weight to restrain it.


    An Esper grabbed the rod from Jyorta, raising it high up in the air, his expression twisted in anger. Jyorta slightly craned his body towards his right, lest the attack hit him. The Esper holding its right hand too did the same as the rod slammed on the head of the Despair Figure, creating a tiny dent.


    "Faster!" Jyorta shouted, his expression malevolent.


    "Hit it harder!" The other Esper bellowed, resisting the ringing sound followed by each hit to the Despair Figure''s head.


    "Aargh!" Letting out a bellow filled with fighting spirit, the Esper used all his strength to bring the rod down, feeling it get stuck at the moment of impact, the ringing sound muffled. At some point in time, the Despair Figure had opened its mouth, biting into the rod, cracks forming on its teeth as a result of the force.


    It jerked its head, pulling the rod downwards. The slight change in the movement of the rod, against his expectations, destroyed his balance as the Esper fell forward, throwing the delicate stalemate formed by Jyorta and the other Esper.


    Using the chance, the Despair Figure wriggled its way out of control. Jyorta craned his gaze to his left, looking at the injured figure of Haesha that was struggling to get up, coughing out a mouthful of blood.


    The Despair Figure got up, retreating a couple of steps, noticing its lack of a left arm. It then turned its head, looking at Jyorta holding its left hand, the area in its socket region showing minute traces of melting.


    Jyorta slammed the severed arm on the floor, the severed region impacting the surface. The impact made the severed region crack and crumble. His mind went into overdrive as he lifted the severed arm, the minute traces of melting no longer present. He looked like he was venting his anger as the blue soul overlaid the false persona on him¡ªone of calm, optimism, and full of focus¡ªonce again.


    Without taking a breather, he charged towards the Despair Figure, using the severed arm as a weapon. The Despair Figure leaned towards its left, trying to balance the weight distribution of its body. It sent a kick with its right, aiming towards his stomach.


    Using the severed arm, folding it along its elbow, Jyorta received the attack, using his body weight and the severed arm to withstand and catch hold of its leg. Having propped herself, Haesha had sneaked towards its back at some point in time, her body forming a kick as she jumped, aiming towards the back of its knees.


    Losing its balance from Haesha''s attack and thanks to Jyorta''s body weight, the Despair Figure fell to its right. Jyorta hurriedly placed his hands into the gap on its right leg¡ªformed when Haesha''s spindle pierced through it¡ªpulling at the sides. Another Esper hurriedly brought a rod and inserted it into the gap as Jyorta retracted his hands.


    As he held the leg, the other Esper craned the rod, using it as a lever, actuating using the weight of his body. With a snap, the right leg of the Despair Figure broke, falling off as crumpled crystal shards. Just as he witnessed the breaking of its leg, Jyorta felt a hit slam into his right, sending his body rolling a couple of feet, coughing out blood.


    As Jyorta tried to get up, he winced at the pain, unable to move his body. He then watched the Despair Figure swarmed by the Espers and beaten using everything they could find as weapons, eventually demolishing it into smithereens.


    Seeing it lay in a crumpled state, Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief, secretly pocketing a couple of crystal shards, ''Dammit; blinded by anger, I reflexively used my Corrosion on its arm socket. This is most probably a test by Madam Mila.''


    He lay on the ground, resting, taking a look at Haesha who flashed him a wry smile. Seeing that her condition wasn''t serious, Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief, his worries abating. He then looked around the classroom, looking at the other figures getting beaten down.


    After all, there were 131 Espers in total in comparison to the 5 figures. Even if they had good fighting capabilities, they were swarmed by the Espers and soon beaten into smithereens.


    Almost all the figures were beaten down in similar manners, with the Sorrow Figure being the sole exception.


    As it guarded the exit and prevented the Espers from escaping, it gave Laila enough time to make her preparations. She descended one step after another, finally arriving on the ground level, picking up the yellow spear-like spindle.


    When the five figures first appeared, many Espers had the idea of using the yellow spear-like spindle. After all, it was a Tier 5 Artifact.


    But, the moment they approached its proximity, they felt a faint aura affecting their bodies, making them unable to think. The more they closed in on it, the greater the aura affecting them. Not one could approach the surrounding 3 metres radius from it. But Laila, on the other hand, showed great determination.


    Even though her body trembled like crazy, with her eyes turning red, creating faint gashes that appeared on her skin, Laila approached the spear-like spindle, picking it up. It was lightweight, easily wieldable as Laila dashed towards the Sorrow Figure.


    The moment she closed in on it, the Sorrow Figure began trembling in fright, unable to move its body as it intended to. The aura of the Tier 5 Artifact seemed capable of even influencing it.


    Without any unexpected suspense, the tip of the spear-like spindle touched the Sorrow Figure. At the next moment, cracks appeared all across its surface as it shattered like glass. Immediately, numerous nerves all across the body of Laila ruptured, spraying out blood like a mini fountain.


    The spear-like spindle flew away from her hands as a pale-blue fluid emerged from beyond the door, gushing into her body and healing her injuries. Soon, the pale-blue fluid entered the bodies of all Espers, recovering their health to their prime.


    "You did well." Madam Mila appeared before everyone, finally making her existence known.

 Chapter 89：Domain and Limits

    "You did well." Madam Mila appeared, finally showing her presence. She had her eyes open, the rest of her body rigid like a statue.


    Jyorta picked himself up, looking at his injuries that had completely healed. He also felt healthier than before, feeling his body brimming with energy. As he closed his eyes, he sensed his Brain Crystal forming at a faster rate, its pace only a bit slower than when he stimulated it with the aura of the Tier 5 Artifact.


    "The Wisdom Parasite lives inside you, its life and death connected to you. Its senses, mentality, memories, etc. are all derived from you. So, when you feel threatened, the Wisdom Parasite in you also feels the same. In order to cope up with that, it unconsciously increases the speed of the Nurturing." Madam Mila said, giving some time for the Espers to regain their bearings.


    As the Espers woke up their friends that had been knocked unconscious, Madam Mila continued, "If you feel threatened for greater durations, it would become detrimental to your health as the Wisdom Parasite would use up all the energy stored in your muscles. But, for shorter durations like this, it is beneficial to you. Moreover, you would also gain some battle experience."


    "Try to sense the formation of the Brain Crystal." Following her advice, everyone closed their eyes, sensing their Brain Crystals, heaving out exclamations one after another. Despite having checked it just a few seconds ago, Jyorta mimicked the actions of others and concentrated on his Brain Crystal.


    In the previous battle, he gleamed an important piece of information. After forming a connection with his Brain Crystal, he found out that he could use his corrosion ability by sourcing the energy in it.


    ''Expending the energy in my soul barely managed to corrode 8 centimetres of a strip of paper. But, using the energy from my Brain Crystal, I would be able to achieve a lot more.'' Jyorta controlled his expression, sporting a poker face except for the occasional exclamations, mimicking the others.


    "The five marble figures were made from my Unranked Skill. I had made them in such a way that their physical abilities bordered around a Warrior at the peak of Tier 1." Madam Mila dispersed her psychic energy, collecting the fragments scattered around the room, converging them before her.


    Jyorta hurriedly placed a hand in his pocket, feeling it empty. The shards in his pocket had disappeared at some point in time. His heart lurched in fear; the blue soul once again overlaid the false persona over him.


    Within a dozen seconds, all the fragments spanning various shapes and sizes converged before her. As she raised an eyebrow, the fragments broke down into fine particles, their individual size equivalent to dust.


    One of the compartments on the wall floated over, opening its lid to reveal 150 glass jars. The marble dust split into 131 portions, settling within each glass jar. Madam Mila corked all of them, sending a glass jar to every Esper.


    "Consider it both a test and my gift to you. It has a very high resistance to your psychic energy. Your task is to make each particle present in it your Refined Object by the end of this month. Doing so will significantly increase your control over your psychic energy. Bring it with you everywhere you go and focus your psychic energy on it. I''ll check your progress once a week when we have classes." Madam Mila smiled, sending the Espers into a daze upon seeing her lifelike action.


    "I have hidden a gift into it. Make sure you find it." Madam Mila then motioned for them to put their glass jars away, signalling them to be seated on their spots.


    Jyorta walked towards the 3rd row and brushed aside the items that were strewn across his place, making some space for him to sit. In the earlier scuffle, people used every object they could come across, not caring of whose pile they picked it from.


    A wave of psychic energy washed over them, lifting the items from the ground. It was then segregated into 131 portions and scooped before each Esper, their spot, and positions the same as before.


    As Jyorta marvelled at the accuracy, he felt something beckoning for his focus from within the pile. It seemed to have a connection with him, like an organ that had detached from his body but still had the nerves trailing to him. With a thought, a disk rose up, producing slinging sounds as it pushed aside some objects along its path.


    The disk floated towards him, slightly unsteady, landing on his palm. It was slightly crumpled, its edges bent over. Some places had cracks while a part on the periphery had been nicked away. Looking at the damaged disk, Jyorta wanted to sigh for some reason.


    "You should have heard the term Sync Rate over and over again." A voice resounded, beckoning the attention of everyone present, "The Sync Rate is a direct correlation of our fusion with the Wisdom Parasite. Due to that, some changes occur to our brains and the spines of Warriors."


    "A simple example to understand them is through the use of our psychic energy. Each Esper has a domain originating from their brain as the centre. This domain is the spherical influence around you where you can sense your Refined Objects and make your psychic energy flow. Beyond the range, the psychic energy you send will extricate itself from your control and disperse into the surroundings."


    "The domain is your absolute advantage over Warriors," As Madam Mila said, she made small protrusions appear underneath the skin of the Espers, making them move along it like a bug. "Within your domain, you can affect the matter from any angle and direction. We call this an Esper''s Domain."


    Once the psychic energy dispersed, the bump visible on his right hand vanished, instilling in him a sense of fear. Jyorta gazed at Madam Mila with apprehension, largely fear. His thoughts exploded as he imagined one scenario after the other, further imprinting a desolate impression in him.


    "You don''t need to fear it that much. It is not omnipotent against fellow Espers," Madam Mila said, gazing at the fear etched in the expressions of every Esper, Laila included. "Espers can erect a psychic barrier, shrouding over their bodies. This will shield other Espers from affecting your body. Though, this will also render the healing services useless. Don''t worry; we will train you for all occasions."


    "Coming back to the domain, there is a limit for Espers at each Tier. After experimenting over the years, we haven''t managed to overcome the limit. On the off chance we did, it immediately led to a destabilisation of the Sync Rate of the Esper, leading to his death when his Sync Rate dropped below 50 percent." Madam Mila recounted an experience, giving them a better idea.


    "The domain for Tier 1 Espers is 1 metre, with the focus being the brain. For Tier 2 Espers, it is 10 metres and for Tier 3 Espers, it is 100 metres. It increases with a multiple of ten per each Tier." Madam Mila coagulated her psychic energy before her, turning it yellow and displaying the numbers.


    "The domain of Ground Controllers has a radius of 1 kilometre while it is 10 kilometres for Sky Controllers. Psychic Ancestor Marble boasts a radius of 100 kilometres; every inch of our Marble city is under his watch." Her tone turned slightly jovial, "Who knows, if you give a spectacular performance, you might even gain his approval."


    When they heard the last statement, every Esper turned excited for some reason, their previous concerns about the domain vanishing. Some of them even fantasised about strange things while others unknowingly flexed their biceps.


    "Now, there are similar limits in the physical effects our psychic energy can exert on matter." Madam Mila began, her expression unchanging, seemingly unbothered about the strange atmosphere that had formed below.


    Jyorta gazed at Haesha from the corner of his eye, looking at her place her palm on her cheeks, flushed red, seemingly mumbling something.


    "He''s a grandpa among grandpas," Jyorta said, expressing his envy, jealousy, and other emotions. He then felt embarrassed, looking at Haesha who had ignored him, as if she hadn''t heard his statement. He let out a wry chuckle and scratched his cheeks, glancing around the rest of his class.


    ''Why¡­are the faces of all the girls flushed red? And, why the hell is Laila looking even worse than them?'' He felt shocked at seeing Laila''s face that was redder than a tomato. She was behaving kind of weird, letting out discrete chuckles.


    ''Considering her mental age, maybe he is in her strike zone?'' Jyorta shook his head, concentrating on Madam Mila''s lecture.


    "For a Tier 1 Esper, at the peak, he can lift an object weighing 1 kilogram and send it travelling at a speed of 1 metre per second."


    "At Tier 2, the weight-limit increases to 10 kilograms while the speed of travel becomes 10 metres per second."


    "At Tier 3, the weight-limit becomes 100 kilograms whereas the speed of travel becomes 100 metres per second and so on for higher Tiers. Moreover, these limits are for a single psychic arm. At Tier 3, you can wield 3 psychic arms. Meaning, if you club two or more into a single psychic arm, the power you have at your disposal further increases."


    "Espers can use many variations to attack. This is why they get progressively stronger from Tier 3. At Tier 4, their attacks break through the sound barrier. But, there is a catch," Her tone turned serious, "This is in the case you possess a Sync Rate of 100 percent."

 Chapter 90：Human Trial

    "Sync Rate is the most important focus of both Warriors and Espers." Madam Mila said, using her mouth to speak this time, signifying the importance of the content. "The Sync Rate affects your speed of growth, the limit of your growth, and the power you can exhibit at each Tier."


    "Let me take one of you as an example," Madam Mila pointed at Haesha, "Haesha has a Sync Rate of 82 percent. Now, you have just learnt the limits of Espers at Tier 1, right?"


    Seeing everyone nod their heads, Madam Mila continued, "Haesha''s Sync Rate affects her overall battle strength. Instead of a one metre domain radius, Haesha''s domain will have a radius of 81 centimetres. The maximum weight she can lift with her psychic energy will be 810 grams and its speed of flight will be 81 centimetres per second. Do you get the picture now?"


    There were exclamations of shock as Madam Mila continued, "Moreover, suppose an Esper with a Sync Rate of 100 takes 10 days to nurture a Brain Crystal, Haesha will consume a bit more than 12 days to do the same. Even the rate of Nurturing by the Wisdom Parasite is dependent on the Sync Rate. The higher the Sync Rate, the faster your development."


    "The case is the same for Warriors. The Skill activated by a Warrior with a 100 percent Sync Rate is twice stronger than the same Skill activated by one with a 50 percent Sync Rate. That is the gist of things," Madam Mila said.


    "But," She continued, her tone turning vicious, alarming all the Espers, "The growth of your Wisdom Parasite is also dependant on it. The higher your Sync Rate, the faster it develops. It develops by absorbing your memories, experiences, emotions, habits, etc. the moment when it feels its accumulations have reached your level, it initiates a strike."


    "We have termed it Loss of control," She continued, "The Wisdom Parasite will try to wrestle control with you. But, you must know one thing. The moment it launches a strike, it means it is confident of gaining control of your body. Therefore, it has a 100 percent chance of success."


    "The bodies of the humans who have lost control will undergo certain mutations, expressing the characteristics of the Wisdom Parasite in its external appearance. They usually differ from Tier to Tier and vary between each individual. There are also other reasons that cause one to lose control. This will be talked about on a later date."


    She then sighed a little, "This is the reason we make you undergo the Induction Ceremony at the age of 16. This gives you an advantage in life experience. Moreover, the rate of the Wisdom Parasite''s development drastically improves at each successive Tier. But, at Tier 1 and 2, it develops at a snail''s pace. We will go into its evolution at a later date."


    She finished it with a sentence, "But, there are exceptions to this. We call them a Child of Wisdom. They are human babies born with a Wisdom Parasite inside them. Based on statistics, one in every three children in our city is born a Child of Wisdom."


    Madam Mila heaved a forlorn sigh, her face expressing sadness, "They would have been a boon if not for the existence of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. But, due to his influence, the only one developing in the baby would be the parasite which would gain complete control of the body within a year since birth. This is why there is a large age gap between siblings."


    ¡­


    After the class had dispersed, Madam Mila closed the door, reinforcing it with her psychic energy, preventing anyone from disturbing her. She relaxed her palm, revealing tiny crystal shards.


    Her psychic energy made them float before her face, their sizes varying from the size of a rice grain to the size of a peanut. All of them had one thing in common, the existence of faint melting.


    "This is strange. The crystal has melted but, I couldn''t even detect the source for it." Madam Mila used her psychic energy, gazing into its molecular structure. A minute later, she sighed, unable to find the cause.


    She then brought her hands forward, joining them before her chest, taking a praying position. The wavelength of the psychic energy she emitted experienced a minute change, a trace of yellow flashed around her before returning to normal.


    Madam Mila landed on the floor, retracting her psychic energy. Suddenly, faint winds were stirred up in the room as a magenta colour flashed into existence. In the fraction of a second, it condensed into a figure, looking like a marble of magenta sculpted into a person.


    The man looked old, sporting a lean frame. His figure was wizened, his frame thin, lacking musculature. His body then ballooned up to normalcy, looking no different from a man in his sixties.


    "I am getting in on my age. Even though I am at Tier 6, my body is starting to become old, despite my brain being vibrant. Forcefully maintaining its functions using my psychic energy is strenuous to my body." The figure in magenta muttered, letting out a sigh.


    It then gazed at Madam Mila, "Why did you call me, Mila? The city is expanding day by day, stretching my attention thin. I can''t focus on a particular area for too long."


    "It is this," Madam Mila sent the shards flying towards him. "I found this at the end of the class. They were hidden in the pocket of a Cadet."


    The magenta figure inspected it, showing a trace of surprise. It then released faint psychic energy, permeating it through each shard, nodding its head in delight. "This is interesting."


    "Should I take any action?" Madam Mila said, her expression stoic.


    "Ah, no need. Light has been experimenting with Traits these days. I heard he had collaborated with Jyovic Bone and created something. Though, at the end of it, they deemed it a failure." The magenta figure said, pushing back the shards.


    "Light mentioned it to me in passing," The magenta figure continued, "The most they could achieve was equivalent to Tier 2. No matter how much they tried, despite the tremendous resources they poured, they couldn''t improve it. Moreover, the success rate for gaining this Trait is 0.01 percent. The cost of production for this Trait is equivalent to 30 Trait of Severability."


    "That much?" Madam Mila exclaimed in shock, unable to conceal her voice. She knew how much resources were consumed to create a Trait of Severability. One of the materials was a Tier 5 Frenzy Beast, not to mention the numerous Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts required as supplementary materials.


    She couldn''t imagine the resources poured to create a Trait whose effects only bordered around a Tier 2 Skill. "It is a Royal wastage of resources and manpower."


    "Only with research can we progress humanity. But, you are right. They have wasted too many resources on this endeavour and produced results that aren''t even qualified to be called subpar." The magenta figure sighed, "Jyorta Bone is the only candidate who had obtained it. So, please keep an eye on him and guide this Trait of his; make it into something he can use. Also, make sure no one else is privy of this matter."


    Seeing Madam Mila nod, the magenta figure dissolved, disappearing from the room. There was not a single commotion, its arrival, and departure leaving behind no traces.


    Madam Mila created a psychic arm, destroying the shards until nothing remained behind. It was created from her Unranked Skill, its structure composed of her psychic energy. As she retrieved the essence she had infused into it, the shards disappeared from existence.


    ¡­


    Central Command, Mount Nilgiri, secluded within a cave sat an old man, displaying an exhausted expression. His body was weak and frail but, his eyes were sharp, shining with wisdom. He opened his mouth, producing a sentence, "Corrosion, interesting."


    A gentle wave of psychic energy flashed from him, travelling towards Sector 1, 7th Ring, moving towards the military academy, undetected by anyone. The other two Tier 6 existences in the city were Warriors, incapable of discovering his traces should he choose to act discreetly.


    Jyorta accompanied Haesha, heading towards the White Building. Since there was still a lot of time for lunch, they planned to make use of the time and study using the Portal.


    His expression was heavy, recalling a statement Madam Mila had said.


    "They would have been a boon if not for the existence of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. But, due to his influence, the only one developing in the baby would be the parasite which would gain complete control of the body within a year since birth. This is why there is a large age gap between siblings."


    ''Sister was born on 4th April of the year 311 while I was born on 11th October of the year 317. There is a difference of 6 years and 6 months between our births. Was there someone born in the middle as a Child of Wisdom?''


    As the two approached the White Building, Jyorta suddenly paused, his expression morphing.


    "What happened?" Haesha noticed his abnormality, turning around.


    The blue soul in him hurriedly transmitted a set of information to his brain. Jyorta flailed his hands, touching his pocket, his expression becoming a fluster. "I seem to have dropped my key in our classroom. Let me fetch it real quick. Find a good place to study."


    Saying his piece, he hurriedly ran from the spot, sprinting along the way. Haesha looked at his running back, tilting her head to the side, feeling a bit confused, "Okay¡­?"


    Jyorta hurried to his dorm, fishing out the key from his pocket. It was just his excuse; as a person who was cautious by nature, he wouldn''t ever drop his keys.


    He closed the door upon entry, hearing the thumping of his heart. He then noticed a spherical barrier forming around him, separating him from the surroundings. A streak of magenta appeared within it, forming into a humanoid figure in an instant. The magenta figure opened its mouth, emitting a gentle voice, displaying its intention.


    "Hello, Jyorta."

 Chapter 91：Precarious Situation

    "Or, should I call you Kaushik?" The magenta figure spoke, a smile etched on its face, looking amiable.


    "Both are one and the same, Ancestor Marble," Jyorta replied, looking tense.


    "It is good that you could recognise me." The magenta figure smiled, shooting a glance at the cupboard overhead the bed. "It seems Jyovic Bone and Light have each given you a present."


    "Ah, I forgot that you hate Light." It let out a wry chuckle, making eye contact with Jyorta. "So, your ability is corrosion."


    "Yes," Jyorta let out a resigned sigh. The moment he had mistakenly used it in the class, he was prepared for getting found out.


    "You don''t need to worry though. I have ensured that the traces have been destroyed." The magenta figure said, "Mila is my granddaughter. She takes my word as the law. Moreover, I have concealed it as a Trait of yours."


    The magenta figure then recounted the lie he had said to Madam Mila, "So, you can approach her for guidance. But, make sure that you don''t slip up like this in the future. Thankfully, my granddaughter was there and had swiftly called upon me. What do you think would have happened if it were someone from Light''s family instead?"


    "I understand," Jyorta nodded, heaving out a sigh. He then sported a gaze of confusion, looking at the magenta figure, "But, why are you suddenly helping me? I thought you all didn''t approve of our existence and only left us alone if we were on the side of humanity."


    "Why shouldn''t I?" The magenta figure smiled, "You, and Gajara Rahi; the two of you were brought to this era because we wanted to in the first place. Despite our strength, we can never hope to kill Parasite. The two of you are our contingency plan. Moreover, we all have faith in His choice."


    "Okay, I have no intention of interfering in your life. Develop as much as you can and try to achieve Tier 6 soon enough." The magenta figure said, showing a trace of weakness, "I and Light have been nurturing our successors but, despite everything we have tried, achieving Tier 6 is really difficult. Moreover, our city is currently in a precarious situation; it is stretching our attention thin."


    "How?" Jyorta inquired, "Don''t we have three Ancestors guarding our city? How can our city be in a precarious situation?"


    "Let me lay it out for you." The magenta figure shook its head, "To our west lies the territory of the Floating Spiders which are the strongest race among the Frenzy Beasts. They have three Tier 6 Frenzy beasts. To our east is the territory of the Spindle Bees; they have a Tier 6 Frenzy Beast. To our south lies a sole calamity level Frenzy Beast: Tier 6 Frenzy Beast, Lava Turtle."


    "And finally, to the north is the region of the River Whales; they have two Tier 6 existences. They have prevented our communication with Dawn City ever since the death of Gajara Rahi." The magenta figure looked at Jyorta, "Even though we are surrounded by powerful Frenzy Beasts on all sides, we tacitly don''t go into an all-out war. That will result in mutual annihilation. After all, Light is the natural counter of the Floating Spiders while I can resist the attacks of the other three to a great extent."


    "But, the problem arrives with our lifespan," The magenta figure sighed once again, "Even though we tend to age a lot slower at Tier 6, we still age. Moreover, most of us are part of the first generation. We have been active since the dark ages. The most threatening at present is Rhachis Ancestor Spindle; it has at most 3 decades to live."


    "So, in order to create a safer environment for their descendants, they would try to destroy their enemies before they die of old age. And, one of these enemies happen to be us, am I right?" Jyorta assumed, glancing at his front.


    "Exactly," The magenta figure nodded, "That is why Light has been uneasy these days; because, just like Rhachis Ancestor Spindle, I too don''t have much longer to live. Without an Esper protecting the city, we would be destroyed overnight. After all, whether Rhachis Ancestor Web or Rhachis Ancestor Spindle or Rhachis Ancestor Lava, all three of them are well versed with moping the crowd."


    "In the early days of the Dawn Era, we humans formed cities under the banner of each Tier 6 human. The number of cities was in the two digits. But, cities without an Esper were easily besieged by the Frenzy Beasts and destroyed. After all, Warriors are good at one of one fights but, they can''t protect people like the Espers. Marble city is housed by my barrier 24x7, resisting against the attacks of the Tier 6 Frenzy beasts that try to control the humans."


    "Long ago, Light too had a city under him; it was called Light city. He had his friends, families, and loved ones living in it. But, it was destroyed by Parasite overnight. He turned most of the humans into a Child of Wisdom and made them attack him. Light led the survivors and joined my city. Learning from the incidents, we mass relocated and congregated around the Espers."


    "I don''t mean to burden you but, since you are living in this city, you must know of the situation it faces." The magenta figure the clapped its hands, "Our city follows a system of merit. If you want to become stronger, strive to accumulate as many merits as you can."


    Suddenly, from the gap in the window, a mini chakram flew in. It had a radius of 3 centimetres and was thinner than a hair''s width. "Ones that are pampered will never be able to become Tier 6. But, you were pulled here without consent; so, let me gift you with a little something that will prove to be of help to you."


    The mini chakram, magenta in colour landed on his palm as the magenta figure said, "It is a Tier 5 Relic. Structure wise, it can be counted as a Tier 6 Artifact. If you infuse your psychic energy into it, you can increase both its size and weight. Once you retract the energy infused into it, it will revert to this state. Moreover, its usage will be limited by your Tier."


    "Also," As it said, the magenta figure lifted its hands, pulling out the crystal lens from Jyorta''s trolley bag. A white spec of light flashed from the window to the room as it collided into the crystal lens, merging into it. A flash of magenta later, the appearance of the lens changed into a set of goggles.


    "Now, you will be able to use the Deific Inference Skill imbued in it with the help of your psychic energy. Deific Inference can only be used to its full potential with the Unranked Skill Light Symphony. So, I have fused a Tier 4 Relic made from the Unranked Skill Light Symphony into it. Though, you would only be able to use it after you have made it your Refined Object."


    "I have been speaking for quite the while. You might be confused about many things but, when you become strong enough, I will explain them to you. After all, the one who brought you here was my close friend." The magenta figure just said it when its gaze paused, trailing towards a sketchbook in the trolley bag.


    Due to the small disturbance in the air when it created the goggles, a page had been flipped over in the sketchbook, displaying the portrait of a middle-aged man and woman.


    "I had sketched it in my free time. Even though they are my parents, I feel nothing when I see this picture. Sometimes, I feel like the memories of my previous life are just an illusion." Jyorta picked up the book, showing the magenta figure the page with his parents, "After all, I feel zero attachment to my previous life. Moreover, Ancestor Light has learnt all of this; so, I don''t mind telling it to you. Or maybe, you are already aware?"


    The magenta figure picked up the book as a flash of magenta washed over it, turning it solid. In the next second, it crumbled into fine dust. A flash of psychic energy gushed into it before the marble dust vanished. "Carrying it around with you will prove to be dangerous. After all, this is Earth. You have just been brought to the future, Vadlamani Kaushik."


    Noticing the traces of shock on his face, the magenta figure continued, "Don''t ask me why. Knowing about it at present will only endanger your life. If there is nothing else, I will get going."


    The blue soul hurriedly overlaid the false persona on him¡ªone of calm, optimism, and full of focus¡ªagain, after it had been shattered for the nth time since Ancestor Marble appeared. Jyorta raised his hands, his voice filled with urgency, "What about Laila?"


    "Laila? Who is that?" The magenta figure tilted its head, its expression one of confusion.


    "She is most probably a subsoul of Gajara Rahi or even herself." Jyorta replied, "Just today, she had grabbed hold of a Tier 5 Artifact in class and wielded it for more than a couple of seconds."


    "There have been precedents of Warriors and Espers capable of resisting the aura of higher Tiered Artifacts. Back in the day, Strongest could calmly use a Tier 5 Artifact after he had just broken into Tier 2." The magenta figure replied, not putting much weight on his speculation.


    "I mean, it was my sister who had mentioned it. She wasn''t privy to the specifics as she wasn''t shared with any memories related to her. But, a day after I was discharged from my hospital and when she came to visit me, Gajara Rahi took complete control of my sister''s body and exchanged some information with Laila. It was as if Laila was a subsoul but, at the same time, she was detached from the rest. That was what my sister said."


    "I see," The magenta figure nodded, its eyes widening in surprise. Suppressing its complicated emotions, it dissolved into magenta light and disappeared.


    Once the magenta figure had disappeared from his sight, and feeling the spherical barrier around him vanish, Jyorta felt his legs go limp. He plopped on the ground, heaving out exhausted breaths, his body drained of strength. His false persona had been shattered once again, unable to suppress his mental turmoil.


    He then looked at the roof of the room, ''Did I do the right thing by informing him about Laila? Or, was it a mistake? I don''t know anymore. Being stripped of all my secrets, it''s a feeling I will never come to appreciate.''

 Chapter 92：Credits

    White Building; seated within a room were Laila and a couple of her friends, discussing a topic of interest. Pulled up on the monitor was the video of an Esper in action. The Wave Controller was battling against five Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts, using his greater reach to his advantage.


    Laila was no different to them, discussing the video with enthusiasm, commenting about the techniques they could use. Suddenly, Laila''s face beamed with a smile, one of genuine. She then excused herself, exited the White Building, and walked towards the dorm, her gait slow and steady.


    Once she entered her room and closed the door behind her, a sphere of psychic energy formed, separating her from the surroundings. A flash of magenta appeared, forming a humanoid figure, looking at Laila, its expression complex.


    "So, who tipped you, Marble?" Laila laughed, showing zero signs of fear, looking carefree.


    ¡­


    2:00 PM, Haesha sat in the cafeteria, filling her plate with food. She swerved her vision, glancing around her surroundings, failing to find Jyorta. She ate her lunch in a hurry, intending to help him search for his room key later.


    2:15 PM, she arrived on the 3rd floor of the Indigo Building, glancing at Jyorta''s room, finding it unlocked. One a closer inspection, she listened to the sounds of human activity from inside.


    ''Is he rearranging his things?''


    Shaking her head, she returned to her room and changed into a tracksuit, exiting the building. She then noticed some of her friends walking on the ground, engaged in hushed discussions. She joined up with them and began to share experiences.


    After walking for some distance, Haesha turned around, glancing at the window of Jyorta''s room, feeling strange for some reason. She couldn''t exactly put a lid on the feeling.


    She then shook her head, choosing to focus on the next class. There were only around 5 minutes left; she wanted to mentally prepare herself for the gruesome training exercise that might spring up next.


    2:30 PM, Rishen Veera arrived at the scene, a wide smirk on his face, looking like he had concocted something interesting for the day''s training exercises. Haesha looked around, unable to find Jyorta.


    Rishen Veera inspected the crowd, showing a trace of disappointment when he discovered the absence of Laila. He then began the training exercise, enjoying the struggles of the students as they sought to overcome it.


    5:00 PM, Haesha returned to her room, her clothes muddy. She picked up a change of clothes, soap, and other necessities and placed them in the basket, carrying it with her as she exited the room.


    Along the way, she noticed Jyorta''s room was locked, the owner seemingly absent, for reasons unknown. There was part worry but mostly confusion in her expression as she headed towards her restroom, planning to freshen up.


    8:30 PM, after dinner, Haesha returned to her room. She had checked on his room on the way once, finding it locked. She felt puzzled, unable to guess why. Not intending to waste any more time than necessary, she began to study, planning to appear for a test soon.


    4th December, the year 333 of the Dawn Era; the morning classes were once again exclusive to Espers. Of the 131 Espers, two were absent: Laila and Jyorta. The same thing continued for the next day too.


    Once classes were finished, Haesha approached Esina, "Have you seen Jyorta? He hasn''t been to class for two days at a stretch."


    Esina shook her head, "I haven''t seen him either. Ashten mentioned seeing Jyorta head towards the White Building yesterday evening. He''s probably fine. Jyorta has a habit of ditching classes and self-studying. He claims that he can better understand stuff if he learns them on his own."


    Esina waved her hands, "It''s not like attending classes are compulsory. We do it because we want to learn. But, Jyorta is from the Bone Family. Who knows, maybe he is already aware of the things we learn?"


    Days passed in such a manner, the absence of Jyorta and Laila became the talk of the class.


    9th December, 10:30 AM, seated before her was the entirety of the October Batch, Warriors and Espers included.


    Madam Rizenne pressed the remote in her hands, allowing a screen to flash behind her. The screen had the words, ''Dedicated Credit Ranking System'' written at the top. To its below were two columns, divided between dates and batches.


    "Day 1 of each month is when the Credit ranking of January batch is displayed. Day 2 is for the February Batch and so on. Day 12 is for the December Batch; after that, there won''t be any ranking displayed until the next month." She said, changing it to another image.


    At the top was the November Batch, followed by the December and January Batch. Trailing below it in order were the Batches from February till October. Madam Rizenne commented, "The November batch will be graduating by the end of this month. The next month, we would welcome a new November batch. The cycle continues as the older batches graduate every month while newer batches join. Your lot will graduate by the end of the upcoming November."


    She then reminded everyone, "Even though you won''t be rewarded this month but, the ranking board will still display your rankings tomorrow. This will spur you to work harder until the 10th of January where you will be rewarded depending on your rankings."


    Before dispersing the class, she informed everyone, "Don''t forget to check the ranking board today. You''ll know how much to strive towards and can set your goals accordingly."


    Haesha and the others exited the Head Office Building, forming groups, and chatting with one another. Over the past few days, Haesha and Esina hit off with each other, becoming rather close. They hopped on their way towards the White Building, feeling shocked at the lack of crowd.


    There were barely a hundred people converged around the area, looking embarrassed to stand there. Only then did they remember the date; it was the 9th of December. The results displayed were of the September Batch, ones who had joined just a month prior to them.


    Most of the students wouldn''t have even begun the competition, still getting used to their powers. Only the ones who had acted early, planning to get a head start would hurriedly appear for the exams, losing advantage in the long run as they scored below their capability. The confident ones would also have appeared, unwilling to lose the benefits of a month.


    Since the competition in the September Batch had yet to start in full swing, none among the academy were interested. After all, they all had busy schedules. The ones standing before the White Building were the ones who had some expectations due to the lacking competition.


    The walls on the White Building soon changed, flashing an image. Looking at the top ranker, Haesha, and co. wanted to laugh. The highest score had barely crossed 2000 Credits. The second-ranked student only had 958 Credits.


    A haggard figure emerged from behind, looking at the laughing crowd, his expression unchanged. He glanced at the rankings for a second, not even batting an eye at the score.


    He then checked for the presence of the pen in his pocket and entered the White Building, looking like a person with commitment. Haesha and her group hadn''t noticed him, busy in their chatter.


    ¡­


    10th December, 6:00 AM, the sky was in the process of lighting up, the traces of blue seeping into the darkness, bringing with the gentle rays of sunshine and warmth. A figure exited the White Building, dragging his feet, his expression pale.


    With every step he took, his body shivered once, looking on the verge of toppling. He took his time, inching his way towards the Head Office Building.


    After more than 30 minutes of a slow walk, he entered the Head Office Building, climbing the flight of stairs, one step at a time. Holding the handrail for support, he pulled his body forward, climbing one floor after another.


    Finally, after reaching the 15th floor, he walked through the hallway, arriving before an open reception. It was circular in shape, spanning a radius of 20 metres. There were doors stationed across the circular wall, situated 3 metres from one another, with numbers printed on them from 1 to 47.


    Situated in the centre was a giant pillar, spanning from the floor to the elevated ceiling, situated 6 metres high. It had a radius of one metre, looking thick and sturdy, seemingly supporting the weight of the Head Office Building. It was decorated with a myriad of drawings, from weapon to beasts, painting a regal feeling.


    Surrounding it was a counter¡ªcircular in shape, spanning along the pillar''s circumference, separated by a gap of 2 metres¡ªseating four ladies behind them. There were monitors placed before each of the four ladies, facing the crowd.


    The moment he entered the reception area, Jyorta noticed a handful of students standing around in silence, seemingly waiting for something. A reception lady shouted into a mike before her, "Token number 71; please proceed through door number 23."


    A boy immediately rushed towards the door numbered 23, opening it to reveal a lift. He boarded it and watched it close, going towards the destination without his input.


    As Jyorta looked at his surroundings, hesitating about where to go, he noticed one of the four ladies make eye contact with him, beckoning for him to come over with a wave of her hands.


    Jyorta walked towards the counter, dragging his feet, his gait slow. The moment he approached the counter, the lady lifted her hands, bringing it over the glass surrounding the counter, "ID?"


    Jyorta handed his ID card over to her, looking at her swipe it under a machine. His details appeared, showcasing everything recorded in the official documents.


    Looking at his batch and seeing his score, the reception lady felt shocked, freezing for a couple of seconds. Guided by her professional nature, she broke out of her reverie and looked at him, motioning for him to speak.


    Jyorta took in a deep breath, calming his thumping heart. He then opened his mouth, producing a hoarse voice, "I want to exchange for a Trait."

 Chapter 93：Caterpillar

    "I want to exchange for the Trait of Efficiency," Jyorta said, his raspy voice rang out, further straining him. He wanted to lie down and sleep but, he chose to sprint towards the first objective as soon as possible.


    The Trait of Efficiency increased the body''s metabolism. It led to a faster digestion of food in the stomach; it also sped up the process that happened in the large and small intestines. This allowed the body to eat at greater frequencies and store up more energy in their body.


    Also, the prime reason for it being his first preference was because it raised the speed of ''Nurturing'' by the Wisdom Parasite. Based on the data available in the Portal, and based on his experiences in the past few days, Jyorta concluded it to be better than when he used the Tier 5 Artifact.


    The aura released by the Tier 5 Artifact forced the Wisdom Parasite in him to increase its Nurturing effect. Though, it was only for a limited duration¡ªlasting for 20-30 minutes until the effect of the aura wore off¡ªand put the body in great strain.


    But, the Trait of Efficiency boasted an effect similar to it, and also worked 24x7. Moreover, it neither made the Wisdom Parasite feel threatened nor put the body in a strain. The details to its inner workings weren''t available but, just its effects alone were more than enough to convince him.


    ''If the nurturing effect of the Wisdom Parasite at Tier 1 can be assumed as a Tier 1 Skill, then the nurturing effect using the Trait of Efficiency is equivalent to a Tier 2 Skill. Moreover, it is mentioned in the records that the limit of the Trait of Efficiency is Tier 3. It will automatically upgrade in effect to Tier 3 level when I become a Tier 2 Esper.'' Jyorta thought, looking at the reception lady type on her keyboard.


    Traits were equivalent to the Skills of Warriors but were passive in nature. The number of Traits under the control of Marble City was unknown but, of the ones listed in the pamphlet, Jyorta could infer their worth based on the Credits required to exchange for them.


    ''The Traits that cost between 10,000 and 15,000 have the effects of Tier 3. Below that are the ones at Tier 2 level. I guess the Trait of Severability and Trait of Growth are equivalent to Tier 4 Skills.''


    The reception lady typed on her computer for a good 20 seconds, printed a slip, and placed it in an envelope. She handed it to him, "Wait here until I call your number. It is printed on your envelope."


    Jyorta took the envelope, looking at the number 84 printed on its front. Underneath it was his name, printed in black, forming a sharp contrast with the white background. Printed on its back was the image of a soya bean, reddish-brown in colour.


    Holding the envelope in his hands, Jyorta stood in an open area, away from everyone. He kept watch on the people that entered and exited from each door, looking at their expressions. Time passed in such fashion; after more than 30 minutes, the reception lady shouted, glancing his way.


    "Token number 84; please proceed through door number 41."


    Jyorta gave her a perfunctory bow, walking towards the door. As he neared it, the door opened and out came Laila, looking haggard but her eyes radiating spirit. The blue soul overlaid a false persona over him, feeling it shatter before it could take effect.


    It was as if the functional blocks that made up its essence had been destroyed after shattering numerous times. The moment the false persona was destroyed, the persona of the previous Jyorta reverted to its regular state¡ªone attuned to his personality.


    The two looked at each other in shock and surprise. There was a feeling of fear cropping up from within him, one that was instinctive. Jyorta tried his best to rein in the fear, nodding at Laila as he entered the lift.


    The lift closed upon entry, taking him higher up. Laila looked at his back that disappeared from view, blocked by the doors of the lift. Her expression was filled with puzzlement, her thoughts turning chaotic.


    ''Has Jyorta become his subsoul? What is he planning?'' She warily glanced at her surroundings, her spirited expression vanishing. She then walked through the hallway leading out of the reception, taking the flight of stairs.


    She exited the Head Office Building and walked towards her dorm. Throughout the entire duration of her walk, she gazed at the ground, not lifting her head, seemingly in deep thought. Finally, when she reached the dorm, she glanced opposite to it, looking at the dorm belonging to Warriors at the far end of her gaze.


    Exiting the lift, Jyorta appeared in a room. The moment he stepped out, the doors of the lift closed but, it stayed in place, seemingly awaiting his return.


    Jyorta took in the view of the room, gazing at its expansive atmosphere. The room had an elevated ceiling, almost 9 metres tall. The four sides had been furnished into a cabinet, the drawers spanning 10 centimetres tall and 20 centimetres wide. It had no hooks to pull them out, looking barren.


    If not for the many drawers left open, Jyorta would have assumed them as decorations done to the wall, conforming to the weird aesthetics of the person in charge of the place. Other than the drawers, there was an elevated platform in the middle, circular in shape, raised a metre high.


    It had the radius of a metre, shining with a green lustre. As Jyorta neared it, he wondered about the person responsible for giving him the Trait Fruit. Suddenly, the figure of a middle-aged man appeared on it, his expression warped to the extreme, his body covered with green sludge.


    "Gah," Jyorta retreated, clutching his heart that was thumping loudly; there was shock, surprise, and fear in his demeanour. The blue soul in him chanted the verse of the creepy haired man, creating the two Soul Corneas. It extended three soul tendrils to his Brain Crystal, forging a strong connection in order to suck a greater volume of the energy.


    As the two Soul Corneas emerged out of his head and shot towards the sludge covered man, Jyorta heard the sounds of laughter coming off him. The next moment, the green sludge vanished, revealing the pristine appearance of the man, his face no longer looking warped.


    "You were slow to react." Followed by raucous laughter, the man commented, "Cadet, if I was a Frenzy Beast, you would have been breakfast by now."


    "¡­Sorry," Jyorta retracted the two Soul Corneas, bowing his head in apology.


    His Soul Corneas were a part of his soul, its build-up composed of the knowledge stored in it, condensed into its essence. It was ethereal in nature, undetected to others. Even the magenta figure of Psychic Ancestor Marble couldn''t sense it, not to mention the others.


    Through his encounter with Psychic Ancestor Marble, he had learnt of some important details; the discreetness of his Soul Corneas being one of them. So, he wasn''t afraid of being found out unless he used it and affected an object or a person.


    "It''s fine," The man waved his hands, picking up the envelop he had dropped. "You are only a Line Controller. There is no way you could ever hope to sense my presence when I am hiding from you."


    "We Ground Controllers can affect the surrounding environment and alter the weather to conceal ourselves amid them. What I showed you just now was one such example." He sat on the elevated platform, "Oh, the sludge was created through my Unranked Skill."


    He then opened the envelope and fished out the slip from within, reading through it. In the meantime, a flash of green appeared behind Jyorta and formed into a chair for him to sit.


    "Oh, another Cadet from October Batch has managed to accumulate Credits to this extent." The man flashed him a thumbs up, "You have worked hard. Keep up the effort as long as you don''t burn out. Though, you definitely look closer to the dead now; so, I advise you to tone it down it a notch."


    Seeing Jyorta nod obediently, the man lifted his arm, opening a drawer through his psychic energy, and fishing out a glass jar from within. "So, your first choice is a Trait of Efficiency. A wise decision I must say. Getting the Trait of Temperance at a later date wouldn''t affect you much anyway. After all, the Wisdom Parasite''s development would occur at a snail''s pace in Tier 1."


    "So, I presume you can''t create the Caterpillar either. The girl before you had said the same." He placed his hand below his chin, showing the expression of one in thought. "Hmm, yeah; no wonder. If I remember correctly, you would have Madam Mila''s classes today. She is bound to teach you the method to create the Caterpillar."


    "Having to teach this twice in a day, this is a royal pain." The man muttered, waving his hands to change the chair of Jyorta into an elevated platform, a metre in radius. He then raised the elevation of the platform until Jyorta''s line of sight aligned with his.


    "Close your eyes and concentrate on your Brain Crystal. Every Esper will be able to do this innately once it begins to form." Seeing Jyorta''s signal of having sensed it, the man continued, "Now, sense the surrounding region. You would feel a prickling sensation, one that feels foreign to your own. Try to pull it out."


    "Follow the path I guide with my psychic energy and try to pull it out. Be as slow and steady as possible. If you damage it, your Sync Rate will get affected." The man directed his psychic energy, continuing to guide Jyorta.


    After an hour of effort, faint tendrils of blood seeped out of Jyorta''s nose, forming two thin streams. They continued to gush out for more than a minute, finally forming a blood-red sphere that was the size of his thumb.


    Two parallel lines appeared on its surface, forming a gorge that travelled in a zigzag manner, starting from one end and making a full circle. Starting from it as the centre, the gorge spread towards the middle, forming a circle and creating numerous sections like the compartments of a train.


    Tendrils of blood appeared from the gorge; they converged together in batches, separated by varying distances, forming a wriggling stump each. The parts below, and above the gorge rotated in opposite directions, unravelling a long ribbon, possessing a cylindrical body.


    Mini gorges appeared along the width of its body, creating full circles, and forming 6 segments in whole. It had 3 pairs of stumps at the back and another 3 at the front, turning into legs. Under the man''s direction, Jyorta brought his hand forward, displaying his palm.


    Its rear legs rested on Jyorta''s palm while its upper body bent to its back, making the forelegs parallel to the ground surface.


    Suddenly, its three pairs of rear legs shrunk into its body, disappearing into the mould. Its three pairs of forearms, on the other hand, merged into one, forming a pair of hands that looked thick. What appeared to be cropped hair grew on its head¡ªthe first segment¡ªtriangular in shape.


    A pair of antennae grew alongside the cropped hair while an item similar to a wine cup appeared on its right hand. On its left appeared a cigar that it raised towards its face.


    The area of its face that looked blank formed a set of facial features, resembling human. With half-closed eyes, its mouth was slightly twisted, resembling the scowl of a gangster typically depicted in mafia movies. It brought the cigar towards its mouth, taking a puff, despite it being unreal.


    "This is your caterpillar." The man replied, showing a trace of interest.

 Chapter 92: Trait of Efficiency

    "Caterpillar?" Jyorta gazed at the blood-red Caterpillar standing on his palm, looking confused. Noticing the expression etched on its face, he wanted to give it a sound beating.


    "The Caterpillar can be proclaimed as the manifestation of your Wisdom Parasite''s psyche housed in a temporary body. It has many uses and serves to be of vital importance in your journey." The man replied, "The Wisdom Parasite grows by absorbing your memories, emotions, character traits, etc. So, even its thought process and intelligence are similar to your own; but, to get an advantage over you, it first absorbs your recessive traits."


    "For example, you are good at drawing but, you suck at singing. So, the Wisdom Parasite will first absorb your singing trait. This is just an example; each person possesses recessive traits that are sometimes greater than their dominant traits. The Wisdom Parasite uses them to bolster its growth and eventually surpass you. It also absorbs your dominant traits. Just that, its priority order is further below." The man looked at his Caterpillar.


    He then noticed it seem unstable, on the verge of crumbling down, "It cannot last for long since you are at Tier 1. So, we will hurry up with implanting the Trait in you."


    A glass jar floated to his hands, uncorking its lid. It was filled to the brim with a viscous solution. A soya bean, the size of his thumb floated in its centre, shining with a gentle radiance. The man infused his psychic energy into it, lifting a thin stream of the viscous solution, and sending it towards the Caterpillar.


    The moment the viscous fluid neared it, the Caterpillar displayed euphoria, as if it had smelled the most pleasant fragrance in the world. It swerved it head, trailing after the headwater approaching it, its face beaming with a jovial smile akin to a child''s.


    The Caterpillar opened its mouth, craning its body forward to meet with the thin stream. At the moment of contact, it gulped down the contents like a traveller¡ªone who had been walking in the desert for a week and hadn''t drunk a single drop of water¡ªwho had chanced upon water.


    Jyorta looked at the Caterpillar drinking the thin stream, seeing a bulge in the two tendrils of blood that seeped out from his nostrils. It was the connection he shared with the Caterpillar.


    The process continued for a good ten minutes when the man noticed the Caterpillar looking drunk, as if it was a human that had downed alcohol beyond its limits.


    He then lifted the soya bean from the glass jar, coursing it along the stream of viscous liquid, bringing it towards the Caterpillar. The moment the soya bean reached within its arm''s length, the Caterpillar showed an instinctual rejection that stemmed from its constitutional makeup.


    But, thanks to its drunken state, the resistance it offered was minimal. Moreover, the soya bean was covered with the viscous fluid, one that the Caterpillar liked a lot. Under the influence, it raised its two hands and held the soya bean¡ªthe size of its head.


    It opened its mouth, forming a set of teeth similar to a human. It bit into it, taking one bite after another, the viscous liquid coating the bitten parts serving to abate its instinctual rejection to a large extent.


    "We don''t need to take any stringent measures since the Wisdom Parasite is only at Tier 1; it is equivalent to a newborn baby. From Tier 3 onwards, we have to take a lot into consideration; the chances of failure are also steep." The man commented, looking at the Caterpillar finish devouring the soya bean.


    "You can retract it now," The man commanded, instructing Jyorta through his psychic energy, guiding the process. The Caterpillar dissolved into thousands of tendrils of blood, merging into the two tendrils that gushed out of his nose.


    When a person suffered from cold and had developed a lot of mucous in his nose, he would feel a sense of stuffiness. The moment he sneezes, the mucous gushes out of the nostrils; sometimes, its viscous and gelatinous nature makes it hang out of the nostrils without being severed. Moreover, when the person involuntarily sniffs with force following that, the mucous gets pulled back into his nose.


    This was the feeling Jyorta experienced at present, greatly disgusted as the two tendrils of blood flowed into him through his nostrils. A minute of uncomfortable sensation later, the final trace of the tendril had disappeared.


    Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief, inspecting his body, failing to find anything different. Seeing his look of confusion, the man let out a chuckle. "It first needs to be digested and absorbed into your system. After that, as the Wisdom Parasite Nurtures your body, it would form the Trait in you."


    A stamp flew out from an open drawer and appeared in his hands. The man stamped the slip, folded it along its lines, and placed it in the envelope. "Give this to the lady in the reception below. Also, the entire process for the formation of your Trait takes about a day or two. Don''t try to use your psychic powers until then. I''ll also inform Madam Mila and the other faculty in charge of your class."


    Seeing the man wave his hands, motioning for him to go away, Jyorta gave him a deep bow. He then entered the lift and watched it descend, arriving behind the door numbered 41 at the reception.


    As Jyorta walked out, he noticed the crowd larger than before he entered. He had just taken a couple of steps when a boy brushed past him, entering the lift behind him in a hurry.


    Unbothered about it, Jyorta looked at the reception lady who had directed him to the door, making eye contact with her. In the next second, the envelope in his hands flew out, appearing in her hands.


    She took out the slip in it, pulled a window on her monitor, and typed a couple of sentences. She then secured the slip in a drawer and motioned for Jyorta to exit the reception, informing him about the completion of the formalities.


    Jyorta gave another bow and walked along the long hallway, arriving before the flight of stairs, feeling strained. He then descended the stairs, holding the handrail in fear of tripping. Finally, he traversed the stairs worth 15 floors, arriving on the ground.


    The sun was shining bright, the ambient light mixed with some heat. Jyorta noticed many students performing morning jogs, in order to better maintain their fitness. He shook his head, feeling his throat parched as he dragged his feet towards his dorm.


    8:15 AM, arriving at the entrance of the Indigo Building, Jyorta bumped into Haesha¡ªfiguratively. The moment she saw his haggard state, Haesha covered her mouth in shock, almost shrieking out. "What happened to you? Why haven''t you attended the classes? What were you doing these days to end up like this?"


    "I was just studying, Haesha. Don''t worry; I will come to classes starting tomorrow." Jyorta flashed a wry smile, "Also, you are getting late. Today is an important session, you shouldn''t miss it."


    Haesha recalled a statement from Esina, ''Jyorta is from the Bone Family. There is a fair chance that he is privy to everything we learn here.''


    Haesha nodded, expressing her worries, "I''ll check up on you in the evening. Take care until then."


    "I am just tired," Jyorta replied, "My body is feeling fine for the most part."


    He then entered the Indigo Building and climbed the flight of stairs, cursing at the management for not installing a lift in the building. Finally, he arrived on the third floor and entered his room.


    Hanging his key in its designated socket, Jyorta unscrewed the cap of his water bottle, thanking the heavens that he had filled it beforehand. He downed its contents in one stretch, heaving out a relaxed sigh after that.


    He sat on the bed, gently laying down, his mind whirring with thoughts, ''I have missed many classes, some of which are focused on important information. At least, I have already learnt about the Caterpillar which was scheduled for today''s class. I can later refer to the theoretical information from the Portal.''


    "Thankfully, Madam Mila''s class is scheduled only once per week. Otherwise, I would have lost a lot of practical knowledge exclusive to Espers." Jyorta murmured, closing his eyes.


    ''I have completed my first objective; my Credits are greater than everyone else in my Batch, barring Laila. I should next use my advantages and accumulate as must strength as possible. The resources offered here are funded by the two Royal Families. I can never expect something like this even in my Bone Family.''


    8:30 AM, when everyone attended their classes, Jyorta closed his eyes, planning to sleep. The blue soul in him severed some connections, making his body enter a state of rest immediately.


    His eyebrows eased while an expression of content emerged on his face. His weary self relaxed, taking in the well-deserved sleep. His current demeanour looked like one in bliss, getting the sleep after working hard non-stop for over a week.

 Chapter 93: Symphony

    8:30 AM, seated in the same class as before, situated in the Yellow Building, Haesha looked around, making a mental count, finding the presence of 129 Espers.


    Madam Mila entered, looking at the Espers seated on their floor mats, "Jyorta Bone and Laila will be absent today. They have managed to surprise many faculty members."


    She displayed a rare smile, expressing her satisfaction over the news, "Also, the two of them have already experienced the practical part that I will be teaching you today. So, we will proceed without them."


    Her body turned rigid, looking no different from a statue, "Madam Rizenne must have talked to you about the Heart and Brain Crystals in the previous week. I will give you a brief introduction of them and link it to today''s content."


    Madam Mila floated in the air, hovering 3 metres above ground, "There is a certain amount of energy stored in our body, in the form of carbohydrates and fats. While Nurturing, the Wisdom Parasite accumulates the concentrated energy extracted from our bodies towards one spot. To the Warriors, this occurs in their hearts, hence the name Heart Crystal. Similarly, the energy is concentrated in the brain for Espers, hence the name Brain Crystal."


    "The building blocks of the Brain Crystal are the remnant outgrowth of the Wisdom Parasite as it adapts to our body. They fuse into a singular part and create a crystal capable of storing the extracted energy." Traces of yellow flashed before her, forming into a spherical object. It had numerous outgrowths, its surface rugged, forming numerous cavities.


    The object spanned the size of a rice grain, looking minuscule. Madam Mila then magnified it until it dwarfed her body, allowing the Espers to observe each nook and cranny of it.


    "The Brain Crystal doesn''t have any definite shape. It varies from person to person. Moreover, unlike the Heart Crystal which is present in the same part for all Warriors, the Brain Crystal can form anywhere in the brain. Also, since the Wisdom Parasite is fused with the brain, it can function unhindered despite the presence of the Brain Crystal. If not for that, it would be akin to a tumour and would lead us to death." The yellow crystal hovering before her disappeared.


    "The amount of energy that can be stored in a Heart/Brain crystal is limited and is dependent on the Nurturing effect of the Wisdom Parasite which is affected by Your Sync Rate. Also, at higher Tiers, the Heart/Brain Crystal changes, getting further compressed. At every Tier, the quality and quantity of energy it can contain will experience an increase by a multitude." Madam Mila pressed a button on a remote, flashing the screen behind her to life.


    The title read, ''Heart Crystal'', and was divided into two columns: Tier, and Colour.


    [Tier 1] [Reddish-Black]


    [Tier 2] [Dark-Red]


    [Tier 3] [Light-Red]


    [Tier 4] [Orange]


    [Tier 5] [Yellow]


    [Tier 6] [White]


    "There are Warrior Skills that are energy-based. In such cases, you would be able to notice the colour of their energy which corresponds to their Heart Crystal. This colour code is the same for the Frenzy Beasts, so keep it in mind." Madam Mila continued, her tone filled with caution, "There are Frenzy Beasts that can perfectly rein in their aura, even in battle. In such times, judging their strength based on the colour of their energy will help you."


    "Now, coming to the Espers," Madam Mila clicked a button on the remote, changing the contents of the screen. "The Brain Crystals of Espers are uniformly of the Pink Colour. The only difference is the number of stripes on them, with Line Controllers having 1 stripe and a Psychic Ancestor having 6 stripes."


    The screen showcased the stripes formed on the Brain Crystal, presenting a variety, "The stripes follow a pattern as it increases in number. But, no two Brain Crystals have been found to have stripes of the same design. We have yet to figure out the cause behind them; the subject is still being researched on."


    "I will talk about Nurturing in the next class. Our focus today will be on something else." Madam Mila continued, "After killing a Frenzy Beast, we will fish out its Heart/Brain Crystal. They are crystals holding a dense amount of energy. But, they are also full of the Essence of Frenzy which will be explained in Madam Rizenne''s class."


    "We have a method to extract the Essence of Frenzy from them, leaving behind pure Heart/Brain Crystals. Only then are they fit for consumption. Espers can only consume Brain Crystals while Warriors can only consume Heart Crystals. Now, we can''t directly chew them and try to absorb their energy; our cells would wither away at the massive influx in energy."


    A flash of yellow appeared before her, forming into two organisms: a Centipede, and a Caterpillar.


    Madam Mila enlarged them, allowing everyone to see, "You can call them the manifestation of the psyche of our Wisdom Parasite. For Warriors, it is a Centipede, while for Espers, it is a Caterpillar. We don''t know why they are formed as such but, we have managed to unearth countless uses for them."


    Madam Mila glanced at everyone, moving her head, "Their first use is to devour the Heart/Brain Crystals. It is only through them that we can consume Frenzy Fruits to increase our Sync Rate, consume Trait Fruits to get Traits, and also be implanted with Unranked Skills. When we are on the verge of losing control, we use it to consume a Cleansement Fruit to get rid of it once and for all."


    She then made the Caterpillar float forward, "We can also check its development through this. Moreover, when it gets damaged, our Sync Rate takes a dip. So, this is the most guarded secret of an Esper/Warrior. Now, we will learn to manifest it."


    Madam Mila made the Centipede disappear and flew forward, hovering next to the Caterpillar. "For ease of use, we just address it as Caterpillar. And for the Warriors, we call theirs the Centipede. It is simple and easy to comprehend."


    "Now, look at me," Countless blood tendrils seeped out through the pores on her face¡ªeach tendril thinner than her hair¡ªand converged before her, forming a large lump of blood. Numerous tendrils squirmed along its surface as two parallel lines grew along it, dividing it into equal parts.


    The two parts rotated in the opposite directions to unravel a long cylindrical body. Circular gorges formed on it and segmented the cylindrical body into 6 parts. Three pairs of stumps appeared along the fifth segment, similar to the second segment.


    A face appeared on the first segment, the features partly resembling Madam Mila. The tendrils formed hair on its head, braided along its length that traversed two segments. The Caterpillar wriggled its body, enacting a dance, its demeanour one of laziness, discontent etched in its expression.


    It turned its head, glancing at Madam Mila with an expression of disgust. It swerved its head, looking at the Espers. The moment they met its gaze, they shuddered in fright for reasons unknown, the feeling stemming from deep within them. It was an instinctual reaction.


    The dancing Caterpillar dissolved into thousands of tendrils and retracted into her face through her pores. Madam Mila said, "That is how it looks. It absorbs our recessive traits and shapes them into its own. Though, you must never underestimate it, despite its appearance. Even though it was dancing, its actual intention was to assess the surroundings and check my mental health. If it determined my condition to be less than optimal, it would have launched a strike."


    "Now, I will instruct you one by one. It will take a lot of time for each person to grasp the technique. The Espers on the first row can stay behind while the rest can do whatever you want. Go to the White Building, the Indigo Building, or the Blue Building; the Espers from the second row can return at 10:00 AM, with the subsequent rows arriving in the intervals of an hour."


    Seated on the third row, Haesha looked into her watch, making a mental note of the time of her return. She then stood up and exited the room, planning to head to the White Building to study. The Espers that exited the room chatted about the Caterpillar, their expressions a mixture of disgust, fear, and excitement.


    "I think my caterpillar would look handsome." An Esper said, rubbing his jaw where 3 strands of facial hair grew.


    "It if it handsome, then you must be ugly." His friend retorted, continuing with a boastful tone, "My Caterpillar would be ugly, stupid, selfish, naive, weak, ignorant, and never popular with the opposite gender."


    "Then it probably absorbed your dominant traits." Another Esper retorted, laughing hard at his own timing.


    Haesha chuckled at the scene, walking away from the crowd as she exited the Yellow Building. To the opposite side of the ground, separated by 400 metres, she saw another crowd emerge from the Yellow Building, situated in the Rhachis Block.


    Planning to meet up with her friends for group study, Haesha walked on the ground, her gait hurried. She soon met up with Esina and Ashten, noticing their bored faces.


    "Our turn will not be before 11:00 PM." Esina smacked her lips, kicking a stalk of grass that was twice the height of others. They were seated quite behind in the lecture; hence, their turn was well into the middle of the night.


    "That means we have a lot of free time. Maybe we can head to the Blue Building for some entertainment?" Ashten pointed out a possibility, wanting to take some moments of leisure.


    "And do what? Play games?" Esina slapped his back, the force inserted in her action akin to a light tap. "This one year is really important. We won''t get this chance for the rest of our lives. Even Jyorta is working so hard despite being born in the Bone Family."


    "What you said is true," Ashten sighed, "Moreover, at 10:30 AM, our scores will be displayed. I haven''t even appeared for a single test. Also, the Credits I got in the training exercises were just a paltry sum."


    The trio engaged in hushed discussions, planning to study in the White Building. Their topic of conversation soon diverted to Jyorta, speaking about his condition the couple of times they had met in the past week.


    10:30 AM, a small crowd had formed before the White Building, composed of more than 100 people. They were just curious to see the credits the students in their Batch had accumulated. Haesha and co. exited the building, taking up a spot in a region with a better view of the soon-to-be-displayed rankings.


    The pristine white wall flashed, the image of the ranking appeared on it. Immediately, the sounds of bells echoed in the region, their intensity increasing with every second. Faint winds were stirred up, accompanying the sounds to paint a symphony.

 Chapter 94: The Yellow Card

    The symphony was like an act of nature, stirring up the environment, symbolising an achievement. A faint melody rang out, enriching the bell sounds, creating music that was pleasant to the ears but, at the same time, served to motivate their spirits.


    Starting from the White Building, the melody rang out from the Red Building, connecting with the Orange Building, and proceeding like a wave until the Violet Building. Finally, even the Head Office Building began to shake, echoing the sound.


    The military academy was shaken up, the students concentrating on their classes rushed out, sprinting towards the White Building. The Warriors were the first to approach the area, using their developed physique to run faster.


    They all knew the significance of the commotion; the records of the military academy had been broken. It was a grand achievement, publicised all across the academy.


    The hundred students of the October Batch that had been curious about the results were surprised, unable to comprehend the cause of the commotion. They looked at the faces of their friends, noticing their confusion, standing stupefied.


    Haesha noticed a stream of students rush out from the White Building, craning their necks to look at the ranking displayed on the wall. Another crowd, many times more massive was rushing from the behind, having poured out of all the buildings.


    The ground staff took off to the skies, monitoring the situation, preventing a stampede from occurring. They began to instil a sense of order among the crowd, lining them up to prevent a chaotic congregation.


    Madam Mary arrived before the rankings, hovering 4 metres above ground. She looked at the arriving crowd, noticing most of the students from the military academy having assembled before her, "A record has been broken. The record for the number of credits accumulated in the first month since joining the academy had been broken in the span of 10 days¡­twice."


    The word ''Twice'' sent bouts of shock into the minds of the students. They then noticed Madam Mary having vanished from the scene, bringing their focus to the rankings. Seeing the score, they collectively inhaled a sharp breath of air¡ªawed.


    [Dedicated Credit Ranking System: October Batch]


    [Rank 1¡ªLaila: 12,084 Credits]


    [Rank 2¡ªJyorta Bone: 12,031 Credits]


    [Rank 3¡ªDalna Doppler: 359 Credits]


    "Jyorta¡­" Haesha muttered, feeling overwhelmed; she thought of his haggard appearance, the weakness he exhibited, and the sense of satisfaction etched in his eyes. Thinking of them all, Haesha involuntarily clenched her fists, vowing to work harder.


    "Yeah, that is Jyorta Bone alright." Esina sighed, glancing through the rest of the score, finally finding her name in the three digits.


    "Laila¡­Jyorta¡­" A boy murmured the two names, etching them in his mind. He then weaved his way out of the crowd, heading towards the Red Building, his body radiating dense fighting spirit. Faintly mixed into it was a bloodthirsty aura, one that made the surrounding people involuntarily shrink back in fear.


    "From where did these two characters appear? They left Dalna Doppler in the dust." A warrior from the October batch whispered, looking at his friend.


    "I heard the two of them are Espers," His friend replied, his gaze transfixed on the two lines. The music that echoed in the surroundings, accompanied by the wind, served to further raise the magnificence of the two rankers.


    A minute later, the music died down, followed by the wind that calmed down. The ranking screen soon disappeared as a ground staff flew before everyone, transmitting her voice through her psychic energy, "The show''s over; work hard to break the established records yourself."


    The crowd dispersed, their emotions boiling in excitement. The feeling was akin to a plague, infecting everyone present in the scene, serving to ignite their fighting spirits. The ones from the same Batch wanted to improve themselves and try to close the gap. The ones from the previous Batches sought to accumulate as many Credits as possible to not be overshadowed by the two top rankers early on.


    The two students that were the source of the commotion were fast asleep, uncaring, and unbothered about it.


    7:30 PM, Jyorta woke up, his body sluggish, unwilling to move. He rolled on the bed, its hardness washing away his bliss, despite the thick, soft bedsheet overlaid on it. He tossed and turned, the laziness permeating through his body abating as time passed in silence.


    He felt a prickling sensation on his cheek, the cause of it similar to granite. Switching on the lights, Jyorta looked at the source, finding a card attached to a letter. It was cold to the touch, its texture smooth. It had a faint lustre, reflecting his face. The card was yellow in colour, looking blank.


    He read the letter out loud, "Held in your hands is a card made from my Unranked Skill. It has a small indentation on its right extreme; slide through it with your nail to remove the stylus. It can be used to write on the card; I will immediately know of its contents as long as you are within the academy. I became privy of your Trait through Jyovic Bone. Once a week, I will give you guidance for an hour. Jyovic Bone has already given me the required remuneration and submitted the related documents to the academy."


    "¡ªMila Marble."


    ''So, Ancestor Marble has made some arrangements in the academy to help me.'' Jyorta nodded in delight, feeling his impression of the man improve. The moment he retracted the letter from his gaze, a flash of yellow appeared on it, turning it into marble. Immediately, it turned to dust, the essence within it extracted, vanishing like it hadn''t existed in the first place.


    "This is the perfect ability for a crime," Jyorta commented, his expression turning bright.


    Seated on his bed, he picked up the water bottle, intending to quench his thirst. Finding it empty, he grunted, pushing the bedsheet aside. He slowly got up, held the empty water bottle in one hand, and his room key in the other.


    He exited the room and turned right, arriving before the water dispenser, situated next to the flight of stairs. Filling his bottle, he took two big gulps. The water slid down his throat, moistening the muscles, and finally entering his stomach; he felt his body regaining some vitality.


    Jyorta returned to his room, taking a glance at the pile of books on the table, strewn across the surface. Opened notebooks, shredded paper, broken caps of pens, etc. his room was a mess.


    He once again exited the room and returned with a broomstick, beginning to sweep the floor. Of the pens that weren''t empty, he tossed them on his bed. The rest, he swept them with the accumulated dust.


    On a corner of the room was a perforated basket, filled with clothes he had worn for the past week. He counted the number of clothes placed in them, closed the lid and inserted his name tag over it, planning to later deliver it to the laundry services.


    Picking up another basket, he placed in it a set of clothes, his underwear, and the necessary toiletries. Locking the door behind him, he carried the basket and headed to the restroom, planning to freshen up.


    8:15 PM, returning to the room, he picked up the basket filled with his used clothes, wore his ID card over his neck and locked the door. Descending the stairs, he arrived at the ground floor. Walking towards the rear end, he spotted an open section carved into the wall, the name plaque signalling it as the laundry services.


    Jyorta delivered the perforated basket, taking a glance to confirm the presence of his name tag in it. The man in charge of the laundry services took hold of it and handed him a slip, "You can collect it after 2 days."


    8:25 PM, Jyorta arrived at the cafeteria, joining the long queue, feeling relaxed. Though, he began to plan his next course of action.


    The talk with Psychic Ancestor Marble spurred him to work harder. Moreover, he now had a strong individual to guide him in the initial stages. No matter the task or plan, the initial stages were the most difficult to brave through.


    After all, even though the corrosion ability seemed powerful, he had yet to know the extent to its usability and limitations. Also, a famous quote from his previous life changed his mindset.


    "We stand upon the shoulders of our predecessors and gaze farther into the horizon."


    The milk had already been spilt; instead of trying to salvage the situation, he had to manoeuvre it to suit his preferences.


    Jyorta slid his hand into his pocket, feeling the presence of the yellow card. Its size, dimensions, and weight were similar to his ID card. It was his opportunity to climb higher, faster than anyone else.


    ''Madam Mila knows about it thanks to my blunder; thankfully, Ancestor Marble had covered it up after that and even concocted a suitable tale. Moreover, a command from him was enough to spur grandpa into action, turning the lie into reality. I don''t know whether Ancestor Light knows about this. But, since there is no interference, it seems he gave a tacit acknowledgment.''


    Jyorta inched forward, glancing at the queue that was shortening at a snail''s pace. His thoughts churned, referencing the mindset he possessed in his previous life. ''Even if they are untrustworthy, I am placed in a helpless situation. Since they intend to help me, I will make use of this chance to grow stronger. In this world, the strength of an individual surpasses the strength of an organisation. I should keep that in mind.''


    "Dinner time is over. You can only order snacks now." The man behind the counter said, his voice grumpy, sporting an expression of boredom. Jyorta gave a perfunctory nod and selected a snack with a high-calorie count.


    Taking the slip, he headed to the service section and gave it to a chef. Filling his plate with snacks, he noticed a stream of people¡ªthe ones who had been having their dinner¡ªhead towards one corner, dropping their plates.


    Immediately, most of the tables became vacant. Also, a chef shouted from the delivery section, urging the students to drop their plates. The nutritional content of the dinner was many times higher than the snacks. Jyorta vowed to never skip the three meals; otherwise, it would hinder his growth.


    Skipping past the messy tables, he found a relatively cleaner one. He then began to dig through his food, thinking about the multitude of information Ancestor Marble had revealed to him.


    ''If everything he said is true, then our city is really in a precarious situation. Then, I must strive to gain as many advantages as I can from the academy. As for the rest, I can bother about them later. After all, my lacking strength makes me unqualified to even be a chess piece in the grand scheme of things.''

 Chapter 95: A Wall of Blue

    The cafeteria was mostly vacant, with there being a sparse few students who had missed their dinners and made-do with snacks. Jyorta munched his food, a jelly-like substance smeared within hard bread. Taste-wise, it was nothing much to comment about but, it had the highest nutritional value among the snacks.


    He had taken a total of four pieces, with each piece twice bigger than his palm. He later planned to issue for a snack with taste after completing the hard bread, intending to satisfy his taste buds.


    A petite figure appeared, calmly siding into a chair next to him, acting natural. She placed her plate on the table, blowing off some remnant food particles, her actions painting a scenario of cuteness.


    "How is our star doing today?" Laila said, her voice ringing out in a melodious tune, soft to the ears.


    "If anything, you are the real star." The blue soul tried to overlay the false persona over him as usual, falling silent, looking at the previous Jyorta''s persona attuned to his. After the false persona had been destroyed, it hadn''t had the time to create a new one.


    In preparation for such cases, the blue soul severed the connections that represented his emotions of fear, apprehension, and cowardice. Now, Jyorta turned into a person incapable of expressing said emotions. Even though he could still feel them, he would be unable to express it, be it in his speech, tone, facial expression, body language, scent, and hormonal reaction.


    He could display the rest of his usual emotions, behaving normally. After noticing the false persona displaying clear limits when faced with Psychic Ancestor Marble the other day, he planned for an alternative. After all, it wasn''t easy to overcome the emotion of fear in a matter of days.


    Humans always feared the unknown and darkness. Sages from the ancient times secluded themselves in remote caves, untamed by nature and untouched by light. It was done in preparation to overcome their instinctive fear. Though, they took decades to make it happen; even then it wasn''t guaranteed.


    Things deeply rooted in the genes are almost impossible to overcome in one generation. In order to do it, drastic measures must be taken.


    Jyorta''s fear too stemmed from his instinct, the instinct of his soul. His body didn''t exhibit any fear towards Laila nor the Wisdom Parasite in him. After all, the two of them had similar strengths. But, in terms of his soul, the one sitting before him was an old monster, one who stood at the peak of humanity for more than a century, Rhachis Ancestor Space.


    "It was a surprise when I saw your score." Laila surmised, "After all, you had been in a coma for 5 years. The opportunity for you to study shouldn''t have been long."


    Her words held a lot of meaning; she was indirectly probing him for the details. Jyorta acted like he hadn''t noticed it, "The scene from that day¡­"


    A memory flashed in his head, turning his mood worse. The blue soul in him hurriedly extracted the memory, sealing it up within a corner of it. But, once accessed by the brain, the memory was bound to exist. When stimulated, it was bound to resurface again. Regarding this, the blue soul was helpless.


    The environment was pitch black, with no traces of life. It could neither think nor move, sealed in the confines of a black container. It neither experienced sunlight nor had a body to feel it. It had lived in such an environment for more than a decade. Even though it couldn''t think, each memory was vividly imprinted into its soul.


    When the previous Jyorta slept, it was the time when it could barely feel alive, connecting to his brain and using it to think. The rare times when Jyorta had a dazed look was when it could take in the grandeur of the world. This resulted in its longing for a body, one to call its own.


    Moreover, bottled up in a place, having no attachments to its previous life, maintaining an ego, and a personality with questionable origins, it was slowly becoming twisted. Its thinking process turned to one of cunning, devious in nature.


    It started to plot for the death of Jyorta, so that one day, it could walk on this land in a body it could call its own. But, the rate of its invasion over Jyorta''s soul was slowing down. After all, the more he grew, the more his life experiences turned to be, and the larger and more condensed his soul became.


    The blue soul had a life experience of 20 years worth in the modern world, judging by its experiences. The more Jyorta became older, the greater his influence in his body. Whenever he lacked some energy in the soul due to its attacks, the body enacted through a mystical means to rapidly replenish it. But, the blue soul was a lone soldier, facing against a strong foe that was backed by an ocean.


    It was pressed for time; Jyorta was assimilating with the memories stored in his brain, the ones that were part of the blue soul, detailing its thoughts, plans, etc. It was only a matter of time before Jyorta devoured it.


    All sorts of emotions mixed up and finally erupted; the blue soul planned to take control of Jyorta''s body, irrespective of the cost. It then converted the soul of the language teacher''s Wisdom Parasite, using it to make her lose control.


    Moreover, her mental condition was at an all-time low, thanks to her inability to give birth. It made use of that weakness to gain control of her body¡ªusing her Wisdom Parasite¡ªand started an assault, murdering his classmates.


    Except for Jyorta, George, and Laila, the blue soul''s plans killed 27 students and the language teacher¡ªa total of 28 lives. In the end, the previous Jyorta managed to sense its existence, the memories he had obtained surpassing its expectations. If it had delayed any longer, it would have never obtained a chance to step foot into this world.


    The first time it opened its eyes as Jyorta, it felt euphoria. The feeling was unexplainable in words. After being trapped in a dark place for more than a decade, it had finally witnessed sunlight. It was the day when its dark and twisted emotions abated, recovering to normalcy.


    ''I mourn for the 28 lives I had taken. But, if I was in that situation a second time, I would have re-enacted the same. I usually strive for public welfare, showing great compassion and moral values. But, when left with no other choice, I will choose to save myself. If I have to describe myself in one word, it would be a Hypocrite.''


    "That day¡­" Laila muttered, her expression dark. Without any mention, she could link it to the disaster she had faced. Moreover, it was the switch that brought out her true self, unearthing a century of preparations.


    "Every time I sleep, I recall the incident. After I woke up from my coma, I had forgotten all about it. But something happened a few days after that, making me recall everything. After that, I could never forget it despite my efforts in trying to bottle it up." Jyorta shook his head, his voice automatically turning hoarse.


    "I never wanted the situation to repeat itself ever again. It was then, my sister told me to study earnestly. She said that once I finished my 11th standard, I could use the knowledge to empower myself. Only after my Induction Ceremony did she tell me the actual details." He then let out a self-deprecating smile.


    "I was tutored by Sir Rishinik Walta until a week before my Induction Ceremony. Only later did I find how expensive his services were. My sister used up most of our parent''s savings and had to take dangerous missions one after another to support me. The least I could do is produce some acceptable results in exchange for that."


    "So, it was Sir Rishinik Walta; no wonder," Laila nodded, her gaze heavy. She then slapped her cheeks, forcing herself to smile, "Actually, his brother tutored me. So you see¡­"


    "Haha," Jyorta chuckled, letting out a fake smile. Finished with his food, he stood up, "Let us both work hard so that we never have to experience it ever again."


    He took in the view of his blue soul, feeling the world become dark. There was his blue soul, looking big, emitting a blue hue. Hovering next to it was his subsoul, the tiny wisp belonging to his Wisdom Parasite, looking murky. It had also grown a tad larger as compared to a week ago.


    The vision of his blue soul extended to a sphere with a radius of 1 metre around him. In this range, he could detect the existence of all souls unless they were blocked by a barrier. But, he experienced it forming only on Tier 3 Warriors and Espers.


    As he turned around, he had taken a step when he activated his blue soul, focusing on his back where Laila had been sitting.


    There was a blue wall to his back, looking extremely flat. Its surface was perfectly smooth, glistening like the moon. He couldn''t see past a millimetre beneath the surface, the density of the wall apparent.


    Jyorta took another step forward, going beyond a metre from the wall, finding a lack of souls in his range other than the ones in his body. He calmly walked towards the designated place to drop his plate, his gait smooth and steady. The blue soul in him had severed all the connections with his emotions.


    ''Based on the theory of the curvature of a Sphere, I wanted to estimate the size of her soul; but, it''s flat. She is no subsoul; that is for sure. I wonder what happened between them when Ancestor Marble came to know of her existence.''

 Chapter 96: Marble Sonata

    On the way out, Laila accompanied Jyorta, engaging in small talk, painting a sharp contrast. Laila was animated, her expression jovial as she skipped along the way, receiving glances from the onlookers.


    She had a charm that was accentuated by her chirpy self, complementing her cute appearance. Compared to her, Jyorta looked relatively stiff, showcasing distinct expressions occasionally, the emotion behind them apparent.


    It looked like he was wired to only display a single emotion each time but, on the contrary, his conversation with Laila was quite lively. They chatted about the hours they spent to accumulate their Credit count, the Trait they had exchanged, etc.


    "The person responsible for implanting the Traits complimented my choice for picking the Trait of Efficiency. He said this fastens our growth in the initial run while the Wisdom Parasite is still an infant." Jyorta said.


    "He said the same to me too. I was first planning to pick the Trait of Temperance but, after careful consideration, I settled with the Trait of Efficiency. The lower cost of it also compelled me to pick it first." Laila replied, grabbing hold of the handrail as she climbed the stairs.


    Reaching the third floor, Jyorta turned to enter the hallway while Laila continued with her climb. She stopped after climbing a couple of steps, "Jyorta, we have to catch up, just like old times. Let us study together and cover our weak subjects. After all, the two of us have been tutored by the Walta professors famed in the 7th Ring."


    "Sure," Jyorta nodded, heading towards his room. Even though there was no prohibition of group studying in the dorm, due to the fear of malicious rumours spreading, most students refrained from doing so.


    There were many facilities in the White Building to facilitate efficient study time. Hence, students generally preferred to study there.


    Moreover, it took time to learn and digest each topic, which they all lacked given the time constraints. And hence, students usually formed groups where each student covered one subject they had prepared beforehand and taught it to the others. This raised their studying efficiency; it eventually became a tradition there. Moreover, anyone who tried to clown around was kicked out mercilessly.


    Climbing the steps one after the other, Laila immersed herself in the peaceful atmosphere. The discussions of the students bordering on trivial topics, the pleasant scent of the grass, and the bustling atmosphere, Laila soaked through them like a dry blanket, her expression one of enjoyment.


    When she had arrived on the seventh floor, a change enveloped her, forming something mysterious in her body. It was a tangible feeling, one that seemed to increase the efficiency of her body''s functions and the entity inside her. A smile crept up her face, one of pleasantness.


    She continued to climb, arriving on the 11th floor, walking through the hallway. On the way, she met a couple of her friends who looked at her in shock, sporting a sense of worship. They congregated around her, bombarding her with a multitude of questions.


    Their questions varied but, the topic of interest revolved around her studying habits and the sorcery she had performed to accumulate so many Credits in such a short time, breaking their academy record.


    Laila extricated herself from their hold, forming an excuse that she was feeling tired. She then forbade them from disturbing her, saying that she was about to sleep.


    She entered her room and closed the door, locking it securely, hanging the key in its designated socket. She then began to strip, placing the removed clothes above the nearby table. A necklace hung over her neck, looking like it was made from iron.


    Its locket looked dull, poorly crafted, showcasing traces of pores along the folds. Laila touched the locket, inserting her psychic energy through it. Immediately, a spherical barrier appeared, widening in size until it touched the inner walls of her room, sealing it from the outside.


    She closed her eyes, emitting a gentle flux of psychic energy, converging them into a line, forming a psychic arm. She executed a couple of linear movements, familiarising herself with its functions.


    Laila walked towards the table, pulling her draw open. Placed inside them were two magenta coloured objects: a chakram, and a cylindrical jar.


    The chakram was similar to the one Jyorta received from Psychic Ancestor Marble, looking like a replica.


    Laila took out the cylindrical jar and closed the drawer, sitting on her bed. She closed her eyes, concentrating on her Brain Crystal. A moment later, numerous tendrils of blood gushed out of the pores on her face, many times greater in number than Madam Mila.


    They converged towards one spot, forming a blob. Within a couple of seconds, it formed into a caterpillar, her actions faster than Madam Mila, a Sky Controller.


    It had a pair of arms, wearing bangles. It lacked legs, while the hair on its head was cut short, forming the shape of an umbrella on its back. Its face sported a gentle smile, one filled with aggressiveness, painting a contrast.


    The Caterpillar looked meek, showing no traces of emotions except its facial expression, sitting on the palm of her right like a statue. It moved based on her instructions¡ªa subsoul.


    Laila held the base of the cylindrical jar using her legs, placing her left hand over its lid. She emitted a gentle fluctuation of psychic energy, drawing a complicated symbol on it, taking a minute to complete.


    Immediately, its lid opened, revealing a viscous fluid inside. Hovering in its centre was a crystal, magenta in colour. If any faculty were to notice it, they would have been stupefied beyond belief. The value of the crystal surpassed imagination.


    Unranked Skill¡ªMarble Sonata!


    She controlled her Caterpillar, plunging it into the cylindrical jar. The Caterpillar swam towards the middle, holding the crystal in its hands. It opened its mouth, enlarging it beyond the width of its body, swallowing the crystal in a single gulp.


    A mystical change occurred, actuated within the Caterpillar, travelling towards her through the blood tendrils that connected the two. A rush of energy entered her body, circulating through her nerves, rapidly being absorbed into her blood vessels.


    Soon, they congregated in her Brain Crystal, fusing into a single entity, forming the crystal from before, countless times smaller, looking condensed. They fused into the Brain Crystal, forming a mark on it, subtly changing its inherent structure, altering its composition.


    Soon, crystals that were smaller than her cells appeared, fusing into each of the neurons in her brain. They then affected the electric signals that passed through them, the change subtle, the flow undisturbed.


    Laila took in a deep breath, feeling the power coursing through her body, astonished at its complexity. She retracted her Caterpillar, dissolving it into thousands of blood tendrils, absorbing them back into her body through the pores on her face.


    She then placed the lid over the cylindrical jar, watching it close by itself. Immediately, the viscous fluid inside it turned into marble, magenta in colour. It then broke down into dust, its particles smaller than visible dust. The marble disappeared, emitting a dense concentration of psychic energy.


    The psychic energy was so dense that the air turned viscous, looking intent to slam into Laila. As if guided by some unseen force, the dense viscous energy slammed into the inner surface of the spherical barrier, getting absorbed into it in a matter of seconds.


    ''The Unranked Skill¡ªMarble Sonata, the prized creation of Marble; its defensive prowess is unrivalled among Tier 6, only inferior to the bones of Mother Parasite. This will be useful for my plans.'' Laila laughed, her laughter uncontrollable. Tears streamed out of her eyes as her face beamed with joy. She rolled on the bed, breaking into a dance, expressing her joy.


    ''Previously, my subsouls that possessed it were only at Tier 5. The strength they wielded pales in comparison to the final version. Now, as long as I reach Tier 6, I''ll be able to nurture it to its peak. My defensive strength will be great, adding on to my powers of space.''


    Laila created her psychic arm, closing her eyes to focus better. She concentrated on her Brain Crystal, at the crystal symbol that had appeared on it, actuating it through her will.


    A faint stream of energy gushed out of her Brain Crystal, merging into the psychic arm, turning it red. She used the red psychic arm to grab her pillow, watching it turn red at a snail''s pace. When it was only one-tenth done, she released her hold, knocking on it with her hand.


    The red part of the pillow caved in under the force of her knock, looking deformed. Laila once again grabbed it with her red psychic arm, absorbing the essence infused into it, watching the pillow recover to its normal self.


    ''It is quite soft and slow to act at Tier 1; it should be better than this at Tier 2 and ought to have enhanced capabilities. That will give me some advantages in the Labyrinth of Frenzy.''


    "Thank you, Marble. I will keep my end of the deal." Laila murmured, her tone one of confidence.


    She then retracted her red psychic arm, inspecting her surroundings once, checking if she had dropped anything that will alarm the faculty once she retracted the barrier. After all, the barrier she had erected was something the psychic energy of Sky Controllers couldn''t seep through, irrespective of their numbers.


    Once she touched her locket, the spherical barrier disappeared. Laila stretched her limbs, arranged the pillow under her head, and wrapped the bedsheet over her body. In the next instant, she fell asleep.

 Chapter 97: Making a Mess

    Jyorta walked along the hallway, gazing at the back of Laila climbing the stairs, his expression unchanged. He retracted his gaze, noticing the hallway silent, showcasing zero traces of human activity. As he wondered the reason for it, he arrived before his room.


    Jyorta fished out the key from his pocket, inserted it into the keyhole, and opened it. Theoretically, as long as he had finished nurturing a psychic arm, he could directly seep it through the keyhole and comprehend the unlocking pattern, opening the door without the use of a key.


    The door closed upon his entry, revealing the tidied room, giving him the feeling of warmth, the marks made in it belonging to him. He hung the key in its designated socket and took a couple of steps forward, his expression similar to a rock.


    The blue soul in him hesitated for a second before forming numerous soul tendrils, re-establishing all the connections with his emotions. Immediately, his body experienced a multitude of chemical and hormonal reactions, the broiling emotions hitting him in an instant.


    His knees gave out under him, plopping on the floor, producing a loud thud. He placed his palms on the floor, trying his best to exert force in his arms to anchor his body. His entire being shivered, his face scrunched up, the feeling of fear overwhelming him, surpassing beyond the limits of despair.


    His stomach churned, the bubbling acid rising up, travelling through his food pipe. It carried with it the food he had consumed just now, partly digested, the oxidation reaction having just begun.


    "Goff," Jyorta vomited, puking out all the contents he had consumed, feeling his throat sting due to the volume that had gushed out in an instant. His urinary sphincter gave out, no longer able to function in its optimal state, soiling his pants.


    Jyorta made a mess of himself, painting the floor with a plethora of food items in their undigested state, not to mention his soaked pants.He coughed, feeling a constricting pain in his lungs. Tears streamed out of his eyes, making him feel weak.


    ''I shouldn''t have checked her soul through the vision of my blue soul.'' Two hours later, Jyorta slowly picked himself up, lamenting at his stupid behaviour. After the blue soul in him severed the connections with his fear, despite the emotion present in him, he couldn''t feel it.


    Hence, he took on a daring approach, trying to get an inkling to her soul, something he wouldn''t have dared otherwise, based on his cautious nature. Immediately, his blue soul experienced the feeling of fear stemming from gazing at an apex existence, one similar to its own, its limits unimaginable.


    Just a single action from the blue wall could have crushed his blue soul, leaving behind no traces. After all, the other party was someone well versed in the domain of the soul, having lived at the peak for more than a century, having significant power and resources at her disposal.


    ''My priority should be to recreate a false persona. After all, as long as I am here, there are many occasions for us to meet. Severing my emotions are just a stopgap measure, once I re-establish the connection, the emotions I had been experiencing for the entire duration will hit me in an instant, overwhelming me like just now.''


    Seated on the floor, separated from the decoration by a hair''s width, Jyorta sighed. His body felt exhausted, his nerves similar to one who had been in a battlefield for months at a stretch, with danger and death lurking at every corner.


    Disregarding the stench, Jyorta sat in his spot, his body unable to cooperate with his commands. He then let out a self-deprecating laugh, "Just because I have a couple of advantages doesn''t mean I became the protagonist of this era. Moreover, I am not even unique; there has been a precedent."


    An hour later, Jyorta got up and stripped his soiled clothes. He piled them in a corner, wore old shorts, and picked up a rag he had saved in his shoulder bag. It was a habit cultivated from his previous life, carrying old clothes and newspapers with him wherever he went.


    It was for contingency measures in situations such as this. Jyorta tore a rectangular piece from it and tied it around his face, covering his nose and mouth. A second later, he removed it and folded it once, tying the remainder around his face once again¡ªthe stench was unbearable.


    He tore off another piece of the cloth, intending to use it to wipe the floor. Thankfully, he had a couple of boxes saved up, intended for stationery and other miscellaneous items. He emptied one of them, seemingly large enough to cover the total volume of decorations.


    He took in a deep breath and was about to start cleaning when a mystical feeling enveloped him, forming a mysterious change within him. It created something intangible in his body, one that could raise the efficiency of his body''s functions and the Nurturing effect of his Wisdom Parasite.


    Just when he was relishing in the experience, another change occurred within him, originating from his Brain Crystal. It felt like he had grown an arm, sealed within his brain, one that he could move out any time he wished.


    "My psychic arm has been successfully nurtured," Jyorta sighed, closing his eyes, concentrating on his Brain crystal. He emitted a gentle flux of psychic energy, converging them into a psychic arm. The psychic arm was shaped like an ethereal arm of a jellyfish.


    It was no different from a tentacle, moving around him based on his inputs. Though, its movements were rigid, moving in linear patterns, unlike the flexibility exhibited by tentacles. Jyorta sat on the floor, occupying a clean spot. He placed the stationery box before him and sent his psychic arm flying towards the ''decorations'' on the floor.


    As it passed through them, Jyorta didn''t feel any sort of resistance, partially due to them having emerged from his body, soaked with his bile. He could currently extend his psychic arm for about two feet, its weight limit yet to be experimented.


    The more his brain was nurtured, the stronger his psychic arm would become, eventually reaching the limit of Tier 1 based on his Sync Rate. The psychic arm held some large blotches, lifted them, and floated towards the stationery box. It then released its hold, producing a muffled thud as the contents splashed into the stationery box.


    Forward, hold, upward, backward, and release; the psychic arm executed linear actions one after the other, similar to a robotic arm in its initial stages of development.


    "I''ll count this as training; it is definitely not due to disgust¡­definitely." Jyorta continued to use his psychic arm, keeping a note of the energy expenditure. A minute later, he cursed aloud, feeling the energy in his Brain Crystal fully expended.He hadn''t even finished cleaning one-tenth of the mess.


    Grunting in annoyance, he set out to manually scrub the area, scooping the vomit into the stationery box. Finally finished with it after more than 20 minutes had passed, he switched on the fan.


    He opened the windows, intending for the smell to escape from it.


    A moment later, he noticed the smell circulating in his room, thanks to the actions of the fan. Moreover, there was no wind outside, making the rate of seepage into the open minimal. Jyorta wanted to rage quit, feeling vexed; he controlled his actions, heaving out another sigh.


    He then covered his upper half with a used shirt and gently opened the door, peaking out into the hallway, looking for the traces of other students. He once again noticed the empty hallway, thanking the heavens as he carried the stationery box and bolted towards the restroom.


    Five minutes later, he returned to his room, carrying water in the stationery box, soaked in it was the cloth he used to wipe the floor, fully rinsed. He then began to mop the floor with it, scrubbing everything he couldn''t remove in the first try. Once he was done, he sprinted off towards the restroom and returned to his room after five minutes.


    He repeated the actions more than 10 times, finally looking at the sparkling clean floor in his room, the smell having mostly been ventilated. He then noticed his soiled clothes piled in one corner. He grunted in exhaustion and picked it up, once again dashing towards the restroom after checking for the presence of people in the hallway.


    Twenty minutes later, he returned to his room and haphazardly dropped the washed clothes over the backrest of his chair, allowing them to dry in such a manner. He spread it open, covering the surface of the backrest, taking a glance at the speed of the fan.


    He picked his basket and placed a change of clothes, his soap, toothpaste, and toothbrush. He then locked the door and walked to the restroom. He brushed his teeth and took a long bath, returning to his room after 30 minutes.


    "I had made such a large mess after talking to Laila for less than 15 minutes. Without a false persona to handle her, I''ll be damned." Jyorta sat on his bed, feeling his body relax. The hard bed currently felt like the softest cushion in the world. His previous state was akin to dancing on a bed of nails, one that had been heated to become blinding red.


    He closed his eyes, about to sever some connections using his blue soul to instantly fall asleep when a change occurred in it, surprising him. He sprang awake in fear, unable to sense the cause for the changes.

 Chapter 98: Fear, Apprehension, and Detesting Arrangements

    The blue inscriptions in his blue soul were trembling, experiencing a change. They converged towards one another, joining and fusing into a larger entity. It induced a chain reaction, spreading towards the rest of the knowledge stored in it, assimilating them into the cluster.


    Jyorta hurriedly took in the view of his blue soul, watching his surroundings go dark. He first noticed the subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite trembling like a scared kitten, caught in a storm. It felt a fear similar to what the blue soul felt from Laila, the only difference being the magnitude.


    He also noticed the speed of Nurturing subtly increasing, stacking atop the Trait of Efficiency. His blue soul dwarfed the murky trembling wisp, its blue hue denser than before. The blue inscriptions in it combined and joined with each other, changing their inherent makeup, forging a new structure, raising its complexity.


    Numerous soul tendrils emerged from the blue soul, trying to wrestle with the fusing blue inscriptions, failing to overcome it in a contest of strength. On one side, he was afraid and wanted to stop whatever was currently happening in him. On the other side, he didn''t want to interfere in something he had zero knowledge of.


    Caught between two conflictions choices, the actions taken by the blue soul slowed down. Taking the chance, a dense cluster of blue inscriptions converged into a ball, shrinking in size, settling within the gaps of one another, fusing in other places.


    The information that was acting up belonged to his previous life, the ones he had accumulated as Kaushik. It was like they were selectively absorbed from the clusters of memories he had accumulated in two lifetimes.


    A moment later, after absorbing all the memories belonging to his previous life, it fused into a sphere, emitting a gentle radiance of blue. Soon, numerous indentations covered its surface, creating gorges in certain places while raising other regions high up.


    A couple of layers formed in a certain area while a raised region caverned, forming two tunnels. Two holes appeared on opposite sides; gorges formed, raised into adjoining patterns, elevated into a layer, anchored around each hole.


    Many other shapes formed all across the condensed blue ball, its complexity greater than what the blue soul could sense.


    When the changes on the surface concluded, the blue soul was shocked, looking at the finished structure, resembling a face.


    A face with wide facial features, sporting a rectangular frame but circled around the cheeks; the eyes were big, the eyelashes long. The eyelids flapped in a synchronised rate, each blink showcasing the eyes hidden within¡ªmurky black.


    It sported the expression of one with calm, a delicate individual possessing great zeal and drive, associating with the intellectual society. Except for the changes in the part of the eyes, everything else belonged to his previous face, the face of Kaushik who was 20 years in age.


    The blue soul immediately felt a connection form with the blue face, looking like they had become a single entity. On closer inspection, it could no longer notice its soul core in its soul. At some point in time, it had fused into the blue face, merging into one.


    It had now become the core of its individual self; the blue soul could infer it based on its senses. The blue face was its essence, its core. Moreover, it also noticed a fused soul core segregated at one corner of its soul¡ªbelonging to the previous Jyorta and the subsoul of the late language teacher''s Wisdom Parasite.


    The moment the soul core of the previous Jyorta separated from his soul core, an instinctive rejection stemmed from his body; the organs looked on the verge of failing, the involuntary muscles began to slow their actions, showing signs of stopping.


    Suddenly the blue face opened its eyes, swerving its gaze towards the soul cores of the previous Jyorta and the late language teacher''s Wisdom Parasite.


    The moment it opened its mouth, two blue orbs pierced through the two soul cores, one big, and one small. They swam through the blue soul''s body, arriving before the blue face. The blue face widened its mouth and swallowed them.


    No sooner had it done so did the rejection reaction stemming from his body abated, reverting to the previous state of being.


    A voice immediately resounded through the blue soul, originating from the blue face, communicated through the soul.


    "I have modified your soul to some extent. It is something that stems from my power, one that I haven''t managed to get a complete grasp of. I have brought an individual similar to you in this world before; if fate permits, you can try to learn more about yourself from her. She goes by the name of Gajara Rahi. I have done everything in my power; now, it is up to the two of you to defeat Mother Parasite and rid humanity of its sorry fate."


    The murky black stemming from the eyes of the blue face seeped out, passed through the blue soul, and exited the body. Momentarily, they turned ethereal and vanished, as if erased by the laws that governed the world.


    The blue soul looked at the two husks settled in a corner of it, looking deprived of their essence. It experienced an influx of information, transmitted from the murky blackness before it had vanished.


    Immediately, a feeling washed over itself, one of sovereignty, gaining a perfect understanding of its state of being. It then began to comprehend the information delivered by the creepy-haired man.


    ''Can I hopefully assume that there are no other arrangements of the creepy-haired man remaining within me?'' The blue soul thought, unhappy at the situation. Every night, before the body slept, the blue soul inspected itself, trying to find any remnant traces of the creepy-haired man''s arrangements.


    After getting modified by him first, it had gained many abilities in the domain of soul but, no matter how many times it had tried, it could never find anything suspicious. Now, something really appeared, hidden within the memories it carried over through transmigration.


    ''Even though I have gained some newfound abilities, this situation makes me want to avoid it all. Now, I even suspect if the memories of my previous life are my own and not someone else''s. After all, I don''t feel anything when I look at them. Moreover, the cause of this situation was hidden within them.''


    The blue soul created some soul tendrils, wrapping them around the two husks lingering within it, securing them in safety.


    In fear of such a situation, it had wanted to modify the previous Jyorta''s soul to possess abilities similar to it and transfer it to another body, eventually escaping the potential threats hidden inside it¡ªstemming from the creepy-haired man.


    Now, it was all for naught. It lost the initiative before it could even enact its plan. The two soul cores were stripped of their essence and absorbed into the blue face, leaving behind dry husks.


    The potential threat was just a possibility before, stemming from the blue soul''s cautious and suspicious nature. But now, it had become definite.


    ''At least, I can now easily create a false persona using them.'' Jyorta thought, opening his eyes. Once the murky substance evaporated away from the blue soul, he obtained full control over the blue face. It was now his core, his being, his essence. That is what he felt; that is what he hoped to believe.


    ''I hope that any other arrangements he had left behind will not act up as long as I strive to defeat the Mother Parasite. Maybe, he feared that I would shy away from my designated task after hearing about the unrivalled strength of the Mother Parasite; and hence, he made some arrangements that would force me down this path?'' Jyorta let out a self-deprecating smile, his tone helpless.


    His so-called powers stemmed from the creepy-haired man. Before even comprehending them in full, he had zero confidence in sniffing out the other arrangements, not to mention extricating himself from the creepy-haired man''s control.


    Neither was a slave collar wound around his neck nor was he a puppet but, he felt like his situation was worse than the two. "One step at a time; I will proceed towards my freedom. Knowledge is power, and I will strive to accumulate them and destroy this passive situation."


    Jyorta sported a vicious gaze; for a moment, he considered approaching Laila. He then controlled his urges, admonishing himself for the reckless thought. At least, he could console himself that the creepy-haired man''s sole purpose in bringing him was to defeat the Mother Parasite.


    But, he knew next to nothing about Laila. Moreover, he couldn''t trust any Tier 6 being. After all, they stood at the peak of the world for centuries, having to face numerous situations, witnessing all sorts of negativity, schemes, and brutality. If they didn''t possess a cunning nature, they wouldn''t have reached Tier 6 in the first place.


    "One step at a time," Jyorta iterated it, trying to ease his emotions. He then closed his eyes, taking the vision of his blue soul. The surroundings were slightly different at present, showing some differences as he observed the murky wisp belonging to his Wisdom Parasite.


    Its body was composed of blue fragments that were covered by a layer of white, looking so transparent that he hadn''t been able to notice it before. As the blue soul comprehended the newly obtained memories, it came to differentiate them.


    ''The blue fragments are the memories while the white layer is the persona. Yes, after all, a person''s persona is shaped by his life experiences. So, each piece of his memory will carry a part of his persona.''

 Chapter 99: Soul Cornea

    ''Now, onto the main part.'' The blue soul stirred up as the blue face within it opened its mouth, spitting out a thick stream of blue smoke. In the fraction of a second, the blue face regressed into a blue sphere, looking similar to his soul core from before¡ªone that hadn''t fused with the previous Jyorta''s soul core.


    The blue smoke instantly condensed into a tentacle, flashing with fragments of knowledge and memories. Its appearance was familiar, one that the blue soul had used innumerable times.


    ''Soul Cornea!'' The blue soul felt surprised for a moment. Before, it had to recite the verse imparted by the creepy-haired man to create two Soul Corneas. But now, it could instantly create a Soul Cornea, similar to the psychic arm, always at its disposal.


    Moreover, it felt corporeal, possessing greater power. Moreover, the control the blue soul had over it surpassed the psychic arm. The Soul Cornea could move freely, unhindered by directional mobility. Moreover, it had an active range of a metre around him, similar to his psychic arm nurtured at a hundred percent Sync Rate.


    The Soul Cornea floated towards the subsoul belonging to the Wisdom Parasite, gently touching it. Immediately, the murky substance coating it vaporised, leaving behind a pure wisp. It no longer needed to chant the verse of the creepy-haired man to shed off the murky substances, having gained control over the necessary abilities.


    After a moment of thought, the Soul Cornea entered the subsoul belonging to the Wisdom Parasite, absorbing all the memory fragments it had accumulated. Without a glance, it knew their contents. They definitely belonged to the disaster caused when the late language teacher lost control.


    The blue soul turned silent, leaving the Soul Cornea to linger outside its soul, digesting all the information imparted by the creepy-haired man. Arrangements or not, it had to first know of the contents and the advantages it brought before planning for a contingency measure against them.


    3:00 AM, the Soul Cornea thinned considerably, compressing itself to its limits. It turned black, brimming with the power of corrosion. It then gently brushed past the white layer surrounding a memory fragment, swiftly corroding it.


    The white layer turned black, becoming brittle. With a gentle touch from the Soul Cornea, it broke down, vaporising in a matter of seconds. Before it managed to corrode the memory fragment, the blue soul retracted the Soul Cornea, looking at the scene in jubilation.


    The white layer was the Wisdom Parasite''s persona, present in each memory fragment, covering it. Theoretically, if it spent a lot of time, it could definitely destroy the Wisdom Parasite''s persona.


    After that, it would no longer need to worry about its subsouls developing enough to wrestle control with the main soul, leading to a situation similar to Gajara Rahi. But, it took a lot of time and needed great precision. If it was even the least bit careless, it would corrode the memory fragments.


    Jyorta felt suspicious, wondering about the state of Gajara Rahi before her death, ''Even if she didn''t have the ability of corrosion, she should have been able to use her abilities of space to deal with her subsouls. After all, the creepy-haired man must have made similar arrangements in her. But, she didn''t choose to do so and chose death, eventually settling within the body of Laila. Why would she forsake her Tier 6 body?''


    Due to the lack of information, Jyorta couldn''t ponder in this line of thought. He then sent it to the back of his head, intending to confirm with his sister after graduation. At present, Jyorta wanted to explore his abilities and familiarise himself with them.


    The information imparted by the creepy-haired man hinted at a certain fact. The blue inscriptions in the blue soul were equivalent to its skeletal frame, anchoring its soul. The sturdier it was, the bigger the blue soul could grow.


    Also, as long as the skeletal frame could support it, the blue soul could directly siphon energy from the Brain Crystal, quickly gaining mass. From its previous experiences, it was a definite possibility. The energy stored in the Brain Crystal was also pure, unlike the energy generated from the body which was accompanied by the murky substances¡ªfilled with desires, emotions, hopes, etc.


    ''The Soul Cornea can exist indefinitely, as long as I can provide it with sufficient energy. It is unlike before, dissipating in a matter of minutes after I had finished reciting the verse imparted by the creepy-haired man.''


    The Soul Cornea felt sturdier than before, looking robust. Jyorta extended it outside the body, marvelling at its state when it didn''t dissipate. It hadn''t reduced in size even with the change in the environment.


    Previously, the moment his Soul Cornea emerged outside his body, it began to evaporate, albeit at a slower pace than his soul tendril.


    At present, it was like his psychic arm, the one difference being their composition. One was formed from the muscular energy produced from the Wisdom Parasite''s Nurturing. The other was formed by the substance that composed his soul.


    As the Soul Cornea hovered before him, Jyorta exited the vision of the blue soul, feeling surprised when he could still sense it. It was like his psychic arm; even though he couldn''t see it through his vision, he could feel its existence. It felt similar to him growing another arm.


    Jyorta stood up and took out his trolley bag from the cupboard, situated overhead his bed. He opened it and fished out a small box from within. Placing it on the bed, Jyorta made his psychic arm touch it, infusing a bit of his psychic energy.


    A spherical barrier appeared, covering him along with most of the bed. Jyorta took his notebook and flipped through it, stopping at a blank page, folding it along 2 centimetres from the edge.


    He took out his scale and aligned it along the fold. Using his other hand, he gently tore out the paper, forming a strip. The strip was 30 centimetres in length and 2 centimetres in breadth, its edges smooth thanks to his careful actions.


    After a momentary consideration, he infused some more psychic energy into the small box, enlarging the spherical barrier until it spanned the size of his room. He then placed the scale along the longer side of the strip, marking out each millimetre with a short dash. He used longer dashes for each centimetre, also marking them with numbers.


    Finally, he took out a compass from his geometry box and used its pointed end to make a hole beneath the shorter end of the strip¡ªsituated between the numbers 29 and 30.


    Jyorta then pulled out a strand from a rag he had and inserted it into the hole, making a knot. He then switched off the fan and tied the other end of the strand to a grill in the window, hanging the paper strip.


    Without wasting any time, Jyorta controlled the Soul Cornea to touch the paper strip, making contact at the bottom end.


    The Soul Cornea turned pitch black, colouring the paper strip ink black. It started from the bottom, travelling past each number as it made its way up, like a tide. The blackness coursed through each area, spanning its breadth as it permeated further. It soon crossed the 30 centimetres mark and proceeded towards the strand, making it snap.


    As the strip of paper descended, it broke down into dust, scattering away due to the momentum built up during its fall. Just the crawling speed of descent was enough to crumble it down to the finest, shocking Jyorta.


    Even after retracting the Soul Cornea, Jyorta noticed the ink-black substance travelling through the thread, eventually touching the grill it was tied around. It created a minuscule mark in the grill before its effects abated like the tide. The string had long disappeared, disintegrated into the finest particles.


    Jyorta placed his hand on the mark formed in the grill, scrapping it with his nail. There were no changes; the mark retained its metallic features. As he scrapped it with his nail, the mark came off like dust, smearing his finger with the colour, revealing behind the pristine grill.


    Jyorta then repeated the same experiment with a strip of cloth. The seepage of the ink-black substance was relatively slower, consuming greater amounts of energy for the same distance. Its effects were also a lot slower, only disintegrating the cloth after more than 10 seconds had passed.


    ''Corrosion is the decay of any material, affecting its properties, resulting in a sharp decrease in its physical and chemical properties. In my case, the decrease in physical properties is to the extent that the material crumbles into the finest dust when touched. This is a terrifying power. I must also experiment on how it affects the chemical properties and the variations according to each material.''


    "Achoo," Jyorta sneezed, inhaling the fine dust that was swept away by the wind, circulating in his room. He then tore a rectangular piece from the rag and tied it around his face, covering his nose and mouth.


    3:30 AM, having concluded most of his gains, Jyorta rearranged everything back into their respective places. He then lay on the bed to rest, gazing at the ceiling, looking at the spinning fan, trying his best to sport an optimistic mindset.


    "One step at a time." The blue soul in him began working on the false persona, using limited portions of his brain for the task. It was left with no other choice. At dawn, Jyorta would have to attend classes, which meant chancing upon Laila. At present, she was the one he was the most guarded against.

 Chapter 100: Artifact

    8:00 AM, Jyorta woke up in a hurry, taking a glance at the timetable.


    "Today is Madam Rizenne''s class; if I am late by even a second, I will not be allowed entry." Jyorta sprang up and picked his basket, hurriedly placing his uniform and toiletries inside. He then locked his door and bolted towards the restroom.


    8:20 AM, Jyorta returned to his room, having freshened up in record time. He then placed a pen in his pocket, picked up his notebook, and exited the room. Walking towards the end of the hallway, he noticed sounds from Haesha''s room, showing signs of hurried activity.


    ''She has the habit of getting ready at least 30 minutes before the time. I wonder why she is running late today.''


    Jyorta knocked on the door, producing muffled sounds. He didn''t want to sound rude by using too much force. Ten seconds after he had knocked, the door opened as Haesha peeked out, glancing at him.


    Her expression looked tired, evident by her baggy eyes. It seemed like she hadn''t had much rest the previous night. Noticing Jyorta, Haesha gave a wry smile, "Give me a minute, I am almost done."


    "Okay," Jyorta nodded, leaning on the wall beside the door, waiting for her. Due to the time constraint, he already decided against eating breakfast. It would be too late by the time he swam through the long queue. Moreover, the classes were held in the Head Office Building; meaning, he would have to consume ample time to traverse till his destination.


    A minute later, Haesha walked out, slinging a small bag over her shoulders. It had an open section at the top, showcasing a book and a notebook placed in it. There was also a pouch at the bottom, containing some stationery.


    "Shall we go?" Haesha said in a hurry, taking a glance at the time displayed in her watch. She then began to braid her long hair, her actions swift, looking natural. There was a sense of elegance in the way she tied up her hair, accentuating her appearance, serving to accelerate his heart rate.


    "Sure," Jyorta nodded, accompanying her as they descended the stairs. On the way, they noticed the Espers belonging to their batch hurrying after them, looking tired. Some of them even sleepwalked, their eyes barely kept open under sheer willpower.


    Taking a glance at Jyorta''s face filled with confusion, Haesha sighed, "The scores of you and Laila have spurred everyone to work harder. 12,000 Credits, I can''t even imagine getting that sum."


    "Ahaha," Jyorta chuckled, "The truth of the matter is that the two of us have been tutored by the Walta Professors. That is the only reason our base is that strong."


    ''One of us is a transmigrator while the other is a transmigrator plus an old monster. Moreover, I have already appeared for all the tests in maths, and chemistry. I have also taken quite a few tests in physics, one of my strong suits to accumulate that score. After this, I would also have to start learning like others to gain more Credits.''


    "Walta professors¡­" Haesha scrunched her brows, trying to recall the name. After a couple of seconds, her expression froze, looking at Jyorta in shock, "You mean, Professor Rishinik Walta and Professor Rishishen Walta?"


    "Yeah," Jyorta nodded, confirming her guess.


    "How rich are you to be able to afford them? Is there even a limit to the wealth of the aristocratic families?" Haesha muttered, feeling her head spin.


    "There is nothing of the sort," Jyorta shook his head, sporting a wry smile. "The taxes we have to pay are even higher than the common folk. Moreover, we also have to pay taxes to our Family to support research. If we didn''t have anyone at Tier 3, we would have been doomed. Many branches in our family are ridden with debt when the capable ones are killed."


    He then sighed, continuing with a sombre tone, "Central command also tasks us missions every month. Paving the path for the development of the city, those tasks are left to the aristocratic families. So, we would have to send most of the elites from our Family to the Wild Zones and kill the Frenzy beasts."


    "So, there is no free lunch after all." Haesha nodded, feeling her previous illusions shatter.


    "Hey, at least we possess an Unranked Skill." Jyorta smiled, "This massively increases our strength. Using that, we can easily complete our tasks. Our Family members that have become Shifters are incredibly rich. We wouldn''t have been imposed with such taxes if we didn''t have the capability to pay them."


    8:30 AM, Madam Rizenne arrived in the auditorium, closing the six double-doors upon entry. She then noticed a sharp decline in the crowd, the ones seated sporting tired expressions.


    Seated in the 4th row, Jyorta felt many stares on his back, some of which were full of fighting spirit. Turning his head, Jyorta glanced at the numerous faces turning away, unwilling to make eye contact. A girl among them stood out, glaring in his way.


    Her dark-brown hair cascaded down like a waterfall around her shoulders, their density thick. She sported large eyes, burning with fighting spirit as she glared at him. For a second, her eyes were the only thing in his vision, occupying his focus.


    Jyorta retracted his gaze away from her, looking towards the dais, ''She is one fiery girl.''


    Haesha placed her hand above her mouth, leaking out a cute yawn, "Jyorta, if I were to fall asleep during the lecture, wake me up."


    "Sure," Jyorta nodded, "I got your back."


    Madam Rizenne clicked a button, standing behind the podium. A screen flashed behind her, showcasing numerous weapons listed based on their Tiers. "Our topic today will focus on Artifacts and Relics. In the afternoon session, you will be getting firsthand experience in wielding them. You can choose a weapon of your choice and issue them for your practice."


    The image of a sword flashed behind her, occupying the screen, "Artifacts are classified based on the Tier of the Frenzy Beast they originated from. Even though a steel sword is better than a sword made from the bone of a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast, we wouldn''t classify it as an Artifact."


    She glanced at the faces of the students, looking at their facial features that looked tired, on the verge of falling asleep. "This is due to the presence of aura. Even Tier 1 Frenzy beasts possess an aura. It is just that the aura they emit is feeble to the extent that you can''t feel it. It gets prominent at Tier 3 where it would begin to affect children below the age of 16 and the ones at Tier 1."


    She then recounted some of her experiences, detailing to the extent the aura affected each individual, varying from Tier to Tier. She then noticed that the students falling asleep one after the other, with many others looking attentive only superficially. Their minds didn''t seem to have the capacity to grasp the information she delivered.


    Heaving a sigh, Madam Rizenne waved her hands, producing a large sphere before her. It shone with a pale blue light, looking viscous like water, spanning two metres in radius. Gentle waves formed on its surface, traversing from one point towards the opposite, forming ripples.


    Sparks flew out, carrying a thin disjointed stream from it, merging into the body of a student on the first row. Within a second, the same thing repeated, entering the bodies of all the students present, elapsing not more than a second.


    The pale blue sphere had shrunken to a great extent, only left with a sphere with a radius of 10 centimetres. It had decreased in radius by 20 times. Under her input, the remaining amount turned into mist, dispersing across the auditorium.


    Each time the students inhaled the air, a part of the pale blue mist would seep into them, enriching them, decreasing their fatigue. Jyorta rested his back on the chair, lowering his left shoulder, his lips muttering a silent prayer.


    Seated to his left was Haesha, using his shoulder as a pillow. She had fallen asleep mid-lecture. Even though he had promised to wake her up if she fell asleep, he paused in thought, wondering about the method to wake her up.


    Should he nudge her shoulder? Give her hand a light tap? He was slightly clueless but, mostly hesitant. His left shoulder was currently the happiest body part; he didn''t want to destroy his happiness.


    ''She is tired, even if she wakes up, she wouldn''t be able to understand much. I can always teach her later about everything that happened in class. Please don''t get up; sleep well!'' Jyorta made a convenient excuse, feeling his mood brighten up for the better, barely able to look at the previous night''s incident with an optimistic perspective.


    For the first time, he was a bit disappointed in seeing the Unranked Skill Regen in action. As the pale blue stream gushed into the bodies of each student, they woke up one after another, feeling fresh, their fatigue washed away.


    Haesha too followed suit, placing a hand on her forehead, blinking her eyes in confusion. She blushed, darting her eyes towards the dais. She then opened her mouth, slightly parting her lips, leaking out a voice that was equivalent to a whisper. Her tone was apologetic, filled with the intent to apologise.


    "It happens," Jyorta waved it off like a gentleman, tapping his left shoulder a couple of times, "My sister complimented my shoulder to be one of the best pillows in Marble city."


    Seeing his smug expression, Haesha chuckled, her eyes looking lively, full of vitality. "It was comfortable indeed."


    "Now that you are all awake, let us continue with the lessons," Madam Rizenne continued, "Artifacts are generally items processed from the remains of Frenzy Beasts. They retain a part of its aura and characteristic. Even though they are present in negligible amounts and are barely helpful, their potency varies depending on the tier."

 Chapter 101: Relic

    "If we want to conclude it arbitrarily, Artifacts are just items made from Frenzy Beast Carcasses. Also, their composition differs from the minerals naturally found in nature. This gives rise to a myriad of Artifacts in all shapes and sizes." Madam Rizenne changed the image on the screen, showcasing many items in red.


    They ranged from a pin to a piece of slab. Madam Rizenne continued, taking a glance at the conditions of the students, "There is a famous example when it comes to Artifacts. Thanks to getting approval from Psychic Ancestor Marble, we can go into depth about this topic."


    Her face brightened up, sporting a sense of worship, "The Unranked Skill created by Psychic Ancestor Marble, Marble Sonata can be used to mass-produce Artifacts. Depending on the Tier of the Esper wielding the Skill, the Tier of the Artifact they create varies. At Tier 1, they are red in colour."


    Looking at the bouts of shock and exclaim echoing among the crowd, Madam Rizenne smiled, having expected the reaction. After all, the information about the Unranked Skills was strictly controlled. To the students, even getting the chance to hear about the names of the Unranked Skills would have been wonderful, not to mention the Unranked Skill created by Psychic Ancestor Marble, one of their pillars.


    The image behind her flashed to reveal an isometric view of their city, showcasing a bird''s eye view from the 7th Ring till the 10th Ring. "The best example is the walls that surround our city. They have been created by Psychic Ancestor Marble, using the Unranked Skill nurtured to Tier 6 level. The walls that span around us, enclosing each Sector and covering every Ring; they also cover our ground surface, forming the anchors and base for all the Strata. Basically, except for the buildings, the entirety of our city is a ginormous Tier 6 Artifact."


    "They are the reason for the name of our city, Marble City." Madam Rizenne said, her tone zealous. Psychic Ancestor Marble was the epitome of hope for all Espers; the greater their strength, the more they understood his significance.


    The image behind her flashed, showcasing a spinal cord, "After the Induction Ceremony, the Wisdom Parasite fuses with either our brain or our spinal cord. Now, let us consider the case of Warriors. This is the spinal cord of a warrior, retrieved after his death."


    The students flashed looks of pity, disgust, curiosity, etc. showcasing a myriad of emotions. Madam Rizenne noted them all, thanks to her being an Esper, "Now, there are times where the spinal cords of Warriors are left intact after death¡ªwhile in a mission. We safeguard it immediately; after all, the Wisdom Parasite in it is still alive. As time passes, it eventually dies. At the end of the day, it too is a living being and needs nutrients for sustenance. The higher the Tier of the Wisdom Parasite, the longer it can survive on its own."


    She then changed the image to a box, "We process it into an item that can be used. For example, a Developer has three Skills. After his death, and should his spine remain intact, his Tier 1 and Tier 2 Skills merge into his Tier 3 Skill, mutating it. After we process it through our methods, we end up with an item that can be used to invoke the mutated Tier 3 Skill. This is what we call a Relic."


    "Having a Relic in your hand is equivalent to possessing an extra Skill." Madam Rizenne waved her left hand, making a cube appear above her palm, its edges spanning 10 centimetres.


    The cube looked no different from a tin can, reddish-grey in colour, emitting a dull lustre. "This is a Tier 3 Relic, named Cold Flare. Since this is the only one of its kind, we have given it a name. Most of the Relics are just designated a number, irrespective of its strength."


    Madam Rizenne infused her psychic energy into the cube, whirring it into life. In the next second, a gentle wave emerged from the cube, spreading towards all corners of the auditorium.


    Immediately, the students felt a biting cold seep into their bodies, spreading the chill through their nerves. The sensation disappeared in an instant as Madam Rizenne retracted her psychic energy, "The advantage of a Relic is the fact that anyone can use it, whether they are a Warrior or an Esper."


    "But," She emphasised her point, "The energy it consumes is almost thrice the energy consumed to actuate a Skill of the same Tier. Moreover, irrespective of the person who uses it, the power it can display has a limit, designated by its Tier."


    "For example, consider this Tier 3 Relic, Cold Flare. Even though the one who activated it is a Sky Controller, the maximum power it displayed is of tier 3 level. Though, I controlled the energy infused into it. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have just felt a chill enter your body." Madam Rizenne closed her palm. The Relic had disappeared from her hands at some point in time.


    "If used well, Relics can be an advantage to you." She concluded, "The one I showed you is a Mould Relic. Mould Relics are the ones created from the spine of a Warrior; the case being the brain for an Esper."


    "There are two other Relics: Refined Relic, and an Extracted Relic." Madam Rizenne changed the picture displayed behind her, showcasing the image of a Quill and a Rod.


    "Refined Relics are created when a Warrior or an Esper consumes a Cleansement Fruit. I will talk about the Cleansement Fruit in another class. As a result of consuming the Cleansement Fruit, a Quill is produced from Espers while a Rod is produced from Warriors." She then explained the methods to discern the Tier of the Refined Relics.


    The Refined Relic produced from an Esper was shaped into a Quill. Its feathers were segmented, the number of segments discerning the Tier of the Esper before he consumed a Cleansement Fruit. The Quill produced from a Wave Controller had 2 segments in its feathers.


    It was due to the powers of the Wave Controller split into three parts, with the Esper retaining one part while the other two forming into the Quill. The Quill in such a case retained two psychic arms.


    The Rod, on the other hand, only retained the Skills of the Warrior. If a Developer were to consume a Cleansement Fruit, he would lose all his three Skills. They would then fuse into a single Tier 3 Skill¡ªwarped in nature.


    "Extracted Relics were created only six years ago. It was thanks to an individual, the Hero of the Flying Throne Raid, and the current head of the Bone Family, Jyovic Bone." Madam Rizenne pointed at Jyorta, "I presume you are his grandson?"


    "Yes, ma''am." Jyorta stood up, nodding in confirmation. His back was filled with sweat, receiving the stares from everyone, filled with indescribable emotions. He thanked in relief when Madam Rizenne motioned for him to sit.


    "Extracted Relics are formed from extracting the Unranked Skill from the corpse of a human. Even though it has major limitations and has stringent requirements, Extracted Relics are the most preferred among Relics. The process of production for each Relic is a military secret. If you join the relevant organisation in the future, you would naturally become privy about them." She said.


    Just when she was about to proceed to the next topic, the sounds of clanging bells resounded through the auditorium. It was then accompanied by a melodious tune that sought to raise their fighting spirit. It was the same as the day before when Jyorta and Laila broke records but on a higher scale.


    "Okay, it seems another Cadet has broken the academy records. We will conclude our class after this topic. Anyway, the Ranking Board will function differently today. It will stay there till noon and not shortly disappear after 10:30 AM." Madam Rizenne pressed a remote, displaying the City walls once again.


    "We generally combine Relics with Artifacts, amplifying their advantages. After all, Artifacts are rigid materials while Relics are fragile items with mystical effects. The best example is our city wall. It is a Tier 6 Artifact and a Tier 5 Relic." She smiled.


    "The Tier 5 Relic fused into our city walls is a product of Rhachis Ancestor Strongest. Even I am not privy of its actual details. Probably only the other two Ancestors are knowledgeable about it." Madam Rizenne switched off the screen behind her, "We will conclude today''s class here."


    Before the students stood up, Madam Rizenne said, "Assemble before the Yellow Building by 2:30 PM. You will be undergoing battle training after you have selected your weapon. Remember, the weapon you pick will decide the fate of your life. Head to the White Building and refer the various weapons in the Portal. You have 4 hours to pick your choice. Class dismissed."

 Chapter 102: Optimal Mentality for the World

    10:45 AM, seated in the cafeteria, Jyorta frowned a little, pondering the contents of the lecture.


    ''The Artifact inside the small box is supposed to be a Tier 5 Artifact. The crystal lens given by Rhachis Ancestor Light is a Tier 4 Extracted Relic. Psychic Ancestor Marble modified it and fused another Tier 4 Extracted Relic into it. Moreover, he also gifted me a Tier 6 Artifact that had fused with a Tier 5 Relic. The items in my possession are beyond my capabilities.''


    Jyorta looked at the three people seated around him, immersed in thought. Each of them sported pondering expressions, their intentions apparent on their faces. They were thinking about methods to accumulate more credits, eventually being able to exchange for a Relic of their choice.


    After gaining knowledge about the uses of Artifacts and Relics, their horizons were broadened. If they obtained a suitable Relic, they would be able to elevate their battle strength by a whole margin.


    [Tier 3 Relic] [8000 Credits] [x20]


    [Tier 4 Relic] [60,000 Credits] [x3]


    Ashten Coorg slapped the pamphlet on the table, one that he always carried with him, "If we hurry, we can probably exchange for a Tier 3 Relic. Tier 4 Relics are just too expensive but, we have a shot at the Tier 3 Relics. After all, there are twenty of them listed in the pamphlet."


    "That may not be a wise decision," Esina shook her head, "Even though we can use the Relics to invoke different Skills, we have to keep a note of its energy expenditure. Moreover, if our strength is lacking, having a Relic or two will prove to be useless."


    "What Esina said is true," Haesha nodded her head, dissuading Ashten, "We must first improve our abilities. Only then can we make better use of Relics should we exchange for one."


    "Traits are the most important at present," Jyorta broke out of his thoughts, gazing at the three, "I have already exchanged for the Trait of Efficiency and can feel my abilities improve at a faster rate. If we grow faster, we can also accumulate more Credits. After all, the Martial Arts subject is vast, the field where we can accumulate the highest number of Credits."


    "I plan to appear for a couple of tests now," Haesha heaved a sigh, picking up her empty plate, shooting a glance at the pamphlet. "Many items in the pamphlet are available in limited numbers. If I want to exchange for them, I would need to accumulate as many Credits as I can."


    "But, if you appear without proper preparations, your losses would outweigh your gains in the longer run," Esina said, looking determined to appear for the test too.


    "I have been studying a lot this past week. I am confident of giving my best," Haesha smiled, feeling slightly pressured. She then looked at Ashten and Jyorta, "What about the two of you?"


    "I too plan to appear for a test. Maths is my strong suit, I am confident in it." Ashten echoed the decision, also getting up from his seat.


    "I don''t plan to appear for any tests for the time being. I had overtaxed my body the past week. I will take it slow for now," Jyorta said, taking a bite of his hard bread, sandwiching a gelatinous mixture. His mind was preoccupied with many things, without dealing with all of them, he didn''t have the focus to appear for exams. After all, he had exchanged for the Trait of Efficiency; it was enough for the time being.


    Blindly charging forth without any preparations were tantamount to foolishness, something he never had the habit of reciprocating. Jyorta waved his hands towards his friends, watching them head towards the White Building through the open section in the cafeteria.


    He continued to eat the food, his mind whirring in thought. The blue soul in him operated in full earnest, compressing the Soul Cornea to its limit, making it into the thinnest strand possible.


    The Soul Cornea floated within the blue soul, gently brushing past the white layers that surrounded the memory fragments. Based on the information it obtained, Kaushik''s persona had fused into the soul core, turning into the blue face. It was the reason for its facial features looking similar to his past life.


    Every memory fragment that had to do with Kaushik had been condensed into the blue face, leaving behind the memory fragments¡ªbelonging to the previous Jyorta and the subsouls¡ªfloating in its body.


    Layers of white coated each memory fragment, their thickness varying according to the impact the memory fragment had on the individual. Even though the persona enveloped around them were attuned to his, Jyorta still felt wary.


    After all, once they accumulate to a certain degree, there was a fair chance the persona would become a collective whole, creating risks. The situation would have then regressed to the time when the blue soul had just erased the ego of the previous Jyorta, resulting in his persona remaining behind.


    If the blue soul hadn''t been careful back then, it would have ended up with a split personality.


    Even though he had taken many measures against them, he couldn''t state anything for certain, having witnessed the previous night''s incidents. There were innumerable things he was ignorant about, the domain of the soul was too vast a subject.


    Hence, Jyorta wanted to destroy them, only leaving behind the pure memory fragments in the blue soul¡ªnipping it in the bud before it could bloom.


    The blue soul controlled the Soul Cornea, turning it jet black, making it brush past a white layer. Within a second, the white layer vaporised, leaving behind the undamaged memory fragment.


    The Soul Cornea only required a thought to move, resulting in its actions being rather precise.


    Jyorta didn''t need to use much brain power for the task. The blue soul in him was more than capable of executing it, only requiring the brain to process minimal information. A soul tendril emerged from it, connecting to the Brain Crystal, siphoning energy from it to augment its actions.


    As the process continued to happen in his soul, Jyorta stood up, placed his empty plate in the designated location, and washed his hands. He exited the cafeteria and returned to his dorm, locking the door behind him.


    Placed next to him, atop the table was a glass jar¡ª10 centimetres in height, shaped like a pepper jar¡ªfilled with yellow marble dust. It was the gift Madam Mila had given everyone, their task being to convert every dust fragment inside it into a Refined Object.


    Jyorta held it in his hands, feeling the coldness seep into his palms. The glass jar was hard to the touch, heavier than he had expected. He closed his eyes, emitting a gentle flux of psychic energy, directing it into the glass jar, forming a stream.


    The glass jar offered faint resistance, expending ten percent of his psychic energy as it permeated through it.


    Jyorta summoned his psychic arm and passed it through the glass jar, planning to first refine it.


    The glass jar offered resistance for the fraction of a second before it turned into his Refined Object, giving him the sensation of his body part placed outside his body¡ªstill maintaining a connection with him.


    The dispersed psychic energy retracted into his psychic arm, reinforcing it. The psychic arm was about 60 centimetres long, spanning 3 centimetres in diameter. As it passed through the glass jar, it occupied most of its base area, making contact with thousands of marble dust.


    Immediately, like a pool of water coming across a sinkhole, his psychic energy dispersed, its contents expended after making contact. Jyorta gazed at the scene, showing no surprise. He had been learning about a lot of things these days, so he knew that each fragment in the marble dust was equivalent to a Tier 5 Artifact.


    Since they were of negligible size, the amount needed to refine each fragment was minuscule as compared to a regular Tier 5 Artifact. But, even in such a case, the amount required was greater than what a line Controller was capable of producing.


    "I think her primary objective for giving this assignment was to better train us in refining Artifacts. This would raise our refining rate; after all, efficiency is pursued everywhere, no matter the situation.


    11:30 AM, placing the glass jar down, Jyorta wiped the sweat formed on his forehead, feeling the presence of numerous dust fragments in it. They were the fragments he had successfully refined, a total of one hundred.


    When he was about to retract his psychic arm, he obtained some feedback through it, one that wasn''t grainy and indescribable. The feedback contents were simple, detailing to a cluster of information. It was like a puzzle, missing most of the pieces.


    The information received through the feedback was different when compared to the memory fragments in the blue soul. But, the information he received through the former settled in his brain, designated into a separate place, one that was discreet, unwilling to intermix with the rest.


    Jyorta could readily recall the contents. Moreover, they had startling clarity, similar to the high definition images he pulled up in his computer one after the other.


    "I should refer to this in the Portal." Jyorta sighed, feeling slightly strained. There was plenty of information he had to remember, pertaining to the abilities of an Esper. It wasn''t just a convenient tool that could be readily wielded. It had its own laws and working principles, only the ones who deciphered its essence would be able to better use it.


    Moreover, the abilities they obtained were a double-edged sword, they had to always be on guard against the entity that grew within them, absorbing their life experiences, and enriching itself.


    The Higher the Tier, the greater the Wisdom Parasite''s development; this led to the Warriors and Espers at Tier 3 and above to constantly be on guard, straining their nerves. A moment of carelessness was all that led to their demise.


    Moreover, once they lose control and weren''t swiftly put to rest, they would harm everyone in their surroundings, including their families, the reason the cause of which they strived to get stronger in the first place. This led to their city possessing a warped nature.


    "A chaotic society that is suppressed into order by brute force. The three Ancestors are the lifeline of our city; chaos erupts in their absence." Jyorta muttered, thinking of the sole question he had posed to Rhachis Ancestor Light while being interrogated, recalling the answer he received.


    ''Selfless at all times but, selfish when necessary; desperate for knowledge and power but, never cross your mental blocks to achieve them; cherish your bonds but, never despair when they are severed.''


    "The optimal mentality for this world," Jyorta let out a self-deprecating smile, changing into his tracksuit. He pocketed his room key and exited the room.

 Chapter 103: First

    The blue soul extended a tendril, wrapping it around the husk of the previous Jyorta''s soul. Numerous soul tendrils appeared, drilling into it, instilling memory fragments.


    Jyorta made use of the same technique as before. He unearthed distinct memories from his blue soul that pertained to when he felt the emotions of calm, optimism, and filled with focus.


    Based on his observations, he had finally figured out the essence underlying the false persona.


    Suppose a person ate his favourite sweet; the emotions he experienced in such a scenario would be one of bliss.


    The white layer coating over this memory fragment would have the characteristics of bliss. Once he unearthed similar memories and joined them together into a collective whole, using a subsoul as a base, he would be able to create a false persona¡ªone of bliss.


    The essence of the persona wasn''t the memory fragments but the white layer that coated them. Now, Jyorta wanted to recreate the false persona of calm, optimism, and filled with focus. Moreover, unlike before, he had better options.


    The husk belonging to the soul of the previous Jyorta was the perfect canvas; it was easier to modify. Once he unearthed the related memories from his blue soul, he used his brain to think and ponder on it. As the memory circulated in his brain, the blue soul in him could extract the memory fragments once again.


    When he first learnt of the fact that the memory fragments made the framework of his soul, and the studier they were, the greater his soul could grow, he wanted to replicate the memory fragments endlessly using his brain.


    But, once they were replicated, they were slowly assimilated into the original memory fragments, only resulting in a loss of energy. Hence, he had to drop the idea.


    Now, he had other plans for them; therefore, he duplicated some memories derived from his previous life.


    After the fragments were duplicated, the blue soul allowed the original memory fragments to go back into the blue face. It then used its Soul Cornea, turning it jet black, passing it through the memory fragment, piercing a hole into the white layer.


    It controlled the flow of its corrosion, trying its best to keep the damage to the white layer to a minimum. Whenever the white layer was damaged beyond repair, it created another copy of the memory fragment.


    Leaving the white layer aside, it destroyed the memory inside, piling up the white layers next to the soul husk.


    Jyorta trained his eyes, keeping a vigilant glance on his surroundings. He didn''t want to encounter Laila for the time being, until his false persona was completed. He multitasked, using the uniqueness of his blue soul to get the job done.


    Walking on the soft grass overlaid on the ground, he heard the raucous cheers coming from the crowd situated before the White Building. The crowd was dense to the extent that he wondered if everyone from the military academy had gathered around the region.


    On a rough estimate, there seemed to be ten-thousand students, not to mention the ground staff that kept flying from one position over to the other, managing the crowd.


    In the intervals of a minute, the cheers from the crowd raised in pitch¡ªtheir fervour infectious. Jyorta walked towards the White Building, soon joining the crowd. He approached a nearby student, a boy that was a head taller than him, sporting a tough exterior.


    "Hello there, can I know the reason for this crowd?" Jyorta inquired, putting on the most polite expression he could muster. Noticing the arms of the boy that were equivalent to his thigh, Jyorta couldn''t help but involuntarily shrink back.


    The boy in question glanced in his direction, taking note of the Batch depicted on his tracksuit, "A student from the October Batch. No wonder you are unfamiliar with this."


    He then lifted Jyorta by the collar, hoisting him high up in the air, "Take a look at the ranking board. I presume you would have been informed of it."


    Even though he was caught off guard for a second, noticing the other''s party''s expression lacking any malicious intent, he craned his gaze, looking at the ranking. He then noticed the score of the first ranker, the font enlarged to the extent even he could clearly spot it.


    [Rank 1¡ªRakh Veera: 2,45,579 Credits]


    Jyorta sucked in a deep breath, feeling a stifling sensation, forgetting to exhale. He had met Rakh a couple of times in the cafeteria, his eccentric character imprinting a vivid impression on him.


    The score was unfathomable to Jyorta, even though he himself had set a record of twelve thousand Credits. But, that was using his knowledge accumulations worth two lifetimes. Even if he used everything he had learnt, he didn''t have the confidence to accumulate half the score through his knowledge.


    ''The Labyrinth of Frenzy.'' Jyorta recalled the conversation he had shared with him, feeling his head spin. There was a limit to the number of Credits one can accumulate through tests. Moreover, they took time and required significant preparations to obtain a high score.


    This implied that Rakh Veera had hunted like a madman in the Labyrinth of Frenzy, managing to accumulate the insane number of credits. Jyorta then gazed below it, squinting his eyes to make out the score of the second ranker.


    [Rank 2¡ªVishen Walta: 1,44,241 Credits]


    "A score that would normally have been an impressive sum looks lacklustre as compared to the top-ranked student," The Warrior boy dropped Jyorta, letting out a sigh. "Rakh is unbeatable among his peers when it comes to both intellect and battle strength."


    "He''s amazing," Jyorta remarked, looking at the back of the students who stood before him, hindering his line of sight. They were all taller than him, comprised of warriors.


    "Even though I am from the same Batch as him, I don''t even have a tenth of his battle strength, despite our bodies being similarly developed." The Warrior boy replied, showing a downcast look.


    The Wisdom Parasite was capable of Nurturing the physique of Warriors, greatly raising their physical abilities as a whole. But, even then, there was a stark difference between Warriors of the same Tier.


    It was a result of the Traits they have obtained, the Skills they have nurtured, and their talent in fighting. These three combined to form differences between Warriors with similarly developed physiques, painting an unbridgeable valley between them.


    "If I may ask," Jyorta sported a look of curiosity, slightly hesitant, evident by his tone. His eyes darted to the backs of the people standing before him, finally settling on the Warrior boy, "What is your rank and Credit score? If you don''t want to tell, then I won''t probe further."


    "I don''t mind," The Warrior boy waved his hands. "Maybe if I too spread rumours about myself, the resulting pressure would have made me take a do-or-die approach, possibly netting me more credits."


    He sighed, glancing at Jyorta''s face, noticing his curiosity, "I am 6th in rank, having accumulated 1,29,653 Credits."


    "That is amazing," Jyorta exclaimed, his tone sincere.


    "It would have been something to be proud about," The Warrior boy shook his head, "That is in the case Rakh Veera hadn''t belonged to my Batch. But now, it is like he worked hard while the rest of us took it easy, wasting the resources. Moreover, this isn''t the final score."


    Just when Jyorta was about to inquire further, the cheers from the crowd elevated to a new zenith, their shouts deafening. The Warrior boy crouched low, accumulating strength in his legs, his position contracted around his centre of mass.


    Followed by a faint gust of wind, he jumped up, his line of sight easily surpassing 3 metres. He then noticed the change in the score, his expression further scrunching up. Without speaking another word, he lifted Jyorta, allowing him to see the updated score, the timer affixed next to it striking noon.


    [Rank 1¡ªRakh Veera: 2,51,217 Credits]


    "An increment of almost six thousand credits," Jyorta murmured, stupefied beyond words. After experiencing many things over his life in this world, he felt like he wouldn''t be flustered on trivial things but, reality overturned his views.


    He felt a myriad of emotions, seeing the letters flashing in a golden hue, their size taking up most of the ranking display. Suddenly, Madam Mila appeared above the White Building, emitting a dense flux of psychic energy, turning it yellow.


    ''Rakh Veera: 2,51,217 Credits''


    Jyorta looked at the words that appeared in the air, made afloat by psychic energy, the font length surpassing 100 metres, looking extremely eye-catching. Immediately, there was a commotion from the right extreme of the crowd, situated next to the Red Building from the Rhachis Block.


    "Come with me," The Warrior boy carried Jyorta in his arms, weaving through the crowd, dashing towards the source of the commotion. Soon, the two of them arrived next to the entrance of the Red Building, coming into contact with a psychic barrier.


    It was erected by the ground staff, creating a 20 metre wide path from the building entrance, trailing through the crowd, barring entry. Jyorta touched the barrier with his hands, feeling the dense amount of psychic energy infused into it, noticing the suffocating aura permeating within it, intent to retaliate should anyone serve to intrude.


    Suddenly, noticing the action from Madam Mila¡ªhovering 10 metres above the opened path¡ªthe crowd turned silent, looking at the building entrance with bated breaths. A minute later, the sounds of footsteps echoed across the ground, amplified by Madam Mila, audible to every student present.


    The sounds soon intensified, forming the shadow of a boy, his frame thin, similar to an Esper. Madam Mila created a screen in yellow¡ª20 metres high and 10 metres wide¡ªabove the path, displaying the image for the rest of the crowd to witness.


    A bloodied figure walked out, the footsteps unsynchronised, looking tipsy. Lacking an arm and sporting grave injuries that were bone-deep all across his body, the figure walked out, carried forward by sheer willpower.


    His armour was in tatters, the region around his groin being the only piece intact, looking on the verge of crumbling down. With a dazed look, the figure took two steps forward, a smile of satisfaction etched on his face.


    Madam Mary arrived before him, controlling the generated winds with her psychic energy, calming them down. She created a stream of fluid, emitting a pale blue hue, hurriedly infusing it into the boy, her face beaming with pride, "You did well, Cadet."


    "Haha," The boy raised his hand, showcasing a broken shaft¡ª40 centimetres in length, its top and bottom edges rugged, filled with barely connected shards¡ªof what remained of his spear.


    He then felt a bit of energy entering him, thanks to the healing treatment. He exerted strength in his voice, opening his mouth, shouting out his emotions. Madam Mila silently amplified his voice using her psychic energy, intending for everyone to hear it loud and clear.


    "First!"

 Chapter 104: Child of Frenzy

    "First!"


    The shout reverberated around the ground, gently transmitted by the psychic energy, instilling the emotions carried through the word in everyone, overwhelming their emotions. As the students saw his haggard appearance, lacking an arm and suffering from bone-deep injuries all over his body, many of them began to cry.


    Of the students that accommodated the top ten rankings in their respective batches, most of them hung their heads in shame, finding their resolves lacking. In order to obtain such an impressive score, Rakh Veera had pitted himself against an uncountable number of Frenzy Beasts, fighting without rest despite suffering from grave injuries.


    Despite leading the second-ranked student in his Batch by a wide margin, he never took it easy, diving headfirst into danger. Only by taking the necessary risks would one be rewarded appropriately. Rakh Veera rang the message across the hearts of everyone.


    Madam Mary silently created a psychic arm, coursing it through Rakh''s spine, heaving a sigh of relief a moment later.


    ''His Sync Rate hasn''t dropped.''


    Madam Mary then found blotches of black liquid settled in his injuries, seeping into his bloodstream, inching their way towards his heart. She shot a glance at Madam Mila, exchanging information through eye contact.


    Immediately, Madam Mary carried Rakh Veera, flying towards the Head Office Building. Seeing her actions, three of the ground staff followed her, taking naught but a couple of seconds to traverse the distance of a kilometre.


    Madam Mila smiled at the students, motioning for the ground staff to take charge of the things. She then disappeared from her spot, arriving before the Head Office Building in the fraction of a second, using her psychic energy to dissipate the vapour cones that trailed after her.


    A large slab was erected before the Head Office Building, spanning 3 metres in length and 2 metres in breadth, raised a metre high. A roof appeared overhead, anchored to the ground by four pillars¡ªrectangular in shape, aligning with the rectangular slab¡ªshielding Rakh from the blinding sunlight.


    Madam Mila changed the composition of the rectangular slab, turning it soft to comfort Rakh Veera''s aching body. The moment he was laid down, he hissed in pain, his face scrunched up, the nerves on his neck throbbing out.


    There was a spike in Madam Mary''s aura, retracted into her body to prevent damaging Rakh. She created five psychic arms, turning two of them pale blue, having activated her Unranked Skill Regen.


    The other three psychic arms entered his body, wrapping around the blotches of black, controlling their seepage into the bloodstream. Madam Mila hurriedly created many medical tools, yellow in colour, having activated her Unranked Skill.


    She created another slab next to Rakh, arranging the tools in order. She then created a couple of medical apparatus, controlling their motion through her psychic arms. Anything material was capable for her, thanks to her Unranked Skill.


    The three ground staff stood around the rectangular slab, creating four psychic arms each, sending them into Rakh''s body when commanded by Madam Mary. They raced against time, trying their best to prevent the blotches of black mixed into the bloodstream from reaching his heart.


    "Rizenne!" Madam Mary shouted, transmitting her voice across the military academy, dispersed through her psychic energy. Soon, an individual flew out from the Red Building, activating her domain.


    Noticing Madam Mary, she appeared before her in an instant, taking a glance at Rakh Veera. Without saying anything else, she took the place of Madam Mary, creating five psychic arms.


    The collective team operated on his body, manoeuvring the blotches of black towards the open would, trying to clear the out.


    "Thankfully, the Essence of Frenzy hasn''t reached his heart, brain, or spine," Madam Rizenne sighed, guiding the elements towards the open wounds while Madam Mary sought to stabilise his body.


    Five minutes later, a black liquid seeped out through the wounds on his body, accumulated towards one spot thanks to the psychic energy of everyone operating on him. Madam Mila created a small vial, allowing the black liquid to collect within it.


    The amount totalled to about two millilitres, slowly permeating through the yellow vial, looking unhindered despite it being equivalent to a Tier 5 Artifact. Seeing the situation, Madam Mila glanced at Madam Rizenne, throwing the vial towards her.


    With a glance, a frown emerged on her face, one filled with seriousness. Without saying anything, Madam Rizenne stopped her treatment, flashing towards the Red Building.


    The Red Building was situated next to the White Building, on both ends: one belonging to the Rhachis Block and the other belonging to the Psychic Block. Madam Rizenne entered the one on the Rhachis Block, arriving at a large hall.


    The hall was well paved, the marble on the floors yellow, seemingly created from the Unranked Skill Marble Sonata, Nurtured to Tier 5 level. Opposite to the entrance, on the other side of the wall was a flight of steps, its breadth spanning the length of the wall.


    The flight of steps led higher up, the roars of the Frenzy Beasts reverberated through it. The walls on other sides had a flight of stairs leading down, segmented into numerous parts, numbering from one to a hundred. The number was affixed above the entrance, inscribed on a number plate, red in colour.


    Except for the small entrance, the rest of the place only had stairs, each stair leading towards a separate path. The Labyrinth of Frenzy was a winding maze, with numerous entrances.


    Madam Rizenne glanced at the flight of stairs numbered ''21'', the path spanning from level one, all the way down to level 5. No two paths intersected, except for level 5 where the paths vanished, joined into a singular maze.


    She flew through the path numbered ''21'', proceeding down, her actions swift. She spread out her domain, encompassing the entire Labyrinth of Frenzy, taking note of all the Frenzy Beasts roaming around.


    She first neared a Tier 1 Frenzy beast, looking at its curled self, shivering from fear after sensing her approach.


    Madam Rizenne created a psychic arm, sending it into the Tier 1 Frenzy Beast''s body, inspecting its brain and spinal cord, retracting after a moment''s notice. She then flew forward, ignoring its curled self.


    Even after she had passed by, the Tier 1 Frenzy Beast never stood up, looking scared beyond wits.


    Madam Rizenne flew forward, spotting one dismembered carcass after another, each of them killed under a single blow, the Heart or Brain crystal within them having been fished out.


    Having arrived at the end of the path, Madam Rizenne proceeded downward, heading towards level two.


    Each path spanned 50 metres in breadth and trailed a bit more than 400 kilometres in length, dividing the space below the military academy into 200 paths, a hundred for Warriors, and a hundred for Espers. When all the paths in the Warrior section were occupied, the Warriors who wanted to explore the Labyrinth of Frenzy were sent to the Esper''s section.


    After all, Espers were incredibly weak at Tier 1 and refrained from exploring the Labyrinth of Frenzy where danger lurked at every corner. Moreover, each batch had at most 3-4 Tier 2 Espers, considering they were three months prior to graduation. So, most of the paths in the Esper''s section remained empty.


    Arriving at level 2, Madam Rizenne noticed the scene of carnage. All Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts had been finished in one blow, leaving their carcasses scattered everywhere. She continued downward, approaching level 3, looking at the mashed remains of the peak Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts and early Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts.


    A couple of Frenzy Beasts had climbed up from below, beginning to feast the carcasses. Madam Rizenne created a psychic arm, sending them into the bodies of each Frenzy beast she encountered, retracting them after a moment.


    Finally, she arrived at level 4, feeling slightly surprised at discovering a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast munching the carcass of a Tier 2 Frenzy Beast, relishing it. The Tier 1 Frenzy Beast was a lizard, its skin a shade of grey, covered in acid that sought to corrode any living being that touched it.


    It was a metre in length, its eyes deformed due to a lack of light, the eyeball bulging, more than three-fourths of it peeking out, trying to capture the traces of ambient light. Its tongue flickered out, similar to a snake, trying to smell the traces of living beings approaching it.


    Noticing her approach, it turned tail, beginning to sprint towards level 5. A psychic arm flashed towards it, seeping into its body, pausing its movements, inspecting its brain, and spine.


    Madam Rizenne felt shocked, the traces of the Wisdom Parasite fusing into both the brain and the spinal cord of the Tier 1 Frenzy Beast being apparent. Most of the fusion was concentrated towards its spine, shaping its powers.


    Its entire body was filled with black fluid, mixed into its bloodstream, turning it black. Madam Rizenne noticed the floor, magenta in colour, looking pristine. The walls on the side were magenta in colour, situated one per every hundred metres, acting like a pillar¡ªa cylinder with a metre in diameter.


    The rest of the walls were yellow, created by Madam Mila, shaping the maze that was changed every month. On one of the yellow walls, there existed a splash of the black fluid, coagulated on it sometime before.


    The blackness was slowly seeping into the yellow wall, permeating through it, corroding its surface. The places that had been corroded had turned into yellow sludge, looking like jelly that was about to be separated from the wall.


    Madam Rizenne opened a gash on the stomach of the Tier 1 Frenzy Beast, fishing out a millilitre of the black fluid, splashing it on the yellow wall. There was no change after contact, looking no different from coloured water being spilt.


    But, as she sent her psychic arm into the wall, inspecting the region where the black liquid had been spilt, she noticed faint traces of the wall being corroded, the corrosion minute to the extent only Ground Controllers and above being able to spot the changes.


    She then carried the body of the Tier 1 Frenzy Beast with her, proceeding towards level 5, intending to find more of it.


    "A Child of Frenzy," She muttered, her expression solemn. The Tier 1 Frenzy beast in her hold tried to struggle, feeling its body turn yellow, soon becoming a marble.

 Chapter 105: Path Number 98

    "A Child of Frenzy." Her expression turned solemn as she marked the presence of every Frenzy Beast in the Labyrinth of Frenzy, planning to search each one of them. Seeing the body of the Tier 1 Frenzy Beast in her hold turn yellow, Madam Rizenne whispered, "I can handle them, Mila."


    "Better to be safe than sorry," A voice echoed back, the yellowing Frenzy Beast becoming a rigid marble statue. "Besides, we cannot be sure if he hasn''t directed his gaze here through it."


    A Child of Frenzy was a Frenzy Beast born with a Frenzy Parasite. It was a result when its parents had some of the Wisdom Parasite in them shed during the copulation process, fusing with the foetus that later formed.


    The Frenzy Parasites were a product of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, leading to him gaining absolute control over every Child of Frenzy the moment they are born. Should he chose to deepen his control over them, they would become no different than his puppet.


    Since the Frenzy Parasite was present in the Frenzy Beast''s body since birth, its growth would be equivalent to the Frenzy beast, eventually resulting in it failing to breakthrough to Tier 2 unless something unexpected happens.


    Moreover, the Frenzy Parasite would have its body fused with both the brain and the spinal cord, dispersed between them. Also, they would have a perfect Sync Rate since birth, totalling to a hundred; meaning, their Sync Rates could never be raised, and their composition never altered.


    "The spine has a Sync Rate of 73 percent while the brain has a Sync Rate of 27 percent." Madam Rizenne murmured, "Even then, it is only at Tier 1. It shouldn''t have been the one to injure Rakh."


    There was no reply to her statement, the surrounding air still, the marble statue of the Tier 1 Frenzy Beast returning to her control. Madam Rizenne brushed past all the Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts that had climbed up from below, ignoring them after finding out that they were just regular Frenzy Beasts.


    Once she reached level 5, her surroundings changed, no longer being narrow. The ceiling was 30 metres high, the same as the other levels but, the width was no longer limited to 50 metres.


    It was a sprawling maze now, with sections of walls appearing around each corner. There were Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts strewn everywhere, fighting with each other, wrestling for territory.


    Relics were embedded into the walls of the Labyrinth, ensuring the Frenzy Beasts became progressively stronger the lower they lived. This was installed in place to nurture the students that explored it. After all, the existence of the Labyrinth of Frenzy was meant to help the students get accustomed to battles.


    Moreover, it also helped them gain an understanding of the unpredictability that occurred in the Wild Zones, instilling the thought that Frenzy Beasts never cared about their strength. As long as they were fit to be a prey, the Frenzy Beasts would strive to kill them, irrespective of how strong or intelligent they were.


    Madam Rizenne paused, closing her eyes, encompassing her domain through the entirety of the Labyrinth of Frenzy. Next, five psychic arms flew out of her, entering the bodies of each Frenzy Beast, inspecting their brains and spines.


    If she wanted, she could easily inspect each Frenzy Beast while she stood before the White Building, thanks to the range of her domain. At 100 percent Sync Rate, a Sky Controller had a domain range of 10 kilometres.


    But, only when viewed from the scene would she be able to grasp it better. After all, this involved the Children of Frenzy.


    Soon, Madam Rizenne discovered another Child of Frenzy, a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast hiding away from a stronger foe, trying its best to prevent itself from being eaten. Suddenly, before it could mount any semblance of resistance, its body turned into a marble statue, carried over by a psychic arm, approaching Madam Rizenne.


    As she walked on the floor, her feet hovering a millimetre from the ground, she came across a huge pile of Frenzy Beast Carcasses. They numbered more than one hundred, surrounded by Frenzy Beasts that had approached the area, lured by the scent of the blood.


    They dug into the pile of flesh, satiating their hunger. After all, they weren''t fed by the staff, leaving them to their own devices. This was to better prepare the students that explored the Labyrinth, raising their vigilance in order to cope with the hungry foes that tried to desperately kill them.


    Madam Rizenne released a tinge of her aura, scaring all the Frenzy Beasts into submission. She then inserted her psychic arm into the pile, lifting out the carcass of a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast, noticing the Wisdom Parasite fused into both its brain and spine.


    "So, this was the Frenzy Beast that infused the Essence of Frenzy in Rakh''s body." Followed by her voice, a trace of yellow appeared, turning the carcass into a marble statue. After that, she continued with her inspection.


    In a matter of minutes, Madam Rizenne finished inspecting every Frenzy Beast in level 5, proceeding towards the other paths in levels 1 to 4 she had neglected till now. As she inspected the numerous paths one after another, the number of marble statues next to her increased in number, entering the double digits.


    "How did so many of them appear?" Madam Rizenne frowned, expressing her worry. A flash of yellow appeared next to her, condensing into the figure of Madam Mila¡ªin her teens.


    "This is definitely strange," The yellow figure nodded, looking life-like, "I had inspected all the Frenzy Beasts just 10 days ago when I changed the mazes. I hadn''t discovered a single Child of Frenzy then."


    "They can''t appear out of nowhere," Madam Rizenne shook her head, "Besides, suppose they were given birth after that, it is still strange that they had grown so fast. Moreover, their species aren''t ones with a growth spurt."


    Finished with all the hundred paths of the Warrior section, Madam Rizenne transferred her focus to the paths in the Esper section, going through them in chronological order.


    "Something is definitely strange," She murmured, one of her psychic arms paused in the 98th path of the Esper section, hovering next to the entrance on level 1. "When was the last time the 98th path was used?"


    The yellow figure paused, turning silent.


    Standing before the Head Office Building, Madam Mila noticed Rakh clenching and relaxing his arm, having regrown to its pristine condition. She sent a psychic arm into the Head Office Building, arriving before a certain bookshelf and pulling out a folder.


    The folder was marked with the number 98, looking relatively thin as compared to the rest of the folders.


    Each folder contained the data of the students that traversed one of the paths. After all, once they had chosen a path, they were bound to use it till their graduation. Hence, their information was recorded.


    The folder had the word ''Esper'' written on it, situated below the number ''98'', written in large font, consuming half the front area.


    The psychic arm placed the folder on the nearby table, flipping through it, pausing at the final page.


    The page detailed the student that had last used the 98th path in the Esper section, the amount of time consumed, the number of Frenzy Beasts killed, their strength, etc. finally coming down to a set of remarks.


    The yellow figure commented, "It was last used 19 months ago. The Cadet was a Tier 1 Esper, having no exemplary achievements. Two minutes after entering the path, she retreated, having suffered from some mild injuries. After that, no one had used it."


    "Now, it seems something has been growing there, hidden beneath our notice." Madam Rizenne murmured, flying through the 98th path from its entrance in level 5. She soon passed through all levels and arrived at level 1, stopping 30 metres from the entrance.


    A Tier 2 Floating Spider¡ªhaving a cross-section length of 2 metres, and spanning 4 metres high due to its long legs¡ªhad built its nest there, having laid 16 eggs, looking recent. The eggs were each 20 centimetres in length, oval in shape.


    The walls were covered with webs, leaking out a pungent smell, covered with yellow-green pus. Hidden behind the Tier 2 Floating Spider was another Tier 2 Floating spider, having strength at the peak of Tier 2, in the process of laying another batch of eggs.


    "I never thought I committed such a rookie mistake," The yellow figure sighed, pointing at the stomach of the Floating Spider laying eggs, opening a gash on it, intending to research the cause. A flash of yellow appeared, turning all the eggs and the two Floating Spiders into marble.


    Despite that, the gash formed on the Floating Spider continued to spew blood, the volume gushing out in excess. Even though its body had turned marble, blood continued to gush out as if it was still alive.


    As they passed their psychic energy on it, they noticed Frenzy Parasites, numbering in the thousands, each the width of a hair, spanning a length of 10 centimetres. As the final droplet gushed out from the gash, the marble statue of the Floating Spider crumbled, breaking down into numerous pieces.


    The Frenzy Parasites converged towards one spot, absorbing all the blood collected on the ground, turning into a ball. Five portions extended out from them, each forming a distinctly humanoid shape.


    It condensed into a humanoid figure, 8 centimetres tall, looking like its body was formed from interwoven threads.


    It lacked eyes, nose, or ears, its facial expression bland. It had a mouth, lacking teeth. Its hair was filled with a hundred Frenzy Parasites, twirling around with one another, swaying in the air.


    Seeing its appearance, Madam Rizenne expressed killing intent, emitting a bloodthirsty aura, gushing out like a raging volcano. In the next instant, all the Frenzy Beasts in the Labyrinth of Frenzy died, burst into a pool of blood, facing the brunt of the aura.


    Having reacted on time, Madam Mila erected a barrier around the students, shielding them from the aura. She also created another barrier, preventing the aura from gushing out beyond the academy, lest it killed the people living in Sector 1.


    "Danger, Parasite." She quickly communicated with Madam Mary, informing her of the location through her psychic energy, the transmission taking but a fraction of a second. Madam Mary disappeared from view, disregarding the vapour cones that followed her wake.


    Thankfully, the students were unharmed, thanks to Madam Mila''s barrier that shielded them from the broiling shockwaves.


    Jyorta felt a faint sense of danger, stemming from the blue face in his soul. Like guided by a compass, he swerved his head, glancing towards the left extreme of the Red Building¡ªat a spot 30 metres below ground level¡ªsituated in the Psychic Block.


    Madam Mila spiked her psychic energy, changing its inherent composition as it turned yellow. Suddenly, a streak of magenta flashed next to her ear, communicating with her. She transmitted the complete details, watching the streak of magenta shudder.


    As it disappeared, she too followed suit, entering the Red Building in Psychic Block, heading towards the path numbered ''98''.

 Chapter 106: Retaliation

    Jyorta placed his hand over his chest, feeling his heart race like crazy, as if he had just sprinted at full speed for 200 metres. Faint traces of sweat appeared on his skin¡ªgushed out through the pores¡ªmaking the tracksuit stick to his body.


    Looking at the broiling winds that impacted the barrier, Jyorta felt a sense of foreboding, making him worry. He swerved his head, looking past each faces gathered in the ground, avoiding all the Warriors, focusing only on the Espers.


    "I''ll be back," He said to the Warrior boy, rushing through the crowd, searching for a figure with short stature. Soon, he paused in place, trying his best to calm himself down. After taking in a deep breath, he began to walk with composure, weaving through the crowd.


    The students got flustered at the ensuing phenomenon, noticing the figures of Madam Mary, and Madam Mila disappear from view; discussions erupted among them, trying to guess the reason.


    Suddenly, a figure crashed into the ground, landing 50 metres from the barrier, the impact sending tremors coursing through the ground, making the students lose their balance. A 20-metre wide crater had formed, 6 metres in depth.


    A figure jumped out from it, walking towards the students, placing a hand on the barrier, his expression calm. The barrier shattered, producing sounds similar to glass breaking. The figure waved his hands, impacting the broiling winds through the gust generated from his action, abating them, turning the surroundings calm.


    He looked at the students, his booming voice rang out, "Run to the Head Office now. This is not a drill. I repeat; this is not a drill."


    Having been trained extensively in the possibility of such a situation, the students didn''t run away in a fluster, trying their best to maintain order.


    The students from the November Batch took charge¡ªboasting the greatest strength among the students. They ensured the students didn''t panic, leading them towards the Head Office Building, breaking into a sprint.


    Despite the speed, they controlled the crowd. When it seemed like the situation was about to go out of hand, the October Batch too joined suit, helping their fellow students. Soon, the ground staff flew overhead, using their psychic energy to ensure no one tripped and fell, also maintaining order.


    The ground staff released discrete flux charges of their psychic energy, coursing them through each building. In a matter of seconds, the faculty members within the buildings charged out, grabbing hold of the students still within the building.


    They soon joined the crowd, sprinting towards the Head Office Building.


    Finally, Jyorta managed to locate Laila, taking a glance at her expression from far away, feeling his heart lurch. Laila was mechanically following the student before her, distracted. She had her head bowed, casting a shadow on her facial features.


    Her posture was slumped, her running following no rhythm, forming a stark contrast to her usual self. Jyorta inched his way towards her, finally able to glance at her expression in clarity, flabbergasted at the situation.


    Shock! Hatred! Sadness! Fury!


    The emotions broiled in her, evident by her facial expression. She gritted her teeth, her face looking twisted, desperately trying to control herself.


    The blue soul in him shuddered, shivering like a leaf caught in a storm. Jyorta hurriedly retraced his steps, arriving in his initial position, far away from Laila, gently removing the half-finished false persona.


    Once everyone had entered the Head Office Building, the staff stood on the periphery, forming rows and rows of defence lines. The Espers stood behind the Warriors, using their bodies as shields, deploying their psychic energy, forming a barrier that enveloped the Head Office Building, creating multiple layers.


    The figure that led them towards the Head Office Building, the vice-principal of the military academy stood at the entrance of the Head Office Building, silently murmuring beneath his breath, "Activate all defensive Relics. And, send a report to Central Command."


    A ground staff standing beside him transmitted the contents, sending it towards the top of the Head Office Building, towards a well-guarded room. Immediately, the barriers surrounding the building multiplied, forming a dense cluster, merging into a singular entity.


    In the military Academy, the staff members were Tier 4 at the very least. Only then were they qualified to join. Moreover, quite a few Tier 5 powerhouses were guarding the region, protecting the students from harm. After all, the students were the next generation, the blood, and sweat of past generations, the pillars of the future.


    The students were seated in the many auditoriums in the building. Thankfully, there was more than enough space to accommodate them all.


    Cosmi Tumbler, the vice-principal of the military academy stood at the forefront, ready to brave any unexpected attacks. His back looked erect, instilling a sense of safety in the hearts of the ground staff and the other staff members. He was a Transformer, one who stood at the peak of Tier 5.


    Hidden away from them was a face full of worry, covered in sweat. His lips shivered, as if he had been stranded in a cold desert. But, in response to his duty, he controlled his facial expression, dissipating the formed sweat, putting on a strong front.


    Though, concealed beneath all those emotions was hatred, uncontrollable hatred. If not for the fact that the moment he made a move, the resulting collateral damage would affect the students, he would have acted long ago.


    He stood in silence, braving through a myriad of emotions. Moreover, he knew that even if he were to act, the outcome wasn''t guaranteed. After all, he wasn''t even qualified to face the other party.


    Path 98, level 1; the 8-centimetre tall figure had finished forming, glancing at the three ladies standing before it. It opened its mouth, forming a smile, putting on an amicable expression, "Isn''t today''s weather pleasant, Marble?"


    No sooner had it spoken did a layer of magenta appear on the soles of its feet, inching its way up, coursing through its legs. A streak of magenta appeared before the three ladies, forming the figure of Psychic Ancestor Marble.


    The figure of Psychic Ancestor Marble formed a stark contrast to his usual self, pissed beyond belief. Underneath it laid an emotion of disbelief, the shock apparent, witnessing the figure before him. The regions surrounding his eyes cracked, like veins that had popped out, emitting ear-piercing sounds. He opened his mouth, trying his best to mask his emotions, uttering each syllable of the other party''s name, "P.A.R.A.S.I.T.E."


    "I took great pains to infiltrate your city but, you wouldn''t even greet me personally, only sending a figure made from your Skill." The 8-centimetre tall figure pouted, taking a glance at the magenta that had reached its hips, furthering its way up.


    Seeing a lack of response, the 8-centimetre tall figure showcased its mouth, displaying its lack of teeth, "Just like the lot of you, I too have been studying my Skill, comprehending its nature, its essence. After making a minor breakthrough, I wanted to show it off to you guys. After all, I should show you the method that would eventually kill you, right?"


    In Central Command, otherwise known as Circle Zero, seated within a cave in mount Nilgiri, Psychic Ancestor Marble opened his eyes, emitting a gentle flux of psychic energy, coursing it through the entirety of the city, rushing to inspect every region.


    The spread of magenta had reached its face, turning its mouth and nose rigid, seeping into the region where a pair of eyes ought to have existed. No longer able to speak, the hundred Frenzy Parasites that made up its hair converged into one spot, forming a mouth that lacked teeth. It spewed out a string of words, its tone filled with derision.


    "Since I am able to infiltrate even Marble City, the other cities should be relatively simpler to go into. You were idiots for having killed Space. At least, her presence ensured a method of contact between the cities." Seeing the magenta spread even to its newly formed mouth, a Frenzy Parasite extended out, burning itself up to state its final sentence.


    "I assume you are reaching the end of your lifespan but, don''t worry. A day before your natural death is the day I will kill you. I will also make your precious city accompany you. Man, I can''t help but recall the expression on Light as I destroyed his city. It was simply priceless¡­"


    The entire figure turned magenta, shattering into dust in the next instant, vaporising a moment later. The magenta figure belonging to Psychic Ancestor Marble stood in silence, like a statue, unmoving, his expression staid.


    Madam Mila knelt beside him, hitting her forehead on the ground, producing a loud bang, spewing out a lot of blood. "It was my carelessness that led to this."


    Five psychic arms emerged from her head, wrapping around her body, intending to crush her into pulp. A thin psychic arm broke them, preventing her from killing herself.


    A soft voice echoed, bereft of emotions, "Heal her, Mary."


    Seated in a cave in mount Nilgiri, Psychic Ancestor Marble received feedback from every military academy. All the figures that had invaded his city had been dealt with, or so he thought when numerous captured Frenzy Beasts exploded, spewing out litres and litres of the Essence of Frenzy, having replaced their blood at some point in time.


    The researchers studying the various Frenzy Beast anatomy, researching for new Unranked Skills, trying to develop powerful Artifacts, etc. were affected, with countless of them dying. The Essence of Frenzy seeped into their bodies, affecting the Wisdom Parasite in them, making them lose control, irrespective of their strength.


    It then led them to attack the nearby people, coursing the Essence of Frenzy into the bodies of the victims through the attacks, also leading them to lose control when it had accumulated enough. The effects spread like the plague, causing the loss of lives of prime functional members of the city, the ones in charge of research and development, the driving force of the Marble City''s development.


    "Dammit!" Psychic Ancestor Marble shouted, releasing the brunt of his aura, targeting everything that wasn''t human in his city, starting from the Upper Strata, all the way to the Water Strata, the deepest in Marble City. Every Frenzy Beast burst into a pool of blood, turned into marble before its contents spilled on others.


    The Wisdom Plants carefully nurtured by him in the Fruit and Grain Strata also weren''t spared, killed instantly. Even the special Wisdom Plants in the 7th Ring, the ones that produced the Frenzy Fruits turned into marble.


    The walls of Marble city shone with a resplendent hue, emitting his aura in all directions, spread out from his city as the centre. Immediately, every Frenzy Beast, irrespective of their Tier, situated within 200 kilometres from Marble City died, burst into a pool of blood.


    The ground cracked, causing tremors to course through it. Winds were stirred up, forming tornadoes¡ªeach spanning 300 metres in diameter. They lifted the ground, throwing them everywhere, dyed in a shade of black and red, having absorbed the remains of the Frenzy Beasts.


    Lightning smote down from the sky, flashing everywhere, the accompanying sounds shaking the very earth. A streak of light¡ªwhite in colour¡ªflashed above Marble City, forming the figure of Rhachis Ancestor Light.


    Having been filled in the details by Psychic Ancestor Marble, he was seething in rage. He emitted a massive amount of energy, turning it into a spear, ten kilometres in length, and a hundred metres in radius.


    Unranked Skill¡ªLight Symphony!


    Its tip was pointed, unbelievable sharp. A flash of magenta appeared, forming a coat over it, its defensive properties reinforcing the sturdiness of the spear. Rhachis Ancestor Light emitted transparent energy, having activated his Tier 6 Skill, seeping it into the tip, forming an ethereal feeling of it capable of severing anything.


    The tip of the spear pointed towards the south-east, taking a moment to stabilise itself. Then, actuated by Rhachis Ancestor Light, it travelled at the speed of light, heading towards the perpetrator, signalling their wrath filled retaliation.

 Chapter 107: The Javelin

    In Wild Zone 6, a middle-aged man was roaming around, dressed in loose garments, white in colour. He was barefoot, feeling the sensation of his feet scrapping the mud as he walked.


    Suddenly, he noticed a tremendous wave of aura gush out from the city walls, showcasing the full brunt of Psychic Ancestor Marble''s power. The aura brushed past him, travelling further into the wild, killing every Frenzy Beast it came across.


    He then noticed a streak of light forming above Marble City, condensing into the figure of Rhachis Ancestor Light, creating a massive spear. Immediately, the spear turned magenta, becoming sturdy, gaining a significant amount of mass.


    Looking at the two Ancestors raging with the intent to wage war, the middle-aged man focused his senses, noticing the direction the tip of the spear pointed towards. Comprehending part of the situation, the middle-aged man jumped, flying towards the spear, accumulating energy in his hands, intending to activate his Unranked Skill to complement their attack.


    A psychic arm gushed into his clothes, forming layers around his body, binding him. A voice echoed in his ears, "It is not the time for you to act yet. Don''t reveal your strength prematurely."


    The middle-aged man retracted his energy, allowing the psychic arm to bring him to the ground. He then watched Rhachis Ancestor Light finish his preparations, letting out a shout as he hurled the spear, igniting the essence of the Unranked Skill infused into it.


    The 10-kilometre long spear disappeared from view, heading south-east, forming a trail of white in the sky. The middle-aged man gazed in the direction, veins popping up on his forehead as he listened to Psychic Ancestor Marble.


    "Our city''s development has been hindered by at least three decades. I had to destroy all the Wisdom Plants; now, unless we recreate them again, our city will no longer be able to produce any Frenzy Fruits. Moreover, the researchers were the worst affected, with most them either dead or on the verge of death. Return to the city and help me."


    "I can take charge of creating the Frenzy Fruits. If I use my Unranked Skill in full, I will be able to sustain our city''s needs for the time being." The middle-aged man said, seething with anger, "Our losses are tremendous. Let that filthy worm experience the same."


    "We will," Psychic Ancestor Marble replied, carrying the middle-aged man back to Marble City using a psychic arm.


    ¡­


    More than 7000 kilometres to the south-east of Marble City lay an expansive continent, boasting an area of 7.7 million square kilometres. It was surrounded by water, making it seem like an overgrown island.


    Standing next to the highest peak on the continent was a Frenzy Beast, equal in size, sleeping. The mountain was filled with cracks, seemingly patched up after it broke down. Every time the Frenzy Beast breathed in, the mended rocks shuddered, looking intent to fly out.


    Sitting on its forehead was a humanoid figure, spanning 10 metres in height. The figure looked a mix between man and beast, his body filled with cracks, forming black lines that coursed across the skin. On closer look, the cracks were capillaries that existed on the epidermis, transporting a viscous substance circulated within the body towards the head, sending them into the hair.


    The hair grew like grass, their speed of growth quick. The ends of each strand had suction pod-like mouths, opening and closing as they played around with one another. After they were fully grown, the humanoid figure plucked them out, counting them.


    "The limit has surpassed a million," The smile etched on his face widened further, looking at the Frenzy Parasites. Noticing the sleepy state of the Frenzy Beast below him, the humanoid figure slapped its forehead, producing a sound equal to a thunderclap.


    His hands dropped the Frenzy Parasites, watching a wave of psychic energy wash over them, sending them towards the ground, situated 50 kilometres from it, dropping them inside a lake.


    The lake spanned a radius of 20 kilometres, having a depth of 100 metres. It was filled with a viscous solution; Frenzy Parasites swam through it, absorbing the solution into their bodies, furthering their growth.


    As the new batch of Frenzy Parasites plunged into it¡ªdropped towards the centre¡ªthey began to grow in size. The Frenzy Parasites that had finished their growth swam towards the edges, thanks to the machinations of the humanoid figure.


    Standing on the land, surrounding the edges of the lake were birds, looking similar to pelicans, the only difference being their enormous sizes. The pelicans scooped out the Frenzy Parasites in their beaks, storing them until no more could be stuffed in, taking flight. They were immediately replaced by another wave of pelicans, scooping the Frenzy Parasites that had swum towards the edges.


    They were the Frenzy Beast, Carrier Pelican; their only job was to disperse the Frenzy Parasites around the world.


    There were similar lakes all around the region, their contents replenished at regular intervals. They were always surrounded by the pelicans, ready to carry the Frenzy Parasites that had finished their growth.


    There were also other Frenzy Beasts in the mix, Tier 5 in strength, taking care of the viscous solution in the numerous lakes, ensuring their quantity doesn''t get depleted. They sought to keep the entire place self-sufficient, encasing planned steps, reporting each development to the humanoid figure.


    "You can get going now. I''ll summon you when the next batch is ready." Hearing the humanoid figure''s voice, a large pelican flew towards him, perching itself on the horn of the Frenzy Beast he sat upon.


    Seeing its beak filled with Frenzy Parasites, the humanoid figure nodded, rubbing the underneath of its beak once. Nodding in pleasure, the large pelican took off to the skies, revealing its aura, dispersing a command to the rest of the pelicans.


    Tier 6 Frenzy Beast¡ªCarrier Pelican!


    As the Carrier Pelicans disappeared from the horizon, the Frenzy Beast underneath the humanoid figure closed its eyes, immediately sleeping. The humanoid figure sighed, "If only I can create more of your type; how easy would it become for me."


    It was almost impossible for a Child of Frenzy to breakthrough to Tier 2, due to its unique features, not to mention progress towards the higher levels. Moreover, since their strength was dispersed between a Warrior and an Esper, they could never dominate pure Espers/Warriors in a fight.


    But, the moment they reached Tier 6, the status quo changes. The Child of Frenzy would be able to increase the sync rate in both its brain and spinal cord, surpassing the prior limitations, leading to a drastic increase in its basic abilities, not to mention it being able to inherit two Unranked Skills.


    Having experimented on and nurtured innumerable Children of Frenzy, the humanoid figure was finally able to raise a Child of Frenzy to Tier 6, the Colossal Bawling Sheep. The rest of the Children of Frenzy that had broken through to Tier 2 and beyond were his prized collection, closely guarded.


    The Colossal Bawling Sheep was lazy, never showing any interest in anything, only willing to sleep. Even then, the humanoid figure was satisfied with it, using it as his mount.


    But, no matter how many times he replicated the same steps, he could never raise another Tier 6 Frenzy Beast from a Child of Frenzy, leading him to believe on many occasions of his prior achievement being a fluke.


    Suddenly, the Colossal Bawling Sheep shot its eyes open, the action generating intense winds that swirled around. It emitted a dense flux of psychic energy, forming 6 psychic arms, converging them into a massive psychic arm above its forehead, beginning to condense it.


    It was thanks to the danger sense imbued within the Colossal Bawling Sheep that it could react to the attack on time, making some preparations.


    It also dispersed a small fraction of its psychic energy and pushed the humanoid figure behind its horn, shielding him. The massive psychic arm showcased its palm, ready to intercept an attack. At the next instant, a long spear, magenta in colour, its tip glistening with an ethereal hue capable of severing anything appeared, puncturing through it without pause.


    Standing behind the Colossal Bawling Sheep''s horn, the humanoid figure lifted his right hand, intending to receive the blow head-on. The small instance bought by the large psychic arm gave him the time to react.


    The marble spear punctured through the horn, the hole perfectly equal to the thickness of the spear, its inner edges perfectly smooth, signifying the sharpness of the spear.


    The tip of the spear touched the humanoid figure''s palm, digging through it, touching his bone, resulting in a loud bang, the soundwave travelling across the entire continent, coursing further beyond.


    The momentum carried by the spear lifted the humanoid figure, sending him flying in a straight line, showing no signs of stopping.


    Even though the speed had long since dropped from being equivalent to the speed of light the moment a layer of marble coated on its surface, the difference between the two being huge, it was still frighteningly fast.


    The scenery surrounding the humanoid figure became a blur, morphing from reddish-brown to blue in an instant. The straight line of flight also began to curve towards the surface, thanks to the gravity of the earth beginning to affect it.


    ''Boom!''


    The humanoid figure crashed into a wall of white, looking softer than a sponge to him as they parted way, allowing his body to plunge deeper and deeper into the ice, finally coming into contact with the hardened rock.


    The blow still had enough force to break through the rocks, bringing his body further deeper into the earth, finally entering a sea of lava. The ethereal tip of the marble spear had disappeared, seemingly having used up its energy. Cracks coursed through the shaft, looking on the verge of breaking up, the surrounding lava beginning to further damage it.


    As he waved his left hand over it, the marble spear broke down into numerous shards, slowly melting under the heat of the lava.


    The humanoid figure was alright for the most part, the bones in right palm suffering from hairline cracks, and a small hole formed in the point of contact, 3 centimetres in radius. The muscle that covered his right hand had evaporated, for the most part, leaving behind a couple of tendons, barely lingering in support.


    "Is that it? I incited all of you but I only received a single attack?" The humanoid figure laughed, kicking at the lava surrounding him, using the resultant force to shoot his way forward, his actions quick. Soon, he entered a layer of rock, actuating similar actions to dash forward, each of his kicks crumbling tonnes of the rock layer to dust.


    Followed by the layer of rocks was a layer of white, emitting a binding chill, equivalent to the coldest place on the planet. The humanoid figure experienced some difficulties, feeling the layer of ice too weak to propel him forward.


    He exerted strength to his fist, sending out a punch, blasting all the ice in his way, making a path to the surface. Dropping down to the layer of rock, he used the stable footing to crane strength into his limbs, making a leap, crossing the layer of ice spanning kilometres in length.


    He finally landed on a stretch of ice, looking around, marvelling at the scene; his mouth curled up, showcasing a toothless grin, "The attack sent me flying to Antarctica."

 Chapter 108: A Barrage of Attacks

    The humanoid figure looked around, spotting a baby penguin standing 1 kilometre away from him. He lightly waved his hand, producing a gentle wind that lifted the top layer of snow, showcasing a layer of ice.


    The humanoid figure skated towards the baby penguin, taking his time after seeing it stand unmoving despite noticing him. Finally, he stopped 20 metres from it, looking at it with surprise.


    The baby penguin stood before the remains of a tower of ice, broken down after suffering from an external impact. The ice looked hard, unlike the ones in the surroundings, looking like one that had been condensed for over a century.


    The humanoid figure focused his senses, noticing a tiny shard¡ª10 centimetres in length, magenta in colour¡ªburied beneath the ice rubble. It was a stray shot from the marble spear, detached during their previous exchange when it began to break.


    The ice was dyed red, thanks to the contents buried within it. The blood-red colour inched its way up the ruins of the ice tower, making it look horrifying.


    Despite the atmosphere, the baby figure never looked back, its focus solely on the humanoid figure, the senses stemming from deep within its self calling for the other party.


    The baby penguin craned its neck, looking at the face of the 10-metre tall giant with difficulty, showing no signs of fear. It stood like a rigid statue, unflinching at the cold winds that brushed past it.


    His toothless mouth grinned, pointing a finger at the baby penguin, beckoning for it to come near.


    The baby penguin craned its beak forward, leaning its body to the front, taking a step. With a plop, it fell face-first on the ice floor.


    The baby penguin brought its legs forward, making a motion similar to a dog paddling, taking support with its flippers, inching its body forward. Using its beak as an anchor, it applied strength to its stout neck, lifting the front portion of its body a little.


    The flippers too followed suit, increasing the force on its body, like pushing a see-saw up. The baby penguin finally stood up, standing firm, its stance looking stable. It craned its neck once again, glancing at the face of the humanoid figure, dropping down, measuring the distance on the ground.


    It leaned forward, taking a step using its left, falling face-first on the ice once again. It paused for a moment, looking calm, trying to get up, showing no signs of giving up. As it brought its legs forward, intending to repeat the previous process, it slipped, failing to get up.


    A couple of seconds passed in silence, the sounds of the cold winds being the only sounds accompanying it. The baby penguin flapped its flippers, thrashing the ice, throwing a fit, leaking out cute whimpers.


    ''It is always the weirdest ones among the Children of Frenzy that take interest in me.''


    The humanoid figure crouched before it, extending his hands, allowing his index finger to gently nudge its head. The baby penguin used its flippers to wrap around his finger, allowing it to be picked up when he curled his index finger, finally settling on his palm.


    "I have never intended to develop the penguins. After all, they are isolated from the rest of the world. But, if you were to reach Tier 6, everything will change." He sighed, glancing around, noticing the penguins arrive in a fluster, prostrating on the ice the moment they witnessed his presence.


    Every race, despite depending on him for the Frenzy Parasites, would do their best to lock away the Children of Frenzy, leaving them alone in confinement until their death. Only when he personally demanded them would they send them his way.


    They worshipped him but, at the same time, greatly feared him. After all, it would take him a thought to make any creature below Tier 6 lose control on the spot. His command over the parasites was absolute.


    So, the Frenzy Beasts usually locked all the Children of Frenzy in a secure region, with escape being impossible.


    The magenta shard had previously destroyed one such place, killing all of them except for one baby penguin.


    "There are only a handful of Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts; the penguin race is incredibly weak." Enclosing his palm, the humanoid figure turned around, skating on the ice, proceeding towards the water.


    Once he noticed the safety of the baby penguin in his palm, he picked up his speed, forming a small barrier around his palm using his energy. When he approached the water, he jumped up, changing the inherent structure of his feet, making it assume a webbed form.


    He sprinted on the water, skipping past the icebergs that hindered his path, sending a kick to obliterate them if they were too big. It took him 16 seconds to traverse the first kilometre, quickly getting used to running on the water, raising his speed every second.


    Soon, ripples equivalent to tsunamis formed in his wake, each step of his surpassing the speed of sound permeable through water, creating wave packets. The humanoid figure looked in the direction of his base, sensing small flashes of orange and blue despite the distance spanning thousands of kilometres.


    "So, this was your plan all along." Thinking back to their nature, he nodded. "Humans are cunning indeed."


    ¡­


    After the humanoid figure had been blasted away, the Colossal Bawling Sheep jerked its head, noticing its left horn crumble into dust. It then felt the wind stir, the ambient radiance dimmed despite the sun shining bright.


    The Colossal Bawling Sheep sensed danger arriving from numerous directions. It had just reformed the large psychic arm when another marble spear appeared¡ª10 kilometres long and 100 metres in radius¡ªits tip looking ethereal, capable of severing everything.


    The Colossal Bawling Sheep spanned a height of 2,200 kilometres, painting a large target. Moreover, it wasn''t one boasting a speed necessary to dodge the attack. After all, its body was heavier than what its psychic energy could carry.


    The marble spear punctured the large psychic arm just like before, its momentum unhindered, piercing its way through the Colossal Bawling Sheep''s body. The 10-kilometre long marble spear appeared on the other side of its body, disappearing through the horizon.


    Soon, three more such spears appeared, each piercing through its body, destroying everything in its path. A final marble spear appeared from the top, piercing through its body and lodging into the ground, holding it in place.


    As the Colossal Bawling Sheep struggled to break itself free, the surroundings turned dark, the ambient temperature becoming freezing cold, the heat seeping away towards the north.


    Soon, a flaming dragon appeared, spanning a kilometre in length. Its serpentine body made elegant curves in the air, twisting and turning, absorbing all the heat in its path. Two long whiskers floated next to its face, unattached to its body, empowering it.


    As the flaming dragon neared, four Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts appeared, forming a defensive line before the Colossal Bawling Sheep, looking ready to intercept it.


    Suddenly, a lightning dragon flashed, attacking them without warning, brushing past their defences, scorching their bodies, and numbing their senses. Taking the chance, the flaming dragon let out a cruel smile, filled with a bloodthirsty aura.


    It opened its mouth and spit out a small ball of flame, spanning a metre in radius, white in colour. The white fireball shot forward like a bullet, impacting the ground, melting kilometres of the area into a sea of lava.


    The Colossal Bawling Sheep activated one of its Unranked Skill, creating a fall of water, trying to douse the flames. The fire dragon shot another fireball, aiming it towards its body, dispersing the water into steam. It then collided into the Colossal Bawling Sheep, tussling with it, burning its mountainous body.


    Once it was occupied with the fire dragon, in the land two kilometres north to them, a small mound appeared, quickly growing like a pimple. The tip of the mound soon cracked, finally bursting like a mini nuclear bomb, spewing out copious amounts of lava.


    The lava spewed forth, evaporating all the lakes, including the millions and millions of Frenzy Parasites swimming within each lake. They either died to the heat as the lake boiled and evaporated or died from the influx of the poisonous fumes mixing into the air.


    The four Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts hurriedly tried to suppress the volcano, activating their Skills. An old man appeared on the head of one of them, barely having a presence, immediately making the Frenzy Beast clutch its head and cry out in pain.


    The fire dragons had become four by now, fighting against each Tier 6 Frenzy Beast, the resulting wake of their attacks burning up the land, melting the soil, and vaporising the living beings.


    In a battle between Tier 6 beings, the Tier 5 Frenzy Beasts in charge of the lakes were naught but cannon fodder, dying from the stray aura waves.


    Lightning dragons flashed, merging into the bodies of the fire dragons, buffing them up further, raising their lethality. Ten marble spears peaked out of the body of the Colossal Bawling Sheep, anchoring its body to the spot, sealing its movements.


    One more fire dragon appeared, twice bigger than the other fire dragons, its eyes shining with sentience. It opened its mouth, vibrating the surrounding air, "Reef, he will be back in a minute. He has already noticed our intentions."


    "Haha, no worries," The man sitting on the head of a Tier 6 Frenzy Beast laughed, slapping its head, making it cry out even louder, "Thanks to his carelessness, I have obtained another Tier 6 Frenzy Beast."


    The Tier 6 Frenzy Beast looked similar to a kangaroo but had a skin full of scales, forming spikes all over its body. Two spikes emerged out its forehead, similar to the antlers of a deer, shining with a yellow-green hue.


    Rhachis Ancestor Reef laughed, sending a command to it, making it exert strength to its legs. With a jump, it traversed tens of kilometres, heading north. "I''ll be taking my leave and work on deepening my control over it."


    "It seems Light and Marble are done with their attacks. I''ll cover your retreat." The giant fire dragon said, spewing out a torrent of flames, flooding the land. The fire dragons scorched the land, spreading the damage, hindering the Skills of the other Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts that had arrived at the scene.


    A gleeful figure escaped with his kangaroo.

 Chapter 109: Memoir Beckoner

    The humanoid figure finally set foot on land, reverting the webbed feet to normal. He looked at the molten rocks strewn everywhere, the lava flowing on the ground, and the charred remains of flesh and blood.


    The tallest peak on the continent was situated to its south-east, the place where the Colossal Bawling Sheep liked to rest the most. It was also the region where numerous artificial lakes had been created to house the Frenzy Parasites the humanoid figure produced.


    Now, the entire region¡ªspanning 50 kilometres from the tallest peak as the centre¡ªhad been destroyed, with lava flowing on the land. The tallest peak had been reduced to a rock, melting under the heat, dissolving into the flow.


    "What happened?" The humanoid figure muttered, his voice calm. His voice spread around the region, travelling everywhere. Soon, numerous sharp auras appeared, converging before him.


    "Sheep is injured." A Tier 6 Frenzy Beast, spanning just 2 metres in size commented. It had long, pointed stout, large ears, short body, and a long tail. Its fur was grey, for the most part, covered in patterns of gold in discrete regions. It was one of the smallest Frenzy Beasts in the region but also one of the oldest, addressed as Psychic Ancestor Crash.


    Tier 6 Frenzy Beast¡ªCrash Bandicoot!


    Psychic Ancestor Crash gave a battle report of the situation, recounting the attacks that ensued from the humans. "By the time we managed to get here, the damage had been done. Also, noticing our approach, Dawn detonated his fire dragons to keep us at bay. He was then carried away by Light; none of us could match Light''s speed."


    "So, they have become bold enough to personally visit my place. Maybe it''s because they are nearing the end of their lifespan." The humanoid figure placed his hand below his chin, sporting an expression of interest. He then noticed Psychic Ancestor Crash conclude its report, the final statement destroying his expression of interest, twisting it in rage.


    "The Kangaroo had been kidnapped by Reef."


    Suddenly, Psychic Ancestor Crash''s expression changed. It emitted a dense flux of psychic energy, wrapped its body with it, and took off to the skies. Seeing its actions, the other Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts that had arrived at the region too escaped, looking frightened by something.


    "Waaaah!" A series of cries resounded, the transmission of the voice not limited to sound. Wave after wave of psychic energy broiled around, splashing across the region. The seawater was affected, forming a tsunami, rushing into the land, headed towards the voice.


    As the water came into contact with the land, it vaporised, producing mist. Soon, more and more water gushed in, dousing out the heat, flooding the region with seawater.


    The humanoid figure noticed a single drop of moisture seep out from his eye, condense into a droplet, and fly towards the source of the bawling voice. His grin widened, turning happy at the situation.


    "Even though my materialistic losses are severe, my mount has gained some sort of comprehension in its Skill thanks to this."


    The humanoid figure trudged past the misty region, walking above the column of water, finally jumping into a sea of lava that had yet to die. A mound, 100 metres in height was continuously spewing out lava and toxic fumes, damaging the land further.


    Sprawled around in the lava next to it was a mountainous body, sporting grave injuries everywhere. Its limbs had been severed, the flesh, blood, and bone melted, strewn across the lava, producing a sizzling sound. Its fur burned in a sea of flames, getting drowned out by the mist that approached the area in traces, soon increasing in quantity.


    Five marble spears lay before it, half-submerged into the lava, showing no signs of melting yet. Five more marble spears remained lodged into its body, locking it in place. The Colossal Bawling Sheep created 3 psychic arms, grabbing hold of a marble spear.


    While crying out in pain, it pulled a marble spear out, spewing out blood mist, evaporated due to the ambient temperatures. It gently placed the marble spear before it, lest the lava got splashed on its face. The marble spear had a large body and weighed hundreds of tonnes.


    Two of its psychic arms worked around its body, stopping the blood flow in the damaged parts, preventing it from leaking out.


    The final psychic arm coiled itself around its heart, forcefully keeping it functional. There was only half its heart remaining, looking incapable of functioning without the psychic energy. Its Heart Crystal had melted, corroded from extensive use. Seeing his appearance, the Colossal Bawling Sheep began to cry out louder.


    The humanoid man walked to its proximity, placing his hand on its body, "You can stop crying now."


    "Waaah!"


    ¡­


    Marble City; carried across the city walls by the psychic arm of Psychic Ancestor Marble, the middle-aged man assessed the damage the city had suffered. Using the height to his advantage, he glanced around the city.


    "So, how did it go?" The middle-aged man controlled himself, suppressing his anger, taking a look at a research facility that had gone up in flames. A team of Warriors fought against the remaining researchers that had lost control. Espers flew around, dousing the flames as they prevented the building from falling over.


    "All we did was cause some materialistic destruction. We haven''t done any damage to his foundation. After all, he himself is his foundation." The voice replied, having carried him past 8th Ring, entering the 7th Ring.


    "How''s the situation in the city?" The middle-aged man closed his eyes, straining his ears, hearing the numerous screams echoing from everywhere.


    "I have taken care of the ones who were Tier 4 and above. I left the rest to the soldiers after informing them of the situation. I didn''t give them the full details, lest they lose their sense of security."


    In the 7th ring, looking from above, the middle-aged man spotted large circles present in each sector. Each circle spanned a kilometre in radius, ranging between one and two in each sector.


    The middle-aged man dropped down in one such circle, feeling his feet sink into the ground, the surface coated with blood. Walls surrounded the boundary, similar to the city''s walls, magenta in colour.


    A flash of magenta flickered near him, turning into the figure of Psychic Ancestor Marble. The marble figure glanced around, his back slumped, looking like he had aged considerably in the past day. "Centuries of work went down the drain."


    "Don''t say that," The middle-aged man consoled him, "We can recover them to a certain extent. Thankfully, I had made my preparations long ago."


    ¡­


    In Wild Zone 12, in an area that was flooded with the blood of the Frenzy Beasts, a Frenzy Beast floated out of the ground, panting in exhaustion the moment it touched foot.


    It had a long nose, sporting a serpentine body, having a pair of arms and legs that shivered in fear. The ethereal portion of its tail had long disappeared, looking expended. The long-nose Frenzy Beast crouched down, sinking the tip of its nose into the pool of blood.


    Immediately, like a bottomless hole, the entirety of the pool of blood was sucked dry, despite the volume spanning a thousand times its body. Looking a bit satiated, the long-nose Frenzy Beast ran across the ground, munching on the carcasses of every Tier 5 Frenzy Beast it came across, taking measures to devour their Heart Crystals.


    It soon spotted another of its kind, watching it do the same. The two made eye contact, exchanging information without any requirement for words, sounds, or energy. As they proceeded further, they encountered more of their brethren, having all survived the brunt of the Tier 6 aura.


    They boasted ability to sense danger that was unmatched among the Frenzy Beasts, not to mention their bizarre abilities that allowed them to phase through objects and disappear. Using them, they had managed to safeguard their lives, now reaping a giant harvest.


    The moment the ethereal tail began to form on the ends of their tail, they disappeared, flashing to existence a minute later in the same spot, the ethereal part in their tail having been expended. They then continued to feast the Frenzy Beast remains, feeling jovial, continuing with the above process.


    "We can increase our size," A long-nose Frenzy beast, spanning thrice the size of the others appeared, transmitting the first words to be exchanged between them. "Even though it is risky to settle near the humans, this is also the place where the greatest conflict occurs regularly, netting us the most spoils."


    None spoke a word, silently nodding their heads once as a sign of acknowledgement. They all had Tier 4 strength, except for the one who had spoken, boasting the strength of Tier 5.


    Suddenly, sensing danger, they all vanished, leaving behind no traces of their existence. A moment later, a massive flux of psychic brushed past the region, lifting the pool of flesh and blood, compressing the mixture into a tiny sphere.


    The sphere floated towards other regions, absorbing the flesh and blood along its wake, the actions precise, having not absorbed even a speck of soil. Once everything of value in the region had been absorbed, the sphere of flesh and blood flew towards Marble City.


    ¡­


    7th Ring, Sector 2, within a circle, Psychic Ancestor Marble had appeared in his true body, gawking at the scene before him. A flash of white appeared, transforming into the figure of Rhachis Ancestor Light, looking slightly exhausted.


    The moment he witnessed the scene before him, he felt a shudder wash over his body, forming goosebumps.


    ''How long had it been since I last felt such an emotion?'' He wondered, sporting genuine praise in his expression.


    A sphere condensed of flesh and blood, spanning 150 metres in radius was carried over by a psychic arm, "This is just the first batch; there are plenty more to follow. I''ll dispatch the soldiers to excavate them all."


    "Sure, that would be helpful. Also, ensure no one other than the two of you is privy to this." A grating voice echoed, looking like two aged barks had been brushed against one another.


    A vine appeared, coiling around the large sphere of flesh and blood, pulling it into a large pitcher, and gently closing the lid. Simultaneously, the magenta walls in the city, separating each Sector and each Ring, flashed with pink light, gentle in radiance.


    The radiance brushed past each researcher who had died, turning into a stream, joining with a thin brook flowing underground each building. Psychic Ancestor Marble closed his eyes, witnessing all the scenes, feeling overwhelmed despite his rich experiences.


    He opened his mouth, hesitating a little, finally making his voice resound, "What is this Skill called?"


    A grating voice resounded, its voice hushed, echoing near the two individuals. "For the time being, I''ll take care of the production of the Frenzy Fruits and the Trait Fruits. I won''t tell you the details; so, don''t ask for them. This is my Unranked Skill¡­"


    "Memoir Beckoner."

 Chapter 110: The Pitcher

    3:00 PM, seated inside an auditorium, Jyorta fell silent, dozing off. On the screen above the dais was an educational film being played; the film consisted of a team of soldiers, Warriors and Espers fighting against a higher Tiered opponent, the steps they took to ensure their survival and victory.


    Even though the contents and the tactics used in it were informative, Jyorta was distracted. The blue soul in him was constantly disturbed, the source that caused the scene being vague.


    Closing his eyes, Jyorta focused his senses on his blue soul, intending to see if any of the creepy-haired man''s arrangements had surfaced. Unfortunately, nothing of the sort happened.


    ''The way Laila looked spoke volumes about the danger I sensed. Even though the sense of danger had vanished within a couple of minutes, its effects still linger, making my blue soul distressed.''


    Jyorta craned his neck, glancing around him, noticing the unfamiliar faces. Most of them had focused their gazes towards the screen playing the educational video, their interests captured. Some of them spoke in hushed voices, revelling in conspiracy theories.


    Time passed in such a fashion; despite looking distressed, the feeling unabating for the time being, the blue soul continued in its task, making the false persona. It was mostly completed by now.


    Having extracted numerous memory fragments from its reserves of two lives, the blue soul coagulated them before it. The Soul Cornea had become thin, like a strand of hair, piercing through each memory fragment, destroying the memory inside it when it turned ink-black.


    The remainder of the white layer was picked up by a soul tendril, converged upon by numerous soul tendrils, compressing and shaping it, forming a hexagon. Finished with the process, a soul tendril took the white hexagon and piled it around a corner, placed beside numerous similar looking ones.


    In the centre was a face mask, its size similar to the blue face, looking transparent. It was the husk of the previous Jyorta''s soul, the remainder after its soul core had been removed. It had been flattened and moulded until its present state, having been infused with a lot of soul energy.


    A soul tendril connected with his Brain Crystal, siphoning the energy, transferring it to the blue soul, converging it towards another soul tendril. The soul tendril flashed above the face mask, slapping its surface, infusing the energy into it, refining it.


    As the energy washed over it, the face mask turned a bid rigid, looking substantial. The soul tendrils weaved through it like a needle, correcting its shape, mending the other regions, using the energy as the sewing thread, making it sturdy.


    They formed impressions and depressions along its surface, making it identical to the blue face, even creating the section that resembled the eyes.


    From his previous experiences with the false persona, Jyorta had concluded three major points to be noted of.


    One, false personas weren''t like his persona¡ªeverlasting. They would dissipate over time, negated by his soul after prolonged use. After all, the personalities imbued in the false persona weren''t his mainstream characteristic traits; continuous use might even severely affect his persona, hence inciting a natural rejection from the soul.


    Two, false personas weren''t capable of masking his persona completely. They could only affect based on the personalities they carry with them and depending on the situations they were built for. If the personalities in it weren''t something that could be used in a situation, then the main persona emerged without disturbance, overriding the false persona.


    Three, false personas weren''t sturdy. Meaning, if Jyorta experienced overwhelming emotions, they were like a battering ram that smashed against the false persona, shattering it. The false persona was like a boat floating on a still lake, with the lake pertaining to the main persona. When the boat was damaged, it sunk into the lake, disappearing amidst its depths, assimilated into the mix.


    Therefore, in order to make up for the weakness, Jyorta personally designed his false persona in the shape of a face mask, condensing its structure, concentrating it. Thankfully, the presence of the blue face served to further help him in this regard. Now, he no longer needed the false persona to wrap around the blue soul, which was growing in size day by day.


    The face mask was transparent, with minute patches of the white hexagon covering it, affixed by the energy in the soul, using it like threads to stitch the two. It was a daunting process, the small size of each white hexagon requiring them to be processed, overlaid, and attached manually.


    It was a tiresome process, requiring strenuous amounts of energy. Thankfully, he had sufficient reserves in his Brain Crystal, for the moment. Moreover, thanks to the Trait of Efficiency, his development was quite fast as compared to his peers.


    In the entrance of the Head Office Building, a middle-aged man who was aging on the older side stood erect, situated at the forefront of the defensive barriers. He had been standing still for hours together, showing no signs of movements unless necessary, the only case being to issue orders.


    "Good work," A voice resounded in his ears, looking pleasant, containing an unfathomable amount of depth. "The problems have been resolved for now. Wait for a complete report from Central Command."


    "Yes, Ancestor." Cosmi Tumbler kneeled, finally relaxing his tensed nerves, an expression of relief plastered on his face. Seeing his actions, all the ground staff heaved a sigh of relief, looking at the faces of each other. They had prepared themselves for their demise, even leaving behind a will, secured within a sealed room inside the Head Office Building.


    Soon, Madam Mary flew out from the Red Building, followed by Madam Mila, and Madam Rizenne. As they approached the Head Office Building, Madam Mary glanced at the middle-aged man standing at the forefront, nodding at him.


    She brushed past him, heading inside the building, seemingly intent to prepare something, her actions bolstered by a sense of urgency. Madam Mila followed suit, her expression one of a frown, her body rigid, carried along by her psychic energy.


    Madam Rizenne landed beside Cosmi Tumbler, almost tumbling the moment her feet touched the ground. She immediately filled him on the details concerning the 8-centimetre tall figure.


    "I watched Ancestor Light in action," Cosmi Tumbler said, "He condensed numerous spears, with each of them being at least 10 kilometres long and hurled them towards the south-east. Probably anyone who had gazed up in the period would have borne witness to the spectacle."


    "We''ll have to wait until we are briefed about the situation by the Ancestors." Madam Rizenne waved her hands, encapsulating the entire military academy in her domain, inspecting the conditions of everyone present.


    Her gaze lingered on Rakh Veera for a second, looking at his figure having made a full recovery. A smile formed on her lips, her expression of pride unmasked. She then turned around, looking at the ground staff, "Everyone related with the Medical Corps, assemble before me."


    Hearing her words, the ground staff forming the defensive lines broke free, assembling before her, looking battle-ready. Madam Rizenne inspected their conditions once, feeling their brimming vitality and energy levels.


    She looked around, making a mental count, pointing at twenty among the assembled ones, "The rest of you are ought to stay here, lest something happens to the students."


    "Yes!" They echoed back, returning to their prior positions. Twenty Ground Controllers remained in assembly, headed by Madam Rizenne.


    She took off to the skies, beckoning for them to follow her. They increased their altitude, going beyond the tall buildings that made the boundary of the military academy, crossing over, glancing around at the sprawling cityscape.


    "Numerous researchers have been injured, suffering from life-threatening injuries. Most of them have lost control. Our task is to heal the ones still alive, teetering on the border between sanity and losing control." She said, moving towards Sector 3 where the research facilities were concentrated the highest.


    Along the way, as they passed through Sector 2, they came across a circle, spanning a kilometre in radius, the magenta walls forming the perimeter, the height similar to the rest of the walls. The twenty Ground Controllers paused in shock, feeling their balance crumble, turning unstable.


    Noticing their behaviour, Madam Rizenne craned her vision in the direction they pointed towards. As she had been listening to the commands originating from Central Command, she hadn''t paid attention to her surroundings.


    Now, after being pointed, she directed her gaze, rooting to the spot, feeling scared beyond belief. The magenta wall forming the perimeter around the circle was 200 metres in height; peaking above it was the stem of a monstrous plant, spanning almost 60 metres in radius.


    It cast a shadow on the ground, spanning more than a kilometre long. More than half its body peaked out, wobbling amidst the wind, looking slightly unstable, its stem seemingly incapable of supporting its weight.


    The top of the plant had a massive pitcher, its size dwarfing the wall, looking like a freak of nature. A massive sphere composed of flesh and blood, condensed under tremendous pressure, radiating out a suffocating aura floated towards it, carried by a psychic arm, the wavelength of which was familiar to every Ground Controller and Sky Controller in Marble City.


    The psychic arm carried the sphere, gently hovering it next to the pitcher, waiting for its lid to open. Soon, large vines, with each spanning 10 metres in radius emerged out, coiling around the sphere, wrapping it up into a cocoon.


    The cocoon was then gently taken inside the pitcher, creating sloshing sounds, the presence of a fluid apparent. The lid of the pitcher gently closed, its actions slow. Soon, all signs of activity stopped as a streak of magenta appeared, whispering something in the ears of Madam Rizenne.


    Her forehead was drenched in sweat as Madam Rizenne turned to look back, gazing at the twenty Ground controllers watching the scene with their mouths agape, "We have to get going. Keep this strictly under wraps, an order of Ancestor Marble."


    "Yes!" They performed a salute and followed Madam Rizenne, heading towards Sector 3, ready to act at a moment''s notice.

 Chapter 111: Atika Light

    4:30 PM, seated inside the auditorium, Jyorta munched on a piece of hard bread. Each student was given a box filled with food, the choice of eating at their discretion. But, they were prevented from leaving the auditorium unless the situation necessitated.


    The auditorium was filled with the sounds of laughter, the students enjoying the show. The screen had long since changed its contents, switching to a show Jyorta was greatly familiar with¡ªTom and Jerry.


    ''This is the future.'' He recalled Psychic Ancestor Marble''s statement, turning silent, unwilling to ponder on the topic at the moment. The blue soul in him was using most of his brainpower to help in the creation of the false persona, busy to the extent unbothered by the thoughts.


    Moreover, the engineering of the false persona was a delicate endeavour; getting distracted was tantamount to making a faulty construction. As he was relying on the false persona to be completed as soon as possible, Jyorta didn''t bother wasting his brainpower in facilitating unnecessary thoughts. Anything serious was sent to the back of his mind, allowed to be pondered about at a later date.


    He glanced at the screen, watching the show, leaking out a burst of laughter or two, basking in nostalgia. Having seen each episode of the show numerous times, he could enact them without fail, getting each action and emotion right. Even then, the experience remained a novelty, striking his humour strings every single time.


    ''I have obtained the Trait of Efficiency. Now, the Trait of Recovery should be my priority, followed by the Trait of Resistance. After I have exchanged for the Unranked Skill Regen, I suppose I could give a shot at the Trait of Severability. Though, it is a stretch even for me to aim for it considering the treasures I will be exchanging for and the steep cost per each.''


    Jyorta cleared his head of all stray thoughts, relishing the food that tasted better for some reason, possibly due to the show. On the screen, a blue tomcat chased after a yellow bird, making many designs in the air.


    The yellow bird flew relentlessly, trying its best to avoid getting caught. It flew towards its nest¡ªa house that had been erected atop a long pole¡ªand entered through a small hole. A brown mouse flipped the roof of the birdhouse, revealing two rows of sharp nails peeking out along the ends.


    The tomcat, having attached a pink cloth to its back, secured to its arms flapped them, heading towards the birdhouse, accelerating further. Looking at the inverted roof, focusing on the row of nails in fright, the tomcat tried to break its flight, turning around and exerting power in its arms.


    But, the momentum carried it towards the birdhouse, allowing its butt to come into contact with the nail spikes. Letting out its signature cry, the tomcat extricated itself and fell into a pool. It then climbed ashore and showcased its butt, watching water sprinkle through it onto a nearby bush, displaying a stupid expression.


    Jyorta and the others lost their cool, the boisterous laughter thundering across the auditorium. Jyorta slapped his thigh with one hand, feeling his eyes moisten having laughed so hard.


    As he munched on his food after regaining his composure, a psychic arm trailed beside his ear, undetected by anyone else, conforming to a light whisper. Jyorta stood up and walked towards the exit, sporting a calm expression.


    Standing next to the exit was a staff member, looking rigid, as if the show on the screen hadn''t affected her. She opted for a battle-ready stance, looking vigilant, ensuring the students didn''t get a read on her demeanour, acting like someone who just stood guard.


    As Jyorta approached the exit, the psychic arm that whispered in his ears said something to her, prompting her to open the door, allowing him to exit. Jyorta gave her a perfunctory nod and walked out, looking at the empty corridor.


    The door closed upon his exit, enveloping the corridor in silence. Waves of psychic energy flashed around, keeping a vigilant inspection of the surroundings, brushing past him upon each time, pausing for a second to confirm his identity.


    A psychic arm coiled itself around him, instantly turning his clothes into a refined object. It lifted him from the ground, and carried him forward, passing him through the flight of stairs, descending down.


    After reaching the ground floor, the psychic arm guided him towards the lift¡ªsituated in the middle of the hall¡ªand alighted him to the ground, making him stand next to the door. The lift doors opened, showcasing the figure of Madam Mary.


    "Good evening, Ma''am." Jyorta bowed, greeting the principal of the academy. He had already recognised her to be the owner of the psychic arm as she had taken measures to use her voice while whispering in his ears.


    "Good evening," Madam Mary smiled, beckoning for him to enter. As he stepped forth, the lift doors closed, giving him the feeling of blood rushing to his head as the lift descended with great velocity.


    "You''ll be leaving the academy for some time, considering the urgency of the matter. Any content that you have missed will be taught to you by the faculty that is free upon your return. So, don''t worry." Madam Mary spoke, seeing the other party stand in silence.


    "I don''t like what Jyovic Bone is doing," She let out a sigh, "Though, I suppose I understand his concerns."


    Jyorta felt confused, hearing her speak, unable to make heads or tails of the situation. He decided to remain silent and make a decision after getting the gist of the situation. The lift soon stopped, opening its doors, allowing a widely lit corridor to come into view.


    They had reached the Lower Strata, gazing towards a metro train that had arrived on the platform. Madam Mary glanced his way, motioning for him to walk forward, "The Trait you possess, though weak, has its uses. Since the situation necessitates it, Central Command has ordered for your presence. Don''t speak unless you are asked something and take heed of your behaviour."


    "Yes, ma''am." Jyorta saluted, striking a pose based on the details from the videos he had referred to in the Portal. The door to a nearby compartment opened as an old lady, looking in her sixties walked out, supporting her body with a cane.


    She had short stature and a slightly plump figure. Her face glistened with an oily sheen while her eyes sported a vicious look; adding on the amicable smile etched on her face, she created a contrasting picture.


    Her walking posture was gentle, the approach slow to the extent she produced no sounds. She looked at Madam Mary, flashing a smile, "Thank you, Mary. I''ll escort this lad from here on."


    "I''ll take my leave then." Madam Mary rubbed Jyorta''s head, turned around, and flew towards the lift. A psychic arm flashed near his ear, trying its best to stay undetected, whispering some words, preventing the trace sounds from mixing into the air.


    "She is a big shot. Put on your best appearance and pay heed to never infuriate her." The psychic arm disappeared the moment Madam Mary entered the lift, leaving behind no traces.


    The lady stood before Jyorta, extending her hands, "I am Atika Light, pleased to meet you, Jyorta."


    Jyorta froze up a little, taking hold of her hands, feeling like he had come into contact with steel. He then sported a smile, trying his best to make it seem natural.


    "Let us sit first before I tell you of the situation," Atika Light led him into the compartment, seating herself on a window seat, motioning for him to be seated before her. Glancing at a soldier through the window, she motioned with her eyes, signalling something.


    The soldier saluted in response and turned around, waving his hand towards the front, communicating something to the soldiers stationed at the engine compartment of the train.


    Immediately, the train jerked into motion, picking up speed in a matter of seconds.


    Jyorta looked around, noticing the compartment bereft of people other than the two of them, feeling apprehensive. He gazed into the window, glancing beyond the train, looking at a dark tunnel, with the occasional flashes of light.


    "Heima has suffered from severe injuries. Even though she has been treated and physically nursed back to full health, she has been forced into a coma for now. She is on the verge of losing control, thanks to the Essence of Frenzy her Wisdom Parasite had soaked up during a mission." Atika Light said, noticing Jyorta''s expression warp in concern.


    Jyorta stood up in shock, feeling his hands shiver, sweat filling up from his pores, condensing into droplets on his face. His eyes turned red, the pupils shivered, expressing his mental state. Noticing his expression, one of genuine concern, and the fluster he exhibited, she evaluated his temperament.


    ''He''s still a child and has yet to mature.'' She then motioned for him to sit, her calmness infecting him, giving him the room to calm down.


    "But, my sister is strong." Jyorta sported an expression of disbelief, hurriedly controlling himself from blurting out his true thoughts, lest he exposed her uniqueness. The blue soul in him placed the half-finished false persona on his blue face, watching it take charge. "Based on her experience, she shouldn''t have suffered from injuries."


    His mind whirred into thought, thinking back to the details he had observed ever since Madam Mary contacted him, the presence of the lady before him, and the reason for calling him. As he connected the dots, he gradually formed a picture in his head.


    Also, thinking of Madam Mary, a Sky Controller addressing the lady opposite to him as a big shot, he felt like she ought to have known about Heima. At least, that was the conclusion he had arrived at.


    "Yeah, considering her ability to teleport, she shouldn''t have been injured to the extent her life is put in danger." Atika Light said, watching Jyorta''s expression, forming a smile after guessing the conclusion he had arrived at. The thought process he exhibited made her form a favourable impression of him.


    Atika Light chuckled, displaying a knowing smile, "I know of her existence. And, I also know of yours, Jyorta Bone."


    The half-created false persona experienced a crack around its edges, in the places where the white hexagons hadn''t been firmly affixed yet. As he felt puzzled, making his blue soul whir into action, he noticed Atika Light continue her statement with a chuckle.


    "After all, Angrushen Light is my son. So, I am privy to almost all secrets, some of which even Ancestor Light is unaware of."


    "Angrushen Light¡­" Jyorta blinked twice, refreshing his memory, "As in, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest?"


    Atika Light nodded, confirming his guess, "Coming back to the topic, we want to use your abilities to resolve Heima''s issue. After all, we don''t want to waste her talent by making her consume a Cleansement Fruit."

 Chapter 112: Grapple Force

    The train moved through a dark tunnel, its motion akin to silence. There was a single tube light illuminating the long compartment, the luminance it radiated proving to be insufficient.


    The seats were hard, bereft of any cushion, made from reinforced materials, manufactured to bear tremendous weights. The tube light was situated at the rear end of the compartment, affixed far from the seated duo.


    His back was directed towards the source of light, casting a shadow on his face. He listened with focus, glancing straight at the visage of the lady before him, feeling his heart rate accelerate.


    The environment was slightly chilly, looking like the tunnels did a perfect job of insulating the heat radiating from the earth. Situated 600 metres below ground, the path the train travelled through the lower Strata was ought to have been hot.


    Feeling his body shudder from the cold, Jyorta created a psychic arm and wrapped it around his body, preventing his body heat from seeping out. Seeing his actions, and sensing the psychic energy he had emitted, Atika Light snapped her fingers, producing a crisp sound.


    The sound echoed within the compartment, travelling towards the door connecting to the preceding compartment, making it vibrate. The frequency of vibration conformed to a designated tune, the signal transmitted to the other party.


    Soon, hot air gushed in through the vents, warming up the compartment. Atika Light looked at Jyorta, glancing at him retract his psychic arm, "This room has soundproof systems installed. Unless an Esper unleashes their domain to listen in on our conversation, the stuff we say here will never make it out. Even then, I can detect the psychic energy emissions of any Esper except Ancestor Marble; so, I''ll know."


    She held her cane, hoisting it up, placing it on her lap as she caressed it, inspecting its condition. "Coming back to the topic at hand, we want you to use your speciality to convert Heima''s Wisdom Parasite into your subsoul."


    "Ma''am, can I ask something?" Jyorta raised his hands, hovering his palm next to his cheek, "I am unclear about the Essence of Frenzy. I have gone through the information in our Portal but, I am still unable to understand why my sister was wounded until almost losing control."


    Atika Light sighed once, massaging her forehead, "The Essence of Frenzy is a substance that is generated in the bodies of the Frenzy Beasts. The higher their Tier, the more concentrated the essence. It is a product of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, specifically designed to combat our Wisdom Parasites."


    She glanced through the window, making a mental note of the signboards that occasionally flashed by. "The Essence of Frenzy is capable of corroding substances, both organic and inorganic. Moreover, it has a property where it doesn''t affect the body it was produced from. Meaning, the Essence of Frenzy is capable of affecting other Frenzy Beasts too."


    ''Corrosion¡­'' Jyorta focused on the word, remembering it. The blue soul in him extracted the memory fragments and collated it to a corner of the soul, intending to browse through the contents at a later date.


    "You should have learnt about the Caterpillar and the Centipede, right?" Seeing him nod in all seriousness, Atika Light continued, "They are the manifestation of the psyche of the Wisdom Parasite. In Heima''s case, after the Essence of Frenzy encroached her body, it was absorbed by her Wisdom Parasite, making it irrational, unwilling to comply with her commands."


    She placed her cane on the seat beside her, making the pillars of the seat creak a little, exhibiting its heaviness. "The only difference between the Wisdom Parasite and the Frenzy Parasite, other than its manufacturing, is the Essence of Frenzy. Wisdom Parasites won''t generate the Essence of Frenzy in our bodies, as experienced by even you."


    Seeing him nod, she continued, "Other than its properties of corrosion, the Essence of Frenzy also raises the body''s resistance towards psychic energy. This makes the healing energy such as the one created by the Unranked Skill Regen being less effective. It also makes the Wisdom Parasite irrational, making it similar to a Frenzy Parasite, increasing the chances of losing control."


    "Heima''s case was similar," Atika Light shook her head once, her expression bordering on pity. "She was repeatedly attacked by a newly discovered Frenzy Beast and wasn''t given sufficient time to treat herself. By the time she reached our city, her situation had taken a turn for the worse."


    Atika Light then turned silent, having closed her eyes, seemingly in a meditative state. Her expression was calm, her demeanour similar to a rocky mountain¡ªunwavering. On seeing her silence, Jyorta opted to gaze into the window, looking at the dark tunnel.


    Soon, he noticed a signboard flash by, the contents on it being two words, ''4th Ring''. He closed his eyes, allowing his blue soul to work on the false persona. For some reason, he had a sense of foreboding, allowing him to hurry with it.


    The blue soul created numerous soul tendrils, siphoning all the energy from his Brain Crystal, working on the false persona¡ªa transparent face mask affixed with tiny white hexagons.


    Sometime later, he felt the train begin to slow down, the change in inertia waking him up. Craning his head to look into the window, Jyorta noticed a signboard flash by, its contents shocking him.


    ''We have reached the 3rd Ring.''


    "Let us proceed," The moment the train arrived at a station, Atika Light shot her eyes open, her voice filled with calm echoing in the compartment. She got up and proceeded towards the exit, alighting on the platform, watching Jyorta follow behind her.


    There were numerous platforms, situated next to one another, lining up trains in each of them. A plethora of people exited each train, sporting luxurious clothes, their disposition one of grand. The ones nearby swerved their heads, glancing at Jyorta, feeling surprised at finding a student in their midst.


    Donning his tracksuit conforming to the military academy, not to mention his young age and state as a Line Controller, he stood out among the rest. Jyorta glanced around, trying his best to act properly to avoid offending the others. He followed Atika Light, marvelling at his surroundings that looked different from the rest.


    He only had the opportunity to see the Lower Strata in the 7th Ring, the only time being when he accompanied his classmates to arrive at the military academy. Even then, just the platforms in the 7th Ring and the one before him had startling differences.


    Everything was a shade of magenta, from the railroads to the numerous platforms, even the steps that trailed to the surface. Everything of value was magenta; the remaining was yellow, from the seats in the platform to the stand showcasing some magazines.


    Jyorta tried to sense the strength of the people surrounding him based on the aura they emitted, feeling baffled. All of them looked no different than regular people, ones that hadn''t gained any superhuman abilities. But, judging based on the demeanour they carried themselves with, he could articulate some guesses.


    ''They are all Shifters or Ground Controllers at the very least.'' If not for the fact that he might offend them had he used his psychic arm to get an accurate grasp of their strength, Jyorta would have very well tried it to satisfy his curiosity.


    He trailed a step behind Atika Light, walking to her left, ensuring to stay in her line of sight, visible from the corner of her eyes. The duo then proceeded towards the end of the platform, watching the train they had arrived in depart from the station.


    Situated at the very end was a lift, spanning a wide boot space. It looked capable of transporting 50 people at a time. Atika Light entered first, followed by Jyorta who trailed after her, standing at one corner. The lift was soon filled to the brim with people, all standing like pillars, unmoving, not producing even the slightest of sounds.


    The lift took almost three minutes to arrive above ground, opening to reveal the reception hall of an expansive building, spanning at least 10,000 square feet in area. Exiting the lift, Atika Light motioned for him to follow through eye contact, leading him through a hallway situated on the right of the expansive reception.


    The hallway spanned 10 metres in width, expanding through his line of sight, covering a long distance. Situated on both sides were large double doors, spanning 5 metres in height, trailing 10 centimetres to the ceiling. Each door had a width of 2 metres, looking built to suit large traffic flow.


    After walking in such a manner for a minute, Atika Light opened a certain double door on her right, entering it to reveal another corridor. It seemed like each double door lead into another path, their destination unknown.


    The moment he stepped foot through it, the double doors closed, looking automatic. He followed Atika Light in silence, matching her slow pace, heeding Madam Mary''s advice to not talk unless asked otherwise.


    The hallway had a steady declination, its right end forming a slight concave curve, making the path seem like a downward spiral, the direction of travel being anti-clockwise.


    After travelling 100 metres, Jyorta once again noticed the appearance of the large double doors, situated in fixed intervals of 10 metres per each. Atika Light took the third door on the left, revealing a small room. Affixed on the wall next to the entrance was a lift, its door opening upon sensing their approach. There was only a single button inside it, placed due to formality, the lift being a device that shuttled between its two destinations.


    The lift began the descent, its speed slow as compared to the lift that shuttled between the Lower and Upper Strata. Five minutes later, the lift doors opened, having once again arrived at the Lower Strata.


    "Welcome to the Headquarters of Grapple Force." A voice resounded upon their entry, the tone mechanical. Jyorta gazed at the narrow path ahead, looking at the people walking, noticing their expressions filled with pride and confidence.


    "Let us visit your sister now." Atika Light smiled, glancing at Jyorta. The air stirred, creating numerous waves upon her voice. Having noticed her presence, the people filled with the emotions of pride and confidence bowed in her direction and disappeared, looking like they had escaped in fear.

 Chapter 113: Gulvana Harr

    A lady in her late twenties arrived before them, bowing towards Atika Light. "Heima has just been shifted to another ward. Despite some major loss in her Sync Rate, we managed to extract most of the Essence of Frenzy in her spine."


    "Good work," Atika Light nodded, her expression one of calm. "Lead me there, now."


    Faint sweat perforated the pores on her forehead as the lady bowed once again, silently wiping her sweat when she turned around. She led them through the narrow path, brushing past the people who acted like they were busy.


    Since it was a narrow path, their only choice of disappearing was to take the position as wall decorations.


    As Atika Light walked past each slacker, she acted ignorant, as if she hadn''t sensed their existence. Her hand reached out to the ear of one of them, twisting it a little, inciting a whimper from the other party. The youth let out a chuckle, holding his ear that had turned red.


    He looked to be in his early twenties, sporting a jovial expression, looking straight into the eyes of Atika Light without fear. His gaze darted towards Jyorta, wondering the reason for his presence. "He is¡­?"


    "Heima''s brother," Atika Light replied, twisting his other ear, "Remember to be careful when you head to the Wild today. Many things have happened there."


    "I will be careful," The youth nodded, glancing at her back as she passed by. He then turned around and stared at the wall, admiring the painting on it. The painting spanned the two sides and the ceiling, conjoined into a single picture, its length trailing the narrow path, looking infinite.


    Jyorta had his attention captured by it, trying to gleam into the details. For some reason, the painting was a blur in his eyes, no matter what he did. Noticing that Atika Light had no intention of explaining the painting to him, he followed behind her in silence, controlling his vision from darting towards the painting.


    He also noticed many gazes trail after him, focusing on the back of his head for some reason, giving him the creeps. After walking for 30 metres in such a fashion, the lady stopped before a door shaped like the opened mouth of a tiger, making a bow before it.


    Atika Light waved her hand, dismissing her. She placed her hand on the door, watching it open automatically, revealing a large rectangular room. There were four doors in total, each situated in the middle of the wall, one per each side, with the one they entered conforming to a side.


    There was a circular bench placed in the middle of the room, wide enough to facilitate 10 people. Except for that, the room was empty. A middle-aged man sat on the circular bench, heaving exhausted breaths, looking worn out. He wore a lab coat, the words, ''Medical Corps'' embroidered in large blue fonts on the front, forming an upward curve.


    Upon noticing Atika Light, he immediately stood up, forming a salute with his right hand. "Heima''s Sync Rate has fallen to an all-time low, stabilised at 51.76 percent. Thankfully, we have managed to extract all the Essence of Frenzy her Wisdom Parasite has soaked up."


    "Is it still a Wisdom Parasite?" Atika Light entered the door on her left, looking at a team of doctors standing around a patient, the room filled with a hushed silence. Upon noticing her, except for the head doctor, the others trailed out, shooting a glance at Jyorta as they brushed past him.


    "It is a Wisdom Parasite, for now." The head doctor sighed, "The damage has already been done. Her Wisdom Parasite will slowly evolve into a Frenzy Parasite. Moreover, it is now impossible for her Centipede to be summoned voluntarily."


    "You can head out now." Atika Light waved her hand, motioning at the exit with her gaze. The head doctor bowed his head, not speaking further. Upon his exit, the room turned silent.


    "You can work your magic now." Atika Light nudged his shoulders, glancing at his face full of worry. Jyorta nodded at her, walking towards the berth, looking at the sleeping figure of his sister.


    Her skin looked pristine, glistening under the light. Her face was vibrant, showing no traces of a person who had been injured. Jyorta took her hand, feeling the warmth radiating from it, witnessing his vision becoming a blur.


    Wiping his tears with the sleeve of his tracksuit, he gently placed her hand on the berth, taking the vision of the blue soul, finding the surroundings turn dark.


    There was his blue soul, growing in size with each passing day. A tiny wisp hovered next to it, shuddering in fright every time the blue soul did something. Ever since the blue face formed inside it, the subsoul had been shivering in fright, the emotion stemming from its core.


    This in turn faintly increased the speed of Nurturing by the Wisdom Parasite, stacking on the Trait of Efficiency, furthering his growth at a faster rate.


    Whether knowingly or unknowingly, Atika Light stood at a spot two metres from him, situated beyond his sensory range. Hence, there was just plain darkness on his back.


    To his front was a murky fog, broiling around like the wind, its motions akin to a fluid heated at the bottom. The presence of the fog prevented his senses from detecting Heima''s soul or the soul of the Wisdom Parasite in her.


    The blue soul in him stirred up, sending out the Soul Cornea, inching it towards the murky fog, ensuring the position of contact being near her spine. The Soul Cornea travelled through the air, floating like an ethereal arm, unhindered by nature, making contact with the murky fog.


    It was like he had come into contact with a wall, its substance tough to the extent barring forceful entry. The feedback from the Soul Cornea was crystal clear, giving him the information necessary for his endeavour.


    Jyorta opened his eyes, exiting the vision of his blue soul, glancing around the bed, looking for a place to sit. Finding the room lacking anything else apart from the bed she was sleeping on, Jyorta gently pushed her legs a little, making some space for his bottom.


    He then sat cross-legged on the limited space, glancing at Atika Light standing like a statue, reverting his gaze to his sister. He gritted his teeth, unwilling to see his sister in such a state. Every single cell in him screamed at him, urging him to do something, the feedback apparent due to his psychic arm coiling around his body.


    As a Line Controller, getting feedback from external objects was an impossibility but, getting feedback from their own body parts had a faint possibility. Thanks to his blue soul, and the experience of over a decade living without a body, the ability to gain feedback from his psychic arm dwarfed standard Line Controllers.


    Now, he felt the emotions stemming from his body, the relation with Heima being apparent. His entire being wanted to help Heima tide through the situation.


    She was his only family!


    Closing his eyes, Jyorta took in the view of his blue soul once again, looking at the murky fog before him. The Soul Cornea flashed, appearing before it, knocking on its sturdy surface, trying to get a feel of the contents behind it.


    Five minutes later, Jyorta heaved exhausted breaths, feeling the energy in his Brain Crystal fully expended. He had been using it nonstop in the creation of his false persona, having already expended most of it before arriving here. Now, as he experimented with the murky fog using his Soul Cornea, he used up the remaining psychic energy.


    A small box appeared on his lap at some point in time, his senses unable to detect it until he broke out of the blue soul''s vision. He then swerved his gaze, glancing at Atika Light sitting in a chair and sipping a cup of coffee.


    "The box contains a hundred Tier 1 Brain Crystals. Use them to recover your energy. Each Brain Crystal possesses enough energy to recharge your Brain Crystal to full capacity. If they are used up, feel free to ask for more. Also, don''t worry about the expenses; Central Command will be shouldering that. Moreover, Tier 1 Brain Crystals are incredibly cheap."


    "Thank you, Ma''am." Jyorta gave a heartfelt bow, feeling his eyes moisten. He placed the box on his palm, inspecting it. The box spanned 5 centimetres in length and 3 centimetres in breadth, looking smaller than he had expected, considering it housed a hundred Brain Crystals.


    It sported a height of 2 centimetres, the lid sliding away with a gentle push, revealing numerous pink coloured crystals, each equivalent to a rice grain in size. They were stacked vertically, occupying the minimum most area, with each separated by a thin material.


    Jyorta unleashed his psychic arm, compressing it to its limit, making it equivalent to a strand of hair. He controlled the psychic arm, passing it through the box, marvelling in surprise when it failed to pass through the material.


    "Gulvana Harr," Atika Light said, "The material used to store Tier 1 and Tier 2 Brain Crystals. It prevents the psychic energy stored in them from dissipating into the surroundings. The material also prevents the seepage of psychic energy through it."


    She showcased a smile, her expression filled with interest, her senses strained to witness his methods. "Depending on their size, their expense varies. The one in your hands costs enough to buy a standard Tier 4 Artifact."


    Jyorta nodded in all seriousness, carefully trailing his psychic arm through an open section, gently lifting a Brain Crystal. He then slid his finger over the lid, watching it close, feeling it positioned securely.


    He placed the box on his lap and allowed the Brain Crystal to hover a centimetre above his palm, hoisted by the thinned psychic arm.


    Closing his eyes, he urged the entity within him to form, trying to pull it out. Two tendrils of blood seeped out through his nose, reeling his disgust. They coagulated before his face, condensing into a sphere, cracking along the middle, forming two parallel spirals.


    The spirals extended from one end to the other, exerting force along its middle, rotating in two different directions, unravelling a long cylindrical body. Numerous tendrils flashed around its body, forming 6 segments.


    A set of facial features appeared in the first segment while a pair of arms appeared in the second, holding a wine glass and a cigar. The Caterpillar had a scowl on its face, imitating a third-rate gangster, bringing the cigar towards its mouth, and taking a puff, despite it being unlit.


    Jyorta used his psychic arm to bring the rice grain-sized Brain Crystal before its face, watching its interest captured by it. The Caterpillar glanced at the wine glass and cigar in its arms, shifting its attention to the Brain Crystal.


    Its face lit up in giddiness as it dropped the wine glass and cigar, turning them into two blood tendrils that merged into its body. Its arms shot up, grabbing the Brain Crystal like it was precious.


    It then brought the Brain Crystal towards its mouth, facing the pointed end, taking a bite out of it, sporting an expression of bliss.

 Chapter 114: Cataclysmic Inferrer

    The Caterpillar chewed the piece of the Brain Crystal it bit off, its expression of bliss intensifying upon each chewing motion. Two blood tendrils connected the Caterpillar to Jyorta, the place of connection being his nostrils.


    As the Caterpillar chewed the Brain Crystal, a surge of energy gushed into his body, mixing into his blood vessels, enriching it. The energy was circulated in his body thanks to the pumping action of the heart, circulated within a matter of seconds.


    Soon, the blood vessels were carried over to his brain, the extra energy infused into them getting absorbed by the brain tissues. The energy permeated through each brain cell; the energy transmitted had a slight decrease after each cell, showing signs of losses, the remainder finally approaching the Brain Crystal.


    The Brain Crystal absorbed the energy like a vortex, showing no limits to the amount it could gulp in an instant. It was soon replenished to a certain extent, the process taking about 15-20 seconds.


    The Caterpillar took another bite of the Brain Crystal, chewing it in slow motion, relishing the taste. The two blood tendrils expanded in size, experiencing another surge in energy. As they gushed into his body through his nostrils, Jyorta felt his heart rate accelerate, similar to when he sprinted.


    The circulation of blood sped up, increasing the rate of the energy transmitted through the blood vessels, filling up his Brain Crystal. Two minutes later, the Caterpillar looked at its empty hands, sporting an expression of longing. It had finished devouring the rice grain-sized Brain crystal.


    It then created a wine glass and a cigar, holding them in an arm each, looking sullen. It lifted the unlit cigar in its left hand towards its mouth, taking a puff, heaving a forlorn sigh, recalling its experience from a couple of moments prior.


    Jyorta felt his body brimming with vitality, his Brain Crystal fully replenished with energy. He then dissolved the Caterpillar into blood tendrils, retracting them into his body through his nostrils, sporting an expression of disgust, his body faintly shivering in response to it.


    Atika Light gave him a silent nod of approval, witnessing his actions, noticing the speed at which he deployed and used his Caterpillar. She stealthily activated her Skill, trying to gleam into his uniqueness without alerting him, also ensuring to not interfere in whatever he was planning to do.


    Tier 4 Skill¡ªCataclysmic Inferrer!


    It was the Tier 4 Skill she most cherished, unique only to her in the entire Marble City. It was using this Skill as the base that Rhachis Ancestor Light had created the Unranked Skill Deific Inference. Moreover, most of the credit in the creation of the Unranked Skill went to Atika Light.


    Every Transformer in Marble City nurtured the same Tier 5 Skill, albeit with some minor differences between each of them. But, she was the sole exception, having nurtured a brand new Skill.


    The entire purpose of the organisation, ''Grapple Force'' was to nurture another Warrior who could Nurture the same Tier 5 Skill as her, if not a similar version. Moreover, Grapple Force was composed of the elites of elites from Tier 3 to Tier 5, always focusing on bizarre missions, research, and explorations.


    If not for the fact that activating her Tier 5 Skill would cause a large commotion, Atika Light would have done it already. Having activated her Tier 4 Skill, she observed Jyorta''s actions, her expression filled with wonder.


    ''He seems to be doing nothing other than sitting idle. The domain of the soul is quite mysterious.''


    With his Brain Crystal brimming with psychic energy, Jyorta closed his eyes, taking the view of his blue soul, feeling his surroundings go dark. Situated before him was the same murky fog, broiling like a fluid heated at the bottom.


    He sent forth his Soul Cornea, making it tap on numerous places, trying to gleam for a spot that was the weakest of them all. If not for the fact that the two Soul Corneas created by reciting the verse of the creepy-haired man would dissipate outside his body, consuming a significant amount of energy to maintain it, Jyorta would have preferred to use them too. After all, three arms were better than one.


    But, unwilling to needlessly waste energy, he resorted to using the Soul Cornea that permanently existed within his blue soul.


    The Soul Cornea curled its end into a fist, knocking on the murky fog, transmitting the feedback instantly.


    After analysing the feedback received each second, Jyorta made his observations, making note of the areas that sported a weak defence. As the murky fog was constantly moving around, varying its density every single second, it was difficult to find a weak spot. Even if he had cornered one, it changed within the next second, proving his prior efforts useless.


    But, Jyorta wasn''t disillusioned. He continued with his endeavour, trying to find a pattern in the fog. After all, there was no such thing as true randomness; it seemed random only because its pattern was beyond the scope of the individual''s analysing capabilities. That was one of Jyorta''s core beliefs as someone who sought to enter the Research and Development field in his previous life.


    Whether the memories were his or not, Jyorta didn''t care for the time being; he took everything at face value when necessitated.


    Every time the Soul Cornea made contact with the murky fog, it expended a trace of his psychic energy. The Soul Cornea used the energy in his soul to function; after connecting to the Brain Crystal using a soul tendril, the blue soul was able to convert the psychic energy into soul energy.


    Jyorta slightly retracted his Soul Cornea, making it hover 2 centimetres away from the murky fog, stirring his blue soul to full activity. The Soul Cornea compressed itself, thinning until its width was equivalent to a strand of hair.


    The Soul Cornea expanded in length, making many spirals outside his body. The range of action of his Soul Cornea was limited to a metre in radius. The distance between him and the murky fog was less than 60 centimetres, giving him the leeway to build up its length until the limit.


    Finally, having expanded until it spanned a metre in length, Jyorta curled the Soul Cornea into a compressed spring, bringing it close to himself¡ªthe pointed end facing the murky fog.


    There was a slight change within the blue soul, making the subsoul hovering beside it shiver at higher intensities. The blue face opened its mouth, emitting a black substance, similar to ink. The black ink gushed into the Soul Cornea, turning it jet black.


    Like a spring released from its compressed hold, the Soul Cornea shot forward like a dart, heading towards the murky fog, revealing its pointed tip.


    He hadn''t yet grasped the pattern of the murky fog but, he could find the interval in which a certain place in the murky fog experienced a decrease in density. The Soul Cornea aimed towards such a spot, making contact.


    It was like a straw that came into contact with a steel wall; the Soul Cornea failed to penetrate the murky fog. Thankfully, it wasn''t something equipped with a sense of pain.


    The ink-black substance spread around the point of contact, permeating through the murky fog, melting it like a heated rod coming into contact with Styrofoam. Even though the permeation of the ink-black substance was slow, it steadily corroded the region, allowing the Soul Cornea to penetrate through it bit by bit.


    The murky fog fought to heal the corroded part, converging upon the spot like water meeting with a vacuum. When they converged, they came into contact with the sides of the Soul Cornea¡ªfilled with the jet black substance¡ªgetting corroded once gain.


    Jyorta experienced a sharp decline in his psychic energy; his Brain Crystal looked like it would run out of energy in a matter of seconds. He exerted force into his Soul Cornea, trying to penetrate through the murky fog before he ran dry.


    The murky fog broiled in greater intensity, behaving like it had its consciousness, seeking to fight back in self defence. The Soul Cornea was like an invincible battering ram, unable to be touched, and unable to be affected. It penetrated through the murky fog, ramming into its depths, furthering the expenditure of his psychic energy.


    Looking at the state of his energy depletion, Jyorta gritted his teeth, acting decisively. The blue soul in him created four more soul tendrils, attaching them to his Brain Crystal, multiplying the rate of energy siphoned by five times.


    A massive tide of psychic energy gushed into his blue soul, ballooning in size, converting all the energy into soul energy. It then transferred into the Soul Cornea, raising the concentration of the ink-black substance, furthering the corrosiveness.


    The Soul Cornea increased its rate of penetration, melting down the murky fog before it could get near, widening the hole it created. It bored through it like a power arm, overwhelming the resistance of the other party, finally noticing the murky fog thinning out at the front.


    Jyorta noticed his Brain Crystal being on the verge of running out, the psychic energy siphoned to his blue soul at rapid speeds. He spared no excuses, looking intent to expend his soul to forge a way.


    Just when the Soul Cornea was on the verge of breaking through, his psychic energy ran out. Without pause, his blue soul began to shrink, transferring the soul energy into the Soul Cornea, making it penetrate the final stretch.


    The moment the Soul Cornea emerged on the other side, the blue soul in him stopped supplying the soul energy, deactivating the corrosion ability¡ªshrunk to half its initial size. The Soul Cornea transmitted everything it witnessed, forming some slight changes in the vision of his blue soul.


    The murky fog before his eyes remained as is, broiling around like usual. A small hole had formed in one spot, the bore leading into the other side, the contents transmitted in startling clarity.


    "Dammit," Jyorta cursed, having gazed into the other side, letting out a despairing laugh. The murky fog then rushed in from all sides, throwing out his Soul Cornea. Without using his corrosion ability, his Soul Cornea wasn''t able to mount any resistance.


    The hole he had formed with great difficulty had closed.

 Chapter 115: The Curtain

    "Dammit," Jyorta slumped on the bed, heaving exhausted breaths, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. He clutched his forehead, massaging his brows, feeling his eyes moisten.


    Seeing his expression, Atika Light appeared beside him, placing her hand on his back, in an effort to console him. "Tell me the difficulties you faced. I''ll try to come up with a plausible solution."


    There was the question of doubt, thanks to his ignorance of her character. Moreover, he didn''t want to reveal his secrets without a valid reason. Based on the reaction exhibited by the onlookers from the metro station in the Lower Strata until they reached the current building, Jyorta concluded that Atika Light wasn''t a normal character.


    She had a nature to her that scared everyone, especially the stronger ones. This wasn''t possible just because of her strength; there ought to have been another reason.


    The blue soul in him overlaid the unfinished false persona¡ªone of calm, optimism, and filled with focus¡ªon him, placing the face mask on his blue face, subtly influencing his personality traits.


    Jyorta glanced at Heima, touching her feet, feeling his broiling emotions cool down, the process steady. He wiped the tears that streamed out his eyes, sniffed a couple of times, and gazed at Atika Light, having made up his mind.


    He concocted an explanation, bordering on the truth, but one that wouldn''t expose his secrets. "The prime hurdle is my lacking energy. Every person has a barrier shielding their souls from my access; the stronger the person, the sturdier the barrier. I barely managed to penetrate her barrier before my energy ran out."


    "Energy¡­" Atika Light murmured, immersed in thought, having gleaned some insight as she inspected his body. "If it is lacking energy, then it is relatively simple to solve. All you need to do is multitask after unleashing your Caterpillar."


    Hearing her advice, Jyorta''s mind whirred in thought. ''Espers are capable of multitasking, thanks to their developed brains; though, it would be difficult for me, considering I''m just a Line Controller. Also, I haven''t practiced multitasking; so, it would prove to be difficult.''


    The blue soul in him glanced around, gazing at the husk of a subsoul¡ªbelonging to the late language teacher''s Wisdom Parasite. Thoughts clashed in his mind, formulating a plan.


    Jyorta looked at Atika Light, "Ma''am, if I make some preparations, I should be able to do it. Though, I don''t know how many Brain Crystals I would consume in order to do so."


    Atika Light smiled, walking towards her chair, seating herself in a comfortable position. "You don''t need to worry about their consumption. The existence of Heima is vital to Marble City; I hope you understand that."


    Jyorta nodded, showcasing his comprehension of the state of things. Heima inherited the abilities of space of Rhachis Ancestor Space. Now, after the death of Rhachis Ancestor Space, she was the sole figure capable of manipulating space, at least according to the knowledge of the higher-ups in Central Command.


    Jyorta never dared to leak the existence of Laila to a third party, barring Psychic Ancestor Marble. Seeing that Psychic Ancestor Marble hadn''t taken any action despite learning the truth, Jyorta dared not mention her again.


    It meant that Psychic Ancestor Marble had reached an agreement of sorts with Laila, willing to help her hide her identity. Whether Psychic Ancestor Marble informed of the other Ancestors of her existence or not, it was none of Jyorta''s concern. He didn''t want to stupidly flaunt his tooth, lest he garnered Laila''s animosity and suffered retaliation.


    The current status quo was of Laila misunderstanding George as a Psychic Parasite, and Jyorta being his subsoul. It was something Psychic Ancestor Marble informed him in passing. He didn''t know how they¡ªPsychic Ancestor Marble and Rhachis Ancestor Light¡ªenacted it and made Laila believe it but, he didn''t want to do anything that would morph her preconceived notion.


    Moreover, after he had been discharged from the hospital post coma, Laila and George had come to visit him. Based on all the clues that ensued forth, and everything that had transpired until the disaster with the late language teacher, George was the only candidate that could take the blame.


    Jyorta felt bad for George but, with his life at a risk, he didn''t mind someone else shielding him. He wasn''t the type to use someone as his shield but, he also wasn''t the character to object when such a thing occurred thanks to a third party''s arrangements.


    Moreover, as long as George wasn''t affected because of him, Jyorta wouldn''t feel guilty. Also, he had a faint feeling that Laila didn''t have any intentions to harm George.


    He didn''t want to bank on that feeling but, it wasn''t like he was capable of changing things should Laila chose to act.


    In order to live with upright morals, he first needed to have sufficient strength to back them up.


    Jyorta unleashed his Caterpillar, watching it form, taking its sweet time. He exerted himself, creating a psychic arm, noticing the energy stored in his muscles being consumed to sustain it.


    He pushed open the lid of the tiny box, revealing the 99 Tier 1 Brain Crystals¡ªeach equivalent to a rice grain in size, pink in colour, sporting a single stripe. His psychic arm thinned until its limits, lifting a Brain Crystal through its narrow gap, hoisting it before the Caterpillar.


    The Caterpillar''s face beamed with joy, breaking into a dance to express its giddiness. It grabbed the Brain Crystal, wrapping its arms around it, gentle in its approach. It opened its mouth wide, expanding it along the section of its body, seemingly as if its lateral expansion didn''t possess a structural limit.


    The Caterpillar opened its mouth wide enough to swallow the Brain Crystal whole but ended up taking a small bite, breaking a piece less than a tenth of it. It ate it in relish, its facial expression one of bliss.


    A rush of energy entered his body through the two blood tendrils, gushing into his bloodstream, eventually making way to his Brain Crystal. The energy from his Brain Crystal was siphoned out and transferred to his soul, ballooning it in size.


    Numerous soul tendrils emerged from his blue soul, grabbing hold of the soul husk belonging to the late language teacher''s Wisdom Parasite, making an impression on it.


    They flattened it into a circle, shaping its base structure to resemble a blanket. The soul husk was stretched and thinned until it had become large enough to wrap around the subsoul¡ªbelonging to his Wisdom Parasite.


    Numerous memory fragments were extracted from the blue soul, their contents processed using the brain, duplicating them. The original memories were placed in the blue soul, occupying their prior position; the Soul Cornea began to affect the copied memory fragments, destroying everything apart from the white layer coating them.


    Each white layer corresponded to a persona, forming the fragments of a whole. They were shaped into hexagons, carefully overlaid on the blanket. Irrespective of the energy consumption, the blue soul continued to create soul tendrils, working on it en masse.


    The moment a trace amount of psychic energy entered his Brain Crystal, they were siphoned out through the five soul tendrils, maintaining it in a state of near emptiness.


    Every time the Caterpillar finished eating a Brain Crystal, the thinned psychic arm would place another before it. Without any command, the Caterpillar automatically began to eat the Brain Crystal, guided by its desire and instinct.


    Two hours later, a false persona hovered inside the blue soul, shaped into a blanket, transparent in nature, with one side of it layered with white hexagons. This false persona was imbued with the qualities of gluttony, focus, and filled with self-control.


    The blue soul overlaid the blanket on the wisp belonging to his Wisdom Parasite, affecting its personality. Simultaneously, the Caterpillar that was devouring the Brain Crystal in relish slowed down its actions, showcasing a controlled nature.


    It took one bite after another, controlling its actions to provide a smooth, uninterrupted flow of energy into his bloodstream. Jyorta nodded with a smile, once again closing his eyes, taking the opportunity to finish the other false persona.


    It would have taken him a long time to finish this false persona, considering the sturdiness he had intended to imbue in it. It consumed a lot of energy to layer each white hexagon on its surface, not to mention shaping them according to the facial features on the face mask.


    As for the curtain, he didn''t give it much thought, except for the personality traits it ought to have. Since he planned to use it only on the subsoul of his Wisdom Parasite, he could finish it quickly. As of present, the Wisdom Parasite didn''t have much in the way of emotions, except for the trace amount it absorbed from Jyorta.


    As the requirements were low, he could finish it in two hours. But, when it came to the face mask, he depended on it for a lot of situations, hence the planning, energy cost, and time consumed being tremendous.


    Atika Light noticed the changes exhibited by his Caterpillar, focusing on the insight she gleaned thanks to her Tier 4 Skill. She silently nodded her head, her mind buried under a mountain of thoughts, linking each of his actions to the knowledge she had accumulated.


    ''As expected of his arrangement; the mysteries related to a Psychic Parasite are endless. This is a good opportunity to observe a Psychic Parasite in action. Maybe at the end of it, I would be able to accumulate enough knowledge to derive another Unranked Skill, focusing on the aspect of the soul.'' Her eyes shone with a cunning light, glancing at the unconscious Heima, and shifting focus to Jyorta who sat near her legs.

 Chapter 116: Mystic Lord

    She couldn''t observe the actions of the soul using her Tier 4 Skill. Maybe if she were to activate her Tier 5 Skill, she could glean some info by observing the working of his psyche. In this regard, her Tier 5 Skill functioned better than Deific Inference at the same Tier.


    She observed each change the Caterpillar experienced, its speed of eating, the expression it sported on its face, and the variations it exhibited. She then observed Jyorta''s mental state, using the small changes in his facial muscles, the movement of his eyes, his breathing rate, the amount he inhaled and exhaled, etc. to form some hypothesis.


    ''Using a mysterious method, he is able to control his behaviour. No, it seems to be a change in his essence. The variation is initiated in his character.'' Atika Light''s pupils dilated, expressing her shock. She controlled her emotions within an instant, thanks to her abundant life experience.


    ''It would take a person years of effort, and abundant willpower to even make slight changes to their character. But here, Jyorta is able to achieve the same in a matter of minutes?'' She continued her observations, taking in each condition Jyorta exhibited.


    Warriors generally nurtured sensory Skills at Tier 1, hence their moniker, Observer. At Tier 2, they nurtured skills that would amplify either their Tier 1 Skills or their physique; hence, their moniker, Amplifier.


    Tier 3 Skills usually affected the surroundings, the only Warrior based Skill that had an emissive nature. This led to the Tier 3 Warriors being addressed as Developers. Tier 4 Skills were capable of morphing body parts, shifting weight, etc. This was why they were called Shifters.


    Most Shifter Skills conformed to changing the body, baring a few exceptions; Atika Light''s Tier 4 Skill was one of them. Despite being a Shifter Skill, its functions were similar to the Skills of an Observer, albeit possessing Tier 4 in power.


    Tier 4 Skill¡ªCataclysmic Inferrer!


    After activating this Skill, her observational prowess surpassed newly advanced Sky Controllers, the information she could infer conforming to all physical, chemical, and emotional phenomena.


    Jyorta sat cross-legged, resting his arms on his thigh, the palms faced up. Held in his left was the box containing the Brain Crystals; sitting on his right palm was the Caterpillar, munching on a Brain Crystal.


    The blue soul in him directed commands to his body, controlling his psychic arm to bring a Brain Crystal to the Caterpillar at regular intervals. It actuated hundreds of soul tendrils, each processing the myriad individual functions that went into creating the false persona¡ªthe face mask.


    The two blood tendrils burrowed into his nostrils had thinned out a little, making his breathing less strained. He could now inhale a sufficient amount of air each time, dissipating the faint burning sensation in his lungs.


    The face mask had a transparent base, perfectly sculpted to resemble his face from the previous lifetime. Twenty soul tendrils had attached themselves underneath it, infusing the soul energy, turning it sturdy.


    The soul energy was like an adhesive, perforating through the transparent face mask, holding each segment together. They also firmly attached the white hexagons to its outer surface, ensuring no gaps were created thanks to its shape.


    The soul energy formed soul tendrils, largely minuscule, burrowing into the transparent surface beneath each white hexagon, firmly rooting it. Underneath each white hexagon existed hundreds of such minuscule soul tendrils, interlocking themselves amid one another, raising the structural integrity and stability of the white hexagons.


    The delicate precision required to attach each white hexagon required the blue soul to divert the entirety of the brain''s processing power.


    It was to such an extent that Jyorta couldn''t divert his attention to what happened outside. Even if an earthquake occurred at this time, he would be caught unaware.


    Thanks to the curtain enveloping the subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite, the Caterpillar continued to eat the Brain Crystal without trouble, ensuring its actions were controlled, its pace of eating steady. Other than that, it didn''t try to do anything else.


    Only when it was the time to actuate the psychic arm did the blue soul divert a part of its attention, commanding the necessary body parts. Multitasking was an easy endeavour for the blue soul. Though, the same thing didn''t conform to Jyorta, the physical body as it depended on the brain.


    With the personality of the previous Jyorta destroyed, the blue soul didn''t have any other option. Kaushik''s personality had its advantages and disadvantages. After all, he too was a human, albeit a slightly smarter one as compared to the previous Jyorta.


    Hours passed in such a fashion, with Jyorta busy in his endeavour while Atika Light continued to observe him and collate her insights. She noticed some changes exhibited by Jyorta''s body, prompting her to deactivate her Tier 4 Skill.


    She stood up from her seat, walked towards Jyorta, and placed a hand on his shoulder, gently nudging him. The blue soul noticed a murky fog appear in its periphery, countless times massive as compared to the one in Heima, its intensity akin to an ocean during a full-moon night.


    Detecting the feedback from the body''s senses, the blue soul retracted all the soul tendrils working on the face mask, prompting him to open his eyes. Noticing the touch on his shoulder, Jyorta swerved his head, noticing Atika Light''s presence.


    "Retract your Caterpillar. Absorb any more Brain Crystals, and your body might collapse from the inside out." Hearing her voice, Jyorta noticed something wet beneath his nose, trailing from it.


    He touched the wet area with his index finger, feeling a viscous solution, the texture similar to water having dissolved coarse soil. It was white in colour, the shade conforming to a creamy white, mixed with the traces of blood, the two being immiscible.


    "The base structure of the Brain Crystal is formed from the body of the Wisdom Parasite fused into the Brain. Its start is the amalgamation of some excess body parts remaining in the brain. As it absorbs the psychic energy, it grows in size and density, thanks to the Wisdom Parasite''s Nurturing." Atika Light handed him a towel, having retrieved it from outside.


    A Ground Controller stood beyond the door, ready to receive orders, only unleashing a part of his domain after receiving her permission, being careful to ensure it doesn''t overlap the room. The rest of the doctors had retreated from the area, resting in a different location, ready to be summoned by Atika Light at any instant.


    "As you absorb Brain Crystals one after the other, the cells belonging to the Wisdom Parasite present in them accumulate inside your body. At present, they are similar to dead cells, flushed out by your body when their concentration hits a certain amount."


    A viscous solution dripped out his eyes, forming two lines across his cheeks. Jyorta used his middle-finger to wipe it, noticing it being the same as the one flowing out his nose. "Ma''am, what should I do now? Isn''t sister''s situation serious, with her borderline Sync Rate? Wouldn''t her Wisdom Parasite soon evolve into a Frenzy Parasite?"


    Atika Light''s pupils contracted a little, hearing his string of questions. ''After hearing a single sentence I mentioned in passing, he has managed to link them, deriving to a conclusion. If trained well, he can become a splendid researcher.''


    Atika Light showcased a gentle smile, watching him wipe his face with the towel. "Take some rest; it has been five hours since you arrived here. Moreover, you will experience a loose motion any minute now. Everything you need has already been prepared; we can continue later. As for Heima, it would take at least another week for her Wisdom Parasite to finish evolving into a Frenzy Parasite."


    She then snapped her finger, producing a crisp sound, watching it vibrate the door, producing a silent tune, inaudible to the ears of a regular human. The doorknob gently twisted, creaking the door open, allowing a head to peek inside.


    "Take care of him for the time being. Bring him here at sharp 8:00 AM tomorrow." Her voice resounded through the room, the tone gentle.


    The head that peeked inside hurriedly nodded, seeping a psychic arm into Jyorta''s clothes, lifting him up. Without a sound, he was carried to the exit, the sequence of actions happening before he could respond. The door closed shut, enveloping the room in silence.


    Atika Light stood before Heima, her gaze boring into her. She checked her pulse, her pupil dilation, and the aura she unleashed unconsciously. In order to protect Jyorta from suffering the brunt of Heima''s aura, she had been shielding him with her aura all along; her expertise was to the extent Jyorta couldn''t sense anything amiss.


    Now that she had retracted her aura, the bed Heima rested on began to vibrate, rattling like it was amidst an earthquake. The air was filled with a feeling of craziness, one immersed within battle lust, ravenous hunger, and mindless frenzy.


    Any normal human caught in it would become mad within a couple of seconds; the feeling permeating in the environment condensed to the extent it achieved a qualitative change.


    ''Ethereal Tail Frenzy Beast; the newly discovered species that are elusive, possess exceptional danger sense, and sport a mysterious ability to escape from hold. Despite the numerous expeditions launched by our Grapple Force, we have yet to capture one of them, dead or alive. After suffering from such grave injuries, and having her team experiencing a complete wipe-out, she only managed to bring in some dried blood samples.''


    "Even their Essence of Frenzy possesses an invasive nature, quickly affecting the best of our Warriors." Atika Light sighed, taking a couple of steps to the back.


    Her body puffed up, emitting a blinding radiance, similar to the appearance of the sun during daybreak. Numerous inscriptions condensed on her skin, turning it a shade of navy blue, their lustreless appearance forming a sharp contrast.


    Her limbs shrunk, retreating into her body, turning it into a sphere, emitting the sounds of crunching bones. Her body ballooned sideways, flattening along the front and back, looking like a 2-Dimensional image.


    Her body floated to the air, despite not using any Skills to induce the effect. The inscriptions on her skin condensed into a circle, forming on her flattened body. Three arcs, each spanning one-third the circumference of the circle cut into it, separating it into three segments.


    They lacked lustre, forming dark regions on her body that emitted a blinding radiance. Three dots formed along its centre, spinning around one another, producing a faint undulation in the air. The flattened part of her body expanded to its original girth, reverting to her prior figure, albeit one that lacked any limbs.


    Four psychic arms appeared, similar in shape and size to her limbs, also positioned in their respective spots, looking un-extendable. They allowed her body to float in the air, also imbuing in her various abilities. Numerous inscriptions formed along the psychic arms, turning it semi-solid.


    Atika Light had transformed, the aura she exhibited permeated through the air, pulling out the essence emitted by the unconscious Heima, the ones pertaining to the crazy atmosphere. She floated towards the bed, shooting a gentle beam of light into Heima''s body, focusing on the area of her spine.


    Tier 5 Skill¡ªMystic Lord Transformation!

 Chapter 117: Emotional Anchor

    The beam of light entered Heima''s body, allowing the projection of two figures to appear overhead. One was a crimson centipede, spanning the size of her body, showcasing a feeling of madness.


    The other was a serpentine beast, similar in size to the centipede, sporting a long nose¡ªshowcasing a suction pod-like mouth underneath it¡ªand an ethereal tail. It sat on the crimson centipede, pinning it in place, coiling its serpentine body over the numerous legs of the centipede.


    A faint, murky black substance seeped out through its body, coagulating into sharp spikes, penetrating the crimson centipede. The crimson centipede resisted the assault using its tough exterior, showing clear signs of resistance that dwarfed the attacks. But, a certain presence that permeated through the black spikes sought to unnerve its resistance.


    Moreover, the black spikes weren''t as sturdy as they seemed, breaking into a pool of liquid upon contact, taking time to reform. Their quantity also seemed fixed, the source possessing limited essence. They were a manifestation of the Essence of Frenzy injected into Heima''s body by the Ethereal Tail Frenzy beast, unleashed thanks to Atika Light''s Tier 5 Skill.


    "As long as Jyorta manages to convert her Wisdom Parasite into his subsoul before it evolves into a Frenzy Parasite, we can salvage her back to normal. But, should he fail, it would be a wasted effort." Atika Light murmured, extending her right arm, morphed into a psychic arm.


    She took a step forward, her legs that had become similar to a psychic arm allowing her to hover in the air. Her hand reached out to the projection of the Ethereal Tail Frenzy Beast, entering its head. Immediately, numerous images flushed into her hand, travelling through her arm, absorbed into the circle on her body.


    Thoughts flashed in her mind, forming numerous images, with each image housing thoughts, emotions, sounds, smell, touch, feelings, and other senses. They conformed to information that she could extract and process, gleaning into the essence of the Ethereal Tail Frenzy Beast.


    Even though the fragments were disjointed, it still gave meagre clarity about the abilities of the Ethereal Tail Frenzy Beast. The more she learnt of them, the greater her face morphed, expressing the emotions of shock, surprise¡­and fear.


    She felt fear, despite the amount she learnt being minuscule. Even then, she could understand the threat they posed to Marble City should they continue to develop at this pace.


    "Frenzy Parasite¡­it is this aspect of it that frightens me the most, having created such a monstrous race." Atika Light''s eyes shone with killing intent, intending to head to the Wilds right this instant and curb the threat before it grew further.


    Frenzy Parasites were different from Wisdom Parasites on four aspects: one, they create the Essence of Frenzy in the host bodies, sporting mild differences between each individual. Their effects also display minor variations between each race.


    Two, they increase the body size of the Frenzy Beasts, whether they were an Esper or a Warrior, with the effects being prominent in Warriors. At birth, the Floating Spiders span just 10 centimetres in size. The Floating Spiders born two centuries prior were even smaller. As they progressively raise their Tiers, their body size increases, spanning the size of 20 metres for Warriors at Tier 6.


    The Floating Spiders were a milder case in respect to body size. There were also the Lava Turtles, their sizes equivalent to mountains, not to mention the Colossal Bawling Sheep, the biggest Frenzy Beast on land.


    Three, they make the Frenzy Beasts enter a state of madness, akin to frenzy, symbolising their nomenclature. The higher the Tier, the greater the effects of frenzy; despite their intelligence improving at each subsequent Tier, to the extent being equivalent to humans at Tier 4, the effect of frenzy can never be culled.


    Four, they affect the DNA of the Frenzy Beasts, altering their genes upon each generation, giving chances to mutation. This leads to the creation of bizarre races, their numbers increasing per every decade.


    The Ethereal Tail Frenzy Beasts were the product of such mutation, their source race being unknown. They had popped in the Wilds surrounding Marble City less than a year ago, their prior whereabouts a mystery.


    "But, unless they are at Tier 5, they would escape before I approach their area, having long sensed my presence thanks to their danger instincts. Moreover, the only ones that our Warriors and Espers have encountered are beings at Tier 4." She focused on the projection before her, holding it with both her hands.


    Her fingers elongated, passing through the head of the Ethereal Tail Frenzy Beast, slightly making some changes. Another beam of light appeared, their source this time being her eyes, shooting it into the head of the Ethereal Tail Frenzy Beast, making a connection to the crimson centipede.


    Numerous characters flashed from her psychic arm, coursing through the two figures, making slight changes in their inherent structure. Her actions implied one thing, if she had wanted to, she could resolve Heima''s issue at any time.


    ''Maybe, thanks to my intervention and Jyorta''s actions, Heima would be able to nurture my Skills at Tier 4 and 5. If it happened, that would be for the best.'' Atika Light sighed, retracting the two beams of light she emitted, watching the two projections disappear.


    The surrounding air reverted to its prior state of chaos, one infused with madness. Though, its concentration had suffered a sharp decline, thanks to her actions. Atika Light deactivated her Tier 5 Skill, allowing the four psychic arms to disappear.


    Her body expanded once again, looking like a flattened circle. Her limbs grew back while the inscriptions seeped into her skin, disappearing from view. Her glistening body slowly turned dim as her body regained her girth.


    She had reverted to her regular self, looking no different to when she accompanied Jyorta. Atika Light walked towards the sole chair in the room, seating herself. She then emitted her aura, controlling its strength, seepage, and intensity, suppressing the aura Heima unconsciously emitted.


    "Thanks to her uniqueness, among all the elites in Grapple Force, she has the highest chance to Nurture my Skills. If I can collect more information, maybe I would be able to concoct a plan that would give me a high assurance." She snapped her fingers, producing a crisp sound, rattling the door, producing a frequency that conformed to a tuned message.


    The sturdy door parted way, allowing the same head from before to peek inside, cautious in its approach. Atika Light glanced in his direction, "How is Jyorta faring?"


    "He is currently emptying his bowels and clearing his system of all the accumulated Brain Crystal wastage." A shivering voice echoed, the tone suffused with fear.


    "Let me phrase it again," Atika Light smiled, her gaze not once breaking away from Heima. "How is Jyorta faring?"


    "H-He is fine for the most part." The voice stammered, the door trembling in response thanks to the pair of hands holding it.


    "Never mind," Atika Light waved her hands, "Take good care of him for the time being. Make the necessary arrangements for a week''s stay for him."


    "Y-Yes, Ma''am." The figure stumbled out of view, slamming the door shut in a fluster, getting even more flustered upon hearing the loud sounds produced thanks to the blunder.


    He was a man in his early thirties, a Ground Controller at his peak. His emotions failed to calm down, his eyes swerved around the empty room, pausing on the empty circular bench for a couple of seconds.


    The door behind him was the one he had closed shut just now while the door on his right led into the narrow corridor¡ªits walls sporting an expansive painting. Of the other two doors in the room, one was a storeroom filled with miscellaneous medical apparatus.


    The man entered the final room, noticing it remain vacant. It spanned 3 metres in length and 2 metres in breadth, painting a cramped feeling. Occupying most of the floor space was a bed, looking fit for a single person to rest. Attached on the sidewalls, next to the entry door was a thin door, leading into an attached bathroom.


    The door opened, revealing Jyorta dressed in a set of loose garments, holding his tracksuit and a towel he had used. Everything he needed had already been provided the moment he was carried into the room by a psychic arm.


    "Since it was a case of emergency, I hadn''t had the time to introduce myself." Sporting a cool expression, a sharp contrast to his previous flustered self, the man radiated an aura of confidence. "I am Anruk Light, a Ground Controller in charge of everything here in the absence of Madam."


    Even though he radiated a regal demeanour, he dared not mention even Atika Light''s name. He acted his way out of it, masking his deep-seated fear, motioning for Jyorta to follow him.


    "It is already 9:20 PM; you should have been hungry. The food presented here includes the finest of delicacies, so, eat your fill." Jyorta followed Anruk Light, exiting the cramped room, watching the door close behind him.


    Walking past the empty circular bench, Jyorta gazed at the door where his sister lay unconscious, feeling a sense of pressure envelop him. His sister''s future would be decided in a week, the outcome depending on his efforts.


    ''Considering what I witnessed inside the murky fog, the chances of converting her Wisdom Parasite''s soul into my subsoul are slim.'' Jyorta gritted his teeth, feeling a burning sense of responsibility, willing to strive to great extents in order to save his sister. In this world, she was his sole emotional anchor, the only one keeping him in check.

 Chapter 118: Loss of Geniuses, Whimpering Hope

    9:00 PM, Sector 12, 10th Ring; the 200-metre wide road that connected to an arch was bustling with activity. Spanning 100 metres tall and 200 metres wide, the gates of the arch were opened, allowing the traffic to pass through.


    A huge truck, spanning 20 metres wide and 9 metres tall moved on the 200-metre wide road, looking like a hulking fortress of steel marching along its path, unhindered by none.


    The tyres, seemingly made from monster leather of Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts created small indentations on the road, its tracks forming minute impressions that recovered in a couple of seconds. Spanning 3 metres in diameter, the tyres numbered 18 on one side of the truck. They existed in pairs, placed at a distance of 9 metres from each other on the otherwise 80-metre long chassis.


    The front of the truck was shaped like a cone, aerodynamically flattened at the bottom while forming a small curve towards the top, grooves spanning along its sides, accentuated by fins that raised aerial stability. It marched in silence, the only sounds produced being from the friction between the tyres and the road. The exterior had a silver hue, painted with white and blue, dotted with patches of green and rusty brown.


    There was the number ''1'' printed at its top, front, and the sides, as an indication of its position. Marching behind it were similar trucks, each moving forward in silence, raising a sonorous chill that shook the ground. Behind truck number 1 followed four trucks, numbered from 2 to 5. Trucks 2 and 3 moved in the left while trucks 4 and 5 moved in the right, splitting into two streams as they approached the arch, making use of the two paths in the ''U'' shaped wall structure situated beyond the arch.


    The wall was a shade of magenta, glimmering with a gentle hue, illuminating the city under the night. Countless eyes watched its resplendent splendour amid the darkness, vouching to invade it one day.


    The trucks numbered in the three digits, silently exiting the city walls one after the other. After 85 trucks passed through the arch, a behemoth of steel, a mixture between metal and bones emerged, making the other trucks look like ants in comparison. Spanning 80 metres wide, 30 metres high, and having a long body that was a striking 100 metres long, it hulked among the rest.


    Approaching the arch, it paused, the tyres that anchored it to the ground parting away, retracting into the chassis. The behemoth of steel floated; an overbearing fluctuation of psychic energy wrapped around it, moving it forward, suspended 2 feet high in the air. The number ''0'' was printed above it, in huge font, as a showcase to its size. It was also printed on its sides, in smaller fonts.


    After the behemoth passed through the arch, another stream of trucks appeared, numbered from 85 to 121; passing through the arch, splitting into two as they exited the walls through the two exits, and rejoining into one in the Wilds.


    The build-up was exactly similar to the formation executed during the Flying Signature Raid but, the phenomenon wasn''t exclusive to Sector 12 alone. The same situation occurred in 11 other focal points, present in each Sector that connected with the Wild.


    Marble City showcased its full might, mobilising the majority of their forces, displaying the gravity of the situation. Exiting the arches from each Sector, 12 streams exited Marble City, as viewed from the sky.


    They each proceeded in their separate paths, painting a radial design, heading towards the Frenzy Beast habitats situated beyond 200 kilometres from Marble City. Thanks to Psychic Ancestor Marble''s earlier outburst, there wasn''t a single Frenzy Beast that had managed to survive within Marble City''s proximity of 200 kilometres.


    The only exception were the Ethereal Tail Frenzy Beasts that had fled in advance, returning after the commotion had abated to reap in the spoils.


    The prime materials that went into the creation of the Unranked Skills involved the carcasses of Frenzy Beasts¡ªalive ones. The Traits too required the carcasses of the Frenzy Beasts as base materials.


    The Frenzy Fruits required a massive amount of muscular energy to form, the case being the same in Fruit Strata and Grain Strata: the Wisdom Plants required the processed bodies¡ªafter the Essence of Frenzy was extracted from them¡ªof the Frenzy Beasts as nutrients.


    After Rhachis Ancestor Parasite had infiltrated Marble City through the numerous 8-centimetre tall figures, the captured Frenzy Beasts started to show signs of losing control. Moreover, even the Wisdom Plants started to sport a similar behaviour. This prompted Psychic Ancestor Marble to kill them all before they threatened the citizens.


    Had he acted a second later, they would have burst, spilling copious amounts of the Essence of Frenzy, polluting the city, the excess concentration permeating through the air, causing the regular populace to lose control.


    Even though he had swiftly acted, Marble City had lost a significant portion of its researchers. Moreover, they now faced a shortage of food, Frenzy Fruits, and energy to sustain their city''s operations¡ªall of which depended on the Wisdom Plants carefully Nurtured by Psychic Ancestor Marble.


    In order to recuperate their losses, all the three Ancestors were working overtime, leading the remaining research elites of the city to create Wisdom Plants, and commanding the soldiers to hunt Frenzy Beasts.


    The other job of the soldiers was to collect the remains of the Frenzy Beasts that had died all over in the Wilds thanks to Psychic Ancestor Marble''s outburst.


    Sector 9, 10th Ring; it was created just a year ago, with most of the buildings in it still under a construction phase. A similar phenomenon occurred here, with the massive trucks marching into the arch, in formation, exiting the city.


    The city walls spanned a height of 200 metres, similar to a barrier that separated their worlds. A dense fluctuation of psychic streamed across it, heading into both the vertical directions, forming a globe. It prevented the Frenzy Beasts from infiltrating into the city, also shielding it from the psychic energy attacks of the Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts.


    In the colossal truck numbered ''0'', seated within the control room was Jyovic Bone, directing the other Bone Family members. He spearheaded the operation for the batch that headed out from Sector 9, despite having retired long ago. He had his reasons, wanting to strengthen his family by using this major operation initiated by Central Command.


    "It is thanks to you that we no longer need to capture the Frenzy Beasts alive. Now, we can directly extract their Skills after death and form Relics." Seated next to him¡ªthe chair spanning the same dimension as his¡ªwas a Tier 5 Esper, old enough to announce his retirement any day.


    "I am honoured by your praise, Sir Light." Jyovic Bone put on a humble expression, his demeanour steady, as if what he had done wasn''t anything worth noting. His actions were calculated, showing his expertise for having lived so long.


    Seeing his stature, Ankrakhen Light sighed, "In the span of 6 years, your Bone Family has shown considerable development. I am appalled by your foresight, Sir Bone."


    He gazed at a man sitting next to Jyovic Bone, barely able to suppress his Tier 5 Aura. To his back sat another lady, looking calm and collected, showcasing a fearless demeanour, and also possessing similar strength.


    "It is all thanks to the hard work of my Family members. They have strived for the development and betterment of the Bone Family despite their lacking talents." Jyovic Bone replied, continuing with his humble character.


    "That just comes to display the terrifying potential of Bone Devour. As someone who had looked into its inner-workings, I am in awe every time I recall it. Its offensive power, defensive power, energy recovery ability, and its healing prowess, they are all complementary to Warriors, multiplying their strength to greater heights. This also fastens their cultivation journey, creating a virtuous cycle, giving less time for the Wisdom Parasite to develop." Ankrakhen Light glanced at the man beside Jyovic Bone, shifting his focus to the lady seated behind him.


    "They were lucky, that''s all." Catching his train of thought, Jyovic bone slapped the back of the man sitting next to him, looking pleased. The smile etched on his face turned wider, displaying his pride. Within the span of 6 years, his Bone Family managed to produce two more Transformers, significantly boosting their overall standing.


    It was a bit awkward mingling among the Aristocratic circles while possessing only a single Tier 5 existence. Now, their situation was somewhat better. Even though they were still the weakest among all the Aristocratic Families, their speed of growth spurred others to place greater importance on them.


    The man seated next to Jyovic Bone had a cold expression, not having once uttered a word, concealing an emotion of wrath, hidden amid sadness. When Jyovic Bone patted his back, he sat like a rigid statue, expressionless.


    He turned around, looking at the old men engaging in pleasantries, showing no shame in praising the other party to the high heavens. He opened his mouth, pursing his lips, leaking out a sentence by vibrating his vocal cords. "I will be standing on the deck."


    "Sure," Jyovic Bone nodded, uncaring about his attitude. Ankrakhen Light and Wunris Marble, seated opposite to them nodded their heads, showing no change in their expression.


    "Remember to return when we summon you, Hubert." Seeing the man head to the exit of the control room, Jyovic Bone spoke, transmitting his voice by controlling his vocal cords.


    Looking at the lack of a response from the retreating figure, Jyovic Bone made eye contact with the lady sitting behind him, trailing his eyes towards Hubert Bone. The lady let out an exasperated sigh and stood up, performing a curt bow to Ankrakhen Light and Wunris Marble.


    She then followed after Hubert Bone, her steps light and brisk. Jyovic Bone trailed his gaze after her, letting out a sigh, "Watching her reminds me of my late daughter."


    "Was she the one who demonstrated the use of Bone Devour 6 years ago?" Wunris Marble inquired, trying to recall the incident.


    "Yes," Jyovic Bone nodded, "She is my third child. The one who left just now is my first daughter, the most talented of them all. The other one was the second born; after the death of his sister, his personality had warped into this."


    Having recalled the name, Wunris Marble let out a self-deprecating laugh, "Henrietta was a talented child. The same fate has befallen numerous geniuses in our city across the times. If not, our strength would have ballooned to the peak by now."


    "The sneak attack we experienced at the end of the Flying Signature Raid amplified our losses tremendously. The losses we suffered in that last battle was ten times the losses we suffered throughout the Raid." Ankrakhen Light sported an expression of sadness, the muscles in his cheek twitching in response, looking like he controlled his sadness from gushing out.


    He pinched his thigh, using the pain to control his emotions, "We had lost Anruhen Light in that battle, the individual with the highest chance to become Marble City''s fourth Ancestor. Of all the remaining Transformers and Sky Controllers, not even one has half the chance as him at clenching Tier 6."

 Chapter 119: A Sentence

    Hubert Bone exited the control room, finding himself in a dark corridor. The ground surface was mottled with hexagon-shaped holes, each a centimetre in size, allowing him to gaze below. It was a maze, the paths interlinked to each room in the otherwise three-storey structure.


    Each room housed either Ground Controllers or Shifters, the elites of the batch departing from Sector 9. They were all battle-ready, seated with their weapons in hand. None of them spoke a word, unwilling to make pointless chat lest they don''t hear the announcements.


    They didn''t want to distract themselves on the eve of a long, drawn-out battle. Hubert Bone crossed numerous paths, his gaze focused on the rooms that trailed underneath him, inspecting the strength of their batch.


    ''The quantity is the same but our overall strength is a lot weaker than the batches led by the other Aristocratic Families.''


    Truck ''0'' was commanded by five Tier 5 beings, with the rest present in it at Tier 4, a total of 2000 soldiers. Each of the other trucks was commanded by five Tier 4 beings, the rest possessing Tier 3 strength, a total of 1000 soldiers per each.


    There were also safely guarded rooms within each truck, filled to the brim with Heart and Brain Crystals, ready to replenish their expended energy.


    As Hubert Bone walked further, he came across a flight of stairs, similar to the porous flooring, looking fragile. As he held the guardrails in hand, he realised their sturdiness, the aura flowing within them conforming to Tier 5 Frenzy Beasts, seemingly refined with their bones.


    The division of power in their batch was between the Bone Family, the majority who lead the charge, the Light Family and Marble Family who oversaw the operation and made up for the deficient power, and the Veera Family who were part of the Medical Corps, in charge of the recovery.


    The Espers from the Veera family were the dominant faction among the Medical Corps, dispersed into all the 12 batches as healers. The remaining healers consisted of the regular populace, ones who had accumulated enough contributions to exchange for the Unranked Skill Regen, affiliated with the Veera Family.


    The Flight of stairs was a spiral, thin enough to facilitate only a single person''s traversal. His footsteps produced muffled sounds, quickly dissipated when he controlled his force exertion.


    Arriving at the top, he opened a door, walking into the topmost area of the truck. It was shaped into the form of a semi-circle, spanning a radius of 3 metres, with the curved surface facing the front. A guardrail existed, separating the foot area from the rest of the truck, looking retractable.


    Beyond the guardrail was a steep elevation, aerodynamically designed to facilitate easier movement of the truck. Hubert Bone gazed into the Wild, looking at the trail of trucks spanning to his front and back, forming a long line.


    The speed of the march was slow, with the trucks at the front dispersing into the wilds one after another, collecting all the Frenzy Beast carcasses sprawled on the ground. Their actions were swift, thanks to the Espers in charge of the collection duty.


    None of the trucks dared to stray far from their line, lest they were ganged up by the Frenzy Beasts that were lured in by the dense stench of blood.


    The air had a bloody tinge to it, mixed amid a faint aura, dispersed thanks to the Frenzy beast carcasses. Despite their deaths, their Brains or Spines still showed a trace of activity, depending on whether they were Espers or Warriors respectively.


    Not all of them had been annihilated, proving their unrelenting vitality. The greater their evolution, the sturdier they were, becoming harder to kill.


    Hubert Bone gazed in silence, sporting a stoic face, clenching the guardrails with his hands. A voice resounded in his ears, followed by a figure that walked out the door, her tone bordering on a feeling of vexation.


    "Your actions paint a negative impression of our Bone Family. Sir Ankrakhen Light and Sir Wunris Marble are part of the older generation in their families, their influence is tremendous. The only reason they even look us in the eye is thanks to father. The other families will use your actions as an example to further mock us." The lady iterated, standing beside him, gazing into the surroundings, imprinting the desolate land deprived of vitality.


    "As if I care about the Bone Family''s reputation; it can be damned for all I care." Hubert Bone''s tone experienced a slight increase in pitch, quickly controlled in an instant.


    "Henrietta''s death wasn''t due to father. You must remember that." The lady grunted, sporting an expression of feeling annoyed. She curled a lock of her hair, her vision lingering on a truck that collected the Frenzy Beast carcasses a kilometre to her right.


    "At the end of the Flying Signature Raid, who do you think passed the information about Jyorta and Heima to Henrietta?" Hubert Bone swerved his head, glancing at the lady''s eyes, displaying his bloodshot eyes. "Until then, she was doing perfectly fine, thanks to mastering the uses of Bone Devour. Even though she hadn''t contacted home for 4 years, she wasn''t affected much; her determination to survive remained at the peak."


    "But," Hubert Bone opened his mouth, feeling his voice unable to take form, getting chocked in his throat. He retracted his gaze, striving to control his emotions by gazing into the surroundings, speaking after a dozen seconds, "The news of her children managed to reach her ears, just 2 hours prior to the final battle when we were ambushed. She lost control on the spot, getting killed by a Frenzy Beast that took advantage of the situation."


    "The fact that she lost control so easily just implies her weakness, nothing else," The lady retorted, watching the truck before her turn left, heading towards a nearby location where a giant pool of blood had collated.


    Suddenly, she saw her vision moving horizontally to her right, feeling a shockwave course through her left, breaking the bones in her arms and ribs, forming cracks in the rest of her skeletal system. Vapour cones trailed after her figure as she made a beeline, coursing hundreds of metres due to the momentum that carried her.


    Just when she managed to orient her hazy vision, her body slammed into the ground, allowing the coagulated blood to wash over her, turning her appearance murky. She made a long trench on the ground, spanning more than 50 metres, the depth conforming to a metre.


    "Guff," She spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling a constricting pain throughout her body, morphing her expression into a twisted struggle. Bone spikes emerged from her skin, heading into the coagulated blood on the ground, intending to absorb the energy in them to recover, unwilling to expend the energy in her Heart Crystal.


    The bone spikes melted, dissolving into the blood. Her skeletal frame too followed suit, becoming like rubber, unable to prop her internal organs. Numerous thin spikes appeared from them, piercing into her organs, making her shriek in pain.


    A figure crashed into the ground before her, separated by a metre, looking like a sturdy mountain, emitting a suffocating aura, spilling copious amounts of blood and grime mixed with soil onto her. Just the aura alone suppressed her, despite the two of them being Transformers. Moreover, despite urging her Unranked Skill Bone Devour to recover her skeletal frame back to optimal condition, she failed to exert any influence.


    The armour she wore was capable of resisting psychic influence to a great extent, thanks to it being a Tier 5 Artifact and a Tier 5 Relic. Beyond that was her Unranked Skill giving her control over her bones and muscles, preventing any psychic influence from exerting control over them. But, despite the two major effects, her bones were controlled by the other party, rendering her action useless, despite the two of them having become Transformers at almost the same time.


    Hubert Bone snorted, stomping the lady''s face with his foot, "Behave like the old bastard one more time, and I wouldn''t hesitate to kill you. It was only thanks to Bone Devour that a pile of rotting waste like you could become a Transformer. If Henrietta was alive, she would have outclassed you without a sweat."


    He retracted his legs, spitting on the ground; the spit fell next to her face, making a small plop on the ground, displaying the force of its ejection. "The number of losses we had faced in the Flying Signature Raid was only in two digits, with most of them at Tier 3. There were only three people at Tier 4 who had died, a vast difference from the Veera and Doppler Families, who too were dispatched for the Raid."


    He turned around, noticing a faint stirrup in the truck he had been standing upon a moment ago, "This resulted in them raising false claims, stating that the members of the Bone Family used their comrades as shields to survive. In order to intensify the severity of our losses, the old bastard leaked the news to Henrietta, conveniently making use of Heima and Jyorta''s situation. The Veera and Doppler Families didn''t comment on the matter, on seeing that his daughter had been sacrificed in the Raid, retracting their prior statements."


    The lady wheezed, craning her neck a bit to ease her breath, "B-But, Henrietta had been informed of Jyorta''s situation long ago."


    "No," Hubert Bone shook his head, "She was kept in the dark about the actual situation. I was there with her the whole time, the information she had received was concocted news, carefully created by Hancent to ensure she wouldn''t be affected. Moreover, since she hadn''t directly spoken to Hancent, she didn''t take the information to heart."


    Noticing a couple of figures appear above the truck ''0'', Hubert Bone retracted his influence on the lady''s bones, dissipating his aura. "The old bastard did something to Heima and made her suffer a lot. I never managed to find it; Heima too is unwilling to comment on the matter. But, mark my words; I don''t intend to leave the matter at this point."


    "What happened?" Jyovic Bone landed near them, inspecting his surroundings, preparing for an ambush by the Frenzy Beasts. Hubert Bone ignored him, turned around, and dashed towards the truck numbered ''0''.


    Jyovic Bone glanced at the lady, shocked at her state, "What happened, Havita?"


    "It is just another one of his emotional outbursts." Havita Bone activated her Unranked Skill, mending her skeletal structure, absorbing some energy from the surrounding pool of blood, and healing the damage she had suffered.


    She stood up, about to dust herself of the blood and grime, turning silent, noticing something shocking, making her body involuntarily shudder.


    On her skull, a sentence had been inscribed, visible only when viewed under the effect of Bone Devour, unable to be erased for the time being with her Skill.

 Chapter 120: A Shielding Umbrella, and the Conflicting Grass

    "If you had possessed enough value, the old bastard would have sacrificed you to save his skin. Remember the fate of brother Jyunta before you choose your side."


    The sentence was etched in her skull, showcasing staunch resistance when she tried to erase it using her Bone devour. The font was tiny, looking cursive, the depth and curves made in each letter were as if Hubert had taken his time to carve it on her skull.


    ''His comprehension of Bone Devour is terrifying; it is as if the Skill was made for him.'' Havita controlled her expression of shock, letting out a wry smile, emitting her aura. Her aura was like an energy fluctuation that expelled all the blood and grime on her body, reverting her to her pristine state.


    The Nurturing effect of the Wisdom Parasite was universal, affected only by the Sync Rate. Though, Warriors with similarly developed bodies possessed differing battle strength, thanks to various factors ranging from battle insight, preparation, intuition, foresight, techniques used, mental state, etc. Though, at the end of the day, their base prowess was the same.


    But, when it came to the domain of Skills, it was a different matter altogether. Skills were Nurtured under the effect of the body''s capabilities, advantages, traits, muscle memory, experiences, mental state, emotions, memories, etc.


    Once Nurtured, the effect of the Skill varied based on the individual''s comprehension. The greater the comprehension, the greater the effect of the Skill; it gave rise to a chance to effect beyond the capabilities of the given Tier.


    Skills at Tier 1 and 2 generally didn''t improve upon comprehension. It was due to their effects having physical limits, depending on the Nurtured state of their bodies. The Skills of Developers and beyond showed visible improvement depending on the individual''s comprehension of the Skill.


    The fact that Hubert Bone could overwhelm Havita Bone, despite their bodies being at a similarly Nurtured state was thanks to his comprehension of Bone Devour dwarfing her.


    "I was just checking his strength." Havita Bone said, massaging her brows, trying to ignore the sentence etched in her skull.


    "So, how is he? Does he have enough strength to avoid being an embarrassment?" Jyovic Bone relaxed his state, walking back to the truck numbered ''0''.


    "He is¡­" Havita Bone paused for a second, recalling some memories she hadn''t willed to recollect, thanks to the statement etched in her skull, changing her sentence, "Passably strong; he won''t be an embarrassment."


    "That is fine," Jyovic Bone nodded, "Hubert has better talent than Henrietta."


    In the meantime, Hubert Bone had neared the truck, his ears strained to their conversation. He heard Havita''s opinion of him, slightly affecting his pace, decreasing his speed by a margin.


    ''So, she isn''t completely irredeemable. She hasn''t become the old bastard''s puppet yet.'' Hubert Bone exerted some strength in legs, willing to make a small leap to the top of the truck when he heard Jyovic Bone''s reply.


    His body turned still, his face scrunching up, seething with rage. He immediately exercised his self-control, seeking to mask his broiling emotions. He slightly released his aura, dusting off the traces of blood on his pant as he jumped, making an arc in the air, and landing on the top of the truck.


    His foot touched the deck¡ªsemicircle surface at the top¡ªof the truck, producing naught but a dull thump, thanks to him exercising control, restraining his strength. Also standing on the deck was Ankrakhen Light, watching the proceedings in silence.


    Hubert Bone brushed past Ankrakhen Light, pausing for an instant to give a perfunctory bow, as a show of respect. He then heard Ankrakhen Light speak, the voice transmitted to his ears through psychic energy.


    "Sir Bone is plagued by worries; I can now glean the reason why."


    ''Another fox,'' Hubert wanted to retort with a vicious statement; he immediately curbed the thought. The other party was a senior among the Light Family, one of the two Royal Families in Marble City. Only two figures stood above him, and they were Rhachis Ancestor Light and Rhachis Ancestor Strongest.


    Offending him for no reason was tantamount to foolishness. Hubert Bone continued his way, opening the door to descend the flight of stairs, vibrating his vocal cord to produce a muffled sound. The sounds were absorbed by the lingering psychic arm, transmitted to the source in an instant.


    "Indeed; none of the younger generation can catch up to father''s achievements."


    Closing the door shut, Hubert Bone descended the stairs, the light of his actions echoed in his mind, thinking of the rest of the Bone Family members participating in the mission.


    ''I too have a family, Henrietta. I can''t take a hard-on approach, lest it affects the development of my children. But, I will definitely get justice for you. Also, rest assured; I will support Jyorta and Heima like they are my own children.''


    "The survivability of the Bone Family members is the highest among all the Aristocratic Families, thanks to Bone Devour. Our development is also many times theirs, further inciting their jealousy. If it is not handled well, situations similar to Henrietta will crop up numerous times in the future." He let out a self-deprecating sigh, walking over the path mottled with numerous holes.


    Henrietta had a special position in the Bone Family, not only due to her pedigree but also due to her relationship with Bone Devour. She was the first individual to officially wield the completed product, the Unranked Skill Bone Devour. It was her name, her performance, and the data she generated that were stored in official records, maintained by the two Royal Families.


    Basically, the fame, significance, and popularity of Bone Devour were connected to her. Her rise would have spurred numerous strong Warriors from the common populace willing to marry into the Bone Family, further strengthening them.


    Now, after she, the first holder had been killed, it created a detrimental effect, slowing down Bone Family''s expansion. Even though people still expressed their willingness to marry into the Bone Family, a red mark had been imprinted in the official records.


    The first wielder of Bone Devour was killed as a Shifter, thanks to losing control on the battlefield, the stain permanent in their history. It devalued Bone Devour, also leading to the Warriors from their family placed at a lesser value among the Aristocratic circles.


    "The umbrella shields from the storm while the grass below engages in conspiracy and internal conflicts." Arriving at the control room, Hubert Bone sat in his designated seat, glancing at the outside through a large monitor affixed overhead. Unless the situation necessitated, he wasn''t required to take charge of the situation.


    ¡­


    9:15 PM, Jyorta accompanied Anruk Light, having arrived at a sprawling workplace. All across the journey, he received numerous stares from curious onlookers, wondering the reason for his existence in this place, one where the elites of Marble City had been gathered.


    His expression brimmed with curiosity, unleashing the inner engineer in him, adding a slight hop to his feet. He wanted to distract his focus for the time being and recharge his mental strength. This would allow him to work with greater efficiency later; after all, he had to prepare a lot in order to save Heima.


    Anruk Light led him through numerous narrow paths, pacing beyond the institutional structures, barring him from satisfying his curiosity.


    "In the future, after you become a Wave Controller, there will be an opportunity for you to join the Grapple Force. Though, in order to be qualified, you should be an elite among Tier 3." Having gleaned his thoughts through his facial expression, Anruk Light let out a smile, taking the role of a gentle senior, one that sought to guide the younger generation.


    He walked towards a large door, pushing it open, allowing a dense aroma of delicacies to waft out, the flavours broiling with all sorts of intensities. "Try not to talk with others unless they approach you first. Even then, should they ask you about the reason for your visit, exercise your right to remain silent. Anything the Madam had said to you stays with you, got it?"


    "Yes, sir." Jyorta nodded, trying his best to stay in line. Also, he had fair confidence in his ability to keep secrets. He then watched the plethora of people seated around various round tables¡ªeach capable of seating 20 people¡ªdiscussing many important topics.


    "There is a drawback with Deific Inference¡­" Jyorta strained his ears, wanting to hear their conversation to glean more information, most of which were inaccessible to the current him. The sentence he had focused on was cut short, deafening all the sounds.


    Feeling surprised, Jyorta noticed a pair of psychic arms shielding his ears, preventing him from hearing the ongoing discussions. He then felt the pair of psychic arms vibrate, transmitting a voice into his ears, "The contents of their conversation is confidential. I hope you understand."


    Jyorta nodded, showcasing his disappointment. He then noticed a woman walk towards them, dressed in a set of loose-fitting garments, allowing her long hair to cascade like a waterfall. Her face etched an expression of curiosity, glancing at Jyorta walking behind Anruk Light.


    She inched closer to him, stopping at a distance of two metres, sporting a smile. "Hello there!"


    "Hello, miss." Jyorta waved his hand, flashing his signature smile. Despite being unable to hear her voice, he could make out the contents through her lip movement and facial expression. Moreover, it was a simple greeting used by everyone; so, it wasn''t difficult to figure out.


    The lady noticed the presence of the two psychic arms covering his ears, trailing her senses to their source, glancing at Anruk Light with raised eyebrows.


    "Madam brought him here. He is Heima''s younger brother." Anruk Light replied, silently using two of his psychic arms to block a flash of light from making an appearance. He stared at the lady, narrowing his eyes, inquiring about her actions.


    The lady smiled, emitting a flash of light, forming them into a row of sentences, allowing Jyorta to gaze at them. Before he could even register the first word, a barrier of psychic energy shielded his eyesight, making the contents behind look shrouded in a fog.


    Suddenly, the lady straightened her back, her expression turning solemn. Her right hand sped up, rising towards her temples, performing a standard military salute. Seeing her action, Anruk Light''s body shuddered in fright, turning around to glance behind him.


    Except for a couple of Espers watching the drama, there wasn''t the presence of the Madam he had feared. Realising the scheme he fell for, conforming to a childish level, he felt embarrassed.


    Anruk Light retracted his gaze, glancing at the lady dashing away with Jyorta in tow. Sensing his gaze, she turned around and winked his way, letting out a cheerful laugh.


    "I''ll be doomed." Anruk Light felt his head spin, making his vision go dark. He hurriedly chased after the lady, intent to prevent any harm from occurring to Jyorta.

 Chapter 121: The Smirk

    Carrying Jyorta with a hand, the lady exited the room, wrapping a layer of light around the two. Suddenly, her speed intensified, the situation unknown to Jyorta carried within it, his vision shielded by the barrier of light.


    He readily activated his psychic arm, intending to course it through the barrier of light. His psychic arm was blocked, unable to pass through it, the feeling similar to being obstructed by a mountain.


    "Don''t bother; any psychic arm below the level of a Ground Controller can never hope to pass through my light barrier." The lady said, flashing a smile, her curiosity piqued upon seeing Jyorta''s unflustered gaze.


    His psychic arm was just a cover, the result expected by him the moment the light barrier enveloped the two of them. The blue soul in him chanted the verse of the creepy-haired man, creating two temporary Soul Corneas, directing them towards the lady.


    He didn''t bring them out of his body, only keeping them ready for retaliation should the lady attempt to do something. Though, considering the difference in their strength, he didn''t even have the confidence in scratching her. No matter the case, he wanted to be prepared nevertheless.


    His permanent Soul Cornea exited his body and flashed towards the barrier, passing through it without trouble, gazing at the rapidly changing scenery.


    ''So, typical barriers designed to block psychic energy are useless against my Soul Cornea. Also, she is fast to the extent I can''t even properly inspect the changing surroundings.''


    "How is Heima?" The lady''s expression turned solemn, "The Madam must have summoned you here for definite reasons. Don''t worry; I won''t put you in the spot by asking you about it. Just tell me about Heima''s condition."


    Jyorta paused for a second, thinking it through. He chuckled, speaking in a brisk tone, "She''s fine."


    He neither went into detail about Heima''s condition nor mention about her stipulated recovery time. He didn''t know of the reasons for her question, whether she hoped for Heima''s recovery or her demise. Without knowing of her stance on the matter, he didn''t want to say anything unnecessary and create trouble that might hinder Heima''s recovery.


    After all, the other party was from the Light Family. Even though he didn''t know of her pedigree, judging by her young age and at her strength as a Shifter, he could guess that she wasn''t a regular Shifter. Moreover, when she carried him and dashed along the dining area, no one intended to stop her. This fact alone spoke volumes about her.


    A barrier appeared around her, blocking her path. It was made by morphing a psychic arm into a cage. The lady lifted her free hand, emitting a flash of light, impacting the psychic cage. A crack formed before her, soon widening to her body size.


    The lady disappeared from her confinement, continuing with her sprint. A psychic arm coiled around her leg, seeping into her muscles, vouching to take control of them despite the tremendous resistance.


    The lady gushed out a torrent of light from her captured leg, similar to a brook, with each particle apparent, shaped into a blade. They diced and grated the coiled psychic arm, breaking its inherent structure.


    Feeling the constriction loosen up a bit, the lady lifted her leg, the exerted force snapping the psychic arm, dissipating the remainder into a waft of psychic energy. She then noticed a figure standing before her, unleashing four psychic arms, with one of them inscribed with mysterious symbols, flashing in and out like a phantom.


    The three psychic arms appeared beside her, binding her limbs, suppressing the flash of light she had emitted. The psychic arm with the mysterious symbols hovered next to her, shining a beam of light onto her body, finding the weak spots of the light she emitted the moment they formed, making use of them before she rectified the loophole.


    Within a matter of seconds, the lady was bound by the psychic arms, allowing Jyorta to escape from her hold, giving him the reprieve to hide behind Anruk Light. Glancing at the lady having dropped her resistance, he diverted a psychic arm to make a quick inspection of Jyorta.


    Noticing that he was unaffected, Anruk Light heaved a sigh of relief, retracting the psychic arms that bound the lady. "You shouldn''t mess around like that, Anusha. I was this close to getting killed by Madam for failing to look after Jyorta."


    "I was just curious about Heima Bone''s state," Anusha Light clenched her hand into a fist, regaining control in them. "Now that I am privy to her condition, I can relax."


    "Okay," Using his psychic arm, Anruk Light made note of Jyorta''s facial expression and his body''s emotional state when Anusha replied to him. On concluding that she hadn''t interrogated any sensitive information out of him, Anruk Light mentally heaved another sigh of relief.


    He created three psychic arms and coiled them around each, masking their vision for a couple of seconds. Anusha didn''t mount any resistance, allowing the psychic arm to wrap around her body.


    Jyorta felt his vision obstructed for a couple of seconds, feeling a slight amount of inertia. When he regained his vision, he found himself standing in the dining section, occupying the same spot as before. An empty plate had appeared in his hands before he realised, holding a fork and a spoon.


    ''How was he able to suppress the laws of inertia while moving my body at high speeds from a state of rest?'' Jyorta wondered, unable to make heads or tails of the situation. He decided to put the topic at the back of his head and later inquire about it with Madam Mila.


    "Let us have dinner; you would have to report to Madam first thing in the morning." Jyorta heard a voice in his ears, the sounds from the surroundings filtered out once again. He observed a psychic arm fixed around his ears, similar to a headphone, blocking out all sounds.


    He nodded in response, directing his gaze to the food items layered on a long table. There were food items of all types, most of which he hadn''t even seen to date. They all looked colourful and seemed to beckon him, bewitching his palate.


    His mind wasn''t able to make a choice; so, Jyorta left the decision to his nose, allowing him to be directed to the food of his preference based on his sense of smell. Trailing after a pleasant aroma amid the numerous fragrances, Jyorta arrived before a certain food item¡ªplaced within a large bowl, simmering with heat. This was the food item that beckoned him the most, almost forming an affinity with his hunger.


    Spotting a ladle placed on the table, next to the large bowl, Jyorta inched his hand towards it, only to find a psychic arm pause his movement.


    "Its nutrient content will overwhelm your digestive system. Most of the items here are made to be consumed by Tier 3 and Tier 4 individuals; hence, their nutritional value exceeds what you can digest." As the voice resounded through the psychic arm covering his ears, he saw Anruk Light point towards a certain corner.


    Placed in the pointed spot was a food item, lacklustre to the extent it formed a certain effect in its perimeter, preventing anyone from approaching a metre around it.


    "That is probably the only food item a Line Controller can digest without problems."


    "What if I have the Trait of Efficiency?" Jyorta replied, gazing at Anruk Light''s face lighting up in surprise. He then let out a chuckle, waving his hands for Jyorta to drop his joke.


    "You have barely been in the military academy for 2 weeks; you wouldn''t have even become used to it, not to mention accumulate enough Credits to exchange for something precious. If my memory serves right, the Trait of Efficiency requires 12,000 Credits to exchange."


    "Yes, that is true." Jyorta nodded, "You can cross-check with the military academy. There are two of us who have managed to exchange for it."


    "Are you serious?" Anusha Light exclaimed, looking pleasantly surprised. Irrespective of their pedigree, everyone journeyed through the same education system, finally ending up in the military academy where they fought for benefits solely based on their individual capabilities.


    So, they were all privy of the enormous Credits required to exchange for each Trait, not to mention the struggles required to accumulate them. The fact that someone managed to accumulate enough Credits in the span of two weeks since joining the military academy sought to unnerve them.


    Anruk Light closed his eyes, unleashing his domain, ensuring to not overlap with the people seated in the dining section. Ten seconds later, he opened his eyes, showing genuine praise. "It''s true."


    "There hasn''t been anyone who had scored more than you in their first month at the military academy." Anruk Light gazed at him as if he were a monster, realising the reason Atika Light summoned him to Grapple Force.


    ''Does she plan to nurture him from the early on? But, he''s an Esper. It should be impossible for him to Nurture her Skills. Then, why was he invited here? Is it to take a look at Heima?'' Anruk Light felt confused, unable to find the reason as to why Jyorta was brought to the headquarters of Grapple Force.


    "If you have the Trait of Efficiency, then you can consume some of them." Anruk Light pointed at some food items, having made preliminary inspections through his psychic energy. He sent the thought to the back of his head, unwilling to ponder on the matter until Atika Light informed him.


    Seeing that the delicacies he preferred were among the ones Anruk Light had pointed at, Jyorta was satisfied. Filling his plate to the brim, Jyorta followed after Anruk Light, seating himself on an empty spot, occupying a round table bereft of anyone else.


    Anusha Light too followed suit, taking a seat to his left, beginning to converse with Anruk Light on certain matters of addressal. All along, he was unable to hear their topic of conversation. He also noticed a faint psychic barrier around his body, preventing him from summoning his psychic arm out.


    Moreover, when he glanced at their faces, he noticed their mouths were blurred. It was to prevent him from understanding their topic of conversation should he know of lip reading. Jyorta didn''t comment on the matter, acting like one who could read the situation, choosing to have zero intentions to eavesdrop.


    The blue soul in him stirred up, sending the Soul Cornea outside his body, allowing it to transmit the contents of their conversation back to him. Jyorta continued to eat, relishing the food upon each mouthful, sporting an expression of bliss. Having consumed the food at the military academy, he felt like his taste buds were beginning to die. Only now did he sense their revival.


    The blue soul in him collected the contents of their conversation, segregating it into distinct memory fragments. Also, any other topic of conversation the Soul Cornea could catch was also sent to the blue soul. After all, information could be capitalised into power.


    Having overlaid the unfinished false persona¡ªone of calm, optimism, and filled with focus¡ªJyorta prevented a smirk from forming on his face.

 Chapter 122: Seven Vs Three, Potential Annihilation

    "Rhachis Ancestor Parasite had managed to infiltrate our city at noon, today." Anusha Light said, showing no change in facial expression lest she alerted Jyorta. Her voice carried her emotions, filled with anger and helplessness.


    "It seems the situation was first notified from the military academy in the 7th Ring. It was a timely response from Madam Mila who notified Psychic Ancestor Marble." Anruk Light sighed, taking a glance at the seated Jyorta.


    ''He is ignorant of the fact that he had almost died a gruesome death today. Thankfully, the exchange was kept under wraps, barring the students from harm.''


    "But, we have faced tremendous losses as a result of the invasion." Anusha Light glanced at the food on her plate, filled with tremendous nutritional content, enough to satiate her Shifter physique. "Our city currently faces the problem of food shortage. We have to take measures to not expend the food reserves stored in our granary."


    "We just have to do our part. Let the higher-ups come up with a plausible solution." Anruk Light didn''t seem bothered by the fact. "Madam has already taken charge of the operation to create the Wisdom Plants. With her expertise, it is only a matter of fact before our food shortage gets resolved."


    "That is true," Anusha took small but quick nibbles of her food, her actions efficiently directed. "We have dispatched almost half our forces to the Wilds to procure more materials. I wonder when the Grapple Force would be dispatched."


    "It will be declared in an hour or so." Anruk Light had wiped his plate clean, showcasing his frightening eating pace. A psychic arm refilled the contents on his plate, doing the same for Anusha''s plate based on her food requirements. "Our mission will be the same as the previous mission."


    "You mean the capture and retrieval of the Long Nose Frenzy Beast?" There was a slight change in her demeanour, filled with a sense of wariness, showing traces of lacking confidence.


    "Madam decided to name them the Ethereal Tail Frenzy Beast. It was the term mentioned by Heima Bone before she had fainted." Anruk Light sighed a little, controlling his actions to make it minute, "When I cross-checked with the military academy in the 7th Ring to verify Jyorta''s claims, I received another message from Central Command."


    Anruk Light paused for a dozen seconds, finishing the contents on his plate. "The Ethereal Tailed Frenzy Beasts were spotted to the west of our city, unlike the north which had been their previous base of operations. Moreover, they had engaged in battle with the 9th Trail. Sir Ankrakhen Light had exchanged a couple of blows with some of them, having activated Deific Inference, letting out a remark when they disappeared."


    "If it was from Sir Ankrakhen Light, it should have been conclusive data that would prove useful in our future endeavours." Anusha Light nodded, her focus concentrated on Anruk Light, anticipating his next sentence.


    Anruk Light sighed, iterating the statement declared by Ankrakhen Light, "Deific Inference failed to affect them."


    "What?" Anusha shouted in shock, failing to control her voice, an expression of disbelief etched on her face. "Deific Inference can look into the secrets of everything, even the Essence of Frenzy generated by Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts. How can it fail against Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts?"


    "I am finding it difficult to believe it too. I shall later ask for Madam''s opinion on the matter." Anruk Light echoed her views, glancing at Jyorta''s plate, noticing him pat his stomach with an expression of content. He stood up, his empty plate held in his hand, beckoning for Jyorta to follow him.


    As Jyorta stood up, Anruk Light''s expression experienced a drastic change, contorting into a fluster. A psychic arm quickly converged before Jyorta, blurring his surroundings, preventing him from witnessing Anruk Light''s reaction.


    "The Ethereal Tail Frenzy Beasts are more dangerous than we had expected. Moreover, Madam has just informed me of the matter. She has personally filed a report to raise their threat levels, intending to place them above the Floating Spiders."


    "Above the Floating Spiders¡­the strongest race among the Frenzy Beasts?" Anusha Light felt her head spin, almost failing to balance her body. She took in deep breaths, trying to digest the information before she experienced a mental breakdown.


    The Floating Spiders had three Tier 6 existences, not to mention their astounding powers. Moreover, they bordered to the west of the Marble City, always clashing with the soldiers of Marble City, netting more victories than defeats. Moreover, they boasted a massive population, many times the number of humans. This led to them possessing a greater number of elites among Tier 4 and Tier 5 in comparison.


    Marble City was neighboured by powerful Frenzy Beast races on all four sides but, the powerful strength of the Floating Spiders always made the higher-ups of Marble City feel like they were treading on a thin rope.


    Should an all-out war erupt between their two races, there was a fair chance of mutual annihilation. They only reason the Floating Spiders had yet to act was thanks to Rhachis Ancestor Light countering their abilities.


    "There is also the age factor to account for," Anusha Light massaged her brows, finally managing to stabilise herself. "Rhachis Ancestor Web is on the final phase of its lifespan. Even though it will live longer than Rhachis Ancestor Spindle, the difference is not by much."


    "A war is imminent," Anruk Light heaved a forlorn sigh, "Whether it erupts within the next two decades or the next three decades, it is bound to happen one day. At that time, we will be attacked by all our enemies."


    The Floating Spiders in the west had three Tier 6 existences; the River Whales in the north had two Tier 6 existences; the Spindle Bees in the east had a single Tier 6 existence; and finally, the Lava Turtles in the south possessed a single Tier 6 Existence.


    Altogether, seven Ancestors were vouching to annihilate Marble City. On the side of Marble City, they only had three Ancestors, with Psychic Ancestor Marble gaining in on age. The present status quo was in itself alarming enough but, the moment the newly arrived threat, the Ethereal Tailed Frenzy Beasts managed to produce a Tier 6 existence, Marble City would be doomed without suspense.


    Anusha Light bode farewell, going her way to prepare for their upcoming dispatch. An alarm resounded in the dining section, alerting everyone present, prompting them to finish the food on their plates in a matter of seconds and exit the area, their expressions filled with battle intents.


    ''Ethereal Tailed Frenzy Beast¡­Deific Inference failed to grasp its traits, even though it could pull out my psyche. The moment I become strong enough is the day they would become my target for research. They are my hope to extricate myself from this passive situation.'' Finished with his thoughts, the blue soul in him retracted the unfinished false persona, inspecting its state, looking undamaged despite his previous expressions of shock.


    He placed his plate on a long table, attached next to an open section in the wall¡ªa large rectangle, 2 metres in breadth, with its lower side situated a metre and a half from the ground. The other side of the open section consisted of a washing area, meant for the used plates.


    10:15 PM, Jyorta slumped on the bed, situated in the cramped room next to the one where Heima lay unconscious. He closed his eyes and took in the view of his blue soul, watching his surroundings go dark.


    Despite the lights in the room switched off, he could view the surroundings in a metre around him. Though, the imagery was dark, almost to the extent of looking at objects in a cold room amid darkness, illuminated by a couple of radium stickers.


    He inspected his blue soul, looking at its size having grown a little when compared to the day. Having siphoned enough energy from the Brain crystal as it got rapidly replenished, the blue soul had grown to the maximum size the memory fragments inside could withstand¡ªhaving acted as the skeletal frame that supported it.


    Hovering next to the blue soul was the subsoul, shivering like a lone leaf caught in a storm. It had become murky once again, hiding quite the few memory fragments, also showing a slight development in its character, despite not being completely developed.


    In response to its state of fear, it led to an increase in the Wisdom Parasite''s Nurturing, stacking above the effect due to the Trait of Efficiency. Other than that, there was nothing else in a metre around him.


    Jyorta brought his focus to the two false personas, one completed, and the other still unfinished. Setting aside the ''curtain'' meant for the subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite, Jyorta focused on the face mask.


    ''I am almost done with it. Once I complete this false persona, I would be able to tackle sister''s situation without any distractions.'' Jyorta sensed the state of his Brain Crystal, feeling it brimming with energy, overflowing to the extent a part of the psychic energy circulated through his blood.


    But, despite such excess energy, his base abilities only developed depending on his Wisdom Parasite''s Nurturing. This allowed him to conclude that he couldn''t take any shortcuts in his path of development. The psychic energy was only a resultant product and not the cause for development.


    His development depended on his Wisdom Parasite''s Nurturing, a passive process. The only thing he could change was the rate of Nurturing, thanks to the Trait of Efficiency, and the effect produced from the blue face in his blue soul.


    Just when he planned to use his blue soul to use the excess energy to work on the face mask, he felt a sense of exhaustion stemming from his brain. Jyorta sighed and exited the vision of his blue soul, closing his eyes to sleep.


    "Efficiency is important." The blue soul severed a couple of connections, allowing his body to instantly enter a state of rest.

 Chapter 123: One of Calm, Optimism, and Filled With Focus

    12th December, the year 333 of the Dawn Era, in a certain room situated underground, a figure tossed and turned, feeling a sense of discomfort. The discomfort stemmed from the new atmosphere, not to mention the state of things, the sounds, the smell emanating through the air, and the faint aura intermixed into it; they seemed to unnerve the figure''s beauty sleep.


    Jyorta opened his eyes, feeling his sleepy state abate like the tide, giving him functional clarity in a matter of seconds. His eyelids felt heavy, a faint feeling of irritation apparent in his eyes, the burning sensation making him want to close his eyes and cool them down in slumber.


    Unfortunately, the atmosphere wasn''t one that could grant him his wishes. Moreover, he experienced a couple of bad dreams, the contents of which he forgot as soon as he woke up. Jyorta leaned forward, tracing his hand on the adjacent wall, stopping when he came across an overgrowth.


    It was a sharp, edged object, rectangular in shape, placed with an incline. Jyorta pressed the tip of the inclined object, making a sharp sound that rang out in the silent room. His surroundings lit up in luminance, making his eyes involuntarily scrunch up in order to shield from the light.


    A minute later, his eyes adjusted to the ambience, taking a glance at the wall clock, noting the time.


    6:12 AM; Jyorta plopped his face on the pillow, burying himself into it, leaking out a groan. The blue soul in him was just about to sever some connections and make him enter a state of forceful rest, paused in action, remembering the cause for its presence.


    Jyorta sat up with a start, feeling wide awake. He closed his eyes and sensed the psychic energy coursing through his body, their paths apparent, due to him now capable of sensing them. His abilities were growing day by day, getting more comprehensive.


    He felt like he could now map out the paths that his blood travelled through.


    Even though such stuff was mapped out ages ago and stored in numerous documentaries and research subjects, Jyorta still relished in the novelty, stemming from his senses. He silently made the blue soul extract the relevant memory fragments from his brain, storing them in a separate corner, having a feeling that the experience might prove to be useful in the future.


    The blue soul began to work on the false persona once again, siphoning out the energy from the Brain Crystal. Moreover, the excess psychic energy coursing through his bloodstream slowly gushed into his Brain Crystal, refilling its depletion.


    In the meantime, Jyorta began to get refreshed. A set of clothes had already been prepared for him, not to mention the toiletries he required. All the necessities he would need on a daily basis had been prepared and arranged meticulously.


    6:45 AM; Jyorta exited the bathroom, draping a towel around his hip, showcasing his lean frame. Despite him gorging on food whenever possible, thanks to his Wisdom Parasite''s increased rate of Nurturing, he wasn''t able to put on any weight.


    Situated at one corner of the bed was the clothes he was supposed to wear, placed at the location on the previous night. Jyorta picked up the underwear, arriving at a conclusion based on his senses; it was new.


    Moreover, it was meant for boys his age, saving him the embarrassment. The dress¡ªmade from cotton¡ªwas similar to his tracksuit, the only difference being its plain white colour, lacking any design, only sporting a red shade in the collars.


    Donning the tracksuit, Jyorta sat on the bed, taking in the view of his blue soul, watching the state of the face mask. Having expended plenty of energy on it, the face mask was turning out to be sturdier than he had foreseen earlier.


    The day before, while having dinner with Anruk Light and Anusha Light, he had listened in on their conversation, thanks to his Soul Cornea. Their contents were shocking, unable to be digested by him if he were his usual self. Having donned the false persona, despite being unfinished, he could perfectly control his emotions from being exhibited¡ªon his face, his body language, his scent, etc.


    It could perfectly suppress his emotions, the suppression being natural, leaving behind no side effects once he retracted it. Moreover, despite facing the brunt of his emotions, the unfinished face mask wasn''t damaged in the least, looking pristine.


    It was a significant upgrade as compared to before. It was to the extent Jyorta anticipated its effects upon completion. In the time it took for him to get ready, the blue soul had already siphoned enough energy from his Brain Crystal to exhaust the psychic energy circulating through his bloodstream.


    ''I should use up the energy in my Brain Crystal before I head there. This would save the time spent on my false persona and give me more time to work on my sister''s Wisdom Parasite.''


    7:00 AM, there was a light knock on the door, followed by a psychic arm entering the room, planning to wake up Jyorta. Sensing his awake state, the psychic arm exited the room, its actions quick. It was then followed by steady knocks on the door, in sets of two.


    Jyorta exited the vision of his blue soul, walked towards the door, and cranked it open. Anruk Light stood before him, looking brisk early in the morning.


    "It seems you maintain a healthy lifestyle, judging by your preparedness." Anruk Light gave a light comment, motioning for him to proceed to Heima''s room. "Madam has already arrived; since you are ready, you can go meet her. We appreciate punctuality but, we also appreciate being earlier than the stipulated time for most occasions."


    ''The only reason I got up this early without two alarms ringing nonstop for at least 30 minutes is because of my uneasiness. This place is not fit for sleeping.'' Controlling his mind voice from leaking out, Jyorta accompanied Anruk Light, watching him knock the door to Heima''s room a couple of times.


    The knock proceeded with varying frequencies, their amplitude changing per each knock. Soon, the door vibrated, producing a sonorous tune. Having received his reply through the sounds, Anruk Light turned around, glancing at Jyorta, "You can enter."


    Saying his piece, he stood next to the door, leaning on the wall.


    Jyorta felt a slight difference in his surroundings, as if the air, the floor underneath him, the ceiling above him, his clothes, his hair, etc. were all under Anruk Light''s control, every change and difference noticeable to him.


    ''Is this the domain of a Ground Controller? Omnipresent and omniscience; seems pretty overpowered. No wonder Espers are said to be capable of moping the floor with Warriors at Tier 4 and Tier 5.'' Jyorta raised his hand, wanting to twist the doorknob, finding it opening without his actuation.


    He then gazed inside, noticing Atika Light seated in the same position as before. There weren''t any changes in Heima, still unconscious on the bed, sporting a peaceful expression, akin to a doll.


    "Good Morning, Ma''am." Closing the door upon entry, Jyorta greeted Atika Light, his tone polite, brimming with the innocence that came with the age. Atika Light gave him a perfunctory nod, the frown on her face replaced with a trace smile, infected by his vibrant attitude.


    "The Brain Crystals have been replenished. Tell me when your preparations come are completed." Atika Light threw a small rectangular box towards him, her actions sudden. Jyorta hurriedly caught hold of the box, feeling his heart thump in response to his trepidation.


    ''Thankfully, I didn''t drop it.'' Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief and slid open the lid of the rectangular box, noticing a hundred Tier 1 Brain Crystals. He sat cross-legged on the floor, occupying a spot next to the bed, leaning on the wall, activating his psychic arm.


    His Brain Crystal was almost filled with psychic energy; hence, he could create his psychic arm without trouble. The blue soul in him stirred up, creating five soul tendrils, attaching them to his Brain Crystal, siphoning the psychic energy in excess.


    The siphoned psychic energy was immediately converted into soul energy, transmitted through the hundreds of soul tendrils the blue soul had created. The face mask hovered before the blue face as the over hundred soul tendrils worked on it.


    On the face mask, only the jaw area remained; the white hexagons needing to be overlaid in the region were already piled up next to it, their individual positions calculated to create a coherent false persona.


    The blue soul overlaid the ''curtain'' on the subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite, subtly affecting its actions.


    Two blood tendrils gushed out of his nose, condensing into a crimson sphere, soon transforming into his Caterpillar. The Caterpillar landed on his right palm while the rectangular box was placed on his left. His psychic arm lifted a Brain Crystal and brought it to the Caterpillar, intent to be devoured in regular intervals, the timing noted based on his prior experiences and calculations.


    A steady stream of energy entered his body through the two blood tendrils¡ªconnecting him to his Caterpillar. They circulated through his body before entering his Brain Crystal, immediately siphoned into the blue soul to be used in the creation of the face mask, creating a cycle.


    Finally, when the last white hexagon was overlaid on the face mask, the blue soul experienced a small stir. The face mask looked like a jaded sculpture, with each indentation on its face conforming to an emotion, their total amounting to distinct personality traits.


    It was finally created, the false persona, one of calm, optimism, and filled with focus. As the blue overlaid it on the blue face, it activated its corrosion ability. The blue face opened its mouth, gushing out a jet black ink, passing it through the mouth area of the face mask, producing creaks due to its effects.


    The force eventually made slight changes to the face mask, turning its lips black, having been coated by the ink-black substance that formed the essence of his corrosion. The mouth of the face mask now retained some flexibility, capable of opening and closing.


    After exiting the vision of his blue soul, Jyorta inspected the number of Brain Crystals he had consumed. After spending three hours, he had expended 21 Brain Crystal today, not to mention the 54 Brain Crystals expended the previous day, altogether adding up to 75 Brain Crystals.


    ''Thanks to the abundant energy reserves, I could make such a sturdy false persona. If not for this, I would have to use a fragile version of it, only trying to strengthen it over a long course of time. Now, I don''t have to fear it getting destroyed when I experience high-intensity emotions. Its sturdiness is more than enough to handle my emotional state.'' Jyorta''s thoughts clashed in synchronised steadiness, giving him the access to ponder on them in more detail, noticing the issues that he wasn''t able to spot before, thanks to being affected by their connected emotions.


    "Ma''am, my preparations are complete." Jyorta stood up and bowed towards Atika Light. Seeing the other party nod in response, he walked towards Heima and seated himself on the berth, occupying the spot beside her legs.

 Chapter 124: Verge of Losing Control

    Jyorta sat cross-legged, occupying the space near Heima''s legs. He closed his eyes and took in the view of his blue soul, watching his surroundings turn dark. The Caterpillar sat on his right palm, waiting in silence with its arms crossed, gazing at the rectangular box placed on his left palm.


    His psychic arm gushed into the opening of the rectangular box, lifting a Brain Crystal, sending it to the Caterpillar, dropping it into its tiny arms. As the Caterpillar ate the Brain crystal in relish, the psychic arm returned to the rectangular box, intending to slowly lift another Brain Crystal, noticing the box filled with one hundred Brain Crystals once again.


    Atika Light''s voice trailed into his ears, "Don''t distract yourself; I''ll continuously replenish their contents."


    Jyorta bowed in her direction once, almost prostrating himself. He then retracted his gaze, looking at the broiling fog before him, like a sea of clouds being stirred up by a jet stream.


    The blue soul stacked another batch of soul tendrils on the Brain Crystal, stopping when their number reached 12, the limit based on his replenishment rate. Beyond that, he wouldn''t be able to support the energy expenditure through the rate of the Caterpillar''s devouring of the Brain Crystals.


    A small segment of his brain''s computational capacity was left to control his psychic arm and feed the Caterpillar. The rest was used to direct the Soul Cornea and plan its resulting actions.


    The Soul Cornea appeared around the blue soul, slithering out of his body, heading towards the broiling fog, its actions lacklustre¡ªdiscreet. The Soul Cornea arrived before the broiling fog, stopping a millimetre from it.


    From such close-up, the broiling fog looked like boiling water, forming bubbles that popped, infusing steam into the air, being stirred up in inharmonious actions, creating splashes.


    The blue face opened its mouth, allowing the ink-black substance to gush out and course through the Soul Cornea, turning it jet black. The image fragments and the inscriptions formed from condensed information shone in the jet black Soul Cornea, radiating a faint glimmer like the stars.


    The Soul Cornea touched the broiling fog, melting into it without trouble, spreading the corrosion, weakening the defence mounted. A staggering amount of energy was consumed within a minute, equivalent to the entirety stored in his Brain Crystal.


    The Soul Cornea compressed its width to its limits, concentrating its powers to a limited area, also to limit the energy expenditure, keeping up with the replenishment. It slowly penetrated through the broiling fog, swaying like a strand of hair in the wind, affected by the force of the broiling fog that crashed into it.


    Despite getting corroded, the affected parts of the broiling fog transferred the momentum to the Soul Cornea before losing its constitutional makeup.


    Despite getting tossed and turned, the Soul Cornea continued in its path, rectifying its direction every time it was affected by its surroundings. It was a battle on the level of the soul, the preliminary defence proving to be a tough foe, not to mention the actual soul.


    By the end of the minute, the Soul Cornea arrived at the end of the broiling fog, making a final attack, drilling to the other side. The moment it peaked on the other side, the broiling fog acted like a living being injected with steroids. It rushed into the Soul Cornea, trying to pressure it until annihilation.


    As a result, the energy expenditure increased, proceeding beyond the rate of replenishment.


    The Soul Cornea had to stop for a moment to stabilise itself, trying to get a feel of the broiling fog that sought to rend it. The blue soul activated the corrosion to the full extent; the ink-black substance coursing through the Soul Cornea experienced a sharp increase in its essence, raising its functionality.


    Ever since the Soul Cornea''s tip emerged on the other side, the Caterpillar had already consumed two Brain crystals to fund the stabilisation process. Even though the Soul Cornea was still bombarded by the fog, it was able to make use of the unevenness in the attacks to reduce the energy expenditure, saving some for the next process.


    Before it lay a soul, almost spherical in shape, beginning at the rear of its vision and extending beyond. Jyorta inched his body forward, sitting beside Heima''s hips, allowing the entirety of Heima''s soul to come into view.


    Her soul was massive, clouded by a murky substance resembling a pond. The murky substance had become concentrated to the extent it resembled a feat of nature, turning into a pond. Swimming in its depths was a sturdier substance, emitting a murky hue, the luminance outlining its inherent shape. Specks of light, equivalent to the stars glimmering in the night sky coated the murky substance, mixed amid shades of white and blue.


    ''So, this is my sister''s soul.'' Jyorta thought, feeling an overbearing aura impact him, transferred through his Soul Cornea, affecting his blue soul. Based on quantity alone, just the sturdier part of Heima''s soul was almost ten times the blue soul, excluding the quality resulted from the humongous memory fragments stored within it.


    If Jyorta dared to convert Heima''s soul into his subsoul, the moment he initiated the process, using the conversion link as the bridge, his soul would be invaded and overwhelmed, resulting in him assimilated into her soul. Just the sheer size and structural quality could result in such an overwhelming difference, despite his inherent advantages in the domain of the soul.


    A bridge¡ªa murky trail that coiled around one another, filled with the broiling fog¡ªextended from her soul, connecting another soul existing in the area of her spine. It was the soul that belonged to her Wisdom Parasite.


    The Soul Cornea began to experience tremors in its body, the effects resounding in the blue soul, rattling the memory fragments that made up its skeletal frame. Even the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite was bigger than the blue soul, broiling in a dense murky mass, beginning to affect the weaker invader.


    Jyorta gazed at its appearance, noticing the objectivity the murky substance shaped itself into. Numerous bangles pierced through its soul, producing ringing sounds in set intervals, the effects audible only to the senses of the soul.


    A putrid stench circulated the region, enough to the extent making him want to puke. Moreover, the sensation was directly transferred to his soul, the effect registered in the depths of his memory.


    A faint repulsion coursed through his being, instigating resistance to approach the murky souls. Thanks to the face mask overlaid on his blue face, Jyorta could ignore the effects and calmly steer the Soul Cornea towards the Wisdom Parasite''s soul.


    There was the act of resonance exhibited between the Wisdom Parasite''s soul and Heima''s soul, the resultant of which led to their external selves turning similar, creating the broiling fog that sought to shield and defend their souls from harm.


    The Soul Cornea approached the Wisdom Parasite''s soul¡ªshaped into a muddy sphere drenched in a bowl of sewage. Sensing its approach, the muddy sphere began to shake in resistance, raising the memory fragments it had amassed to form layers of defences that protected its soul.


    Jyorta had long since planned his course of action. The fastest way to convert the soul of the Wisdom Parasite into his subsoul was to erase its ego, a substance that coated its core. Thanks to the Soul Cornea, he could directly approach the core and wrestle with its ego there, unless it mounts any other forms of retaliation.


    The method he had used against the previous Jyorta was too risky; it consumed long periods, spanning years. Moreover, it was done using the soul tendrils, lacking any filtering capabilities, allowing an exchange of memories without control.


    After erasing its ego, Jyorta would need to imprint his ego into its core, thereby exerting a subtle influence that changes the soul, eventually creating his subsoul.


    But, the moment he began to invade its soul, the same thing was also possible in the reverse. The soul of the Wisdom Parasite could also use the connection to invade Jyorta''s soul, creating a two-pronged situation. It would then lead to a contest of time before a victor was decided.


    Moreover, should he attempt any drastic measures, it would lead to their souls mixing up, the resulting egos fused into an alien self. The risks were great unless the blue soul possessed a staunch advantage in size and inherent structural quality, which wasn''t the case here.


    Thankfully, unlike before when he faced off against the previous Jyorta''s soul, he currently possessed a trump card, a weapon useful in the realm of souls and beyond¡ªcorrosion.


    The Soul Cornea made preliminary contact with the murky substance coagulated around the Wisdom Parasite''s soul, corroding it, coursing the ink-black substance through it, spreading its effect. Only when it had been damaged to a certain extent would it be okay for the Soul Cornea to invade the soul.


    The murky substance was filled with desires, pent up emotions, mental states, excess memories, etc. They converged around the soul and weighed it down, also acting as a barrier against external influences.


    The Soul Cornea coursed with the ink-black substance, the essence of corrosion, acting as both a sword and a shield. As the Soul Cornea corroded the murky substance, a part of it was affected in reverse.


    Despite the protective measures in the Soul Cornea, the murky substance swam through it, using the connection to arrive at the blue soul. Jyorta hurriedly diverted his focus, transferring the corrosion into the encroaching murkiness, filled with a multitude of desires, emotions, etc.


    The energy expenditure increased beyond control, unable to support the corrosion process. Jyorta had to temporarily retract it, swerving his attention to the murkiness invading his blue soul, targeting it with the corrosion.


    The spread of the murkiness was blocked by the corrosion, steadily vaporising it.


    The blue soul exerted a certain influence through the Soul Cornea, the effects similar to the chant of the creepy-haired man, shaving off the murkiness, revealing the pure memory fragments hidden within.


    The memory fragments were coated with a dense layer of white, conforming to the traces of the Wisdom Parasite''s persona.


    The moment Jyorta directly took them into his blue soul, accumulating a sufficient number, they would fuse to form a complete personality, becoming a time bomb that would endanger his blue soul. So, he had to prevent their influx, shaving off the white layer coating the memory fragments before intake.


    This increased his burden, also straining the lacking energy replenishment. It also made the invasion process slow down to a crawl, the opponent stronger than his expectations. The moment he made a careless mistake, his blue soul would be infected by the murkiness, creating a chance to be invaded and devoured.


    Sweat perforated the pores of Jyorta''s forehead, condensing into droplets that rolled down his facial indentation, conforming to the lines of his eyebrows and nose bridge. His clothes were soaked with sweat, sticking to his body, outlining his lean figure.


    Faint, white substances condensed, sporting a grainy texture, mixing into the sweat that had formed. A thin stream of white dripped down his nose; the same formed two streams of tears that leaked out his eyes¡ªcompletely white.


    Jyorta''s body shuddered, convulsing like he had fits. The Caterpillar seated on his right palm looked listless, no longer able to consume Brain Crystals, its crimson shade having turned white, looking polluted, filled with waste remains that hindered its abilities.


    As a result, his psychic arm flickered, turning unstable, disintegrating into psychic energy, dissipating into the air. Atika Light appeared behind Jyorta, directing a beam of light into his body, breaking his focus.


    Only then did he realise his state, an Esper on the verge of losing control.

 Chapter 125: A Drop in Sync Rate

    "You have pushed yourself too much," Atika Light snapped her finger, producing a crisp sound; the sound reverberated in the room, travelling towards the door, and rattling it. The frequency of its vibration produced a sonorous tune, informing Anruk Light who had been stationed next to it.


    The door creaked open; a figure peeked inside, shocked to discover Jyorta''s state, bordering on losing control. Through each of the pores on his skin leaked a white substance, coarse to the touch, coursing a sensation of stillness into the surroundings.


    The Caterpillar on his right palm had turned white, looking no different from a clay model, lacking any living traits. If not for the fact of it being naught but a manifestation of the Wisdom Parasite''s psyche, Jyorta would have been in dire straits.


    Jyorta felt his control over his body slipping away, feeling his body turn numb. His thoughts slowed down, turning staid, imbuing a feeling of inactivity in his mind. Atika Light lifted his body, motioning for Anruk Light to take control of the situation.


    "He has consumed too many Brain Crystals in a short time frame. Summon the doctors to treat him, now." Atika Light exited the room, with Jyorta in tow, placing his body on the circular table. Anruk Light had already expanded his domain, encompassing a wide region, overlaying it on a certain resting room, informing the doctors to assemble at the scene.


    Within ten seconds, four doctors entered the room, followed by the head doctor. Noticing Jyorta''s state, they immediately comprehended the situation, unleashing their psychic arms.


    One of the doctors created four psychic arms, turning them green, showcasing his Unranked Skill, Marble sonata, Nurtured till Tier 4. He immediately created numerous medical tools, a workbench where Jyorta was laid to rest, and other apparatus.


    "I''ll be in charge of healing him. The rest of you work on extracting the Brain Crystal impurities." The head doctor said, creating five psychic arms, turning them a shade of pale blue, and seeping them into Jyorta''s body.


    "Aargh," Jyorta gritted his teeth, feeling a sharp pain in his head. His emotions bordered on a state of calmness, thanks to the false persona, not allowing the pain to cloud his senses. Though, the presence of the white substance seeping out his body numbed him, soon abating his pain, dulling the vibrancy exhibited in his eyes.


    16 psychic arms seeped into his body, coursing through his bloodstream, entering the surrounding musculature, taking hold of all the white impurities along their path, and attaching them to the blood vessels. Their actions were quick, disregarding the injuries inflicted on his internals, extracting the impurities.


    Five psychic arms shining with a pale blue hue trailed behind them, mending the damaged areas, regenerating the lost flesh and blood.


    A doctor diverted his psychic arms, coursing them through Jyorta''s head, inspecting the location of his Brain crystal. "The impurities have also attached themselves to his Brain Crystal."


    "That is obvious," The Head Doctor replied, pointing at the white Caterpillar. "One of you, focus on it; keep it functional until we finish the extraction."


    "Yes," A doctor replied, seeping a couple of his psychic arms into the Caterpillar, dispersing the psychic energy, refining the white impurities, turning them into Refined Objects.


    Seeing the flurry of actions taken on his body, Jyorta remained calm, unwilling to retract his false persona. He had long since lost control over his psychic arm, feeling his senses of an Esper slipping away.


    He could no longer experience the miraculous feeling of being an Esper, having turned into the him from before the Induction Ceremony.


    The only thing in his control was the Soul Cornea, thanks to its make originating from his blue soul¡ªwhich was perfectly fine. Though, a small pile of memory fragments was segregated around a corner of it, the resultants that had accompanied the Soul Cornea''s retraction.


    They were slowly fusing into a collective whole, forming distinct traits. The memory fragments formed the skeletal frame that supported it while the white layer¡ªthe bits of persona¡ªformed a skin, instilling false sentience into it.


    If left alone, it wouldn''t be long before it birthed its ego, nurturing itself using the soul energy from the blue soul as the base, becoming a massive threat. Jyorta was hard-pressed for time but, he currently didn''t possess the leeway to do anything about it.


    If the situation turned dire, he was planning to shove the forming persona into his subsoul, giving him the reprieve to deal with it later. Moreover, he didn''t want to waste the final reserves of energy contained in his blue soul; his Brain Crystal had already run dry, its polluted state barring the psychic energy¡ªgenerated thanks to the Wisdom Parasite''s Nurturing¡ªfrom filling it.


    Moreover, just before he lost his senses as an Esper, he noticed his Wisdom Parasite pause, no longer engaging the Nurturing process. A passive process that was supposed to operate 24x7 had paused. His situation was worse than he had imagined, affecting him without warning.


    Based on his experience from the previous day, he had assumed a mass consumption of Brain Crystals would only lead to loose motion and some seepage¡ªof the white impurities¡ªthrough sweat, tears, and mucous.


    But, he hadn''t ever expected to encounter such a situation, one that would render his body useless and dissipate his Esper abilities. It was truly a frightening situation, the resulting emotions contained thanks to his false persona.


    ''If she knew about the consequences, why hadn''t she warned me beforehand?'' Jyorta glanced at Atika Light, spotting her gaze at the process with a nonchalant attitude, as if it wasn''t anything serious.


    He wondered if he was actually losing control, since his current state hadn''t been addressed in the military academy when Madam Rizenne detailed about the topic. As his thoughts paused, no longer clashing to produce ideas, Jyorta felt his eyelids close, forcing his body into a state of slumber.


    The blue soul took in the ongoing situation through its vision, creating the relevant memory fragments. But, since it could no longer engage in thinking operations, thanks to the muddled state of the brain, all it could do was passively observe everything¡ªlacking thoughts of its own.


    "If we speed up the process, the damage to his Sync Rate will be greater," The head doctor glanced at Atika Light, informing her of the situation, having made a preliminary guess based on her body language.


    Atika Light nodded, glancing at Anruk Light, watching him inspect a white droplet, having activated his Unranked Skill, Deific Inference.


    "His Wisdom Parasite has reached its satiety limit. It would no longer be able to devour Brain Crystals for the short term." He remarked, retracting the beam of light from the white droplet, "But, the time of recovery would have to depend on its rate of Nurturing; the greater it is, the lower the time required to become normal."


    "Inform me when he makes a recovery. I''ll be making some preparations until then." Atika Light said, entering one of the four doors in the room.


    A large table¡ªthree metres long, a metre in width and a metre in height¡ªexisted at the front, facing the door, separated by a metre.Placed on it were various beakers of all sizes, each filled with solutions of varying colours, alkalinity, and viscosity.


    Beyond that were rows and rows of shelves, each stacked with numerous chemicals, in solid, aqueous, and gaseous states. Situated at the further end were two containers, attached to mammoth machines, whirring constantly, their sounds echoing in the room. The two containers brimmed with a certain type of plasma, radiating a gentle radiance, their colours unnatural.


    Atika Light paused in silence, closing her eyes, staying still for a good two minutes. She picked up a beaker and exited the room, returning in a matter of seconds; it was filled with the white impurities secreted by Jyorta.


    She placed the beaked on a tripod stand, gazing at it in silence. Her body emitted blinding light, illuminating the room like it was the peak of daytime, unleashing a faint fluctuation that seeped into all the items present.


    Her body morphed, expanding like a balloon; her limbs retracted into her body, flattening it until she resembled a two-dimensional figure. Soon, four psychic limbs grew in their respective places, allowing her body to regain her girth. Atika Light floated to the air, hovering 10 centimetres from the ground, directing a beam of light into the beaker filled with white impurities.


    Tier 5 Skill¡ªMystic Lord Transformation!


    "Make an incision in the external carotid artery," The head doctor commanded, hovering a thinned psychic arm¡ªpale blue in colour¡ªnext to the designated area.


    A doctor who sported green psychic arms took charge, thinning out a psychic arm until it was a fraction of a hair''s width, seeping into Jyorta''s neck. The tip reached near the carotid artery, creating a small fragment, shaped into a triangular blade. The triangular blade made an incision in the external carotid artery, while a psychic arm gushed into the region, filtering the blood from oozing out.


    Three millilitres of a viscous solution¡ªdissolved with the white impurities¡ªgushed out from the cut section, collected using a psychic arm, the force of ejection, the path and speed of travel, etc. all were controlled.


    "Now, make an incision in the aorta." The head doctor commanded, regenerating the cut section in the external carotid artery.


    The doctor with the green psychic arms executed the same process, collecting another batch of a solution dissolved with the white impurities.


    "Brachial artery¡­" Followed by his commands, numerous cuts were created across Jyorta''s body, spilling out the white impurities each time. The process was repeated at regular intervals, reopening the healed cuts numerous times.


    "Now, we''ll extract the impurities from the brain; take extra precautions so that the damage to his Sync Rate remains the least." Followed by the head doctor''s reminder, the five of them began to operate on his brain, finally extracting a millilitre of the white impurities after a minute had passed.


    The Caterpillar had turned pink, regaining its crimson lustre with every passing second. It was also regaining its activity, making slow but steady improvements.


    An hour later, the Caterpillar had turned into its crimson shade, looking no different from the morning. It dissolved into tendrils of blood, seeping into Jyorta through his nostrils, waking him up; his muddle state soon regained partial clarity.


    Noticing his state, the head doctor made a final observation, giving his conclusion, "Your Sync Rate has dropped to 67 percent. Due to the overwhelming influx of impurities, your Wisdom Parasite has stopped its Nurturing process. If you rest for a week, and allow it to recover, flushing out the trace impurities remaining in your brain, the Nurturing process will automatically resume."

 Chapter 126: 67%

    "Don''t feel disillusioned for the drop," The head doctor patted his shoulder, "Your life was at risk. I have no idea of the task Madam has assigned to you, one that would leave you in such a state but, I hope you can persevere."


    He then exited the room, taking the door that led into the narrow hallway¡ªone whose walls sported the painting, almost endless in length. The other doctors too trailed after him, giving Jyorta perfunctory words of encouragement. Not one inquired about the reason for his actions or the reason he had ended up in such a state.


    It was like they weren''t bothered about the reasons, only doing their job meticulously. Upon their exit, except for the green workbench his body rested on, the remaining tools and apparatus in green dissolved into psychic energy, dissipating into the surroundings, their path directed towards the narrow hallway.


    "Sir," Jyorta sat up, regaining control of his body, the sensation steadily encroaching him. "What happened? Why did I lose control of my psychic energy? I still cannot feel the presence of my psychic energy."


    "Your body had an intake of Brain Crystals that were beyond its natural extraction mechanism. It became a poison, affecting you. Don''t worry; you will soon regain your abilities as time passes. I presume it would take you a week to regain your strength."


    "A week¡­" Jyorta murmured, displaying a mild frown. The false persona did an exceptional job, giving him the cool-headedness to think his actions through and plan for the future, trying to device other means.


    ''I have barely scratched the surface in the task of converting the soul of sister''s Wisdom Parasite into my subsoul. But, without being able to achieve anything, I ended up in such a pathetic state.''


    Jyorta closed his eyes, taking in the vision of his blue soul, watching his surroundings turn dark. The blue soul created a soul tendril, making a connection with the Brain Crystal, feeling resistance when it tried to siphon the psychic energy.


    When he noticed his prior state, the blue soul immediately severed the 12 connections it made with the Brain Crystal. Now, the Brain Crystal was empty, bereft of any psychic energy. Moreover, there wasn''t any influx of psychic energy from the body that sought to fill in the vacancy.


    Since the Wisdom Parasite had stopped its Nurturing process, there wasn''t any psychic energy being produced in his body, leading to his current state.


    He had hoped to explore the region of his brain where the white impurities were still present, destroying them with his corrosion. But, the vision of his blue soul could only detect the presence of other souls. Everything else was just like the eyes, the only difference being the range, angle of vision, and ocular capacity.


    Even when it connected with the various parts of the body, it was done through certain guidance, established between the body and the soul. It was more like an instinctual process, the position of each body parts hence apparent.


    Anything beyond that, resembling close to actual vision was impossible. Hence, Jyorta couldn''t discover the spots where the traces of the white impurities existed. He didn''t want to blindly activate his corrosion while directing his Soul Cornea into his brain; that would be a wonderful way to commit suicide.


    ''Now, I am in a passive situation. If I am unable to recover psychic energy in my Brain Crystal, just depending on my soul foundation alone to tackle sister''s case is an impossibility.'' Jyorta opened his eyes, glancing around the room, lingering his sight on the door that led into Heima''s room.


    The door to his back opened and out came Atika Light, carrying a beaker filled with a saline solution, mixed with various chemicals. She arrived before Jyorta, placing the beaker in his hand, "Drink this; it will cure you."


    Jyorta held the beaker, glancing at the solution within it, looking viscous to the extent resembling castor oil. It was a shade of dark green, mixed with layers of yellow and pink, forming a multi-varied design, looking no different from the witch potions recorded in the fable.


    ''Is this a cure? Or is this a mind-breaking poison?'' Jyorta thought, showcasing zero trust in Atika Light. After living in this world and experiencing many things, he had come to a frightening conclusion.


    No adult was simple-minded; they were filled with numerous thoughts, schemes, cunning, etc. none were naive or straightforward; the simple-minded ones had long since lost control thanks to the Wisdom Parasite grasping hold of their character.


    In order to resist and outsmart the Wisdom Parasite in them, humans were forced to think harder, turning their thoughts complex, greater than the extent ought to have been the norm. The higher the Tier, the greater the Wisdom Parasite''s development; it soon became equivalent to humans, engaging in an impasse.


    In order to survive, humans were forced to outsmart the Wisdom Parasite through all means possible, the only hope for their survival and betterment. Under such a prolonged state, the mental state of humans experienced changes, soon becoming the current status quo.


    Jyorta gazed into the beaker for a couple of seconds, deciding on his course of action. At present, he was in a poor state, unable to use his psychic energy, lacking any other means to save his sister. So, he had no choice but to jump the gun.


    Jyorta brought the beaker close to his mouth, taking a sniff, finding the smell lacking. It was similar to lavender, the concentration weak to the extent he couldn''t detect any smell. Closing his eyes, Jyorta downed the contents in one go, finding the taste bland, similar to water drunk when fully hydrated.


    As the solution seeped through his food pipe, Jyorta felt a warm sensation course through him, the feeling abating after a couple of seconds. He then noticed Atika Light motioning for Anruk Light to oversee him.


    She headed towards Heima''s room, turning around a foot before the door, gazing at Jyorta, "I advise ample rest for the next two hours. The tonic has an affinity to the Brain Crystal impurities. Using it as a catalyst, the impurities will be extracted from your Wisdom Parasite, ejected by your body naturally after some time."


    "You have yet to eat anything since morning. Once your body has finished purifying itself, grab some lunch before coming here." Atika Light opened the door, entering the room upon confirming Jyorta''s response.


    As the door closed shut, Jyorta stood up, feeling his body returning to normal, except for the lack of his Esper abilities. Giving a bow to Anruk Light, Jyorta entered the cramped room, lying down on the bed.


    The blue soul severed some connections, allowing his body to instantly enter a state of rest. The blue soul neither went through the memory fragments related to the prior event nor did it try to deal with the persona forming in its corner.


    The morning''s mission had already taxed both the body and the mind. Now, Jyorta needed some rest to recover, allowing him to later exert full strength.


    2:30 PM, Jyorta sat up with a start and hurried to the bathroom, carrying his towel. Thirty minutes later, he walked out, looking refreshed, feeling a sense of clarity return to his mind.


    ''My condition is only a bit inferior to when I woke up today.'' Jyorta inspected his body, sensing the return of his psychic energy, the process slow, equivalent to a trickle. The Wisdom Parasite had once again begun its Nurturing process, despite the rate being slightly slower as compared to before.


    "My Sync Rate had dropped by four percent, falling to 67 percent. No wonder the Nurturing process seems slower; my Wisdom Parasite has yet to be fully purified, also attributing to the decreased Nurturing."


    The return of his Esper abilities brought a smile to his face, giving him the hope to continue with his efforts, all for the glimmer in chance to rescue his sister. Jyorta exited the room, finding Anruk Light standing at the same spot as before.


    Sensing his condition, Anruk Light flashed a smile, accompanying him to lunch, arriving at the same dining section as the previous day. This time, the area was mostly empty, except for the presence of the doctors who treated him a couple of hours ago.


    On noticing them, Jyorta gave a heartfelt bow, expressing gratitude for saving his life. He then filled his plate with the food that Anruk Light labelled safe for his consumption.


    3:45 PM, en route to Heima''s room, Jyorta finally managed to summon his psychic arm, despite it being a miniature version as compared to before. He approached the room, making a couple of knocks, the force application, and the frequency of knocks taught to him by Anruk Light.


    Anruk Light leaned on the wall, occupying the spot next to the door, silently activating his domain, sensing the frequency of the door''s vibration, actuated by a snap from Atika Light''s fingers. He then nodded towards Jyorta, permitting him to enter.


    Jyorta nodded in response, pushing the door and peeking inside. Everything was the same as before; he entered the room and seated himself beside Heima''s hip, holding the rectangular box on his left.


    Taking in a deep breath, he summoned his Caterpillar, intending to repeat the process, this time with renewed vigour.

 Chapter 127: Discovery and Realisation

    4:00 PM, the military academy bustled with activity. A sore figure inched towards the Indigo Building, situated in the Psychic Block. She had long hair that reached her hips, braided into a sturdy looking rope, displaying her hair density, showcasing her vitality.


    The girl wore a tracksuit, sporting traces of tears in the areas of her knees, and elbow. Her actions were slow, akin to a crawl, her walking pace bordering around a motion fuelled by sheer willpower. She gazed at the staircase, letting out a growl, expressing her frustration.


    The girl paused before the flight of steps, regulating her breath, trying to muster some strength to climb. She raised her right leg, craning her body forward, placing the lifted leg onto the first step, hissing in pain.


    He hands shot towards the handrail, grabbing hold of it, stabilising her footing. She then exerted some strength in her hand, pulling her body forward, using the motion to take another step.


    "Today''s exercises were horrible," She covered her mouth with her free hand, suppressing her body''s intention to throw up, feeling a circus form in her stomach.


    The training exercises conducted in the day''s afternoon were similar to the first training exercise, the only difference being, they weren''t given the liberty of the healing services. Meaning, were they to injure themselves, they would have to bear with the pain and try to deal with it, using any means necessary, training their thinking prowess and survival instincts.


    Only in cases where the student had suffered from life-threatening injuries would the staff step in, healing the individual until their situation was no longer alarming, giving them some other task to make up for the treatment.


    It was done to instil a sense of danger and responsibility into the students, training them for all possible situations that might occur in the future. After all, there were no laws governing safety in the Wilds. If one was insufficiently prepared, then they were expertly packed and dispatched towards the afterlife.


    Even though the students were a lot more careful than before, they still ended up with numerous injuries. Haesha wasn''t lucky this time, having scrapped her knees, and also suffering from numerous falls, with each adding onto her injuries.


    She was accompanied to the dorm by her Warrior friends, having fared relatively better as compared to her. Though, as they weren''t allowed entry into the dorm meant for Espers, they had to bid her farewell at the entrance.


    "Huff¡­" Haesha let out a weak shout, exerting strength into her legs, making a touchdown on a wide platform, having traversed half of the steps in a single floor. It was a staircase that had two segments per each floor, sporting a small rectangular platform where they connected.


    Haesha looked towards the ground floor, glancing around at the number of steps she had climbed, feeling a sense of exhaustion. She then swerved her line of sight, trailing after the other segment that led to the first floor.


    "Haah," Heaving an exhausted sigh, Haesha took another step, finding her raised leg resisting cooperation, falling short of landing on the step, hitting the edge. The impact blocked her foot, bringing her knees forward, tilting her body''s centre of gravity, destroying her balance.


    Haesha felt her vision turn black, bracing herself for the impact, sensing the approaching stairs, ready to slam into her face. A hand slid through the gap between her left hand and stomach, wrapping around the hips, pulling her towards the back.


    "You are¡­heavy," A melodious voice resounded, the exerted pulling force intensifying, stopping her fall, reorienting her balance. Haesha quickly firmed her grip over the handrail, raising the strength applied in her arms, balancing herself. She turned around, noticing a petite figure retract her hands, sporting an expression of calm.


    "Thank you, Laila." Haesha leaned on the handrail, heaving a breath of relief, inspecting the condition of the other party, letting out a sigh filled with an exclamation. "It feels as if you have worn a new set of clothes. There is not a single speck of dust on them; you also look perfectly alright."


    "That is because I have changed into them just a couple of minutes ago," Laila smiled, "I wasn''t injured, but that doesn''t mean my clothes remained clean."


    "Can you help me to my room? Sorry to ask for a favour when you have just helped me," Haesha sported an apologetic tone, feeling slightly embarrassed to ask for help. After all, they had only met a couple of times; they weren''t close to the extent of being friends.


    "Sure," Laila arrived beside her, sliding her hand around her hips, supporting her back. She slumped Haesha''s left arm over her shoulder, allowing her to carry the other party. "Dinner is on you though."


    "Sure," Haesha chuckled, "That is, if I recover to the extent being able to walk to the canteen."


    "Being cunning, are we?" Laila poked her hips, tickling her. Haesha couldn''t fight back, giggling under the tickling assault, lacking the strength to mount any resistance. After ten seconds, Laila stopped tickling the poor girl, supporting her as they climbed the stairs.


    Laila''s actions were natural, forming synergy between the two, making Haesha feel as if they had been friends for many years. Her actions, behaviour, choice of words, the intermixing of teases at opportune times, etc. made Haesha develop a rather favourable impression of her.


    The other factor that boosted her limelight was Laila being the current topper of their Batch, having accumulated enough credits to surpass the historical records in their military academy. Moreover, she didn''t have any inkling of arrogance; her humble attitude, not to mention her chirpy personality made others willing to befriend her.


    Haesha too felt the same, willing to forge a friendship with her. She also felt a sense of gratitude towards Laila for giving her advice on various occasions.


    Haesha struggled to climb the steps, grunting in pain with each step. Laila accompanied her without complain, supporting her movements expertly, providing her the pillar to lean on and stride forward.


    It took almost five minutes before the duo reached the third floor, gazing at the mildly noisy atmosphere. The students in the hallway dragged their feet, inching their way towards the restroom, holding a basket in their hands, intent to take a shower.


    Haesha''s room was the first on the left, the closest to the flight of stairs. Thanks to the support from Laila, she had finally arrived before her doorstep, fishing out a key from her pocket.


    Their tracksuits were designed ingeniously to house their room key, perfectly securing it, barring it from falling out during the training activities. It displayed the amount of meticulous planning that went into their uniforms.


    Haesha pushed the door open, holding the key in her hand as she walked in. Laila accompanied her towards the bed, supporting her until she sat on it, allowing her body to relax.


    "Do you know what happened to Jyorta?" Laila inquired, looking around the room with interest, her expression akin to a detective, seeking to find some dirt on the individual.


    "I have no idea," Haesha shook her head, feeling a sense of confusion, "One of my friends mentioned him exit the auditorium yesterday. It was during the evening; she also noticed the principal waiting for him upon exit."


    "That was what she said," Haesha let out a sigh, "She has a habit to exaggerate; so, I can''t support the reliability of her information. Anyway, it was the last I heard of him. Do you happen to know anything?"


    "No," Laila shook her head, walking towards the table nearby, picking up a notebook. "We hardly talk with each other these days. But, it is strange that Jyorta disappeared all of a sudden, almost as if he left the academy. From what my father told me, students are never allowed to exit the academy, irrespective of the reason."


    She flipped the notebook, finding it filled with mathematical calculations, chemical equations, laws of physics, etc. Laila closed them in irritation, almost developing a headache, letting out a grumble, "Straight-laced."


    She placed the notebook on the table, glanced at Haesha, and turned around, walking towards the door, "Take some rest, for now. I''ll call you during dinner time. Your room is on the way anyway, haha."


    "Sure," Haesha waved her hands, watching the door close shut, turning the room silent. She then slumped on the bed, closing her eyes, resting her weary body.


    "Is he trying to go into another examination spree and surpass Laila in the rankings?" Haesha murmured, throwing the thought to the back of her head. She stretched her hand, taking hold of an alarm clock, situated at the edge of the table.


    She set the alarm to 7:30 PM, intending to take a bath before heading out for dinner. At present, she didn''t have enough energy to walk towards the restroom, not to mention taking a shower.


    After closing the door, Laila paused in place, glancing at the third room situated along the same side¡ªthe first one belonging to Haesha.


    ''What are you planning?'' A soul tendril emerged out of her, showing zero damage despite lacking the protection of her body. The soul tendril slithered through the air, inching its way towards Jyorta''s room, its actions undetected to everyone, including Madam Mary who had her domain encompassing the entirety of the military academy.


    It passed through the door, facing zero obstruction, sweeping past the empty room, finding a lack of human traces for the past day.


    ''So, he never returned to his room the previous night.'' Arriving at a preliminary conclusion, Laila controlled the soul tendril, seeping it through the cupboards, inspecting every item.


    The soul tendril converged towards the table, seeping into the drawer, finding the presence of a marble slate, shaped similar to her ID card, shining with a yellow lustre. Its surface was smooth, barring any deformities, reflecting the incident light like a mirror.


    The soul tendril then approached the bed, sweeping through it in an instant, flying overhead, entering the cupboard situated there. It inspected through each item, finally arriving before a bag, entering it to discover three items, secured under a multitude of wrapping.


    There was a box, concealing a hardbound book, filled with condensed information, their essence infused using psychic energy, the contents impossible to dissipate unless the book got destroyed. The soul tendril seeped into the book, transmitting all the contents back to her, facing zero resistance. The defensive measures installed in it didn''t react to its presence, unable to sense it in the first place.


    ''They have some interesting ideas.'' Laila''s eyes widened, her interest piqued. She traversed the flight of stairs, heading towards her room, unwilling to stand before Haesha''s room without reason.


    Finished with the book, the soul tendril found the next item, a tiny chakram, magenta in colour, looking no different from a toy. Laila''s steps paused, the confusion on her face deepening. She sported a frown, controlling the soul tendril to inspect the final item.


    ''Why does he have Marble''s chakram? This is a replica of what he gifted me.''


    The soul tendril appeared before the final item¡ªa goggle, sporting a magenta frame, the lenses shining with mysterious inscriptions¡ªpausing in confusion, transmitting the contents to Laila.


    ''What is this Artifact? A Relic also seems to be mixed into it.'' Laila controlled the soul tendril, intending to seep it into the Artifact, allowing her to comprehend it better. As her soul tendril touched the Artifact, a faint undulation coursed through it, spilling a bit of the soul energy, turning it into a flickering tendril, erratic in nature.


    The projection of a face appeared around it, blurry to the extreme, shattering in the next instant, trying to reform once again, feeling restricted. The facial structure resembled the late pillar of humanity, one that had recently died under the hands of humanity''s strongest Ancestor.


    Rhachis Ancestor Space¡ªGajara Rahi!


    Laila retracted the soul tendril, her face morphing in shock, and confusion. It took her more than twenty seconds to regain her calm; thankfully, there weren''t any students who happened to pass by in the meantime, saving themselves the trouble.


    Laila resumed her climb, her face reverting to a peaceful demeanour, one of chirpiness.


    "So, that''s it." She murmured, "I guess, this is for the better."

 Chapter 128: Consideration

    4:00 PM, seated beside Heima, Jyorta immersed himself in his thoughts, pondering about his previous experience, altering his plans.


    ''I barely scratched the surface and suffered a decrease in my Sync Rate. Now, the amount of energy I can house in my Brain Crystal has also decreased, not to mention the decreased rate of Nurturing.'' Jyorta closed his eyes, taking a moment to consider his actions.


    If he were to proceed with the same plan as before, then other than suffering a decrease in his Esper abilities each time, he wouldn''t make any progress. Moreover, every time he suffered a decrease, it implied in reduced efficiency, creating a vicious cycle.


    Using his prior experience, he had to up his game. If he didn''t improve his plans and just charged forth blindly, then he wouldn''t accomplish anything. His sister wouldn''t be saved and his cultivation journey would be destroyed when his Sync Rate falls below 50 percent.


    ''Corrosion is powerful but, if I just corrode everything in sight, it would prove to be a waste of the memory fragments. Moreover, going about the process with such a brute-forced method consumes too much energy. I need to clear a path before striking towards the goal.''


    Jyorta sat in silence, taking more than 30 minutes to carefully consider his plans. He opened his eyes, inching his hand forward, taking Heima''s in his own, feeling the warmth radiating through it. He lifted her hand, placing her palm on his cheek, feeling the contact.


    He wasn''t a mechanical robot; he was a human, one that required familial love. Heima was his only family left, in this world that he had been forcefully brought in. He dared not imagine what would happen to his mental state in her absence.


    Maybe his humanity would no longer be shackled, creating a monster thanks to the inborn abilities of his soul. He sought for a shackle to ground himself to the world, to be a human. He took in the experiences of the previous Jyorta as his own, imbuing in him the feeling of attachment towards his family.


    ''My emotional anchors were annihilated but, using my memories as a wager, I shall retain my humanity.''


    He didn''t possess any attachment to his past life, thanks to the creepy-haired man. In this life, he had lost his parents before he could forge a relationship with them, only retaining the memories of the previous Jyorta as reference.


    The past year and a half, the time he had spent with Heima, and her acceptance towards his existence; they were the factors that anchored him to this world, and grounded him to reality, giving him the drive to strive forward.


    Otherwise, without a reason to fuel his desires, and ambition, forging a goal, he wouldn''t have been able to live in this world that had a warped society.


    Externally, it looked quite similar to his past life but, on closer inspection¡ªafter he had become a Line Controller¡ªhe could gain some insight into the undercurrents. Their society was based on the parasites; as a result, it brought about many negative impacts.


    If given a choice, he wouldn''t want to live in such a world, despite the possibility of gaining superhuman powers, something he fantasised about in his previous life. He knew the price one paid to gain such powers, having to deal with a parasite living inside their body, and the mental state they were subjected to 24x7 as a result.


    ''I will save my sister!'' Jyorta opened his eyes, looking determined, having formulated a concise plan. He swerved his head, making eye contact with Atika Light.


    "Ma''am, can I get some Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts? I want the ones that are alive." Jyorta made his request, his tone firm. His mind whirred in thought, having overlaid the false persona¡ªone of calm, optimism, and filled with focus¡ªon the blue face in his soul.


    He considered the situation from Atika Light''s point of view. After listening in on the conversations between members of the Grapple Force, thanks to his Soul Cornea, he had gained many insights.


    Atika Light headed the Grapple Force; it was equivalent to a private force under her, comprising of the elites from Marble City. As someone who had taken part in the creation of numerous Unranked Skills, Traits, Artifacts, Relics, etc. her influence in Marble City was tremendous, almost equivalent to the Ancestors.


    Moreover, her influence was significant even in other cities. There were many occasions where she had been invited to Dawn City and Reef City, her services requested to further their research and development in the respective places.


    The Unranked Skills that had gone through her hands numbered in the two digits, showcasing her achievements, outclassed by none. Moreover, her battle strength was quite significant, at the top tier below the Ancestors.


    Even though she had consumed a Cleansement Fruit long ago, putting a stop to her cultivation journey, she had recovered her peak strength thanks to two Traits: the Trait of Growth, and the Trait of Severability.


    Moreover, the two Traits she possessed were upgraded versions, with their effects equivalent to Tier 5 Skills. If not for the fact that their production cost was many times that of normal, she would have disclosed the formula for the production method of the upgraded version to the Ancestors.


    Even then, she had discussed the pros and cons with her son, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest before making a decision.


    Grapple Force had two reasons for existence: one, to nurture Warriors capable of inheriting her Tier 4 and 5 Skills; two, to accomplish certain tasks that would help Rhachis Ancestor Strongest in his cultivation journey.


    Atika Light gazed at Jyorta, having long activated her Tier 4 Skill to keep track of the situation, "It will take some time; I''ll make the arrangements. At most, you will receive them by tomorrow morning."


    "Thank you, ma''am." Jyorta bowed, feeling the subtle sensation that he had to bow every time to express his thanks. Having gotten a glimpse of the other party''s glamorous achievements, the gaze he directed at her was filled with a sense of worship.


    As someone who still wished to dive into the field of research, someone who stood at the apex of this field was his target of admiration, his goal to claim one fine day.


    Two tendrils of blood seeped out through his nostrils, coagulating into a sphere before his face, forming a crack in the middle, creating two hemispheres. The two hemispheres spun in opposite directions, unravelling a long cylindrical body, segmented into six.


    A pair of antennae grew at the peak of the first segment, gently wriggling in place. A pair of arms formed in the second segment, bereft of the wine glass and cigar this time. The face¡ªsimilar to athird-rate gangster, sporting a scowl filled with disdain¡ªformed on the first segment, making Jyorta want to unconsciously slap it.


    It landed on his right palm, supported on his thigh. It settled its body, taking a position of comfort, sensing for something as it wriggled its antennae. Unlike before, it was more pronounced this time, actuated by Jyorta''s actions.


    He had dumped the excess memory fragments obtained from the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite into his subsoul, watching it instigate numerous chain reactions. It fused with the available memory fragments, conjoining with the forming persona, creating a more pronounced personality, on the verge of fully forming.


    The face of the Caterpillar morphed into agony, puffing its cheeks, looking on the verge of throwing up. It glanced at the rectangular box held in his left, expressing its aversion. Looking at the numerous Brain Crystals displayed through the opened lid, its face turned a darker shade of pink, creating a scene of its face becoming pale, forming slight contrast to its crimson body.


    The blue soul overlaid the false persona¡ªone of gluttony, focus, and filled with self-control¡ªshaped into the curtain on the subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite, subtly affecting its personality.


    The Caterpillar''s face reverted to its crimson shade; its puking expression disappeared, leaving behind one of calm, sporting a mild scowl. The Caterpillar gazed at the box filled with Brain Crystals, looking intent to consume them once again, showcasing great self-restraint.


    Jyorta created his psychic arm, watching its length having recovered to 20 centimetres. He lifted his hands, bringing them within the range of his psychic arm, noticing two pillows appearing beneath them. Knowing that it was thanks to Atika Light, Jyorta rested his hands on the pillows, feeling the height perfect, the position of his hands situated just a centimetre within his psychic arm''s range.


    His psychic arm lifted a Brain Crystal from the rectangular box and dropped it in the arms of the Caterpillar. The moment the Caterpillar bit into the Brain Crystal, Jyorta felt a trace amount of energy gush into his body through the two blood tendrils.


    The energy circulated through his body, attaching themselves to the blood vessels, finally absorbed into the tissues when they flowed into the brain, eventually finding their way to his Brain Crystal, filling it up.


    After a matter of minutes, Jyorta felt his Brain crystal brimming with psychic energy, despite its quantity lower than before. It seemed his lowered Sync Rate also affected the quantity stored in his Brain Crystal.


    Jyorta wasn''t worried too much about the drop; he knew Atika Light would do something about it. Moreover, he knew about the Frenzy Fruits, ones that could raise his Sync Rate. So, he wasn''t flustered; as long as a solution existed, he could think of ways to obtain it.


    Also, he came to a preliminary conclusion, based on the conversations he had listened in through his Soul Cornea. Heima was valuable to Marble City, the only existence who could manipulate space.


    When she reached Tier 5 in the future, Marble City would be able to make contact with the other cities once again, resuming their trade from when Rhachis Ancestor Space had been alive. Also, based on the memories she had inherited, and the added advantage of possessing an extra Skill, Heima had a shot at the peak, with the possibility greater than zero.


    This alone made her a valuable existence; the importance attached to her outweighing most Transformers and Sky Controllers. After all, achieving Tier 6 wasn''t an easy feat. Even Atika Light, possessing unrivalled capabilities failed to reach Tier 6.


    ''So, they wouldn''t allow my sister to die. They must have a hidden agenda to summon me and leave my sister''s fate in my hands. I only wonder when they will make a move, should they notice my inability.'' Jyorta thought, showing no change in his actions.


    Even if he could notice their intentions, he didn''t have the leeway to plot. After all, the wager was his sister''s life, pitting her grand future on the line; he didn''t want to risk it for any reason.


    ''It is like I have a fate with passiveness.'' Jyorta let out a deep breath, clearing his thoughts, rehearsing his plans once. Whether they made a move or not, he only had a single objective to achieve. That was all he wanted; that was all he cared.

 Chapter 129: Entangled Solution

    Jyorta closed his eyes, taking in the view of his blue soul, watching his surroundings turn dark. Leaving behind a portion of his brain''s mental capacity to direct the psychic arm, he concentrated on the broiling fog before him, summoning the Soul Cornea.


    The Soul Cornea appeared, slithering out of his body, inching its way towards the broiling fog, stopping a millimetre before it. The blue soul began chanting the verse imparted by the creepy-haired man, creating the two temporary Soul Corneas.


    Based on his observations, they would remain for at least ten minutes before dissipating. Moreover, as long as the blue soul chanted the verse within the time limit, it would extend the time frame of its existence. It was the method it had used in its final battle against the soul of the previous Jyorta.


    The two temporary Soul Corneas floated within the blue soul, inching their way out, pausing beside the subsoul, confined within the boundaries of the physical body. He had experimented with them numerous times, having gained sufficient comprehension about their capabilities.


    As long as they stayed within the confines of his body, they wouldn''t begin to dissipate, the case being the same as the soul tendrils. Only when they arrive outside his body would they begin to vaporise, unable to exist in the outside world due to some unknown factors. He had yet to decipher the principles at play here.


    One of the temporary Soul Cornea coiled around the permanent Soul Cornea, forming numerous loops until its ends¡ªspanning a metre in length¡ªtouched it. It formed the coils outside the blue soul, within the confines of Jyorta''s body.


    The other temporary Soul Cornea did the same, its location focused on the permanent Soul Cornea existing within the blue soul. It was a two-layered defensive method that Jyorta had thought of, a plan that would make efficient use of all his available cards.


    Now, on the body of the permanent Soul Cornea, there existed two layers, the wrappings made from the temporary Soul Corneas. Layer one was the coil situated outside the blue soul while layer two was the coil located within.


    Numerous soul tendrils emerged from the blue soul, making a connection with the subsoul, ready to transfer the incoming memory fragments. Finally, the blue soul connected 12 soul tendrils to the Brain Crystal, siphoning the psychic energy at a consistent rate.


    After a moment of observation, the blue soul retracted a soul tendril, leaving behind only 11 soul tendrils connected to the Brain Crystal. It was to cope up with the decrease in his Esper abilities.


    The blue soul began to chant the verse of the creepy-haired man, creating a mystical effect¡ªone that would shed the murky substance from the soul¡ªimbuing it inside the two temporary Soul Corneas, maintaining it without trouble.


    The permanent Soul Cornea was capable of these processes without any chants, capable of existing indefinitely, unaffected by the outside world when it proceeded beyond the body''s confines.


    The blue face opened its mouth, gushing out the ink-black substance, allowing it to travel through the permanent Soul Cornea, turning it jet black. The Soul Cornea pierced through the broiling fog, penetrating it in the same manner as before, the only difference being its slower rate of progression.


    Thanks to a decreased Sync Rate, the efficiency of the Caterpillar had reduced, causing a reduction in the energy that filled his Brain Crystal. This affected his progression, expending greater quantities of psychic energy to penetrate broiling fog.


    The tip of the Soul Cornea peaked on the other side, watching the two humongous souls, looking similar to before, showcasing no difference, lacking any evidence of his previous visit. The ripple of his previous invasion had mellowed out like a stone dropped in a large pond, the effects numbed by the sheer volume.


    The Soul Cornea slithered towards the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite¡ªa muddy sphere drenched in a bowl of sewage¡ªstopping a millimetre before it. The Soul Cornea retracted the ink-black substance until the part within the broiling fog.


    Since its only shield of resistance against the broiling fog was the corrosion, it retained its ability there. Beyond that, the part of the Soul Cornea in the proximity of the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite returned to normalcy.


    It created a faint undulation, exerting the influence brought about by the creepy-haired man''s verse¡ªone that would shave off the murkiness of the soul. It was something it could actuate without any prior preparations, the ability having become inborn.


    The effect spread into the muddy sphere drenched in sewage, affecting the murky substance around its periphery, vaporising it. The Soul Cornea didn''t proceed further, patiently exerting the influence, and absorbing the pure memory fragments that were left behind.


    The memory fragments coursed through it, like water flowing in a pipe, their path unobstructed. They soon passed through the region with the broiling fog, arriving within the confines of Jyorta''s body.


    As they passed next to the subsoul, they moved forward without experiencing any changes, soon arriving within the blue soul. The blue soul transferred them to the subsoul, using the connection established by the soul tendrils.


    When they arrived inside the subsoul, they were no longer influenced, scattering within it. As time passed in such a fashion, more and more memory fragments arrived, colliding into one another, creating links, attaching themselves.


    They formed basic structures, growing in size, coming into contact with the memory fragments surrounding the core.


    The core exerted an attractive influence, bringing them towards the original memory fragments, inciting numerous attachment and fusion reactions, adding more depth into the white layer coating them.


    On noticing the process he had planned proceeding smoother than expectations, Jyorta controlled the Soul Cornea, plunging them into the murky substance before it, allowing it to be invaded in reverse.


    The murkiness travelled through the Soul Cornea, bringing with it distorting thoughts, chaotic emotions, and disastrous sensations, all attached to the memory fragments that formed their core. They passed through the broiling fog, their actions unaffected due to the Soul Cornea that shielded them from the external factor.


    The ink-black substance that made up the essence of the corrosion only remained around the outer ends of the Soul Cornea, thereby not affecting the memory fragments that coursed through the middle.


    They soon arrived in the confines of Jyorta''s body, appearing next to the subsoul, passing through the section where a temporary Soul Cornea had coiled around¡ªforming the first layer. The first layer exerted a certain influence on the murkiness, vaporising them with great efficiency.


    By the time the murkiness travelled past the first layer, most of it had been vaporised, leaving behind the memory fragments, covered with trace amounts of the murkiness. Halfway through the second layer, the murkiness had completely vaporised, the memory fragments collecting within the blue soul.


    They were then dispatched through the soul tendrils, their destination being his subsoul.


    Converting the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite within the time constraints was tantamount to an impossibility. It was thanks to Heima''s inherited memories, providing a massive boost to the foundation of her soul, leading to the soul of her Wisdom Parasite developing faster than the regular Developers and Wave Controllers.


    Moreover, Jyorta didn''t have sufficient energy reserves to go through with the process. Hence, he changed his plan of action. It was to first shave off the murkiness around the soul, reducing its base volume.


    Followed by the siphoning of the memory fragments, it would lead to a decrease in its size. Jyorta planned to continue with it until the soul became small enough to be layered by the curtain¡ªthe false persona: one of gluttony, focus, and filled with self-control.


    He first thought about the capabilities of the doctors, the experts that treated him the day before. They had expertly removed all traces of the white impurities¡ªbrought about by the remnants of the Brain Crystals¡ªfrom his body, their actions quick and precise.


    Moreover, they were all Ground Controllers; also, the head doctor was a Sky Controller, a Tier 5 Esper. Having witnessed Anruk Light''s domain, Jyorta had a well-versed impression of an Esper''s capabilities at higher Tiers. They expressed the governance of omniscience and omnipresent


    They could treat any individual with pinpoint accuracy; their possession of the Unranked Skill, Regen also played a vital role, capable of regenerating any lost body part.


    They only faced a single problem while treating; it was the part of the body where the Wisdom Parasite had fused with the individual. For Espers, the Wisdom Parasite was fused into the brain.


    In his case, there were many particles of the white impurities¡ªthe Brain Crystal fragments¡ªlodged inside his brain, affecting his Esper Abilities, increasing his energy consumption for every Esper related activity.


    Theoretically, the doctors could just make the white impurities into their Refined Object and remove it from his brain.


    But, here came the problem: most of the areas of the brain had been fused with the Wisdom Parasite¡ªthe case being a complete fusion for a Sync Rate of 100 percent. So, when a part or fragment is removed from the brain, it is equivalent to the Wisdom Parasite''s body being shaved.


    The volume of the brain removed¡ªfused with the Wisdom Parasite¡ªequalled the percentage decrease of the Sync Rate. So, for anyone without a Sync Rate of 100 percent, the Wisdom Parasite in them remained in an injured state.


    The only way to regenerate its body towards completion was by consuming Frenzy Fruits. But, in his sister''s case, her Sync Rate had fallen to 51 percent, preventing the Essence of Frenzy lodged in her spine from being removed.


    The moment her Sync Rate fell below 50 percent, her body would automatically assume the Wisdom Parasite fused in her spine as a foreign entity, initiating its defence mechanism, seeking to annihilate the other party. This would lead to an eventual collapse of her body, the process only taking a matter of minutes to proceed towards mutual destruction.


    The only way to recover her Sync Rate was by consuming Frenzy Fruits. But, having been corrupted by the Essence of Frenzy, her Wisdom Parasite no longer listened to her commands, preventing her Caterpillar from being summoned.


    So, Jyorta''s current target was to create a window of opportunity for his sister to summon her Caterpillar and make it consume the Frenzy Fruits. The moment her Sync Rate recovers to a certain extent, the doctors could swiftly operate on her spine and remove the remaining Essence of Frenzy.


    ''My only hope is that my sister''s mental state remains unaffected.'' Jyorta continued with his actions, improving the efficiency of the process as he got more used to it, allowing the blue soul to erupt with greater strength.


    Even though the accumulation of the memory fragments in his subsoul was beginning to create unrepairable damage, Jyorta didn''t care about it for the time being. It was more in the sense that he didn''t have the leeway to ponder about it. He was already hard-pressed for time, not to mention his decreasing Esper abilities.


    He was walking on a thin rope, suspended over the mouth of an abyss. Moreover, a strand of the rope had caught fire, spreading the heat to its bulk. A single mistake or a single instance of delay would be all it took for him to lose control.


    The ego he had infused into his subsoul was beginning to waver, affected by the massive influx in memory fragments, the white layer covering them having formed a well-defined persona, on the verge of birthing an ego of its own.

 Chapter 130: Crisis Point

    Wind Zone 9, in the expansive lands that painted a desolate picture, 15 trucks trailed across a beaten path, forming a long line. The numbers plastered on their surface ranged from 101 to 115, the tracks formed on the ground deeper than before.


    The weight of each truck had increased by a multiple, thanks to the contents they carried. In truck numbered 108, a figure sat in its control room, watching the surroundings in alertness. The figure looked like one in his fifties, sporting a slightly tired expression.


    He had already activated his domain, encompassing a circular area with a radius of more than 9 kilometres. Held in his hand was a crystal, pink in colour, the size of a rice grain. It had five stripes on its surface, the aura emanating from it made the air flicker, creating faint sparks that sought to ignite the volatile substances in it.


    "Sir Marble," A man walked up to him, performing a salute, "The coast is clear, for now; the estimated time for the destination is 3 hours. Our Relics are also ready to be activated at a moment''s notice; we can begin a sprint towards Marble City should the situation necessitate."


    "Good," The man, Wunris Marble nodded, "Keep a vigilant eye; we have kidnapped a large portion of their younger generation. They wouldn''t sit still and let us reach Marble City without a fight. Inform everyone to recover their energy; we might engage a fight any moment."


    "Yes, sir!" The man saluted, took a step back, and turned around, grabbing hold of a mike placed on the control panel. He spoke a couple of sentences through it, sensing the message echo around the truck, the contents also relayed to the other trucks.


    Wunris Marble created a psychic arm, forming a cocoon around him, shielding him from harm, also blocking all senses from penetrating through it. At his will, innumerous blood tendrils seeped out through the pores on his face, soon forming into his Caterpillar, the process taking less than a second.


    The crimson Caterpillar''s body was segmented into six, with five of them sporting a slightly darker shade than the remaining part¡ªthe tail segment. The Caterpillar expressed zero emotions, standing perfectly still upon landing on his palm.


    It swerved its head, taking a glance at Wunris Marble, opening its mouth, "Second¡­Wunris¡­is¡­unwilling¡­to¡­appear."


    "Then, shall the two of us die together?" Wunris Marble spoke out calmly, bringing the Tier 5 Brain Crystal towards it using a psychic arm.


    "Fine," The Caterpillar lifted its arms, grabbing hold of the Tier 5 Brain Crystal, bringing it towards its mouth. It then opened its mouth wide, gobbling the Brain Crystal in a single gulp.


    A burst of psychic energy coursed through the blood tendrils, bursting many of them due to the sheer volume flowing through them. Wunris Marble frowned a bit, feeling a bout of pain transmitted to his senses.


    A psychic arm flashed around, coagulating the splattering blood into a sphere, collecting the dissipating psychic energy into it, bringing it towards the Caterpillar''s mouth.


    He glared at the Caterpillar, "Nice try but, I am used to your attacks. Try better if you want to take control of me."


    "Second¡­Wunris¡­accepts¡­defeat¡­this¡­time," The Caterpillar lifted its hands, feeling the sphere of blood mixed with numerous Brain Crystal fragments. Had Wunris Marble directly absorbed them into his body, it would have been akin to a poison.


    Even though he would be able to swiftly deal with it, the fraction of a second when his focus was distracted would have been a prime opportunity for his Wisdom Parasite to initiate its process, leading him to lose control.


    The Caterpillar soon swallowed the blood sphere, its actions slower than before, the transmitted contents enough for the remaining blood tendrils to withstand. "Second¡­Wunris¡­will¡­try¡­again¡­next¡­time."


    Saying its piece, the Caterpillar dissolved into blood tendrils, absorbed back into Wunris Marble through the pores on his face. Wunris Marble inspected his Brain Crystal, feeling it fill up at a steady pace, soon on the verge of brimming at full capacity.


    He also inspected his mental state, unwilling to give the Wisdom Parasite any opportunity. Only then did he sense something, looking at a soldier banging on the cocoon he had formed in increasing fluster.


    ''It managed to distract me to the extent I forgot to keep an eye out there,'' Wunris Marble admonished himself, quickly making out the situation through his domain as he retracted the cocoon.


    "Sir, we detected a Spider World heading towards us from the northeast, estimated distance is 20 kilometres." The soldier iterated, sending the contents through his psychic energy, the transmission taking naught but an instant.


    "Their size?" Wunris Marble disappeared from the spot, appearing overhead the truck. Except for the Espers in charge of the message transmission and protecting the goods in the truck, the remainder filed out.


    All the fifteen trucks picked up their pace, having activated the Relics in them, creating a minor gust along their wake. The trucks hovered in the air, creating a gap of 10 centimetres between the ground and the tyres.


    The Warriors charged out, running alongside the truck, easily keeping up pace. They were long since battle-ready, able to head out into battle at a moment''s notice.


    Every Warrior donned battle armour, made from Frenzy Beast carcasses, mixed into the materials created in Marble City¡ªArtifacts equivalent to their Tier. A thin section was placed in the area of their chest, safe holding a Quill¡ªa Refined Relic obtained from Espers a Tier lower than them.


    Held in their hands were weapons ranging from swords to spears, focusing on close combat¡ªalso Artifacts of their respective Tiers.


    Similarly, the armours donned by the Espers were Artifacts of the same Tier. Their backs sported a circular segment, half of it enclosed while the other half was open, allowing a set of chakrams to peak out.


    The number of chakrams held by each Esper varied based on their Tier, with Ground Controllers having four. They also had a pocket type mechanism on their thigh, strapping a spindle. Each Esper held two spindles, Artifacts of the same Tier as them.


    Some Espers also held an arm length rod in their hands¡ªa Refined Relic at Tier 3¡ªto make use of the bizarre Skill in them to turn the tides, should the situation necessitate.


    Wunris Marble floated in the air, hovering 10 metres above his truck. Held in his left hand was a Refined Relic, at Tier 4. Held in his right hand was an Extracted Relic, possessing Tier 4 prowess. They both possessed powers that would complement his battle strength. The other Espers too held similar Relics, the only difference being their lower Tier as compared to his.


    They had two missions to execute: one, collect the flesh and blood of the Frenzy Beasts that had died thanks to Psychic Ancestor Marble; two, capture Tier 1 and Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts that were to be used in the military academy, and other institutes for research and production.


    After they had captured a sufficient amount and had collected enough flesh and blood of the dead Frenzy Beasts, a force detached itself from the 9th Trail¡ªheaded by five Tier 5 beings, the team of Jyovic Bone and co¡ªand proceeded towards Marble City, to deliver the supplies.


    The main force of the 9th Trail proceeded further into the Wild, collecting the flesh and blood. The outburst of Psychic Ancestor Marble had killed all the Frenzy Beasts in a 200 kilometre radius around the city. So, the ground they had to cover was immense.


    Moreover, 200 kilometres was just the area that suffered a total wipe-out. The actual fatality stretched even deeper.


    Wunris Marble took charge of the detached force since an Esper had to be present in the scene, to protect the trucks. Warriors were experts in one-on-one offence while Espers were experts in aerial offence, defence, and shielding, making them the perfect candidates to protect goods and take charge of transportation.


    The detached force was lead by Wunris Marble, the sole Tier 5 Esper taking charge of the operation. Below him were 75 Tier 4 soldiers, split between 15 Ground Controllers and 60 Shifters.


    Each Truck that left on the mission had five Tier 4 soldiers and 1000 Tier 3 soldiers. Truck numbered 0, the main truck that acted as the command center for the mission had five Tier 5 soldiers, and 2000 Tier 4 soldiers.


    The detached force had sufficient strength to defend themselves from most threats. Moreover, with a Sky Controller taking the charge, they could move unhindered despite all odds, minimising the damage suffered should a situation occur.


    "The Spider World has a radius of 263 metres," The soldier from before floated beside Wunris Marble, hovering a couple of feet lower. "They have taken measures to shield from electromagnetic waves and our other detection methods."


    "When they come in range, I''ll probe them myself." Wunris Marble nodded, gazing at a massive sphere heading their way, feeling apprehensive. The size of the Spider World dictated the strength of the Frenzy Beast in charge. They were the signature move of the Floating Spiders, the strongest Frenzy Beast race, ones who were situated to the west of Marble City.


    The radius of the Spider World ranged from 100 metres in case of it being led by a Tier 5 Floating Spider, with the biggest recorded in history spanning 313 metres in radius. It was by a Tier 5 Floating Spider that eventually climbed the stairs to Tier 6, becoming their third Ancestor.


    The sphere¡ªpossessing a radius of 260 metres, covered with chequered silk ropes, blocking everything hidden within¡ªflew towards them, covering 4 kilometres each second, blasting the air along its trail.


    Its motion was silent, having broken through the sound barrier. The path trailing behind it, separated by a few kilometres was accompanied by intense sounds akin to rumbling thunder. Huge gusts of winds were stirred up, conjoining into a whole, forming twisters, equidistant to one another.


    The Spider World soon approached their location, showing no signs of stopping, looking intent to ram into them. Wunris Marble condensed a ten metre long marble spear¡ªyellow in colour, condensed from his Unranked Skill, Marble Sonata¡ªinfusing all five of his psychic arms into it, hurling it with a shout.


    Due to a lack of support, his body began to freefall, stopped at the next instant by a psychic arm that appeared beneath him, forming into a platform to support him. It was actuated by the soldier hovering beside him.


    The marble spear appeared before the Spider World in the fraction of a second, puncturing into it. Numerous silk ropes coiled around it, seeking to stop its march, failing miserably. Wunris Marble went all out in the first instant, striking with all his might, giving them no time to react.


    The moment the marble spear punctured it, he spread his domain, seeping it into the Spider World using the hole as the entry point. His expression turned pensive, raising his vigilance, transmitting a message to everyone under him.


    "Abandon the trucks and run!"


    The Spider World unfurled itself, starting from the punctured area, opening like the maw of a prehistoric beast, revealing the thousands of Floating Spiders squirming within, with a significant portion of them at Tier 4.


    Attached to a thick rope situated in the centre, concealing their aura were seven Floating Spiders; they each possessed Tier 5 strength. Two of them activated their domain, overlapping them on Wunris Marble''s, destroying his sensory capabilities, and blocking him from attacking in all directions.


    The silk topes that made up the Spider World blotted out the sky, casting an enormous shadow on them. Hearing his command, every battle-ready soldier began to sprint towards Marble City, with none of them showing any hesitation.


    Judging by the demeanour exuded by Wunris Marble as he gave out the command, everyone readily comprehended the situation. There was no hope for victory; should they try to fight back, their only fate was total annihilation.


    "Dammit," Wunris Marble let out a sigh, having created a massive marble barrier, wider than the Spider World, shouldering the brunt of the attack.

 Chapter 131: Greater Warlord

    The marble barrier shouldered the brunt of the Spider World''s momentum, shattering within a second. Wunris Marble wrapped a psychic arm around himself, making use of the instant gained by the barrier, creating a gap between the two. The moment his marble barrier had shattered, he retracted his psychic arms, seeping them through the bodies of the thousands of soldiers under him.


    The psychic arms threw their bodies in the direction of Marble City, leaving their fate in the hands of the Ground controllers mixed among them.


    The bodies of the soldiers broke through the sound barrier, feeling a massive strain. The Espers had reacted in time, wrapping all of their respective psychic arms around themselves, protecting their bodies from harm as they flew.


    Among the Warriors, the Shifters were perfectly fine; the momentum experienced by them, and the resulting air friction was well within their tolerable levels. The Developers though, were worse off, with most of them bleeding, suffering numerous injuries from the air that scraped past them. The effect burned their armours, peeling off parts that were aerodynamically affected, hurting the body within.


    The Ground Controllers soon took charge, spreading three of their psychic arms in their vicinity, seeping them through the bodies of all the Developers and Wave Controllers, bringing them closer. Their psychic arms then pushed the Shifters to the boundary, creating numerous links, soon taking help from the Wave Controllers who had comprehended their intentions.


    They formed a huge dome, bordering it with the bodies of the Shifters at the front, layering it with their psychic arms, creating a protective layer for the Developers and the Wave Controllers to take a breather.


    The Ground Controllers exerted their strength, controlling the direction and flight of the dome, supplementing their initial momentum, gained thanks to Wunris Marble''s actions.


    "Has the distress signal been sent to Central Command?" A Ground Controller questioned, glancing at the Esper in charge of the message transmissions.


    The Esper replied in a fluster, "The signals have been blocked."


    Their conversation was done through their psychic arms, the transmission swift, taking naught but an instant, the contents crisp, delivered with startling clarity. The Ground Controller frowned, having activated his domain; he detected something, alarmed at its power, his expression morphing into a fluster.


    "Amplify my actions!" He bellowed through his psychic energy, transmitting the contents to all the Ground Controllers, controlling the dome they had created.


    The dome swerved towards its left, plopping towards the ground, watching the air in its previous spot igniting into a sea of flames. Numerous silk ropes shot towards them, the thickness of each a metre in radius, bringing with them tremendous momentum.


    Thanks to all the Ground Controllers working together, the dome managed to barely scrape through the silk rope assaults, each of which was imbued with Tier 5 strength. A thick rope shot towards them, its speed surpassing the previous attacks, bringing with it enough momentum to shatter their defences.


    A marble wall appeared between them, held by three psychic arms, blocking the impact. The instant when the thick rope experienced recoil, the three psychic arms held the escaping dome and hurled it once again, raising its speed to the limits its structural stability could withstand, displaying the computational capabilities of a high Tiered Esper.


    Wunris Marble appeared behind the marble wall, sending a command to the flying dome through his psychic energy, "Don''t care about the energy expenditure. Proceed at full speed!"


    Another thick silk rope appeared, lashing out at him like a whip, impacting the barrier he had erected around him with two psychic arms. Wunris Marble was sent flying towards the ground, forming a straight line due to the momentum, unaffected by gravity. He crashed into it, creating a massive dust cloud, coursing tremors along the ground, creating wide cracks that spread out like a web.


    From the Spider World that had unfurled into coiling threads, numerous Floating Spiders flew out, both Warriors and Espers, dispersing themselves into the air, trailing after the escaping dome, not giving the chance for Wunris Marble to defend it.


    At Tier 5, an Esper was capable of creating five psychic arms. Each psychic arm was capable of lifting 10 tonnes in weight, proceed at a speed of 10 kilometres per second, and have an active range of 10 kilometres around the Esper.


    Wunris Marble had a Sync Rate of 94 percent, leading each of his psychic arms to possess a slightly decreased power: 9.4 tonnes in weight, 9.4 kilometres per second in speed, and sport an active range with a radius of 9.4 kilometres.


    If he combined all his psychic arms into a whole, the weight would experience an additive increase while the speed grew based on a relation with the total power he could exhibit. Even then, Wunris Marble felt helpless against his foe, having to face off against the attacks of seven Tier 5 Floating Spiders, with their attacks always directed at the escaping dome.


    This forced Wunris Marble to block them head-on, suffering a massive drain in his psychic energy reserves.


    From the Spider World, except for a single Tier 5 Floating Spider that controlled it, all the other Floating Spiders flew out, including the remaining six Tier 5 existences. Each of them delivered their attacks, dispersed into the wide area, attacking the dome through all possible means.


    Of the six Tier 5 Frenzy Beasts, four paused in the air, emitting a sharp flux of aura, having activated a certain Unranked Skill exclusive to their branch among the Floating Spiders. They spanned a size of 4 metres, sporting eight legs that were covered with thin hair.


    Their eight eyes glistened with a menacing hue, causing their mandibles to create clanging sounds as they converged and diverged. They were Warriors; the remaining two Floating Spiders were Espers, sporting the same appearance but spanning only 2 metres in size.


    The two Sky Controller Floating Spiders dispersed into opposite directions, charging towards the flying dome, expanding their domains, overlapping them over it, despite the distance the dome had covered.


    The moment the domain overlapped the flying dome, a psychic arm appeared without warning, grabbing hold of it, destroying its momentum. The psychic arm contracted, exerting force on the dome, producing cracking sounds. But, its task wasn''t easy, the attack it launched resisted by the soldiers inside the dome.


    The Ground Controllers were the majority that resisted the force, getting used to the strength in an instant, putting up an equal fight. A second later, they overwhelmed the psychic arm, pushing it back. Countless chakrams flew out, each carried by a psychic arm, dicing into the enemy''s psychic arm, rending it within a second, breaking free from the confinement.


    The dome swiftly raised its speed, barely escaping another psychic arm that grasped its previous location. But, the soldiers inside it didn''t look relieved in the least, sporting expressions of distraught, and despair.


    At the next instant, two domains overlapped it once again, allowing two psychic arms to slam at them from opposite directions, morphing the dome''s shape. A third domain covered the region, wrestling control with the other two, giving the dome some reprieve.


    Wunris Marble flew out from the ground, ignoring the massive crater his crash had created. He infused three psychic arms into his body, raising his speed by a multiple, appearing beside the dome after a second. His other two psychic arms coiled around the psychic arms of his foes, grabbing hold of them.


    "Aargh," Wunris Marble shouted, exerting greater force, pulling the two psychic arms aside, freeing the dome once again. Of the three psychic arms infused into his body, two emerged out, fusing into one and grabbing hold of the dome.


    The dome shot forward, instantly breaking past the sound barrier, proceeding towards speeds beyond 10 kilometres per second. Two psychic arms coursed into it from the other direction, immediately placing it in an impasse.


    Six psychic arms slammed at Wunris Marble, in pairs of three, arriving from opposing directions, causing cracks to appear in his defence. A flash of yellow covered the psychic arm¡ªwrapped around his body¡ªshielding him from harm, raising his defensive strength, mending the previous cracks.


    The two Sky Controller Floating Spiders appeared on his side, separated by a kilometre, floating at opposing spots, with Wunris Marble taking the centre.


    Two of his psychic arms wrestled with two psychic arms of his opponents; two other psychic arms¡ªfused into a single entity¡ªprotected the dome and sought to throw it towards Marble City, its progress hindered by two psychic arms from his foes; finally, a single psychic arm¡ªyellow in colour¡ªdefended him from the attacks of six psychic arms, placing him in a precarious situation.


    The two Sky Controller Floating Spiders each used their remainder three psychic arms to slam at Wunris Marble, locking him in place, preventing him from executing any other plans.


    Wunris Marble turned two of his psychic arms¡ªwrestling with his opponent''s psychic arms, numbering two¡ªyellow, raising their structural integrity. They also thinned, turning into a blade, their edges sharp, retaining their flexibility. The yellow psychic arms coiled around the psychic arms of the foes, cutting into them easily, beginning to shred them into pieces.


    The two Sky Controller Floating Spiders each retracted a psychic arm from Wunris Marble, fusing them into the psychic arm wrestling with the yellow psychic arm. All the actions happened in a couple of seconds, the high-intensity battle showing no signs of victor as of present.


    Through his domain, Wunris Marble noticed the appearances of Tier 4 Floating spiders along the periphery, intending to soon join the battle. It was then; a spike in aura impacted him, alarming his senses.


    The four Transformer Floating Spiders had finally activated their Unranked Skills, emitting a massive wave of aura.


    Wunris Marble shielded the dome from the aura, thanks to psychic arm¡ªa fusion of two psychic arms¡ªshielding it.


    His expression twisted up in a rage, turning his eyes bloodshot; veins popped across his forehead, his emotions apparent. He knew very well of the Unranked Skill they had activated, clouding his mind with anger.


    The bodies of the four Transformer Floating Spiders underwent a change, morphing their body frames, elongating it, raising their height. Of their eight legs, one pair turned perpendicular to their bottom, straightening itself. The remaining three pairs moved upwards the abdomen, their tips experiencing other changes, growing five stumps each, further segmented into three.


    The position of the eyes proceeded downward; the head oriented itself, perpendicular to its front, creating a narrow body part that supported the head, connecting it to the rest of the body. The mandibles clattered in frenzy, spewing out copious amounts of aura, shooting them towards Wunris Marble like a hail of bullets.


    Their bodies had completely transformed, turning humanoid, altering their essence, changing the influence they exhibited into the surroundings.


    Unranked Skill¡ªGreater Warlord!

 Chapter 132: Mortal Loss

    Unranked Skills were created from the bodies of Warriors and Espers, pertaining to a collection of races, focusing at certain Tiers. The creation of each Unranked Skill required decades to a century of research, expending a tremendous number of bodies of the related races.


    Each Unranked Skill used the bodies of a certain number of races as the core, forming the abilities it displayed as the end product. It then used many supplementary materials, all derived from the unique aspects of the bodies of numerous creatures.


    The Unranked Skill of the Bone Family, Bone Devour used the bodies of three races to form the core of the Skill: Life Leech, Steel Porcupine, and One-Horned Rhino. The materials used were derived from the bodies of the three races at the Tier 4 level. Many other supplementary materials too were used to harmonise the three cores and create an overall ability.


    When used as the core, their Skills¡ªthe abilities Nurtured by their Frenzy Parasite and them acting as a collective unit¡ªwere absorbed directly, creating slight modification as they ended up as the Unranked Skill. Therefore, unless it experienced too much of a variation, it was easy to figure out the core races that were behind a certain Unranked Skill.


    The Floating Spiders were a special race, having given birth to an Ancestor during the Dark Ages. When Rhachis Ancestor Web was at Tier 4, it thought about many matters, having comprehended the essence of the Skills nurtured by the Frenzy Parasites.


    It then launched a campaign, call forth all the species of spiders from around the world, converging them to one spot. It then induced them to cross-breed without restraint; adding onto the mutation effect caused by the Frenzy Parasite, a new race was birthed within three generations, becoming the current Floating Spiders.


    They comprised the gene pool of all the various spider species, giving them numerous advantages, the effect even transferring to the Skills they nurtured, showcasing a greater variety than other Frenzy Beast races.


    Having bordered Marble City for three centuries, the Floating Spiders had engaged in conflict with the humans on numerous occasions, experiencing both victories and defeats, with their victories numbering more than defeats.


    When the Floating Spiders had birthed their second Ancestor, they experienced another boost of strength. Moreover, their second Ancestor was different from the norm, directing its gaze at Marble City, bringing the humans into its research.


    Until that point, any race that dared to research on humans was besieged by humanity from all sides, annihilated in the blink of an eye. After all, humanity was the strongest race in the world.


    If not for the presence of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite giving them grievous blows one after the other, striking at their foundations each time, humanity would have become the overlords of the world. But despite that, no race dared to experiment on the humans, all except the Floating Spiders.


    Their second Ancestor researched on the humans for more than a century, eventually creating an Unranked Skill, displaying the prime traits of humanity. It then called itself Rhachis Ancestor Warlord, thanks to the Unranked Skill it created possessing the base abilities of humanity''s Tier 5 Skill, Warlord Transformation.


    The successful creation of the Unranked Skill was a massive slap to humanity. But, before humanity could proceed to attack the Floating Spiders, they birthed their third Ancestor, a Tier 6 Esper, providing them enough foundation to resist the attacks of humans.


    Moreover, each human city was surrounded by powerful races; so, the Ancestors guarding their respective cities couldn''t be away for long. That would give the perfect chance for the surrounding races to besiege their home.


    The Floating Spiders had three Ancestors, the same as Marble City, leading to an impasse. An all-out war would only lead to mutual annihilation; hence, Rhachis Ancestor Warlord managed to survive until this day, having imparted the Unranked Skill to numerous Floating Spiders at Tier 4 and Tier 5.


    Having completed their transformation, the four Transformer Floating Spiders flew towards Wunris Marble, laughing at his expression of fury. Among them, one fine humanoid Floating Spider charged forth, erupting with its aura, letting out a burst of cackling laughter.


    "Wunris Marble, hope you bode farewell with your Ancestor. You won''t be seeing him again." The humanoid Floating Spider talked, the language used being Modern Rodawri.


    Hearing it speak their language, Wunris Marble felt shocked, feeling a chill creep up his spine. In order to prevent any information leakage, Rhachis Ancestor Light had created a new language, modifying it every decade, the records of its changes solely held in the hands of the Ancestors on the side of humanity.


    "I am surprised at the fact that you feel surprised at this," The humanoid Floating Spider said with a shake of its head, feeling the freedom of movement thanks to its neck. "After all, despite the changes, Modern Rodawri has been in use for almost 190 years. It was bound to be unravelled one day."


    The humanoid Floating Spider spanned a height of 20 metres; its giant form hovered in the air, each of its steps bringing it one hundred metres towards Wunris Marble, its pace slow and steady.


    Stopping a kilometre before Wunris Marble, it performed a slight bow, mimicking the actions of humans.


    "When I became a Shifter, Rhachis Ancestor Warlord personally bestowed me the name, Vi Ha Su Warlord."


    "Vi Ha Su Warlord¡­" Wunris Marble''s vision constricted, feeling a sense of alarm, thickening the marble barrier surrounding him. A tremendous force impacted the top of his barrier, creating numerous cracks, sending him reeling into the ground.


    The force of the blow impaled his shielded body a hundred metres deep into the ground, forming a steep hole. The six psychic arms pressing on him never released their hold, seeping in through the ground with ease, raising the force they applied, varying the applications on all three areas his attention was diverted, trying to catch him off guard.


    Wunris Marble tried to fly out, failing to lift his body. The psychic arm shielding his body was barely keeping up with the attacks, not having the leeway to lift his body against the force vectors pinning him down.


    ''Boom''


    An explosion echoed in the surroundings, the source originating from the dome. Vi Ha Su Warlord slammed his fist into the dome, caving in its structure, the cracks spreading along its surface, turning it fragile. In order to resist the attack, the Ground Controllers inside had used up most of their energy, fuelling their psychic arms like crazy.


    Before Vi Ha Su Warlord could mount his second attack, the dome turned yellow, turning sturdy, repairing the damage inflicted in his previous attack. When his second attack landed on it, a ringing sound was produced, the dome showing no signs of damage, having been supported by two psychic arms of Wunris Marble.


    Vi Ha Su Warlord looked at the other three humanoid Floating Spiders, pointing towards the ground, at the hole were Wunris Marble was buried deep under. They nodded in response, plummeting towards the ground, landing with a loud bang, the impact due to their massive sizes rumbling the land.


    Vi Ha Su Warlord then gazed at the Spider World arriving at the scene, having recalled all the Floating Spiders that were sent out. "Help me out a little."


    The Spider World arrived next to the dome, spreading its silk ropes around it, forming numerous coils without actually making contact. It paused in place, taking a moment before contracting the coils, perfectly wrapping the dome.


    The two yellow psychic arms wrapping the dome formed numerous items¡ªspikes, chakrams, and drills¡ªon its surface, spinning them at increasingly high frequencies, attacking the two psychic arms that blocked the dome, damaging them.


    "Aaaargghh!" Wunris Marble let out a blood-curdling scream, the veins on his skin popping every second, spilling out puffs of blood. When the silk ropes came into contact with his two yellow psychic arms shielding the dome, despite getting damaged, they siphoned out frightening volumes of psychic energy.


    The sudden seepage of psychic energy, the monstrous volume that had been siphoned out immediately put a strain on his Brain Crystal, affecting the surrounding brain tissues. To cope up with the massive loss, his Wisdom Parasite drastically raised its speed of Nurturing, converting his muscle mass into psychic energy, leading to a collapse of his body on the cellular level.


    After the three humanoid Floating Spiders landed on the ground, one of them pointed at the other, "Vu He Su Warlord, charge."


    The pointed humanoid Floating Spider, Vu He Su Warlord raised its arm, concentrating energy into it, activating a hidden Skill that came with its Unranked Skill. The Unranked Skill, Greater Warlord was different from the regular Unranked Skills, thanks to its core derived from humans.


    It normally had three anchors; meaning, only Developers and above were able to inherit it. But, once it was activated, the anchors changed depending on the Tier of the Floating Spider¡ªpossessing four anchors for Shifters. This disabled them from using their Nurtured Skills.


    But, there was a hidden Skill in Greater Warlord: it allowed the user to make use of a Skill similar to the ones used by human Developers, but adjusted to their Tier. Meaning, a Shifter would be able to invoke the human Developer''s Tier 3 Skill, exhibiting power at Tier 4.


    Purely speaking in terms of Skills, the Skills Nurtured by humans were superior to the ones Nurtured by the Frenzy Beasts, irrespective of the Tier. This allowed them to fight numerous foes of the same Tier and emerge victorious.


    It also produced terrifying individuals like Anruhen Light, capable of killing Tier 5 Frenzy Beasts when he was at Tier 4. It was Marble City''s greatest loss when he died in the Flying Signature Raid.


    Using the exact time when Wunris Marble was distracted due to the pain, and having his psychic energy sucked in copious amounts, the two Sky Controller Floating Spiders expanded their domain, overlapping them over Wunris Marble''s, obstructing his senses.


    They also retracted the psychic arms stopping the dome, summoning them beside Wunris Marble in an instant, slamming them all onto his barrier, spreading the attacks even further, raising the dealt damage.


    At the same time, the two humanoid Floating Spiders appeared beside Wunris Marble, kicking at the bottom; the force sent him reeling up through the hole, completely shattering the marble barrier covering him.


    Wunris Marble sensed something amiss, thinking his actions through; it would take him a second to recreate his shattered psychic arm, leaving him defenceless. He quickly summoned his remaining four psychic arms, intent to shield himself.


    If something happened to him, the soldiers in the dome would die. So, only when he survived would he be able to save them. It was a looping mental conflict. His psychic arms appeared around his body, beginning to wrap him up.


    It was then; his body emerged out of the ground, arriving next to Vu He Su Warlord who had finished charging his attack. Vu He Su Warlord let out a mild shout, emitting a beam of energy towards Wunris Marble, impacting the barrier, allowing a trace of it to seep through the gaps that had yet to close up.


    Tier 5 Skill¡ªMental Frenzy!


    It was a signature Skill used by human Developers, allowing them to triumph against Frenzy Beasts of the same Tier. Now, a Tier 5 version of it had struck Wunris Marble. Despite most of it getting blocked, the trace of it that had seeped into his body affected his mental state.


    Thanks to their improved mental strength, Espers were less prone to losing control at Tier 4 and Tier 5, the only cases leading to a loss of control was when they were invaded by the Essence of Frenzy and didn''t have the leeway to treat it mid-battle.


    The barrier had finished enveloping Wunris Marble, turning yellow, furthering his defence. He clutched his head, feeling his thoughts turn chaotic, causing his mental state to lose its firmness.


    Unwilling to lose its chance, the Wisdom Parasite in him initiated its process, striving to gain control of his body. Faint scales covered his skin, creating tiny spikes across his joints. His vision turned hazy, forming cracks along his face.


    The psychic arms bombarded his barrier, erupting with their full strength. Vu He Su Warlord and the other two humanoid Floating Spiders rained down punches one after the other, making use of his distracted state and the weakening of the marble barrier to shatter it.


    Despite the flurry of attacks, Wunris Marble still resisted, slowing down the process of losing control, gaining the upper hand in recovering his mental state. He soon showed signs of defeating the Wisdom Parasite in him, on the verge of ending up as the victor.


    The marble barrier sported numerous cracks, growing in pattern with each attack. But, Wunris Marble was steadily regaining his bearings, able to set aside some focus on recovering the marble barrier.


    Suddenly, Wunris Marble hollered in pain; the cause of the pain resulted in his left eye exploding into a pool of blood. A thick silk rope had connected with the marble barrier, siphoning out his psychic energy, causing a sharp reduction in his strength.


    The number of silk threads touching the marble barrier multiplied, increasing the avenues of his energy being siphoned out, stretching his consciousness thin. His body started to thin out, shrinking in mass.


    "Aaah!" Wunris Marble screamed, looking at his chest, spotting a beating heart pierced at the tip of a sharp nail, attached to a long finger that pierced through his body. Wunris Marble gazed at his back, his right eye widened; his mouth opened, pronouncing each syllable of the other party''s name, "Vi Ha Su¡­Warlord¡­"


    Wunris Marble was unable to sense the other party''s existence. Combined with his focus stretched thin between the various modes of attacks, his energy being siphoned, and preventing his Wisdom Parasite from gaining control, he was unable to react to the attack that aimed at his back the moment the defence in the area weakened.


    Tier 5 Skill¡ªSensory Invisibility!


    "I heard that only the elite Developers in Marble City were able to Nurture this Skill. Now, at Tier 5 level, even the illustrious Wunris Marble failed to sense my presence." Vi Ha Su Warlord let out a sinister smile, sporting an expression of jubilation.


    Vi Ha Su Warlord flicked his finger, slashing Wunris Marble''s heart into pieces. Getting his heart shredded was the final straw that broke his defence. His marble barrier soon crumbled under the resulting attacks, allowing Vi Ha Su Warlord the opportunity to crush his head, ending his life.

 Chapter 133: Bone

    "Phew," Vi Ha Su Warlord heaved a sigh of relief, his behaviour similar to humans. "He finally died. Seriously, Espers from the Marble family are the hardest to kill."


    "Thankfully, he had to divert most of his strength to protect his underlings. If not for that baggage, we wouldn''t have been able to kill him this swiftly." Vu He Su Warlord replied, inspecting the corpse of Wunris Marble, letting out a remark of distaste.


    "His Wisdom Parasite has also been killed. You should have controlled your strength, Vi Ha Su Warlord."


    "I didn''t want to take the risk," Vi Ha Su Warlord defended his actions, "If I had delayed for an instant longer, he would have launched a counterattack, prolonging the battle."


    The seven of them had meticulously planned their battle tactic, allotting the tasks for each individual, taking in all the factors at play. Wunris Marble was a famed Sky Controller, his nature having been researched by the Floating Spiders long ago, making use of all their previous encounters.


    So, they enacted their plan in a series of steps, cornering Wunris Marble one by one. First, they targeted their attacks towards the dome created by the soldiers under Wunris Marble, forcing him to defend against their attacks head-on, wasting his psychic energy, and pinning him down.


    If not for that, Wunris Marble would have been able to use his speed to manoeuvre through the battlefield, dodging all attacks from their Transformers, and easily defending against the attacks of the Espers, thanks to his Unranked Skill unrivalled in the aspects of defence.


    If such a situation had been created, they would have lost their initiative, being forced to defend against his attacks, removing their advantage due to a difference in numbers.


    Once he was pinned, they continued to attack the dome, forcing him to divert four of his psychic arms to shield his soldiers. All he had remaining was a single psychic arm to defend himself.


    Their second attack was focused on Wunris Marble, directed through six psychic arms, leaving him with the only choice to defend himself. This attack fully pinned him, sealing his mobility.


    The third attack was directed at his emotional state, executed by the four Transformers on their side activating their Unranked Skill, Greater Warlord. It made him seethe with rage; after all, some of his family members had also been kidnapped, sacrificed to create the Unranked Skill. His anger was justified, witnessing the Skill created from the deaths of his brethren.


    The fourth attack was a mental attack, unleashed when Vi Ha Su Warlord spoke in Modern Rodawri¡ªa language created by Rhachis Ancestor Light, intent to be exclusive for humans, to prevent any leakage of their secrets to the Frenzy Beasts.


    Its usage of the language had significant implications. It meant that, were the Floating Spiders happened to capture some humans, they now possessed the capability to extract their secrets through torture. After all, not everyone possessed a will of steel, unaffected by all forms of torture. They were bound to cave in at some point in time.


    The fifth attack was composed of physical attacks that buried Wunris Marble deep into the ground, blocking the vision of his eyes, leaving him to depend on his domain and psychic arms to sense the surroundings.


    The sixth attack was by the Spider World, siphoning his psychic energy through his psychic arms shielding the dome, the abrupt action distracting his senses for an instant, and decreasing the amount of psychic energy left for his use.


    The seventh wasn''t directed at him. It was the two Sky Controller Floating Spiders unleashing their domains, overlapping them over Wunris Marble''s, cutting his senses, and leaving him a momentary blankness.


    The eighth attack was directed at his barrier, damaging it, eventually sending it flying up, putting Wunris Marble in a passive situation, with no other choice but to defend himself, relying on the superior defence provided by his Unranked Skill.


    The ninth attack was by Vu He Su Warlord, attacking his mind through the Tier 5 Skill, Mental Frenzy.


    The tenth attack was by the Wisdom Parasite in him, beginning to make him lose control, further stretching his attention span to the limits.


    The final attack was by Vi Ha Su Warlord, having used its Tier 5 Skill, Sensory Invisibility. It sneaked behind Wunris Marble, attacking the moment it sensed an opportunity, directing it towards a weakness in his damaged marble barrier. The final attack dealt a mortal injury to Wunris Marble, resulting in his defences getting destroyed under the ensuing attacks.


    Everything had been meticulously calculated; the powers of seven Tier 5 Floating Spiders converged upon one individual, stacked under many layers of schemes. The entire battle didn''t even take a minute but its underlying complications had been in preparations since long ago.


    "Even then, we were only able to kill him the moment his psychic energy had been exhausted." Vu He Su Warlord sighed, holding a rice-grain sized Brain Crystal, feeling its emptiness, devoid of any psychic energy. "Wunris Marble is a formidable foe indeed."


    "Once we recover our younger generation, we''ll kill the remaining humans here and target the other small parties similar to this one." The Spider World hovered overhead, allowing a voice to ring out, incomprehensible to the human ears. The Floating Spiders had switched back to using their own language.


    Moreover, only when they had activated their Unranked Skill¡ªGreater Warlord¡ªwere they able to speak in Modern Rodawri. Before that, they didn''t have the faculties to pronounce the language.


    "I don''t want to face another Sky Controller from Marble Family again." Vi Ha Su Warlord deactivated his Unranked Skill, turning back into its Floating Spider form, shrinking to 4 metres in size.


    The Spider World floated towards the 15 trucks, undamaged from the previous battle since the soldiers abandoned it and escaped towards Marble City, creating quite the distance between the two.


    As Wunris Marble had moved towards them, in an effort to defend them, the area where the 15 trucks had stopped remained bereft of damage.


    Many silk ropes extended from the Spider World, gently coiling around the trucks, beginning to lift them towards it. It opened a section at its bottom, allowing their entry.


    The two Sky Controller Floating Spiders arrived before the dome, watching the powerless soldiers within it, shielded by a thick layer of yellow. It was created through Wunris Marble''s Unranked Skill, Marble Sonata; unless he deactivated it and retracted the psychic energy infused inside, the dome wouldn''t dissipate. It was a solid object in the truest sense, possessing a physical nature.


    The two Sky Controller Floating Spiders unleashed five psychic arms each, holding bladed objects. They hacked and sawed the dome, causing its ends to be continuously chipped. It wouldn''t take more than a minute for them to break it.


    Within the dome, a Ground Controller, one that reported to Wunris Marble, looked at the situation in silence, feeling his heart lurch. He turned his head towards the Ground Controller in charge of the message transmissions, "Were we able to send a distress signal?"


    "No," The Ground Controller in charge of message transmissions shook his head, "All the messages have been blocked by our enemies."


    He picked himself up, performing a salute to the other person, "Sir, it was a pleasure working with you."


    Before the other party could react, his body shrivelled up, losing its mass in an instant, proceeding towards his bones, eventually leaving behind a flickering brain. "Even though Sir Marble had died, he still left a backdoor in consideration of our lives. I will be eternally grateful towards him."


    The brain undulated with faint psychic energy, allowing many mysterious symbols to flash around, forming a beam, shooting towards the sky. It passed through the dome, unobstructed by it, the case being the same for the two domains that had enveloped the region.


    The brain disintegrated, leaving behind the beam that shot towards the sky, its speeds unnaturally fast, arriving at a height of 15 kilometres from the ground. Considering the distance, it would take the two Sky Controller Floating Spiders more than a second to catch up.


    The beam of light condensed into a sphere, flashing numerous inscriptions of light, emitting a wave. The sphere disappeared upon the appearance of the wave that rippled through the air, travelling at the speed of light.


    Everything had happened before the two Sky Controller Floating Spiders could react; the fact that they lacked the methods to stop the beam of light was also at play.


    "We have to escape, now!" The voice echoed from the Spider World, filled with a sense of urgency.


    "It was done by a Ground Controller." Vi Ha Su Warlord replied, "The effects had vanished after travelling for a kilometre."


    "The humans possess numerous Skills. We can''t underestimate them, especially the ones that we possess zero records of." One of the Sky Controller Floating Spider said, pausing in its attacks against the dome.


    "Too late," The other Sky Controller Floating Spider replied, pointing towards a dot that streaked towards them from the west.


    "Just a single Sky controller," Vu He Su Warlord laughed, "And he''s not from the Marble Family. Only the Sky Controllers from the Marble Family are of a threat to us. The rest are easy prey."


    Having taken part in killing a Sky Controller from the Marble Family, Vu He Su Warlord was brimming with arrogance, glossing over the fact that it was a joint effort by seven of them.


    The dot soon arrived before them, accompanied by a domain. Its domain was countered by the two Sky Controller Floating Spiders who unleashed their domains, vying control for supremacy in the two versus one battle.


    "Damned spiders!" Ankrakhen Light bellowed, dispersing his shout through his psychic energy, echoing it across the entire region. His expression seethed in rage, having spotted the remains of Wunris Marble, feeling his eyes moisten, allowing a droplet to seep out.


    "It is just this old man," Vi Ha Su Warlord sighed in relief, deciding against from activating its Unranked Skill. It activated its Nurtured Tier 5 Skill, ballooning its body, stopping when it was 16 metres in size.


    Five psychic arms appeared, covered with mysterious inscriptions. Ankrakhen Light readily activated his Unranked Skill, Deific Inference, allowing him to comprehend the state of the battlefield.


    As the two Sky Controller Floating Spiders proceeded forward to intercept Ankrakhen Light, the four Transformer Floating Spiders had activated their Nurtured Tier 5 Skill, ready to attack their enemy should an opportunity be presented. The Spider World though, proceeded to collect the 15 trucks and the dome, beginning its retreat process.


    "It is not polite to leave before greeting me." A voice resounded from the sky, the shout piercing into their ears, loud to the extreme. Hearing the voice, and the language used, it was now the Floating Spiders'' turn to feel shocked.


    The sound was incomprehensible to human ears; but, to them, it was one they were used to. It was their language, the contents of which had stayed within their society, never leaked to the outside world.


    Ankrakhen Light hadn''t come alone, having sensed the message through his Unranked Skill. Deific Inference had many uses, the ability to transmit information being one of them, despite its lacking capability.


    He felt some things through the message, one that had been produced at the cost of one''s entire being. It was only then could the message experience a mystical change, allowing it to trespass the blockage erected by layers of psychic energy from the Floating Spiders.


    It was also accompanied by memory fragments of the battle, witnessed by the sender of the message. He immediately departed from the truck numbered 0, grabbing hold of a reliable ally to support him, leaving behind 9th Trail in charge of the remaining two Transformers.


    Using the extent of his psychic arm''s range, the two approaching the scene were separated by more than a kilometre, the separation conforming to the vertical distance. When he arrived at the location, he retracted his psychic arm, allowing the other party to drop towards the ground.


    A figure free fell from the sky, making a beeline towards the Spider World, emitting a voracious aura, looking intent to swallow them all. The figure soon morphed, turning into an eight-meter tall bone giant, its appearance widespread among the elites of the Floating Spiders.


    "Jyovic Bone!" Vi Ha Su Warlord shouted in rage, deactivating its Nurtured Tier 5 Skill, immediately activating its Unranked Skill, Greater Warlord.


    "Jyovic Bone!" A voice resounded from the Spider World, its tone slightly shaking in fear, accompanied by a fluster.

 Chapter 134: Devour

    "If I get your head, I might even win the favour of Ancestor Warlord." Vu He Su Warlord cackled, using the language of the Floating Spiders, unwilling to expose their knowledge of Modern Rodawri without a reason.


    If Rhachis Ancestor Warlord was the most hated Floating Spider among the humans, then Jyovic Bone was the most hated human among the Floating Spiders, outclassing their hate towards Rhachis Ancestor Light.


    It was all thanks to a single feat of Jyovic Bone, the outcome that concluded the Flying Throne Raid.


    Rhachis Ancestor Web, the first Tier 6 Frenzy Beast among the Floating Spiders had many children, with most of them at Tier 5. One of them stood head and shoulders among the Tier 5, strong to the extent labelled as the strongest Tier 5 in the history of the Floating Spiders.


    It eventually found its opportunity, attempting a breakthrough to Tier 6. The ensuing commotion alerted Marble City, having shared borders. The Light and Marble Families dispatched most of their Tier 5 and Tier 4, also unleashing the remaining elites of Marble City.


    They didn''t want the Floating Spiders to produce a fourth Ancestor. It would be a signal to their doom. Rhachis Ancestor Light personally took charge of the operation, coining it with the term, ''Flying Throne Raid''.


    The preposition to the word Raid detailed the operation. The word ''Flying'' was coined in Raids when the target Frenzy Beasts were capable of flight. The term ''Water'' was used for marine Frenzy Beasts, meaning an aquatic battle. Many such terms were used, taking various factors into consideration.


    Similarly, the other word in the title of the Raid was based on the Tier of the Frenzy Beasts they would be facing. If the Frenzy Beasts were mostly of Tier 4, with a rare few at Tier 5, then the term used would be ''Signature.''


    When there were numerous Tier 5 Frenzy Beasts, with a definite appearance of a Tier 6 Frenzy Beast, the term used was ''Crown''. But, when the target had a likelihood of possessing more than two Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts, the term used was ''Throne''.


    When the child of Rhachis Ancestor Web was in its breakthrough process, Rhachis Ancestor Light struck the scene, leading most of the battle strength that Marble City could dispatch in a hurry.


    Rhachis Ancestor Web intercepted Rhachis Ancestor Light; the Floating Spiders charged forth, embroiling in a grand war against the humans. Just when the other two Ancestors among the Floating Spiders moved to reinforce the situation, Psychic Ancestor Marble appeared at the scene, easily keeping the two of them at bay, preventing them from even nearing the battlefield.


    The humans were hard-pressed for time, lacking in numbers due to being dispatched in a hurry, having to face off against their foes in their home ground. The broiling aura signalling the breakthrough process was like a vice that gripped their hearts, forcing them to push harder.


    Their foes focused solely on defence, throwing their bodies towards their foes, seeking to cull their numbers through a double suicide, taking advantage of their superior numbers.


    Soon, the broiling aura retracted itself, converging into an individual, condensing into a whole different existence, ringing the bells of despair among the humans, signalling their doom.


    The Floating Spiders had produced their fourth Ancestor!


    It was then, having become incredibly weak after the breakthrough, the fourth Floating Spider Ancestor couldn''t react to a sneak attack. A human drilled out of its body, instantly destroying its vitals, turning them into mush, pouring a basin of cold water over the jubilation of the Floating Spiders.


    It was Jyovic Bone, the first human, a Tier 5 human that had claimed the life of a Tier 6 being.


    Immediately, Psychic Ancestor Marble took charge of defence, blocking the attacks of the three enraged Ancestors, allowing Rhachis Ancestor Light to bring all the humans to the safety of Marble City.


    Even though it resulted in numerous waves of attacks from the Floating Spiders, spanning years, Marble City stood strong. With Psychic Ancestor Marble defending it, their hopes of breaking through Marble City''s defence was an impossibility.


    Ever since that day, the Floating Spiders considered Jyovic Bone as their most hated individual. After that incident, Jyovic Bone reaped the lives of numerous Tier 5 Floating Spiders, accumulating a tremendous amount of hate each time.


    Having transformed into the 20-metre tall humanoid giant, Vu He Su Warlord flew towards the bone giant, having activated its hidden Tier 5 Skill, charging energy into its fists. Warriors were more prone to be affected by its Skill, unlike Espers who were capable of blocking most forms of energy using their psychic energy.


    The 8-metre tall bone giant formed a straight line as it fell, having long since reached its terminal velocity, forming a burning cone surrounding its body. It descended like a burning meteor, heading towards the Spider World that was about to escape west.


    Vu He Su Warlord made a beeline towards it, soon approaching 10 metres near it. Suddenly, a pair of wings¡ªsporting a texture similar to leather, but transparent in appearance¡ªunfurled behind the bone giant, sporting a wingspan greater than 40 metres, instantly putting a halt to its motion, allowing Vu He Su Warlord to arrive before it, carried along by its previous momentum.


    A flash of energy erupted in the stumps that connected the wings to the bone giant, severing its connection. The bone giant used the ensuing inertia to vertically rotate its body, delivering a roundhouse kick on Vu He Su Warlord''s back, sending it reeling towards the Spider World.


    The bone giant raised its hands, grabbing hold of the severed wings, attaching it to its back without trouble, shrinking them until their wingspan measured 16 metres. The bone giant sped towards the Spider World, trailing after Vu He Su Warlord falling towards it.


    Vu He Su Warlord activated its ability of flight, barely managing to reorient itself, stopping a hundred metres above the Spider World. It touched its back, at the spot where it was kicked, noticing a deep wound, looking like it was made from a conical object piercing into it.


    ''One percent of the energy in my Heart Crystal was siphoned during the attack.'' Vu He Su Warlord felt its emotions cool down, no longer filled with excitement, realising the threat of its foe.


    "Jyovic Bone!" One of the Sky Controller Floating Spiders tried to close in on the bone giant, finding its path blocked by Ankrakhen Light. Despite getting cornered, Ankrakhen Light kept the two Espers at bay, preventing them from affecting his battle.


    "You shouldn''t have come near me in the first place." A sinister voice rang out from the bone giant, encompassing the feeling of gluttony, mixed amid ruthlessness. The aura it exhibited experienced a spike, making its foes feel a chill.


    A faint influence spread through the surroundings, enveloping all the seven Tier 5 Floating Spiders within it. The spread of the influence was subtle, concealed by the spike in aura, its lingering presence masked under the effects the bone giant wantonly exhibited.


    Vu He Su Warlord suddenly felt a sense of weakness pervading its body, imbuing in it a feeling of softness, unnerving its focus. Seeing the approaching bone giant, Vu He Su Warlord charged towards it, filling both its hands with energy.


    Tier 5 Skill¡ªMental Frenzy!


    When the two giants neared each other, the faint undulation spread into the surroundings contracted, enveloping a certain area on Vu He Su Warlord. Spanning more than twice the size of its opponent, Vu He Su Warlord brimmed with enough power to overwhelm its foe in a contest of brute strength.


    The two made contact with one another, slamming their fists against their opponent, engaging in a flurry of attacks, the exchange being simple, filled with only strength and speed. The bone giant was soon on the receiving end, receiving more hits than it delivered.


    "He no longer retains any Skills, other than the Skill he has been researching on for the past few decades, in hopes of developing it into an Unranked Skill." A sigh resounded from the Spider World, expressing its relief.


    "That is for the best then," Vu He Su Warlord laughed, increasing the flurry of its attacks, forming large depressions across the body of the bone giant.


    Vi Ha Su Warlord and the other two Transformer Floating Spiders landed on the Spider World, watching the exchange occurring a hundred metres above them, looking ready to join the battle should the situation turn dire.


    "How is the scene at the other places?" Vi Ha Su Warlord muttered under his breath, communicating with the Tier 5 Floating Spider within the Spider World.


    "The scouts haven''t yet reported sightings of any reinforcements from Marble City. Other than that, we haven''t received any communication from the other parties. In order to prevent any gaps from being created, we have blocked all forms of communication, including ours." A voice resounded from within the Spider World, transmitting it to Vi Ha Su Warlord through a silk rope.


    "Let us try to finish them as quickly as possible. For some reason, I am feeling a sense of danger around us." Vi Ha Su Warlord flew up, intent to charge at Jyovic Bone, striving to quickly put an end to the battle.


    "I am getting in on my age," A voice resounded from within the bone giant, seeming weak, expressing its state of being tired. "To think I am unable to defeat a spider weaker than me during my prime."


    "As if you can contend against a Warlord without your signature Skills," Vu He Su Warlord mocked, "Though, I must praise you for managing to maintain a clear mind despite suffering numerous hits from my Mind Frenzy."


    "The current generation is stronger than from my time," A sigh resounded from within the bone giant, feeling its attacks become a tad weaker, the difference apparent only to Transformers on the level of Vu He Su Warlord.


    "Heh¡­" Vu He Su Warlord was just about to reply with a punch when its actions paused, alarming the others. Vu He Su Warlord glanced at the Vi Ha Su Warlord flying towards it, opening its mouth, "¡­run."


    A bone spine emerged from within its body, peaking out through its skull, instantly rending its life. A chill crept up Vi Ha Su Warlord''s spine, prompting it to stop and retreat, increasing its distance from the bone giant, unable to comprehend the situation.


    It looked at its brethren, Vu He Su Warlord, one who had been fighting against the bone giant, having long since gained an upper hand. Moreover, through their detection, they had concluded Jyovic Bone lacking his Warrior Skills, only retaining a faulty Unranked Skill.


    "H-Has the Unranked Skill been perfected?" Vi Ha Su Warlord mumbled, feeling its voice tremble, looking at the body of Vu He Su Warlord, at a bone spike¡ªin the shape of a cone¡ªpeaking out of its head.

 Chapter 135: The Green Energy

    "Just kidding," A voice resounded from the bone giant, retracting into its centre, turning back into the figure of Jyovic Bone, retaining a smaller pair of wings on his back. Jyovic Bone smiled at Vi Ha Su Warlord, making the latter unconsciously increase the distance between them by another hundred metres.


    Jyovic bone extended his hand forward, placing it on the chest of the dead Vu He Su Warlord, watching the flesh in the area of contact squirm, opening a pathway for his hand to enter. Jyovic Bone inserted his hand through the gap, emitting faint green energy, allowing it to coagulate within, circulating through its body once.


    He then retracted his hands, pulling out two objects¡ªtwo thumb-sized crystals, spherical in shape, one crimson, and the other creamy white¡ªpocketing them. The wings on his back flapped, bringing him towards a crater.


    Making use of the chance when the Floating Spiders were wary of him, unwilling to get near him, Jyovic Bone landed next to the corpse of Wunris Marble, placing his hand over the mashed remains of his head, emitting the same green energy as before.


    The green energy coursed through Wunris Marble''s body, extracting a certain essence, forming two thumb-sized spheres¡ªone yellow, and the other transparent. The yellow sphere looked pristine, showing no signs of damage while the transparent sphere was filled with cracks, disintegrating into fine energy upon touch.


    Jyovic Bone sighed, pocketing the yellow sphere, "At least, I managed to preserve a part of your legacy, Sir Marble."


    "I have to congratulate you for giving me my privacy," Jyovic Bone said, allowing his body to be carried by the wings on his back, flying towards the sky. He noticed the state of Ankrakhen Light, getting overwhelmed by the two Sky Controller Floating Spiders.


    As an Esper with an Unranked Skill specialised in the field of research, his battle prowess was equivalent to a regular Sky Controller. While facing off against the two Sky Controller Floating Spiders, he could not gain an upper hand, barely using the Relics with him to stall for time.


    ''They seem to have taken his two Relics.'' Jyovic Bone directed his gaze towards the Spider World, focusing on a certain section that seemed weaker than the rest, figured out through his rich experience in fighting against the Floating Spiders.


    Jyovic Bone snapped his finger, producing faint sparks in the air due to the friction of his action. Ankrakhen Light smiled, despite getting pummelled, expending greater amounts of his psychic energy to protect himself.


    The wings behind Jyovic Bone widened its wingspan, turning 40 metres long. His aura spiked, convulsing the flesh in his body, expanding in size, soon transforming into the 8-metre tall bone giant.


    The bone giant flew towards the Spider World, alarming the Floating Spiders to react. Along the way, the bone giant caught hold of the dead body of Vu He Su Warlord¡ªmaking a free fall¡ªpausing in the air for an instant, absorbing all the energy in its heart crystal.


    The body of Vu He Su Warlord experienced some changes, morphing its shape, splitting into three. They soon formed into bone giants, looking similar to the one Jyovic Bone had transformed into but a tad smaller.


    The three bones giants unfurled transparent wings on their backs, flapping them as they flew towards the Spider World, engaging in battle with the three Floating Spider Warlords. Taking the chance when the three foes were busy in battle, the bone giant that Jyovic Bone had transformed into crashed into the Spider World, pausing in action.


    Vi Ha Su Warlord defended against an attack, glancing at its back, looking at the silent Spider World in anticipation. The silk ropes that made up the entirety of the Spider World were capable of siphoning energy from any individual that touched it, barring the ones that the owner considered allies.


    The greater the surface area of contact, the greater the volume of the energy siphoned out. It was why Wunris Marble failed to withstand the first attack of his psychic energy getting absorbed. It was because the silk ropes overlaid themselves over Wunris Marble''s psychic arms shielding the dome, covering its entire surface area.


    Considering the size of the 8-metre tall bone giant, even though the energy siphoned from it would be less than that of the first attack on Wunris Marble, it would still be a considerable sum, continuously siphoned every second unless the other party retracted themselves.


    At the next moment of contact, the silk ropes converged from other areas, forming a layer over the bone giant, pressing it onto the surface of the Spider World, trapping it in place. The silk ropes were sturdy, unable to be cut easily by even Tier 5 Artifacts. Adding onto their tensile strength capable of lifting tens of tonnes of kilograms per each silk rope, it would prove to be an almost impossible feat to escape from their clutches.


    Wrapped under a multitude of layers formed by the silk ropes, a faint undulation erupted from the bone giant, coursing through the surface of the Spider World, forming a ripple spanning the entirety of its exterior.


    It was then followed by absolute silence, the outcome of the exchange unknown. Vi Ha Su Warlord sent out a punch, blasting the head of the bone giant facing it, turning the rest of its body into a mush of flesh and blood. It had used its Tier 5 Skill to avoid a head-on confrontation, quickly dispatching it with a sneak attack.


    Vi Ha Su Warlord then glanced in the direction of the other two Warlords, noticing them having destroyed the bone giants they faced. One was encased into a sculpture of ice, shattered at the next second into innumerable fragments. The other burned up in flames, dropping to the ground as a melted mush.


    "Their attacks were simple but, their body is as strong as ours." One of them commented, having arrived next to Vi Ha Su Warlord, looking at the Spider World wrapped in silence. "He probably perfected the Unranked Skill. Otherwise, changing Vu He Su Warlord''s body like that is not possible."


    "The sense of threat has appeared once again." Vi Ha Su Warlord murmured, closing in on the Spider World, arriving next to the spot the bone giant was wrapped.


    Tier 5 Skill¡ªSensory Invisibility!


    Vi Ha Su Warlord disappeared from view while the other two Floating Spider Warlords arrived at its spot, looking at the cocoon in nervousness. They spoke with each other in a flurry, discussing their mode of attack against the opponent. They didn''t have a choice since the Spider World shielded all forms of detection.


    "I don''t think he would be trapped like that. This is Jyovic Bone we are talking about; just a month ago he killed a Transformer from the Web Family. So, he should be the most knowledgeable about our Spider World." A Floating Spider Warlord, sporting faint sparks around its fists said.


    "I''ll kill the other human. We can then besiege Jyovic Bone from all sides and take his life. Even if he manages to do something, we will be able to deal with him as long as our Espers are freed." The other Floating Spider Warlord, sporting a pair of arms encased in ice said, flying towards Ankrakhen Light.


    Seeing a third foe fly towards him, the trace smile on his face vanished, replaced by an expression of grim. Ankrakhen Light noticed the state of the Spider World through one of his psychic arms he managed to free momentarily, feeling the building tension in his body abate, followed by a sense of relaxation.


    The approaching Floating Spider Warlord sent its fists forward, emitting a beam of energy, bluish-white in colour, targeting Ankrakhen Light.


    Ankrakhen Light brought a chakram forward¡ªyellow in colour, a Tier 5 Artifact fused with a Tier 4 Relic¡ªexpanding it in size until it blacked the entirety of the energy beam. The chakram spun with increasing speed, turning its surface rough, raising its friction with the air, burning up its exterior.


    The generated heat helped it resist the energy beam serving to freeze it, shielding Ankrakhen Light from the attack. Though, while doing this, the number of psychic arms left to defend himself had dropped down to four, leaving him in an increasingly dangerous situation. But, even then, Ankrakhen Light wasn''t flustered, seemingly waiting for something.


    Just when the Floating Spider Warlord was about to deliver another attack, a shrill scream erupted from the Spider World, followed by a bone giant peaking out, snapping the silk ropes without trouble. The silk ropes lacked their prior strength, easily snapping under the slightest of force exertion.


    "Thanks for the grub¡­" The bone giant had the upper half of its body peak out when a hand pierced through its chest, originating from its back, holding a beating heart in its hand.


    "Haha," Vi Ha Su Warlord laughed in delight, feeling its emotions brim with euphoria. Without any delay, it crushed the beating heart, also inserting its other hand through the bone giant''s head, piercing through its defence, and emerging on the other side, holding a brain.


    "Good riddance; the sneaky ones always fall for this trick." A voice resounded from under the bone giant. Before Vi Ha Su Warlord could react, the body of the bone giant turned into a white puddle, forming into various needles that drilled into its body. It was the same for the brain and heart clutched in its hands, turning into a mush of flesh, wrapping around its body, constricting it.


    The needles didn''t require any power to penetrate through its body. The moment they touched the epidermis, the surrounding flesh caved in, allowing them to burrow themselves deep into Vi Ha Su Warlord''s body.


    The needles pierced through the internals, burrowing their way towards the heart, damaging everything along their way, seeking to rend everything in sight. Vi Ha Su Warlord hurriedly flew backward, intending to put as much distance as it could.


    A hand emerged from beneath the bone giant, directing the palm towards the escaping Vi Ha Su Warlord, stopping its body, allowing numerous outgrowths to form on its body, striving to influence the rest of its body.


    One of the Sky Controller Floating Spiders diverted its psychic arm from the fight, seeping it into the body of Vi Ha Su Warlord, forming a barrier around its body, abating most of the influence. The psychic arm then brought Vi Ha Su Warlord away from the battlefield, pausing for a second in thought.


    ''His influence only spans a kilometre.'' A voice resounded next to all the Tier 5 Floating Spiders, alerting them of the details it had inferred based on the previous exchange.


    Jyovic Bone stood atop the remains of his bone giant form, placing the three thumb-sized spheres on his stomach, allowing it to seep inside his flesh, safeguarding them. He then noticed one of the Sky Controller Floating Spiders approach him, directing five blades¡ªcarried by a psychic arm each¡ªhis way.


    ''The Puppet Family¡­'' His expression turned serious, tapping on the bone giant below him, forming a hole, paving way towards the inside of the Spider World. Suddenly, he received a message, feeling his tension relax a bit.


    Without a second thought, Jyovic Bone jumped through it, allowing the hole to fill up, escaping from embroiling in a direct fight against the Sky Controller Floating Spider.

 Chapter 136: The Umbrella

    The Sky Controller Floating Spider arrived before the Spider World, finding a lack of entrance to allow its entry. It hurriedly transmitted its voice, bouncing the contents off the surface, intending for the lingering senses along the silk rope to transmit it to the source.


    But for some reason, despite it trying numerous times, the Spider World showed no signs of action, barring any entry. It was like a perfectly isolated world, anything that happened within it was blocked from the outside world.


    Faint ripples formed across its surface, colliding with one another, either negating or fusing to form a larger ripple. The Sky Controller Floating Spider used four of its psychic arms, with each holding blades in their ends, all Tier 5 Artifacts. It focused its attacks on an area where many ripples formed, trying to drill its way to the inside, feeling a premonition that something bad had happened in there.


    Its final psychic arm coursed through Vi Ha Su Warlord''s body, negating all traces of the influence Jyovic Bone had infused into it, extracting the foreign flesh and blood in a matter of seconds. The excess flesh and blood fell on the ground, forming a tiny pool, squirming like maggots for a couple of seconds before turning placid.


    Vi Ha Su Warlord''s body soon began to regenerate, recovering from its wounds in a matter of seconds, achieving peak battle strength immediately. Its gaze turned sombre, gazing at the Spider World in fluster, transmitting its voice to the psychic arm hovering next to its body, "We have to hurry inside. Facing against Jyovic Bone alone is dangerous; Vu He Su Warlord died without warning even under our watch."


    "Leave it to me; I''ll make an entry point within 10 seconds. Hide behind me and sneak up on Jyovic Bone when an opportunity arises." The Sky Controller Floating Spider said, using all five of its psychic arms to attack a particular spot on the Spider Dome.


    Suddenly, its actions paused, transmitting the message to all the Tier 5 Floating Spiders, "We faced an information crack in the northwest of Marble City; Marble City has been alerted. Make a retreat, now!"


    It raised its attacks to the maximum, impacting the same spot with perfect accuracy, soon forming a pin-sized hole. A psychic arm entered through the hole, surrounding the gap while exerting fore, widening it soon to a size capable of fitting its 4-metre sized body.


    The Spider World was important to them; not just due to the cost it took to create it, but also due to the lives inside. They were all at Tier 3 and Tier 4, composing significant battle strength, with many of them elites, possessing the potential to become Tier 5 Floating Spiders in the future.


    While it was busy trying to enter the Spider World, the other Sky Controller Floating Spider spotted two black dots approaching them from the west.


    Trailing behind the two dots was a long black line, marching forth like a silent meat grinder, masking a suffocating presence. The Sky Controller Floating Spider pushed away Ankrakhen Light, shouting in its home language, "Their main force has arrived. We have to retreat now."


    Suddenly, each of its senses, trained through numerous battles sent a multitude of warnings, instilling in it a threat that was a level greater than Jyovic Bone. It hurriedly retracted its psychic arms, wrapping around itself, forming five layers. It did not have enough leeway to shield the others, despite the frightening speed of its psychic arms, signifying how hard-pressed for time it was.


    Its heart suddenly began to beat in frenzy, pumping the blood through its veins at an alarming rate. Its muscles contracted and expanded, shivering in fright, seeking to break out of control. This forced the Sky Controller Floating Spider to shield itself even tighter, using the maximum length of its psychic arms to surround itself, forming a massive cocoon.


    The other Sky Controller floating Spider, the one that had been attacking the Spider World too did the same, enveloping the Floating Spider Warlord¡ªwith sparks around its fists¡ªwithin its barrier.


    As for Vi Ha Su Warlord, it stuck right next to the Sky Controller Floating Spider, falling under the protection of the psychic barrier.


    As for the Floating Spider Warlord with arms of frost, it was caught in an awkward position, having to face the attacks of Ankrakhen Light who suddenly focused all his strength on it. It then watched the muscles on its hand squirm, looking like many worms were dancing underneath.


    Having witnessed the actions of Vi Ha Su Warlord and the insight the Sky controller Floating Spider had provided, the Floating Spider Warlord flew towards the sky, raising distance from the two approaching dots.


    Its skin was ripped off, pulling out the muscles from within, grabbing hold of the nerves. Many blobs appeared on its skin, attracted towards the two dots, hurriedly severed by a pair of sharp nails.


    Now that they were within a kilometre in sight, their figures were clearly outlined; two humans, a man, and a woman sporting a similar base facial structure, seemingly siblings.


    Seeing their appearance, the Sky Controller Floating spider shot towards the sky, grabbing hold of the Floating Spider Warlord¡ªthe one with a pair of frosty arms, sporting numerous bone-deep injuries¡ªusing one of its psychic arms, making use of the speed of a Sky Controller to the full extent. In the span of two seconds, it had arrived at an altitude of 15 kilometres from the ground.


    The two of them looked at one another, arriving at a decision. Without any suspense, they flew west, staying beyond the attack range of the other party, heading towards their home, shuddering in fright as they glanced below.


    Hubert Bone dropped his arm, heaving out a breath, glancing at the Spider World. He controlled his faintly shivering body, putting on a strong front. His previous attack that influenced the environment consumed more than half the energy in his Heart Crystal within an instant, putting a massive strain on his body.


    Watching two batches of the Floating Spiders take off towards the skies, Hubert Bone glanced at his sister, Havita Bone, motioning towards the Spider World through eye contact. Havita Bone made a beeline towards it, looking ready to engage in battle.


    ''Four of them escaped, two Transformers, and two Sky Controllers; no, it was five, the fifth barely had a presence.'' Hubert Bone arrived above the Spider World, exerting his influence on it, making the surface squirm, soon opening a large hole¡ªfor human entry¡ªin a matter of seconds.


    "I am done here," A voice resounded through the area as Jyovic Bone flew out, carrying with him two thumb-sized spheres. He placed them on his stomach, allowing them to seep inside as the armour parted way.


    Ankrakhen Light arrived at the scene, seeping a psychic arm into the Spider World, watching its interior. With a face filled with shock and surprise, Ankrakhen Light exclaimed, "As expected of the hero of the Flying Throne Raid. An exemplary work as usual."


    "Thank you," Jyovic Bone nodded, "I have restrained all the Warriors; I had to kill the Espers though since they proved to be troublesome. But, the restrained ones are all elites, enough for us to conclude this mission."


    Four psychic arms entered the Spider World, bringing out one truck after another, placing them on the ground. A dome soon flew out, carried by the psychic arms, displaying the soldiers, most of whom were alive, only suffering from a state of severe energy depletion.


    "They survived thanks to Wunris Marble," Ankrakhen Light felt his vision blur. He turned around, gazing at the setting sun, sporting a tired expression; fatigue filled his face, seeking to experience prolonged rest.


    Faint visions clouded his mind, putting his thoughts into disarray. Ankrakhen Light closed his eyes, taking more than a minute to control his emotions, stabilising his mental state.


    ''It is time I retire. I am on the verge of losing control.''


    "I will bring this back to the city," Ankrakhen Light was just about to wrap his psychic arms around the Spider world¡ªafter taking measures to prevent his energy from being absorbed¡ªto move it when Jyovic Bone touched its surface, causing it to tremble once, the vibration coursing through the entire Spider World.


    The Spider World moved forward, soon picking up pace. Seeing his actions, Ankrakhen Light exclaimed once again, letting out a sigh, "The rise of the Bone Family is unstoppable."


    Jyovic Bone then murmured something to Havita Bone, pointing at a certain crater on the ground. Followed by a nod, a pair of transparent wings appeared on her back, carrying her towards the location.


    Havita Bone landed next to the mangled remains of Wunris Marble, and hovered her palm above it, exerting her influence, having activated her unranked Skill. The bloody mess squirmed under her sight, converging towards the mangled body, seeping into it, ballooning it in size.


    Soon, flesh, blood, organs, bones, nerves, etc. everything that belonged to his body made their way inside, allowing the skin to warp it perfectly. A slightly malnourished body of Wunris Marble, looking no different from his usual self except for the lack of life appeared, laid on the ground, placing his hands above his chest, sporting a defensive posture.


    "If you hadn''t tried to protect the others, considering your strength, you would have easily survived until reinforcements had arrived." Havita Bone murmured, sporting a complicated expression, filled with sadness, mixed with traces of ridicule, mockery present underneath them.


    "After all, the loss of a Sky Controller can never be compensated. There are only so few of you across the entirety of Marble City." She sighed, carrying his body in her arms as she flew towards the Spider World, landing on its surface.


    Seeing his lifeless body, Ankrakhen Light broke down into tears, having landed next to him. He held the body of Wunris Marble and screamed in pain, no longer having the demeanour of a senior Esper.


    They shared a lot of history, having braved through numerous trials of life together.


    He was a friend Ankrakhen Light confided in, having worked their way up, finally becoming Administrators. They planned to spend their days in such a manner, retiring one fine day, passing on the torch to the younger generation, watching them grow up while they themselves grew old.


    "You were not supposed to die," Ankrakhen Light shed tears without restraint; his emotions affected his body, causing it to minutely shiver, increasing the frequencies of the images flashing past his eyes, clouding his mind.


    The eyes of Jyovic Bone had faintly reddened, watching the scene. He then noticed Ankrakhen Light''s state, prompting him to act in a hurry, fishing out a thumb-sized sphere from his stomach.


    "Pass the torch to the next generation before you burn out." Jyovic Bone placed his hand on Ankrakhen Light''s shoulder, giving him a yellow, thumb-sized sphere. "Sorry, this was all I could retrieve in time."


    Holding the yellow sphere in his hands, Ankrakhen Light''s eyes regained some clarity, feeling his vision turn clear. He held the yellow sphere dear to his heart, turning still, looking no different from a statue.


    Hubert Bone noticed the truck numbered ''0'' finally arrive at the scene; he formed a pair of transparent wings on his back, carrying him towards it. He entered the truck and brought out a Ground Controller who possessed the Unranked Skill Regen.


    Held in his hands was a palm-sized fruit, looking similar to a ripened mango. The moment he landed on the Spider World, the Ground Controller began to treat the injuries of Ankrakhen Light.


    Soldiers trailed out from all the trucks, treating the soldiers that were part of the detached force. They also packed all the Tier 3 and Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts, making use of the restraints they made on the spot, thanks to the Ground Controllers from the Marble Family present at the scene.


    "They are all drained of energy. Their muscular structure also seems to be weakened while their bones have fused into a singular structure, caging them." A Ground Controller marvelled at the sight, taking a glance at Jyovic Bone standing atop the Spider World.


    Watching it move towards Marble City at a slow pace, Hubert Bone arrived next to Jyovic Bone, standing in silence, watching the setting sun. No words were exchanged between them, like two statues that were frozen in time.


    When the final rays of the sun had disappeared, Hubert Bone looked at the individual beside him, one who had aged in the reverse by more than 10 years in the past 2 hours, "Have you recovered your Skills?"


    "Yes," Jyovic Bone nodded, taking in a deep breath of air, disregarding the bloody tang mixed into it, "I have also recovered my Sync Rate to 100 percent; the Trait of Growth and the Trait of Severability, what a frightening pair they make."


    "But," Hubert Bone looked at his face once before turning around, allowing his voice to linger at the area, audible only to the designated individual, "You have already put an end to two products that resulted from the frightening pair."


    "Two down, two more to go."


    Jyovic Bone listened in silence, showing no change in expression. He glanced at the sky, noticing the appearance of the stars, "When you are the umbrella, it is your duty to brave through the storm. The moment a hole appears, the grass underneath suffers."

 Chapter 137: Wenina Marble’s Threat

    "You can stop now." Atika Light placed a hand on his shoulders, breaking his focus; her action nudged him out of his blue soul''s vision. Jyorta relaxed his arms, watching his Caterpillar dissolve into two blood tendrils and seep through his nostrils.


    "Ma''am, do I need to be treated again?" Jyorta inquired, feeling the condition of his body slightly better off than before. He returned the rectangular box filled with Brain Crystals, inquiring with slight nervousness, unwilling to face a drop in his Sync Rate once again.


    "It is no longer necessary; drinking the medicine I concocted will be sufficient. It will flush out the Brain Crystal impurities, preventing your condition from dropping like before." Atika Light handed him a beaker, filled with the same viscous solution as before.


    Jyorta downed it, feeling his internals warm up a little. Soon, his stomach became upset, urging him to rush towards the restroom. Taking permission from Atika Light, Jyorta exited the room. He hurried through the hall, arriving inside the cramped room situated next door.


    He entered the attached restroom and emptied his bowels, feeling the sense of pollution in him abate a little. While in the process, Jyorta closed his eyes, sensing his Brain Crystal, noticing its state.


    ''Its polluted state has further increased. Despite not having a drop in Sync Rate, my Esper abilities are still affected. Unless I expel all the impurities from my brain, my Esper abilities will never recover to their peak for the current Sync Rate.''


    Finished with his task, Jyorta took a bath, cleaning his body of the faint sweat that had formed patches on his skin. On closer inspection, the dried patches were a shade of white, the texture similar to chalk powder when he rubbed it with his fingers.


    Jyorta scrubbed himself, watching the white powder fail to dissolve in water. He then used soap, turning the situation around, removing them from his akin. Ten minutes later, Jyorta exited the restroom, noticing a set of clothes placed on the bed, arrived at the scene without alerting his senses.


    ''I shouldn''t expect much as a Line Controller. Based on everything I have heard, the true powers of Espers are only displayed at Tier 3. Only Wave Controllers and above can be called bonafide Espers.''


    The clothes consisted of a pant and shirt, coloured grey and yellow respectively, made from soft cotton. The clothes were tailored to fit his bodyline, having enough elasticity to ease his movements.


    Jyorta sat on the bed, closing his eyes, taking in the view of his blue soul, watching his surroundings turn dark. He concentrated on his subsoul, feeling apprehensive.


    The subsoul had bulged in size, almost to one-tenth the blue soul, filled with a chaotic cluster of memory fragments that were slowly beginning to settle in place, getting arranged into order through mutual convergence and divergence.


    A persona had already taken shape, coating most of the memory fragments with a white layer. In the core of the subsoul, surrounding the dark blue sphere was a layer of white, the essence of the newly formed persona. Moreover, a faint red substance began to form around the region, condensed due to the influx of abundant memory fragments.


    The excess memory fragments were birthing their own ego, forming into a collective whole. Jyorta''s ego¡ªinfused into the core of his subsoul¡ªrose up, taking a humanoid form, its appearance similar to him from the previous life. It was a projection of his ego, the only connection that made it his subsoul.


    The humanoid projection¡ªlight blue in colour¡ªraised its arms, grabbing hold of the forming ego, shredding it into countless pieces until they dissipated into energy. As it continued to shred them, many red tongues coursed from the memory fragments, bolstered by the persona, accelerating the formation of the ego.


    ''The more I absorb, the greater the danger I subject myself to. But, only through this manner will there be some hope to save sister. Now, I only have to wait for the Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts to enact the final plan.'' Jyorta thought, exiting the cramped room to find Anruk Light standing at the same spot as before, looking slightly sad.


    "Sir, did something happen?" Jyorta inquired, feeling his heart race, taking a hurried glance at the room where his sister was kept.


    Anruk Light shook his head, signalling that the cause wasn''t related to Heima, "There has never been an occasion where something hasn''t happened in our city. After all, we are constantly at war against our foes that border Marble City."


    He sighed, "We lost some experts with pinnacle battle strength."


    Realising the recipient of the contents, Anruk Light stopped himself from speaking, putting a pause on the topic at hand. He then motioned with his hands, "Let us have dinner now. Madam summoned for your presence in five hours, saying she had prepared something you had requested."


    ''Are they finally here?'' Jyorta thought, feeling his heart skip a beat. As he accompanied Anruk Light, Jyorta wondered about the state of his sister before she had been forcefully put in a state of coma. Theoretically speaking, there were still many things about the Essence of Frenzy he was clueless about.


    Even though he was inside the headquarters of Grapple Force, the place where the elites of Marble City gathered, he had yet to see any institutional gatherings to date. From the conversations he had listened in through his Soul Cornea, the place he was in was like an outhouse under Grapple Force.


    It was where the elites gathered when they didn''t have anything serious going on. To be honest, he was very much interested in visiting the research and development department to watch the production of the various Artifacts, Relics, and Trait fruits.


    ''If I have an opportunity to visit here in the future, I will definitely check them out and broaden my horizons. First things first, I should save my sister.'' Jyorta accompanied Anruk Light, treading through the narrow hallway as before, taking the path that proceeded beyond the functional facilities.


    The more something was guarded in secrecy, the more it triggered his curiosity. Jyorta reined in his thoughts, entering the dining section, watching the empty room, bereft of any people. In the entire room, other than him and Anruk Light, there was only one other person, the chef in charge of preparing food for the day.


    Noticing their entry, the chef pointed them towards a table, motioning for them to be seated. He then entered the kitchen and brought out a large tray, supporting many plates, each filled to the brim with food.


    "Sir, since we have only the two of you today, the dishes are prepared to your taste and physique." The chef said, neatly arranging each food item. Jyorta took in the aroma, uplifting his spirits. He looked at the food arranged before him, a large bowl filled with thick gravy, the texture of butter causing a sublime sensation, watering his mouth.


    The main ingredient used in the food was a variety of chickpeas, first boiled and later immersed in the gravy, allowing the contents to seep through, enriching the taste. Placed next to it was a type of bread, thin like a kerchief, folded many times until it formed a triangle the size of his palm.


    Poured inside a tumbler was a fruit juice, the type of fruit he never knew but came to like the flavour of. The food items were limited in his case but, their quantity was immense, enough for him to stuff himself twice.


    Jyorta happily ate the food, taking in the view of his blue soul, watching his surroundings turn dark. He could still make out the food items, allowing him to eat without causing any suspicion. Jyorta inspected his subsoul, watching the ego he had infused into it begin to waver, having to fight against a foreign ego without support.


    The hands of his subsoul''s projection had turned red, with the seepage extending to its elbows, looking intent to proceed further.


    ''Why isn''t it making use of my corrosion?'' Jyorta wondered, looking at it in puzzlement. As his subsoul, it too possessed his ability of corrosion. It was a case similar to how Heima managed to come to possess the ability of space. He decided to name it the Soul Skill just for convenience.


    The subsouls obtained the ability of the main soul, but they were incapable of invading the souls of others. Only the main soul was capable of creating the subsouls. Thanks to his discussions with Heima, he came to know that even subsouls would be able to use the Soul Skill of the main soul, experiencing a fright.


    Until now, he had created 3 subsouls in total, barring the soul of the previous Jyorta which had now fused into his. The first was the soul of the late language teacher''s Wisdom Parasite; it had now been made into the curtain, the false persona¡ªone of gluttony, focus, and filled with self-control.


    The third was the soul of his Wisdom Parasite which had yet to produce the corrosion Skill to date. But, it was the second subsoul that unnerved him. In the final battle against the soul of the previous Jyorta, to deliver him the final blow, he had converted the soul of a certain nurse''s Wisdom Parasite.


    The nurse was a lady by the name of Wenina Marble, an Area Controller. Even though she was just a Tier 2 Esper, and the one possessing the ability of corrosion wasn''t her soul but the soul of her Wisdom Parasite, Jyorta still felt perturbed.


    Suppose the lady lost control one day, then the resulting monster will be controlled by her Wisdom Parasite; meaning, the monster will be able to use the corrosion Skill through its psychic arms. The corrosion derived from him was different from the Essence of Frenzy''s corrosion.


    The Essence of Frenzy was filled with many mental states, chemical components, memory fragments, etc. forming into a cluster, possessing effects that varied with each Frenzy Beast. But, his corrosion was purely formed from energy, the effects unique. It was simple, its essence focused solely on the destructive aspect.


    When she lost control, as someone part of the Marble family, the cause would be investigated. When the appearance of the mysterious corrosion circulated through their higher-ups, it would reach the ears of Psychic Ancestor Marble, one who knew of his existence and abilities.


    At that time, his life would have to depend on the magnanimity of Psychic Ancestor Marble. Moreover, the Wisdom Parasite of Wenina Marble now had the ego of Kaushik. As it grew while absorbing her life experiences, it would soon give birth to his personality. Considering his voracious appetite for knowledge, the mental growth of the Wisdom Parasite would be accelerated.


    So, the case of Wenina Marble losing control was definite. And, it was something that was bound to occur soon. Unless Jyorta could meet her and erase the forming personality, absorbing all the memory fragments, her doom was certain, leading to him developing animosity with Psychic Ancestor Marble.


    ''I hope she doesn''t lose control before I graduate from the military academy.''

 Chapter 138: Wisdom Plant

    Within a large room¡ªspanning 200 metres in length and breadth, with the ceiling situated 20 metres from the ground¡ªfaint fog broiled around, forming clusters that swirled around, and making tiny twisters.


    A massive machine stood in its centre, having a height of 10 metres, possessing a solid cylindrical structure. Attached to it were numerous pipes, each pumping in certain gases and liquids, their concentration and flow regulated by valves, affixed at regular intervals.


    Each pipe conjoined at places and separated into their individual sections at others, mixing the substances flowing through them, creating a mixture to be transported, filtered through their difference in density, solubility, miscibility, viscosity, and chemical composition.


    In the entire room, this was the only machine whirring into life, the sound it produced akin to the wails of a human. In the midsection of the cylindrical structure, a rectangular section spanning 2 metres in length and a metre in height opened, allowing a dense reddish fog to waft out, mixing in with the white fog. In a matter of seconds, the red fog was devoured by the white fog, turning its shade, looking no different from mist.


    A psychic arm flashed through the rectangular section, bringing out a tiny sapling. The sapling had a thin green stem, looking fragile. It had two leaves, long and thin, trailing like a piece of rope, attached to the end of it was a pitcher each, sporting a leaf-like lid.


    The lid was currently opened, showcasing the inside of the pitcher, looking red, filled with crimson blood. Thin green vines, looking no different from hair squirmed through the blood, absorbing the substance into them, turning crimson.


    The level of the blood soon decreased, absorbed into the vines, turning the bottom of the pitcher a shade of red. The bottom-most part of the pitcher, the point of contact with the leaf had turned dark crimson, almost to the point of being black.


    Soon, the shade of crimson coursed through its stem, circulating within it, allowing a thin stream to approach the roots. The roots were fibrous, having hundreds, if not thousands of secondary roots, wriggling in the air, absorbing the surrounding fog.


    The psychic arm brought the sapling towards a drum, spanning a cross-section equivalent to its height. Filled in it was a viscous solution, looking saline. A layer of powder, looking no different from Brain Crystal impurities sedimented at the bottom.


    An organ floated on its surface, beating in a steady rhythm, its actions actuated by a psychic arm seeped into its flesh. The heart was the size of a human fist, looking no different from a human heart, derived from someone young. It pumped the viscous solution, the source, and the sink being the same.


    The sapling was brought to the drum, hovering a foot above the beating heart. The psychic arm holding the sapling expanded, coursing through its entirety, actuating the fibrous roots, forcing them to wrap around the beating heart.


    The thumping of the heart intensified, completely wrapped around by the roots, encasing it. It was then placed on the surface of the viscous solution, leaving it to float on it. The psychic arm extricated itself, closing a lid on the drum, having porous holes. It allowed the transfer of air, giving the sapling its needs.


    The drum was then placed at the end of a conveyer belt, one that moved no more than a metre per minute, heading towards an open section in the wall, proceeding somewhere else.


    In the meantime, the shrill screams echoing from the 10-metre tall cylinder intensified, blood-curdling to the extent they rattled the machine, causing tremors to course through it. A figure landed on its top, sporting limbs made of psychic energy.


    A beam of light descended from the figure, entering the cylinder, culling the shrill screams. The machine whirred to a pause, instilling a moment of peace in the large hall.


    "Ma''am, at this rate, even if he doesn''t die, he would definitely be crippled, both physically and mentally." A psychic arm appeared beside the figure, whispering in her ears, its tone filled with hesitation.


    "Then, you take his place. I have a method to also make do with Sky Controllers." The lady, Atika Light said, showing no change in her expression, as if she had just ordered the other party to fetch something trivial.


    "Ma''am, I will take the role now." A man walked forward, his back held straight, his demeanour brimming with confidence. "Espers are necessary to take control of the situation. It is the job of us Warriors to shoulder the grunt work."


    "I hope you can last longer than this man. He couldn''t hold out by the time we produced 78 saplings." Atika Light said, tapping a spot on the cylindrical machine, causing it to form numerous vertical lines that coursed its long body, becoming columns.


    Soon, it expanded, bringing each curved plate outwards, revealing a large gap along the cylindrical machine, to the extent it looked like it was cut in half and laid bare. Standing within it was an 8-metre tall giant, sporting a humanoid appearance.


    His once robust physique now looked a mash-up of delicate rubber, on the verge of melting. Inserted into his flesh were numerous tubes, having stopped pumping in various fluids. Attached to his mouth was a pipe, segmented into two after a foot, trailing into two pipes that proceeded towards the other ends.


    Situated at the end of one pipe was a seed, held within a flower, secured without harm. The flower had five petals forming a base, with five more present overhead, forming a dome. They were a shade of magenta, their inner surface a mixture of green, yellow, and orange. The seed was shaped like a walnut, brown in colour, secured within the dome of petals.


    Placed at the end of the other pipe was an arm-length creature, sporting a suction pod-like mouth, white in colour. It was held in place by a valve, barring its motion. It was the Wisdom Parasite, looking no different from the ones used in the Induction Ceremonies, the only difference being its mode of usage.


    The 8-metre tall humanoid figure began to shrivel up, shrinking in size. A couple of psychic arms flashed around, removing all the connected tubes, freeing its restraints. Soon, a human figure kneeled on the floor, coughing out blood, his body shivered in increasing intensities while his face was pale, oozing out an aura of despair.


    "Treat him," Atika Light commanded, allowing a psychic arm to carry the man towards a corner, passing through a door installed at the place, taken beyond the limit of observation.


    Atika Light turned towards the man willing to take the spot next, "Hope you can last longer."


    "Don''t worry, ma''am; I will not be an embarrassment to us Transformers." The man bowed a little, emitting copious amounts of aura, emanating dense energy currents that ignited the air, turning the area into a sea of flames.


    Three psychic arms appeared in the region the moment the man emitted his aura, forming a cocoon around him, preventing the machine from being affected. The cocoon soon enlarged in size, spanning 5 metres in radius.


    The man experienced an increase in size, turning into a 13-metre tall giant. His entire skin was covered in scales, looking extremely tough. Tiny spikes emerged all across his body, looking sharp to the extent capable of shredding the bodies of any Shifter. The arms and legs further increased in their girth, turning into thick stumps. Another layer of armour formed on the body, forming 2 more layers over the limbs.


    The entire body formed segments across its surface, with each segment spanning a centimetre wide, looking elastic. They imbued in the giant a sense of flexibility, further raising its explosive powers.


    The head experienced further changes; the jaw protruded out, turning long and sharp. The teeth morphed into one similar to a shark''s, shining with a deadly lustre. A pair of horns formed on the head, looking flexible like the feelers of insects, darting to and fro to sense the surroundings.


    The eyes elongated, its ends turning sharp, creating an arc across the forehead. Armour covered the head section, masking the hair that resembled a forest, but one filled with spikes. It was the same with the neck, the segments formed on it even minute as compared to the rest of the body, showing greater importance for flexibility.


    Tier 5 Skill¡ªWarlord Transformation!


    Depending on the size of the Warlord, a Transformer''s strength could be easily deduced. Their height generally varied from 5 metres to 10 metres, with the biggest in their history spanning a whopping height of 18 metres.


    The 13-metre tall giant arrived before the cylindrical dome, looking at the tiny machine, glancing at Atika Light with confusion. It opened its mouth, producing a set of words that rattled the environment, the strength concealed within its flesh apparent. "Ma''am, I won''t fit inside it."


    "Indeed, you are not an embarrassment to us Transformers," Atika Light let out a nonchalant smile, showing no change in expression despite seeing a giant that surpassed the norm. After all, she had given birth to a monster and witnessed his growth firsthand. There weren''t many things in this world that could garner her surprise or admiration.


    Ten psychic arms flashed around, quickly dismantling and reconstructing the cylindrical machine, increasing its size until it could fit the current Warlord giant. Soon, the cylindrical machine spanned a height of 15 metres, now able to encase the Warlord giant.


    As the 13-metre tall giant entered the machine, the columns closed. Many psychic arms flashed, attaching the tubes to its body, making holes in necessary places in a matter of seconds. After all, the ones operating on it were Sky Controllers, possessing enough strength to damage its condensed flesh.


    The machine soon whirred into life as the flower encasing a seed and the Wisdom Parasite entered the giant''s mouth simultaneously, travelling through its food pipe, eventually ending up in its stomach.


    The influx of the numerous fluids actuated many chain reactions, all occurring within the giant''s stomach. The giant grunted, bearing the pain without making a scene, enduring it without trouble.


    "Inform me should a complication arise. I''ll be back before the first sapling is produced." Atika Light said, disappearing from view, exiting the hall. She arrived at another large hall, looking at the drums brought inside through a conveyer belt.


    Many Ground Controllers were at work here, arranging the drums in order underneath a column that carried them through various machines. At the end were Espers from the Marble family, sporting psychic arms shimmering with flames of all colours.


    Unranked Skill¡ªFlame Refinery!


    The psychic arms treated the contents in the drum, making many mystical changes according to the procedure, executing the process until the drums melted. Soon, only a sapling was left, with its roots covered by the substance that made the drums, turning them rigid.


    Atika Light arrived at a rack where the completed saplings were segregated, grabbing hold of one of them. She directed a beam of light through the sapling, creating three projections overhead, a giant human, a Wisdom Parasite, and a normal plant, forming a synonymous balance, their effects harmonised into a whole.


    "The production of the Wisdom Plants has finally begun. The finalised product is also an upgrade of the previous version, with their growth stunted at Tier 5. They now perceive humans as their sole ally, cooperating fully without any complains." Atika Light retracted the beam of light, placing the sapling in its prior spot, watching the projections disappear one by one.


    "In times of crisis, they will voluntarily stake their lives to defend us, humans. Moreover, their wisdom has been further improved, but filled with restrictions so that they won''t form thoughts of their own." Atika Light said, glancing at her right, looking at the humanoid figure that had appeared at some point in time.


    "So, what are your opinions on this?" Atika Light said, looking at the magenta humanoid figure enveloped in silence. She then noticed the magenta figure heave out a sigh.


    "Efficiency wise, they can now produce Frenzy Fruits at greater quantity. But, we have to expend the strength of our Transformers to produce them, cutting our battle strength short for the time being." The magenta figure shook its head, "Once we have braved through this crisis, modify the method to exclude our Transformers from it."


    "I was thinking of the Children of Wisdom¡­" Atika Light said, watching the face of the magenta figure crumple.


    "If there is a hell, we will be its VIP candidates."


    "That sure we do."

 Chapter 139: Check

    It was well past midnight, the black sky blanketing the land in darkness. The stars shimmering in the night sky were like gems embedded in the black canvas, sprinkled over its surface. The entire landscape was blanketed by the darkness, except Marble City.


    Its walls were magenta in colour, radiating a pink light, illuminating the surrounding land. In the darkness, it was like a bright gem, a feat of nature, attracting the gazes of countless creatures lurking in the dark.


    The creatures lurking in the darkness abated like the tide, having sensed the presence of a threat. Soon, a long line of trucks entered the scene, forming a trail that spanned more than five kilometres. Situated in its centre was a massive truck, its hulking frame made the surrounding trucks look like ants.


    Hovering above the massive truck was a Spider World, spanning a radius of 260 metres, inching along with it. Standing on its surface were two figures, Jyovic Bone and Ankrakhen Light. When they approached the vicinity of Marble City, numerous figures were alerted, taking up battle positions.


    They soon received the instructions from their higher-ups, making them relax their postures, heaving a collective sigh of relief. Soon, four Ground Controllers arrived at the scene, headed by a Sky Controller.


    Upon seeing Ankrakhen Light, the Sky Controller immediately saluted, "Sir, once we finish the formalities, you will be allowed entry."


    "Take your time," Ankrakhen Light nodded, having returned to his prior demeanour. He then watched the soldiers trail out of the trucks, getting inspected by the Ground Controllers of their physical and mental states, giving them first aid to prevent any cases of soldiers losing control.


    It was also to prevent the soldiers from smuggling anything into the city. Their battle spoils would be tallied and kept a record of by the authorities, allowing the soldiers to later claim it officially. As the people in charge of an entire Trail, Ankrakhen Light, and the three Bone Family Transformers stood at the end, watching everything progress in silence.


    Soon, soldiers arrived, holding many Relics in their hands, each of them focused on investigative aspects. They inspected each truck, checking for any traces of Frenzy Beasts that were hiding in it, lingering Essence of Frenzy, etc.


    They also scanned the landscape, preventing the Frenzy Beasts from invading the city through the open gates. Once they determined the coast to be clear, they began to transport the captured Frenzy Beasts and the containers filled with the flesh and blood of Frenzy Beasts.


    A team of Espers landed beside Jyovic Bone, inquiring about the details of the Spider World he had brought.


    Once they were informed of everything they ought to know, they entered the Spider World through a hole he opened, inspecting everything inside, confirming everything based on safety aspects. The Sky Controller from before motioned for them to descend, call them forth to a separate spot.


    The four Transformers arrived before the Sky Controller, getting inspected in order. The first in queue was Ankrakhen Light, getting his body scanned by a psychic arm. The Sky Controller paused in surprise, his widened eyes looking at the other party, unable to believe the state of the body he witnessed, "Sir¡­you¡­?"


    "I had to do it. I was very close to losing control." Ankrakhen Light shook his head, pointing at the truck numbered ''0'' before proceeding towards the entrance into Marble City. "The body of Wunris Marble is inside there."


    He held a yellow thumb-sized sphere in his palm, "I will submit this to Ancestor Marble myself."


    "Yes, sir." The Sky Controller nodded, summoning one of his subordinates to head towards the pointed truck and retrieve the body of Wunris Marble. Followed by Ankrakhen Light were Hubert Bone and Havita Bone.


    It was finally Jyovic Bone''s turn, getting his body inspected by the other party''s psychic energy. The Sky Controller paused in confusion, narrowing his eyelids, "In your stomach¡­"


    "Oh, sorry," Jyovic Bone placed his hand over his stomach, making the armour part way. The skin and muscles of his stomach squirmed, creating a hole wider than his thumb, allowing the gentle rays emitted from the walls of Marble City to be reflected. "I tend to forget things these days; I am getting in on my age."


    The Sky Controller gazed at the appearance of the other party, looking no older than a man in his sixties, finding it hard to believe his claim.


    Jyovic Bone fished out four thumb-sized spheres, placing them on the hands of the Sky controller, raising a cry of surprise from the other party. The Sky Controller exclaimed, "Is this the famed Trait recently created by you, sir?"


    "It sure is." Jyovic Bone nodded, "I can now guarantee that its functions have been perfected, allowing practical use."


    When his inspection concluded, Jyovic Bone walked towards Marble City, his steps calm and steady like before, occasionally pausing to admire the splendour of the city walls. He let out a sigh, his back hunched as he entered the city, taking a path along the side of the 200-metre wide road.


    "Tier 6¡­" He murmured, gazing at the back of his two children, the thoughts running through his mind untraceable, thanks to his exceptional control over his body, not exhibiting anything apart from what he wanted, be it emotions, actions, demeanour, aura, attitude, dialogues, etc.


    ¡­


    Walking along a long corridor was a lady, her pace slow but steady. Trailing behind her was a Shifter, pushing along a cart, the contents inside shielded by a cover. The lady soon walked into a narrow corridor, one whose sides were covered with paintings.


    She opened a certain door, walking into a room with a circular bench, looking at three other doors placed along each wall. She glanced at the Shifter, pointing at the circular bench, "Place it here and summon Anruk Light."


    "Yes, Ma''am." The Shifter bowed, his posture filled with a sense of worship. He placed the cart at the designated location and exited the room, closing the door behind him. A minute later, Anruk Light entered in a flurry, wiping his forehead covered in sweat.


    "Stand here and send in a box each time I call you, okay?" Atika Light approached the door on her left, entering it to find Jyorta standing beside Heima, holding her hand in his. He looked determined, showing trace confidence in his demeanour.


    ''If nurtured well, this child will grow up into a fine character.'' Atika Light smiled, making eye contact with Anruk Light. Without delay, Anruk Light removed a box from the cart and handed it to her.


    Atika Light closed the door, alerting Jyorta from the ensuing sound. He hesitated for a second, taking a glance at the face of his sister, firming his focus.


    "Ma''am, I wanted to ask about my sister''s mental state." Jyorta made eye contact, standing straight, his confidence giving him the anchor to speak clearly. "Before she was forcefully put to sleep, was she normal? The Essence of Frenzy, it hasn''t affected her right?"


    "It did affect her," Atika Light said, waving her hands to indicate that the situation wasn''t alarming, "We have treated her on time. So, suppose she wakes up now, she would be the same as usual."


    "Ma''am, I am also confused as to how the Wisdom Parasite will mutate into a Frenzy Parasite. And, why is it a bad thing?" Jyorta inquired, trying to gain a clearer picture of the situation. Even though he had some preliminary ideas about them, he sought to gain comprehensive knowledge before initiating his final plan. After all, anything executed based on half-baked knowledge was tantamount to foolishness.


    "The Essence of Frenzy was created by Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, with his prime focus to weaken us." Atika Light said, taking a seat in her usual spot, "So, when our body is invaded by the Essence of Frenzy, it corrodes the mind of the Wisdom Parasite, pushing us on the border of losing control. Moreover, genetically speaking, the Wisdom Parasites and Frenzy parasites are one and the same; the only difference is their source."


    "The only difference is their source¡­" Jyorta repeated the statement; his gaze turned pensive, causing his thoughts to spiral out of control. The blue soul in him overlaid the false persona on him, slowing down his thoughts to a controllable level.


    ''So, there is a second Mother Parasite or something along its equivalent?''


    "Also, once the Wisdom Parasite in Heima becomes a Frenzy Parasite, she would fall under the gaze of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. Even though her existence hasn''t yet been exposed to him, it would only be the case until she becomes a Transformer. After that, should she possess a Frenzy Parasite, then she might lose control on the spot when he wills it." Atika Light paused, taking a breather.


    "The control Rhachis Ancestor Parasite has over the Frenzy Parasites is absolute. The Wisdom Parasites imbues in us some resistance against his influence." Atika Light stood up, approached him, and handed him a rectangular box.


    The rectangular box spanned 2 feet in length and breadth, having a height of a foot. It looked to be hiding something inside, weighing a kilogram. Jyorta took hold of the box, noticing Atika Light pause in her explanation.


    On seeing that she didn''t go into any details, Jyorta didn''t probe further. The details he obtained were sufficient. After all, he just wanted to scout for more information. Based on his probing while dining, he had enough information to finalise his plan, something he had done a day ago.


    "Inside it is a Tier 1 Floating Spider. Your methods should bypass the restrictions." Atika Light said, taking a seat, watching him with a smile.


    ''I don''t know how much she knows about my methods but, she is indeed a scary lady. I wonder what Anruk Light had witnessed to lose his wit every time he sees her, despite having to work with her all the time.''


    Thanks to the false persona, Jyorta didn''t show any emotions, taking in the view of his blue soul, watching his surroundings turn dark. There was his blue soul, filled with mysterious inscriptions to the brim, cramping the available space. Hovering next to it was his subsoul, experiencing numerous changes every second.


    He noticed two other souls before him, with one of them equivalent to one-tenth his soul, while the other was just a tiny wisp.


    ''Let us start now.'' Jyorta smiled, brimming with confidence.

 Chapter 140: Evolution!

    Jyorta unleashed his Soul Cornea, slithering it out his body, prodding its way towards the tiny wisp. The Soul Cornea exerted its influence, having arrived next to the wisp. The next moment, the trace murky substance covering the wisp vaporised, allowing the pure memory fragments to condense within it.


    The Soul Cornea touched the wisp, destroying its ego in an instant. The soul core experienced some changes as a part of Jyorta''s ego was attached to it, fusing into its essence. The Soul Cornea then approached the other soul, spanning one-tenth its size.


    When it neared the soul, it exerted its influence once again, vaporising the murkiness covering the other party, consuming a longer time to get the process done. The soul faintly trembled, sensing its presence. But, it wasn''t developed to the extent capable of retaliation, its only fate to be invaded by the Soul Cornea.


    The Soul Cornea pierced through the soul, slithering its way through the gaps between each memory fragments, soon arriving before the core. It wrapped itself around the core, the gap between them as minimal as possible while avoiding contact.


    The Soul Cornea turned jet black for an instant, reverting to normalcy as it inspected the core, finding the majority of its ego destroyed in the corrosive attack. The Soul Cornea touched the core, instilling Jyorta''s ego within it, allowing the ego to fight with the remainder of the other party''s ego.


    Within a minute, the soul had become his subsoul. The Soul Cornea absorbed all the memory fragments, collating them into a pile inside the blue soul. Retracting the Soul Cornea, Jyorta used his blue soul to arrange the absorbed memory fragments in order.


    The Sour Cornea thinned out considerably, making contact with each memory fragment, shaving off the white layer covering it. Within an hour, the Soul Cornea had gone through all the fragments it had absorbed from the two new subsouls, destroying all the attached personality traits.


    Exiting from the vision of his blue soul, Jyorta closed his eyes, sensing his Brain Crystal, finding the psychic energy expended in the previous process amounting to only half its total capacity.


    ''Anything below Tier 3 lacks that barrier protecting their souls. This makes converting them into my subsoul a cakewalk thanks to my reserve of psychic energy.'' Jyorta held the rectangular box, inspecting it to figure its method of opening.


    Seeing his actions, Atika Light frowned, "Inside it is a Tier 1 Floating Spider. If you open the box, it would destroy the Frenzy Beast''s restrains."


    "Ma''am, it has already become my subsoul." Jyorta smiled, landing on the floor as he made his way towards Atika Light, presenting the box to her. Atika Light was someone who was privy to his existence. Moreover, judging by his observation, he concluded that she was also quite knowledgeable about Gajara Rahi, the late Rhachis Ancestor Space.


    It was why she was never surprised by his actions, always looking at him with a smile, the calmness in her disappearing not even once.


    "You have exceptional adaptability," Atika Light gazed into his eyes, gleaning information about his character through each of his actions. Having observed his behaviour for the past two days, all the time using her Tier 4 Skill to do so, she had an ample grasp of his character.


    She placed the rectangular box on her lap, filing the tip of her nail along a particular surface, her actions never once conforming to any fixed pattern. The rectangular box was smooth, with no grooves or indentations anywhere, lacking the spot for a lock and key mechanism or any other mechanism for the matter.


    A second after her action, the rectangular box formed a line that converged across one side, parting the surface to the ends, revealing enough gap for the creature within to come out. A Soul Cornea flashed into it, imbuing certain memory fragments inside the soul of the Frenzy Beast.


    A hairy leg emerged out, holding the edge of the top, pulling its body. It let out faint shrieks, feeling the restraints on its body relax, giving it freedom. A tiny Floating Spider, spanning the size of two feet climbed out, gently taking flight, hovering a foot above the box.


    As the lid closed, the Floating Spider landed on it, looking exhausted, its weakened body failing to hold its body straight. It let out faint squeals, glancing at Jyorta, raising goosebumps in his arm, making him involuntarily take a step back.


    It was his first time seeing a Frenzy Beast up close, not to mention a spider at that. Just its appearance alone delivered a critical hit to his mental state, despite the fact that the other party was another him.


    "You would eventually get used to their horrid appearances." Atika Light said, placing her hand on the Floating Spider''s back, showing no trace of repulsion. "Considering the appearances of the other Frenzy Beasts, the Floating Spiders can be said to fall on the cuter side. Many soldiers puke on the spot when they first bear witness to a Ring Worm."


    She noticed the state of the Floating Spider, apprehensive at the hand that caressed its back, but showed no signs of hatred towards her. Its demeanour was no different from a human child getting patted by a stranger.


    The strange disharmony between its appearance and its behaviour made Atika Light chuckle. She began to play with its legs, teasing it in amusement. "When they don''t try to attack you, they are pleasing pets."


    ''The domain of the soul is impressive as always. An enemy has been converted into one of our own in an hour. If used well, this will prove to be an advantage to Marble City.''


    Atika Light looked at Jyorta, watching him take furtive glances at the floating Spider, trying to win over his sense of disgust but failing grandly. "It is not something you can overcome in a day. The military academy will give you ample training in this regard."


    "Also," She pointed at the Floating Spider, "Are you affected in any way due to this?"


    "Affected in any way?" Jyorta shook his head, noticing Atika Light sport an expression of concern.


    "How much do you know about Rhachis Ancestor Space?" She paced the rectangular box on the floor beside her chair, watching the Floating Spider stay put, behaving obediently.


    "Only some stuff that my sister has shared with me," Jyorta replied, feeling strange at the direction of conversation that Atika Light was manoeuvring towards. He decided to be truthful for now, considering how he didn''t have an inkling to her knowledge base. He didn''t want to lose trust due to a haphazard lie; forming a relationship with Atika Light would only prove to be beneficial to his future, something he didn''t want to destroy without sufficient reason to bank upon.


    "Do you know that she suffered from a multiple personality disorder in her later years? It was all thanks to her creating numerous subsouls without restraint and taking them all into her soul." Atika Light pointed at him, "Does your ability of corrosion give you any methods to deal with this issue?"


    "Yes ma''am, it does." Jyorta nodded, feeling unsurprised about the connection she made with his corrosion''s ability to affect the soul. The blue soul in him had long since overlaid the false persona over the blue face, subtly affecting his thoughts and emotions.


    "I can destroy the personalities of my subsouls. Though, it is a tedious process, consuming tremendous energy and time."


    "Good, I will be monitoring your mental state for the time being. If I detect any problems, we will immediately stop this." Noticing him nod at her words, she continued, "What are you planning to do next?"


    "I plan to make numerous subsouls to support me," Jyorta said, stopping his explanation on seeing the other party nod in comprehension, having formulated numerous ideas in an instant.


    ''She is a terrifying individual just on this aspect alone. Anyone who dares to make an enemy out of her will get a free pass to the afterlife.''


    Atika Light snapped her fingers, producing a sound that reverberated through the room, rattling the door in a certain frequency, producing a sonorous tune. The door immediately opened as ten rectangular boxes flew in, stacking next to her. The door closed without a sound, the actions quick, executed without any flaws.


    "You can continue." Atika Light pointed at the boxes, motioning for Jyorta to proceed with his plans. She never asked him to describe his plan, nor devise one for him, leaving everything to his discretion. It was as if she just wanted to witness his actions and arrive at a conclusion; as to what factor she wanted to conclude upon, Jyorta had no idea.


    After taking in the view of his blue soul, Jyorta grabbed another rectangular box, sensing the souls being no different from before. Using the Soul Cornea, he repeated the same process as before, taking an hour to destroy all the personalities from the resulting memory fragments.


    He summoned his Caterpillar and absorbed a Brain Crystal, getting back to making subsouls. Finally, after consuming five Brain Crystals, he had converted the souls in all the ten rectangular boxes, totalling to 22 subsouls he had recently obtained.


    The entire process¡ªfrom the soul of the first Floating Spider to the last Tier 1 Frenzy Beast¡ªhad taken him 11 hours in total. His hunger had long abated, due to his intense concentration levels that blocked his primal senses.


    A faint reaction erupted inside his blue soul, stemming from the blue face in it, actuated by the memory fragments that had reached a certain density, occupying the entirety of the blue soul. A faint undulation spread forth from the blue face, enveloping the entire blue soul in its wake.


    ''It is here!'' Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief. His eyes brimmed with confidence as he once again summoned his Caterpillar, allowing it to land on his right palm. His left hand held a small rectangular box filled with the Brain crystals while his psychic arm flashed into existence, having grown to 60 centimetres in length.

 Chapter 141: Tier 2 Blue Soul

    Atika Light sensed a faint disturbance in the surroundings, the source trailing from Jyorta who sat on the floor before her. She inspected his condition, arriving at a conclusion based on the data obtained through her Skill.


    Tier 4 Skill¡ªCataclysmic Inferrer!


    While retaining the Skill at an activated state, her body ballooned up, soon flattening up across the front, turning into a 2-dimensional figure. Her limbs retreated into her, replaced with limbs made up of psychic energy. Her body floated to the air, arriving at the back of Jyorta, separated by a distance of two metres.


    Three circles formed on her front, emitting a beam of light, transparent to the eyes. The beam of light fell on Jyorta, causing faint projections to appear overhead. The projections were blurry to the extent they looked like dust flying through the air due to an updraft, their motion visible due to the ray of sunlight that cascaded the area.


    Tier 5 Skill¡ªMystic Lord Transformation!


    Noticing the state of Jyorta, his concentration occupied to the extent unable to sense his surroundings, Atika light voluntarily activated her Tier 5 Skill, trying to glean concrete information through the phenomenon she had sensed.


    Atika Light concentrated, modifying the beam based on all the information she had accumulated, turning it faint blue, solidifying the projection formed overhead. The projection turned into a face, a replica of Kaushik from his previous lifetime.


    The face was a shade of dark blue, sporting a pair of eyes that were jet black. It turned around, witnessing the beam of light fall on it, the source originating from an old lady who looked to be in her forties.


    The blue face opened its mouth, forming a set of words that resounded in her mind, "You have grown well, Atika."


    Atika Light felt shocked, her eyes widened in surprise, hearing the voice resound in her head. She then heard the blue face speak further, contorting her expression with a trace of fear.


    "Probe any more, and my arrangements will be destroyed. Then, the essence of corrosion infused into him will invade your soul, corroding it in a matter of minutes, leaving you behind in a vegetative state."


    Atika Light dispelled the beam of light, having sensed an intense sense of danger through her extraordinary senses, watching the projection slowly fade away, leaving behind a final sentence that resounded in her mind.


    "Your abilities are unique, the only one in this world. Based on my research conducted long ago, as long as you are alive, another human will never come to possess your Tier 5 Skill. It is a saddening fact that you failed to reach Tier 6 but, the child next to you will be able to inherit it. I''ll also destroy the remaining influence of Gajara Rahi in her and make some preparation. Even though this will expend the remainder of my will infused into his soul, this will be worth it for the future of humanity."


    A flash of blue flickered towards Heima, seeping inside her soul, changing its inherent composition. Another flash entered Atika Light, instilling numerous memory fragments in her mind, bypassing all the guards she had installed in place.


    ''The Trait of Transference.'' Atika Light formulated a name based on its details, thinking it through based on her rich experience, not taking the information at face value. Only when she confirmed it in relation to her trove of knowledge was she willing to believe it.


    "I can''t believe a part of him still lives on inside Jyorta, despite his death. The domain of the soul gives you some leeway to play around with life and death." Atika Light sighed, deactivating her Tier 5 Skill.


    She solely used her Tier 4 Skill to gain as much information as she could, also making notes on the knowledge she had gained, trying to derive a mystical technique.


    The blue face melted, expanding along the inside of the blue soul, drowning all the memory fragments. It soon began to contract, pulling everything towards the centre. Many soul tendrils attached themselves to his Brain Crystal, siphoning all the energy in a matter of seconds.


    The Caterpillar began to voraciously consume Brain Crystals, almost to the point of overloading Jyorta''s body due to the massive influx in psychic energy. The blue soul absorbed all the psychic energy it could get, also forcing the Wisdom Parasite to Nurture at a faster pace, leading to his body thinning out.


    The blue soul began to shrink, getting compressed every second. The blue substance inside it was akin to a pond trying to swallow up all the leaves that had scattered over its surface. The drowned memory fragments dissolved into the mixture, turning into specks of light, illuminating a faint blue hue.


    The blue specks of light converged into the centre, forming a sphere, attracting all the dark blue substance filling up the blue soul. The dark blue substance converged around the sphere, almost turning it black.


    A pair of eyes appeared overhead, forming the blackest substance in the world. It oversaw the happenings, unknown to Jyorta who had his mind focused on controlling the dark blue substance inside the blue soul.


    The dark sphere began to rotate, absorbing more of the dark blue substance, turning solid, looking similar to an egg. It absorbed the rest of the dark blue substance into it, turning silent. The jet black pair of eyes disappeared as the activity within the blue soul came to a still.


    It was empty, except for the dark egg in its centre. The face mask pertaining to his false persona had been pushed into the subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite, possessing enough space to house it for the time being. After gaining a massive influx of memory fragments, it had absorbed enough energy from the body to balloon in size, now large enough to safe keep the facemask.


    Jyorta heaved another sigh of relief, thanking his stars as he gazed at his thinned body, faring slightly better than a state of skin and bones. As a thick stream of psychic energy gushed into his Brain Crystal, it was siphoned by 11 soul tendrils.


    After its first voracious absorption, the number of soul tendrils connected with the Brain Crystal reduced to the amount in sync with the energy influx. The absorbed energy was converted into soul energy, allowed to course through the blue soul, nourishing the egg.


    The process continued for more than an hour, leading to the Caterpillar having devoured more than 15 Brain Crystals, causing his body to slightly tremble. Though, it would only be later, when he consumed more than 30 Brain Crystals would his body would no longer be able to tolerate.


    After another hour, when his situation was just a step before to the one when had to be operated, the soul tendrils detached themselves from the Brain Crystal. Jyorta retracted the Caterpillar, leaving behind a half-eaten Brain Crystal, one that began to faintly dissipate into the air.


    The dark egg cracked, the lines soon coursing through its entirety, leaking out a flash of gentle blue light, sporting a shade lighter than the blue soul. Soon, the egg cracked into innumerable fragments, turning into the memory fragments, filling the blue soul, looking more condensed than before.


    They also occupied less space, their condensed structure making the framework of the blue soul sturdier. Hovering at the centre of the blue soul was a blue figure, sporting a head, a body, and the neck that connected them.


    The shape, structure, bodyline, etc. were the exact same as his previous life. It only lacked the four limbs, hovering in the same place as before. It undulated with a faint fluctuation, releasing faint energy into the blue soul, circulating it through it, forming loops that passed through it each time.


    The blue figure lacking limbs breathed like a regular human, inhaling, and exhaling the soul energy. The soul energy it exhaled was slightly condensed, nourishing the blue soul, raising its sturdiness, also elevating it to an advanced state.


    ''My soul has finally evolved, after condensing life experiences worth more than a century.'' Jyorta smiled, feeling a sense of euphoria. 20 years from his previous lifetime, 10 plus 2 years as Jyorta, the years spanning between 6 and 8 for each Frenzy Beast, numbering 11 in total; amounting them all, it totalled to a life experience worth more than a century.


    The blue soul in him experienced another change, leading to an overall shrinkage in size, consuming most of the available energy.


    Two arms appeared, filled with complex inscriptions, dark blue in colour, the condensed form of memories forming runic structures of knowledge. They possessed all the abilities that the blue soul could execute, forming its arms that could affect the outside world.


    He now possessed two Soul Corneas.


    Jyorta smiled, exiting the vision of his blue soul, watching Atika Light seated on her seat in silence, watching him without interruptions. She neither said any word nor inquired about his jubilant state, leaving him to his devices.


    ''The information that was imparted by the creepy-haired man''s arrangements is mystical. The more I make use of it, the more I am in awe of his accomplishments. If I have to break out of his control, I should become a formidable character myself. Only then will I have any semblance of a chance to gain control of my fate.''


    Despite his thoughts, Jyorta''s expression of happiness didn''t abate but further increased in intensity. Thanks to his false persona left in the subsoul of his Wisdom Parasite, Jyorta wasn''t able to control his emotions, breaking into laughter.


    He slumped on the floor, gazing at the ceiling of the room as his laughter resounded in the area, echoing across the walls. He had momentarily forgotten about the existence of Atika Light seated on a chair next to him, watching his actions with a smile.


    His soul had evolved, experiencing an overall increase in its abilities, giving him the confidence to save his sister. He soon controlled himself, thanks to the blue soul placing the face mask on the blue face.


    Despite the existence of the blue body underneath¡ªuncovered by the face mask¡ªhe still felt his emotions cool down. The face mask worked with the same efficiency as before, not suffering much of an impact.


    Jyorta took in the view of his blue soul, watching the changes, relishing the renewed experience of an increase in his abilities.


    Tier 2 Blue Soul!

 Chapter 142: Phantom

    "Drink this before you celebrate." Atika Light placed a beaker in his hands, propping his weakened body. The beaker consisted of the same viscous solution as before, one that helped his body in ejecting the Brain Crystal impurities lodged inside.


    As Jyorta downed its contents in one go, Atika Light placed the Tier 1 Floating Spider inside the rectangular box, closing the lid, enacting the bizarre actions as before. She then placed the box atop the stack of boxes, numbering eleven in total.


    "Get some sleep. Report back at 5:30 PM." Atika Light snapped her fingers; the sound caused the door to rattle with a certain frequency. The door opened, bringing in a psychic arm that gushed into Jyorta''s body, instantly turning his clothes into Refined Objects.


    The psychic arm lifted his body, carrying him towards the exit.


    Anruk Light noticed his malnourished state, feeling shocked. Sensing the footsteps that trailed behind him, he hurriedly controlled his emotions, using one of his psychic arms to morph the facial muscles, managing to sport an expression of normalcy.


    "5:30 PM," Atika Light said to him, exiting the room, heading into the narrow hallway¡ªwith three sides of it forming a canvas, housing a certain picture that looked blurry to most.


    Anruk Light bowed towards her exiting figure, staying in the same pose until he sensed the door being closed. Once the coast was clear, Anruk Light pacified his thumping heart, controlling his emotional state, glancing at Jyorta.


    ''Should he realise the true nature of madam, I wonder if he would still be able to look at her in the eye?'' He thought, instantly admonishing himself for the vicious thought, carrying Jyorta to the cramped room situated next.


    "Take a bath and change into another set of clothes; they have already been prepared. I will also ask the chef to prepare some food to nourish your body. Your physique has turned frail; staying in this state for prolonged period will kill your Wisdom Parasite. After all, it needs a consistent amount of energy in regular periods to sustain itself." Anruk Light gently placed him atop his bed, retreating out of the room once he had said his piece.


    He then sat on the circular bench, using two of his psychic arms to keep an eye on the Bone Family siblings, preventing them from encountering any harm. He was also ready to notify the doctors should Heima experience any complication, looking alert.


    He had also encompassed the region under his domain. This way, even if he were to fall asleep, he would be able to wake up at the first moment should something happen.


    Atika Light walked through the narrow hallway, taking in the desolate atmosphere, bereft of any people. Most of them had been sent on the recent mission to hunt the Ethereal Tail Frenzy Beasts, leaving behind a sparse few staffs that were in charge of the base''s operations.


    Moreover, the staffs were stationed in key locations; their duty mostly conformed to welcoming and accompanying the visitors. Only the command centre, in charge of message transmissions between the various teams in the Wilds, was busy, filled with signs of activity.


    Atika Light walked through it, her pace slow but steady, her gait conforming to a motion that expressed her distraction. She mechanically walked through the place based on her memory, her mind whirring with the information she had accumulated to date.


    Spurred by the influx of information from the blue-faced projection, her experience accumulated over it, connecting and fusing numerous methods, actions, concepts, principles, and functions. They formulated into a mystical concept, forming an embryo in her mind.


    It was nurtured by her experiences, the information she had collected to date, and her wisdom. After a walk that spanned more than an hour, she arrived at a large door, signifying the end of the hallway, forming the head of a certain mythical beast from legend.


    This door was both the start and the end of the painting that spanned the entire hallway, its mystical significance conforming to a treasure trove of knowledge. Atika Light pressed her hand on the door, manifesting a series of energy fluctuations that scanned her from head to toe, proceeding through the hallway, preventing any third party from approaching or sensing the contents behind.


    The double door opened; the scene looked as if the mouth of the beast had opened, swallowing Atika Light who stood before it. It soon closed shut, the energy fluctuations that were coursing through the area abated like the tide.


    Atika Light appeared inside a large hall, spanning a hundred metres in length, breadth, and height. Situated in its centre was a two-storey building, designed similar to a pyramid, but inverted in structure. Its base trailed from the ceiling, with its top almost touching the ground, separated by the gap of a metre.


    The pyramid was made from marble, magenta in colour. It shone with a resplendent hue, sporting Relics all across its structure, with each emitting the aura of Tier 4 Warriors and Espers. Placed at functional places, forming the cornerstone of the structure were Tier 5 Relics, emitting blinding lustre, causing the air to tremble as a result of their aura emission.


    Even the ground was made from marble, magenta in colour. It was overlaid with numerous Relics, a mixture of Tier 4 and Tier 5, forming a complex formation, their purpose unknown. Relics of other Tiers too were inlaid in the formation, creating a sub formation that individually operated in discrete regions.


    Atika Light activated her Tier 5 Skill, floating in the air, proceeding towards the base of the pyramid. Hovering almost a hundred metres from the ground, she arrived before a small indentation, one that opened upon sensing her approach.


    A small section opened up, allowing her entry. Atika Light entered the structure, watching the section close behind her.


    The inside of the structure shone with resplendent lights, encompassing all the colours that existed in the world, the resulting uniform mixture creating a white that was different from the norm¡ªthe white that resulted due to the seven colours representing VIBGYOR.


    Numerous marble slabs, with each conforming to different sizes, randomly floated across the space, their motion fuelled by the Relics. Each marble slab housed mysterious hieroglyphics; when gazed further, they were comprised of densely packed information, inscribed in an alien language.


    "Modern Rodawri is no longer safe. Thankfully, our foundational data is stored in another language, only known to me and Angrushen." Atika Light stretched her hand, grabbing hold of a marble slab.


    "Ancient Dharvi is really efficient when it comes to information storage. It also allows us to get a direct representation of the knowledge through words, making it easy to rectify errors in any Trait, Unranked Skill, etc." Atika Light released her hold, watching the marble slab fly away, taking its own unique, bizarre path.


    Her left arm¡ªhaving turned into a psychic arm¡ªgrabbed hold of a certain sphere affixed on the walls, infusing her energy into it. Soon, a marble slab¡ªtwo metres in length, a metre in breadth, and two centimetres in thickness¡ªformed before her, condensed from her energy, magenta in colour.


    Using the myriad Relics infused into the architecture, she had managed to replicate the effects of Psychic Ancestor Marble''s Unranked Skill, one actuated at Tier 6 level.


    Atika Light''s body emitted blinding light, soon converged into a thin ray of light, turning magenta. The ray of light flashed on one corner of the marble slab, forming certain designs, shapes, etc. conforming to the language of Ancient Dharvi.


    She also inputted many diagrams, symbols, and energy patterns flowing across the body, arising to a mystical effect. Each data was inscribed onto the marble slab one by one, with east stroke consuming ample time.


    The ray of light wavered in intensities, causing the indentation formed across the strokes to vary, the meaning of the data changing with the depth. Having expended most of the energy in her Heart Crystal, Atika Light looked slightly exhausted, gazing at the marble slab in satisfaction.


    Inscribed on the marble slab was a realistic depiction of Jyorta, with each indentation conforming to his body structure, forming his definite traits. All the strokes were composed of minute words; the method of inscribing created numerous symbols across it, forming mystical effects, causing the air to faintly turn ethereal.


    The effects were quickly suppressed by the environment actuated by the Relics, turning the slab into nothing more than a marble slab. Jyorta''s body hadn''t yet been completed, lacking in many areas of his face, arms, and legs.


    But, based on the effect it could manifest, Atika Light was assured of her hypothesis. She smiled, having confirmed that her train of thought was in the right direction. It was all thanks to the environment she was in and the language she had used.


    This was a Tier 6 Artifact encompassing numerous Relics from Tier 1 to Tier 5, creating a mystical environment that would complement her Tier 5 Skill, allowing her to gain a comprehensive improvement in her research capabilities. It was her lifetime''s accomplishment, the sole reason she was able to create the Unranked Skill of Rhachis Ancestor Strongest with the heaven-defying abilities it possessed.


    She had also used this to perfect the Unranked Skills of the other cities when her services were requested by the other Ancestors. Moreover, she had created the language of Ancient Dharvi to create another mystical effect.


    When the knowledge pertaining to a Skill was fully imbued in a marble slab inside this environment, it was possible to invoke the effects of the Skill. Moreover, the Tier of the Skill invoked also depended on the data of it recorded in the marble slab. This was how she was able to use Marble Sonata at Tier 6, having complete knowledge of the Skill.


    It was the same case for all the Skills that had passed through her hands, for both creation, and improvement. Now, consolidating her experience, she had designed the basic structure of an Unranked Skill.


    From the tip of the pyramid, a beam of energy impacted the floor, turning silent in the next second, showing no trace of the energy emission.


    Circle Zero, Mount Nilgiri; situated within a certain cave walled by magenta marble, an old man sat in a meditative posture. Suddenly, the cave''s interior lit up in light, convulsing as a ray of energy flickered across it like a snake.


    It soon approached the old man, spinning around him while emitting faint roars. Hearing the roars, the old man created a marble slab spanning 2 metres in length, a metre in breadth, and two centimetres in thickness.


    The energy shaped into a snake gushed into the marble slab, forming the figure of a boy, the appearance plain, unlike before. Forming above the boy''s head was a row of words, in Modern Rodawri.


    Unranked Skill¡ªPhantom!


    "So, this is what you are planning for Jyorta." Psychic Ancestor Marble smiled, looking interested. The image on the marble slab disappeared, the case being the same for the row of words.


    He waved his hand, dissipating the marble slab into pure energy, retracting them into his body, heaving a sigh, his strained voice suffusing with traces of relief.

 Chapter 143: On The Side of Humanity

    "This confirms his inclination," Psychic Ancestor Marble sighed in relief. "Thankfully, despite losing all attachments to his previous life, the attachment towards his current life grounds him with humanity."


    "Or should I say," He let out a self-deprecating laugh, "As long as Heima is alive, Jyorta is on our side."


    He glanced outside the cave, looking at the sprawling city, an area surrounding him comprised of marble buildings, all magenta in colour. "I will bank on your decision, Atika."


    Mount Nilgiri spanned a height of two kilometres, the only mountain within Marble City. It spanned a radius of three kilometres, forming the centre most region in Circle Zero. The peak had been levelled out, forming a flat surface. Constructed above it was a palace, one where the Ancestors resided, enabling a grand overall view of Marble City.


    Situated all across the mountain at various elevations were protrusions, their peak facing the sky, levelled out into flat circles. Constructed over them were various institutional buildings, in charge of the city''s administration.


    Psychic Ancestor Marble usually resided in a cave situated at the foot of the mountain, spanning 20 metres above ground level. He usually changed his spot every year, creating a cave based on his whims. After all, mount Nilgiri was a mountain just in name, named in favour of the actual mountain that existed in the spot during the Dark Ages.


    Currently, mount Nilgiri was a Tier 6 Artifact, created by Psychic Ancestor Marble using his Unranked Skill, Marble Sonata. No natural mountain could rival his Unranked Skill in terms of sturdiness.


    A psychic arm slithered out of the cave, approaching the palace situated at the top, entering a certain inconspicuous room within. The room spanned 30 metres in length and 20 metres in breadth, looking dark, the traces of light having been snuffed out.


    The psychic arm noticed the Relics embedded in the room functional, emitting light as usual. The only difference was their luminance absorbed by darkness, originating from a certain corner. The psychic arm vibrated the air, producing a sentence that echoed across the room.


    "Light, how long are you going to be depressed? We have a lot of work to enact."


    A voice trailed out from the darkness, brimming with exhaustion, "I just realised that all of my direct descendants have died. I have become an orphan, Marble."


    Before the voice from the psychic arm could reply, the voice from the darkness resounded, filled with a sense of resolve. "Summon Strongest here; I will pass everything to him. We have to give him sufficient time to get accustomed before the five races war erupts."


    ¡­


    Sector 1, 3rd Ring; there existed a wide road, spanning a kilometre in width. It trailed from the walls of the 4th Ring, stopping 300 metres before the walls of the 2nd Ring. The road formed a depression, situated two metres below ground level.


    It was fully marble, magenta in colour, shining with a pink hue. A funeral procession was ongoing. Marching at the forefront was a band of soldiers, donned in armours, readily emitting their Tier 4 aura, one belonging to Shifters. Held in their hands were drums, shaped into flattened cylinders, with their flat surface impacted by palms, producing a sonorous rhythm.


    The drumming soldiers numbered 51, with each separated by a distance of 20 metres, spanning along the width of the road. Marching behind them were citizens, each pushing forth a funeral parlour withstanding their deceased relation.


    Only one family member took charge per deceased, silently pushing the funeral parlour forth. A Relic was attached to it, emitting a gentle flux of psychic energy, fuelled by a Brain Crystal embedded inside. It allowed the funeral parlour to hover in the air, forming a gap of a centimetre between its bottom surface and the ground.


    On the two sides of the wide road, a flight of steps¡ªwith each spanning the width of a metre, and possessing a height of metre¡ªwere arranged, numbering five in total. Their length spanned the totality of the road, allowing the family members of the deceased to converge and watch the funeral procession.


    In the first row behind the drumming soldiers was a young lady, barely in her late teens. She donned a set of white, cotton clothes, draped loosely around her body. She pushed forth a funeral parlour, controlling her emotions from erupting, striving her best to exert strength in her trembling hands.


    Her eyes were slightly hollow, as a result of excessive crying. Placed on the funeral parlour was her father, a middle-aged man who was slightly turning old. He sported a pair of sideburns, his wizened expression looking stoic, concealing kindness within. He had his hands crossed before his chest, assuming a defensive posture.


    He was the late Sky Controller, Wunris Marble. Pushing him forth was his third child, the one who shared the closest relationship with him. She draped a necklace around her neck, the locket being a thumb-sized sphere, yellow in colour.


    The lady, Wisha Marble had recently turned nineteen, brimming with the youth of life. She had a bright future ahead, having a Sky Controller as a father, powerful siblings, and not to mention her own accomplishments.


    At present, none of that mattered to her, having lost her family. She mechanically followed the drumming soldiers, following the sounds to push forward.


    "Part!" A drumming soldier in the centre shouted, causing them to retreat to the sides. The procession took less than an hour, having reached the end of the road.


    Faint sounds of a river reverberated through the air. At the end of the road was a river, its top surface spanning below the road level by 10 centimetres. The river water was murky black, possessing no smell or sound. The sound from before was an illusory phenomenon, having disappeared once arrived in its range.


    The flow of the river was akin to a crawl, equivalent to the speed of a metre per second. It lacked mass, its aura being non-existent.


    "The dead have passed the torch to us, the living. Their physical existence may have perished, but they are immortalised in us. As long as we persevere, we will continue their legacy." A flash of magenta appeared, turning into the figure of Psychic Ancestor Marble.


    Due to his responsibilities, he couldn''t come in person, sending his marble figure to take his place. Under his guidance, Wisha Marble arrived before the river, grabbing hold of her father''s body. His body felt light, lacking any substantial weight, causing her to break down in sadness.


    She brought his body forward, gently placing it on the river. A flash of magenta coursed through the air, forming a layer around her hands, to avoid making contact with the water. Psychic Ancestor Marble ensured that none touched the river water accidentally.


    After all, the river water was a product of Rhachis Ancestor Strongest. The full extent of its functions was unknown even to him. He took the duty upon himself, to prevent any unforeseen accidents from happening, lest it crumpled the already fragile atmosphere.


    Wisha Marble had the urge to jump into the water, planning to rejoin her father. She had just taken a step forward when the thumb-sized yellow sphere¡ªforming the locket of the chain around her neck¡ªflashed with a gentle light, imbuing in her body a sense of warmth.


    It was only for an instant, the energy dissipating into the air immediately. But, it was enough for her to regain her bearings. Wisha Marble retracted her foot, raising her right hand towards her temples.


    "Glory to Marble City! Glory to Humanity!" She saluted, shouting with all the voice she could muster. Her voice resounded through the area, silently amplified by Psychic Ancestor Marble. Perceiving her voice, all the people standing on the side of the road saluted in response, shouting in return, creating a sonorous sound.


    "Glory to Marble City! Glory to Humanity!"


    ''Floating Spiders¡­mark your days. I''ll annihilate the lot of you.'' Wisha Marble''s eyes spewed forth uncontrollable hatred. Her back was erect as she remained in her saluting pose, watching the body of her father float on the surface of the river.


    The body of Wunris Marble steadily turned ethereal as he floated across the surface, sinking in bit by bit. Soon, he dissolved into a speck of light, fully submerging within the river, disappearing from view.


    Wisha Marble turned around, walking towards the side of the road, having concluded her part. She rejoined with her siblings, glancing at the face of her mother who looked like she had lost her soul, standing in a daze, watching the spot where her husband''s body had disappeared.


    Wisha Marble and her siblings helped their mother, proceeding towards their home.


    Situations similar to her happened as citizens from all around Marble City had converged upon the area, placing the dead bodies or ashes of their beloved on the river, watching them turn ethereal and eventually dissolve into it.


    Unable to bear seeing their beloved depart from them, some citizens followed suit, taking a plunge into the river. Their bodies soon turned ethereal and dissolved into it. To the people who no longer had the courage to proceed forward in their lives, it was better to accompany their loved ones to the afterlife.


    Similar proceedings were happening across many locations in Marble City, signifying the massive number of deaths that had recently occurred. The source that actuated such misery was an individual hated by everyone, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite.


    ''Only two existences can counter Parasite to a certain extent. I hope you can develop to such an extent without getting killed.'' Psychic Ancestor Marble thought, silently forming a prayer.

 Chapter 144: Natural Death

    "My sleeping schedule has been completely messed up." Jyorta sat up, sensing a psychic arm grabbing hold of his leg. It was the cause that shook him awake, breaking him out of a pleasant dream.


    "Meet me out in 30 minutes." A voice resounded from the psychic arm as it retreated out of the room.


    4:30 PM, noticing the time, Jyorta entered the bathroom, refreshing himself. While brushing his teeth, he noticed a stream of tears cascade from his eyes, forming two white trails over his cheeks. The substance that made up his tears was coarse to the touch, filled with a grainy texture.


    He glanced at his reflection in the mirror, finding the edges of his face to be slightly blurry. Moreover, the situation was the same when he concentrated on the contours of his face. His vision had slightly deteriorated, not to mention his haggard expression, lacking any defined muscles, looking like a person who had fasted for a week.


    "The Brain Crystal impurities¡­the more they accumulate, the worse their side effects." Jyorta continued freshening up, feeling the strain in his body as the water fell from the shower, the force in the gentle impact adding pressure on his frail self.


    ''Thankfully, I would no longer need to take the risks from today.'' Jyorta sighed, feeling his conjecture turn out to be the truth. The information he had gained from the recent unveiling of the creepy-haired man''s arrangements had given him some ideas.


    Wisdom Parasites were birthed at Tier 1; after a certain level of accumulation, they evolve into a higher existence, raising their Tier. Their peak evolved state was at Tier 6.


    Also, at each Tier, they imbue in their host certain mystical abilities, varying between Warriors and Espers. This was the case for both the Wisdom and Frenzy Parasites.


    He, as a Psychic Parasite was slightly different, with the accumulations varying too. But, in all other aspects, his growth was the same as the Wisdom and Frenzy Parasites. The accumulation for both the Wisdom and Frenzy Parasites were memory fragments, derived from their hosts.


    Moreover, their hosts acted as their treasure trove of energy while they evolved, supplementing them. His case was the same. When the memory fragments in his blue soul amounted to a life experience surpassing a hundred years, he experienced an instinctual change, initiating an action based on the instincts of his soul.


    His soul had eventually evolved, raising itself to Tier 2. The product of the evolution was the condensed memory fragments, the strengthening of the soul, the appearance of the body under the blue face, and the creation of another Soul Cornea.


    Moreover, he also felt his other basic abilities experiencing an overall increment. His Skill, Corrosion was also growing stronger with each passing moment, the process gradual to the extent he could only notice the difference after sleep.


    ''I should estimate the changes in my corrosion.'' Jyorta exited the bathroom, having wrapped his lower body with a towel. He picked up another set of clothes that had been placed in the same spot as before, wearing them in a matter of seconds.


    He hung the wet towel around a hook, placing his previous clothes on the floor beneath it, neatly folded. There weren''t any provisions in the cramped room to wash and dry the clothes. So, he could only do this and leave the rest to the person that took care of his clothes every day.


    Jyorta exited the room, finding Anruk Light seated on the circular bench, looking tired. Noticing his arrival, Anruk Light got up from his seat, motioning for Jyorta to follow him. "We will grab some lunch now."


    "Yes, sir." Jyorta nodded, following the other party in silence. Despite wanting to strike up a conversation to probe for more information, he controlled himself, noticing the other party''s expression. Anruk Light didn''t even span a second glance at him, looking preoccupied, suppressing a multitude of emotional upheavals.


    They exited the room and arrived in the narrow hallway. Jyorta gazed at the surrounding walls, feeling his eyes shed tears. All he could make out was a series of mosaics arranged in a dumped cluster, blurry to the extent the nerves in his eyes felt strained. Except for a shade of white, he couldn''t make out any other colours.


    While walking through the hallway, Jyorta didn''t notice any people, the same as the previous night. He soon arrived at the dining section, noticing the entire place look empty. The chef occupied a seat, painting an expression of boredom.


    Upon seeing their entry, his face lit up a little, finally relaxing at the prospect of work. After all, there existed no entertainment facilities in the area. Even if they existed, he wasn''t allowed entry, thanks to his allocation of duty.


    The chef soon walked out, carrying a plate of food, arranging them in order on the table the two visitors had occupied. He then watched them through the corner of his eyes, noticing their expression.


    After taking in the first morsel, their face livened up a little, expressing their satisfaction to the taste. The chef retreated into the kitchen, sporting an expression of pride, masking a sense of relief. It was his occupational disease; only when the recipient enjoyed the food he cooked was he able to rest easy.


    Jyorta and Anruk Light soon returned to the room, finding another stack of rectangular boxes arranged next to the circular bench. Notifying the other party, Jyorta knocked on the door that led into Heima''s room. Once a response arrived from the inside, Anruk Light opened the door, allowing his entry.


    "Good evening, ma''am." Jyorta bowed, noticing Atika Light seated in the same position as before, looking slightly tired. She nodded at him in response, forming a gentle smile.


    "Tell me when you need the next batch of Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts. Though, everything we have brought here are Floating Spiders." Atika Light motioned at the eleven rectangular boxes arranged next to her. Inside it were the subsouls he had created the day before, numbering 22 in total, with two per Frenzy Beast.


    Jyorta stood before the stack of boxes, taking in the view of his blue soul, unleashing his two Soul Corneas. They flashed out of his body, entering each box, retreating after a second.


    Jyorta then summoned his psychic arm, making it touch a rectangular box, sensing its path impeded. The material seemed capable of entirely blocking his psychic energy, making him recall the name of ''Gulvana''.


    Jyorta picked up two rectangular boxes, holding them before Atika Light. Atika Light swiftly unlocked them, allowing the Floating Spiders from within to crawl out. The two Floating Spiders he had chosen first were Line Controllers.


    He sent a Soul Cornea into the soul of each, giving them some instructions. The two Line Controller Floating Spiders walked towards one side, watching him in silence. Even though looking at them caused goosebumps to form on his hands, thanks to the false persona, he could proceed with his plan, unhindered at the sense of disgust.


    In batches of two, he held the rectangular boxes, watching Atika Light unlock them all. He then received a small box containing a hundred Brain Crystals from Atika Light. Occupying a spot around the edge of the room, and leaning on the wall, he allowed the two Line Controller Floating Spiders to walk towards him.


    As the two stood on his left, Jyorta beckoned for the other nine Floating Spiders¡ªall Observers¡ªto form a line before him. Before he could start in full swing, Jyorta gazed at Atika Light, seeking permission.


    "Ma''am, will it cause any problems if they were to die?"


    "You can continue," Atika Light iterated the same words as before, showing no change in expression. Having obtained her permission, Jyorta enacted without restraint.


    A Soul Cornea flashed into the first Floating Spider before him, arriving before its soul. The Soul Cornea first touched the subsoul belonging to the Floating Spider''s Frenzy Parasite. A moment later, the subsoul arrived inside his blue soul.


    Without any delay, the Soul Cornea touched the soul of the Floating Spider, sucking it in like a vacuum cleaner. Soon, its entirety arrived inside the blue soul, making the space feel cramped.


    The blue face in him opened its mouth, creating a suction force, affecting the two subsouls. Soon, the essence from within their cores flashed out. They were sucked towards the blue face, eventually swallowed by it.


    Countless soul tendrils touched them, absorbing the soul energy in them, causing the blue soul to faintly expand in size. Now, what remained of the two subsouls were a pair of husks, ganged upon by hundreds of soul tendrils that flattened them.


    Soul energy flashed around, forming into minute strings that weaved the two soul husks together, forming a canvas. Exiting the vision of his blue soul, Jyorta noticed the Floating Spider before him die without a commotion, as if it had just experienced a natural death.


    His psychic arm flashed around, sensing the energy contained in its body, and the other Floating Spiders for the matter.


    ''They are all empty.''


    His psychic arm set aside the dead Floating Spider, beckoning for the next one to come forward. A Soul Cornea flashed into it, repeating the above process.

 Chapter 145: Preparations Complete

    Jyorta retracted his psychic arm, taking a glance at the rectangular boxes that were used to store the Floating Spiders.


    ''Not only do they block psychic energy, but they also absorb the energy produced in their bodies by the Frenzy Parasites as they form.''


    His psychic arm carried the small rectangular box in his hands¡ªthe one containing the Brain Crystals¡ªand dropped it before one of the two Line Controller Floating Spiders. His Soul Cornea flashed into its body, making contact with the subsoul belonging to its Frenzy Parasite.


    The Soul Cornea draped the curtain¡ªthe false persona; one of gluttony, focus, and filled with self-control¡ªover it. Thanks to the false persona, the behaviour of the Frenzy Parasite experienced a subtle change, the effect not apparent unless the Line Controller Floating Spider''s Caterpillar was summoned.


    The Soul Cornea then touched the soul of the Line Controller Floating Spider, imbuing in it a set of memories, detailing its plan of action.


    The Line Controller Floating Spider took some steps forward, arriving at his side, allowing faint tendrils of blood to seep through its face. The blood tendrils condensed into a tiny sphere of blood, crimson in colour. It hovered before its face, shining with a faint reddish hue, spanning the size of its head.


    Two cracks formed along its centre, travelling to the rest, forming a full circle, dividing the sphere into two. Each hemisphere rotated in opposite directions, unravelling a long cylindrical body.


    The body was segmented into six by grooves that formed on its skin. A pair of stumps formed in the fourth, fifth, and sixth segments, turning into its legs. Similarly, a pair of arms formed in the second segment. It was the Line Controller Floating Spider''s Caterpillar.


    The Caterpillar landed on the ground, taking a glance at the box filled with Brain Crystals, its expression one of startling calm.


    Its facial features resembled that of a Floating Spider, its expression unreadable to Jyorta. The Line Controller Floating Spider unleashed its psychic arm, lifting a brain Crystal, and bringing it towards the Caterpillar.


    In the time it stood outside its confinement, the Frenzy Parasite in it had nurtured enough energy to unleash a psychic arm. When its Caterpillar grabbed hold of the Brain Crystal, the psychic arm shattered, dissipating into the atmosphere, having expended all psychic energy.


    The Caterpillar sniffed the Brain Crystal once, sensing a pleasant aroma. It then took a gentle bite of it, munching it a couple of times before swallowing the resultant whole. A stream of psychic energy gushed into the Line controller Floating Spider''s body, soon flowing into its Brain Crystal.


    Jyorta sensed the energy filling up in its Brain Crystal through his psychic arm, waiting in patience for its completion. Finally, after some time had passed, he noticed its Brain Crystal brimming with psychic energy. He then commanded it to continue with its actions, taking in the view of his blue soul.


    ''Through the use of false personas, I can establish absolute control over my subsouls.''


    One of his Soul Cornea flashed towards the Line Controller Floating Spider, making contact with its soul. It grabbed a part of the subsoul, elongating it with a tug, complementing the process by moulding it with soul energy.


    The Soul Cornea soon created a soul tendril, increasing its length, attaching it to its Brain Crystal. It repeated the process, stopping only when it had connected 10 soul tendrils in total to the Brain Crystal of the Floating Spider.


    The subsoul began to automatically siphon energy from the Brain Crystal, converting it into soul energy that filled it up. The Soul Cornea in turn siphoned the soul energy from it, sending it to the blue soul.


    Now, Jyorta had access to an energy source, with a sound replenishment rate. Moreover, there weren''t any side effects attached to this method. It was something he had figured out after his first failed attempt at rescuing Heima.


    As the Soul Cornea siphoned energy from the subsoul, its reserves were readily replenished through the soul tendrils connected to its Brain Crystal. Even if not for the soul tendrils he had created for it, its soul energy reserves would still be replenished by the physical body, by actuating a mystical process.


    But, in this manner, it would be accompanied by the murkiness. Moreover, the process was many times slower. Also, in the current status quo, only pure soul energy entered the subsoul, barring any murkiness; so, Jyorta preferred the current method.


    The blue soul began to work on the canvas formed from the husks of two subsouls. Its target was a false persona, the same as the curtain. Though, since it was being created to be capable of wrapping around the soul belonging to Heima''s Wisdom Parasite, it should be of relative size and sturdiness.


    So, Jyorta planned to use a lot of soul husks to create it, making it sturdy to the extent it wouldn''t be easily destroyed. He also changed its design, adapting it to the target soul, in hopes of raising his success rate.


    Atika Light watched everything with renewed interest, observing the Caterpillar summoned by the Line Controller Floating Spider. Even she hadn''t had the chance to observe the Centipedes and Caterpillars of the Frenzy Beasts in such close-up. On the rare occasions she had sneaked into weak Frenzy Beast habitats, she had managed to glimpse them. Though, it was only for short moments before the target reacted.


    But, she was now able to calmly observe the Caterpillar of a Frenzy Beast, allowing her to gain plenty of useful data. Moreover, it was a Caterpillar summoned by a Floating Spider, allowing her to study their characteristic traits.


    The Caterpillar and Centipede of Espers and Warriors were a closely guarded secret thanks to many reasons. It was a safe assumption to say that one could glean truth about the entirety of the individual through his Caterpillar or Centipede.


    ''This data will allow us to target the weaknesses of the Floating Spiders more easily. I should also change the species to include the other three races that threaten Marble City.'' Atika Light snapped her fingers, producing a faint sound that rattled the door in a particular frequency, producing a certain tune.


    There was no response from the outside. Atika Light continued to watch the spectacle, gleaning information that would prove useful against the Floating Spiders.


    ''If I observe more, I will be able to conceptualise a method to make the Floating Spiders lose control.''


    Thirty minutes later, a small knock resounded from the door. Atika Light snapped her fingers in response, causing the door to slightly rattle, finishing the message exchange. The atmosphere immediately returned to its silence.


    Atika Light then noticed Jyorta gaze at her. He opened his mouth, speaking in a humble tone, "Ma''am, will the potion I drank before work on the Floating Spider?"


    "It won''t," Atika Light shook her head, "Also, it is not worth it. You can use new Floating Spiders in place. I''ll ask Anruk Light to bring in more Line Controller Floating Spiders." Atika Light snapped her finger, turning silent after that.


    ''So, the costs outweigh their worth.'' Jyorta nodded, continuing with his actions.


    Outside the door, Anruk Light gazed at the stack of rectangular boxes, with three of them at varying sizes. Two of them were large to the extent they occupied most of the space in the room. The door opened as a Shifter brought in another batch of rectangular boxes, the same ones that housed the Floating Spiders.


    Despite feeling varying levels of confusion, Anruk Light never uttered a word of complain, going with the flow in silence, expressing zero curiosity.


    Time passed in such fashion. Soon, nine Floating Spiders lay before Jyorta, all dead. To his left was a Line Controller Floating Spider, twitching on the ground as its body oozed out a white substance. If left alone without any treatment, it was bound to die soon.


    Before that happened, Jyorta sucked in the two subsouls inside it, also using them in the creation of the false persona. The Soul Cornea exited its body, bringing with it the curtain¡ªthe false persona; one of gluttony, focus, and filled with self-control.


    It then entered the body of the other Line Controller Floating Spider, overlaying the curtain on its Frenzy Parasite''s subsoul, enacting the same process as before. Using the steady influx in soul energy, the blue soul soon completed its conceptualised false persona.


    11:45 PM, Jyorta exited the vision of his blue soul, watching the second Line Controller Floating Spider die. All the Floating Spiders in the room had died, their souls used into the newly created false persona.


    ''It is no longer a curtain. It currently resembles a Hoberman Sphere.'' Jyorta decided to name it as such, watching it shrink to a tenth of its size, turning into a regular sphere.


    After the second Line Controller Floating Spider had died, Jyorta had to use the energy remaining in his Brain crystal to add the finishing touch. He then looked around him, noticing the tiny box housing the Brain Crystals, only left with a single piece.


    "Are you done for the day?" Atika Light inquired, glancing at the time displayed in her watch.


    "Yes, Ma''am." Jyorta bowed. He then approached Heima, holding her hand for moral support, feeling a sense of trepidation. He looked at his sister''s face, watching her peaceful demeanour, feeling the drive to save her.


    "Ma''am," Jyorta turned around, finding Atika Light unavailable in her seat, having disappeared from view. He then noticed her presence beside him, watching Heima in silence, the thoughts processing in her mind a mystery.


    Seeing her nod in response, Jyorta took in a deep breath, "Will it be possible to bring some Frenzy Fruits tomorrow?"


    "Are you done with your preparations?" Atika Light turned around, watching him with a smile.


    "Yes, ma''am." Jyorta nodded, "I''ll be requiring 4-5 Line Controller Floating Spiders and lots of Brain Crystals tomorrow."


    "Good," Atika Light nodded, expressing that everything he needed had already been prepared.


    ''One more day, sister; I''ll save you.'' Jyorta clenched his fists, brimming with fighting spirit.

 Chapter 146: Clear

    14th December, the year 333 of Dawn Era; the cramped room ushered in silence, its dark atmosphere suffused with a sense of coldness. A faint aura coagulated around the region, twisting and turning, forming into a whole, breaking down soon due to a lack of cohesiveness.


    A figure slept on a bed, his face scrunched up in distress. His forehead perspired with sweat, drenching the bedsheet wrapped around. His eyebrows faintly shivered, as if affected by something, preventing a sound sleep from knocking the door.


    There was a white fog, broiling around in varying intensity, forming a natural barrier. It covered the landscape, leaving behind only a scrap piece of land, circular in shape, sporting a radius of 10 metres.


    Scrapped remains of tables and chairs were strewn around, covering them were pieces of papers, with the intact ones sporting diagrams of human anatomy. Situated at the centre of the land was a large pile of books, shredded to the extent they had turned into grains.


    The entire scene was desolate, lacking any signs of life, like one that had faced apocalypse. Faint gusts were stirred up, actuated by the action of the broiling fog. The wind swept past the pile of books, lifting the grains from the top layer of the mound.


    The grains flew, carried by the wind, revealing a faint shiny black surface, one filled with thin tendrils, looking similar to hair but sported sharp ends. Upon coming into contact with the ambience, the shiny black surface paled in complexion, soon becoming a shade of blue.


    It turned crystalline, its transparent surface revealing tiny wriggling strands floating within, squirming under the catalyst that was the ambience. Soon, the black surface wriggled, pushing the surrounding grains.


    What appeared to be a leg peeked out, followed by another. A few more trailed behind it, followed by a flat surface that dug out. Soon, a spider stood on the grainy mound, looking at the broiling fog.


    Suddenly, two tendrils erupted from within its body, parting it along the mid-section into two halves, like mirror objects. The two tendrils increased in length, becoming thicker than its body. They flashed around, impacting the broiling fog, forming an indentation at the point of contact.


    The spider cried out in pain, unable to control the two tendrils that slammed the broiling fog, causing it to thin out, revealing a blurry landscape beyond. Spurred by the appearance of the blurry landscape, the two tendrils thrashed about even wilder.


    They coiled around one another, forming a spike, touching a certain spot, drilling their way through. The broiling fog was unable to contest with them, soon caving in, dissipating when it was pierced through.


    Before it could be fully split into two, the spider watched the landscape, feeling a sense of horror envelop it. The place the landscape existed before was now replaced by a forehead; the place the spike pierced was a spot that looked like a human''s glabella.


    The forehead began to shrink in size, soon turning small enough for the spider to gaze at its entirety, letting out a mournful cry. It was a human woman, sporting wide facial features. The whites of her eyes were currently displayed, her twitching arms lacked any strength in them to resist.


    The spike drilled out of her head, emerging on the other side, instantly causing her limbs to droop, eliminating all signs of life. The mouth moved up and down once, forming a word before the scene was drowned by a sea of blood.


    "Jyor¡­ta¡­"


    Jyorta woke up with a start, trembling in fright. He hurriedly touched the side of his ribs, not spotting any extra-biological outgrowth. His heart thumped in increasing speeds while a faint stench of sweat wafted out from him, one that wasn''t normal.


    Jyorta placed a hand on his forehead, feeling a coarse grainy texture. He swiped it and gazed at his palm, only realising that the room was dark. His other hand shot towards a switch, illuminating the room.


    It took him a minute for his eyes to get used to the ambience, allowing him to see the substance on his hand. It was a white powder, looking similar to chalk powder but seemed to be made of a gelatinous substance.


    "Brain Crystal impurities?" Jyorta entered the restroom, taking a glance at the mirror, experiencing a fright. His face looked a stark shade of white, like a spectre. The roots of his hair too had turned white, the case being the same for the rest of his body.


    He opened the tap, watching a steady stream of water fall. He placed his palm underneath it, watching the shade of white covering it thin out a little. He peeped out the door, watching the time displayed on the clock hung on the wall.


    7:17 AM, Jyorta decided to freshen up. Done with emptying his bowels, he brushed his teeth, finding his tongue had turned white. He picked up a tongue cleaner and cleaned his tongue, noticing the white come off like old skin.


    Heaving a sigh of relief, he rinsed his mouth and headed to take a shower, observing the water fall on his body. The puddle of water formed on the floor was a shade of white, also having sediments formed in a matter of seconds.


    Jyorta scrubbed like a mad man, using more than half of the soap. Finished with his bath, he stood before the mirror, watching his hair revert to its prior colour¡ªdark brown that looked black when viewed from afar.


    He noticed a new set of clothes placed at the end of his bed, wondering when it was placed. He then wore it and exited the cramped room, watching the numerous rectangular boxes that were stacked next to the circular bench.


    Two of them were bigger than him, making him wonder the species sealed within. Jyorta glanced around, finding Anruk Light''s absence. He arrived before the room of his sister, trying to open it, finding it locked.


    He then walked towards the remaining room, finding its state the same as the other two. Left with no other choice, he arrived at the exit, the door that led into the narrow hallway. As he twisted the doorknob, he found it locked too, leaving him in an exasperated state.


    Jyorta took in the view of his blue soul, sending his Soul Cornea out, passing it through the door. He didn''t want to use his psychic arm, lest his actions were detected by the others, causing unwanted problems.


    So, he played it safe. The Soul Cornea appeared on the other side, failing to sense anything. After all, even his Soul Cornea could only sense the happenings in a metre radius around him. Beyond that, its perception was an absolute zero.


    Through his perception, Jyorta had an inkling that the length of his Soul Cornea had slightly increased, now surpassing a metre.


    ''So, the limit is no longer a metre. If it is the same as my psychic arm, it would soon grow to be 10 metres long.'' Left with no other choice, Jyorta sat on the circular bench, watching the rectangular boxes with a gaze of curiosity.


    He wanted to probe them with his Soul Cornea, making them his subsouls should they pique his interest. But, thinking of Atika Light, Jyorta controlled his actions, unwilling to take his chances.


    Even though they had been placed there with the intention to be of use to him, without getting permission from Atika Light, he didn''t want to act. Moreover, his sister was his priority. Satisfying his curiosity could wait until later.


    Jyorta closed his eyes, sensing his Brain Crystal, trying to get a grasp of his current abilities.


    ''Even though they are naturally being discharged by my body, my Sync Rate has still been affected. Based on my senses, it has now dropped to 65 percent. But, the good news is that I no longer feel any obstruction in my psychic energy, meaning, I have gotten rid of all the Brain Crystal impurities.''


    8:00 AM, the door opened as Atika Light entered, holding a tiny box in her hands, immediately noticing him. On seeing her, Jyorta stood up and made a slight bow, greeting vibrantly.


    "Good morning, ma''am!"


    "Morning, child." Atika Light smiled, arriving before Heima''s room as she opened the door. She beckoned for him to follow, entering first.


    Within a minute, Anruk Light arrived, carrying a thin bag, dragging his feet, looking exhausted. He stood before the door and sensed its rattling. In response to that, he picked up five rectangular boxes, similar to the ones he had sent in the previous day.


    He opened the door and sent in the five boxes, including the thin bag he had brought in, closing the door the moment he finished the delivery. He then leaned on the wall beside the door, heaving a sigh, expressing his exhaustion.


    He looked at the ceiling, feeling his eyes turn blurry, forming faint patterns, informing him of something. He retracted his gaze, closing his eyes, pinching his nose for a moment.


    ''It is time to make a breakthrough.''

 Chapter 147: Prelude to the Final Sprint

    Jyorta sat on the floor, leaning his back against the wall. Placed before him were five boxes, lined up in a semicircle. They each contained a Line Controller Floating Spider.


    Taking in the vision of his blue soul, Jyorta unleashed his two Soul Corneas, passing them into the box on the left. The Soul Corneas arrived before the soul of the Floating Spider''s Frenzy Parasite, turning it into a subsoul instantly.


    They then arrived before its soul, pausing before it. One of the Soul Corneas unleashed its influence, vaporising the murkiness covering the soul while the other directly pierced it, arriving before its core.


    The soul wasn''t developed to the extent capable of retaliation, getting swiftly converted into a subsoul in the span of 15 minutes. The memory fragments were absorbed into the blue soul, their personas corroded, and the resultant memory fragments condensed into a whole.


    Jyorta noticed the total time taken for the endeavour, feeling slightly surprised. Previously, the process had taken him an hour to do so. Now, he had finished it well below 40 minutes.


    Jyorta picked up the box, stood up, and arrived before Atika Light. Atika Light swiftly unlocked the box, allowing a Floating Spider to crawl out. Jyorta then placed the box next to him on the ground, all the while controlling his repulsion.


    His false persona wasn''t meant to block his sense of repulsion; it was the calmness imbued in it that prevented Jyorta from distancing himself from the Floating Spider.


    The Floating Spider soon unleashed its Caterpillar, grabbing hold of the Brain Crystal that Jyorta''s psychic arm brought forward.


    As he layered the curtain¡ªthe false persona; one of gluttony, focus, and filled with self-control¡ªover the subsoul belonging to its Frenzy Parasite, Jyorta placed the box containing the Brain Crystals before its face.


    He had expended almost half the psychic energy in his Brain Crystal to convert the two subsouls. He didn''t want to recover his energy through Brain Crystals if possible, hence the process. A Soul Cornea made a connection with the subsoul belonging to the Floating Spider, pulling a part of it to eventually create a soul tendril.


    Soon, the Soul Cornea had created ten soul tendrils, attaching them to its Brain Crystal, watching the psychic energy getting siphoned out, and converted into soul energy by the soul tendrils. As pure soul energy gushed into its soul, the Soul Cornea siphoned it out, and transferred it through its serpentine body, allowing it to enter the blue soul.


    ''As I continue to develop, it would be even easier in the future.'' Jyorta gazed at the second box, executing the same process as before. In a matter of hours, he had finished converting the souls of all five floating spiders¡ªincluding the souls of their Frenzy Parasites¡ªinto his subsouls.


    He then watched Atika Light open them all, allowing the Floating Spiders from within to crawl out, emitting a faint flux of psychic energy¡ªall Line Controllers. Through his Soul Cornea, he imbued in them certain instructions, watching them line up next to him on the ground.


    He also finished creating ten soul tendrils in each, connecting them with their respective Brain Crystals. Finally, he was done with all preliminary preparations, noticing the time well past 11:30 AM.


    Jyorta sat on the bed, occupying the spot next to Heima''s hips, beckoning for the Floating Spiders to huddle at the area beneath his feet on the floor. He trailed his sight to a small box on the floor, wondering if the Brain Crystals inside it would be enough for his endeavour.


    "They will be replenished the moment they drop to 50 in number," Atika Light said, having comprehended his thoughts based on his facial expression and the movement of his eyes.


    She then lifted a thin bag, taking out a rectangular box from within, looking no different to a slab. She placed her index finger on its flat surface, drawing a bizarre shape, similar to a child''s doodle.


    The rectangular slab shone with reddish light for an instant in response to her actions, dimming considerably in the next second, stabilising at a pale red hue, almost unnoticeable unless the room turned dark.


    "The Frenzy Fruits are ready to be administered when needed. You can proceed now," Atika Light waved at him, sporting a gentle smile.


    "Thank you, ma''am." Jyorta took in a deep breath, bowing towards her once, feeling his eyes slightly tear up. He sniffed once, wiped the tears streaming out his eyes, and gazed at Heima, brimming with determination.


    A stool was placed next to him, sporting a seating radius of 10 centimetres. Of the five Line Controller Floating Spiders stationed below, one of them flew up, and landed on it. It adjusted its body posture to suit the limited space, holding a tiny box using two legs.


    It unleashed its psychic arm and Caterpillar, taking a glance at Jyorta as it gave a nod. Seeing the other party nod back, its psychic arm lifted a Brain Crystal from the tiny box and brought it towards its Caterpillar.


    As the Caterpillar began to devour the Brain Crystal, a rush of psychic energy gushed into its Brain Crystal. The energy was then siphoned by the ten soul tendrils, converted into soul energy, and fed into the Floating Spider''s soul.


    A Soul Cornea touched it, forming a connection, siphoning out the soul energy gushing in. Taking in the view of his blue soul, Jyorta noticed a stable stream of soul energy flowing into his soul.


    He brought forth his other Soul Cornea, gazing at the broiling fog before him. The blue soul silently chanted the verse imparted by the creepy-haired man, creating the two temporary Soul Corneas.


    They silently wrapped themselves around a permanent Soul Cornea and formed two layers as the blue soul chanted another verse, coursing a certain influence through the two temporary Soul Corneas¡ªone that would shed off the murky substance.


    The Soul Cornea flashed outside his body, arriving before the broiling fog. The blue soul paused for a moment, watching a tiny sphere¡ªformed by a cluster of elongated shapes, joined with each other¡ªhovering in its corner, also checking the inflow of the soul energy from the other Soul Cornea.


    ''Start!''


    The blue face opened its mouth, emitting an ink-black substance, coursing it through the Soul Cornea, turning it pitch black. The Soul Cornea touched the broiling fog, corroding the point of contact, also spreading the effect like a plague.


    It slowly began to penetrate it, inching forward like an unstoppable ram, drilling through the broiling fog as it withstood its attacks. The blue soul noticed the expenditure, figuring it to be well within its limits.


    Brimming with confidence, it controlled the Soul Cornea to proceed faster. After a long while, the Soul Cornea appeared on the other side, slithering its way towards the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite.


    Once it had neared the area, it stopped itself from approaching any further, exerting its influence, shaving off the murkiness in proximity. It occasionally flashed its body, grabbing hold of the memory fragments that had their murkiness completely vaporised.


    The captured memory fragments were sucked into it, allowed to course through its body, and eventually brought into the blue soul. Without further ado, they were all sent to the subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite, preventing any problems from cropping up for the time being.


    His Wisdom Parasite too was Nurturing, using up the body''s energy reserves and converting them into psychic energy, filling up the Brain Crystal''s depleted reserves.


    The Soul Cornea continued in its action, exerting the influence by expending all the remaining soul energy it could divert to the task at hand. The blue soul maintained a perfect balance between the soul energy influx and the soul energy expenditure.


    The size of the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite continued to shrink, thanks to the murkiness covering it being continuously shed off. But, its density increased, as most of the memory fragments resulting from the vaporised murkiness were absorbed back into it. This further amplified its retaliation.


    The Soul Cornea braved through the retaliation thanks to the essence of corrosion covering its body, corroding all the attacks that touched it. But, this in turn further increased the expenditure in soul energy, decreasing the intensity of its influence, slowing down the process of vaporising the murkiness.


    ''There are no unexpected surprises; it is going well so far.'' Jyorta momentarily exited the vision of his blue soul, sensing the condition of the first Floating Spider. He saw it still going strong, showing no traces of weakness, leaving him to sigh in relief. Even after it died to its body polluted from the Brain Crystal impurities, there were still four more Floating Spiders to support him in turns.


    Fourteen hours passed in such a manner. Having sat in the same posture for such long hours gave him cramps. Even though he was unable to feel his legs, looking at the skin on them turning a faint shade of blue, Jyorta sported a slight smile.


    ''The murkiness has been completely vaporised.'' He then paused for a moment, retaining the Soul Cornea in the same place as before. He massaged his legs, watching the blood flow in it resume to normalcy.


    It took him almost 10 minutes for his legs to return to normal. After then, he stretched his body a bit, feeling an intense sense of hunger. Disregarding it, for the time being, he once again took in the view of his blue soul, watching the state of the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite through his Soul Cornea.


    ''Now, onto the final sprint!''

 Chapter 148: Shoot

    ''It is still bigger than my soul. I have to shrink its size a lot.''


    The Soul Cornea flashed, making contact with a part of the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite, absorbing some memory fragments. The soul retaliated by churning its memory fragments, turning them into sharp blades that diced the Soul Cornea.


    The Soul Cornea blocked the attacks by turning itself ink-black, corroding the memory fragments that made contact. But, it still suffered some damage as the attacks were faster, the damage transferring before the corrosion could affect the other party.


    The Soul Cornea healed itself easily, expending some soul energy. It now had a larger reserve of soul energy to use, having no longer needing to exert its influence after all the murkiness had been vaporised.


    The moment the Soul Cornea made contact with its soul, it deactivated the corrosion around the point of contact, absorbing the memory fragments without damaging them. It immediately reactivated the corrosion to fend off the ensuing attacks.


    The times when it was slower led it to suffer from the attacks, giving the memory fragments flowing in its body the opportunity to damage its interior. As long as the white layer surrounding the memory fragments weren''t shaved off, they were bound to attack it even after going beyond the range of their origin soul core''s influence.


    Thankfully, the blue soul sent all the incoming memory fragments to the subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite. Even though this action was bound to stir up trouble for him in the future, he didn''t have the leeway of choice.


    Even though he could have just sent all the memory fragments into another subsoul, that way, the problems would have become even more severe.


    Suppose the target subsoul was stationed within his blue soul, then that was no different from placing the memory fragments inside the blue soul in the first place.


    The moment the memory fragments birthed a personality, it would result in Jyorta suffering from a split personality. Should a clash between personalities occur, then there was a chance even his ego would be affected, turning him into a different person altogether.


    Suppose the subsoul that he transferred the memory fragments into was the soul of a Floating Spider, then, it was bound to cause a revolt sooner than later. After all, the source of the memory fragments was Heima, who had inherited them from Gajara Rahi, an expert in the domain of the soul.


    It was not the memory fragments itself that were the problem; he could destroy them through his corrosion. But, it was their contents that caused problems. For some reason, they birthed to an ago quickly. Secondly, they were able to suppress the activation of the corrosion in his attacked subsoul.


    At present, his subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite was already in a troubled state, inching away from being his subsoul. Also, until this moment, it hadn''t once made been able to use the corrosion imbued in it.


    His Wisdom Parasite was within his body; meaning, he could use his abilities of the soul to resolve the problem, should it arise. But, if the same happened outside his body, then his only mode of effect would be his two Soul Corneas, causing a drop in his abilities.


    This was why he sent the memory fragments into the subsoul of his Wisdom Parasite. Moreover, he was also running short of time, not giving him the leeway to destroy the white layer surrounding each memory fragments.


    After all, when he tried to do so previously, he found that the white layer surrounding the memory fragments obtained from the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite possessed a significant resistance to his corrosion. It was an act derived from the effects of the soul, one resulted from the condensation of the soul techniques present in each memory fragment.


    This was also another reason that prevented him from outright destroying them. It was an act of meagre greed. The memory fragments were a priceless treasure to him, one that would improve his abilities on a qualitative level.


    Moreover, he could experience those memories for himself, trying to get a feel of the being that stood at the peak of the world for over a century, Rhachis Ancestor Space. This would give him a better outlook on his future path.


    Moreover, if he were to create a false persona, derived from the memories, it would allow him to gain the optimal mentality for this world, one that would give him a shot at reaching Tier 6. He had many considerations to take this risk; being hard-pressed for time was also one of the prime reasons that lead to the choice.


    The Soul Cornea slammed against an area, voraciously absorbing the memory fragments that dug into it, grounding its surface into bits. Even though it was left in a damaged state, it continued absorbing the memory fragments until its limits before retreating.


    Pausing beyond the range of the soul, the Soul Cornea healed itself, using the soul energy to regenerate its damaged parts, also using it to suppress the actions of the memory fragments coursing through it.


    Once the memory fragments were sent off to the subsoul¡ªof Jyorta''s Wisdom Parasite¡ªthe Soul Cornea arrived before the soul again, fully healed from the previous attacks. It slammed onto the surface, creating a ripple that coursed its surface, allowing countless memory fragments to peak out.


    The Soul Cornea curled itself, grabbing hold of a bunch of memory fragments, making a solid retreat to absorb them in peace. Also accompanying the memory fragments was a part of the Wisdom Parasite''s soul.


    In order to curb the deficiency, Heima''s body enacted a mystical change, converging a wave of soul energy around the Wisdom Parasite''s soul. The only difference was the arrival of the murkiness, accompanying the soul wave.


    ''Ah shit, here we go again.'' The blue soul thought, making the Soul Cornea exert its influence again, trying to vaporise the murkiness as soon as it arrived. But, this in turn allowed the resulting memory fragments and pure soul energy to refill the Wisdom Parasite''s soul, creating a vicious loop.


    Memories were created based on experience. Moreover, they could also be recalled by the brain, pondered about, and replicated en masse, with slight deviations every time. There was also muscle memories, a result of actions executed over and over again.


    For Heima, an elite Developer, the muscle memories she possessed were abundant. Her life experiences were also tremendous; the fact that she had also inherited memories from Gajara Rahi further ballooned her experiences.


    They were all weapons the defending soul could bank upon. Moreover, it shared a special relationship with Heima due to its physical body. Nurturing, raising the speed of this mystical process, the memories the Wisdom Parasite absorbed from Heima further increased.


    Thanks to the Essence of Frenzy corroding its mind, it had long since slipped past Heima''s control, lacking any means of being controlled. This resulted in the current impasse, preventing Jyorta''s Soul Cornea from backing it into a corner.


    "Screeee!" Followed by an ear-piercing shout, the first Line Controller Floating Spider died, forming a puddle of white fluid around its body. The Soul Cornea present in its body retracted, bringing with it the two subsouls and the curtain¡ªthe false persona.


    The two subsouls were sent into the blue soul to rest for the time being. Jyorta had yet to plan for them. In the meanwhile, the Soul Cornea entered the body of the second Line Controller Floating Spider, overlaying the curtain over the subsoul belonging to its Frenzy Parasite.


    The second Line Controller Floating Spider summoned its Caterpillar, unleashing its psychic arm to take charge of the work its predecessor did. The blue soul soon experienced an influx in its soul energy, alleviating its drain.


    In the time it took for the second Line Controller Floating Spider to take charge, the blue soul had to expend the energy in its soul for its battle. A soul tendril connected to his Brain Crystal, siphoning the psychic energy to recover the soul foundation.


    This also further intensified his feeling of hunger, making his body turn weak. Thanks to the face mask¡ªthe false persona; one of calm, optimism, and filled with focus¡ªJyorta could persevere.


    He opened his mouth, having made a mental calculation, shouting in a hurry, "Please wake up my sister after 38 seconds."


    "Go ahead," A gentle voice trailed back, reassuring him. Atika Light arrived before Heima, holding a palm-sized rod in her hands. It was a Tier 3 Relic, the Tier 3 Skill imbued in it suitable for placing and alleviating a person''s state of consciousness.


    Fifty soul tendrils appeared from the blue soul, forming a connection with his Brain Crystal, siphoning out energy en masse. The blue soul faintly shuddered with the massive influx in energy, originating from two sources.


    It transferred all the soul energy into the Soul Cornea battling with the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite, causing it to burst with strength. It shot forward, piercing through the soul, healing the damage caused by the memory fragments using the massive influx in soul energy.


    Its healing at present surpassed the rate of damage inflicted on it, allowing it to arrive quite close to the core of the soul. Beyond this, the damage once again surpassed its healing, prompting it to stop.


    The blue soul actuated the sphere¡ªthe newly created false persona¡ªplaced in its corner, sending it through the Soul Cornea. In order to facilitate its movement, the Soul Cornea expanded in size, consuming soul energy in excess, the sudden spike causing the blue soul to shrink in size.


    The energy used to maintain the essence of corrosion¡ªto defend its increased surface area from the broiling fog¡ªrose sharply. Having calculated the expenditure beforehand, Jyorta watched his Soul Cornea expand, allowing the sphere to pass through it, heading towards the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite.


    ''Shoot!''


    He mentally bellowed, watching the sphere shoot out of the Soul Cornea and head to the other party''s soul core.

 Chapter 149: Unexpected Initiation

    The moment the sphere ejected from the Soul Cornea, losing its protection, it was ganged up by the memory fragments from all directions. Thanks to its sturdy makeup, having been created from the soul husks originating from 22 subsouls, it resisted the attacks.


    Its path was blocked, the density around the soul core high to the extent of preventing its advance. The sphere began to expand, spreading along the sides, transforming into innumerous snakes, coursing through the gaps formed between the memory fragments.


    It convalesced around the denser regions, manoeuvring through the less dense regions, forming a dome that eventually wrapped around a part of the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite¡ªwith its soul core trapped within the structure. It had reverted to its shape of a Hoberman Sphere.


    A faint fluctuation emanated from it, subtly affecting the soul. Even though the soul still resisted, it couldn''t erase the effect as of present. The blue soul watched the state of the Hoberman Sphere¡ªthe false persona¡ªand noticed it suffer faint tears. The memory fragments brushed past its weak links like blades as they sawed it, striving to break its influence over the soul.


    The effect of the false persona soon covered the entirety of the soul, looking like it wouldn''t last long under the attacks. Having noticed the effect form upon completion, Jyorta shouted, "Ma''am, now!"


    The Soul Cornea wrapped around the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite, blocking the new wave of soul energy¡ªmixed with the murkiness¡ªfrom joining within. It led to it suffering an attack from both the sides, looking like it wouldn''t last long.


    Atika Light seeped her energy into the Tier 3 Relic held in her hands, creating a gentle mist that fell on Heima. In a matter of seconds, Heima''s eyelids fluttered as they shot up, looking wide awake. There was a faint disorder in the emotions she exhibited, forced into a state of lucidity by sheer willpower.


    "Summon your Centipede now. Your state of clarity won''t last longer." Atika Light said, creating a fluctuation that reverberated around the room, converging upon Heima''s ears. It was actuated by another Tier 3 Relic, an effect that would make one unconsciously enact based on, in states inferior to regular lucidity.


    Hearing the command, Heima brought her hand forward, watching numerous blood tendrils seep out through its pores. Their actions were swift, soon converging into a crimson sphere, sporting numerous shades of black, forming mysterious patterns that emitted a faint overbearing aura.


    Atika Light emitted her aura in response, masking the effect to prevent Jyorta from being affected. Her actions were precise, actuated under dextrous control, the process unnoticed by the other parties.


    The Centipede soon formed, spanning the size of Heima''s opened palm, showcasing a range of black spikes on its back, oozing out with a faint corrosive fluctuation.


    Atika Light pocketed the two Relics to free her hands, grabbing hold of a rectangular box that looked no different from a slab. She opened it, revealing five rows and three columns, each spot sporting a plum, yellow in colour.


    "Frenzy Fruits, with Tier 5 effect. Ingesting each will raise Sync Rate by one percent." Atika Light said, intending for Jyorta to listen to it. She pinched a plum using her forefinger and thumb, lifting it from the box and placing it on Heima''s palm.


    The Centipede, despite unwilling, slithered a bit on the palm, opening its mouth to reveal a set of grotesque teeth, with ends showing signs of corrosion. It directly swallowed the Tier 5 Frenzy Fruit, witnessing a stream of energy course through the blood tendrils connecting it to Heima''s arm, enacting a mystical effect in her body.


    "Argh," Heima grunted, feeling her mind slipping towards insanity under the pain. She barely maintained enough lucidity to stay awake. Now, feeling unbearable pain, akin to a sensation of her spine being burned, her mind was on the verge of falling apart.


    Her consciousness was at such a low extent that she hadn''t even realised her brother sitting beside her, watching her with nervousness, his gaze filled with hope.


    Watching the Centipede swallow a plum, Atika Light placed another one in the same spot as before. The Centipede glanced at her direction once before swallowing it too. Atika Light repeated the actions, placing one plum after another, watching the cooperative actions of the Centipede steadily decrease.


    After it had swallowed the tenth plum, the Centipede turned its head, no longer having any intention to swallow another one. It then turned to gaze at Heima, immersed in thought, watching the other party clutch her head and holler in pain.


    Atika Light emitted a beam of light, directing it on the Centipede. In the next moment, the Centipede dissolved into blood tendrils and seeped back into Heima''s arm. Within a couple of seconds, Heima stopped hollering in pain, heaving out ragged breaths. Her body was covered with sweat, having drenched the bedsheet wrapping her. Her gaze was vacant, no longer looking capable of controlling the insanity brewing within.


    Atika Light created the mist from before, using the Tier 3 Relic, instantly making Heima enter a state of consciousness. She then saw Jyorta looking at her with an anxious expression, looking nervous to the extreme.


    A faint trickle of blood seeped out through his nose while his eyes looked bloodshot. His body had further thinned out, looking extremely weak.


    "Ma''am, is this enough?" Jyorta inquired in a hurry, watching the Hoberman Sphere be shredded into numerous pieces by the memory fragments. His Soul Cornea was also destroyed, having faced the brunt of a two-pronged attack. It would take him a while to reconstruct it again.


    His Brain Crystal had been completely drained while his blue soul had shrunk to a considerable level. On the floor beside him, the third Line Controller Floating Spider had already taken charge, looking on the verge of dying in a couple of minutes.


    "It is more than enough, child." Atika Light said with a smile, "Her Sync Rate has recovered to the extent we can safely operate on her spine and extract all the Essence of Frenzy from within."


    Having long since activated her Tier 4 Skill, Atika Light noticed an image flash across Jyorta''s eyes. Without speaking anything else, she lifted Heima''s body and approached the door, watching it open as an exhausted Anruk Light peeked in.


    "She can now be fully treated. Summon the doctors while you shift her to another room."


    "Yes, Ma''am." Anruk Light lifted Heima''s body using a psychic arm and flew towards the exit, arriving at the narrow hallway. He expanded his domain and informed the doctors stationed elsewhere.


    His body flashed, arriving before a certain room situated 300 metres from the previous spot, with Heima in tow. As he opened the door, a team of doctors¡ªfive in total, led by the head doctor¡ªarrived at the spot, their speeds blindingly quick. Moreover, having controlled the air through their unleashed domains, they prevented any shockwaves from being stirred up.


    Anruk Light entered the room¡ªa rectangular area spanning 5 metres in length and 4 metres in breadth¡ªempty for the most part. A doctor waved his hand, creating a green coloured bed to place Heima''s body upon. He also created a stand beside, layering green coloured tools that he had instantly created over it, all thanks to his Unranked Skill.


    The head doctor passed his psychic arm through Heima''s spine, letting out a gentle smile, "We can fully cure her now."


    Watching Anruk Light rush out, Atika Light closed the door, finding Jyorta sitting in the same position as before.


    ''So, even his arrangements are not perfect.'' She arrived before Jyorta, placing a Relic before him, "Your Wisdom Parasite is about to initiate a breakthrough process. The memory I am passing on to you contains all the necessary information, comprehend it immediately."


    Affected by the Tier 3 Skill imbued in the Relic, Jyorta nodded, closing his eyes as he watched Atika Light place a hand on his forehead. Her body ballooned up, retracting her limbs into it, turning the front flat, becoming two-dimensional. New limbs grew out, made from psychic energy, and covered by mysterious inscriptions.


    Tier 5 Skill¡ªMystic Lord Transformation!


    Atika Light emitted a beam of light, forming an action to imitate the same sequence as the previous day, inspired by the memory inheritance from the blue-faced projection.


    ''The Trait of Transference, thank you for giving me this idea.'' Atika Light retracted her hand, watching Jyorta shoot his eyes open, nodding in confirmation.


    "I won''t fail."


    "Good, that''s the spirit. Our journey is always met with the unexpected, but we must always be ready to face them with an indomitable spirit." Atika Light patted his head, seating herself on the bed beside him, intending to interfere should something amiss happen.


    Jyorta closed his eyes, taking in the view of his blue soul for a moment, glancing at his subsoul, one that was no longer his. The ego he had attached to it had been completely overwhelmed, swallowed up by the new ego that had taken form.


    Moreover, it now retained his ability of corrosion, also possessing all of the memories he had stolen from the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite, most of which belonged to the first Psychic Parasite¡ªGajara Rahi.


    ''So, it has come to this.'' Jyorta sighed, unleashing his two Soul Corneas, and connecting them with the remaining two Line Controller Floating Spiders respectively. In response, the two of them unleashed their Caterpillars, glancing at the box filled with Brain Crystals before them, having already been refilled by Atika Light.


    The blue soul created numerous soul tendrils, attaching them all to his Brain Crystal, creating a reverse siphoning. Now, the soul tendrils converted the soul energy in the blue soul into psychic energy, preparing for the breakthrough process.

 Chapter 150: Tension

    In the soul core of the Wisdom Parasite, a humanoid projection had formed, sporting traces of his figure from the previous life. The projection''s face was moulded into a woman''s, sporting chubby facial features, small eyes, and a thin set of lips.


    The body of the projection was slender, slightly serpentine, giving it some feminine curves that were beyond realistic. It was a shade of red, its transparent form clung to the soul core, looking beyond the boundaries of its soul, directing its gaze at a massive blue soul hovering next, positioned like the planet and the sun respectively.


    Forming the core of the blue soul was a humanoid figure, sporting a face, a neck, and a body, lacking any limbs. It was a shade of blue, condensed to the extent looking opaque. It watched the gaze directed at it, sporting a solemn expression.


    The blue face glanced at the six subsouls hovering in the blue soul, commanding them to stay at the sides and not interfere unless the situation turned dire. It watched the red projection inspect itself, lifting its palm to condense a black liquid over it.


    The red projection looked at the memory fragments in its soul, mentally calculating something. It then let out a cackle, the sound echoing off the surroundings, audible only to the blue soul and the six subsouls.


    The blue soul experienced a rush in soul energy, supplied by the two Soul Corneas it had sent out, having made contact with the souls of the remaining two Line Controller Floating Spiders. Through the multitude of soul tendrils connecting it to the Brain Crystal, the influx in soul energy was converted into psychic energy, replenishing its reserves.


    ''My Nurturing hasn''t even reached the limit of my Sync Rate at Tier 1. Attempting a breakthrough now is tantamount to suicide but, the Wisdom Parasite has initiated a breakthrough process. It shouldn''t even have developed to such an extent to warrant this; it seems the new influx in memories rapidly altered its pace of maturity.'' Jyorta sighed, elevating his mental state.


    He took in deep breaths, calming both his body and mind. Standing before him, Atika Light took out a brooch, shaped into a set of three concentric circles, with the shaft of a quill attached to each ring, proceeding in opposite directions.


    It made its appearance similar to the three rings having gained a pair of wings, one blue, and one white. Atika Light inserted her energy into it, creating a pale blue sphere of light before her, one that resembled water.


    She controlled the water, allowing it to gently seep into Jyorta''s body, alleviating his exhaustion, revitalising his body cells. They also healed the injuries he had recently sustained, also imbuing in him some mass, rebuilding his muscles.


    Atika Light provided him external help, filling up his body with energy. Considering his lean stature, one that further thinned in the past couple of days due to the tasks he had executed, Jyorta didn''t have much energy reserves stored in his body in the form of carbohydrates, fats, etc.


    ''The fact that the Wisdom Parasite has initiated this breakthrough, despite knowing the poor state of my body can only mean that it is aware of my surroundings. It has realised Atika Light''s intention to help me, and also the two Line Controller Floating Spiders that are available to provide a steady energy flow. This means it has enough confidence to destroy me; now I am curious as to what memories are present there, one that would lead to such a phenomenon.'' Jyorta inspected himself, feeling his heart beat faster.


    The blood circulating in his body sped up, causing it to heat up, turning the skin a light shade of red. The rate of his heart thumping further increased in intensity, the sounds resounding in his ears, clearly audible.


    A faint smell, akin to his body odour mixed with the tang of a grassy scent emanated from him, the presence converging around him, forming a cocoon. It was fragile to the extent dissipating at the slightest wind.


    A mystical change erupted inside him, imbuing in him startling clarity, allowing him to sense his brain from both a first-person perspective and an omniscient perspective. His body began to exude its presence, causing the emitted smell to revolve around him.


    It condensed into a cocoon, completely enveloping his body, causing his limbs to automatically move, the actions beyond his will.


    "Your body will automatically assume the most optimal position to aid your breakthrough." He recalled the first sentence from the memories Atika Light had imparted him, not trying to control his body''s movements, allowing it to adjust its posture.


    Atika Light snapped her fingers, disengaging all the comfort equipments in the room, except for the vent that supplied fresh air inside. The environment in the room turned harsh, but there was no abrupt change, everything controlled by Atika Light to prevent the formed cocoon from being damaged.


    Atika Light fished out a ring from her pocket, sliding it on the ring finger of her right, seeping her energy into it. A flash of energy symbolised, entering the bed Jyorta was positioned over, turning it hard like a rock. Its elevation was also reduced, barely peaking the ground by 10 centimetres.


    Jyorta''s body assumed a sleeping posture, with each of his limbs spread apart, the muscles in them assuming relaxing states. His palms were faced up, while the soles of his feet facing the direction of his bodyline, the toes becoming straight.


    A mystical change was actuated in his body, originating from his brain. The cells that had fused with the Wisdom Parasite began to pulse, each conforming to its own individuality. Soon, they began to group up, synchronising with one another.


    Like a chain reaction, each fused cell began to pulse, their actions fully synchronised, emitting a flux of psychic energy with each pulse. The psychic energy flux emitted by the fused cells formed a wave, spreading radially, hitting the insides of his skull before bouncing back.


    The returning wave collided from the successively emitted wave, fusing into a unity in a certain region. Before they could disperse under the effects, new waves joined the area, raising a unison; the spot converged upon the location of the Brain Crystal.


    The Brain Crystal absorbed the fused psychic energy flux, its pale pink surface suffused with a white glow. The sole pattern on it, depicting its state as a Tier 1 Brain Crystal turned dull, almost vanishing into the pink surface.


    The Brain Crystal emitted the absorbed flux, stronger than before. Also, the cells surrounding it siphoned the psychic energy from it, dispersing it into the surrounding tissues, creating a circulation, forming a cycle of discharge and influx.


    The pulsing of the Brain Crystal gradually synchronised with the fused cells, emitting a psychic energy pulse that exited the head, impacting the formed cocoon.


    ''It is starting.'' Jyorta shot his eyes open, his heightened senses watching a thin green filament, almost transparent to the extent being invisible mix with the emitted pulse, forming a psychic energy wave that was different than usual. It converged upon him, seeping into every cell in his body.


    The blue soul retracted the false persona, the face mask from the blue face, reverting to his actual mental state, preparing for the impact.


    The moment the filament entered his body, his head turned hot, flushed a deep shade of red, forming a whirlpool of psychic energy.


    "Aargh!" Jyorta hollered in pain, desperately resisting the sense of vertigo and low blood pressure, striving his best to stay conscious amid the numbing pain. His Wisdom Parasite, the one fused into his brain also helped him share the burden, faintly shuddering with pain despite lacking any pain receptors.


    The fused cells began to breakdown, dissipating into psychic energy, leaving behind white fragments, a hundred times smaller than the cell. The white fragments, affected by the pulsing Brain Crystal, were drawn towards it.


    They flowed through the blood vessels, taking winding paths before arriving at the Brain Crystal, getting compressed as they attached to its surface. The Brain Crystal ballooned up, absorbing the white fragments en masse, despite compressing them to great extents.


    The fused cells reverted to regular cells, soon dying, replaced by new cells that were simultaneously birthed. In order to actuate such a process, the energy consumed originated from the Brain Crystal.


    If not for the stream of psychic energy gushing into it through the soul tendrils numbering more than 100, Jyorta would have failed the very first process in his breakthrough. Thankfully, his supplementary measures saved him.


    Soon, all the white fragments had converged upon the Brain Crystal, devouring all the psychic energy present in it, turning unstable. At the same time, both Jyorta and the Wisdom Parasite felt the same emotion, one of tension, akin to a gambler who had bet his entire life''s savings.


    The psychic energy had proved to be lacking, despite the influx from the two sources. After all, it had only been 45 days since his Induction Ceremony. The Nurturing process he experienced proved to be insufficient. The recent decrease in Sync Rate from 71 percent to 65 percent had further worsened his condition.


    Even among the students in the military academy, of the ones boasting a Sync Rate in the 80s, even they attempted a breakthrough only after undergoing a nurturing process of 10 months.


    Even though he had boosted the Nurturing process by three layers: the Trait of Efficiency, the suppression brought about by the blue soul that urged the Wisdom Parasite through fear, and finally, the occasional boost under the aura emitted by the Tier 5 Artifact presented to him by Jyovic Bone; the time spent in these was really short, impossible to achieve a qualitative effect.

 Chapter 151: Brain Crystal Fusion

    The consciousness of a human and the consciousness of a Wisdom Parasite were linked, giving each other two different points of view. Jyorta''s base perspective was omniscient, capable of observing the brain in its entirety, with the focal point being the Brain Crystal. Through his shared senses, he was also able to take in the first-person perspective, one experienced by the Wisdom Parasite.


    The white fragments converging upon the Brain Crystal were the individual parts of the Wisdom Parasite''s body.


    The Wisdom Parasites were created to possess two traits, the Trait of Dissociation and the Trait of Convergence.


    It was due to these two traits that the Wisdom Parasite remained alive through Phase 3 and Phase 4¡ªParasite Absorption and Parasite Assimilation¡ªof the Induction Ceremony, despite its body getting dissolved in the host body.


    A similar phenomenon occurred now, with the body of the Wisdom Parasite fused into his brain extricating themselves as white particles, heading towards the Brain Crystal. They were then compressed by the psychic energy pulses and attached to the Brain Crystal, applying pressure on it.


    The Brain Crystal emitted a suction force, attracting only the white fragments, applying pressure on itself as a result of the collision. The Brain Crystal began to swell in size, constricting the surrounding tissues, causing many internal injuries.


    The Wisdom Parasite exerted its will, controlling a part of its body¡ªin the form of the white fragments¡ªto form an external layer, forming a barrier to dissipate the damage. It also retained a trace amount of parts in the brain, retaining the brain''s ability to function in the presence of the Brain Crystal.


    If not for them, the Brain Crystal was akin to a tumour that would have killed Jyorta by now. Except for the fraction retained in the brain for the safety of the host, the remaining white fragments arrived before the Brain Crystal.


    It was time for Jyorta to act now, having comprehended the process through Atika Light''s memory bestowment. He exerted his will, possible only during the breakthrough process. It was like he had grown a pair of arms, one that could affect physical matter through mental actuation.


    In response to his will, the brain tissues surrounding the Brain Crystal began to pulse, constricting the Brain Crystal, applying pressure on it, seeking to compress it. The Brain Crystal, sporting a tough molecular structure showed zero signs of getting compressed.


    The arrival of each white fragment required copious amounts of psychic energy to be compressed and attached to the Brain crystal. Now, the Brain Crystal turned unstable, due to a lack of psychic energy, allowing its volume to increase without restraint, unable to be compressed.


    In unison, the two consciousnesses¡ªbelonging to a human and the Wisdom Parasite¡ªactuated a process, allowing the Brain Crystal to shine with a resplendent hue, enacting a command on the body.


    Immediately, the energy stored in the body¡ªin the form of carbohydrates, protein, fat¡ªwas consumed, the flesh burned to initiate the necessary chemical reaction. It was then steadily converted into psychic energy, allowed to course into the Brain Crystal through the connected blood vessels.


    Despite the consumption of the flesh to impend the psychic energy, Jyorta''s body didn''t show any signs of thinning up. It was in fact slightly gaining mass, thanks to the stream of pale blue light coursing through his body, actuated by a Transformer using a Tier 3 Relic.


    The quality and quantity of energy present in the pale blue light outclassed Jyorta''s requirements, soon supplementing the needs of his Brain Crystal. Thanks to the abundant psychic energy, the Brain Crystal attracted the white fragments with greater intensities.


    The two consciousnesses controlled the process, watching the fusion with trepidation. A batch of white fragments touched the Brain Crystal, wrapped around by psychic energy, turned into refined objects due to a lack of resistance.


    They were then pressured from all sides, raising their densities, reducing the volume they occupied. More and more white fragments were attracted, enacted by the same process; the quantity compressed soon initiating a qualitative change.


    The psychic energy acted as both the adhesive and the force that interlinked the white fragments on the atomic level. It weaved the fusing white fragments over the Brain Crystal, forming disjoint clusters all over its surface, creating connections with the related spots on the Brain Crystal.


    Jyorta and the Wisdom Parasite worked in sync, their thoughts falling onto the same track, actuated by the mystical process that occurred at the start of the breakthrough.


    A section of the Brain Crystal shone with white light, emitting a spike in psychic energy before bursting into pieces, dispersing condensed white fragments. The fragments collided into the surrounding brain tissue¡ªthe one the Wisdom Parasite had erected as a barrier¡ªand damaged it, burrowing into the cellular structures.


    Due to the disharmonious balance between the psychic energy, the white fragment cluster, and the connected Brain Crystal, it led to a failure in the fusion process, creating a minor explosion, the scale smaller than a blood vessel.


    In another area, the while light condensed, forming a tiny sphere, resulting from a successful fusion. It burrowed into the Brain Crystal, like a knife cutting into butter, arriving at its centre, taking charge.


    Similarly, the successfully fused parts burrowed into the Brain Crystal while the failed parts exploded, damaging the brain tissues. The white fragment cluster that failed the fusion process turned black, becoming solid, losing its gelatinous properties.


    The presence of the Wisdom Parasite in it had died, now no different from a hardened substance, a dead cell cluster. It meant a permanent loss in the Wisdom Parasite''s body, which meant a drop in Sync Rate.


    The pulsing of the Brain Crystal, the brain tissues, and the thumping of the heart; they synchronised with one another, with the heart speeding up beyond acceptable bodily limits, putting a strain on the cardiac muscles.


    If the process spanned any longer, it would result in his death. Espers possessed a weak body, no different from a normal human, despite the Tier. Even the body of Psychic Ancestor Marble was no different from a regular human.


    So, the breakthrough process had to be completed swiftly, consuming the least time possible while executing maximum efficiency in the fusion process, minimising the losses, and preventing the Sync Rate from dropping below 50 percent.


    The breakthrough process for Warriors and Espers were different, despite the principal concept being the same¡ªfusing the white fragments into the Heart/Brain Crystal. Warriors experienced limits in consciousness while Espers experienced bodily limits.


    Based on his experience as the blue soul, having actuated and controlled many factors through the soul tendrils, Jyorta could affect the fusion process better, directing his consciousness in multiple places at the same time.


    The swollen Brain Crystal began to shrink in size, with the older parts replaced by the new, fused parts. Time passed in such a manner, the influx in psychic energy giving Jyorta some leeway to minimise his losses.


    Standing beside him, Atika Light watched in silence, sporting a poker face, seeping the condensed pale blue light into his body. Having activated her Tier 4 and Tier 5 Skill, she kept control of the situation.


    Finally, she sensed the breakthrough process approach a preliminary completion, morphing her expression into one of solemnity. She emitted blinding light, creating a massive dome that wrapped the entirety of the headquarters of Grapple Force within it.


    The light was transparent, lacking a presence, unable to be sensed by even Sky Controllers, not to mention fellow Transformers. The dome didn''t affect the surroundings, its presence lacking the physicality to contend with the environment.


    It actuated a mystical change, the efficiency low, weak to the extent that even Atika Light wasn''t assured.


    "The domain of the mind is as mysterious as the soul. Moreover, unlike the domain of the soul, there hasn''t been a precedent of an expert comprehending it." Atika Light sighed, showcasing a solemn expression.


    "This is a major obstacle in the breakthrough process, one that destroyed countless geniuses at higher Tiers, the reason it is so difficult to produce Tier 6 these days." She controlled her tone, the volume of her voice akin to a whisper, inaudible to even her ears.


    In the head of Jyorta, the Brain Crystal had turned into a patchwork, showcasing innumerous fused clusters, lacking any binding substance. The first fused cluster, one that had taken the centremost position emitted a gentle flux, attracting the subsequent clusters.


    Soon, the effect traversed over the entirety of the clusters that made up the Brain Crystal, creating a phenomenon that began to absorb energy from the body, directly converting it into psychic energy.


    Thanks to the two streams¡ªone from the soul tendrils, and the other from the muscle mass regenerated through Atika Light''s actions¡ªof psychic energy entering his Brain Crystal, the phenomenon could initiate without trouble.


    The psychic energy turned into miniature strands, beyond the control of the two consciousnesses as they interlinked each fused cluster, connecting them all. A flash of psychic energy erupted forth, washing over the Brain Crystal, attaching all the fused clusters into a whole.


    There were still signs of their individuality, forcefully held together by the miniature strands seeping into them, coursing through the pores in them, forming circuits. The psychic energy began to flow, seeking to fuse the parts into a whole, the process alarmingly slow, facing major hurdles due to the lingering hard clusters, black in colour.


    The single pattern on the Brain Crystal had long since disappeared, the pink surface now lacking any patterns.


    The Brain Crystal hummed once, shrouded by a white glow, forming links with the entirety of Jyorta''s body, the strain turning it unstable, the effect apparent on the edges. The surface turned soft, beginning to disintegrate at a very slow pace, but one that was definite. As time passes in such a manner, it would continue to disintegrate until nothing of it remained.


    This concluded the first part of the breakthrough¡ªBrain Crystal Formation!


    Immediately, the two consciousnesses severed their connection, brimming with killing intent. It was time to decide the ultimate victor, one that would take charge as the host.

 Chapter 152: Ehara Gobi

    Two consciousnesses erupted, condensing their individuality, segregating themselves around the newly formed Brain Crystal.


    A change enveloped the region, creating a layer, bringing forth a whole new realm, overlapping it on reality. It sucked in the two consciousnesses, leaving behind a stringed trail, causing all the biological processes in the body to slow down to a crawl, as if entering deep hibernation.


    There existed a grey fog, thinned out considerably, looking like a transparent filter placed over reality, one akin to the cinematic effects, but of low concentration.


    The scene was the same room as before, only thinly greyed out. Two specks of light formed, one blue, and one red, appearing overhead Jyorta. Both of them emerged from his head, spreading apart, creating a distance of 3 metres between them, connected to his body in reality by a strand respectively.


    It was a sphere, blue in colour, condensed like a solid object, comprised of mental state, mental apprehensions, mental blocks, upbringing, and logic in the thought process. These myriad mentalities were mixed amid ego like a solute dissolved into a solvent, producing the blue sphere.


    It shared a thin connection with Jyorta, siphoning in many memory fragments, forming a skeletal structure around the blue sphere. The emotions were siphoned out, condensing into the flesh and blood, instilling in the projection some semblance of reality.


    Finally, the life experiences, the wisdom gained over the course of life was extracted, forming the skin, defining its overall shape, even influencing its skeletal frame. It was a humanoid figure, sharing a resemblance with Kaushik, the character from his previous life.


    Mixed into the facial structure and body lines were another person''s traits, the Jyorta of the current life. They slightly altered the structure, leaning it towards an androgynous projection. Due to the difference in the functional blocks, the projection retained most of its masculinity.


    It was almost 6 feet tall, sporting prominent muscles. Forming on its back were four pairs of arms, one resembling the Floating Spiders, looking transparent to the extent they flickered in and out of existence.


    Wrapping around the head was the face of a Floating Spider, its condition the same as the four pairs of arms, existing just as decoration. The eyes shot open, the condensation of consciousness awakening Jyorta.


    ''So, this is the Mental Realm.'' Jyorta realised, feeling his thoughts, logical executions, and emotional pillars at full functionality.


    Based on the information imparted by Atika Light, the Mental Realm was a mystical place that wrapped around reality, but was only capable of being interfered with during the process of a breakthrough. Based on her conjecture, it began to form since the appearance of the First Ancestor, turning solid with the subsequent appearance of each Ancestor.


    This was where the host and the parasite fought mental battles, pitting their fates against one another. Were the host to win, it would gain some reprieve, the pressure brought about by the Parasite vanishing for the near future.


    It would destroy the Parasite''s consciousness, leaving it in a vegetative state, but one where its Nurturing continued without pause. Also, slowly fuelled by the influx in memories thanks to the Nurturing, the consciousness of the Parasite would slowly reform. Though, this will consume a long period, giving the host enough time to advance in life experiences.


    Were the Parasite to win, it would result in the host body defenceless as it easily gains control of it, the process swift, leaving behind no evidence of having lost control. Moreover, before the consciousness of the host could recover, the Parasite would have gained complete control over the body, preventing the host''s consciousness from forming ever again.


    Jyorta looked at his condensed body, finding the blue sphere embedded in his body, occupying the position of his heart. The rest of his body looked fluid, a condensation of mist, swirling around gently, lacking definite boundaries.


    The projection of the Floating Spider on him was even hazier, making no difference whether it existed or not. He took a step forward, watching it crumble, as a result, lacking the structural integrity and sturdiness to exist.


    ''If I had comprehended the life experiences in the memory fragments obtained from the Floating Spiders, maybe the projection of them around myself would have turned more solid. This would have given me more advantages in the upcoming fight. But alas, this entire situation was abrupt, having erupted before I could resolve my issues.''


    Jyorta gazed opposite to him, watching a red-figure form, spanning only one-fourth his size. It had a serpentine base, sporting a sharp texture, looking extremely thin. Held in a place along its centre was a red sphere, the essence similar to the blue sphere in Jyorta.


    The skeletal frame, musculature, and the epidermis was hazy, broiling around the serpentine base, making it resemble a snake. Its body was slightly more condensed than Jyorta''s, despite lacking in quantity, leading to a stunted size, but one with more effectiveness.


    It sported a face, of a woman, a mix between Heima and someone else. The features retained from Heima were negligent while the features originating from another woman were dominant. The face was attached to the serpentine body, painting a disharmonious resemblance.


    Its hair looked like a mane, imbuing in it a regal aura, its appearance looking more human. A pair of arms, human-like appeared along the upper section of its body, looking extremely thin. Finally, its consciousness erupted forth, taking charge, prompting the figure to open her eyes.


    She smiled, glancing at Jyorta, exuding confidence unmatched by the other party.


    Jyorta glanced around, noticing a yellow barrier, almost transparent, forming a large dome around the region. Situated beyond it were faint swirling shadows, intermixed with a myriad of shades of light.


    They were like ghosts, planting what resembled faces on the barrier, their bodies blocked. They watched the two projections inside the dome, pressing their bodies on its surface, steadily inching in.


    There were seven bodies already existing in the dome, having seeped inside while the two projections had formed. Like hungry wolves attracted towards openly displayed slabs of meat, the ghost-like figures flew towards the two projections.


    "I am Ehara Gobi," The red projection said, looking at Jyorta while sporting a vicious smile, "Know it before you die."


    Jyorta''s face turned solemn, surprised at hearing the other party speak. Atika Light hadn''t ever mentioned about the projections capable of speech even at breakthroughs into Tier 5. Moreover, the red projection asserted herself, as if she had been a conscious living entity all along, surpassing the presence of the Wisdom Parasite''s short lifetime.


    "I am the remnants of a subsoul, originating from a mysterious expert." Ehara Gobi said, walking towards Jyorta, taking one step at a time. She floated to the air, pausing at the spot where the feet of Jyorta''s body lay in the real world.


    ''Something unexpected occurred two days ago, almost killing me. If not for that, I wouldn''t have sought to take refugee here by making use of a faint connection. Though, I am surprised that this individual can also make use of the soul tendrils.'' Ehara Gobi raised her right hand, watching the mist circulating her hand spread forward, condensing into a spear.


    The spear spanned 2 metres in length, thin to the extent capable of being snapped at the slightest force exertion.


    Jyorta stood motionless, the mist around his body forming small clumps, creating and dissipating small mounds and depressions, getting a feel for the control in his body. He focused his attention on the blue core, watching a thin pattern form on it, ink-black in colour.


    ''So, I have one shot of it. This is surprising, exceeding what I have been informed of. Though, her conjecture has been proved right. But¡­does this mean¡­the opponent has something similar? That would make things a lot more difficult.''


    In the transparent dome, a small hole had been created, allowing the ghost-like figures to squeeze in like water, thanks to their bodies lacking definite shapes. They raced towards the two projections in droves, their march followed by deafening silence.


    The first seven ghost-like figures had approached the two projections by now, their shapeless bodies transforming into all figures, resembling blades, pincers, fans, etc.


    Having gained some understanding of his body, Jyorta willed it, allowing the blue sphere in him to pulse once, causing the mist on his arms to proceed forward, turning into disks on his arms. He had chosen the most optimal weapons to fight, one that could both defend and attack.


    They were the chakrams, the weapons he came to approve the usage of in recent days. His chakrams weren''t as sharp as he desired, looking thin and weak, lacking enough substance to enact a qualitative change.


    Under his willpower, they began to spin, soon rising in rpm, allowing their shapes to become sharper, sturdier, and more defined, affected by the spin and the imbued will. Jyorta didn''t take a step from his spot, safeguarding the thin strand that connected the blue sphere to his body in reality.


    It was this connection that allowed his existence to be fuelled with substance, creating a path for his return to reality. Once it got severed, it would prevent his return to reality, leaving his body in a vegetative state for all eternity. But, since it signified a failure in breakthrough, it would result in his body dying the moment the unstable Brain Crystal explodes.


    Moreover, in order to finish the second process, he ought to destroy the red projection and swallow the red sphere in her. This would imbue in him the power to solely control the Brain Crystal in reality and stabilise it, concluding the second phase.


    So, he had to fight while protecting his strand from being severed and the blue core in him being stolen.

 Chapter 153: Mind Hound

    The chakrams in his hands spun, the edges making contact with one of the approaching ghost-like figures, one that had turned into a hammer. Everything had a semblance of haziness, their shapes conforming to the effect imbued in them, forming their essence.


    The mist forming the chakram was polluted by the substance in the hammer, with a similar situation occurring in the other party. The damage, in the sense, wasn''t anything physical, but a collision of mental states, wills, memories, etc.


    The damage dealt was similar to a rock splashing into a bucket of water, spilling some droplets beyond its confines. The process here was the same, the moment the chakram and the hammer met, the fragments in their makeup spilled out, the momentum carrying them radially away.


    This led to a slight decrease in the substance making up the colliding parties, with the chakram coming out on top after having lost a lower portion of the fragments. Jyorta willed his emotions into his chakram, further solidifying it, causing greater harm to the hammer whose momentum had been impeded.


    Now, the rotation of the chakram dealt damage to its stationary foe. Another ghost-like figure approached him, having turned into a blade, slashing at his sides. Jyorta raised his other chakram, blocking the attack, letting out a grunt after witnessing his chakram shattering into two under the attack.


    One of the broken pieces flew past the blade, scrapping its surface in the process. The other piece lodged itself in his body, quickly dissolved, and used to reconstruct another smaller chakram, half the original size.


    A third ghost-like figure approached from his front, looking humanoid, sending a punch his way. The punch slammed into his chest, causing the fragments in the area to spill out. A part of the opponent''s fragments were lodged in his body, as a resultant of the attack. But, his losses were severe.


    Jyorta raised his leg and kicked the humanoid figure, causing greater damage than the one he was inflicted with. He glanced at Ehara Gobi, watching her in a slightly worse state than his, having to face against four ghost-like figures, with all having turned into weapons.


    In reality, flashing into existence above the blue soul was a pair of eyes, jet-black in colour. The next instant after its appearance stirred up something from the memory fragment cluster, causing his brain to go into overdrive, rapidly accessing innumerous memory fragments.


    The thin blue thread spread forth from his body, heading into the Mental Realm, seeping something inside the mental body of Jyorta. Sensing the changes, a slight smile crept up his face, his actions experiencing a subtle change, revealing more flaws than before.


    ''Another one of his arrangements has been revealed.''


    Suddenly, his smile froze over, glancing at a large crack that had formed on the transparent dome, spreading further with every passing second. The cause of the phenomenon was a hound, violet in colour.


    Its eyes shimmered with ghostly flames; its face blanketed the crack on the dome, spanning a size greater than 20 metres were it to exist in reality. It lacked a body, only possessing a face. It shot forward its tongue, licking the dome, the force behind the action completely shattering the dome.


    In the real world, Atika Light was startled, noticing the barrier she had erected to help Jyorta destroyed easily. Even though its effect in the Mental Realm was subpar, thanks to Atika Light lacking knowledge in regards to the domain, she was still shocked when the barrier was broken, that too in such a short period.


    ''Only the weakest of the remnants should have been attracted towards Jyorta. What is happening in there?'' She glanced at his head, wondering if she should probe into him further. A second later, she decided against it, remembering the incident from a couple of days ago.


    The hound flew towards the two figures, causing all the ghost-like projections to spread to the sides, as if paving the way to a monarch. The seven ghost-like figures fighting Jyorta and Ehara Gobi too retreated, causing all fighting to stop.


    Ehara Gobi looked at the hound in shock, mumbling in despair, "So, something sentient has been birthed here after all."


    The red sphere in her body flashed with a black light, spreading it through her body in an instant. She teleported behind Jyorta, elongating the shortened spear in her hand, the tip aimed at his back, positioned three centimetres above the spot of the blue sphere.


    The spear tip shot forward, approaching his back, turning solid, causing Ehara Gobi''s size to shrink. She had gone all-out in her attack, her actions slightly bordering on desperation after witnessing the hound.


    The four pairs of arms on his back, the ones resembling a Floating Spider turned solid. The four pairs of arms crisscrossed themselves, blocking the spear tip, causing it to break after it had shattered three pairs of arms.


    "You were acting right from the start? How? This should be your first appearance in this realm." Her eyes widened in surprise, watching the remaining pair of Floating Spider arms grab hold of her extended hand.


    The blue sphere in him flashed with a black hue, coursing the phenomenon through his body. Jyorta turned around, causing his chakrams to be dissolved into his arms, turning his right arm jet-black. His left hand shot forth, grabbing her remaining hand, locking it in place. Both of them used their trump cards, with Ehara Gobi''s attack turning into a failure.


    Jyorta''s right hand pierced through her serpentine body, corroding the fragments in the area of contact, soon approaching the red sphere. Before Ehara Gobi could mount any semblance of resistance, Jyorta deactivated the blackness in his arm, grabbed hold of the red sphere, and yanked it out.


    The moment the red sphere arrived in his hands, he pressed it on his body, watching it collide with the blue sphere in him, immediately fusing into a singularity. The red strand connecting Ehara Gobi to the body of the Wisdom Parasite in reality snapped.


    A feeling of descent enveloped him, causing his consciousness to arrive at reality, engaging the same state as before, possessing two perspectives. But now, he had complete control of both the perspectives, noticing the state of his Brain Crystal.


    Its surface had disintegrated considerably, showing a slight decrease in size as compared to before he visited the Mental Realm.


    "Dammit, I never expected him to be a Psychic Parasite." Ehara Gobi cursed, watching the hound arrive before her. She was a hidden subsoul, planted by Gajara Rahi the moment Rhachis Ancestor Light had acted on Heima, severing her connection with her.


    It was unknown as to what her existence signified and the reason she was planted deep within Heima''s soul. But now, none of that mattered.


    The hound gazed at her with interest. It opened its mouth, revealing two rows canine teeth, the tongue inside wriggling gently, condensed to the extent it had turned realistic, its features sharp and definite.


    Ehara Gobi condensed the spear again, shooting it towards the hound. The spear made contact in the area around its nose, sinking into it like an object encountering a quicksand. The fragments that made up the hound seemed to be glued together, sporting affinity with one other.


    Ehara Gobi''s attack didn''t even cause any ripples to form on the hound, losing the fragments that made up the spear. Her body had shrunk even more, becoming only three-fourth her initial size. The hound inched forward, watching her with its eyes shimmering with ghost fire.


    Its tongue shot out, licking Ehara Gobi once, absorbing most of the fragments that formed her makeup, leaving her state on the verge of dissipation. Unable to mount any resistance, Ehara Gobi resigned herself to her fate, watching the hound completely absorb her upon the second lick.


    "Aiee," The hound suddenly let out a squeak, bringing its tongue outside its mouth, watching traces of black marks covering it, imbuing in it some unique sensations. The hound hovered in the region, watching the figure of Jyorta who lay in a sleeping pose in reality.


    It imprinted his image in its eyes, floating in the air with its tongue laid out. As time passed in such a manner, the black marks were absorbed into its tongue, causing a mystical change to erupt within itself.


    Two faint patterns formed on its forehead, spanning two unevenly drawn lines, lacking any structure. The hound licked a ghost-like figure present near its back, one that had turned into a hammer, absorbing everything that made up the other party.


    Its eyes shimmering with ghost-fire spiked in intensity, symbolising something mystical, one whose consequences had yet to become pronounced.


    In reality, the consciousness of Jyorta watched a sphere¡ªfused from the blue and red sphere¡ªcome into contact with the Brain Crystal, stabilising it. Within a couple of seconds, the surface of the Brain Crystal stopped disintegrating.


    Soon, it began to secrete a white substance, seeping it into the tissues in the brain, the process slow, causing zero negative effects. His two perspectives dissipated while his consciousness expanded, no longer condensed into a unity.


    He soon lost his senses of his brain, leaving him in a muddled state, one that was his usual state. Jyorta opened his eyes, waking up to witness a beam of light seep into his head, drowning his senses.


    He suddenly fell unconscious, his thumping heart slowed down to normalcy, the same happening to his breathing rate. Standing beside him, Atika Light observed through her Skills, heaving out a sigh of relief.


    ''I don''t know what had happened there but, he made it out alive.'' Atika Light let out another sigh, having confirmed his identity. She then retracted the beam of light directed at him, watching him wake up in a matter of seconds.


    "Congratulations on your successful breakthrough. Once your Brain Crystal heals from the damage, you will become an Area Controller." Atika Light smiled.

 Chapter 154: Cogent Phrenics

    "So, it was this hound that destroyed my barrier." Atika Light nodded, summoning a sketchbook and a pencil from somewhere. Before Jyorta could realise it, they had arrived in Atika Light''s hands.


    Based on his descriptions, Atika Light began to sketch; after 4-5 drafts, she had ended up with a realistic portrayal of the hound, consisting of views from three perpendicular angles and an isometric projection.


    "Based on your description, this hound is a Cogent Phrenics stronger than the ones Tier 4 beings face in the Mental Realm, while attempting to breakthrough to Tier 5." Atika Light said, furrowing her brows, her expression replaced by seriousness, causing Jyorta to involuntarily gulp in response.


    Cogent Phrenics, the name assigned to the creatures in the Mental Realm. The Mental Realm had been created with the introduction of the Frenzy and Wisdom Parasites to the world, as every living being made use of them to attain superhuman powers. But, the Mental Realm was unstable, dissipating soon upon the conclusion of each breakthrough.


    The Mental Realm existed as patches, projections of the mind that were created as a resultant of the breakthrough process, consummating a place where the two consciousnesses residing in a body fought for dominance. Once the process concluded, with a victor decided between the two consciousnesses, leading to a descent to reality, the consummated Mental Realm too dissipated, lacking the energy, substance, and a core to sustain into permanence.


    It was only when the first Ancestor, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite broke through to Tier 6, that the Mental Realm created as a result solidified. It later absorbed the Mental Realms created in the nearby regions, growing in size, spreading more in reality.


    As more and more Ancestors were birthed in the world, the Mental Realm too expanded, using the base created by each ancestor, eventually encompassing the entire world. It had finally turned from a figment of imagination to a semblance of reality, gaining a trait of permanence, capable of existing indefinitely.


    Once it had been formed, slight changes occurred within it. When beings attempted a breakthrough and approached the second phase, they no longer created a Mental Realm of their own. They directly entered the existing Mental Realm, condensing their entirety to pit their fates against one another.


    As they fought, the essence condensed into their bodies, the fragments splashed like water upon each attack, dispersing into the surroundings. It was similar to the phenomenon in space, where flying objects continued in their respective directions, travelling at their initial speeds for all eternity unless affected by external forces.


    The Mental Realm was a layer formed over reality, its shape conforming to the physical structure of the planet¡ªa hollow sphere. Therefore, such fragments that were splashed from the breakthrough fights revolved in the Mental Realm, making innumerable loops until colliding into other similar particles.


    After all, the path of travel for each fragment was radial, depending on their initial vector at the time of displacement. As they collide into one another, they will either break down into smaller fragments or fuse into a whole, affected by their momentum and vector.


    The resultant would continue in its own path, hovering in stillness were the opposing fragments cancel each other in both momentum and vectors.


    This led to all sorts of variability, eventually resulting in creatures that had formed from the condensation of the fragments, capable of exerting their will. They were now capable of defining themselves, controlling their movement, speed, condensation, and actions. They were also capable of false thoughts, brought about by the fragments in them.


    The memories, egos, wills, emotions, etc. possessed by each fragment was different, causing the resulting whole to become bizarre. They would then slowly be affected by the similar fragments that formed the relative majority, eventually birthing a creature¡ªCogent Phrenics.


    The Cogent Phrenics lacked any intelligence, solely acting based on their essence. Moreover, they were attracted to the projections that appeared in the Mental Realm from time to time, seeking to absorb the memory fragments to progress further, an instinctive response.


    They sought fragments similar to the ones that formed the majority in them.


    If the person attempting a breakthrough was a Tier 1 Esper, his resulted projection would be hazy, a compilation of his short life experience. Were the same be a Tier 4 Esper, his projection would be predominantly solid, a resultant of his rich experiences, a condensation of his battles, emotional outbursts, the handled politics, the world exposure, the knowledge accumulated, etc.


    Therefore, the fragments dispersed during a battle between the two projections of a Tier 4 Esper would be vastly superior in both quality and quantity.


    But, here came an interesting relation, one accumulated by the residents in Marble City through decades of research and observation. The more developed a Cogent Phrenics was, the more it sought higher levelled fragments.


    This meant that, should a Cogent Phrenics exist, with its body composed of memory fragments resulting from Tier 4 beings, it would only seek other Tier 4 beings fighting in the Mental Realm. It would ignore everything below that state of quality.


    This created a semblance of safety for people attempting a breakthrough, only having to deal with Cogent Phrenics at similar and inferior states as them. But now, the appearance of the hound defied the existing rules.


    Its body was made from Tier 4 fragments at the very least, but it attacked Jyorta and Ehara Gobi, ones at Tier 1 level, going against the preconceived notion.


    "Ma''am, I have a wild guess," Jyorta said, consolidating his theory after Atika Light informed him of more details about the Mental Realm. "When I was in the Mental Realm, I was able to use my corrosion. Even though I only had a single shot at it, I was able to use it. Ehara Gobi too, on the other hand, was able to teleport behind me."


    "You mean to say¡­" Atika Light''s eyes widened, possessing some guesses of her own but lacking clarity.


    "When I fought against the Cogent Phrenics, many fragments from my body were lodged inside my opponent''s. And, my predecessor¡­" Before Jyorta could complete his sentence, he was interjected by Atika Light.


    "Gajara Rahi entered the Mental Realm six times, the case being similar for the innumerable subsouls she had created." Atika Light''s pace of speech became slow, the thoughts in her head colliding, forming new conjectures. "When she attained Tier 6, the place in the Mental Realm she had attempted a breakthrough would have experienced some changes."


    "She is a Psychic Parasite, her core being a spiritual entity, lacking a body. There would be definite differences between the projection formed by her in the Mental Realm as compared to the rest like us or the Frenzy Beasts."


    "As the fragments condensed and fused, they had eventually birthed Cogent Phrenics that were capable of forming their sentience. No wonder the hound approached you. It had probably sensed the uniqueness in you and Ehara Gobi, the very substance that spurred its sentience into existence." Atika Light frowned, recalling her experiences in the Mental Realm.


    The more she thought about it, the more her expression changed, bordering on a fluster despite her myriad experiences in life, having engaged with the Ancestors on a daily basis.


    "Ma''am, if we want to do something, then we must determine the place where Gajara Rahi broke into Tier 6," Jyorta said, possessing his own thoughts for informing her of the direction of thought.


    First, after having his secrets revealed one after the other, with the ones who ought to know him having detailed knowledge about his capabilities, Jyorta changed his mentality. He no longer tried to hide his secrets but sought to gain depth in his secrets using the wisdom and experience of others.


    After all, in his previous life, inventions weren''t created out of the blue. It was a result of accumulations of fervent scientists, with the knowledge, passion, and ambition passed down through generations, eventually conceptualised by a person who possessed the right track of mind.


    Moreover, after some interaction, he came to realise something else. Anyone at Tier 4 or higher were beings who had accumulated a treasure trove of knowledge, experience, and the wisdom gained only through rich life experience.


    It wasn''t something he could gain readily, requiring him to spend equivalent time. But, using his uniqueness, brought forth by his identity, he could gain their wisdom to better himself. After all, nothing mattered in this world if he lacked strength. In such a case, irrespective of how well-guarded his secrets were, they could be pried into.


    Now, he had modified his mentality, unwilling to hide his secrets until his strength developed to the extent capable of protecting them. This didn''t mean he wouldn''t try to guard his secrets and would openly flaunt them. That was tantamount to the highest level of stupidity.


    He would still take the utmost care about hiding his secrets. But, he would be open-minded about sharing it with people like Atika Light, existences who were capable of helping him to greater extents.


    He wanted to bank on their knowledge and wisdom to better himself.


    "It isn''t a closely guarded secret. Gajara Rahi attained Tier 6 in Dawn City." Atika Light continued with her thoughts, "We will dispatch some officials to bring this knowledge to Dawn City. Make a detailed account of your experience in a notebook, include sketches for better details. I will help you with the rest; this will help our subsequent investigations."


    "Don''t worry; it shall only be seen by Rhachis Ancestor Dawn. After all, he is also privy of your existence." Atika Light said, stopping the pale blue light she was directing into Jyorta, "He will know how to probe the situation and take countermeasures."


    Jyorta inspected his body, noticing its state better than when he had arrived at the headquarters of Grapple Force. Atika Light had fully healed his injuries, also increasing his muscle mass, making him gain some weight.


    He noticed the Wisdom Parasite in him having begun the Nurturing process, converting the excess muscular energy into psychic energy, healing the Brain Crystal. Its body was still seeping into his brain tissues, the process yet to complete. With its conclusion, he would be able to determine his final Sync Rate.


    Atika Light stood up, motioning for him to remain seated, "I would need to make some preparations to tackle this issue. Stay here, for the time being, your work here is done. As thanks to your efforts, you will be awarded 70 Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits. When Heima recovers, you can talk to her for some time before being escorted to the military academy."


    Jyorta bowed in response, watching Atika Light exit the room, turning the surroundings silent.


    In the mental realm, the hound was sprawled on the floor, facing Jyorta, with the tip of its nose positioned right before his face. It stared at him in silence, its surroundings devoid of the Cogent Phrenics that had fought against Jyorta and Ehara Gobi, leaving behind the rest that floated aimlessly.

 Chapter 155: First Generation, Dysfunctional Thoughts

    Jyorta sat cross-legged on the hard bed, sweating profusely. He looked at the surroundings, noticing the atmosphere instilled with a sense of desolation, filled with a primal semblance. He thought about the memories Atika Light had imparted him, realising the cause for the situation.


    ''The harsher the environment, the greater the chances of success; the harshness of the environment shouldn''t exceed a certain threshold. Everything has been calculated through decades of research.'' Jyorta noticed a book and pen appear before him, condensed through a beam of light.


    The book was a shade of green, its conception easily recognisable. It had been created through the Unranked Skill, Marble Sonata, nurtured till Tier 4. At Tier 6, the products resulted from Marble Sonata were magenta, yellow at Tier 5, and green at Tier 4.


    They were ones Jyorta had personally witnessed. Madam Mila had once demonstrated it in class, gifting everyone a glass jar filled with yellow dust. She claimed the dust possessed something that would help the Espers. Moreover, Madam Mila had instructed everyone to finish turning all the yellow dust in their respective glass jars into their Refined Objects.


    Though, considering the sequence of events he was subjected to, Jyorta hadn''t had the time to finish it. He also possessed a Tier 6 Artifact, gifted to him by Psychic Ancestor Marble, it was magenta in colour. When being implanted by the Trait of Efficiency, he witnessed the staff in charge of the process use Marble Sonata at Tier 4.


    ''The ability to create matter that could exist indefinitely, its physical properties altered to suit the circumstances, and its versatility. Marble Sonata is one of the best Unranked Skills. Moreover, the user of the Skill can create Artifacts in a matter of seconds, customising it according to the needs of each individual. In a society, its uses are economical, able to be mass-produced, short production periods, and the lack of requirement in raw materials.'' Jyorta sighed once, picking up the pen as he flipped the book, hovering at the first page.


    He began jotting down all the details, including his thoughts about the matter at hand, making it as descriptive as possible. He described the features of the hound, its posture, behaviour, its attack ability, and its habits, everything he had witnessed.


    Though, he had descended to reality before the hound had made a move on Ehara Gobi, preventing him from witnessing the entire process.


    When the pen scribbled on a page in the notebook, lines magically appeared, coloured in dark green. It didn''t form a perfect contrast with the green shaded page but it was still visible enough to be read.


    Moreover, as he brushed his hand over the words he had written, he felt slight indentations, as if he had carved them. Also, the reverse of the pen could be used like an eraser, giving him the choice to erase and rewrite the parts that he felt were sloppy.


    Time passed in such a manner, when Jyorta was finally done with his task, he felt a change erupt in his head, prompting him to close his eyes and sense using his psychic energy. A change enveloped him, akin to the feeling before the breakthrough, one where he had full control over his psychic energy.


    Moreover, the Nurturing process had increased to a staggering rate as compared to before he began to scribble on the notebook. Based on his senses, thanks to the guidance from Atika Light, he could arrive at a guess, one that was almost accurate.


    ''My Sync Rate is currently at 57 percent. So, my Sync Rate fell by 8 percent during the breakthrough. How does this outcome fare in comparison with the others?'' Jyorta pondered, calculating how much he could increase through the 70 Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits Atika Light mentioned of rewarding him.


    ''Each Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit gives a 0.1 percent increase in Sync Rate. So, my Sync Rate will rise by 7 percent, a percent more than the amount that decreased while helping Heima. I guess this is all they are willing to give me.''


    But, Jyorta was more than satisfied with the outcome. Atika Light had provided him with gains that surpassed just an increase in Sync Rate. First of all, he now possessed six subsouls. The false persona¡ªthe face mask¡ªhe had created proved more than sufficient for his needs, thanks to its robust structure, created using an abundance of soul energy, only possible due to the inexhaustible supply of Tier 1 Brain Crystals.


    He gained insight into his abilities of the soul, also gaining ample experience in using his corrosion, stuff that wouldn''t have been possible in the military academy, under the prying eyes of Madam Mary.


    Apart from that, he was now an Area Controller, a Tier 2 Esper. This placed him at a massive advantage when compared to his peers, promising him numerous awards. His soul too had achieved Tier 2, creating another Soul Cornea for his use.


    Overall, he had profited plenty from this exchange, for something he would have done voluntarily. After all, it was his sister''s life that was at risk here. So, when considering everything, the promise of Atika Light gifting him 70 Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits was beyond necessary.


    Finally, Jyorta had made up his mind. When he attains Tier 3, he would try to enter Grapple Force. Based on his intuition, despite feeling apprehensive about Atika Light, he was also in awe at the capabilities she had displayed.


    She had an Ancestor as her son, one who has been claimed to become the strongest among the Ancestors once he Nurtured his Tier 6 Skill. Heima was already part of the Grapple Force.


    Moreover, he realised the fact that what Atika Light had shown him was just the tip of the iceberg. As someone who headed an official organisation in Marble City, including the elites from all the Aristocratic and Royal Families, not to mention the general populace, she was a heavyweight character.


    Even though Heima had suffered life-threatening injuries this time, due to a mission issued by Grapple force, Jyorta realised that there wasn''t a free meal in this world. If he wanted to gain something, then he ought to reciprocate the equivalent effort.


    ''Also, my gains from the Mental Realm are fruitful.'' Jyorta smiled, taking in the view of his blue soul, watching the soul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite. The memory fragments inside it were currently still, the formed ego had become placid, lacking a consciousness.


    Jyorta had gained some insights through his experience in the Mental Realm; when he had absorbed some fragments from the Cogent Phrenics battling him and from Ehara Gobi when he pierced her body, he perceived something mystical.


    Even though he had yet to determine the insight he had received, he could instinctively sense something different about him. It was like he had a slight increase in his life experience. Though, the topic pertaining to the increase, he was unsure.


    ''If my conjecture is right, the Mental Realm is a treasure trove of knowledge and experience. I should attempt absorbing some in my next breakthrough.'' His train of thought was broken when the knob on the door twisted, craning it open.


    An exhausted middle-aged man¡ªwearing loose cotton clothes, white in colour¡ªpeeked in, glancing around the room before looking at Jyorta in surprise. "Did you see my mother?"


    Jyorta hurriedly stood up, standing straight, performing a standard salute, "She was here five minutes ago. I don''t know where she went now, sir."


    "Okay," The middle-aged man nodded and closed the door. Before Jyorta could sigh in relief, the door opened once again as the middle-aged man walked in, "Jyorta Bone?"


    "Yes, sir." Jyorta nodded, remaining in his saluting pose. He then noticed the other party walk towards the chair, his footsteps not producing any sound. He was barefoot, his actions exuding a friendly demeanour.


    He sat on the chair, grunting in exhaustion, motioning for Jyorta to sit, "How do you feel about living in this world?"


    "I¡­don''t know." Jyorta shook his head, trying to be honest, his line of thought referencing his changed mentality.


    "Tell me your experience," The middle-aged man smiled, "If you were to compare both the worlds, which one would prefer to live in?"


    "My previous one," Jyorta replied, "There, as long as you weren''t born poor, you can lead a comfortable life. You will still have to face many worries but, they are in no way comparable to the ones we have to face here. I experienced that in the last few hours when the subsoul of my Wisdom Parasite broke free of my influence."


    "Oh," The middle-aged man frowned, "Based on my knowledge, something like that shouldn''t have been possible. Recount me everything from the start."


    "Yes, sir," Jyorta nodded, beginning from his sister, and how she broke away from being a subsoul of Gajara Rahi thanks to Rhachis Ancestor Light, the injury she had encountered at present that led to many complications, and finally the appearance of Ehara Gobi as he treated Heima.


    On hearing about the presence of Ehara Gobi, the middle-aged man felt goosebumps appear on his skin, recalling the conversation he shared with his mother, Atika Light upon witnessing the state of Heima before.


    "I wish to talk with you more and know about your previous world. But, these aren''t the times for that. Our city is in a precarious situation, as one of its three defenders, I am pretty busy." The middle-aged man stood up, turned around, and headed towards the door. "When the situation has stabilised, we can have a good chat. By that time, you should have grown stronger, possessing greater experience under your belt."


    He twisted the door know, craning the door open, pausing before he exited, turning around to gaze at Jyorta, "How much of your abilities does my mother know?"


    "I don''t even have an estimate to fathom," Jyorta shook his head. "When I displayed my abilities while trying to save my sister, Heima, not once did Madam question my choice. Maybe she knows everything but, I can''t give a guarantee."


    "My advice is to reveal everything you know to her." The middle-aged man looked into Jyorta''s eyes, his gaze making the other party shudder involuntarily, "Only she can help you escape that man''s arrangements. Those folks from the first generation have dysfunctional thought processes, I hope you remember that."

 Chapter 156: A Piece of Advice

    ''The first generation have dysfunctional thoughts?'' Watching the middle-aged man exit the room, closing the door behind him, Jyorta shuddered at the thought.


    ''How much do these Parasites screw the human mind?'' He mentally cursed, feeling his emotions plummet to the ground, leaving him in a confused state for a while. He then noticed the doorknob being twisted, the action slower than before.


    The door craned open as a familiar face arrived into view, beaming Jyorta''s face with joy. Jyorta sprang from the bed and raced towards the door, jumping into the hug of the other party.


    "Sister, you have recovered now!"


    "Haha, thanks for saving me." Heima lifted him with a single hand, using her other to ruffle his hair. She then placed him on the bed, taking a seat beside him, looking at him with a smile, "Congratulations on becoming an Area Controller."


    "It just happened," Jyorta smiled, giving her a short recount of everything that had happened.


    "Ehara Gobi¡­" Heima muttered, sporting a frown after failing to recall the individual possessing the respective name. "There is nothing about her in my memories."


    "Based on what I witnessed when I fought against the soul of your Wisdom Parasite, you have only inherited a small portion of Gajara Rahi''s memories." Jyorta recounted his probing towards Laila, "I couldn''t even get an estimate of the size of her soul. It just looked like a flat surface from my point of view. Your soul is incomparably tiny with respect to her''s."


    "That is what I have been feeling too," Heima nodded, "I have recalled and digested almost all the inherited memories. But, the ones I possess only include the methods for an easier breakthrough, training methods, recipes for some Traits, and incomplete Unranked Skills. The experiences of Gajara Rahi, her life journey, the part of her life spent battling against the Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts, and the plans she had executed in her later years, they are all a major blank. There are only some fragments."


    "Just the value of the fragments is incomparable," Heima sighed, breaking away from the topic, "How is life in the military academy?"


    "It is tough but enjoyable. Though, the number of classes I have attended are quite less." Jyorta mentioned about the Credits he had accumulated and his overall opinion of the military academy.


    "Everything they teach you there are things that will save your life in the Wilds. Moreover, they will train you to prepare for your cultivation journey. Because, once you attain tier 4, everything changes." Heima said, her tone solemn, emphasising the gravity of the situation.


    "I won''t skip any classes," Jyorta let out a wry laugh, scratching the back of his head.


    "You can study in the remaining time, but never skip any classes," Heima said, shooting him a stern glance. "Credits are important, that much is a fact. But, even if you were to exchange everything available there, without proficiency in the basics, you will die the moment you step foot in the Wilds."


    "They will impart you many things, repeatedly performed until it becomes your instinct by the end of the year. Their teaching methods are the only reason we humans can handle many Frenzy Beasts of the same Tier singlehandedly, with some of us capable of killing foes from a higher Tier." Heima smiled, pointing a finger at herself as she said the last statement.


    She then stood up, beckoning for him to follow her, exiting the room. They arrived at the narrow hallway, proceeding along the path towards a different room. On the way, she closed Jyorta''s eyes, warning him to not look at the painting on the wall.


    "It is difficult for even Ground Controllers to make heads or tails of it, not to mention you. If you gaze at it too much, your vision will deteriorate and you might even go crazy." Heima led him into another room, after travelling through the narrow corridor for a couple of minutes.


    The room was vast, spanning sides with 100 metres, the ceiling situated 10 metres from the ground. Placed in order were numerous cubicles, each filled with a gelatinous solution. Most of them were empty, barring a few where people were immersed inside, sporting the minimum most clothes necessary.


    "You should train to mask your aura and decreased Sync Rate. It would be suspicious for the students in the military academy when they notice your Sync Rate having fallen from 71 percent to 57 percent. As for the teachers, they will be informed with a made-up excuse." Heima pointed at one of the cubicles, sporting a smile.


    "Madam mentioned about using that so-called ''Trait'' of yours as the reason. It is surprising how a lie becomes circulated multiple times until it cannot be differentiated from reality." She pushed him inside a cloth stand, allowing him to undress, leaving behind only the underwear.


    Jyorta wore a respirator, one attached to an air supply. Based on her instructions, he jumped into the cubicle from above, watching his body slowly seep into the gelatinous solution, the process consuming ample time. 20 minutes later, he was fully submerged; his head was situated one metre below the surface layer.


    "From Tier 2, your body will exert its presence, thanks to the upgraded body cells. This is what we term as an aura; the higher your Tier, the greater your presence. At Tier 4, it experiences a qualitative change. We will not focus on that for now. Having become an Area Controller, your body will soon begin to exude its presence."


    "The fact that you have become an Area Controller in just 45 days since your Induction Ceremony will raise many suspicions. The teachers can be satiated with some excuses but, it will be difficult for the students to digest it. Everything will be for naught if your aura is revealed in full brunt. This allows them to easily sense your Tier and make an accurate guess of your Sync Rate."


    Situated within the cubicle, Jyorta nodded his head, able to hear her voice clearly. It seems an earpiece was attached to his respirator, allowing him to converse normally.


    He felt a numbing sensation around his skin, suppressing something within him. His body retaliated in response, seeking to burst out with full might. The suppression effect was akin to being submerged inside a water tank, with its depth surpassing human tolerance, its effect impossible to be resisted.


    Jyorta gradually got used to the feeling, allowing him to retract the trace aura his body exuded. He then turned his head, noticing the few people who were similarly immersed in their respective cubicles.


    Noticing his gaze, Heima continued, "They have recently managed to breakthrough to a higher Tier. So, they are preparing to suppress the higher-intensity aura their body will begin to exude. It is something we all have to experience at every Tier."


    Two hours later, Jyorta got accustomed to the feeling, now able to enact the suppression manually without external help. An instrument beeped in his cubicle, inciting a colour change, signalling him to exit the cubicle.


    Jyorta exerted some strength in his legs, inching his way up. Twenty minutes later, he had fully extricated himself from the gelatinous substance, noticing his body lacking any residue of the gelatinous substance. He touched his undergarment, finding it too lacking any residue, heaving a sigh of relief.


    He then entered the cloth stand, finding his set of clothes replaced with the tracksuit issued by the military academy, the set he had worn when he had arrived at the Headquarters of Grapple Force. He wore it quickly and headed out, finding Heima holding a suitcase in her hands.


    "Contained in this suitcase are 70 Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits. If you input the password, it will send out a Frenzy Fruit. This action can only be performed once per day. If you consume Frenzy Fruits without a set interval, it will cause you to lose control." Heima placed the suitcase in his hand, whispering the password in his ear.


    As an Esper, he retained better memory power, quickly memorising the password. She then brought him to another room, taking a winding path, the journey spanning 30 minutes.


    She knocked on the door, entering upon receiving a response from within. Jyorta trailed behind her, noticing Atika Light seated behind a desk, going through a document displayed on her monitor. On noticing them, Atika Light pointed at four boxes placed on one side of the room, making eye contact with Jyorta.


    The moment he glanced at the four boxes, Jyorta nodded without a change in expression, knowing what he had to do. He unleashed his two Soul Corneas, seeping them into a box. Fifteen minutes later, he executed the same with the second box, proceeding to the next at similar intervals.


    In the span of an hour, he had converted the souls in all the four boxes into his subsouls, heaving an exhausted sigh as he stood beside Heima.


    Atika Light nodded once, "Inside them are a Floating Spider, a River Whale, a Lava Turtle, and a Spindle Bee, all Warriors at Tier 1. They will be researched upon to help us gain knowledge about the weakness of the foes that threaten our city."


    "A piece of advice." Atika Light pointed at Jyorta, "Even if the condition proved to be in your favour, absolutely refrain from attempting a breakthrough to Tier 3. The hound may be lingering in the vicinity, trailing you. Unless you get a green signal from Grapple Force, you are to remain at Tier 2."


    "Yes, ma''am." Jyorta saluted, showcasing his comprehension of the situation.


    "You are dismissed now." Atika Light waved her hand, "Heima will accompany you to the military academy. She will detail you about the excuse we have prepared."


    Followed by a bow, Jyorta exited the room, accompanying Heima through a myriad of winding paths, heading to and fro the Upper Strata, finally arriving at a station in the Lower Strata.

 Chapter 157: Pawns of Marble City

    Atika Light grabbed hold of a Relic, seeping her energy through it, causing a spike in the aura, conforming to the essence condensed only through Marble Sonata. In the meantime, the door opened as a middle-aged man entered, slumping on the empty seat placed opposite her desk.


    Before he could utter a word, a flash of magenta appeared, condensing into the figure of Psychic Ancestor Marble. Even after seeing his appearance, the middle-aged man showed no change in demeanour, acting like he owned the place.


    "Thanks to your efforts, we have managed to accumulate enough resources to last us a year." The marble figure commented, its tone filled with gratitude.


    "I am never doing it again in my life. Having to swallow so much meat, I was about to puke." The middle-aged man placed a hand over his mouth, puffing his cheeks a little to showcase his sense of disgust.


    "Angrushen¡­" A gentle voice resounded, shutting him up immediately, pausing his actions. Atika Light gazed at the marble figure, "Inform Laila about the situation. Also, see what she has to say about this phenomenon."


    "I am conversing with her right now," The marble figure replied, "She said her plans about the Mental Realm had failed when Space died. She has silently broken through to Tier 2 right under the eyes of Mary, without alerting her."


    "So, what are her current thoughts about the hound Jyorta witnessed?" Atika Light spoke, sporting a frown. Her actions, her demeanour, and her tone of voice treated Psychic Ancestor Marble on equal standing. Moreover, the other party too treated it as normalcy.


    "Until she reaches Tier 5, she has no plans to confront it." The marble figure replied, sighing once, "This will put our elites at risk."


    "We can try to lure it away using the subsouls by attempting to breakthrough outside the city and lead it towards the habitat of the Floating Spiders. This will cripple their growth." Angrushen Light suggested, having kept silent till now.


    "But, this method is just a stopgap measure. The moment Jyorta, Laila, or Heima for the matter attempts a breakthrough, it will be lured back. Moreover, using your tactic, we will be feeding it with the essence of the Psychic Parasites, elevating its threat." Atika Light retorted.


    The marble figure scratched its forehead, expressing its frustration, "Laila said one more line before refusing to speak any further."


    A flash of marble spread out, forming a layer over the room, isolating it from the rest of the world. The marble figure spoke aloud, "We will soon experience the Saturation Point."


    Atika Light''s eyes widened in shock, the pupils in them dilating towards the edges; she lost her composure, experiencing her body faintly tremble. Angrushen Light held her hands, soothing her tensed state, allowing her to calm down after a couple of minutes.


    Atika Light downed a glass of water placed nearby, gazing at the marble figure in confusion, "And, how did she arrive at that conclusion?"


    "Through the Mental Realm," The marble figure replied, "This was why she tried to affect the Mental Realm. I am not sure of what she is plotting but it seems she hasn''t been able to glimpse success as of yet."


    Atika Light glanced at Angrushen Light, "See if you can interact with the Mental Realm. It would be for the best if you can capture the hound."


    "I will try," Angrushen Light nodded, "Let me talk with her later. I may be able to find something helpful."


    Atika Light waved her hands, intending for them to drop the matter. She then picked up a set of documents, "How capable is Jyovic Bone? Heima and Jyorta are potential candidates; if he is lacking, he would hinder their growth."


    "Light favours Jyovic Bone, seeing some potential in his research. Their orientation is also aligned." The marble figure shook its head, "Besides, considering his nature, Jyovic Bone will do anything to push them towards the peak."


    "If his methods are the flame, then we ought to be the coolant to prevent them from burning out." Atika Light said.


    "If I have to be honest, mother, you have a higher chance than them at achieving Tier 6, even now, if we were to use that supplementary method." Angrushen Light said, looking at Atika Light in the eye, stubborn in his views.


    "We have gone through this topic many times, Angrushen¡­" Atika Light massaged her forehead, "Were I to attain Tier 6, I don''t have the confidence to remain on the side of humanity. Instead of that, at my present state, I can contribute to humanity and nurture the younger generation."


    "Should any problem arise, I can resolve it." Angrushen Light replied, raising his voice. Even the marble figure nodded in response to his claims, having a clear idea of his abilities.


    "Arrogance is tantamount to foolishness," Atika Light unleashed the full brunt of her aura, turning everything within the room into dust. The effect even produced minuscule damage on the marble layer, shocking Psychic Ancestor Marble.


    "I am well-versed about Marble Sonata, hence I can affect it despite my lower Tier. As long as I have knowledge of the Skill, I will be able to partially use it. Were I to become Tier 6, I would be able to fully use the Skills I have comprehended, unleashing effects at Tier 6." Her aura experienced a subtle change, having long since activated her Tier 5 Skill.


    Next, the skin of Angrushen Light began to turn dark as an ink-black substance seeped into him, causing traces of smoke to appear on his body. Angrushen Light unleashed a sliver of his aura, eliminating the effect, dissipating the ink-black substance.


    "Corrosion¡­" The marble figure muttered in shock, gazing at Atika Light in wonder.


    Atika Light deactivated her Tier 5 Skill, speaking at Angrushen Light with an admonishing tone, "The current you cannot even withstand a single punch from Parasite. If I were at Tier 6, I may not be as powerful as him, but I will be able to counter every Skill in existence upon watching it in action even once. Even if you were to succeed in using Memoir Beckoner on me, will you be able to handle the aftermath?"


    "Finish Nurturing your Tier 6 Skill so that I can confidently attempt to breakthrough to Tier 6. Until then, I won''t attempt even if I were to age out." Atika Light said, retracting her aura, heaving exhausted breaths. Angrushen Light hurriedly helped her while the marble figure created a chair for her to sit.


    "Anyway, the Mental Realm is developing too fast. Our progress will soon be hindered by the growing number of Cogent Phrenics there. Unless we devise a countermeasure, our future is numbered." Atika Light concluded, resting her weary body.


    "You should rest for some time," The marble figure said, "You have been working nonstop for the past few days to manufacture the Wisdom Plants."


    "Rest, mother," Angrushen Light said, giving her limbs a light massage.


    The marble figure then glanced at Angrushen Light, "Light requested for your presence, saying he plans to hand over everything to you."


    Angrushen Light''s actions paused, the shock behind the statement possessing immense weight, overwhelming his reasons. Atika Light too wasn''t any better, losing her composure once again.


    "What happened to him?" Angrushen Light quickly regained control of his bearings, "Why did he suddenly change his mind?"


    "Ever since he saw your Unranked Skill, Memoir Beckoner in action, he has been having such thoughts. Moreover, he lost his final blood relative in the Flying Signature Raid. The loss of Anruhen Light is eating away at him. Also, you would need a lot of time to get used to¡­that¡­process, right?"


    The marble figure sighed, "So, he planned his mind, to prepare for the five races war that will soon erupt within a few decades."


    "But¡­giving me everything¡­that means¡­it is risky. I have yet to test it on Tier 6 beings. There is a significant chance of failure." Angrushen Light hesitated, feeling his words fail to form. The situation at hand wasn''t something he could deal with a calm mentality, lacking even the tiniest shreds of optimism.


    The gravity of the situation dictated the future of Marble City, connected with its existence. If the process went wrong, then it would weaken humanity as a whole, not to mention crippling Marble City.


    "I too have the same in my mind," The marble figure sighed, "But now is not the time. You still need to develop more. It is too early now and I still have more than three decades to live. If I control my actions, I might be able to extend my lifespan even more."


    "I will buy you enough time to fully mature." The marble figure looked at Atika Light, "There is a talented individual in my Marble Family. She too has a shot at Tier 6. I will leave her in your hands."


    "You can rest assured. I plan to create a force solely to nurture the candidates who have a shot at Tier 6." Atika Light thought for a moment, finalising her decision, her gaze filled with resolve.


    "I will declare them the Pawns of Marble city," Her voice resounded within the room, filled with a sense of resolution that pitted one''s life against all odds. "I will initiate the Queening process, just like Ancient Chess."

 Chapter 158: Heima’s Concern

    5:30 AM, seated inside a metro train, Jyorta occupied the window seat, watching the darkness outside in silence, feeling his eyes droop. He hadn''t had a proper sleep schedule due to the unsystematic process incorporated while trying to save Heima within the time limit.


    His body felt tired, having to experience a breakthrough right after saving Heima from a tough situation. After that, he had to train to control his aura emission and make new subsouls, pushing him beyond exhaustion. He didn''t feel like thinking or moving his body, willing to embrace slumber and hibernate for a good duration.


    "So, a drop in 8 percent," Heima murmured, gaining his attention.


    Jyorta turned to his left, glancing at his sister, "Is that a good or bad performance?"


    "It leans towards a bad performance," Heima replied, "Based on the accumulated data, the drop in Sync Rate for a breakthrough from Tier 1 to Tier 2 is between 4 and 10 percent. Very few have managed to finish with only a drop of 4 percent, including Rhachis Ancestor Strongest."


    "I fared worse than average then," Jyorta nodded, heaving an exhausted sigh.


    "To be honest, you did a lot better than the rest. After all, there won''t be much of a battle in the Mental Realm at Tier 1. But, you had to face...her. The fact that you only suffered a decrease in 8 percent is a praiseworthy feat." Heima ruffled his hair, instilling in him some confidence.


    "How will it vary at higher Tiers?" Jyorta rubbed his eyes, trying his best to stay awake, feeling his sight turn blurry. He rested his back on the chair, assuming a more comfortable posture, watching Heima reply.


    "For breakthrough at higher Tiers, just the first phase alone will be incredibly dangerous. Most of the deaths resulted from the breakthrough are due to the Heart/Brain Crystal of the individual bursting, the explosion powerful enough to destroy their bodies." Heima gazed into the window, noticing the signs that occasionally flashed past, calculating the distance remaining in their journey.


    "For breakthrough from Tier 2 to Tier 3, the loss in Sync Rate is between 12 and 20 percent. From Tier 3 to Tier 4, the loss in Sync Rate is between 22 and 32 percent. From Tier 4 to Tier 5, the loss in Sync Rate is between 34 and 46 percent." She said, unwilling to state the data for the final breakthrough.


    Upon noticing Jyorta''s gaze filled with inquiry, Heima smiled, "You shouldn''t concern yourself with it for now. The first breakthrough is the easiest and one of the safest. For your upcoming breakthroughs, you must train hard. Don''t slack on the training the military academy will give you."


    Jyorta nodded his head, not having the mental capacity to retort or ask for more information. He closed his eyes, dozing off within the next second. Heima watched him in silence, gently patting him once.


    She directed her gaze through the window, watching the darkness that showed no traces of abating. Her mind churned with thoughts; her expression morphed, from picturesque tranquillity to desirous morbidity, soon replaced by an aloof nature.


    Heima''s eyes turned green, taking a glance at Jyorta, diverting her gaze to the window, watching her reflection. She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths, clenching, and relaxing her palm.


    ''Something has changed within me.'' Heima displayed zero facial expression, her emotions and thought process masked under a layer of fog. She glanced around, noticing one of the passengers¡ªa middle-aged man, wearing a brown trench coat, and sporting a grey fedora hat¡ªsmile at her, making a gentleman''s salute with his hat.


    Heima gave a curt nod, looking past the middle-aged man to notice five other passengers, men, and women in their forties, flashing a courteous smile while making eye-contact. Heima turned around, reaching out with her right hand, wrapping it around the shoulder of Jyorta, pulling him closer.


    Her hand protectively wrapped around him, allowing his head to rest on her lap. She gently patted the sides of his right arm¡ªfacing up¡ªin equal intervals, her actions light, akin to a comforting gesture.


    A slight smile formed on Jyorta''s face, getting comfortable in his sleep. Even though her actions conformed to the gentlest of all, her eyes spewed out with venomous hatred. Though, she neither exuded any aura nor exhibited a change in demeanour, not budging from her seat like a statue.


    7:12 AM, the train halted at a particular station, flashing a set of words at the front of each compartment, prompting the passengers to get off according to their destination. Heima stood up, carrying the sleeping Jyorta, exhibiting perfect control in her muscles, preventing his resting body from experiencing any difficulties.


    She exited the train, her senses trained to her back, inspecting for any movements. She noticed a couple of individuals trail after her, placing zero efforts to hide their intention.


    Heima stopped, watching some people walk to the end of the platform and board a lift, heading towards the Upper Strata. She noticed the sounds of footsteps inching closer, the pace reeking with confidence, the gait surmounting all manners of ease.


    "Madam Bone, I am Cavish Macht, Senior Intelligence Officer from the Bureau of Frenzy Beast Investigation." The middle-aged man wearing the trench coat extended his hand, showcasing his identity card. Heima looked at it in silence, offering no response.


    The middle-aged man pocketed his identity card, feeling awkward at the lack of response. He waved his hand, pointing at the lift, "I was here to offer a proposal. Shall we grab a cup of coffee while I go through with my investigation?"


    "Submit a formal application to Grapple Force. Unless the order is from my higher-ups, you won''t get anything from me." Heima walked towards the lift, watched the door open in response to her arrival, boarded it, and closed the door.


    As the door closed shut, she watched the face of the middle-aged man flush red from embarrassment. Three minutes later, the lift arrived at the Upper Strata, showcasing an expansive train station.


    16 platforms were laid, with trains halted at most of them, waiting for the passengers to board. A counter blocked her path, requiring her to undergo an inspection. Heima woke up Jyorta, taking more than two minutes for the process.


    Jyorta rubbed his eyes, feeling his legs descend to the ground, making contact. He placed his left hand on her shoulder, using his right to rub his eyes, trying to regain some clarity.


    "We are almost there," Heima replied, leading him through the counter, the inspection process consuming no more than 10 seconds. The duo then boarded the train on platform number 15, finding the compartment fully occupied.


    They stood in one corner, watching the train move. Heima held Jyorta by hand, preventing him from losing balance. He was still in a half-asleep state, his motor senses at less than full capacity.


    The duo alighted after two stops and took a lift to the Lower Strata once again, waiting for a train in the sole platform. Ten minutes later, the train arrived, sporting only two compartments, vacant for the most part.


    They occupied a seat by the window. Jyorta noticed the remaining passengers slightly familiar. He then remembered seeing them in the military academy, even though they hadn''t taught him any subjects. They were all either staff or faculty from the military academy.


    ''I am back at the 7th Ring.'' Jyorta heaved a breath of relief, feeling a sensation akin to returning home. Two stops later, the train arrived at their destination, also the last stop of its journey. Everyone alighted from the train and streamed towards the lifts, boarding it in order.


    Except for the occasional chatter, and the speaker announcements, the surroundings were silent for the most part. After a three minute journey through the lift, Jyorta arrived inside a vast hall, fully empty, the only object being the lift situated in its centre.


    As the passengers exited the lift, each of them directed stares at Jyorta, feeling confused. One of them, a Ground Controller, waved at a staff present in the hall, notifying her of the matter. The notified staff soon arrived before them, glancing at Jyorta in confusion before remembering something.


    "I''ll take care of the remaining. Make sure you study well." Heima nudged his back, prompting him to head towards his dorm. Jyorta waved at Heima and exited the hall, squinting at the sunlight that fell on his face, feeling odd at the ambience.


    The Headquarters of Grapple Force was situated in the Lower Strata, devoid of sunlight inside the institution, at least, in the area he was in for the past few days. Experiencing the gentle rays of sunlight, carrying enough heat to cause his perspiration, and the fresh fragrance emanating from the grass on the large ground, Jyorta felt enlivened, feeling his drowsiness abate a little.


    He then headed left, spotting the Indigo Building in the Psychic Block, all the while controlling his aura from seeping out. This prevented people from sensing his state as an Area Controller. Unless an Esper unleashed his domain that overlapped his body or seeped a psychic arm into him, it wouldn''t be possible for his Tier or Sync Rate to be sensed.


    He watched students walking towards the cafeteria to have breakfast, a majority of them heading to their classes. For the students who had their classes scheduled in the White Building, they almost broke into a sprint.


    8:35 AM, Jyorta entered the Indigo Building, climbing the stairs to reach the third floor, noticing the corridor empty. He then headed to his room, fished out his key, and unlocked the door.


    Closing the door behind him and placing the key in its designated socket, Jyorta grabbed hold of his two alarm clocks, set a time, and slumped on the bed. He didn''t even need the blue soul to sever some connections, entering a state of sleep in the next second, the room filled with the sounds of his breathing.

 Chapter 159: Graduation Ceremony Battlefield

    The rays of the blinding sun seeped in through the window, casting its invigorating heat onto the bed, causing drops of perspiration to form on the skin of the sleeping boy. The boy tossed and turned, trying his best to subconsciously shield from the sunlight, all to no avail.


    The bed was positioned right next to the window, aligned with the wall, facing the entirety of the heat source''s might. His tracksuit was soon drenched by the sweat, sticking to his body, making him feel uncomfortable.


    The sensation was irritating to the extreme, soon breaking his sleep. Jyorta woke up, arriving at a seated posture, rubbing his temples. His fingers felt the moisture coating his skin, mixed with salt granules that had condensed over time.


    10:40, Jyorta glanced at the alarm clock, noticing the time displayed, raising a noise of protest. He had planned to sleep until noon before refreshing himself and head for lunch. He wanted to attend the afternoon classes which consisted of practical sessions.


    ''I can still sleep for some more time.'' Jyorta made up his mind, holding the ends of the curtain to draw it close. He then noticed a small commotion in the ground beyond, the students present in the scene hurriedly vacating the area.


    Five ground staff took to the skies, hovering in the centre of the ground, situated left to Jyorta''s line of sight. Their height was aligned to him, situated on the third floor of the dorm building. They were headed by Madam Mila, the person who spread her domain, overlapping it over the entirety of the military academy.


    She spoke, her voice commanding but gentle, "All Cadets, vacate the ground within 30 seconds. We are about to set up the battlefield for the November Batch''s Graduation Ceremony."


    ''Battlefield¡­Graduation Ceremony?'' Jyorta felt confused at hearing two words that weren''t supposed to mesh with one another in the same sentence. It hadn''t been long since his arrival at the military academy, spanning only 15 days.


    Even though Heima had informed him of many things, she hadn''t recounted the entirety, leaving the important parts as a surprise. It was also meant to prepare him for the unexpected, which happened innumerous times during the course of life, preparing him mentality from early on.


    The state of event cleared his drowsiness; now wide awake, Jyorta kneeled on the bed, taking the posture that would allow him to watch with a better view. A minute later, after everyone had cleared the ground, he noticed Madam Mila erect a psychic energy barrier, creating a rectangular dome around the ground.


    The ground spanned 1000 metres in length and 400 metres in breadth, a massive piece of land solely for the use of the students. Once the rectangular dome had been erected, Madam Mila unleashed her remaining four psychic arms, allowing each to take up a side.


    Followed by a spike in aura, the four psychic arms turned yellow. The air around her shimmered, the volatile substances in it combusting in response to her unleashed aura. Thanks to the erected dome, none of the students outside were affected. As for the five ground staff within the barrier, they wrapped a psychic arm around their bodies, shielding themselves from the brunt of the aura, the rest counteracted by their own auras.


    The four yellow psychic arms spread out, thinning vertically, perpendicular to the ground. They formed walls around the ground, reaching a height of hundred metres, the height of the smallest building in the military academy.


    The formed walls were one metre thick, burrowing into the ground to anchor themselves, forming sturdy walls that wouldn''t be affected by forces below the level of Tier 5. Once the walls were finished, Madam Mila paused for a moment, turning her four psychic arms back to normal.


    She inspected the walls erected, taking note of their structural integrity, the stability of the anchors, etc. Once she was satisfied with them, she turned around, glancing at the ground staff, watching one of them unleash a psychic arm, turning it green.


    The Ground Controller staff created a rectangular base, spanning a metre in length and 40 centimetres in breadth, a miniaturised version of the ground. She then inlaid numerous landscapes, identifying each part with a set of alphanumeric, the underlying details known only to the staff.


    It was what they used to communicate the change in terrain, with each code conforming to a certain soil density, porosity, alkalinity, grain structure, the presence of rock, the texture, the temperature, etc. There were similar codes for mountains, valleys, rivers, etc.


    The miniature blueprint was a three-dimensional depiction of the layout they were to create, having been decided beforehand among the staff, the final go-ahead given by Madam Mary, the principal of the military academy.


    Madam Mila engaged in a short discussion with the ground staff, assigning each of them their respective roles, soon starting their work in full swing.


    The moment the yellow walls had been erected, Jyorta lamented in distaste. The walls had blocked his view, preventing him from gazing at the sight within. His piqued curiosity could no longer be satiated, causing him to flail his arms, hitting the berth on his bed a couple of times.


    Jyorta turned his head, noticing a suitcase placed on his table, taking a couple of moments to recall the concerned information. At first, he thought about consuming a Frenzy Fruit, remembering the warning Heima had given him.


    Thanks to his unique identity, and his capabilities, they had given him the suitcase. Otherwise, whenever someone consumed a Frenzy Fruit, it would be administered by a higher Tiered Esper, in response to avert the unexpected.


    Jyorta closed his eyes, trying to get a feel of his Brain Crystal. It was still in the process of recovering, unable to store much psychic energy, the reserves even below than what he had at Tier 1. Only when it had mended itself to full functionality would its reserves recover to the volume he possessed at Tier 1.


    After that, it would slowly improve upon the Nurturing of the Wisdom Parasite, increasing in both the quantity and quality of the psychic energy stored. Jyorta unleashed his psychic arm, sensing the quality of the psychic energy coursing through it.


    ''Slightly superior to the psychic energy from before but the difference is minute. As time passes, it should improve qualitatively.'' Jyorta concluded, also noticing the range his psychic arm could traverse.


    It spanned a length of 66 centimetres, the same for his domain. The radius of the domain and range of the psychic arm were always the same, sharing a synchronised relationship. On seeing that the range of his psychic arm had increased by a centimetre within a day, Jyorta was slightly happy.


    ''By the time the Labyrinth of Frenzy opens up for me, my strength would have grown by leaps and bounds. Even though the true strength of Espers is unleashed only at Tier 3, I would still be able to execute a lot of feats at Tier 2. After all, I would no longer be as weak as Line Controllers.''


    Jyorta stood up and grabbed the basket from one corner of the room, placing his set of toiletries and a change of clothes in it. Jyorta glanced at the time table pinned in his bulletin board, noticing the subject at hand in the afternoon, finding it to be a class scheduled to be conducted on the ground.


    ''I wonder how it will be rescheduled. After all, the ground is being occupied for the Graduation Ceremony.'' Jyorta thought for a couple of seconds, deciding to wear his uniform for now. He would later find someone from his batch to clarify on the dress to wear and the place the class would be conducted.


    Jyorta picked up his key from the socket, exited the room, and locked the door behind him. He placed the key in the basket, noticing the corridor empty of people. Jyorta felt a sense of alienation, unable to feel the sense of attachment he experienced on the first day.


    After all, he had been away for four days, outside the military academy that wasn''t supposed to happen. Now, he didn''t know what everyone had learned, what they were thinking about, or what was supposed to happen next.


    He felt he had lost that sync with the rest, having experienced an event apart from the rest. This difference in experience and the distance of separation made him feel like an outsider, despite being a full-fledged student of the military academy.


    Even though everything would return to normal after a couple of days, he still didn''t like this feeling. He had similar experiences in his memories from past life. When he was running from one institution to another, in search of professors to converse and exchange knowledge with, trailing behind one research paper author after the other, all in hopes of conceptualising his invention, he felt the connection shared with his university turn distant.


    Even though he no longer possessed any attachments to his previous life, when he went through the memories, his mood was affected. It was similar to how people would laugh or cry when watching movies.


    Jyorta headed to the restroom, putting aside his thoughts, focusing on the matter at hand, which was to attend the classes. He didn''t want to be plagued by any distracting thoughts.


    11:30 AM, after a long time, Jyorta returned to his room, feeling refreshed. His eyes were slightly baggy, sporting mellowed out dark circles. But, Jyorta had enough energy in him to engage in furious studying for the rest of the day.


    Holding a notebook in his hand, and placing a pen in his pocket, Jyorta strapped a watch around his wrist, exiting his room. Locking the door behind him, Jyorta pocketed it in a safety area installed in his uniform, heading towards the cafeteria.


    His stomach was rumbling, due to a lack of food he had for the past few days. Now that he had broken through to Tier 2, his requirement for nutrition further increased.

 Chapter 160: Becoming a Subsoul Once Again

    Blue Building, in the cafeteria meant for Espers, Jyorta noticed the lack of a queue, heaving a sigh of relief. He hurriedly headed to the counter and handed over his ID card, selecting the food he wanted to buy. Since it wasn''t the time for lunch yet while it was long past breakfast hours, Jyorta could only resort to snacks.


    Moreover, he now had some time in his hands, without any work to complete. All he had to do now was loiter in the cafeteria until he spotted someone from his batch and inquired about the details of the subsequent classes.


    Jyorta received his ID card and a slip of the food items he had ordered. The man behind the counter glanced at him with a weird look, wondering why he ordered so many food items. He opened his mouth, speaking with a hoarse voice, "If you waste any food, your credits will be deducted accordingly."


    "I''ll keep that in mind," Jyorta nodded in response and headed towards the self-service section, giving the slip to a chef stationed at the scene. The chef glanced at the amount of food he had ordered, raising a brow in response.


    Without any unnecessary remarks, he signalled a couple of chefs about the items and began to cook. Within a minute, the snacks he had ordered were placed on the counter, taking up three whole plates. Jyorta thanked in response and carried the first plate, taking a seat on the table that had ample view of the entrance, situated adjacent to the open section.


    This allowed him to keep track of the students walking outside and the ones who entered the cafeteria. Moreover, even if he were to gloss over someone from his batch due to the unfamiliarity, it would not be a problem.


    Thanks to his seat of choice, his visage would be visible to anyone who walked past the cafeteria along the sides of the ground. So, his batch mates would also be able to recognise him in return.


    Jyorta made two more rounds, bringing forth a plate each time, finally settling all three plates on the table. He picked up the first food item, placing it in his mouth, scrunching up due to a lack of taste. The food was bland, like water mixed with a jelly that tasted like water.


    Since he wasn''t a desert traveller thirsting for water, he was unable to appreciate its taste. Disregarding the lack of taste, Jyorta continued to eat in silence, giving his body the much-needed nutrition.


    He took in the view of his blue soul, watching his surroundings turn dark. Now, he could see his surroundings surpassing the radius of a metre. On a rough estimate, it had grown past three metres, giving him a slight surprise.


    ''Is it thanks to memory fragments from the Floating Spiders? So, the development of my soul is slightly different from a Wisdom Parasite. The Nurturing process can be accelerated with an influx of memory fragments. So, my current abilities are a representation of the foundation of my soul.''


    Jyorta glanced at the soul of his Wisdom Parasite, watching its state of inactivity. Even though it still retained its ego, thanks to its consciousness destroyed in the Mental Realm, it currently posed zero threat to Jyorta.


    ''Before its consciousness reforms, I should annihilate this internal threat.'' The blue soul extended two Soul Corneas, approaching the soul of the Wisdom Parasite.


    One of the Soul Corneas wrapped around the soul while the other pierced through it, slithering past the memory fragments that acted as stationary obstacles. Without the consciousness to direct a response, the ego was like an engine lacking fuel, unable to mount any resistance.


    The soul cornea arrived before its core, stopping near a mass of red. It was the ego covering the soul, one that had formed due to the memory fragments siphoned from the soul of Heima''s Wisdom Parasite.


    The blue soul exerted itself, experiencing a slight decrease in its size. From the blue face within it, a halo appeared, condensing into a projection similar to his appearance from the previous life. The projection travelled through the Soul Cornea, arriving before the mass of red.


    The projection tore through the mass of red, consuming a lot of time due to the sturdiness of the other party. The Soul Cornea helped speed up the process, turning the tip jet black. It touched the mass of red, corroding it, dissipating it into pure energy.


    The blue soul multitasked, attacking the mass of red on one side, upholding the process of Jyorta eating the food at a consistent pace, and keeping watch for any familiar faces. Thanks to the brain''s development, it was now somewhat easier to multitask as compared to before.


    Moreover, as Jyorta continued to develop, multitasking would no longer require skilled control of the mind, becoming something that could be done with ease. Though, adding onto a skilled control atop that, it would birth greater capabilities in him, something he wished to achieve one day.


    Jyorta kept watch of the time, gazing at the second-hand tick past without pause, consistent in its pace. Time passed in such a manner as Jyorta continued to eat at a slow pace. The Wisdom Parasite continued to Nurture, using the energy in the food arriving at his stomach and converting it into psychic energy.


    It was something he always wondered. The higher the Tier, the greater the demand for energy, primarily derived from the food intake. At first, he thought the food would be the same for everyone but, his views were changed after the visit to the Headquarters of Grapple Force.


    It seemed Marble City had gained control of a method to increase the nutritional content in the food provided, the quality many times greater than what could be processed through machines and conventional extraction processes.


    This lead to a designation of Tiers to even the food they consumed. Based on what he had spied through his Soul Cornea in the dining section in Grapple Force, the food they consumed there had enough nutritional content to satiate the needs of Tier 3 and Tier 4 beings.


    Here came his doubt; Warriors possessed tough bodies, which lead to an overall increase in the functionality of each organ in them, the case being the same for their muscles, bones, etc. This allowed them to possess superior digestive traits, allowing them to consume large quantities of food without trouble.


    But, in the case of Espers, possessing bodies no different from regular humans, how were they able to take care of the energy needs for Nurturing at higher Tiers? Also, how were they capable of digesting food prepared for consumption at the respective Tiers?


    Today, Jyorta was able to conclude a guess to this question that plagued his mind, thanks to what he currently experienced.


    It was through the blood. As a substance that flowed to all corners of the body, the blood also came into contact with the organ that had fused with the Wisdom Parasite.


    This allowed it to experience some changes, modifying its inherent structure to suit the body''s needs. This allowed it to carry the energy produced as a product of the Nurturing, circulating it through the body.


    It also acted as the carrier that transported the effect of the Nurturing to the rest of the body from the spine, in the case of Warriors.


    This also had a relation to how the energy required to activate their Skills originated. After all, the Skills formed in the spine of Warriors while their Heart Crystal was present in their heart.


    For the case of the Espers, it seemed the blood carried substances in it that allowed the intake food substances to quickly breakdown, allowing the digestive system to easily digest it. This allowed the Espers to digest their highly nutritional food, substances that otherwise would have proved to be a poison to their bodies.


    ''I would have to research it in the Portal. I can''t say with assurance that my conjecture is right. After all, I am not an expert in biology. I can only take a guess through my base in chemistry.'' Jyorta noticed the mass of red in the soul of his Wisdom Parasite finally destroyed.


    The moment it was destroyed, the projection entered the core, enacting a mystical change, causing a wave to emit. In a matter of seconds, the soul of his Wisdom Parasite had become his subsoul once again.


    The memory fragments condensed around the core continued to secrete faint traces of red, allowing it to coagulate around the core, intending to birth an ego again. The projection appeared, its lower body turning into a layer that wrapped around the core, forming a protective cover.


    The projection continued to fight against the forming red mass, struggling in its efforts to shred it, just like before. If Jyorta left it to its devices, the situation from before would just repeat itself.


    The Soul Cornea wrapped around the subsoul unfurled itself and returned to the blue soul, hovering within it. The other Soul Cornea continued to stay within the subsoul, siphoning some memory fragments.


    The moment the memory fragments arrived in the blue soul, the former Soul Cornea turned ink-black, thinning itself considerably. It acted upon the memory fragments, corroding the white layers covering them.


    Jyorta''s brows scrunched up in strain, feeling the massive drain in his psychic energy. The white layer covering the memory fragments showcased staunch resistance against his corrosion. It consumed almost 1000 times the energy required to corrode the white layer from a regular memory fragment.


    The other Soul Cornea stayed in the subsoul, helping the projection in battling against the forming red mass. Jyorta continued to eat, trying to keep up with the energy expenditure through the Nurturing alone.


    He slowed the process of his Soul Cornea corroding the white layer to match his recovery process, which wasn''t much to take note of. It was a slow process, passive in nature. Many times, the blue soul paused the process, watching a faint trickle of psychic energy fill up the Brain Crystal.

 Chapter 161: Taking a Guess, Being an Empath

    The process of corroding the white layer on the memory fragments consumed a lot of time, with the energy requirement putting a massive drain on him. There was a limit to his digestion speed, even though the rate of the breakdown of the food in his stomach had been accelerated a little.


    ''As long as I prevent the ego from forming again, I have more than enough time. Moreover, once my Brain Crystal fully recovers from the damage, the quality of psychic energy will begin to improve.''


    It was somewhat shocking to discover the lacking efficiency of his corrosion, something he thought of as his trump card. Moreover, after his blue soul became Tier 2, his corrosion had also improved by a factor. Even then, the resistance offered by the white layer in the new memory fragments proved to be a tough foe.


    ''I still don''t know if there are any threats hidden underneath those memory fragments. Once I access them, using my brain to think about the memory and create a duplicate, I must destroy the original. It is better to be safe than sorry.''


    Jyorta exited the view of his blue soul, bringing his line of sight back to reality. He continued to eat, soon shifting to the second plate. His stomach was like a vortex, having a boosted capacity. But, Jyorta knew that the feeling was naught but an illusion, derived from his nutrition deprived state.


    Since he had ample time to spend, Jyorta ate at a slow pace, his energy expenditure conforming to only deal with the red mass that formed.


    Time passed in such a manner, the cafeteria was soon filled with students.


    11:50 AM, many students had occupied nearby tables, engaging in chatter with their friends. The cafeteria brimmed with a cacophony of voices, lacking any tune of coherence. Jyorta took in the view of his blue soul once again, watching his surroundings turn dark.


    There was his blue soul in the middle, having expanded in size once again, emitting a blue hue, amplified in luminescence as compared to before. Hovering next to it was the subsoul, withstanding an internal battle.


    The range of the blue soul''s vision was 3 metres now, allowing it to sense many souls that were in range. The souls were of similar size, for the most, except for some minor differences that resulted from their varied life experiences.


    There were three souls to the back, two at the front and one on the left. Hovering next to each soul was a tiny wisp, lacking much development. The blue soul observed them, gazing at the murkiness covering each.


    Intense stench wafted around the region, one emitted by the souls. There were all sorts of voices, filled with screams mixed with a variety of emotional outbursts. They lacked any sense of coherence, conforming to the screams of a lunatic, the effect grating to the senses.


    Just the sound alone carried with it a feeling of desire, one formed through a being''s lifetime of wants. They sought to pollute the blue soul, one that was in range, thanks to its erection of a soul domain, one that formed its vision.


    A Soul Cornea emerged out, exerting its influence, destroying any murkiness that approached the blue soul.


    The blue soul tried to guess the state of mind of the surrounding students, inferring from the murkiness in their souls, deriving a conclusion based on the variations exhibited. A minute later, the blue soul could figure out some basic stuff.


    ''The one on my left is apprehensive about something but at the same time feels excited. There is some lust-like emotion mixed in it. Is he in love? Or is it something else?''


    ''The two on my front express wariness and disdain at one another, even though they behave as close friends. Strange¡­'' Unable to make heads and tails of the situation, the blue soul focused on the three souls at the back, giving up after a matter of seconds.


    ''It is difficult to make sense of their emotions and mental states. They are a cluster of everything, an accumulation of a lifetime, without having a dominant portion. It is not possible to accurately guess their current state based on their entire lives. I was able to better guess Haesha''s mental state that day. Maybe it is because her concerns are a few but ones that weigh heavily on her mind.'' The range of the blue soul''s vision shrunk, reverting to a metre in length.


    Jyorta had retracted it, unwilling to suffer from the stench and sounds. Now that the range had been reduced, with the only souls present being the blue soul and the subsoul, the atmosphere turned silent, lacking any smell for the matter.


    Concentrating within the blue soul, Jyorta focused on the memory fragments derived from the Floating Spiders. A moment later, he exited the view of his blue soul, heaving a sigh.


    ''Even though I possess their memories, I have yet to go through them. I should prepare myself and slowly absorb their experiences, making them my own. This will help me with many things in the future.''


    "Jyorta¡­?" A voice broke his thoughts, the source originating from a girl situated beyond the open section. The wall in the open section spanned the same height as the table, allowing the passerby to look into the cafeteria. Since he sat right next to it, Jyorta was clearly visible.


    "Yes?" Jyorta turned around, noticing an unfamiliar girl standing right next to him, separated by the wall that formed the open section. Upon seeing his response, the girl enclosed her mouth with her hands, exclaiming once.


    "Where did you disappear for the past 4 days?"


    "I had some medical issues to attend to," Jyorta replied, making use of the official excuse prepared by Grapple Force. It was a simple excuse, one built upon the lie Psychic Ancestor Marble had concocted.


    Jyovic Bone, in coordination with Rhachis Ancestor Light had sought to create a new Trait, one that was capable of imbuing an offensive ability in an Esper. After innumerous trials and errors, burning up resources that no Aristocratic Family could afford alone, they had finally created a Trait.


    But, this Trait ended up being a failure, with its power capped at Tier 2. Irrespective of their subsequent efforts, they could never raise its effectiveness beyond that. Moreover, it had many risks in being implanted into a human, with the sole success being Jyorta Bone. Even then, due to the unstable nature of the Trait, Jyorta Bone suffered from numerous side-effects.


    The side-effects cropped up once in a while, with its cycle figured out by Jyovic Bone, who had transferred this information to Grapple Force in hopes of a solution. This was why Grapple Force invited Jyorta Bone, appeasing the side-effects that had cropped, and restored him back to full health.


    Also, they would summon him again when the side-effects would emerge next.


    Grapple Force hadn''t specified the period between each cycle, allowing them to summon forth Jyorta whenever necessary. It gave them the perfect excuse, should they need one to use.


    Following that were some attached data to make it seem more believable, the amount only generalising the situation, preventing any leak of data. This made it further believable.


    Also, there was Madam Mila in the military academy, one who had been informed of the situation beforehand by Psychic Ancestor Marble. So, the credibility of his Trait was unquestionable, originating from two most trustable sources.


    "What kind of¡­medical issues?" The girl tilted her head, scanning him from top to bottom, noticing his perfectly healthy complexion, save for the slight tiredness expressed in his face.


    Even though he couldn''t recall the girl''s appearance, but based on her uniform, he was assured that she was from his batch. Jyorta resolved to never skip any classes to avoid being an embarrassment from being unable to remember the names and faces of his batch mates.


    "It is something that has to do with a Trait I received," Jyorta let out a wry laugh, scratching the back of his head. His expression informed the girl that this was all he was allowed to tell others. His acting gave her a clear impression, making him wonder if he had unearthed a hidden talent in him.


    Though, using his blue soul to overlay some memories, expression, emotions, body language, etc, he could pull off any level of acting with ease. Moreover, if he incorporated a false persona, then he could become any character he wished to be.


    "Everyone in the class has been talking about you," The girl laughed, turning around to glance at the queue forming before the billing counter. She waved her hand, sprinting towards the counter, "See you in a minute."


    "I couldn''t ask about the classes in the end," Jyorta looked around, unable to find any other familiar face. He then continued to eat his food, trailing his gaze after the girl who had conversed with him just now. He watched her brush through the crowd, instigating conflicts between many individuals in the queue, and making use of the chance to cut in line.


    After that, she acted as if her presence in the spot was natural, even helping to resolve the conflict. Due to the minor commotion, the students had forgotten the people in the queue; after all, they were mostly strangers with respect to one another. This ensured that no one could claim that the girl had cut in the line.


    "She is cunning¡­" Jyorta looked with interest, chuckling at the scene. He finished the second plate and placed the third plate before him. He stood up, grabbed the two empty plates, and briskly walked towards the section where the used plates had to be dropped.


    He returned and saw his table still vacant, heaving a sigh of relief as he occupied his spot. He then slowly nibbled on the food, waiting for the girl to approach his seat.

 Chapter 162: Skills

    "Thankfully, you returned today." The girl smiled, picking up her empty plate, "Due to the construction for the November Batch''s Graduation Ceremony Battlefield, our classes have been rescheduled. We have Madam Rizenne''s class next."


    "What are they preparing for this¡­Graduation Ceremony?" Placing his final plate in the section meant for used plates, Jyorta washed his hands, and accompanied the girl to the exit, gazing at the massive yellow wall.


    They had finished their lunch within five minutes, thanks to the girl''s eating habits; Jyorta too accompanied suit, keeping up with the pace. He followed the girl''s lead, watching her turn around as she conversed with him, leading the way to their next class.


    Along the way, he hadn''t spotted any of his other batch mates. But, since he would meet them in class anyway, he wasn''t too bothered about the issue. All he wanted to find was the destination.


    The blue soul unleashed a Soul Cornea, traversing it out his body, slithering its way to the ID card the girl had hung out, quickly making note of her name.


    ''Laekha Walta; so, she is someone from Sir Rishinik Walta''s family.'' Jyorta expressed no change in expression, feeling slightly relieved, no longer ignorant about the other party''s name. Though, he never expressed this fact to the other party, lest she thought of him as a weird fellow.


    After all, they hadn''t had a formal introduction yet, not to mention the case for the rest of the batch mates. As someone who occupied the second rank spot in their Batch, it wasn''t a surprise for him to be recognised. But the other way round was bound to raise suspicions; he didn''t want to rake his mind to prepare a proper excuse.


    "We haven''t been informed of the details yet," Laekha Walta shook her head, "All I know is that everyone from the military academy will be able to witness the ceremony."


    The duo soon arrived before the Head Office Building, entering it upon Laekha Walta''s lead, climbing three floors. Pointing at an auditorium door, she waved her hand, "This is where we will have to assemble by 2:00 PM."


    She then smiled once, pointing in the other direction, "I have a book to issue, I will see you later."


    Jyorta thanked her once, watching her disappear from his vision. He pushed open the door, gazing inside to find an empty auditorium, bereft of any lighting or air conditioning. Jyorta felt slightly dubious, glancing around to find a staff member.


    He approached the staff, folding his hands behind him, and talking with a tone of respect, "Sir, I am Jyorta Bone, Esper from the October Batch. May I know if our class is scheduled here next?"


    The staff gazed at him, glancing at the auditorium behind him, nodding once before walking away. Having gained confirmation, Jyorta entered the auditorium and occupied a seat on the third row, one next to the path for traversal.


    His position allowed him a comfortable view of the stage, the height perfect for his line of sight. Jyorta glanced at his watch, noting the time. He closed his eyes, intending to sleep for the time being.


    His body was still exhausted, the small duration of sleep he had in the morning proved to be insufficient. The blue soul in him severed some connections, putting his body in a state of sleep. It sent a Soul Cornea outside him, keeping track of the surroundings, as a precautionary measure.


    Due to everything he had experienced, Jyorta had his apprehensions. Besides, some measure of safety gave him mental peace, one that he sought to maintain.


    1:35 PM, the first student from the October Batch had arrived, gazing at the empty auditorium. He was accompanied by a couple of his friends, making a merry as they walked in. They settled in the seventh row, relaxing under the atmosphere as they engaged in some small talk.


    One of them noticed the sleeping Jyorta, nudging his friends, "Someone is sleeping, should we wake him up?"


    "Maybe he''s someone from a different Batch." Another boy replied, waving his hand for them to drop the matter, unconcerned about the sleeping student.


    The students filed in one after the other, sometimes accompanied by their friends, other times alone. They occupied their seats according to their preferences, without raising much of a fuss.


    Glares were exchanged between the passersby, the sense of rivalry long established between them, thanks to the numerous activities conducted by the military academy every day, always striving to incite competition between the students.


    A girl walked towards the front, followed by a group of girls, intending to occupy a seat on the front row. She then spotted the visage of Jyorta, sleeping on the third row. Jyorta''s seat was situated on the left extremity on his row, to his left was the pathway allowing the students to shuttle between each row.


    The girl paced her steps, entering the third row from the opposite direction, finally seating herself to the right of Jyorta. The group of girls following her filed along the row, filling it up.


    There was a slight commotion as a petite girl entered, sauntering in with a gentle demeanour, conversing with her friends, occasionally letting out a giggle or two, enamouring the onlookers. Some of the boys in the proximity blushed a little, averting their gazes from the scene, feeling their hearts race.


    Since the other party was surrounded by her friends, they didn''t have the courage to take a step forward. A boy, one who was a head taller than most, walked out, making eye contact with the petite girl, flashing a cheerful smile. He stood before the petite girl, his size making him seem as if he could squish the other party with his strength.


    The crowd clamoured at the scene, wondering what would happen next. The boy didn''t utter any words, turning around after smiling once again. He occupied his seat, which wasn''t far from the area, his actions incomprehensible to the onlookers.


    2:00 PM, Madam Rizenne walked in through a door situated next to the dais, closing all the doors upon her entry. The auditorium turned silent, with the students present inside hurriedly occupying their seats in a matter of seconds.


    Jyorta woke up, rubbing his eyes to quickly regain clarity of mind. He glanced around, finding a familiar figure seated to his right. The girl made eye contact with him, her gaze suffused with a glare, brimming with fighting spirit.


    Jyorta retracted his gaze, focusing on the stage. He didn''t want to create a commotion for no reason whatsoever. He already had many things that garnered his attention; something like a rival was the least of his needs. He had more than enough reason to strive for his betterment, the cause stemming from his own ambition. External catalysts were unnecessary to ignite his spirit.


    Madam Rizenne emitted a gentle fluctuation of psychic energy, coursing through the entirety of the auditorium and retracting it in an instant, shaking her head, "43 Cadets are absent."


    The doors opened once again as the students who had failed to enter on time hurried inside. They took a couple of steps inside before their legs froze, a chilling voice reverberated around the auditorium, startling everyone present.


    "I will make an exception today since the topic is of vital importance. As punishment, you will listen to the class while standing there. After class, run 10 laps around the ground." Madam Rizenne''s voice infused a sense of primal fear in the latecomers, causing them to nod their heads in a hurry, their emotions a fluster.


    "Good, all 878 Cadets of October Batch are here," Madam Rizenne nodded, walking towards the podium. She picked up the remote that controlled the screen behind the stage, flashing it to life at the push of a button.


    The screen flashed a word, the font occupying half its size. It mentioned the term, "Skills" radiating a gentle hue. Madam Rizenne began her lecture, "It has been 15 days since you arrived at the military academy and 45 days since your Induction Ceremony. Of the 747 Warriors in your Batch, everyone has successfully Nurtured your Tier 1 Skill."


    "Now, what do you mean by the term, Skill?" Madam Rizenne smiled, "10 Credits for the correct answer."


    Jyorta raised his hand, assuming a confident posture. Since he was the first to raise his hand, Madam Rizenne pointed at him, giving him permission to speak. A mike flew towards him, landing in his hold.


    Jyorta held the mike closer to his mouth, speaking his conjecture, "Skills are a physical manifestation of the body''s dominant genetics developed to the extreme compounding with the muscle memories."


    The definition of Skills wasn''t present in the portal, for some reason unknown to him. But, that didn''t stop him from guessing based on his experiences. Madam Rizenne gave a light nod of acknowledgment, "It is partly correct; a good try nonetheless."


    After being motioned by Madam Rizenne, Jyorta sat down, feeling slightly disappointed at failing to receive the 10 Credits. But, he wasn''t disheartened. It was a freebie; had he gotten it correct, he would have been able to claim some extra credits. Even otherwise, it didn''t affect him.


    "Skills are a physical manifestation of the body''s genetics. That part is correct. But, the base is not just our own body, but also includes the body of the Wisdom Parasite." She pressed a button, allowing two helical strands to appear on the screen, "The moment our genetics experience a change or mutation, the effect will be displayed externally."


    "But, none of our Skills does anything of the sort. They are something that has to be actuated by the energy in the Heart Crystal to unleash the desired effect." Madam Rizenne smiled, her face showcasing a mysterious look. She glanced at the faces of the students, watching their confused expressions, stopping at Jyorta.


    "Why do you think this is the case?"

 Chapter 163: What Are Skills?

    "Why do you think this is the case?" Hearing the question directed at him, Jyorta readily shook his head, unable to give any thoughts on the matter. Seeing his action, Madam Rizenne shifted her gaze, lingering it on the girl to his right.


    Seeing the girl too repeat the same action, Madam Rizenne diverted her gaze to the 7th row, glancing between a couple of faces. After 30 seconds passed in such a manner, Madam Rizenne stopped her action, clicking a button on the remote held in her hand, and switching the image on the screen.


    Two pictures, placed side by side, one a regular human, and the other, a human that had numerous cancerous outgrowths on his body. Glancing at the second image, the students averted their gazes, with some sporting expressions that were on the verge of puking their lunches.


    Jyorta closed his eyes; the blue soul overlaid the false persona, one of calm, optimism, and filled with focus, subtly affecting his mentality. But, it failed to suppress his budding disgust, instigating a reaction in his stomach.


    ''I should next create a false persona that would help me keep my levelheadedness while faced with disgusting stuff.'' Jyorta trained his ears, listening to the sounds from his batch mates. He planned to open his eyes only when the atmosphere returned to normal.


    Madam Rizenne changed the image on the screen, replacing it with a single black dot, "Starting next month, you will be trained to get accustomed to seeing such aberrations. After all, the image I flashed now is nothing compared to a Tier 4 Ring Worm, which is by far, the definition of ugliness in the Wild Zones."


    "Coming back to the topic," Madam Rizenne waved her hands, emitting a gentle flux of psychic energy, turning it pale blue, calming the moods of everyone present. "If the Skills are something manifested by a change in DNA, then it would exhibit physical mutations. It would become something like the second picture I showed just now."


    "But, it doesn''t happen. Irrespective of the Tier of the Warriors, they retain their human appearance, lacking any physical mutation or deformity." Madam Rizenne pressed another button, showcasing the image of a glass tumbler, filled with water. Placed next to it were gems, each radiating their own colours, akin to natural luminescence.


    It was a video, recorded as an example. A hand picked up a red gem and dropped it in the water. Due to the refraction of the light emitted by the red gem, the water turned red. The hand removed the red gem and then dropped an orange gem, making the water turn orange. The process was repeated with gems of different colours, from red to violet.


    "Skills are a definite manifestation of a fusion between two DNA strands, originating from the human and the Wisdom Parasite, forming the base. They then form a cluster with similar DNA strands and create new genes, deriving the genes originating from the human body, shaping its structure. They finally become a genetic material capable of manifesting a biological change."


    She raised a finger, pausing to emphasise her next sentence, "But, that would have been the case were the created gene allowed to affect the human body. Upon completion, the gene settles within and modifies a part of the Wisdom Parasite."


    She brought her palm forward, allowing everyone to see it clearly. Using her psychic energy, she created a filament before her, distorting the light, forming a lens that magnified her palm and the space above.


    Tendrils of blood, numbering in the hundreds gushed out from the pores on her face, coagulating into a crimson sphere in the fraction of a second. A section appeared along its middle, parting it into two. The two hemispheres rotated in opposite directions, unravelling a long cylindrical body.


    Grooves appeared along the cylindrical body, segmenting it into six. A pair of arms formed in the second segment, while a pair of legs formed in segments 4, 5, and 6. Feminine facial features, almost humanoid, appeared on the first segment, with the top morphing into hair, braided, spanning the length of three segments.


    The moment it appeared, it began to wriggle its body along the centre, dancing. It was Madam Rizenne''s Caterpillar. Through the lens she had created through her psychic energy, Madam Rizenne allowed everyone to gaze at the magnified image of her Caterpillar.


    She opened her mouth, her voice crystal clear, "Look at how my Caterpillar''s body has six segments. The case is the same for the Warrior''s Centipede. Now, you might wonder why I am mentioning this, since both the Caterpillar and the Centipede are just the manifestation of the Wisdom Parasite''s psyche and not their actual bodies."


    She retracted her Caterpillar, dissolving it into blood tendrils before absorbing them into her body, the process faster than when she summoned it. "You might not have noticed it during your Induction Ceremony but, there were five grooves on the Wisdom Parasite, segmenting it into six. The lines were so faint that you wouldn''t have realised unless you observed with focus in close proximity."


    "Each segment pertains to a Tier of the Wisdom Parasite, or its evolutionary potential to say the least. This means that all the Wisdom Parasites, the ones injected during the Induction Ceremony have a chance to evolve until Tier 6, which is their final form."


    "Now, when an Observer Nurtures his Tier 1 Skill, it means a gene has been created as explained before. But, this gene lodges itself in the first segment, i.e. the parts where the first segment of the Wisdom Parasite has fused in our spine and modifies it. This causes the spine to experience numerous changes. Since the changes are to an internal organ, we won''t find any change in our external appearance." Madam Rizenne lifted the hand that held the remote, pointing at the screen behind her.


    "Observe the example depicted in it, you can consider the Skills as the coloured gems. Alone, their effect is not apparent. But, when immersed in the glass of water, their effect is pronounced. In the case of Warriors, their energy is the equivalent of water. It changes depending on the Skill actuating it." She smiled, depicting the image of a Wisdom Parasite, with its body separated into six parts by a red coloured line.


    Upon a click, another image flashed below it, grossly mutated, a realistic image. It was segmented into six too, with the sixth segment blurred beyond recognition. "The ones above are the six segments of a Wisdom Parasite, while the ones below are the changes they experienced after Nurturing a Skill at each Tier. This is a specimen image extracted from a Transformer who had died 8 years ago, after gaining his permission before death."


    The first segment on the bottom had slight spikes, minute in size. It was covered in patches of green, showcasing a slight shrinkage in size. The second segment was similar to the first, slightly amplified in its features.


    The third formed a stark contrast with the rest, silver-blue in colour, shaped like a jelly, mottled with pores oozing out a green fluid. Fumes spewed out of it from the pores on the top, with its ends slightly melted.


    The fourth segment looked rock solid, but on a closer look, a fluid seemed to flow beneath the rough exterior, faintly varying the exterior at gradual intervals.


    The fifth segment looked no different from the fifth segment above¡ªone belonging to the Wisdom Parasite before Nurturing a Tier 5 Skill¡ªexcept being smaller in size. Suddenly, it ballooned in size, becoming ten times the original, exhibiting characteristics of all the other four segments. It then shrunk once again, reverting to the plain appearance from before.


    "Remember that their appearance varies based on the Skills the individual had Nurtured. The fifth segment is more or less similar to everyone, thanks to us Nurturing the same Skill at Tier 5." Madam Rizenne pressed another button, flashing a tabular column.


    The title of the tabular column was, ''Observer Skills''. It showcased three columns, ''Serial Number'', ''Skill Name'', and ''Skill Effect'' and 20 rows. It seemed that the list continued but due to the available space on the screen, only 20 rows were displayed.


    "The majority of the beings, humans, and Frenzy Beasts included are comprised of Warriors. Therefore, learning about the various Skills they possess is of the utmost priority." Madam Rizenne raised her voice, "Every race produces a set of Skills at each Tier, with the appearance of some Skills forming the majority."


    "Depending on the Skill used, you can determine which race the individual originated from. Very few Skills mesh between the different races. Most of the races have their own distinct set of skills. We will be talking about them in today''s class." Madam Rizenne said, pointing at the screen behind her, "We will first talk about the Skills humanity possess and has Nurtured to date. This data is inclusive of all the human cities."


    "Based on the records," Madam Rizenne paused once, glancing around the auditorium, checking the reception of the students present, continuing with a satisfactory nod, "There are 87 different Skills Nurtured at Tier 1, 46 Skills Nurtured at Tier 2, 21 Skills Nurtured at Tier 3, 6 Skills Nurtured at Tier 4, and one Skill at Tier 5."


    She let out a wry smile, "There is also another Skill at Tier 5 but it is a military secret; unless you join the related department in the future, you will never come to know about it."


    "Now, we''ll go into detail about the Skills of Observers."

 Chapter 164: Tier 1 Skill, Dynamic Acuity

    "Now, we''ll go into detail about the Skills of Observers." Madam Rizenne pointed at the girl sitting next to Jyorta, beckoning for her to come up the stage.


    Jyorta adjusted his seating posture, providing space for the girl to walk past. Treading past the two rows before her, the girl made a light jump, landing on the stage. She stopped at a distance three metres from Madam Rizenne, her posture erect, exhibiting the same demeanour as a military veteran.


    "After a basic introduction, tell us more about your Tier 1 Skill." Madam Rizenne said with a smile, watching the girl nod without hesitation. The details of the Skills were already submitted to the military academy logistics department upon completion, handled by the staff that monitored the health and well-being of each student every day.


    Moreover, during the drills in the afternoons, they had to use their Skill and get well-versed in their functionality. The staff would also give them pointers, helping them to better make use of their Skill.


    So, revealing her Skill before everyone wasn''t something the girl shied away from.


    The girl raised her right hand, curling it into a fist, thumping it on her chest, positioned directly above her heart, "I am the Observer, Dalna Doppler. My Tier 1 Skill is named, Dynamic Acuity. When I activate this Skill, I can see, hear, and think better while in motion."


    Finished with the short introduction, Dalna Doppler gazed at Madam Rizenne, pausing for further introduction. Madam Rizenne waved her hand, "Thank you for the crisp introduction."


    She motioned for the girl to remain standing on her spot, turning around to face the students, "Tier 1 Skills are, basically as what the name of your Tier represents. They are based on the ability to observe. Some Skills are complex as compared to the norm, just like Dalna Doppler here. Her Skill not only helps her in two areas, but it also helps in the formation of her thoughts."


    "There is a Tier 1 Skill, Faster Thoughts which achieves the same result as the third part in her Skill, but only that. This made us classify Skill into three segments based on their complexity, usage, effectiveness, and method of use." Madam Rizenne condensed a ball of water, pale blue in colour, actuated through the use of her Unranked Skill, Regen.


    "We will now conduct two experiments. First, you will try to dodge the projectiles I launch without using your Skill. Second, you will use your Skill and try to dodge it. I will launch a total of 10 projectiles for each experiment." Upon her instruction, Dalna Doppler nodded, assuming a battle-ready stance.


    The sphere split into ten portions, with the first hurling towards Dalna Doppler without warning, hitting her forehead, the impact forcing her to bend backward. Dalna Doppler felt her vision turn blank, replaced at the next second with startling clarity. After all, the ball that hit her was filled with healing powers, healing the damage before she could feel it.


    The only thing she felt was the force coursing through her body as she absorbed the attack.


    Dalna Doppler executed a backflip, using the momentum of the impact and the bending of her upper body to her advantage, rolling on the ground at the moment of her landing. The moment her leg landed on the ground, a ball impacted her ankle, toppling her balance.


    Dalna Doppler exerted strength in her hands, bringing it before her, anchoring on the ground to act as springs to dampen her fall. The area of impact had been on her right leg, from the outer side, causing her to fall on her right.


    Now, upon dampening her fall, before the momentum from it dissipated, she released strength in her right hand, causing her body to tilt to her right, resulting in her rolling clockwise. After four rolls, she exerted strength in her right hand, slamming the palm towards the ground, cranking her body using it as the lever.


    The force lifted her body three feet from the ground; before she could reorient her balance in the air to perform a safe landing, the third ball impacted her stomach, causing her body to curve, with the hips treading forth.


    Dalna Doppler let out a grunt, curling her body to tilt it a bit. She unfurled her limbs, spreading them vertically, with the feet touching the ground. Her feet acted as the spring to bounce her body back to balance while the resulting friction gave her the anchor to regain control of her momentum to her advantage.


    Two balls impacted on her back, destroying her footwork, causing her to slip. Another two impacted from the front, striking against the haphazard guard she had put up. Finally, three balls fell from above, slamming her body on the ground.


    "Solid reflex and a good balance, but lacking the drive to take the initiative; a good try nonetheless." Madam Rizenne said, waving her hands to dissipate the water drenching Dalna Doppler. A trace amount of it seeped into her body, abating her exhaustion.


    "My attacks were only on the level of Tier 2 Espers, nothing much to take note of. But, she was still hit by all ten of them. My experience is one factor that led to this situation but, the fact that she didn''t try to attack and passively defend against mine was another factor," Madam Rizenne stated.


    Dalna Doppler stood up, brimming with fighting spirit. She half-closed her eyes, scrunching her brows a bit, crouching further lower as compared to before, assuming a pose like a feral beast. There was a faint change in her demeanour, but other than that, there wasn''t any pronounced difference.


    ''Has she activated her Skill?'' Jyorta looked at the scene in confusion. The previous exchange was really fast. Even though he could make out the attacks, he had zero confidence in braving his way through them like Dalna Doppler.


    "It is not apparent but she has activated her Tier 1 Skill, Dynamic Acuity. From Tier 2 onwards, there will be a small spike in aura upon the activation of Skills." Madam Rizenne condensed another sphere, splitting it into ten balls, the same sized as before. She was unfazed at Dalna Doppler''s brimming fighting spirit, creating a sharp contrast.


    The first ball flew towards her face, the same as before. Dalna Doppler tilted her head, avoiding the projectile. A second attack arrived from her blind spot, aiming at her back. Dalna Doppler swung her right arm, hitting the projectile, causing the water to splash around.


    The third ball hit her right leg, taking advantage of the moment she retaliated against the second ball, causing her body to sway. Dalna Doppler slightly lifted her right leg, exerting strength in her left, sliding on the ground, making use of the water that splashed on the floor.


    Thanks to the lubrication, her body experienced an abrupt tilt, slipping forward by a metre. The fourth ball arrived from her front, making use of her tiled state and at the lack of her body control to hit the side of her knees, altering the direction of her slip.


    Dalna Doppler raised her hand, barely defending against the fifth ball, the splashing water covering her vision. Dalna Doppler turned her head in the opposite direction, watching the sixth ball present in the scene, slamming onto her forehead, the resulting force knocking her back, spinning her body on the floor once.


    The seventh and eighth ball arrived from above, about to slam into her back to pin her in place. Dalna Doppler slammed her hand on the ground, using the force to increase the friction between her palm and the ground. She craned strength into her legs, curling them towards her body.


    She put an abrupt stop to her momentum, watching the two balls hit the floor next to her, creating a small splash. She then turned her body around, hitting another ball with her free hand, experiencing another impact from her back.


    Madam Rizenne waved her hand once again, causing the water on Dalna Doppler''s body to seep into her, dissipating her exhaustion from the flurry of reactions. The water covering the floor dissipated into psychic energy, retracted in Madam Rizenne''s body.


    "Didn''t she fare a lot better as compared to the first try?" Madam Rizenne smiled, "The attacks were on the same level but Dalna Doppler was able to retaliate and avoid against some of them. I just said a statement about her being passive in defending and not retaliating. The moment she activated her Skill, she executed two successful attacks against the water balls."


    "Good work cadet, you can proceed to your seat now." Madam Rizenne motioned for the crowd to give the girl a round of applause, in appreciation of the skill and judgement she had exhibited. Dalna Doppler saluted once before walking towards her seat.


    Before she sat down, she set a gaze of provocation towards Jyorta, noticing the other party''s gaze affixed on the stage, on the spot she had slammed her hand at the end, sporting a mild frown.


    "As you can see from the above example, Skills are vital in boosting our overall battle strength. Based on the capabilities of the Skill as I stated before, they are segmented into three: Regular, Elite, and Peak." Madam Rizenne pointed at Dalna Doppler, prompting her to stand up immediately.


    "As you had witnessed, Dalna Doppler''s Skill is at the Peak of Tier 1. This was why her Skill has three modes of application." Madam Rizenne pointed at the screen on her back, "Here is the list of some of the Regular Tier 1 Skills."

 Chapter 165: Fading Away of Skills

    "All Tier 1 Skills are related to the perception of some kind. That is why; they can also be easily guarded against." Madam Rizenne unleashed her psychic arm, hovering it next to her body. "Now, everyone activate your Skills and try to sense my position."


    Upon her command, all the Warriors activated their skills, including ones whose Skills were ones like Faster Thoughts, only capable of affecting their own selves. Many students nodded, upon being able to lock onto her position, especially the ones who possessed vision-based Skills.


    "Now, see if you can¡­" Her words were cut short; her image disappeared, leaving the students baffled. Irrespective of the methods they used, they could no longer sense the presence of Madam Rizenne in the auditorium.


    Time passed in such a fashion, soon crossing the 30 minutes mark. Not once were the doors of the auditorium opened, meaning, Madam Rizenne was still inside, hiding through some means.


    Some of the students climbed above the dais, searching for any clues. One student crouched low, positioning his nose on the ground, trying to sniff for any lingering scents. A moment later, he lifted his head, conversing with the students on the dais, pointing at Dalna Doppler with a shake of his head.


    In the back row of the auditorium, a student''s eyes turned green, raising sounds of exclaim from the surrounding students. He walked through the path, arriving at the front, glancing at the podium. He stared in silence, pressuring himself, trying to find any traces.


    With a shake of his head, he walked towards one corner, tracing the boundaries of the auditorium along the edges. Similar scenes occurred everywhere in the auditorium, with the students forming teams as they searched for Madam Rizenne, using their Skills in conjunction.


    Dalna Doppler and her friends too followed suit, starting from the dais as they proceeded towards the rest of the auditorium. As the Espers stood up, trying to help the others, a voice whispered in their ears prompting them to be seated.


    "This test only focuses on the Warriors. Espers are ought to stay in their seats and observe everything." Jyorta nodded his head, hearing the voice of Madam Rizenne whisper in his ear. He then watched everything transpire, trying to memorise the various Skills displayed, gaining insight based on the actions the individual executed.


    ''The ones who have Skills related to smell bring their faces towards the ground and try to sniff the traces. The ones with hearing-related Skills often distance themselves from others before using their Skill. They would then relay the information to the others. It is easy to identify the ones with vision-based Skills based on the change in their eye colour. The ones standing idly probably possess Skills that help them in battles, like Dalna Doppler''s or other miscellaneous abilities.'' Jyorta summarised, watching everything happen without any intervention.


    No student tried to instigate a scene, trying their best to locate Madam Rizenne. Everyone sported an expression of focus, determined to find their target. After all, based on her nature, students that achieved the tasks she handed out were always rewarded with Credits.


    In such a manner, an hour passed without any success, with many of the students having given up by now. Some of them still persisted, thinking of all possibilities, tapping all places in their reach with their hands. Even if they couldn''t sense Madam Rizenne, as long as she hadn''t disappeared, she was bound to exist somewhere.


    They tried to bank on the fact that any matter ought to exist and could be touched. Once they had scoured through the entire floor, they raised their heads in unison, heaving sighs as they looked at the empty space above them, with the ceiling separated by a staggering height. They didn''t have the ability to fly and reach up, leaving them at an impasse.


    Some glanced at the chairs, intending to break them and throw things around until they made contact. But, they eventually controlled themselves, unwilling to damage the academy property, and suffer any punishments as a result.


    "Let us stop here for now," A voice reverberated around the auditorium as Madam Rizenne appeared, floating 4 metres above the podium. Only her head was displayed, the rest of her body staying invisible.


    "All I did was mask my scent, sound, heat, and other forms of radiation, finally refracting the light around myself using my psychic arm." Madam Rizenne explained the situation, "Remember that your Tier 1 Skills only detect the various factors that originate from a source. The moment the source individual blocks themselves, you won''t be able to detect them."


    "You are not transmitting a signal and receiving feedback. Tier 1 Skills cannot transmit any forms of energy, make sure you remember that. Also, with ample expertise, even Line Controllers will be able to achieve what I enacted just now." Madam Rizenne retracted her psychic arm, allowing the entirety of her figure to be revealed as she descended.


    She took a spot behind the podium, adjusting the mike a little, and grabbing hold of the remote.


    She then motioned for the students on the dais to take their seats as she pointed at the screen, "We have some Regular Skills displayed here. They typically consist of boosting one of our five senses by focusing on a single aspect. For example, the Skill, Focus Vision allows one''s sight to be concentrated on the desired object, blurring everything else. This reduces the information the brain needs to process, raising your reaction and information processing speed."


    She went on about the rest of the Skills, giving a short one-liner about each, changing the image displayed at the end, "Among the Elite Skills, the most renowned example is Faster Thoughts. Upon the activation of this Skill, your blood flow increases while various hormones are secreted. These help in raising your ability to think, giving you greater clarity of thoughts. It is probably one of the most useful Skills for Warriors."


    Madam Rizenne changed the image, "As for the Peak Skills, you have just witnessed Dynamic Acuity at play. Such Skills have greater variety but limited focus. For example, using Dynamic Acuity, Dalna Doppler could think and plan faster. Also adding to the improvement in her visual and auditory prowess, she managed to defend against some of my attacks."


    "But, if we are just comparing the ability to think faster, then Dynamic Acuity is slightly inferior to Faster Thoughts." She raised her hand, pointing at the ceiling with her finger, "We divided the Skills into three segments but there isn''t much of a difference between them. Tier 1 Skills are too weak for a difference to form between each. Such difference is only pronounced from Skills at Tier 3 and above."


    She pressed a button on the remote, showcasing a list of greyed out Skills, "Humanity has witnessed 87 Tier 1 Skills in total but, this was over the span of three centuries. As times passed, some Skills faded into existence while new Skills emerged."


    She pointed at the Skills, explaining about their capabilities based on the records, "This list consists of Skills that haven''t been witnessed for more than three decades. This means that our genetic material is experiencing changes due to the Wisdom Parasites, causing the century-old Skills to no longer appear."


    Jyorta gazed at the Skills on the list, trying to broaden his knowledge. If he took in the words of Psychic Ancestor Marble as the truth, then it meant he had been reincarnated into the future.


    This also implied that some of the Skills displayed might be something he had read in stories, ones that fell along the lines of an Observer.


    Jyorta''s pupils dilated while the thumping of his heart slightly accelerated. The blue soul overlaid the false persona, bringing everything under control.


    ''Stethoscope¡­there is one familiar term. There is also Microscope and¡­Precognition? This is something that would prove super useful, despite being a Tier 1 Skill.'' Jyorta remembered about one of the previous classes he had attended, lifting his right hand, and expressing his intent to raise a question.


    Madam Rizenne gazed at him and gave a nod of approval, prompting Jyorta to stand. Jyorta grabbed hold of the mike that flew his way, speaking in a calm but collected tone, "Ma''am, I wish to know if we possess a Relic with the Tier 1 Skill, Precognition."


    "Unfortunately, we don''t," Madam Rizenne motioned for him to sit, continuing on the topic, "The process to create Relics had been created only about 200 years ago. Even then, it was largely primitive, lacking the means of the present. Despite great efforts, the number of Relics that were successfully made back then number in the double digits."


    She sighed, "In those times, the population of humanity continued to dwindle day by day under the onslaught of the Frenzy Beasts. On our side, forced by desperation, humanity conducted innumerous forbidden experiments, all in an effort to find a way to salvation."


    Madam Rizenne prevented herself from straying away from the topic, shifting her tone with a cough, "Precognition was last seen in year 7 of the Dawn Era. It hasn''t appeared ever since, in neither humans nor Frenzy Beasts."


    She switched off the screen behind her, concluding the theory session with a statement, "Moreover, Precognition is one of the few Skills that have been documented during those turbulent times. There are vague reports of incredible Skills flashing to existence like shooting stars among humanity, possessing superior power as compared to the rest."


    "Even Precognition has been documented only based on the words of Rhachis Ancestor Light."

 Chapter 166: Secrets of the Aristocratic Families

    ''I wonder what else has been lost during the dark ages.'' Jyorta wondered, watching Madam Rizenne unleash a psychic arm and open the door next to the stage, allowing a staff to push a trolley inside.


    The trolley was shaped into a prism, with rollers attached to its base, providing motion. A thin, inconspicuous line separated the prism into two segments, situated at a spot one-fourth of its height from the top.


    Once the staff pushed the trolley inside the auditorium, he slightly bowed towards Madam Rizenne and exited. A psychic arm flashed and lifted the trolley, placing it on the dais, next to the podium.


    The psychic arm seeped into it, causing it to emit a gentle illumination, lasting for a second before vanishing. The top segment unravelled into four triangles, creating a tiny platform while sporting a square-shaped hole in the centre.


    The base of the prism trolley spanned a side of 2 metres, shaped into a square. It covered quite the space on the dais, but thanks to its height only spanning 1 metre, it didn''t seem hulking. But, it was still eye-catchy enough to capture the interests of the students.


    "We will go through the Skills of Tier 2 and above at later sessions. Now, we will be familiarising ourselves with the Tier 1 skills, using these Relics." Madam Rizenne pointed at the prism trolley, inserting her psychic arm through the gap formed at the top.


    The psychic arm lifted a tiny cube, spanning the sides of 10 centimetres, "This is a Mould Relic, extracted from an Observer after death."


    Her psychic arm held the cube atop the prism trolley, creating a filament before it, refracting the incident light, and magnifying the image presented to the students. "It is generally difficult to make use of Relics because most of the Relics contain Skills that affect the body. So, since it is an external object, your body will reject the changes it tries to induce."


    "Therefore, most Relics can never be used. We have five more Mould Relics inside this prism; they have Skills that could be used for observation. Now, one by one, come to the dais and use this Relic. Experience the effects of this Skill for yourself and enrich your knowledge." Madam Rizenne said, pointing at the student from the first row.


    The student hesitated for a second, feeling shy about having to stand in front of everyone. Urged by his friends and unwilling to waste Madam Rizenne''s time, the student climbed up the dais and arrived before the cube.


    "Even though Warriors cannot control their energy like Espers, they can at least emit it from their palms. Its sole practical use is to activate the Relics." Madam Rizenne created another psychic arm, seeping it into the student and guiding him about the process.


    The student closed his eyes and concentrated on his Heart Crystal, guiding the energy based on the lead of the psychic arm. If he had tried it on his own, it would have proven to be impossible.


    But, thanks to the psychic arm that tugged at the energy and guided it through the bloodstream, the student was able to memorise the pathways that he had to concentrate on to guide the energy to his palms in the most efficient manner.


    It wasn''t as if he was creating a channel to direct the energy flow. His heart pumped blood through the arteries in his body, the same as always. Since his Heart Crystal was lodged in his heart, a trace of energy from it seeped into the blood, carried by the blood vessels, and transported to the rest of the body.


    The energy nourished the bones, muscles, and internal organs, with the remainder still travelling through the blood vessels, carried by the veins to the heart. This created a cycle, one that had been established in the human body since its inception. The energy was just an add-on that had attached itself to the blood vessels and used it as a means of transport.


    "Your Tier 1 Skill is vision-based. So, upon activation, it will draw the energy from your Heart Crystal towards your eyes. Follow my guidance and prevent yourself from wholly activating your Skill, directing the drawn energy towards your palm. This is how most Warriors unleash their energy to activate Relics." Madam Rizenne''s voice guided the student, helping him get used to the process, shaping his muscle memory.


    She beckoned the next four students, instructing them to form a line beside the boy. She then grabbed hold of the cube and swept her psychic arm into the body of the second student. She then unleashed three more psychic arms, seeping them into the bodies of the remaining students, guiding them under the same process.


    Madam Rizenne glanced at the students seated in the auditorium, hearing the groans from the ones seated at the back. They had figured out the next segment in the session.


    She smiled, "We will be doing this in batches. Every three rows will be counted as a batch."


    The door next to the dais opened as the staff from before walked in, holding a tiny box in his hand. Contained in it were stamps, affixed over them were serial numbers, and a designated time. The staff distributed the stamps in a matter of minutes, giving one each.


    He started from the fourth row and proceeded towards the last. Once he was done, he exited the auditorium.


    Madam Rizenne spoke aloud, "Return here 15 minutes prior to your designated time. Until then, you are free to do as you please."


    The students pocketed their stamps and began to exit the auditorium, grumbling about their allotted time and how it would affect their sleep schedule. The students that had been instructed to stand looked at the stamps they had received, noticing that they formed the last batch.


    Madam Rizenne commanded them, "Finish your punishment, get some rest and then return here. Sir Rishen Veera will be the one to monitor you; he has already been informed of your arrival. Get going now."


    The students bowed once and exited with sulking backs, lamenting at their fate. They grumbled and exchanged smack talk with their friends who took pleasure in their predicament.


    Jyorta stretched his arms a little, preventing a yawn from leaking out. He took in the view of his blue soul, watching the surroundings turn dark, assaulted by grating sounds and a nauseous stench. They battered his blue soul, the murkiness, as a result, coating its surface, striving to seep in.


    Even though they failed to break past the blue soul''s natural defences, it was only a matter of time before they broke through. After all, the blue soul didn''t possess any resistance against the murkiness. It only had the capabilities to purify itself of the murkiness through the verse imparted by the creepy-haired man or by using its Soul Cornea.


    Mixed amid the sounds were wails, originating from its proximity. Turning around, the blue soul derived the source to be from a soul on the right, the soul of Dalna Doppler. It was regular sized like others her age but its murkiness was on another level.


    There were bangles pierced all across the surface of her soul, almost forming a layer. There were a couple of spikes lodged through the soul, piercing from one side to the other, forming a ''V'' shape on both ends.


    Mixed amid the wails were shouts of rage, the hatred suffused deep into each connotation. There was also maniacal laughter that went off from time to time and the sounds of rigorous meditation, the accompanying chants striving to soothe the atmosphere.


    Though, all these sounds and smell seemed superficial, like something that had been formed only recently. Hidden beneath them was normal murkiness, the sewage kind that polluted the souls of everyone, originating from the thoughts, feelings, lingering attachments, emotions, memories, desires, etc.


    ''So, she came to experience numerous horrors the moment she survived her Induction Ceremony and got accustomed to the Wisdom Parasite in her. As expected, successors of the Aristocratic Families who had achieved a Sync Rate greater than 85 percent are treated differently. I should ask sister about it when I graduate; after all, she had attained 89 percent.''


    ''I wonder what horrors she was subjected to for her soul to be polluted to this extent.'' Jyorta sighed, controlling himself from helping the other party.


    First, he didn''t have enough psychic energy to use externally. The amount produced was being used by a Soul Cornea in destroying the ego that was being birthed from the memory fragments in his subsoul. It was a continuous process, requiring a steady stream of energy expenditure.


    Second, he had no idea if the murkiness polluting the soul had any effect on them in reality. Even if he destroyed the murkiness, he had yet to see any positive outcomes emerge from it. He didn''t know if it was a good or a bad thing so, he didn''t want to disturb the status quo unless he obtained some form of assurance.


    Actions taken under half-baked knowledge was the principality of foolishness.


    "I did it!" On the dais, the first student exclaimed in happiness, sensing a stream of energy gush out from his palm. Though, it dissipated into the air within a second, lacking the binding agent to hover around.


    Next, Madam Rizenne placed the Relic in his hands, advising him to hold it before his eyes. As the student did as told, he emitted energy from his palms, noticing the Relic absorb everything in its vicinity, lighting up with a red hue.


    It then emitted a gentle light on two opposite sides, with one of them incident on the student''s eyes. Through this, the sight witnessed by the student changed, causing him to exclaim once again.

 Chapter 167: Aura Sense

    The Warriors among their batch were called in groups of five, instructed by Madam Rizenne in emitting energy from their palms, and eventually allowed to observe the functions of the Relics.


    They obtained the opportunity to experience the workings of the Skills in all the six Relics brought out from the prism trolley. It was soon Dalna Doppler''s turn, forming the last group among the Warriors.


    Jyorta trailed his gaze to the dais, lingering on the spot where Dalna Doppler had slapped near the end of the demonstration with Madam Rizenne. The way in which she brought an abrupt halt to her slip¡ªone that was rotating on the ground¡ªwith a single action startled him.


    As someone who was well versed in the concepts of physics, her actions didn''t conform to the logic ingrained into him. Even though she had exerted force through her palm while slapping on the ground, massively raising the friction between the two surfaces, it wouldn''t have caused her body to stop abruptly like that.


    For one, her body spun on the floor, forming circles, with her shoulder region forming the centre and her legs forming the ends. This meant that Dalna Doppler had stopped her momentum by exerting force on the centre of rotation, with the motion and the exerted force perpendicular to one another.


    This meant that the force her body experienced during the spin and the force she had exerted using her hand shouldn''t have cancelled one another. That is, if her strength was to such a great extent that the resulting friction cancelled the force behind her body''s spin.


    But, this wasn''t possible considering the strength of an Observer. Moreover, she was only 45 days into her Nurturing phase since the Induction Ceremony. This meant that she wasn''t even at the peak of Tier 1.


    ''So, how did she achieve it?'' Jyorta wondered. He wondered if Madam Rizenne secretly helped her just to emphasise the effects of her Skill. But, thinking along the matter, that shouldn''t have been the case.


    The goal of Madam Rizenne was to instil in students the working of Skills and the amplification they brought about to the Observer''s senses. So, it wouldn''t make sense for her to do something that would imprint a false opinion in the students. Considering her uplift character, this theory wasn''t a possibility.


    ''In the end, it was through Dalna Doppler''s actions. But, how was she able to achieve it?'' In order to conserve his energy, Jyorta had long since exited the vision of his blue soul. He pondered about the topic, failing to find anything worthwhile.


    ''Is it a Trait?'' This was all he could currently think of. Other than a Trait, there wasn''t anything Dalna Doppler could use. Unless they were from Aristocratic Families, the students wouldn''t have any personal Artifacts. Moreover, their parents wouldn''t waste their hard-earned resources to buy an Artifact that served no beneficial use.


    Even among the students hailing from the Aristocratic Families, they were forbidden to bring their personal Artifacts outside their dorm room, not to mention using it on other students. Were they to attempt something like that, then the punishments were severe.


    Moreover, the punishments would also be extended to their parents, for failing to instil good upbringing in their children. Also, they were repeatedly warned by the staff numerous times. Even Jyorta was warned almost every day from a staff that monitored his health from afar.


    So, the chances of Dalna Doppler using an Artifact in that situation were zero. There was also Madam Rizenne, a Sky Controller. Under her senses, it was impossible for any concealed secrets to exist.


    Every time Jyorta erected a psychic sphere around him, trying to experience the aura from the Tier 5 Artifact prepared by Jyovic Bone, he would faintly sense a presence lingering next to it, checking for any trouble.


    After the first time, Jyorta got used to the situation. It was most probably the senses of Madam Mary, who had already received a formal application about the Artifact from Heima, long before he arrived at the military academy.


    Without a letter of approval, his Artifact would have been confiscated the moment he stepped foot in the military academy. The military academy was a place under the eyes of numerous Ground Controllers and Sky Controllers.


    As the place that served to nurture the younger generation, it was the lifeblood of the 7th Ring, the importance attached to it was insurmountable. This was the reason for the presence of so many heavyweight characters in one place.


    Psychic Ancestor Marble had given Jyorta two Artifacts, a chakram, and a goggle. Since they were shielded by his psychic energy, it was impossible for anyone other than Jyorta to sense their existence. This was why Jyorta hadn''t set off any alarms with Madam Mary.


    ''What was the real reason behind her actions?'' Jyorta gazed at the girl standing on the stage, guided by Madam Rizenne. Soon, she got the hang of emitting energy from her palms, grabbing hold of a Relic.


    Now, it was the turn of the Espers. Including Jyorta, there were only five Espers in this batch. They all lined up on the dais, with Jyorta taking the fourth position in the line.


    Madam Rizenne explained to them in short, "Espers can activate any Relic using their psychic energy. For better results, it is advised to use a psychic arm."


    Of the six Relics, five were lifted, making them hover before each student. They were all shaped into cubes, more or less spanning the same size, barring slight differences in their colours and the patterns that covered their surfaces.


    A green coloured cube hovered before him as a voice whispered into his ears, "This is a vision-based Relic. So, pass your psychic arm through it and place it before your eyes. The Skill contained in it is Aura Sense, a Peak Skill, the same as your sister, Heima."


    Jyorta nodded, glancing at the others to find their expressions more or less similar to his own, Marvelling at Madam Rizenne''s ability.


    ''She can converse with five individuals with five different topics and also instruct them. Sky Controllers are on a whole different level.''


    Jyorta stretched his hands, facing the palms upward, and catching hold of the green coloured Relic. He then unleashed his psychic arm; its length spanned 61 centimetres, and its psychic energy density conformed to the levels of a Line Controller.


    It hadn''t been long since he became an Area Controller. So, his abilities were no different from a Line Controller. There were still no signs of the formation of his second psychic arm. Also, his sole psychic arm had yet to exceed the limits of a Line Controller.


    So, he had plenty of time and wasn''t afraid of other students finding out. The teachers were privy of the details and as long as he controlled himself from unleashing his aura, none were wiser.


    His psychic arm entered the Relic, feeling zero resistance. Madam Rizenne''s voice resounded in his ears, "This Relic is my Refined Object, so I can control the resistance it offers against third parties."


    His psychic arm lifted the Relic, watching it shiver in the air. Jyorta had yet to get the basics down, so the Relic he lifted couldn''t stabilise in the air. The case was the same for the other four Line Controllers but, the instability of their Relics was greater than Jyorta''s.


    Jyorta brought the Relic before his eyes, sensing a gentle beam fall on him. The beam didn''t obstruct his vision, rather changing his perception. Despite the Relic blocking his vision, it was as if it had turned into a flat lens.


    Jyorta''s view was unobstructed but, he could now observe many changes in the surroundings. His view trailed along the seats at the end of the auditorium, finding faint colour traces lingering over the seats. Most of them were faint, on the verge of dissipation. There were some exceptions that retained a faint humanoid outline.


    The dominant colour was green, mixed amid the colours of red, yellow, and black. He didn''t know what the colours represented but he still memorised the information.


    Jyorta trained his gaze on the students seated at the front, watching humanoid figures in green colour. The areas of their spines were red in colour, outlined like a cylindrical rod, the length varying between each individual.


    The spots where their hair existed were black, with the dominant portion on the head, and the smaller parts in the pubic region. The area around the humanoid figures became yellow whenever they moved, with the yellow trailing after the moving figures.


    He focused on the place where two individuals conversed, their tones hushed. They covered their mouths with their hands, leaning close to one another and engaged in discussions. Through the view of the Skill, Jyorta noticed the area around their jaws turn yellow every time they talked.


    ''A person''s secrets are laid bare in front of this Skill.'' Jyorta recalled his experience from when he was discharged from the hospital and Heima''s behaviour. He felt a chill the moment he recalled the memory, feeling his face covered by sweat.


    Tier 1 skill¡ªAura Sense!


    "The green colour is an individual''s life force. The red is a result of the fused state between the Wisdom Parasite and the organ, whether the Brain or the Spine. You can sense their Sync Rates this way. Black colour represents dead objects that still retain a connection with the body. Yellow signifies a motion, a form of delayed residue. The aura of an individual remains at a spot if he/she lingers around for more than a couple of minutes."


    The voice continued, "The greater the life force of the individual, the larger the residue. You can also infer a person''s strength based on it. See the faint outlines still remaining on the seats at the back. The Cadets who sat there are stronger than the rest."


    Jyorta intended to turn his head, wanting to thank Madam Rizenne for the knowledge. But, he felt his head pause, as if stuck in place. The voice warned, "If you see my life force, you will start to bleed from your eyes. Though, everyone from Tier 3 and above here wear Relics that prevent such probing. This is to avoid injury among the students that try to be sneaky."


    After a few more glances, Jyorta retracted his psychic arm and held the Relic in his hands. The other four Line Controllers too did the same, their timings based on Madam Rizenne''s instructions. They then exchanged their Relics and repeated the above process.


    Jyorta held a brown coloured Relic, seeping his psychic arm into it, sporting a gaze of curiosity. Just the previous experience alone was an eye-opener to him. He wanted to experience the profundity of more Skills.

 Chapter 168: Perceive the World with Naivety

    The brown coloured Relic was slightly bigger than the previous one, having a side of 11 centimetres based on an approximate measurement. Jyorta watched it hover before him, lifted by his psychic arm.


    It slightly shivered, like a boat rowing on a gentle sea. It lit up with a faint brown hue but didn''t exert any changes. Jyorta couldn''t sense anything other than what he normally perceived.


    Madam Rizenne''s voice resounded in his ear, "This is a skin-type Relic and houses a sensory-based Skill, Altitude Perception. Place the Relic anywhere on your Skin and you should be able to perceive the altitude of your current position."


    Jyorta rolled up the sleeves on his left arm, placing the Relic on the exposed skin. Immediately, a sense of vertigo enveloped him, akin to an illusion of free fall. It was like the vertigo wasn''t produced from a state of rapid descent but a stationary state, confusing his senses.


    The psychic arm lifted the Relic, severing its connection with his skin, dissipating the weird sensation. The voice continued, "The feeling of descent determines your altitude; the greater the feeling, the greater the implication of your altitude. Only through practice will you be able to convert this feeling into the system of unit, metre."


    Jyorta nodded his head, allowing his psychic arm to press the Relic against his skin once again. The feeling of vertigo enveloped him once again, inducing a churning sensation in his stomach. If this feeling persisted for longer durations, Jyorta was bound to vomit.


    Jyorta opened his mouth, his words akin to a whisper, "Ma''am, can you please lift my body and vary my height? I want to get a feel for the change before my body can no longer tolerate this sensation."


    "Good choice," The voice praised him and lifted his body, the ascent steady. Jyorta''s body levitated, proceeding towards the ceiling at a speed of one metre per second. His ascent stopped when his head was just 20 centimetres from the ceiling. Pausing for a moment, his descent began.


    For every metre his body travelled, the voice stated the distance in his ears, giving him an inkling as to how the sensation varied. Jyorta''s body travelled up and down three times, landing on the ground by the end of the third journey.


    Jyorta''s expression was scrunched up, on the verge of puking. Madam Rizenne stopped moving him, turning the psychic arm seeped inside his body blue, alleviating his sensation, and recovering his bearings. The healing effect abated the sensation of vertigo, stabilising his senses.


    Jyorta distanced the Relic from his skin, heaving a sigh of relief. He got some vague sensations in the previous run but, it wasn''t to the extent he could glean insight into the workings of the Skill, Altitude Perception.


    The voice instructed him, "It is relatively easy for Warriors to bear this sensation, considering their developed physiques. Among all the Relics that are a result of us humans, only Tier 3 Relics can be used in battles by Espers. Any effect the Tier 1 Relics produce, they can be naturally achieved by Espers from Tier 3 onwards. This is why Espers are greatly valued."


    "Espers are good at defence, thanks to their domains. Their attacks are swift, actuating anywhere within their domains in a second. Their minds are developed, capable of multi-tasking. Their cognition is unmatched, allowing them to excel in the fields of research. They have great mobility, able to fly from Tier 3 onwards. They can treat people, thanks to their psychic arms. These are just the basics of what Espers can achieve."


    "Never feel envious of Warriors after witnessing their Skills. They may have strong bodies and don''t lack any inherent weaknesses but, Warriors are incapable of protecting. They are strong one-on-one but, they don''t have any long-ranged attacks. Only Developers Nurture long-ranged emission-type Skills but even they prove useless at Tier 4 and Tier 5."


    The voice concluded, "Warriors and Espers have their advantages and disadvantages. Only by working together in harmony can the maximum effect be achieved. When you lead your own team into the Wilds in the future, remember to select members whose Skills can complement one another."


    "Thank you, ma''am; I''ll never forget your advice." Jyorta nodded, slightly bowing towards Madam Rizenne. A moment later, the other four Line Controllers too had finished checking out their respective Relics.


    They then exchanged their Relics; Jyorta grabbed hold of a peach coloured Relic, wondering the Skill contained in it. This Relic was soft to the touch, almost like a jelly but was sturdy enough to not deform under his hold.


    The voice detailed in his ears, "This is an auditory-based Relic, housing a sound-based Skill, Enhanced Hearing. This is by far the most commonly Nurtured Skill. All it allows you is to hear better than normal. Place it on your ear and activate it through your psychic arm."


    Jyorta did as told, seeping his psychic arm into the Relic and placing it beside his right ear. He could hear faint murmurs, the contents of which weren''t clear. He gazed at the students seated on the first row, ones who were conversing with their friends in hushed tones.


    He could neither make out the dialogues nor pinpoint the source of the sounds, making him wonder if the Skill was a dud. Making context of his thoughts based on his facial expressions, Madam Rizenne smiled a little, detailing the concept to him through a psychic arm.


    "Unlike other Skills, Enhanced Hearing has to be manually adjusted upon activation. The user will focus his/her senses on the target, listening on to the sounds. But, this is not possible here, thanks to the Skill stored inside a Relic. Relics are not as useful as one might think, possessing numerous restrictions to their usage."


    The voice gave him a brief conclusion, "Consider the Skills in Warriors as alive, capable of adjusting their effects, like a tap that can vary the flow of water from zero to maximum. Then the Skills in the Relics are just dead husks of the former, like a faulty tap, capable of only going zero or maximum. You can''t concentrate, assign, focus effect, etc. with Relics. This is more pronounced in the Skills in Tier 3 Relics, considering their variable usage when within Developers."


    Jyorta and the other four Line Controllers exchanged their Relics, looking into their various effects. Jyorta experienced the Skills: Focus Vision, Enhanced Smell, and Thermal Vision.


    Focus Vision was no different from a telescope, but with a fixed range and magnification. Enhanced Smell was just like Enhanced Hearing, unable to be concentrated. Jyorta classified it as a dud Relic.


    The last was the Relic with the Skill, Thermal Vision. It proved to be quite insightful, allowing him to see all heat signatures, and identify the sources and sinks. It was fun to use and didn''t strain his nerves upon extended usage.


    They were the last group, once they were done experiencing the effects of all six Relics, Madam Rizenne motioned for them to return to their seats. As Jyorta approached his seat, he noticed Dalna Doppler glance his way, the sentiment underneath her gaze confounding him.


    ''What does she want?'' Jyorta wondered, sporting a blank expression as he seated himself. The moment he sat, he noticed Dalna Doppler redirect her gaze to the dais, indifferent in her actions.


    There was a small spark in her eyes as she gazed at Madam Rizenne, her thoughts unknown. Jyorta mentally shook his head, unwilling to get involved with the other party. It wasn''t as if he was averse to the notion of talking with her; in fact, it was the opposite.


    He still remembered the regal aura Dalna Doppler exuded after placing first in the obstacle race in the first exercise they had since coming to the military academy. He would be lying if he said he wasn''t attracted to her.


    But, his mind was currently plagued by many things. The memories belonging to Gajara Rahi stored in his subsoul, constantly birthing an ego that wrestled with the ego he had in his subsoul. There were the memory fragments he had obtained from the Floating Spiders, possessing a treasure trove of knowledge and experience. He had yet to begin comprehending them.


    These were just the two prime concerns. There was also the presence of the hound he witnessed in the Mental Realm. Its existence prevented him from attempting a breakthrough, unless Atika Light encased some safety measures in place.


    All these factors constantly pressured him, preventing him from just enjoying his life in the military academy. The moment he saw someone, he would immediately try to glean information into their background, to see if they might prove useful to him in the future.


    If they had connections that would help him, then he would try to forge a relationship with them. Jyorta was getting such thoughts ever since he returned from the headquarters of Grapple Force. They were a result of him trying to understand the memory fragments from the previous life and comprehend them based on his current self.


    It was in an effort to better understand himself and bank on the experiences of his previous life. Since he didn''t have any attachments to his previous life, there were many experiences in them that shaped his current character but their essences were a blank slate. He wanted to fill them up and enrich his character, and not be as hollow as his current self.


    A part of him hinted that such an action was a must in order for his future growth.


    These were the thoughts of adults who survived in the society. As a student, Jyorta didn''t wish to lose his innocence this early into the picture. He preferred to be a student who acted as part of the age and wholeheartedly strived to study and better himself.


    ''One step at a time; I shouldn''t rush towards the future and forget to enjoy the present. All responsibilities aside, I am just 16 years old. I should enjoy my teenage and perceive the world with some naivety.''

 Chapter 169: Traits and Trait Room

    "Now that everyone has witnessed the Skills in the six Relics here, I hope you got a basic idea about the working of Tier 1 Skills." Madam Rizenne said, letting out a sigh, "It is not possible to activate most Relics as they are. That is why they are fused into Artifacts. Sometimes, more than one Relic is fused into an Artifact to bring out the potential of the stored Skills."


    "Now, if you have talked with your friends and inquired about their Skills, you would have noticed a strange relation. I don''t know how many of you have figured it out but I''ll say it anyway." Madam Rizenne paused, glancing around at the crowd, "10 Credits for the right answer."


    Dalna Doppler raised her hand, being the first. Gaining a nod of approval from Madam Rizenne, she stood up, and grabbed hold of the mike that flew her way, "The Nurtured Skills vary with the Sync Rate. Select Skills only appear in the students within a certain range of Sync Rate."


    "You have correctly guessed half the answer; five Credits for you," Madam Rizenne motioned for her to sit as she continued, "Remember my previous statement where I said the Skills are divided into three, Regular, Elite, and Peak?"


    Seeing everyone nod, she continued, "There is a sharp division in the Sync Rate for the three segments. Regular Skills are Nurtured in individuals with Sync Rate between 51 and 65 percent. Elite Skills are Nurtured in individuals with Sync Rate between 66 and 80 percent. Finally, Peak Skills are Nurtured in individuals with Sync Rate between 81 and 95 percent."


    Jyorta raised his hand, immediately wishing to satiate his doubts. Madam Rizenne waved at him, motioning for him to remain seated. "I know what you wish to ask."


    She shook her head, "There has never been a precedent of someone achieving a Sync Rate of 96 percent and above during the Induction Ceremony in all humanity. The highest recorded has been 95 percent and it was achieved by a single person in Marble City. She is now a legendary character. There hasn''t been anyone else who has achieved 95 percent, including the other cities."


    "The current record holder in the 7th Ring is by Ravis Macht, having claimed a Sync Rate of 94 percent. Even though Sync Rate can be easily increased through the Frenzy Fruits, the Sync Rate achieved by an individual during the Induction Ceremony determines their mental fortitude. For warriors, it vastly determines the level of the Skills they would Nurture in the future."


    "There are also the Children of Wisdom who boast a Sync Rate of 100 percent. But they are an entirely different matter. You will learn about them in later classes." She concluded, looking intent to shift to the next topic. She then noticed the gazes directed at her by the students, filled with interest and earnest curiosity.


    She sighed once, "The legendary character I mentioned is Madam Atika Light. She is also the mother of Rhachis Ancestor Strongest. She is the head of Grapple Force, an organisation where the elites of Marble City gather. I would have told you about this at the end of your term here; but anyway, no harm in learning early."


    "You''ll learn about the various organisations in Marble City and their joining requirements during your final three months here. After all, once you graduate, you would be required to join one of them. There are also other intricacies to this subject which would be detailed at the time of need." She waved her hand, signalling the end of the topic.


    "Finally, you must learn about Traits," Picking up the final topic at hand, Madam Rizenne pressed a button, flashing an image on the screen behind her. The image consisted of a variety of fruits, some familiar but mostly unfamiliar.


    "Your powers as a Warrior or an Esper mostly depend on your Sync Rate. This is an irrefutable fact. During battles in the Wilds, many accidents and injuries occur, resulting in a decreased Sync Rate, causing our battle strength to plummet. Even Unranked Skills are no exception to this matter."


    "Unranked Skills are under our full control but their effects are actuated by using the Wisdom Parasite as a medium. Hence, a loss in Sync Rate also affects the power of the Unranked Skill. So, the only solution to this problem is with the Traits."


    Madam Rizenne pointed at the screen, "Traits look no different from the commonly seen fruits. They are produced from the Wisdom Plants, with their greatest number present in our 7th Ring. While travelling within the 7th Ring, you must have seen large walls that aren''t part of the walls that make up the boundaries of each Sector or Ring."


    Seeing some of the students nod, Madam Rizenne continued, "They are specially designated locations where the Wisdom Plants are cultivated, with the majority located in our 7th Ring. This is why the 7th Ring is the least populated when compared to all the Rings in Marble City."


    "Frenzy Fruits and Trait Fruits are produced from a certain variety of Wisdom Plants. I won''t go into details about the Wisdom Plants which are considered as classified secrets. If you join the relevant department in the future, you will be able to learn more about them."


    "Coming back to the Traits; Traits are artificially manufactured through a variety of production methods. But, upon completion, a new species of Wisdom Plant is created to mass produce the respective Trait. This reduces cost and raises the rate of production."


    "We can consider Traits as Skills that have passive effects. The Skills nurtured by Warriors are always active in nature, requiring energy to be actuated. But, Traits are in effect 24x7, working in sync with the Wisdom Parasite''s Nurturing effect. Unless the Wisdom Parasite dies and has its body removed from our body, the passive effect of the Traits persists."


    "In the Pamphlet we had provided you on your first day here, a total of eight Traits had been listed." Madam Rizenne opened her palm, revealing the familiar pamphlet. It had appeared on her hand without anyone''s notice.


    "The Trait of Temperance helps in your breakthrough. It conceals your life experiences to a certain extent from your Wisdom Parasite, hindering its growth. Its effect is equivalent to a Tier 3 Skill. Starting from the 1st of next month, you will have an hour of class every day to train you for your eventual breakthrough." Madam Rizenne pointed at a certain fruit on the screen.


    She then pointed at another fruit, "The Trait of Dominance has an effect similar to our aura. The only difference is this adds a suppression effect into your aura, capable of affecting enemies below your Tier. Its effect is equivalent to a Tier 2 Skill and is only used at Tier 1 and 2."


    "The Trait of Nullity temporarily erases your emotions. This Trait is useful for people who cannot control their fear while in the Wilds. Despite possessing effect equivalent to only a Tier 2 Skill, it is used by even higher Tiered Warriors and Espers."


    "The Trait of Efficiency helps speed up the body''s metabolism and also hastens the Wisdom Parasite''s Nurturing effect. This is by far the most preferred Trait apart from the Trait of Temperance. It has an effect equivalent to a Tier 3 Skill."


    "The Trait of Recovery improves the body''s ability to recover from shock, injury, emotional disturbance, etc. It also increases the body''s natural healing factor and decreases fatigue formation while on missions that span long durations. Its effect is equivalent to a Tier 2 Skill."


    "The Trait of Resistance improves the body''s ability to resist poison, disease, ailment, etc. Its effect is equivalent to a Tier 2 Skill. There are microorganisms in the air, water, etc. that affect us. They will be detailed in another class. Due to the presence of aura, they die upon the moment of contact. But, they still grow in places without any aura emission."


    "Finally, we have the Trait of Severability. Its only effect is to consume massive amounts of energy stored in the Heart or Brain Crystal to increase the Sync Rate. This will save the lives of soldiers in the Wilds who have sustained unrepairable damage to their Sync Rates. Its effect is equivalent to a Tier 4 Skill. This was recently created by the Hero of the Flying Throne Raid, the current Head of the Bone Family, Jyovic Bone."


    "Last but not least, we have the Trait of Growth. This Trait is only effective on the Warriors and Espers who have consumed a Cleansement Fruit. The topic of Cleansement Fruits has been discussed a little before. It is used to destroy the ego, consciousness, and vitality of the Wisdom Parasite to prevent the individual from losing control."


    Madam Rizenne looked at everyone, "Upon consumption of the Cleansement Fruit, a Warrior loses all his Skills while an Esper only retains a psychic arm and loses the remaining. This Trait allows them to slowly regain their lost abilities by consuming energy on a daily basis. It is a slow but definite process."


    Madam Rizenne sighed once, feeling exhaustion after talking for such great lengths, "Traits give us an edge against the Frenzy Beasts since this is a concept exclusive to humans. For some reason, Frenzy Beasts are unable to gain any Traits even though we administered some during our experiments. This is probably due to an incompatibility with the Frenzy Parasite but we have yet to conclude a definite reason."


    "There is a limit to how many Traits our body can handle. It varies from person to person, with the maximum recorded individual possessing 12 Traits. But, that is because the Traits implanted in the said individual only had Tier 2 strength. The number decreases when the Tier of the Trait increases."


    "So, we thought about an arbitrary concept, Trait Room. A person''s Trait Room possesses a certain volume and each Trait occupies some definite volume. So, the number and Tier of the Traits they can possess could be calculated. But, it is only a concept to date since we don''t have the means to infer the quantity of a person''s Trait Room."


    "Since it is difficult to determine it, I advise you all to only choose the Traits that you need the most. Base it upon the future path you wish to tread upon. That is all, class dismissed."

 Chapter 170: Madam Mary’s Warning

    Jyorta stood up and stretched his arms, letting out a short yawn. He walked on the path, approaching the exit, watching a figure brush past him. The girl slightly glanced his way through the corner of her eye and exited the auditorium.


    Her friends trailed after her, stealing subtle glances his way before following Dalna Doppler out. Unable to make sense of the situation, Jyorta scratched his head a little, deciding to ignore them for now.


    The moment he exited the auditorium and took a step further, a voice whispered in his ear. It was the voice of Madam Rizenne, "Madam Mary has summoned your presence in the Principal''s Office. It is related to your experience for the past few days."


    "Yes, ma''am; I''ll head there right away," Jyorta replied, brushing past the new batch that had arrived. Just as the timing in their stamps had indicated, the batch of Jyorta and co finished at the exact time as the arrival of the subsequent one.


    Moreover, they had arrived 15 minutes early, as designated by Madam Rizenne. They quickly occupied the first three rows and waited for Madam Rizenne to begin. After drinking some water, Madam Rizenne cleared her throat and noticed the presence of everyone designated to arrive.


    She then started with the same topic as before, summoning for the presence of five people on the dais.


    Taking a turn in the hallway and proceeding in the opposite direction from the students in his batch, Jyorta headed towards a flight of stairs. There was more than one flight of stairs in the Head Office Building, considering its length surpassing 400 metres.


    Even though he didn''t know the location of the Principal''s Office, Madam Rizenne had briefly detailed the route he had to traverse upon. Even if he couldn''t remember them all, he now knew the general direction. He could ask any staff along the way for directions.


    Arriving on the first floor, Jyorta headed towards a spot centred on the floor, coming face to face with a large double door, spanning the height of the ceiling. A man stood guard next to the door, whose sole existence was to inform about the visitors inside.


    "I am Jyorta Bone, Esper from the October Batch. Madam Rizenne had informed me that Madam Principal had summoned me." Jyorta controlled his voice, appearing bold but having the sound limited to his immediate surroundings. It was to avoid being loud and appear disrespectful.


    "Wait here," The Guard replied with his gruff voice, seeping his psychic arm through a differently coloured section on the door. Jyorta noticed it through his senses, wondering about the oddity when he recalled the sense of familiarity oozing from the door.


    ''Gulvana!''


    A material that prevented the seepage of psychic energy, used in boxes that stored Brain Crystals and in rooms to prevent peeping by Espers, that was Gulvana. It had three types, based on the Tier of psychic energy it could block.


    Gulvana Harr blocked the psychic energy of Tier 1 and 2 Espers, Gulvana Forr blocked the psychic energy of Tier 3 and 4 Espers, and Gulvana Vorr blocked the psychic energy beyond that. It was information taught to him by Atika Light. Though, she hadn''t mentioned if Gulvana Vorr could block the psychic energy of Psychic Ancestor Marble.


    Except for the differently coloured spot in the door, the rest seemed to be made from the material, Gulvana.


    ''It doesn''t seem as if an inanimate object could block Psychic Ancestor Marble, irrespective of its functions.'' Jyorta noticed the Guard look at him, slightly craning the door open to allow his entry.


    Jyorta entered and gazed at the spacious room displayed before him, surrounded by racks on three sides. The racks were stacked with papers of all sizes, some shaped into bundles, some into rolls, and some pined into folders.


    There was nothing on the floor, save for a table and a chair at the back where an old lady sat, busying about through a stack of papers. There wasn''t a single electronic instrument in the room, even the lighting and air conditioning seemed to have been executed by the placement of Relics, the Skills imbued in them beyond the knowledge of Jyorta.


    There wasn''t any chair for him to be seated, as if the place wasn''t used to accommodating guests. Just this action alone signified the status symbol carried by Madam Mary, the principal of the military academy in the 7th Ring.


    There existed one military academy per every Ring in Marble City, starting from the 3rd Ring. It was unknown how the two innermost Rings operated. Every military academy was headed by either member from the two Royal Families.


    The fact that an individual apart from the two Royal Families was in charge of a military academy spoke volumes about the prestige she garnered and the influence she exerted.


    Jyorta stood a metre from the closed door, with his back facing it. His hands were positioned to his back as he stood ramrod straight, posing along the norms of the established doctrine. For the first five minutes, there was no response.


    Madam Mary busied about with her work, her concentration split into five places, apparent based on the five tasks he noticed, each proceeding in distinct locations. Though, even when he closed his eyes and strained his senses as an Esper, he couldn''t make out the presence of psychic energy in the room.


    But, he knew for a fact that Madam Mary had been using her psychic arms to execute all the work. It was just that he couldn''t sense it. The psychic arms of Espers were invisible but, fellow Espers are capable of perceiving it.


    Even Warriors at higher Tiers were able to perceive the psychic arms, just that he didn''t know how they achieved it. But here, irrespective of how he tried, he couldn''t sense any psychic energy in the room.


    ''Higher Tiered Espers are scary.'' Jyorta mentally sighed, unmoving from his position. He silently watched Madam Mary continue about her work. He took in the view of his blue soul for an instant, watching his surroundings turn dark.


    There was nothing new in his vision, with Madam Mary seated beyond his range. Jyorta exited the vision of his blue soul and silently watched her actions, trying all methods he could think of to try and perceive her psychic arms.


    "It is good that you returned alive from there." Madam Mary spoke, not once lifting her head from work, continuing with her tasks. Her voice was pleasant to hear, as if originating from a lady in her twenties, unbefitting of her old age.


    "I was treated well," Jyorta replied, unable to think of anything else to say. The prime reason he was invited there was due to his uniqueness and in order to help his sister. They had hidden identities that were unknown except for select individuals.


    Based on his knowledge, Jyorta was sure Madam Mary wasn''t one of them. In all of Marble City, the ones who knew about him and Heima were the three ancestors, Atika Light and Jyovic Bone. The only reason Jyovic Bone had come to know of the full details was thanks to Rhachis Ancestor Light informing him of everything, both as a form of protection and to help nurture them accordingly.


    Until that point, Jyovic Bone only had faint guesses due to the abnormalities he perceived in Jyorta, and under the repeated urgings of Jyorta''s mother, Henrietta. From what Heima told him, the act of her becoming Gajara Rahi''s subsoul was a voluntary act initiated by Rhachis Ancestor Light and of Jyovic Bone going along with the order.


    It seemed it was compulsory for every Aristocratic Family. He couldn''t understand the underlying significance of the action but he came to conclude one thing, and that was to never trust Jyovic Bone, irrespective of the situation at hand.


    Since Madam Mary wasn''t privy to his or his sister''s identity, he couldn''t tell her about his experience in Grapple Force. In the official statement prepared by Grapple Force, Jyorta was admitted into a hospital to be treated for the side-effects brought about by his Trait of Corrosion.


    This excuse was enough for all the students and teachers but, Madam Mary knew of the ruse. After all, she was the one who had escorted Jyorta and left him with Atika Light. As Jyorta wondered about what he could say and what he could not, Madam Mary chuckled.


    "I won''t put you in the spot. Besides, if I were to wring out the information from you, Atika Light wouldn''t leave me alone." She then said without a change in expression, "This is concerning your current Tier as an Area Controller."


    "Since Rakh Veera had already explained it, I won''t repeat it. It is not publicly announced but when you achieve Tier 2 here, you will be awarded 20,000 Credits. It will raise unnecessary commotion if people were to learn of your breakthrough into Tier 2 at such early stages." She aligned a stack of papers, pinning them and placing them to the side.


    Madam Mary lifted her head, making eye contact with Jyorta, "Based on Atika Light''s request, I decided to not announce your breakthrough until 9 months have passed. This is the time when the top scorers from your Batch will attempt a breakthrough to Tier 2. I will act as your protector at that time and help you tide through the situation."


    Her gaze turned sharp, "Until then, try your best to not reveal your state as an Area Controller to the Cadets. The day you violate it is the day your name will be stroked off your family register. Do I make myself clear?"

 Chapter 171: Trait of Recovery

    "Yes, Ma''am." Jyorta saluted, feeling a shiver pass through his spine, making his legs feel numb. He didn''t try to hide his emotional upheavals through the usage of his false persona, being his self to not induce any suspicion from the other party.


    "But," Madam Mary changed her tone, reverting to her previous self. "The fact that you have attained Tier 2 cannot be refuted. We can only make it official after 9 months have passed and allot you the respective 20,000 Credits to be displayed in the Dedicated Credit Ranking System."


    "Unofficially, you have now been rewarded with 20,000 Credits. If you want to exchange for any Artifact, Trait, etc. you can do so now."


    Seeing the gentle smile on her face, a stark contrast to her previous expression where she spoke of his death as if it didn''t mean much, Jyorta felt his head spin. He couldn''t control his warping expression, taking deep breaths in an effort to stabilise himself.


    There was a sense of fear and anxiety in him, the cause resulted from a single sentence by Madam Mary. The fear stemmed from his Wisdom Parasite, the suppression brought about by a higher existence of the same species. It was the primal fear brought about by a higher levelled lifeform when it prowled around in search of prey.


    This was the trait of Parasites, whether they were Wisdom Parasites or Frenzy Parasites. The higher their evolutionary phase, the greater their presence, and the greater the suppression effect they induce on the lower evolved Parasites.


    After some time had passed, Jyorta controlled the shivering of his facial muscles and opened his mouth, leaking out a voice that was akin to a whimper, "I''ll exchange for the Trait of Recovery."


    "I won''t comment on your choice," Madam Mary waved her hand, motioning for him to leave the Principal''s Office, "Come here at 6:00 PM tomorrow. I''ll implant the Trait of Recovery in you. Since we planned to hide your Tier, it is for the best to avoid heading to the facility where you obtained the Trait of Efficiency. After all, the Credit exchange there is done through the system. Updating your Credit in the system means announcing your Tier to everyone here, so we''ll avoid that."


    "Yes, ma''am." Jyorta bowed and turned around, quickly holding the handle of the double door, stopping his tumble. Just when he was about to pull open the door, Madam Mary''s voice resounded again, this time possessing the tone to instil a gentle reminder.


    "In the suitcase you brought from Grapple Force, I have been informed that there are 70 Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits altogether in it. I advise you to not rush with their consumption. Only take one Frenzy Fruit per day, and that too after your Brain Crystal has finished repairing its damage."


    "I was instructed to do the same," Jyorta slightly turned his head, glancing at the table to notice the absence of Madam Mary on her seat. There was only a stack of papers and a pen that wrote on it, despite her absence, akin to a horror story.


    "Good," The voice originated from the same place as before but Madam Mary wasn''t at the scene. Jyorta glanced around, finding the room bereft of any living presence. "It might look like your Wisdom Parasite has fully recovered, but it has not. Even though it has begun to Nurture, it is not at its full strength yet."


    Jyorta blinked once and noticed Madam Mary sitting in the same place as before, her seating posture hadn''t changed. He then saw Madam Mary look at him, "The moment when you sense your Trait of Efficiency functioning again is an indicator of your Wisdom Parasite having made a full recovery."


    "Thank you, ma''am." Jyorta bowed and turned around, grabbing hold of the door''s handle, intending to pull it. He took in the view of his blue soul, watching his surroundings turn dark, or so he expected.


    Everywhere around him was the broiling fog, as if he had been submerged inside. There was a thin layer separating him from the broiling fog, looking on the verge of being drowned. Jyorta felt a scare; the blue soul in him instantly overlaid the false persona, one of calm, optimism, and filled with focus.


    Jyorta craned the door open and exited the Principal''s Office, ignoring the stare of the door guard as he hurried towards the flight of stairs. He descended the flight of stairs and arrived on the ground floor, soon exiting the Head Office Building.


    A scent of nature wafted his way, the fragrance alleviating his tensed nerves. It worked in conjunction with his false persona and soon brought his emotions under control. Jyorta took in a deep breath, the evening breeze refreshing his lungs.


    There was a massive yellow wall facing his way, spanning from one end to the other. It made the military academy seem cramped, thanks to occupying the entirety of the ground''s area. Jyorta proceeded left, walking along the sides of the wall, passing beside a group of students who touched and inspected the wall.


    "This has been created from Madam Mila''s Unranked Skill, Marble Sonata. This entire setup is one giant Tier 5 Artifact." A student exclaimed, brushing his hand along the yellow surface.


    "The ability to create Artifacts on the fly, just this fact alone will give us endless riches. Also, all physical properties can be varied, both before and after creation. Also, after use, it can be dissolved into psychic energy and retracted back into ourselves. This is so¡­"


    "Amazing!"


    "Hear this," Another student sported a mysterious expression, as if he held a mystical secret. But, the excitement in his eyes betrayed his expression. Whether his friends were to listen or not, he was bound to reveal it anyway.


    He coughed once and crouched low, beckoning for the rest to huddle, speaking in a soft voice, "Someone mentioned to me that there is a counterpart of Marble sonata meant for Warriors."


    "Wait, seriously?" There was a collective exclamation before they inhaled a sharp breath of air. Everyone''s eyes lit up with desire, their heated gazes looking intent to burn up the surroundings.


    "What is it called?" One of them, a relatively calmer student took the opportunity to ask.


    "I have no idea," The student who mentioned the subject shook his head, "It was something Madam Mila mentioned in passing in the November Batch yesterday. It seems that unaffiliated parties could apply to join that particular department and after lots and lots of merit accumulation, they would finally get the chance to obtain that Unranked Skill."


    "With that Skill, our chances of survival would drastically increase. After all, the number of deaths in the Wilds has been the lowest among Marble Family."


    "Well, we would need to work a lot for that to happen. Besides, how many Credits have you accumulated?"


    "Somewhere along 88,000; what about you?"


    "I crossed one lakh yesterday." Another smiled, raising collecting exclaims from everyone. He flexed his arms, showcasing his well-toned muscles, "I hunted a lot yesterday."


    Jyorta glanced at their uniforms, finding the number ''1'' printed on them. He nodded in understanding as the figure of someone flashed in his mind.


    ''The January Batch; as the top scorer in the Batch, I wonder how much Hrita Bone has accumulated. 14 days ago, she had almost 80,000 Credits. Now that the Labyrinth of Frenzy has been opened to them, no wonder their Credits are skyrocketing. It is somewhat disadvantageous for Espers, considering we are weaker than Warriors at Tier 2.''


    Jyorta arrived at the cafeteria, finding Haesha seated alone on a bench. She had a book opened before her, busy going through the contents.


    ''She is working hard.'' Jyorta smiled and headed towards the counter, handing over his ID card to be scanned before he informed of the items he wanted to eat. He was hungry, thanks to his raised energy expenditure.


    The battle was still ongoing in the subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite. With his Soul Cornea present at the scene, using the ability of corrosion from time to time, the red mass birthed from the memory fragments couldn''t win against his ego.


    Though, this meant that all the psychic energy produced in his body as a product of the Nurturing was consumed. In the long run, this would impede his growth.


    ''But, once my Brain Crystal heals its damage and the effect of the Trait of Efficiency begins, I would have enough room to deal with the issue. I would then also be able to use the Tier 5 Artifact to further increase the speed of Nurturing.''


    ''Thanks to the Trait of Recovery I will get tomorrow, my efficiency in using the Tier 5 Artifact will improve. This way, I will be able to use it for longer durations.''


    Grabbing hold of a slip and his ID card, Jyorta walked towards the service section, handing the slip to a chef. The chef glanced at his face and smiled once, "Don''t waste the food."


    "Yes, sir." Jyorta nodded, waiting for a minute before he received all the food items he had ordered. He then waved at Haesha and headed her way, carrying the tray filled with food items.

 Chapter 172: Immersed in Lies

    "How could they do such a horrible thing to you? The teachers said that your Trait causes you many problems, occasionally even leading to organ failures and that if not for the Unranked Skill Regen regenerating new organs in place, you wouldn''t have survived." Haesha''s eyes were slightly red as she lost her cool, unable to digest such a cruel fact.


    "Traits are a hit and miss. I presume every Aristocratic Family does this." A voice interrupted as a lady occupied a seat on their table. She then glanced around, smiling once, "As expected, the cafeteria for Espers is far less crowded."


    "Success is the final outcome standing atop a mountain of failures." A boy occupied the seat and began to dig into his food. He didn''t speak another word and concentrated on wholly eating the food on his plate.


    Jyorta looked at the plate of the two people before him and glanced at his plate, sighing once. ''Warriors eat so much food.''


    "But, subjecting people to cruel experiments goes against human rights," Haesha said, glancing at the boy who had arrived last.


    "It is, but the context changes if the person volunteers to be experimented upon." The boy glanced at Jyorta, "To continue existing as an Aristocratic Family, constant development is a must. And for constant development to occur, experimentation is the key. And for experimentation¡­you know how it goes."


    "Even for Traits that have been well-tested, the success rate is still not a hundred percent." Jyorta nodded, "Everything has risks. Besides, as he said, I volunteered for the role. Out of the volunteers in my family, I was the one to get some preliminary success, despite the side-effects I suffer."


    Jyorta''s back was drenched with cold sweat, having to weave lies one after the other. He was the type that never lied because, one way or another, he was bound to blurt out the truth in the future.


    Lying is an easy feat but maintaining a lie takes skill!


    "Khasta," The boy interjected, "My name''s Khasta. I am not from an Aristocratic Family but, I plan to join one in the future."


    "Oh, so you are Khasta," The lady nodded, "Of the three Aristocratic Families in the 7th Ring, who do you plan to join?"


    "Your Family, Lady Dalna Doppler," Khasta said, showcasing respect through his subservient tone. Though, he didn''t exhibit any action in accordance with his dialogue, painting a sense of disharmony. It was mostly attributed to their place, which was a cafeteria.


    "Please, you can address me as Dalna. I am just a Tier 1 Warrior." Dalna Doppler let out a wry smile, feeling uncomfortable at being addressed with such formality. "I am surprised that you haven''t thought about joining the Veera Family. After all, they are the most powerful among all the Aristocratic Families."


    Khasta shook his head, "I have zero knowledge about the Veera Family''s Unranked Skill. Their second Unranked Skill is Regen but it is meant for Espers. Everything is sketchy about the Bone Family so I would refrain from joining them. That leaves me with just one option, the Doppler Family."


    "What do you mean by sketchy?" Jyorta glared in his direction. Though, there wasn''t any underlying emotion behind his glare; it was superficial.


    "That is what my father said before I arrived here. I don''t know the reason as to why he said that. Sorry if that offended you." Khasta lightly bowed towards Jyorta, his tone filled with apology.


    "It''s fine. The Bone Family is a newly established Aristocratic Family anyway, so its credibility hasn''t been defined yet." Jyorta waved his hands, least affected by the claim. When thinking of the Bone Family, the first image that came to his mind was of his grandfather. So, his personal opinion of the Bone Family was the lowest it could ever be.


    "You can try to inquire about the details from the students belonging to the Veera Family here." Haesha said, "There is the top scorer of the November Batch. He should be from the Veera Family."


    "Rakh Veera is indeed from the Veera Family but, he didn''t say a single word about his family to me when I approached him a week ago." Khasta sighed, "Besides, joining an Aristocratic can only be done through marriage."


    "So, who''s that girl from my Family?" Dalna Doppler smiled, sporting a grin.


    Khasta blinked once, twice, thrice, comprehending her thought process. He then shook his head, "I don''t have a lover from the Doppler Family. That is something for the future. I am just inclined to join the Doppler Family because I am knowledgeable about their Unranked Skill and it perfectly suits my tendencies."


    "Coming back to the topic," Khasta looked at Haesha, "The Traits listed in the pamphlet here have been modified countless times until their side effects have been completely removed. There are many more Traits, with each organisation having its own exclusive set of Traits."


    "Only through trial and error can we tread forward. Besides, as long as the success rates for the implantation of Traits aren''t zero, most would choose to participate. After all, you won''t die due to a failure in the Trait implantation. Even for this boy here, despite his side-effects being severe, as long as it can be treated, it is not life-threatening." Khasta turned silent and continued to eat his food.


    ''So, the lie Psychic Ancestor Marble fed Madam Mila hasn''t been circulated, thankfully.'' Jyorta mentally sighed.


    In the first lie, Psychic Ancestor Marble complained about the countless lives that were lost during the process of getting the Trait of Corrosion implanted, with the sole success being Jyorta. Thankfully, that part of the lie hadn''t been used in the lie fabricated by Grapple Force.


    Also, Madam Mila might have just shoved it off as a cover-up of the death-rate by the higher officials, hence the lack of the details, saving him the trouble.


    "You can address me as Jyorta." He looked at Khasta, "The Trait that is troubling me is pretty useless. After learning about the Trait Room, I am getting worried."


    Jyorta sighed, feeling scared at his own behaviour. He was immersed in his lies, concocting and weaving it into higher complexities. A lie repeated 10,000 times might just become the truth.


    "I just feel it is cruel to subject people to such harm," Haesha spoke with a sullen tone, recalling a certain image before turning silent. Her mind seemed preoccupied with something as she closed her textbook, pulling forth the small plate placed beside.


    The food she had ordered had long since turned cold but she paid no heed to it and continued to eat. Whether hot or cold, it tasted bland anyway.


    Jyorta glanced at Dalna Doppler, feeling as if the other party was a different individual from before. He then gazed at Khasta, recalling his identity after looking at the number ''1'' printed on his shirt.


    ''The third-ranked student from the January Batch.''


    "Cruel or not, as long as it improves our survivability, we must strive for them. Besides, as long as it is not forced, everything is fine." Khasta finished wiping his plate clean, standing up from his seat.


    "This is why the Trait of Temperance exists. It has a hidden effect that suppresses the side-effects of the other Traits. That is why it is so expensive." Dalna Doppler smiled. She then stood up, "Anyway, we would have a lot of free time in the upcoming days thanks to the Graduation Ceremony. If you are okay with it, we can group study."


    Before heading to drop her plate, she glanced at Jyorta; her eyes brimmed with fighting spirit, "Only for girls though."

 Chapter 173: Reappearance of the Sixth Psychic Arm

    "I am surprised you flat out refused her offer." Jyorta walked along the path next to the yellow wall, gazing at the girl walking to his right.


    The girl smiled, brushing strands of hair that covered her vision to the back, "I have been studying with Laila recently. Studying with her is really efficient. We divide topics between each of us that we have to cover the next day and so on. You should also join us."


    "I''ll pass for now. I mostly prefer to study alone. Though, if you have any doubts, you can ask me." Jyorta flexed his left arm, letting out a helpless smile, acting as if he was about to cry. Haesha laughed in response to his action and sent a light punch his way.


    "Also, I guess I should mention this." Haesha placed her arm on the yellow wall, feeling its smooth texture and its unshakable sturdiness. "Madam Mila''s class that had been scheduled for the day after tomorrow has been cancelled."


    "Is it because she is constructing this for the Graduation Ceremony?" Jyorta pointed at the yellow wall.


    "Yes," Haesha nodded, "It is a monthly event since students of a Batch graduate every month. It is scheduled for the 20th of this month. I heard someone mention that there are seats created for us to spectate. The students from the older Batches seemed pretty excited about it so I think it would be something amazing."


    "Now, I am anticipating it too." Jyorta laughed, remembering the word ''Graduation Ceremony Battlefield'' before turning silent. The two conversed as they arrived before their rooms.


    "I will sleep now; I am still tired because of everything that had happened recently." Jyorta yawned and waved his hands at Haesha, opening the door to his room. Haesha waved back and entered her room, closing the door shut immediately.


    Hanging the key in its designated socket, Jyorta closed the door. He stood beside it, placing a hand on his chest, feeling the thumping of his heart. He then touched his cheeks; it was slightly flushed, the temperature hot enough to be easily perceivable.


    ''Man, I am hopeless.'' Jyorta laughed, slapping the back of his head as he shook his head. He placed the book and pen on the table as he undressed, soon changing into a set of casual clothes.


    "I should put this somewhere away from prying eyes." Jyorta glanced at the suitcase on the table, wondering where he could store it. He then glanced at the cupboard positioned above his bed, stopping in thought for almost 10 seconds before deciding on the matter.


    "All relevant things should be in one place. I will be using the Tier 5 Artifact almost every day from now on. I will also be consuming a Frenzy Fruit every day." Jyorta opened the cupboard and brought out his bag. He opened the zip and found three priceless items within.


    There was a rectangular box, lacking any presence. It acted as a cage to shield the aura of the Tier 5 Artifact housed within it. Placed beside it was a thin newspaper wrapping, concealing a magenta chakram.


    It was a gift from Psychic Ancestor Marble, a Tier 6 Artifact fused with a Tier 5 Relic. Finally, placed next to it was a goggle, magenta in colour. The lens swirled with mysterious patterns, making his head spin the more he gazed at it.


    Many times, Jyorta wished to wield them, the urge impossible to resist. Their allure prodded his curiosity, beckoning for him to refine them. Currently, they were covered by the psychic energy of Psychic Ancestor Marble.


    If not for that, Madam Mary would have detected their presence. Even worse, they weren''t shielded by anything like the rectangular box. Without protection, just the aura they emitted would be enough to kill Jyorta and possibly every student in the military academy.


    Thankfully, Psychic Ancestor Marble had already thought it through. The psychic energy he layered on the goggle and the chakram was a tough shield, preventing Jyorta''s psychic energy from refining them into his Refined Objects. It also put the two in a sealed state, not emitting any aura.


    It was made in such a way that they acted as barriers that Jyorta had to break in order to wield the Artifacts. Only when he possessed enough strength to break past the barriers would he be able to make use of them.


    At that time, he would possess enough strength to not be overwhelmed by the auras they emit. Everything had been planned and calculated.


    This could also be interpreted in another way; if Jyorta failed to live up to the other party''s expectation, then his so-called gifts could be retrieved at any moment. After all, Psychic Ancestor Marble''s domain covered the entirety of Marble City and the two items were currently his Refined Objects.


    ''A classic use of carrot and stick; only, in this case, they are subtly hidden underneath a free handout.'' Jyorta massaged his forehead.


    ''Every powerhouse is a formidable character in terms of politics, cunning, and human manipulation. Though, it could also be considered this way. If they weren''t formidable to such an extent, they would have lost control long ago after the Wisdom Parasites in them grasped the entirety of their character, life experiences, etc.''


    Jyorta placed the suitcase at the bottom and arranged the rectangular box¡ªwrapped under a layer of rope¡ªat the top, occupying one side. He then placed the goggle and the chakram next to it, stuffed some old clothes to prevent their displacement while he moved the bag, and zipped it.


    After placing the bag in the cupboard overhead, he closed the door and picked up his day''s clothes, noticing them still remain tidy. After a moment of hesitation, he threw them into the basket meant for clothes to be washed.


    "I will collect my laundry later." Jyorta slumped on the bed, thinking of what he had to do next. Increasing his friends circle, forging new relations, attending all classes, accumulating Credits to achieve his goals, and finally, accumulating a treasure trove of life experiences, ones that were generated by and belonged to him.


    "Ah, there is a lot to do and think about." Jyorta lamented and closed his eyes. The blue soul in him severed some connections, instantly putting his body in a state of rest. This time, he didn''t set any alarms.


    ¡­


    In the Head Office Building, seated inside the Principal''s Office was Madam Mary, her brows scrunched up in thought. She rested her elbows on the desk, interlocking her fingers. She rested her chin atop them, gazing into the space, her eyes vacant.


    All the actions that had been happening around stopped, resulting in the room being enveloped by silence. She retracted all her psychic arms, picking up a paper and a pen. The sheet of paper looked like a parchment, with its thickness varying with each second.


    For one second, it was thinner than a strand of hair. In the other, its thickness crossed a centimetre. Its actions seemed as if the paper was alive and seemed to be breathing. Madam Mary picked up a pen, pausing it a millimetre before the paper.


    The pen''s nib was long, spanning the length of two centimetres. It shortened and elongated, its difference in size variation matching the paper''s. Its other end was shaped into a six-pointed star. The entire pen was transparent, like glass.


    A psychic arm appeared from Madam Mary''s head, slithering through the air before coiling around her right arm. It inched forward, thinning itself along the way, becoming a hair''s width by the time it reached the pen. It joined with one of the pointed ends of the star.


    A second psychic arm appeared, coiling past the first psychic arm, and eventually joining with another pointed end of the star. Soon, the third, the fourth and the fifth psychic arms repeated the same.


    Of the six-pointed star, only one end was left vacant. Madam Mary took in a deep breath, closing her eyes in thought. Followed by a spike in her aura, a sixth psychic arm slithered out her head, repeating the same actions as the others, joining with the final pointed end of the star.


    She could unleash six psychic arms!


    The brunt of her aura was unleashed into the surroundings, igniting the air into a sea of flames. The walls lit up with gentle radiance, shielding all the documents from harm. A filament formed around them, trembling under the aura while defending against it.


    The walls of the room, fully composed of Gulvana began to form cracks, showing signs of collapse. The innermost layer directly began to breakdown, falling off as dust on the floor.


    The moment the sixth psychic arm joined with the last pointed end of the six-pointed star, the pen lit up with white light. In response to it, the paper below turned black, its surface similar to water, forming ripples every second.


    Madam Mary touched the nib on the paper, scribbling forth a line. On the black surface, the sentence was a shade of white, glimmering with a gentle blue flame, shimmering like the stars, their fluctuations conforming to the rise and fall of the paper.


    "Jyorta Bone only possesses the Trait of Efficiency."

 Chapter 174: Survival Enactment of the Wilds

    The rays of the morning sun shone on the landscape, heating up the atmosphere. The incident light fell on the yellow wall and was reflected due to its shiny surface. The angle of incidence resulted in the reflected rays falling on all the windows of the Indigo Building.


    The curtain hadn''t been drawn close, allowing the sunlight to seep in. The rays of sunshine turned the room warmer, painting a perfect atmosphere for a comfortable sleep. The bed though, was vacant.


    Standing beside the bed was Jyorta, having already refreshed and changed into a set of jogging wear. He stretched his limbs a little, performing light warm-ups.


    6:45 AM, locking the door and pocketing his key, Jyorta skipped along the corridor, sporting a sneer all the while, feeling a sense of superiority after seeing the inactivity in the rest of the rooms.


    "Still sleeping¡­" He commented and arrived at the flight of stairs, quickly making his way down. After exiting the Indigo Building, he jogged alongside the yellow wall, touching it occasionally.


    He unleashed his psychic arm and slammed it on the yellow wall just to get a feel for its sturdiness, which was beyond his understanding. The sensation felt similar to when he passed his psychic arm through Gulvana. His psychic arm couldn''t pass through the wall, getting stopped at the surface.


    He trained his senses, noticing his psychic arm actually not making contact with the yellow, stopping at a distance less than a millimetre from the surface. His legs continued to run at a consistent pace while he took in deep breaths, filling his lungs will the necessary air.


    "Morning!" Jyorta raised his right hand, greeting a fellow student he passed by.


    "Morning!" The student greeted back as he jogged forth. Since they were both running in opposite directions, the conversation was brief.


    Jyorta greeted every student he came across, feeling his mood turn bright. Having stayed indoors for quite a while, the morning jog proved to be beneficial for both his body and mind. He noticed most of the students running were Warriors, with rare few exceptions being Espers.


    The jogging pace of the Warriors was equivalent to his full speed sprint. Jyorta had his psychic arm hovering beside his body, trying to get a feel from the feedback. It was impossible to make sense of the feedback from the psychic arm of Line Controllers.


    The situation was relatively better for Area Controllers but it was still impossible for them to make sense of the feedback they received. Also, as an Esper who had yet to master the basics, there wasn''t much he could achieve.


    But, there was a reason he hovered his psychic arm around him. It was to sense the aura emissions of the Warriors who ran past him. Considering the speeds they ran around in, they were either bound to be at the peak of Tier 1 or had broken through to Tier 2.


    If they were at Tier 2, then they were bound to possess auras. Even if they had retracted their auras inside their bodies like Jyorta, just by brushing his psychic arm against their skin as they ran past, he would be able to sense their presence.


    There wasn''t much of a reason behind his action, apart from meddling curiosity. He probed around, feeling surprised at his findings, soon puzzled.


    ''Most of them are at Tier 2. How come there are so many experts around?'' Jyorta felt confused. After all, only the top of the Batch chose to breakthrough to Tier 2 while in the academy. Most students graduated as Tier 1.


    As he wondered, Jyorta soon spotted the visage of Rakh Veera, greeting the other fellow. "How''s your preparation coming along for the Graduation Ceremony?"


    "I have already achieved all the goals I sought out for here," Rakh Veera smiled, slowing down his pace to match up with Jyorta''s. "You don''t know what actually happens in the Graduation Ceremony right?"


    Seeing Jyorta shake his head, Rakh Veera smiled, "It is a survival enactment. The so-called Battlefield is modified to resemble the Wilds as much as possible."


    "It is modified to resemble the Wilds but not the Wild Zones?" Jyorta shot a look of confusion, noticing the other party''s nonchalant gaze.


    "Well, both are the same in this case. The highest Tier of Frenzy Beast present will be just Tier 2. Even in the Wild Zones, you can encounter Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts. As for the Wilds, even a Tier 5 Frenzy Beast can spring upon you at any time." Rakh Veera smiled, "In the end, this only resembles them. I wouldn''t be this composed if this were the real deal."


    "I see." Jyorta nodded, glancing at the yellow wall, wondering what lay within it.


    7:50 AM, Jyorta returned to his room, picked up his basket, and arranged the day''s uniform and toiletries in it. He then locked the door and proceeded towards the restroom.


    8:10 AM, Jyorta returned to his room, dressed in his uniform. He glanced at the bulletin board affixed on the wall next to the door, looking at the timetable to take note of the day''s classes.


    ''The classes today are Esper exclusive.'' Jyorta pocketed a pen and picked up his notebook, locking the door after exiting it. He walked along the corridor, glancing at the time on his watch as he arrived before Haesha''s room, intending to knock it.


    The door opened before he could knock as Haesha walked out, mimicking his actions as she laughed. "Morning, Jyorta."


    "Morning!" Jyorta smiled and accompanied her to the cafeteria, planning to eat breakfast before rushing towards their class. Even though their classes were scheduled in the White Building today, they had enough time to safely make it.


    ¡­


    5:55 PM, Jyorta arrived before the Principal''s Office, feeling his heart race uncontrollably. He resisted the urge to use his false persona. After all, the other party was a Sky Controller, capable of detecting even the minute changes in his emotional state and a lot more.


    Jyorta glanced at the door guard, standing straight, "I am Jyorta Bone, Esper from the October Batch. Madam Principal summoned me."


    "Wait a moment," The door guard replied in his gruff voice, seeping a psychic arm through the differently coloured spot in the door. A second later, he craned the door open, motioning for him to enter.


    Jyorta entered the room, feeling his heart shudder upon sensing the door close behind him. He tried to placate himself, noticing the room slightly different from before. For some reason, the room seemed a bit wider than yesterday.


    "Good, you are three minutes early." Madam Mary lifted her head and made eye contact. She beckoned for him to come closer through the movement of her head, designating him a spot through her line of sight.


    Jyorta stood a metre from the table, watching Madam Mary lift a glass jar from one of the racks. The glass jar had a wide bottom and a cylindrical body, curving towards the centre at the top, enclosed by a hemispherical lid.


    A viscous solution filled it, emitting a gentle blue hue. Hovering in its centre was a shelled walnut, or something that looked similar to it. Since the Traits were addressed as Trait Fruits, Jyorta was unsure.


    "Summon your Caterpillar," Madam Mary said without a change in expression, placing her pen down to gaze at him.


    Jyorta closed his eyes and willed to pull out the existence in him. Tendrils of blood seeped through the pores on his skin, numbering almost a hundred. They coagulated into a sphere before his face, hovering in the air without support as it condensed.


    A groove appeared along its centre, spanning its circumference, splitting it into two. The two hemispheres rotated in opposite directions, soon unravelling a cylindrical body.


    Grooves in the shape of rings formed along its body, numbering five, segmenting the body into six. Two stumps grew out of the second segment, morphing into a pair of arms, one holding a wine glass and the other holding a cigar.


    Hair grew at the top of the first segment while facial features formed below¡ªhumanoid. The formed face sported a scowl; the eyes entrenched with arrogance, looking at everything with disdain. Its face perfectly resembled the characteristic traits of a third-rate villain from movies. It was his Caterpillar.


    Jyorta stretched his arm, showcasing his palm. The Caterpillar landed on it, taking a position of comfort. It wriggled its tail end a little, using its arms to pull forth Jyorta''s little finger, taking support by leaning its back on it. It then heaved a breath of relief, immersed in its bliss.


    Madam Mary unleashed a psychic arm, opening the lid. Under the influence of her psychic arm, a stream of the viscous fluid flew out, forming a trail across the air as it approached the Caterpillar. The Caterpillar sniffed once, becoming tranced, enamoured by the incoming viscous solution.


    It readily opened its mouth and began to drink the viscous fluid, losing lucidity with each passing second. A minute later, it looked as if it was completely drunk, its body wriggling in an unbalanced state.


    Seeing that it was time, Madam Mary controlled her psychic arm to lift the walnut-shaped fruit, rowing it along the trail of the viscous solution. There was a tinge of resistance offered by the Caterpillar when it spotted the walnut-shaped fruit, but the resistance offered wasn''t to the extent it could refuse it.


    The Caterpillar grabbed hold of the walnut-shaped fruit with its pair of arms, opening its mouth wider than the girth of its body. It swallowed the walnut-shaped fruit in one go, enacting a mystical change within itself.


    The bulge on its body decreased in a second as a stream of energy entered Jyorta through the blood tendrils. Once the rush in energy abated, Madam Mary retracted the viscous solution, allowing the remainder to settle within the glass jar.


    She enclosed it with the lid, motioning at the door with her eyes, "We are done here. It will take a day or two for the Trait to finish forming in your body. I advise you to avoid using your psychic energy until then. You will know the moment it finishes forming in your body. You can leave now."


    "Thank you, ma''am." Jyorta bowed and exited the room, nodding once at the door guard before proceeding towards the flight of stairs, feeling relieved.

 Chapter 175: Nurturing, Guess on a Wave Controller

    20th December, the year 333 of the Dawn Era; five days after Jyorta had returned to the military academy. The surroundings were barely illuminated, the darkness seeping into every nook and cranny, barely resisted by the occasional artificial lamps installed in discrete locations.


    3:00 AM, in a certain room situated in the Indigo Building, an alarm went off. The sound of the alarm was ear-piercing, rattling the objects placed nearby. A hand shot forth, slamming the alarm shut, instilling silence back into the peaceful atmosphere.


    "What is the time¡­?" A voice muttered, the tone hazy. A faint glow saturated inside the alarm clock, displaying the hand dials clearly for the owner of the voice to see.A figure sat up, pushing aside the bedsheet.


    It was Jyorta, having woken up at the first alarm, a shocking phenomenon. He sat in the same pose for 15 minutes, only getting up from the bed after his drowsiness had abated. He closed his eyes and unleashed his psychic arm, picking up a measuring tape placed on the table nearby.


    He used it to measure the length of the psychic arm, sporting a smile. "It has increased to 63 centimetres. A growth of one centimetre every three days, that''s a good speed."


    After the Trait of Recovery finished forming in his body, Jyorta also sensed a slight increase in the recovery of his Brain Crystal and Wisdom Parasite. Now, as he closed his eyes and tried to sense his Brain Crystal, a smile crept upon his face.


    ''It has fully healed. My Trait of Efficiency is also working better than before.'' When he was a Line Controller, his Trait of Efficiency increased the Nurturing process to the level of a Tier 2 Esper. Now that he had become an Area Controller, the Trait of Efficiency increased the Nurturing Effect to the level of a Tier 3 Esper.


    Though, it was a pity that it was the Trait of Efficiency''s limit.


    ''Once my Sync Rate increases, the Nurturing effect will experience both a qualitative and a quantitative increase.''


    Jyorta opened the cupboard overhead and took out the bag from within. He fished out the rectangular box from it and pushed the bag away from him, placing it on the floor, situated 2 metres from the bed over which he sat.


    Jyorta unleashed his psychic arm, making it trace a pattern over the rectangular box, erecting a psychic energy barrier¡ªshaped into a sphere¡ªaround him. He sat cross-legged on the bed, with the rectangular box situated right next to the end of his leg.


    His psychic arm grabbed hold of the lid, slightly craning it open. The next moment, a terrifying aura impacted him, immediately blasting his senses into haywire. The first to be affected were his lungs, stifling him, unable to either inhale or exhale.


    The next to be affected were the bones in his leg muscles, trembling crazily, shaking his balance, and causing his body to tilt to the right. Jyorta''s arms hung limp, unable to exert any strength in them. He watched himself fall on his right, with no way of stopping.


    Thanks to the berth, his fall was cushioned. His psychic arm relaxed, allowing the lid to close, putting a stop to the aura emission. The spherical barrier emitted a fluctuation of psychic energy, keeping the air within it under normal conditions.


    The more he used it, the more he understood about the numerous details imbued in the barrier. Higher Tiered auras could affect the surroundings upon being unleashed, even actuating chemical reactions. One of the functions instilled in the spherical barrier was to prevent such an effect within it.


    Jyorta stayed in his fallen pose, feeling the effect of the Trait of Recovery act upon him. It recovered some semblance of control over his muscles, imbuing in them certain changes to absorb and utilise the seeping aura, alleviating part of the pressure.


    The muscles experienced minute changes, imbuing in each portion of them a presence, one that was greater than before. Soon, Jyorta''s body exerted its influence, unleashing its own aura. It took a while before Jyorta could retract it into his body once again.


    After a bit more than 10 minutes had passed in such a manner, Jyorta recovered enough to be able to walk again. His psychic arm traced the symbol on the rectangular box, allowing the spherical barrier to dissipate, the ensuing psychic energy absorbed back into it.


    He tied a rope around the box, making four loops to secure it tightly, preventing the lid from coming off in the off chance some accident happened. He set it aside for the moment and fished out the suitcase from the bag, placing it on the bed before him.


    There was a small panel on the suitcase, flashing with the number ''70''. Below it were two lights, one red, and one green. Currently, the green light shone, signifying that he could take out a Frenzy Fruit.


    Jyorta summoned his Caterpillar, allowing it to land on his palm. Using his psychic arm, he traced a pattern on a designated spot on the suitcase, watching a bore open up. The bore had a radius of two centimetres, from within of which a stand emerged, holding an orange colour plum.


    It was the Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit. Jyorta picked it up with his hand, taking measures to not touch it with his psychic arm. Based on what he witnessed, there was a chance the Frenzy Fruits could be tainted through the psychic arms, the cause for the reason unknown to him.


    Atika Light too hadn''t given him any special note to remember. But, it was just his careful nature acting up. He watched Atika Light pick up the Frenzy Fruits with her hand while feeding them to Heima''s Wisdom Parasite, so he too opted for the same.


    Jyorta picked up the orange coloured plum and dropped it in the hands of his Caterpillar, watching it eat the Frenzy Fruit in interest. In the next second, the tendrils of blood connecting the two experienced a rush in energy, almost bursting due to the sheer volume.


    The blood tendrils fused with one another, increasing their girths, barely able to now withstand the energy passage. The energy seeped into his body, circulating through his blood, unabating in quantity or quality despite passing through numerous organs.


    They were like a substance that was immiscible with his body, retaining the components without any additions. Through the natural blood circulation in his body, the energy was eventually carried to his brain, inducing a chain reaction.


    The body of the Wisdom Parasite, one that had fused with his brain, present in an injured state, as depicted by his Sync Rate absorbed the incoming energy. Soon, like an injured person regrowing lost body parts, the body of the Wisdom Parasite began to grow.


    Since the Wisdom Parasite''s body was fused into the brain, the extra body parts that grew also fused with the regions of the brain¡ªones that hadn''t fused with the Wisdom Parasite before. This process pulled in the blood circulating around, affecting the nerves, exerting pressure everywhere around the head region.


    "Aargh," Jyorta felt a sharp pain in his head, similar to a headache but of greater magnitude. The pain originated from his forehead, the region around his temples, and even from the section around his neck.


    He couldn''t even pinpoint where the pain originated from, just that he felt pain everywhere in his head. The feeling was similar to what he experienced in the Induction Ceremony. The pain abated within a second, as rapid as it came into effect.


    Seeing that there was nothing else for it to do, the Caterpillar waved its hands at Jyorta and dissolved into blood tendrils, seeping into him through the pores on his face. Thankfully, the process shifted to the pores on his face, as compared to his nostrils when he was a Line Controller, saving him from experiencing that weird feeling akin to sneezing out mucus and retracting it back into his nose.


    The after-effects of the pain persisted, making him clutch his head and grunt every few seconds. A minute later, the pain subsided, imbuing in him startling clarity of mind. As a result, he felt fresh.


    Also, he vaguely sensed the Nurturing process speed up in him, a cause for joy that he couldn''t share. Jyorta noticed the stand retreating into the suitcase as the panel on it flashed once, changing the number displayed to ''69''.


    ''Even though the process is painful and makes me recall the Induction Ceremony, the ensuing effects are well worth it. The greater my Sync Rate, the faster my growth speed.'' Jyorta had a vague feeling, stemming from the memories he had accumulated in his blue soul, despite him having yet to comprehend most of them.


    It was like an instinct, one that guided him about stuff he had no knowledge of, like a vague premonition that pointed him in a certain direction, allowing him to make a blurry prediction about the outcome or the factor that he would be able to eventually discover.


    ''I feel like my Nurturing Speed could be increased until my psychic arm grows by one centimetre per day at my current Tier.'' Based on the direction pointed by his instincts, he determined that the Nurturing speed he guessed to be what Wave Controllers experienced.


    He packed everything in the bag, checking twice to ensure everything was secured and no accidents would happen. He then placed the bag in the cupboard overhead his bed, closing the doors before stretching his limbs.


    He picked up his basket and placed his uniform in them, feeling excited upon anticipation of what he would witness later during the day.


    4:30 AM, Jyorta returned to the room, fully refreshed, dressed in his uniform. He picked up a rag he had, polishing his shoes of the dirt, dusting it once before throwing it to a corner. He strapped his watch, noting the time, not carrying anything else with him.


    He glanced at the glass jar placed on the table, one that Madam Mila had gifted every Esper in their Batch, "I should start working on refining all the yellow dust in it. There are only 10 days left to the deadline. I am also curious about the gift she had concealed within that yellow dust."


    The glass jar had a lower radius of three centimetres. It spanned the height of 10 centimetres, small enough for Jyorta to easily carry around. Jyorta picked up the glass jar, and closed the door upon exit, locking it.


    He pocketed the key and arrived before Haesha''s room, knocking the door once. He also noticed a couple of students exiting their rooms, already dressed in their uniforms, all brimming with excitement.

 Chapter 176: Stadium

    "I''ll be there in a minute!" A voice replied from inside in response to his knocks. Since he always followed the same pattern to knock, it seemed Haesha had gotten accustomed to it.


    "Okay," Jyorta said, leaning on the wall beside. He played around with the glass jar in his hands, watching the yellow dust move around, looking no different to regular coarse grains. But, based on his experience, he knew. Each particle was equivalent to a Tier 5 Artifact; the resistance offered was probably around the same level too.


    The only difference when compared to a legit Tier 5 Artifact was the amount of psychic energy needed to finish the refining process. Jyorta tossed and turned it, catching it each time without fail. Not once did he try to use his psychic arm to try to refine the yellow dust inside.


    The war with the red mass continued in him, with his Soul Cornea assisting his planted ego in the subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite. Therefore, he didn''t have the leeway to consume his psychic energy for any other activities.


    He could only hope to frequent the cafeteria to consume more food and spur the Nurturing speed through the use of the Tier 5 Artifact¡ªthe one inside the rectangular box¡ªworking in conjunction with his Trait of Efficiency.


    This way, the production of psychic energy in him would increase to the extent he could cope up with the expenditure and begin to solve the root cause of the problem. Now that his Wisdom Parasite and Brain Crystal had made a complete recovery, he planned to begin the operation.


    The door opened as Haesha walked out, slightly in a hurry, "Sorry, I didn''t wake up at the first alarm."


    "It is fine," Jyorta waved his hand, taking a glance at the time displayed in his watch, "We have almost 85 minutes before it starts. We can eat some food before occupying a seat with a good spot."


    "I heard someone from the April Batch mention about how only the first row among the seats has the best view. The rest are relatively not up to the mark." Haesha shook her head, pocketing her room key as she urged Jyorta to come along.


    "What is that in your hand?" Along the way, Jyorta noticed Haesha holding a thin cardboard-like object; its top surface looked soft, as if covered with cloth.


    "It is a cloth bag to carry the food. They were giving them out in the store and some senior students recommended me to get one. We don''t want to miss the show while eating in the cafeteria." Haesha said, slightly pulling two ends of the cardboard-like object, unravelling it into a bag, one that was enclosed on all sides, sporting a zip at the top.


    "I didn''t know that," Jyorta let out a wry smile, sizing up the cloth bag, heaving a mental sigh of relief considering its size and the volume it offered.


    ''It has enough room for two people''s worth of food. I can head to the cafeteria and refill them whenever I want later.'' Jyorta thought, running beside Haesha who had broken into a sprint. Only while keeping pace with her did he realise that she was more agile than him, instilling in him a slight sense of shame, one that withdrew a moment later.


    He thought about Haesha''s performance in their first training exercise, comparing it with his own. ''It is not possible for a person to excel in every field. Only when I acknowledge my deficiencies can I grow beyond.''


    The two arrived in the cafeteria, quickly joining the queue that had less than 10 people standing. As they waited in the queue, watching it proceed at a fairly fast pace, Haesha turned around and took his ID card, holding it with hers.


    "What will you eat?" She asked, keeping sight of the queue ahead, lest someone cut in. Though, judging by the almost vacant atmosphere, such an action would be obvious. Therefore, the chances of it happening were almost nil but Haesha didn''t dare relax.


    "Your choice, since they all taste more or less the same. I''ll prefer something handy," Jyorta replied, watching Haesha nod once and glance at his ID card. Without saying anything else, she handed the two ID cards to the man seated behind the counter, stating her preference.


    The man pressed some buttons on the machine in front of him, printed a slip, and handed it over to Haesha. Accompanied by Jyorta, Haesha arrived at the self-service section, handing over the slip to a chef, also giving the cloth bag in her hand, "Sir, please pack it."


    "Sure, child." The chef smiled and instructed some chefs about the order, beginning to prepare his quota. He packed each item in neat wrappings and placed them inside the cloth bag, ensuring none were squashed.


    "Just remember to not drop the wrappings there. You can dispose them here when you return." The chef lifted the cloth bag, filled to the brim with food. He flashed a curt smile at Jyorta, extending the cloth bag to him.


    "Thank you." Jyorta grabbed hold of the bag, noticing the implication behind the chef''s actions, mentally thanking him once again. He then walked alongside Haesha, exiting the cafeteria. They stopped beside the yellow wall, lacking the directions to proceed forward.


    After inquiring a couple of students standing nearby, one whose shirts were marked with numbers other than ''10'', they came to know of the reason. There wasn''t a path that had yet been established for them to climb.


    "They call this arrangement a Stadium. One hour before the Graduation Ceremony starts, a path will open up for us." A student shouted, noticing the number on their uniforms. Only the students from the October Batch were unaware of the events that transpired in the ceremony. As for the rest, they were bound to have witnessed at least one.


    5:00 AM, a siren went off around the military academy, the sounds deafening. But, it wasn''t ear-piercing, the amplitude well within tolerable levels. Also, it seemed to have been dispersed through psychic energy, preventing any place from experiencing greater sounds.


    Jyorta sensed the presence of psychic energy converging around a place near him; his vision spotted a mass of yellow, forming a flight of stairs that trailed to the ground. It was like a staircase that descended from heaven.


    "Move 2 metres to the back, Cadets." A stoic voice resounded in the area. Figuring out the identity behind the voice, Jyorta and Haesha hurriedly stepped back, watching the flight of stairs form in the place they stood before.


    The flight of stairs spanned along the sides of the yellow wall, forming a straight inclined path that proceeded from the ground to the top of the wall. A handrail appeared, designed like a solid wall, spanning a metre high while sporting a width of 20 centimetres. A dome formed over it, encasing the staircase in a net of safety, preventing any accidents from happening while the students climbed in a hurry.


    Another handrail formed in the centre, dividing the 2-metre wide path into two, with each spanning a metre wide. Arrow marks were formed along the inner sides of the dome covering the staircase, indicating the direction of travel for the two paths respectively.


    Coincidently, the entrance to the staircase was situated just near them, allowing them to be one of the first few students to tread upon. A sizeable crowd had already formed at the entrance while many students rushed out from the two Indigo Buildings in droves.


    The crowd pushed and pulled, congregated around the entrances that spanned the side of the yellow wall, numbering 10 in total. A staircase had been created for every hundred metres, numbering 10 along the two longer sides and numbering 4 along the remaining two shorter sides.


    "Don''t push!" Jyorta shouted, glaring at the students who followed behind them. The situation wouldn''t bode well for the both of them, Espers with weak bodies if they were to trip in this scenario, accompanied my Warriors in droves.


    He glanced at the top, watching the ground staff flying to and fro, unconcerned about the students that climbed the stairs, showing no intention to moderate the traffic. The path was a metre wide; the other side after the handrails was empty. But since it was meant for people to descend, not a single student tried to climb up using it, even though there wasn''t anyone at the top to descend through the path.


    Rules existed in the military academy, ones established officially, and the ones circulated unofficially. But, irrespective of them, it wasn''t wise to commit actions in places or situations that weren''t intended for use, something all students knew by heart. This was why they all crowded in the narrow path, trying to push each other up.


    Even though they were pushing the people at the front, they didn''t cause any scene, preventing the ground staff from casting their gazes towards them. As they were pushed around, Jyorta and Haesha held hands, helping each other maintain balance.


    Jyorta held Haesha''s right hand with his left, using his right to hold the handrail for support. Hung around his right arm was the cloth bag, the hold sturdy enough to not come off. Thankfully, it seemed as if the chef had anticipated such a situation, packaging the food firmly to prevent any spill.


    Feeling the softness in his left hand, Jyorta''s heart raced uncontrollably, adding a flush to his cheeks, heating them up a little. Thanks to the situation at hand, he was saved from the embarrassment. Everyone was busy climbing up, including the person who was the cause that induced his accelerated heart rate.


    Eventually, they made their way to the top after a minute had passed, noticing a foggy scene come into the picture. Except for three rows of seats¡ªsituated along the ends of the ground layout-wise¡ªthat spanned beyond what his eyes could see, everything else was white, shrouded by mist.


    Even though they couldn''t make sense of the surroundings, they mechanically followed the lead of the other students and soon occupied a spot in the first row. Their position was situated approximately in the centre along the longer side, the one beside the Psychic Block.

 Chapter 177: Graduation Ceremony (1)

    Each row of seats was a metre in width, spanning a height of a metre over which seats were placed, with the subsequent rows further elevated by a metre. They were designed as a step formation, coursing along the edges of the rectangular ground, spanning a length of 1000 metres and a breadth of 400 metres.


    The yellow wall sported a height of 100 metres, its top surface turned into the step formation over which seats had been arranged. It spanned a thickness of four metres, with three metres allocated to the three rows, a metre per each. The remaining one metre was a footpath, situated behind the third row, allowing passage for the students to tread towards their seats or descent through the evenly situated flight of stairs to the ground.


    There was no border on both the ends at the top of the wall, as if there existed zero safety procedures. This allowed the passerby to gaze at the bottom, instilling a sense of fright in them due to the altitude and the steepness displayed.


    But, the older students who had witnessed at least one Graduation Ceremony were unflustered, uncaring about the lack of a border. All they did was avoid treading along the edge and peek at the ground below.


    "It is safe," Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief, opening his eyes as he gazed at Haesha.


    Haesha too opened her eyes and nodded in response. "The psychic energy density is astronomical."


    A psychic energy barrier was situated at both the ends, preventing any student from mistakenly going beyond. It was transparent and allowed everyone to gaze beyond.


    "It should be from Madam Mila. Only a Sky Controller can be this¡­overbearing." Jyorta watched the students arrive like a stream, soon filling up all seats. There was a cacophony of noises, the sounds produced from the variety of chatter, they filled the atmosphere, enlivening the surroundings.


    Jyorta gazed to the front, focusing on the end of the floor before him, spanning just 20 centimetres from the tip of his shoes. Beyond that was nothing, completely shrouded by thick fog. The fog was a hazy mixture, looking similar to clouds, gently moving around.


    But, no matter what he tried, Jyorta couldn''t gaze beneath the fog. He craned his line of sight to a horizontal level, looking at the sea of clouds. Spotted behind them was another thin yellow line, segmented into three, forming a step structure. It was the seating arrangement on the other side.


    Jyorta looked at his left, spotting a similar seating at the far end of his line of sight, completely blurry, unable to be made out due to the distance. Based on his estimate, the seating arrangement at the distance of 500 metres was blurry due to the time and the colour of the ambience.


    5:20 AM, Jyorta looked to his right, spotting the same seating arrangement like on his left. He could make out faint black dots lining up into three rows, one behind the other, concluding that all seats had been filled. Probably the entirety of the students in the military had assembled at the top of the walls.


    He felt the slight sensation of a slip in his bottom, the surface that made contact with the seat he sat upon. It was then he judged that the floor was inclined towards the front, even though the angle of inclination was less than five degrees.


    ''It is probably to ensure that we can witness the events better, due to our line of sights now able to get a clearer picture while avoiding obstruction from the floor, people, etc. So, the event will happen within these walls.''


    5:45 AM, the crowd was bustling with energy, conversing about the innumerous sights they had witnessed in the previous Graduation Ceremonies. Jyorta and Haesha conversed, compiling their theories based on everything they heard from the surroundings.


    "Look up!" A student on the third stood up and bellowed, his shout covering quite the range. Upon reception, other students mimicked his actions, soon spreading the information through the seats like a tidal wave.


    Jyorta lifted his head, unconsciously gaping at the floating structure he witnessed. It was a pair of hands, gigantic to the extent he couldn''t calculate its size. Due to the incident rays from the morning sun, the shadow the pair of hands cast covered the entirety of the military academy.


    ¡­


    Beyond the military academy, walking along a wide street in Sector 1 was an old man, hunchbacked due to his age. His gait was slow, many times stopping in thought. Following behind him was a stream of people, men, and women, aged between 20 and 50.


    They looked no different from regular people, their auras wholly retracted into them. But, based on the confidence exuding from their gait, they were far from the regular populace.


    The sun shone with a gentle radiance; the colour blue seeped into the environment, thanks to the incident rays. The ambience in the surroundings steadily increased as the blue colour faded.


    A giant shadow fell on them, causing them to involuntarily gaze up, seeking to find the source that cast the shadow. Their eyes eventually fell on the pair of hands; sounds of exclaim went off one after another, seeing the sheer volume of the created object.


    "So, it is that day of the month again," The hunchbacked old man muttered; his voice trailed around, allowing everyone to hear him, "You must have all experienced something similar while in your academy days?"


    "No sir," A man walking behind his right shook his head, "During my Graduation Ceremony, our Batch descended through a circular stage. Of all the 12 Graduation Ceremonies I witnessed in my time there, the case was the same. It was always a circular platform."


    "I see," The hunchbacked old man nodded, turning around a little to gaze at the faces of everyone present, "Are there anyone who witnessed otherwise?"


    "Yes," A voice trailed out from the very back. The crowd parted way as a woman walked forward, looking aged around 23 years old. She stopped 10 metres from the hunchbacked old man, saluting once before speaking, "On 20th April 328, I witnessed the same pair of hands."


    "Who was the most exceptional individual from that Batch?" The hunchbacked old man smiled, gazing at the lady who had stepped forward.


    The lady replied readily, the scene she had witnessed that day still vivid in her mind, "It was Ravis Macht."


    The hunchbacked old man nodded, gazing at the pair of hands descending from the sky, its pace slow but its momentum overbearing. He smiled once, his eyes widening in hope, "Another pillar will be produced."


    "Pillar¡­" The lady''s expression morphed into one of shock, losing her composure. Before she could misunderstand, the hunchbacked old man waved his hand, immediately causing her to salute in response.


    "Only the Ancestors are called the pillars, that is an irrefutable fact," The hunchbacked old man watched the descent of the yellow pair of hands, "But, each action of the Ancestors are closely monitored and kept in check by the other Ancestors. That is why, Tier 5 beings are the key players most of the time. The pillar in this case refers to¡­"


    "Transformers and Sky Controllers standing head and shoulders above other Tier 5 beings, inferior only to the Ancestors. Only when a candidate with such potential appears will the military academy use the pair of Hands in their Graduation Ceremony. It is a show of hope for the future."


    ¡­


    The pair of hands, yellow in colour descended, reflecting the incident sunlight everywhere, making it seem as if the structure glowed gold. It stopped a hundred metres atop the seated students, arriving at the centre of the rectangular region, allowing everyone to witness its magnificence.


    Seeing the floating structure, Jyorta felt a sense of longing, wondering when he would be able to replicate such a feat. He wasn''t the only individual to possess such thoughts. Every Esper present looked at the pair of hands as if tranced, unwilling to break their gazes.


    ''Sky Controller!'' Jyorta realised the reason as to why Tier 5 Espers were addressed as such. Their presence dominated the skies, like overlords in the region they were present. Every action of Sky Controllers could shake the lands and modify the skies.


    A small change erupted in the pair of hands, creating wild gales. As the rough winds approached the seated students, they were blocked by the psychic energy barrier shielding them. The pair of hands flattened themselves, allowing everyone to spot tiny figures standing on its surface.


    A voice resounded, belonging to Madam Mila, "20th December 333, the Graduation Ceremony of the November Batch, having joined the military academy on 1st January 333 will now commence."


    The surroundings were still, the silence eerie. Only after a while did Jyorta realise the cause being the psychic energy dispersed throughout the region, suppressing all manner of noise. The pair of hands transformed into a circular disk, turning many times smaller than before.


    Standing above it were students, with many bordering along the edges, held in place by a psychic energy barrier. The circular platform slowly descended, seeping in through the layer of clouds. All the students watched with bated breaths, feeling the tension in the air.


    The layer of cloud still existed, soon covering the gap formed by the circular platform that passed through, not allowing anyone the window to gaze beneath.


    Faint winds were stirred up as a humongous head formed, shaped similar to Madam Mila. It looked at least 40 metres in size, allowing everyone seated to have a clearer look. The head was yellow in colour; its lower jaw moved, causing a grating voice to flow out, immediately mellowed out through the psychic energy that dispersed it through the surroundings.


    "The November Batch consists of 891 Cadets, split between 696 Warriors and 195 Espers. There are 41 Cadets who have broken through to Tier 2, split between 29 Warriors and 12 Espers. Now, we will officially commence the Graduation Ceremony."

 Chapter 178: Graduation Ceremony (2)

    "The Goal of the Graduation Ceremony is for the Cadets to experience life in the Wilds, in preparation for their future missions." The yellow face, spanning 40 metres in size spoke, "Therefore, the Ceremony will span 24 hours with all Cadets participating in a single mission; their goal is to arrive at the finishing point."


    "As opposed to the Tier 2 strength of the November Batch, there is thrice the number of Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts present, all occupying their respective habitats. There are also about 2,500 Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts, consisting of about 12 different species."


    "The goals are artificial looking platforms in the otherwise natural environment we have created, so, it would be easy to spot. The Cadets will be split into teams of five, assigned randomly, with the final team having 6 members. A total of one hour has been given to get accustomed to the teammates. Also, only the most basic resources of weapons, armours, and energy resources have been allocated."


    "Unless a Cadet is on the verge of death, he/she will not be pulled out. There are no rewards for success and no punishments for failure. The only objective is the completion of the assigned mission." The yellow face continued speaking a few more rules, mostly for the Cadets in the Graduation ceremony to follow.


    As for the spectators, they were only asked to witness everything and try to glean insights for their future well-being. The ground staff flew overhead, each stopping at separated spots, situated 10 metres above the sea of clouds. They spread throughout the area of the ground, each holding a name pad.


    On it were numbers, assigned from 1 to 891. To their right were columns, split into six respectively, battle insight, judgement, leadership, strength, camaraderie, planning, and execution. There was a number 10 above each of the six columns, signifying the maximum range of the score assignable.


    This implied the Cadets were awarded scores for the maximum of 60 depending on their overall performance. Each ground staff gazed at the watch strapped on their hands, gazing intently at the time, watching the second-hand move past consistently.


    6:00 AM, the clouds parted way, dispersing into steam that spread upwards, soon mixing up into the atmosphere. The ground was revealed, now housing an ecosystem of its own.


    ¡­


    Rakh Veera stood at the edge of the circular platform, watching it enter the layer of clouds, blanketing his vision for a couple of seconds before it appeared beneath the layer. Sounds of shock and exclaim went off one after another, with some Cadets beginning to cry in fear.


    ''They have drastically changed the terrain once again.'' Even Rakh Veera felt a sense of apprehension, spotting a column of water forming a river in the air, flowing steadily from one end to the other, making a loop before returning to its source, a large pond situated on one end.


    "Don''t lose your composure," Rakh Veera shouted, instilling some calm into the flustered students. His prestige and authority, not to mention his battle accomplishments in recent times made everyone unconsciously place his words on a pedestal, carrying significant weight.


    "Memorise the layout before the platform touches the ground. We have a minute at most, make use of every second." His voice carried reason, quickly spurring everyone into action. There were still many who were fearful, their legs trembling while they stammered, unable to voice out their thoughts. But, they tried their best to overcome their nervousness and fear.


    As the platform descended, Rakh Veera noticed a thin stream separate from the column of water flowing in the air. Swimming within it was a large fish-like creature, spanning a length greater than 2 metres.


    It noticed and swam towards them, approaching through the air, all the while accompanied by a thin stream of water covering its body, forming a trail that connected with the main column of water.


    A Cadet lifted a sword, his hands trembling as he gazed at the fish swim towards him, gulping in fear at its bloodthirsty eyes. He trembled, his nervousness overcoming his rational, prompting him to raise his sword and charge at the incoming creature.


    "Idiot!" A nearby Cadet grabbed hold of him, sending a slap his way. "Look at it carefully. Think before you act or you will end up in its stomach."


    Only then did the Cadet come to his senses, watching his feet hovering just a centimetre from the edge of the platform. In the meantime, the fish had swum towards him, approaching a metre from him. As the Cadet took a step back in fear, he heard a dull thud as the fish slammed its face on the psychic energy barrier, one that flashed around the platform they stood on.


    "This barrier will shield us until the moment the Ceremony begins. We still have more than 10 minutes for that to happen. Once the platform touches the ground, we can then think and prepare a route to charge through." The other Cadet said, glancing at the approaching Rakh Veera as he nodded.


    Rakh Veera nodded in response and returned to his previous spot. He noticed the platform descending past numerous rock pillars, each spanning almost 80 metres in height, with their bodies shaped like rugged cones.


    The rock pillars were haphazardly placed, lacking zero sense of unity. There were winding paths that connected some rock pillars. The area on the ground was narrow, with only some rare few paths spanning a width greater than 2 metres.


    Most of the time, the rock pillars blocked many pathways, the gap sometimes spanning less than three centimetres, only allowing one to peek the other side.


    Rakh Veera thought about the layout of the military academy and his directional placement on the descending circular platform, getting a sense of the direction. The Esper Block was situated in the north while the Rhachis Block was in the south. The White Building was in the east while the Head Office Building was in the west.


    Rakh Veera noticed traces of spider webs in the south and south-east, allowing him to instantly figure out the dominant Frenzy Beasts in the habitat. He shouted towards the rest, pointing at the direction he observed the webs in, "Avoid going through our south and south-east. They are the habitat for the Floating Spiders."


    Without any opposition, everyone nodded. Rakh Veera then pointed above them, at the column of water flowing in the air, "Also, if you encounter any River Whales, refrain from killing them. Only injure them to the extent they would retreat. They are the ones maintaining the water column, without them, all that water would fall on us and create a flood, also flushing all the Frenzy Beasts to one place."


    Beyond that, Rakh Veera didn''t spot anything else worthy of pointing out, turning silent. There was barely any illumination, with the source originating from the platform they stood above. The rest was as dark as the night, unable to be determined of what lay within. He could only make out some things through his Tier 1 Skill.


    He then noticed a flash of yellow form before them. The flash of yellow soon shaped itself into the figure of Madam Mila, looking at them for a couple of seconds.


    The marble figure pointed towards the east, "The goal is a cluster of floating islands situated at the end in this direction." The figure then pointed towards the west, "There is a similar arrangement of the floating islands in the west. Each floating island is only wide enough to facilitate a single team."


    "Also, the total number of floating islands is the same as the total number of teams, 178, split between the east and west. Plan well and occupy the islands. Moreover, the Ceremony only ends upon the time limit of 24 hours. So, even if you end up occupying a floating island, you would have to defend the place against your foes until the time limit."


    At the mention of the word ''foes'', Rakh Veera''s brows scrunched up, his expression turned foul as he thought, ''She mentioned the term foes and not Frenzy Beasts, dammit. Before anyone gets a bad idea, I should put a stop to their train of thought.''


    "That''s all I have to say. The moment this platform disappears and the clouds above dissipate is when your Ceremony begins." The yellow figure crumbled, dissipating from the spot with a flash of yellow.


    "Everyone," Rakh Veera shouted, "The team that first arrives at either end will try to transmit the number of floating islands in the region. This will help us coordinate and prevent any wastage of time."


    "Also," He turned around, his focus turning sharp, "Your character and your mettle is tested here. So, put on your best behaviour to get better opportunities at the organisations you will be drafted to."


    "Victory for us!" An Area Controller among the crowd shouted, transmitting his voice through his psychic energy, inciting everyone to echo his words. Their shout raised their morale, amplifying their spirits.


    Some Frenzy Beasts who had spotted them began to crawl forward, with many retreating to notify their brethren, preparing for retaliation.


    At this moment, the clouds above parted way, allowing the morning sunlight to illuminate the region, making everyone gasp in alarm. Among the stone pillars situated slightly farther away, a horde of Frenzy Beasts climber over, swarming towards their location post haste.


    "Spread out!" Rakh Veera bellowed, motioning for his teammates to follow behind him. All the other Tier 2 Cadets charged out at the front, intending to forge a path for the rest to follow.

 Chapter 179: Graduation Ceremony (3)

    The layer of clouds parted way, revealing the landscape below. Jyorta exclaimed at the wonder that had been constructed in such a short time frame. The previous flat ground had been completely terraformed.


    There were three distinct regions in the rectangular landscape, divided along its length. The centre region was covered by rock pillars, congregated around one another to paint the feeling of narrowness. There were some wide areas in between but they were a minority.


    The region in the east was a body of water, forming a large pond. Tiny shrubs were growing on the surface of the still water, concentrated at discrete locations, numbering few but spanning large areas. The shrubs didn''t seem to have any anchors, gently moving across the water surface, spurred by the winds that flowed in the region.


    They bloomed with large flowers, with each spanning 20-30 centimetres in size. Since it was morning, they had just begun to bloom, unravelling the large petals, coloured between pink, lavender, and yellow.


    Floating islands were spread across the water body, hovering just above the water surface, the gap between them less than 10 centimetres. They were cylindrical in shape, flat in nature, with a radius of one metre, coloured yellow. A faint fluctuation of psychic energy covered them, signifying a fusion of a Relic within its structure.


    They seemed to be made from marble, Tier 5 Artifacts hence determined by their colour.


    The region in the west was similarly a water body, but one that was murky. It was a swamp, possessing colours of olive green, mixed with dark brown and yellow. The water seemed heavy, lacking any visibility underneath. The surface was covered with bubbles, the ones that burst seeping a faintly pungent odour into the air.


    It was apparent from the coloured gas that was released by the bursting bubbles. Also, faint mist escaped from the surface, as if it was boiling, the sounds produced audible to the students seated atop the walls.


    Hovering two metres above them were floating islands, shaped like inverted cones, with the top surface being a flat circle, spanning a radius of one metre. Their pointed ends stopped 10 centimetres above the swamp.


    There also existed large mounds peaking out of the swamp, their surface rugged but also inherent with a natural symmetry. These mounds were more or less the same size, with the occasional few thrice larger than the rest.


    To his left, bordering the rocky region in the centre and the water region in the east was a giant beehive, spanning a height of 60 metres, spreading along the wall, occupying a width greater than 80 metres.


    A species of bees flew around the beehive, with each spanning almost 15 centimetres in height. Among them, some spanned almost 30 centimetres in size, their bodies showcasing hardened exoskeleton armours.


    They were quite near to Jyorta''s seat, allowing him to observe them the first thing when the layer of clouds parted way.


    "Spindle Bees!" Jyorta exclaimed, watching some of the Spindle Bees fly up, having noticed the seated students. When they reached the same altitude of where the layer of clouds existed before, they hit a psychic barrier, their paths impeded. After trying to press forth a couple of times, they buzzed and retreated.


    Another eye-catching thing was the column of water that made a path across the rectangular ground, flowing in the air without any support, defying gravity. Swimming within them were large fish-like existences, their aerodynamically designed bodies flapping their tails around, causing the water to spill forth the column, soon attracted back after travelling for some distance.


    "River Whales!" Jyorta recognised them, having gone through the documents pertaining to them in the Portal the first thing after he returned to the military academy. He researched through all the four Frenzy Beast races that threatened the safety of Marble City, exclaiming at their powers and uniqueness.


    The four Frenzy Beast races bordering Marble City were different from most of the other Frenzy Beast races in the world. It was because of their unique Traits, ones that worked equivalent to Skills.


    Frenzy Beasts were incapable of being imbued with the Traits manufactured in Marble City. This had been concluded after numerous trials that spanned many decades. But, that didn''t mean that the Frenzy Beasts were incapable of gaining Traits.


    It was only impossible for them to be imbued with the Traits manufactured artificially. But, they were capable of being born with certain Traits.


    This was thanks to the ability of the Frenzy Parasite that caused mutations. After numerous generations, with every generation experiencing certain changes in their genetic material, until finally evolving into a brand new species, they would eventually be born with a Trait.


    But, such a phenomenon was incredibly rare, with the number of Frenzy Beast races that managed to pull off such a feat only numbering in the single digits. But, out of them, four such races bordered Marble City.


    The Floating Spiders, as their name implied were capable of floating without any aid. The ability to float was instinctual to them, capable of being executed by newborns immediately after birth, just like the ability to breathe.


    Once they are imbued with the Frenzy Parasites and as their Tier increases, this Trait of them experiences improvement, almost attaining a qualitative change. Since it was their genetic advantage, they had no limits for growth, developing equally in accordance with their body''s development.


    The River Whales, on the other hand, were capable of subtly influencing the water around them. This allowed them to fly on land, by making a trail of water that connected with the water body they flew out from. The higher the Tier, the greater the volume of water they could wrap their bodies with, and the longer the water trail they could make.


    The Spindle Bees were capable of shooting forth their stingers like bullets. At higher Tiers, they were also capable of imbuing the effects of their Skills in their stingers to produce terrifying effects. Also, once shot, a new stinger quickly grew back by consuming the required muscular energy.


    Finally, the Lava Turtles possessed inherently hot bodies, existing at temperatures that other bio-organisms wouldn''t be capable of surviving. This effect became pronounced at higher Tiers, becoming a weapon of its own.


    The yellow face, spanning a size of 40 metres opened its mouth, "There are 12 Frenzy Beast races here in total: Floating Spider, Spindle Bee, Lava Turtle, Hunter Clam, Shoe Fish, Rigordile, Recrow, River Whale, Ring Worm, Life Leech, One-horn Rhino, and Steel Porcupine."


    The yellow face dissolved into a flash of yellow light, soon turning transparent, becoming psychic energy that disappeared somewhere, unable to be sensed by the students.


    "There are many troublesome Frenzy Beasts in the list." Jyorta gazed at Haesha, inquiring about her opinion on the matter.


    "The Floating Spiders have the terrain advantage, surrounding the Cadets who were dropped in their centre." Haesha pointed at the location where the Cadets charged out, intending to kill the Floating Spiders that charged at them.


    But, before they could make contact, the Floating Spiders retreated, using the various bizarrely shaped rock pillars to hide their trails. It was as if they wanted to avoid a direct confrontation and lure their foes into traps.


    "The Floating Spiders have the terrain advantage, but the ones they should be most wary of is another species." A voice interrupted their discussion, originating from the seat behind them. Jyorta turned around, surprised at finding Hrita Bone. She had her arms crossed, leaning on the chair, her gaze one of calm.


    Hrita Bone nodded once at Jyorta, her previous disdain towards him no longer present. She exhibited a demeanour of acknowledging the other party, though not completely, looking as if she still had many considerations.


    Hrita Bone faced Haesha, "The terrain at the centre is filled with rocky pillars. To the east is a large water body while on the west is a swamp. This makes the Frenzy Beasts in the three regions almost unable to interact with one another for the most part. The Cadets can also make use of this point to their advantage but, there is one exception."


    "The Spindle Bees," Jyorta guessed, based on the hints given out.


    Hrita Bone nodded, "The Spindle Bees are capable of flight. Even though the Recrows are also capable of flight, their mode of attack relies on close-quarters combat. But, the Spindle bees can attack from long range, adding onto their advantage of flight, they will be the worst opponents one can face here."


    "But, why are some of the Cadets charging towards the beehive?" Haesha pointed at a small group proceeding in the direction of the Spindle Bees, "Shouldn''t they be the most knowledgeable considering they have witnessed 11 Graduation Ceremonies till now?"


    "The terrain changes every time. This also varies which race can dominate the region. This time, the dominant ones are the Spindle Bees. The Cadets approaching them must have a plan of action." Hrita Bone said, squinting as she tried to sense their strength, grunting in displeasure, "They have no plan of action. Their overall strength is weak even compared to Tier 1."


    "Fear and fluster?" Jyorta wondered, thinking of how he would act if he were to be placed in such a situation. After a moment of thought, he couldn''t conclude. As he hadn''t even fought a single battle, he couldn''t determine the course of action he would be inclined to take.


    ''Experience matters a lot.'' He nodded, listening to Hrita Bone share some of her insights. He trailed his gaze, soon spotting the figure of Rakh Veera accompanied by four other Cadets. They brazenly entered the territory of the Floating Spiders, brimming with fighting spirit.


    Rakh Veera was different from the rest, his demeanour and the regal aura he exhibited placed him above everyone, painting him as the prime target for his foes. Detecting the Floating Spiders, he smiled, gripping the spear in his hands.

 Chapter 180: Graduation Ceremony (4)

    "Retreat to the centre," Rakh Veera shouted, hurriedly pacing back, confusing the Floating Spiders that had prepared themselves for a confrontation. "Don''t give them what they need. Always keep the initiative with us."


    His team kept pace with him, retreating without a commotion, pacing his footsteps with synchronised coordination. They soon arrived at a wide place, one that they had arrived at first. It was currently vacant, with everyone having headed somewhere, possibly fighting their way towards a goal.


    Rakh Veera curled his thumb and index finger, placing them in his mouth, and puffing his cheek. A whistling sound echoed, coursing through the rocky terrain. The sound echoed off the hard surfaces, its momentum unhindered for a while before dispersing to the extent inaudible to the ears.


    Within twenty seconds, a team walked through the gap between two rock pillars, their conditions pristine, having not faced a single battle as of yet. Walking at the front was a girl, holding a couple of daggers in her hands.


    Carried on her back was a large circular pack, solid in nature. It had a semicircular opening at the top, allowing two chakrams to peak out. They were held in place by a hidden mechanism beneath, preventing them from falling off while on the run.


    Strapped around her hips was a belt, held in them were numerous spindles, sharp at the two ends and aerodynamically shaped. Their lengths were only about 10 centimetres, spanning a maximum of a centimetre in diameter at the centre that thinned along the edges.


    The girl waved her hands, "We were hiding nearby, waiting for your signal."


    Rakh Veera nodded, glancing around to notice three other teams arriving upon his signal. "Is this all?"


    "The others are trying their luck," The girl from before nodded, "Many seemed to have formed their own strategies. Also, some are just incapable of following orders."


    Rakh Veera relaxed the hold on his spear, "With two Area Controllers, we have enough cover for stealth. We will be proceeding through the territory of the Floating Spiders. Their individual strength is inferior at Tier 1 and 2 while traps are their speciality. But, with two Area Controllers here, we can safely manoeuvre through without alerting them."


    Two Area Controllers, both girls and also the leaders of their respective teams stood at the centre, unleashing their domains. Of the three Amplifiers, Rakh Veera stood at the front while the remaining took positions on the left and right. Among the 25 Cadets, five were at Tier 2.


    The remaining 20 Cadets were split between the back and the inner circle around the two Area Controllers, acting as both a line of defence and offence. Of them, some treaded a couple of steps forward, activating their Tier 1 Skills. They acted as the senses of the five teams.


    Rakh Veera turned around, rearranging their positions in accordance with their Skills, making their formation more solid and efficient. Once he finalised everything, he turned to the two girls standing at their centre, "Let us begin now."


    "I will give us optical shielding," One of the two Area Controllers said, "Just doing this consumes most of my concentration."


    "I will shield our smell and the sound we make and try to reduce the vibration from our waking as much as possible." The other Area Controller said, giving everyone a word of warning, "But, the effect we can deliver is limited. There might be some Tier 1 Skills that can see through our shielding. Also, we will limit the range of our Domains to compactly surround us to conserve our psychic energy expenditure."


    "That will be more than enough, thank you." Rakh Veera turned around, looking at the people standing a step behind the three Amplifiers, "Inform us of the positions of each Floating Spider as and when they arrive. Our objective is to proceed with stealth."


    "Yes," They replied with a nod of their heads, their voice as muffled as possible.


    After this was done, the two Area Controllers unleashed their two psychic arms respectively, forming a dome around everyone.


    Seated atop the walls, Jyorta had his gaze focused on Rakh Veera and the Cadets surrounding him from the beginning. He then rubbed his eyes, noticing their figures disappearing from view. Soon, there wasn''t even a trace of their existence in the area.


    Jyorta turned around, looking at Hrita Bone, "Can you sense them?"


    "One second, let me check," Hrita Bone replied, turning her eyes a shade of red, having activated her Tier 1 Skill. Her eyes then reverted to their previous selves, "The two Area Controllers are impressive. There are barely any traces even when I gazed with my Tier 1 Skill."


    "Unless there exists a Tier 2 Frenzy Beast that possesses an amplified version of its Tier 1 Skill, it would be difficult for even the other Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts to spot them." Hrita Bone concluded, heaving a sigh at the skill level displayed.


    "But, I feel like they would pose a problem." Haesha pointed at the sky, watching the River Whales stir up. A couple of Spindle Bees had arrived before the column of water, buzzing in the air as they flew around one another.


    Of the two, one Spindle Bee positioned itself stably in the air, pointing its stinger towards a River Whale swimming through the water. With a buzz, it shot forth its stinger, flying back a metre due to the recoil.


    The stinger pierced through the column of water, its momentum slowed down by the resistance offered. But, it still had retained sufficient speed, thanks to the River Whale positioned along the edges of the column of water.


    The stinger pierced the skin of the River Whale, drawing forth some blood. The wound wasn''t deep enough to be a threat to the River Whale, thanks to its large size and the toughness of its skin. But, it still served to irritate the other party.


    The River Whale branched out from the column of water, covering its body with a thin layer of water, forming a water trail attached to the source. It chased after the Spindle Bee that hurt it, producing sounds inaudible to the other party.


    But, the sounds it produced, though inaudible was visually apparent, thanks to the wave patterns forming in the layer of water surrounding it. The River Whale flew more than 30 metres from the column of water, chasing after the escaping Spindle Bee in fury.


    The speed of flight of the Spindle Bee was equal to the chasing speed of the River whale, preventing the distance between them from being reduced. Only when it had flown 50 metres from the water column did it realise its mistake, one blinded by fury.


    It swerved its body in the water, trying to retreat, watching itself surrounded by more than 20 Spindle Bees, two of which were at Tier 2. One of the two Tier 2 Spindle Bee¡ªan Area Controller¡ªunleashed two psychic arms, slapping them on the layer of water, splashing them to the sides.


    The River Whale increased the force of attraction it exerted on the water, trying to pull back the displaced water while trying to return to the column of water.


    The other Spindle Bee¡ªan Amplifier¡ªflashed around, arriving before the area where the water had been displaced, pointing its stinger at the skin of the River Whale undefended by the layer of water. Its stinger shot forth like a bullet, piercing through the skin of the River Whale, drawing out copious amounts of blood.


    Within a few seconds, its stinger regrew. The Amplifier Spindle Bee flashed around, arriving at a different side, coordinating with the Area Controller Spindle Bee that used its psychic arms to disperse the layer of water in the attacking location.


    The two of them coordinated and wounded the River Whale, killing it in the span of 10 seconds. At the moment of its death, the layer of water surrounding it lost its cohesiveness, falling down like rain.


    The 20 Spindle bees pierced their stingers into the flesh of the dead River Whale, using them as the anchors as they flew around, carrying the carcass while heading towards their nest.


    Treading through the gaps between two successive rock pillars, one that allowed three people to walk side-by-side was Rakh Veera and group, numbering 25 in total. The sides of the rock pillars were covered by spider silk, as a means to detect any organism that treaded through their territory, also to act as a warning mechanism.


    In occasional places, attached to outgrowths in the rock pillars were a thick strand of silk, forming a rope that stood vertically, stretched taut. Attached to their other end, and floating in the air were spheres, made of spider silk, one per each rope.


    They were structures resembling a Spider World, but weren''t one to be exact. Spider Worlds were created from an Unranked Skill while the ones currently were an imitation, built using their natural ability to weave a web.


    Their sizes spanned between a radius of 2 metres and 5 metres. Housed within them were Floating Spiders, safe within their defensive structure, and also keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings.


    "Water incoming," A Cadet pointed at the top, having noticed the battle between the River Whale and the Spindle Bees.


    "Brace for battle," Rakh Veera commanded everyone, having noticed the situation, and at their plight of being unable to rush forth through all the coiling spider threads that were sprawled over the terrain. They didn''t have any spots to take cover, leaving them in the open.


    "I''ll try to negate as much of the commotion as possible," One of the two Area Controllers said, changing the shape of her psychic arm, shaping it into a wedge whose sharp side faced up.


    The water droplets fell on the wedge, not making much sound as they slid over the surface. But, this process still outlined the shape of the psychic energy barrier, also preventing the other Area controller from perfectly directing the incident light, allowing their figures to be visible as patches from time to time.


    "They have spotted us; shake off the water droplets before re-enacting out our invisibility." Rakh Veera held his spear, pointing the tip towards the ground, making an inclined angle.

 Chapter 181: Graduation Ceremony (5)

    The first to notice their presence was an Area Controller Floating Spider. It shrieked a couple of times, alerting its brethren. Soon, three spherical silk structures flew towards them, with all three of them spanning a radius of four metres.


    "They are being rowed by their psychic arms by grabbing hold of the pillars around us." An Area Controller said, having sensed the psychic energy dispersed into the surroundings of the approaching spherical silk structures.


    She wholly focused on defence, using her two psychic arms to cover everyone present. Even though her strength was lacking, she could still be able to support in times of need. After all, the psychic energy of Espers was universally applicable.


    The other Area Controller wrapped her psychic arms around everyone, creating two spherical domes, overlapping one another while sporting a small gap between each other. After this had been erected, she tried to divert the incident light, striving to turn them invisible.


    "Amplifiers, one structure per each; take it down in under a minute," Rakh Veera crouched low, activating his Tier 1 Skill, turning his eyes green. He had the same Skill as Heima, Aura Sense. He unleashed his aura, creating a wave of suppression around him.


    The suppressive aura could differentiate between friend and foe, slamming against the incoming Floating Spiders like a tidal wave, suppressing all Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts. In a 30 metre range around him, no Tier 1 Floating Spider could move, their eight limbs shivering under the suppression, with some of the weaker ones directly fainting.


    Trait of Dominance!


    Rakh Veera charged forward, each of his steps carrying him four metres. Followed by a spike in aura, his speed further increased, having activated his Tier 2 Skill.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªLeap Burst!


    It was a Peak Tier 2 Skill that allowed one to have explosive jumping speed, actuated instantaneously. Using the Skill, Rakh Veera jumped over the rock pillars, using their indentations as an anchor to muzzle around.


    Every time he stepped foot on the rugged surface of a rock pillar, he would activate his Tier 2 Skill, creating an explosive jump, displaying the proficiency he had accumulated in the Skill through repeated practice in battles.


    The Floating Spider flew before him, taking the opportunity when he was mid-flight, lacking any foothold to anchor himself. The Floating Spider was an Area controller, holding a large net before it, made of spider silk, looking tough, intending to trap the fellow.


    Rakh Veera exerted strength in his right hand, throwing his spear towards the net unravelled before him, aiming at the spot where the silk rope had coiled around to form a sturdy knot. The spear shot forth from his hand, impacting the exact spot he had aimed at, prevented from piercing through due to lacking sharpness and the sturdiness of the point of impact.


    But, its momentum carried it forward, forcing the web to coil around its shaft, the force behind it overwhelming the control exerted by the Area Controller Floating Spider''s two psychic arms. Also, due to the position of aim, the web, now wrapped around the spear brushed past the Area Controller Floating Spider, lodging itself in a rock pillar.


    It got stuck due to the adhesiveness of the webs coiling it.


    "Nice try," Carried by the momentum of his jump, he arrived before the Area Controller Floating Spider, now defenceless after losing its only means of a weapon. He grabbed hold of its mandible using his hands, not suffering any damage due to his armour.


    He sent a knee kick at its face, bursting its head from the force. He then directed his left leg on its abdomen, transferring part of his momentum to it, moving forward as a pair and hitting against a rock pillar.


    The hold by his leg on one side and the impact on the opposite direction when the abdomen of the Area controller Floating Spider impacted against the rock pillar caused its body to burst, spilling forth all the body fluids in it, drenching the spear lodged in the rock pillar beside.


    "The body fluids get stuck to the web, forming a layer over its adhesiveness, making it easy to be peeled off." Rakh Veera pulled out his spear, kicking on the rock pillar, his destination being the opposite rock pillar.


    Mid-air, he used his other hand to pull at the spider web on his spear, peeling it off, the remainder of which he threw at an Amplifier Floating Spider that flew his way, impeding its movements for an instant.


    Before it could free itself, Rakh Veera landed on a rock pillar, adjusting the angle of his next leap, calculating based on the direction of the Amplifier Floating Spider''s movement. Activating his Tier 2 Skill again, he made a long jump, travelling almost 8 metres in the air before lodging his spear through the head of his opponent, easily claiming its life.


    The resulting momentum carried him towards a rock pillar, one that he used to jump straight towards the spherical silk structure, slashing at it with his spear. Due to the suppressive aura he was exerting, amplified thanks to the Trait of Dominance, none of his opponents that were of Tier 1 could resist against his approach.


    With a slash, Rakh Veera severed a portion of the spherical silk structure, killing the Floating Spiders that fell along his line of slash. Thanks to how he aimed his jump, one that had lost most of its momentum by the time he reached the spherical silk structure''s vicinity, the rebound from his slash directed him towards another rock pillar, one that he used as a foothold to perform another jump.


    After the two Tier 2 Floating Spiders that lorded over it were killed by him, dispatched to the afterlife thanks to his rich battle experience, he managed to kill the remaining Tier 1 Floating Spiders¡ªwithin the spherical silk structure¡ªusing four slashes.


    Blood spilled out like a waterfall from the spherical silk structure through the gaps torn in it, a result of his four attacks. But, it still hovered in the air, showing no signs of falling down even without any Floating Spider to control it.


    "As expected, the silk weaved by Floating Spiders can innately float in the air. No wonder they always anchor it to the ground with a sturdy rope." Rakh Veera nodded, flashing between a couple of rock pillars as he descended to the ground.


    "As always, you are fast." Another Amplifier descended 10 seconds after him, showing genuine shock and admiration.


    "I feel inferior because of the two of you." An exhausted voice resounded as the final Amplifier descended, sporting a nick in his armour, finishing only when less than 5 seconds were left of the time limit Rakh Veera had set.


    "Your Tier 2 Skill is defence related, it couldn''t be helped." Rakh Veera consoled, motioning at the three damaged spherical silk structures hovering in the air, and trailing his line of sight at the two Area Controllers.


    "As always, you have such bold ideas." One of the two Area Controllers sighed, catching his drift.


    Accompanied by an Amplifier, she approached the rope that anchored a spherical silk structure. She unleashed her two psychic arms, coiling them around the silk rope, pulling at it as she lowered the altitude of the spherical silk structure little by little.


    In fear of getting their hands stuck, no one else helped her, only forming a perimeter around her as a means of protection. The other Area Controller too did the same, lowering another spherical silk structure.


    Once all the three spherical silk structures were lowered, the two Area Controllers began to work on them, layering the intact portions atop one another, making use of the adhesive portions and the non-adhesive portions.


    They used the adhesive portions to layer them over one another, firmly attaching them, allowing the non-adhesive portions to form the topmost layer. One of the Area Controllers removed a cloth from the small backpack she wore, placing it over the top, using small strands of silk that retained its adhesive properties to tie the ends as support.


    Rakh Veera used his spear to quickly sever the ends, giving the object a well-defined structural appearance. It had now been shaped into a carpet, spanning five metres in length and three metres in breadth. It also spanned 30 centimetres in thickness, forming a sturdy slab that possessed a sense of rigidness.


    While the two Area Controllers were working on its shape, the remaining Espers used their psychic arms to hold the forming carpet in place. The Warriors too placed their legs atop the ends of the carpet¡ªones layered by the cloth¡ªto anchor it in place, slightly struggling to prevent it from floating up.


    "How is it?" Rakh Veera inspected his surroundings through his Tier 1 Skill, sensing the approach of the nearby Floating Spiders due to the commotion they had created.


    "The floating effect it produces is slightly greater than our weight. Once we add some rocks to increase the weight and balance both forces, I will be able to row it across the air through my psychic arms by pulling at the rock pillars. But, this will prevent me from shielding everyone."


    "If we focus solely on sight and sound, I will somehow be able to manage by myself." The other Area Controller said, watching Rakh Veera shake his head.


    "Sight and Smell, focus on shielding those. The Skills of most Floating Spiders are smell-based." Once Rakh Veera said his piece, he got a unanimous nod of approval. Soon, everyone boarded the carpet, with one of them breaking a piece of rock from the rock pillar and holding it.


    The two Area Controllers inspected the weight of the rock, shaving off some edges using the spindles they possessed before nodding in approval. Once they detached the anchor, the carpet began to float, carrying their weight. The structure was slightly unstable, thanks to the distribution of their body weight being uneven.


    Soon, they rearranged their positions, based on the inputs given by the two Area Controllers as they manoeuvred the carpet, soon stabilising it. Once it was stabilised, one Area Controller created a dome around the carpet, turning them invisible, also preventing their scents from seeping out.


    The other Area Controller spread her psychic arms on the two sides respectively, coiling them around the rock pillars along the way, pulling and pushing to row the carpet across the air, heading east.


    They soon arrived above the rock pillars, their current altitude at 81 metres. Now, no longer obstructed by the terrain, they avoided the column of flowing water and began to proceed east, heading towards the body of water after fully analysing the terrain.


    Watching everything from a clear vantage point, Jyorta felt his blood boil. The scene churned enough emotions in him that no action-packed movie could ever create. Just the way Rakh Veera fought made a vivid memory etched deep in his mind, unable to be forgotten.


    Seated behind him, Hrita Bone exclaimed, unable to conceal the tone of admiration in her voice, "As expected of the teams led by the top 10 of the November Batch."

 Chapter 182: Graduation Ceremony (6)

    "First, third, fourth, sixth, and seventh," Jyorta recalled from memory, the ranking list displayed on the 11th of December, one that had been accompanied by music, breeze, colours, a large floating banner in the sky, etc. It was unprecedented in their military academy, thanks to Rakh Veera setting a new record for the Credit accumulation.


    Not wanting to lose himself in thoughts relating to the sequence of events he had been caught up in after that day, Jyorta muttered, "Rakh Veera has the confidence to charge forth with his ideas."


    "Even as Area Controllers, those two girls have performed exemplary." Haesha leaned forward, unwilling to miss the events. "Despite the inferior battle strength, they still play significant roles to help everyone."


    "It is a good thing to observe the best at action, but it is also necessary to observe the actions of the mediocre." Hrita Bone interrupted them, pointing at a team that had wandered off towards the beehive while trying to fend off the Floating Spiders chasing after them.


    "Heuk!" A Line Controller grunted in pain, his exhausted self toppling over from the disturbance. Coiled around his leg was an arm-length creature, its body filled with muscles, lacking any bones to possess a solid body definition.


    "Life Leech!" A girl running before him turned around, shrieking upon the discovery.


    "Help me!" The boy shouted, taking a knife and swiping at his leg. His bladed knife slid off the Life Leech''s skin, the fatty layer it wound around itself caused its skin to become smooth, adding to its rubbery body texture, unless aimed with a perpendicular slash, it was bound to skid, dealt with no damage.


    The boy, apprehensive of using his full strength that might severe the Life Leech''s body into two and injure his leg, only slashed sideways, his attacks becoming futile, dealing zero damage. His psychic arm seeped into the head of the Life Leech, creating some internal damage, continuing the same action to the rest of its body, damaging all vitals.


    Within 10 seconds, the Life Leech died. His teammates surrounded him, barely managing to peel it off his leg, causing blood to spurt out. The part of his skin attached to its body had come off with the life leech, with some portions also attached with pieces of flesh. The Life Leech had secreted some acid that burned through his armour, allowing itself to attach to his legs.


    The boy screamed in agony, the pain unbearable. As the sole Esper in his team, he tried his best to prevent the blood leakage using his psychic arm. Two of his teammates carried his body while another began to treat the wound, trying to stop the blood flow. The team leader, the strongest in their team took the lead, acting as their scout, tank, and damage dealer.


    The team leader held a sword in his right and a shield in his left, taking the role of both offence and defence. He urged his teammates to run, keeping an eye on the Floating Spiders that chased after them. Thankfully, there weren''t any Tier 2 beings among the chasers.


    Sensing something from the front, the team leader lifted his shield, defending from a projectile. He glanced at the small dent formed in his shield and at the warped stinger partially lodged in it.


    "Spindle Bees, take cover!" He bellowed, unable to control his flustered voice. The sound produced from his shout reverberated through the surroundings, attracting the attention of the Spindle Bees buzzing past.


    Immediately, more than 10 Spindle Bees flew towards them, shooting a hail of stingers at them. The team leader used his shield to defend against as many attacks as possible, getting pierced in his thigh once, grunting in pain.


    Of his team members running behind, treating the injured Line Controller, they readily dropped him and hoisted their shields, shouting in alarm at the sudden attack. The dropped Line Controller fell on the ground, the impact rocking his insides, causing the stream of blood to spurt out faster from his leg.


    One stinger pierced his chest, breaking past the defensive armour he wore. The Line Controller screamed in pain and fainted.


    "He''s been a deadweight from the start." A girl grunted as she defended against the second wave of attacks. 20 Spindle Bees had formed a line before them, taking turns in teams of 10 to shower them with their attacks.


    "So what? We can''t leave him behind to die!" The team leader rebuked, shouting in pain as a stinger pierced his shoulder on the left, reducing the strength he could exert in his left arm.


    As the previous team of 10 Spindle Bees regrew their shot out stingers, the subsequent team of 10 Spindle Bees took their place, aiming at the vital areas to immobilise their foes.


    Due to the Spindle Bees positioned beyond their range, the Cadets were put in a passive spot, having to defend against the attacks. Also, if they moved, due to the smaller size of their shields, they were bound to expose more parts of their body, painting larger targets.


    So, they were now immobilised, having no choice but to defend against the attacks passively. By the time four volleys of stingers were shot out, three of the team members were incapacitated, putting greater pressure on the standing members.


    "Guff," The Line Controller coughed out blood from his mouth. His face began to turn a shade of blue while his breathing became laboured. His body began to spasm, the shivering intensifying as time passed. The poison within the stingers began to affect him.


    Suddenly, his body disappeared as a voice resounded in the area, audible only to them, "Cadet 768 has been eliminated after being brought to a condition of near-death."


    Soon, the remaining two incapacitated members also followed suit, vanishing from the spot, leaving behind a team member and the team member. Put in a passive situation, they defended for some more time before vanishing from the spot the moment the Floating Spiders caught up to them.


    The Floating Spiders and the Spindle Bees paused, separated by a distance of 20 metres. They remained in a standoff against one another, backing out after a minute had passed in such a fashion, retreating to their respective habitats.


    Floating in the air above the battlefield was a staff, transferring the students she picked up from below, ones that had ended up in near-death states. She sent them to the nearest ward established atop the Head Office Building and the White Building¡ªdepending on their position on the battlefield. The injured Cadets were then treated by the stationed doctors.


    Similar scenes were occurring all across the battlefield, with numerous teams suffering injuries and becoming incapacitated due to lacking judgement or their bad luck of facing a horde of Frenzy Beasts.


    Jyorta fell into thought, only now noticing the number of students that were continuously being pulled off and sent for treatment. The danger lurking in the battlefield, one they had set up imitating the Wilds was made apparent, despite having only a sparse few Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts, with the majority being Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts.


    "It is risky, a poor judgement will gift wrap you to the afterlife," Jyorta muttered, sighing once.


    "Yes, but possessing greater strength will give you leeway against such poor judgement. Notice how despite having made a faulty judgement, that Amplifier was still able to flee the area without sustaining many injuries." Hrita Bone said, pointing at a location in the west, bordering the central region and the swampy region.


    Gazing at the pointed direction, Haesha retorted, "What use is that? He lost all his teammates."


    "That is true," Jyorta replied, catching hold of Hrita Bone''s train of thought, "But it means, if you have sufficient strength, even if you were to make a not up to an optimal decision, you would be able to save your skin at the very least. Though, everything is relative. In the Wilds, even Tier 4 beings will end up dead if they are not careful."


    ¡­


    Situated 30 metres vertically above the seated students, hovering in the air was an invisible structure, hidden from the senses of all the students. It was positioned along the centre of the battlefield, overlooking everything that happened below. It was shaped like a dome, with its bottom transparent, layered by a psychic arm.


    The rest of the structure was yellow in colour, layered by another psychic arm to shield itself from the eyes of the students. Seated inside were people, numbering almost a hundred, the lowest strength possessed by them being at Tier 4.


    They were seated along the wall, forming a circular pattern. Their seats were declined towards the centre, allowing them to have a better view of the events below. Held in their hands were notepads, each numbering from 1 to 891. Space was provided on its right, arranged respectively against each number.


    It was where they wrote remarks about the individuals they observed below. Faint dots hovered on the transparent screen, displaying numbers from 1 to 891, aligning with the movements of the students in the battlefield respectively. It allowed the seated people to infer the students and write remarks in their note pads based on their observations.


    "I''ll offer invitation letters to numbers 276, 309, and 441." A man commented, scribbling something in his notepad beside the respective numbers.


    "I''ll note it down." Madam Mary nodded, writing the three numbers beside the code name of the individual who had spoken just now in her notepad.


    "I''ll offer invitation letters to numbers 61, 276, and 309." Another person commented, sending a provocative stare towards the person who had spoken before.


    "I''ll offer invitation letters to numbers 1, and 2." Seated among the people was Anruk Light, stating his claim nonchalantly.


    "I''ll offer temporary invitations to numbers 1, and 2, valid until they reach Tier 3." A lady seated nearby said, glancing at Anruk Light to see him nod, showing no objection. Only then did she heave a sigh of relief, despite her background.


    Since Grapple Force only recruited people at Tier 3, Anruk Light didn''t have any complaints towards the rest. Once he bid, no one else bid on number 1 and 2, showcasing the stance and authority the force behind him held.

 Chapter 183: Graduation Ceremony (7)

    Northwest from the area of descent, a team of five were hiding within an artificially made cave inside a rock pillar. The remains from the dugout cave were piled up before the entrance, acting as a makeshift cover.


    A psychic arm seeped into them, holding them in place, ensuring they looked similar to the background. Behind the cover of rock and mud, an Esper crouched on the ground, wiping the sweat on his face, slightly nervous.


    "Just do as I instruct; the Frenzy Beasts have become more intelligent in recent times but they are still incomparable to our innate intelligence. The Tier 1 Skills of the Floating Spiders are primarily related to scent. This layer of dirt wall will give us sufficient cover for the moment." A boy, a head taller than the rest, sporting a hulking body said.


    His arms were ripped, also possessing a streamlined semblance, a body that had been sculpted through fluid motions executed over and over, one trained for battles. He had short trimmed hair, except for a ponytail on the back, one that reached his shoulders.


    His face had a squarish face, the contours curved, imbuing in him a bold but gentle appearance. He held a sword in his hand, his armour covering most of his body, save for the face. He was ranked second in the November Batch, Vishen Walta.


    Vishen Walta relaxed his back against the wall, disregarding the soil falling on him due to the poorly dugout walls. "We will wait here for now."


    "For how long?" The Esper, a Line Controller turned around, feeling the drain in his psychic energy upon maintaining the wall.


    "For 20 hours." Vishen Walta smiled, shocking everyone else.


    "We wouldn''t be able to reach our goal by then." The sole girl in their team said, showcasing her worry, "There are plenty of Frenzy Beasts the closer we are to the goals. Even now, we had to hide from a horde."


    "That is precisely why we must rest." Vishen Walta nodded, his calm expressed by his steadiness and composure, "We were dropped in the middle of the rectangular ground. If we consider it as the centre point, then the layout extends 200 metres to our north and south, and 500 metres to our east and west respectively."


    "If I carry him and sprint while the rest of you follow me," Vishen Walta pointed at the Line Controller, "We will be able to reach our destination in the west in under 2 minutes, given we are not interrupted."


    "But the terrain and the Frenzy Beasts¡­" The girl just retorted when she was interrupted by a raise of his hand.


    "The terrain we will be treading is mostly flat." His eyes displayed his cunning, "Moreover, everyone will be heading towards the goals, which means the Frenzy Beasts will also be lured towards the goals."


    "But, our battle strength is not even half of yours. We won''t be able to keep up in such a scenario." Another Cadet bowed his head a little, feeling ashamed at his inferiority.


    "You don''t need to worry about that," Vishen Walta said, exuding a demeanour of absolute confidence, "There doesn''t exist a Tier 2 Frenzy Beast stronger than me here. Also, it would be easier to charge with a single push using my Tier 2 Skill. While it is active, it would be easy for me to cover for you guys."


    Vishen Walta motioned with his hands at the Line Controller, pointing at the dirt wall, "Let me scout the layout and the routes we can take for now. We may be hiding, but that doesn''t mean we can stay ignorant of our surroundings."


    The Line Controller nodded, seeping his psychic to the other side, and sensing for any Frenzy Beast presences in the vicinity. Seeing his action, the girl activated her Tier 1 Skill, glancing around, nodding once at Vishen Walta.


    The remaining three too activated their Tier 1 Skills and nodded, informing him of the surroundings being clear. Vishen Walta said in a calm tone, "It is not difficult to reach our goal. But, it is hard defending it until the time limit. Conserve your energy, I''ll return in 30 minutes."


    The Line Controller opened a hole in the dirt wall, enough for Vishen Walta to crawl out. After exiting the mini cave, watching the dirt wall close behind him, Vishen Walta transmitted his voice, "Keep eating the energy biscuits to replenish your energy. Don''t retract your psychic arm for even a single second."


    "Yes."Hearing the reply a moment before the dirt wall fully closed, Vishen Walta turned around, gazing at the landscape before him. It was a narrow path, circular in shape, spanning 2 metres wide, with their cave located inside a big pillar, surrounded by pillars on all sides, leaving almost no gap beside them.


    There was only a single path, one that was barely 40 centimetres wide. It made their location a good place to hide. Also, arranged around the rock pillars were spider webs of all sizes, trailing from the ground to the top.


    Hanging around them were the carcasses of Floating Spiders, their dripping blood forming a small pool on the floor, seeping into the soil, painting it crimson-black. Vishen Walta squeezed through the gap, arriving outside, watching his footprints form a trail.


    He spent some time, preventing himself from being detected while creating a false trail that led the Floating Spiders to another location, should they come to investigate. Once it was done, holding his sword in a declined position to the ground, Vishen Walta walked forward, his body slightly crouched.


    He inched his way forward, covering his body with the mud that had soaked the blood of the Floating Spiders. Using the web on the ground he pulled out, he tied the intact parts of the Floating Spiders on him, turning his appearance to partly resemble that of a Floating Spider, one that was many times bigger and humanoid.


    A Tier 1 Floating Spider ranged between 20-30 centimetres in size, with a Tier 2 Floating Spider almost double in size. Among the various Frenzy Beasts, the Floating Spiders were one of the races with smaller bodies.


    Vishen Walta treaded his way west, quickly killing any Floating Spider he came across. As long as they weren''t a Tier 2 Floating Spider, he didn''t even require a second to dispatch them to the afterlife.


    Arriving at a place where the rock pillars were separated by at least three metres, Vishen Walta focused, his demeanour becoming one akin to a predator. He sheathed his sword, relaxing his arms. Followed by a spike in aura, he activated both his Tier 1 and Tier 2 Skills.


    Tier 1 Skill¡ªDynamic Acuity!


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªBody Burst!


    Dynamic Acuity slightly accelerated his thinking speed while enhancing his motor senses. Body Burst allowed him to amplify the abilities of his body as a whole for intervals of less than a second upon activation, with the area of effect focused solely based on his discretion.


    He focused the effect of the Tier 2 Skill on his legs, keeping it constantly activated. His body disappeared from the spot, flickering between the two rock pillars as he treaded up, appearing at the top within a minute.


    The moment he arrived at the top, before he could regain his bearings, a River Whale lunged at him, the water trail behind it quite short, with the column of water flowing less than 10 metres away.


    Vishen Walta changed his posture, bringing his body''s centre of gravity to one side, causing him to fall, barely avoiding the jaws of the River Whale. A film of water brushed past his armour, causing a long tear to form. But, it wasn''t deep to the extent of revealing his skin.


    He focused the powers of his Tier 2 Skill to the tips of his fingers, digging into the rock pillar for support, cranking his body as he lifted his legs. His body spun, falling back into the gap between the pillars as he let go of his hold.


    The River Whale chased after him for 10 metres before giving up its pursuit, retreating to the column of water. Vishen Walta lodged his fingers into the sides of the rock pillar, a place that also had grooves along the walls, serving as his foothold.


    Vishen Walta regained his breath after a couple of seconds, heaving a sigh of relief. "If I hadn''t retreated, a battle would have ensued between me and the River Whales. The more I kill them, the greater the risk it poses to me."


    He looked at the volume of water contained within the column of water, watching the number of River Whales swimming within. He dared not imagine the catastrophe that would befall them should the column of water fall. At that time, the impacted rock pillars might tumble and collapse, causing a chain reaction akin to the domino effect.


    The River Whales sported indigo coloured skin, their body spanning between 1-2 metres at Tier 1 and 2-4 metres at Tier 2. They had patches of white around the base of their face and the bottom of their tails. They sported fins of water, long and sharp, their sizes variable to control their traversal in water.


    Using their control over the water, they were capable of propelling themselves at greater speeds, surpassing any marine creature. Once the River Whale that had attacked him entered the column of water, Vishen Walta arrived at the top of the rock pillar, hurriedly jumping on one rock pillar after another, travelling west.


    He suddenly paused, quickly jumping between the gaps in the rock pillars, grabbing hold of a side after activating his Tier 2 Skill, lodging himself to the wall. He peaked over the surface, looking at seven large spherical silk structures congregated around one region, hovering atop a rock pillar situated 30 metres from him.


    Six of the spherical silk structures ranged between 3-5 metres in radius, the number of Tier 2 beings inside unknown at present. But, it was the final spherical silk structure that sent a chill through his spine. It wasn''t a regular structure weaved through spider silk but a manifestation of an Unranked Skill. Also, its radius spanned almost 10 metres, a hulking stricture the most of which was hidden between the rock pillars.


    ''A Developer, from the Web Family.'' Vishen Walta concluded, feeling a chill in his spine, the fear originating from the Wisdom Parasite in him, giving him the confirmation needed.


    "Didn''t they say only Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts were here?" He cursed, relaxing the hold in his hands, causing his body to drop.

 Chapter 184: Graduation Ceremony (8)

    There existed three families among the Floating Spiders, similar to the Aristocratic and Royal Families in Marble City. They were the Web Family, created by Rhachis Ancestor Web, the Warlord Family, created by Rhachis Ancestor Warlord, and the Puppet Family, created by Psychic Ancestor Puppet.


    Having adopted many customs and practices from the humans, the three Families of the Floating Spiders conformed to the same, i.e. possessing an Unranked Skill per Family. They possessed three Unranked Skills in total, created by each Ancestor respectively.


    The oldest and the most witnessed Unranked Skill among them was Web World. Only Developer and higher Tiered Floating Spiders were able to inherit this Unranked Skill, a Warrior-based Skill. Using the Unranked Skill, a Floating Spider was able to create a sphere of silk, with innumerous interlining pathways and patterns within, each of them possessing their own functions.


    Once created, an environment suitable for the habitation of the Floating Spiders was created within, raising their livelihood. Also, it was a powerful fortress, one that was mobile, governed and controlled by Floating Spiders situated in relevant locations, protecting the rest of the populace living within.


    The fortress itself was capable of attacking and defending, the control lay within the Floating Spider that created it. Also, the Floating Spider could delegate partial control over some areas to its subordinates, creating an organised vehicle.


    Also, Espers from the same Tier were unable to penetrate the silk fortress using their psychic arms.


    Thanks to the environment it could create inside it, its attacking, defensive, and mobility capabilities, and finally, its ability to shield the inside from psychic energy, it was commonly referred to as a Spider World.


    All the Floating Spiders in the Wilds lived inside a Spider World, only coming out in search of prey. Everything else they needed to live was present inside the Spider World. Thanks to the robustness of the spider silk created by the Unranked Skill, Web World, the size of the Spider World usually extended beyond the individual control of the Floating Spider that had created it.


    ''The Spider World created by a Developer.'' Vishen Walta furrowed his brows, his falling body stepping along the sides of the rock pillars and using the rebound to zigzag to the ground. Deactivating his Tier 2 Skill, Vishen Walta gazed in the direction where he spotted the Spider World, feeling the thumping of his heart uncontrollably accelerate.


    ''There wasn''t supposed to be a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast here. This was what they said. Also, it had been the case for every other Graduation Ceremony. Why have they changed it now?'' He slammed his fist on a rock pillar, quickly hiding behind a nearby pillar, watching a couple of Floating Spiders fly past.


    ''The fact that they are present here means the military academy wants to test our preparation against the unexpected. Also, the fact that they have left a Developer that possesses an Unranked Skill speaks volumes about their stance.'' He crouched on the ground, retracting every vestige of aura exerted by his body, masking his presence.


    ''They wouldn''t have stopped at the Floating Spiders, considering the balanced situation here, with no race trying to annihilate one another. At the very least, a Tier 3 being should be present in the other three major races.''


    He massaged his forehead, feeling the pressure. At Tier 2, Warriors lacked the means to attack any beings in the air. Their only mode of attack was by using their robust foundations to leap high into the sky and attack their targets. Though, against their nimble foes that were capable of manoeuvring through the air, it would only serve to paint them as easy targets. Their other option was to throw projectiles from the ground.


    Their bodies weren''t developed to the extent at Tier 2 that they could just breeze through everything. Even Rakh Veera, the strongest in their batch with a movement-based Tier 2 Skill could only leap from one rock pillar to another to reach his foes in the air. Even then, the range of his jump was limited to eight metres at most.


    ''The Spindle Bees can fly, they also move in groups, and stay inside the beehive for the rest of the time. The Floating Spiders are also capable of flight and are safe within the Spider World. The River Whales swim in a column of water that flows above the rest, shielding them from attacks, and giving them a good vantage point. All three of them are difficult targets for the current us.'' Vishen Walta felt helpless.


    Such situations no longer existed from Tier 3, with the Espers developed to the extent capable of lifting their bodies and flying through the air. They were also able to carry others around.


    At Tier 2, with a Sync Rate of 100 percent, an Area Controller could create two psychic arms, with each psychic arm capable of lifting a total weight of 10 kilograms, move it at a maximum speed of 10 metres per second, and have a maximum operable range of 10 metres around themselves.


    At Tier 3, with a Sync Rate of 100 percent, a Wave Controller could create three psychic arms, with each psychic arm capable of lifting 100 kilograms, move objects at a speed of 100 metres per second, and have a maximum operable range of 100 metres around themselves.


    This was enough for them to carry themselves and two others and fly through the air. Also, some Developers nurtured Tier 3 Skills that allowed them to fly, through a variety of means. There also existed the Unranked Skill, Flight that allowed them to fly.


    ''I had hoped to not encounter such a situation until I obtain an Unranked Skill.'' Vishen Walta sighed, but he didn''t express any regrets. Even though he had long since accumulated enough Credits to exchange for the Unranked Skill Flight, he refused to obtain it.


    After all, he didn''t wasn''t to waste his prospects by getting an Unranked Skill whose sole function was to enable the ability of flight. There were many methods available for them to fly, the simplest of which was to tag along with the Espers. The Unranked Skills, the ones in his knowledge also imbued in the wielders the ability to fly, despite possessing all-rounder capabilities.


    Every Unranked Skill that had been created in Marble City focused on the aspects of attack, defence, movement, recovery, and scouting, with varying levels of focus in each domain. Unranked Skills like Flight were generally not preferred unless one had no choice.


    Though, due to the ease of access and low requirements, the Unranked Skill Flight was still used by countless Warriors. Also, it had the sole advantage of requiring only one anchor point. Meaning, even Observers were able to inherit the Unranked Skill after sacrificing their Tier 1 Skill.


    Vishen Walta pulled out his sword, crouching low as he took in deep breaths. His other hand entered the small pouch strapped around his belt, fishing out an energy biscuit. It was dry, compressed to withhold plenty of nutritional content, enough to satiate a Tier 2 Warrior''s appetite with a single biscuit.


    It was rectangular in shape, brownish-gold in colour, spanning the side of his index finger, weighing about 200 grams each. He had about 10 of them stored in his pouch, more than enough for the 24 hours stay.


    He had consumed a fair amount of his Heart Crystal''s energy by repeatedly using his Tier 2 Skill before. By consuming the energy biscuit, his energy reserves would recover completely in about two hours, thanks to the Nurturing speed of his Wisdom Parasite.


    Vishen Walta proceeded north, trying to bypass the region under the control of the Tier 3 Floating Spider. He didn''t want to come face-to-face with a being of such calibre, one that had an Unranked Skill.


    Rock pillars erected haphazardly passed by him one after another, his pace slow, crouched low to avoid being spotted. He picked up a body part from every Floating Spider he came across and had killed, using the available web to tie them to his body.


    His current form looked even uglier than a Floating Spider, the effect magnified thanks to his hulking size. Vishen Walta hid behind a rock pillar, having spotted a group of Floating Spiders proceed north. He had not once deactivated his Tier 1 Skill, allowing him to react upon a moment''s notice.


    Thoughts spun in his mind, his senses detecting for the presences of any auras in the vicinity, causing him to sigh a moment later. ''Thankfully, there aren''t any Tier 2 beings here.''


    He looked to his left, gazing towards the south, spotting a dense cluster of spider webs interwoven around the rock pillars. Most Floating Spiders just rested by weaving small cocoons along the sides of the rock pillars, interconnecting two or more, blocking any path of traversal.


    Before he could take a step forward, the ground beneath him parted way as a worm-like creature emerged, its revealing mouth biting at his left leg. The three circular rows of teeth, shaped into bizarre triangles in its circularly opened mouth, the folded grooves and the hairy texture on its skin, not to mention its mottled appearance, they painted a grotesque sight.


    An intense stench akin to poop, one that had been enhanced to the limit assaulted his nose, overthrowing his senses. Thanks to his Tier 1 Skill, he perceived it better, the stench he sensed rumbling his stomach, the nausea beyond controllable levels.


    A reflex action, one practiced to the extent executable during sleep was enacted. His Tier 2 Skill was activated, the effect focusing on defence, with the entirety of the effect converging on the area of attack.


    ''A Ring Worm.'' He thought, watching the Ring Worm bite his left leg, unable to cause significant damage thanks to him raising his defence in the area. His hand holding the sword swiped down, swiftly beheading the Ring Worm, one whose girth was slightly greater than the thickness of his leg.


    His sword slashed along the body line of the part attached to his leg, severing it into two, freeing its hold on his leg. He then noticed the section of armour on his leg cracking, revealing the skin beneath.


    Four small holes, varying between 2 and 4 millimetres in diameter were visible, arranged in a semi-circular pattern, oozing out blood. The skin surrounding it had become a faint shade of yellow, forming pus.


    Vishen Walta removed a piece of cloth from his pouch, overlaying it along the wounded parts. He took out a knife and swiped, peeling off the damaged skin, also scooping out the poisoned muscle portions.


    His eyes turned red at the pain, the leaking grunts controlled under his tremendous willpower. He tied the cloth around the wound, watching the blood seep out in a steady stream. ''There goes my scouting down the drain.''

 Chapter 185: Graduation Ceremony (9)

    Vishen Walta placed his foot down, feeling the contact with the ground, experiencing a sensation of numbness course through his leg. He immediately controlled the muscles in the region, causing them to exert their presence.


    His aura was emitted in full strength, their area of effect solely focused on the wounded region, causing the seepage of the numbness to slow down to a crawl. The numbness was induced by the trace amount of Essence of Frenzy injected into him, the only reason its progression was slowed by his unleashed aura.


    Also, he controlled the leg muscles, expanding and contracting them in the necessary locations, preventing most of the blood seepage. There was still a faint amount that leaked out, but it was marginal for now.


    ''Even though working as a team would have been better, thanks to the variety of Skills at play, the strength of my teammates is lacking. I probably would have lost one of them in that sneak attack now. Sadly, none of my teammates are even ranked under 600.''


    He crossed 3-4 rock pillars along the way to the cave his team stayed in, coming to a stop after spotting a group of Floating Spiders. Due to the injury sustained, he couldn''t use his agility to the full extent. If he exerted strength in his left leg, then the muscles in the region would move, causing the blood to seep out like before.


    In order to prevent such a situation from happening, he had to constantly divert part of his attention in keeping the muscles in his left contracted around the damaged location. Upon spotting the Floating Spiders, he immediately paused, unwilling to engage in a battle for the time being.


    The Floating Spiders seemed to be exchanging some information as two Floating Spiders carried the remains of their brethren, diced into numerous pieces. A series of cries followed suit, the voices ear-piercing, echoing off the rock pillars.


    More Floating Spiders congregated around the region, carrying forth more dead bodies of their brethren, most of which had been dismembered. He could figure some carcasses were a result of him, but as for the rest, he couldn''t figure out the culprit. Though, it could have been anyone from his Batch.


    When battles occurred, dead bodies piled forth. Thanks to their inert advantage, and thanks to the ground staff pulling out any Cadet that was in a near-death state, they hadn''t faced a single causality till now. As for the Floating Spiders, it was a different matter altogether, being the first ones to face the full-powered assault of the humans who had been dropped in their territory.


    Vishen Walta slowly began to retreat, watching the number of Floating Spiders spiralling out of control, spurred by their cries. Soon, he heard a rumble, sensing a faint tremor course through the ground. Without needing to use any mode of investigation, he could figure out the cause behind it.


    The Spider World began to make a move. As a result, a rock pillar had been smashed to the ground, resulting in such a tremor. Unwilling to delay any longer, Vishen Walta turned around and sprinted, disregarding everything else.


    His abrupt movement garnered their attention, spurring many Floating Spiders to turn around, locking onto his position after activating their Tier 1 Skills.


    Vishen Walta proceeded north, intending to use the Spindle Bees as his cover. He had spotted their presence and their general location while leading his team to hide within the cave, hence his decision.


    Moreover, he noticed a certain someone proceed north, soon picking a route towards the west.


    ''She should be able to heal me. I''ll be able to make a swift recovery through her help.''


    The scent of human blood created a trail for the Floating Spiders to follow. Well-versed in the domain of scents due to their Skills falling under it, the Floating Spiders were bound to discover him sooner or later.


    The main reason he created a commotion was to lure them away, acting like bait. Every action of his was observed by the staff, something he knew beforehand. Sacrificing his teammates just to save his skin, such an act was bound to limit his future development irrespective of his personal strength.


    There had been many precedents of people, both in and out of the military academy, possessing great strength but lacking any morals. They were selfish and were willing to drop any mission the moment their lives were at risk. They even went to the extent of using their teammates as bait just to gain time for their escape.


    Marble City had numerous means to track the activities of people in the Wilds. If not the people, they even interrogated the Frenzy Beasts for information. Frenzy Beasts were getting progressively intelligent over the years. With the increase in intelligence emerged the concept of individuality, logical reasoning, etc. forming a foothold for information transceiving.


    To not be killed or threatened under any means, there existed Frenzy Beasts, hailing from weak races that acted as the spies for Marble City. Marble City in turn offered them limited protection, preventing them from being annihilated by stronger Frenzy Beast races.


    Through many means, the higher-ups were privy of individuals who abandoned missions to save their skins, making up lies, sacrificing their teammates to prevent information leak, and followed by deceit, making up false reports. Such individuals were assigned guaranteed death missions, guised under normal missions, and sent away.


    That was how the morally lacking individuals were gotten rid of, irrespective of their strength. Vishen Walta knew: as much emphasis on strength and talent the military academy placed, an even greater significance was given to a person''s moral character.


    It was better to have 20 weak dogs than one strong wolf.


    Predicting the approach of the Spider World based on the sounds, and calculating the risk it posed to his hiding teammates, Vishen Walta took the role to act as bait. This didn''t mean that he was trying to throw his life away for others; he wasn''t such a gullible idiot.


    Actions spoke volumes, he was putting up such a facade. Since the outcome also conformed to his facade, it morphed falsity into the truth, elevating his moral character in the eyes of others. Also, despite the injury, he had enough confidence in himself to survive, even if facing a Developer Floating Spider.


    He unleashed his aura to the extreme, the pressure overwhelming the Floating Spiders that chased him, causing most of them to pause in place. Imbued in the aura was a feeling of primal viciousness, enhanced thanks to the number of Floating Spider he had killed, amplified due to the Floating Spider carcasses he wore.


    This painted him as a killer that sought the blood of the Floating Spiders, imbuing in his chasers fear. His aura spread radially, his location obvious to every Frenzy Beast in the vicinity even without the aid of any Skills.


    Three Floating Spiders stood before him, all Tier 1, immobilised thanks to his aura. His sword flashed thrice, severing their bodies. He caught hold of a severed Floating Spider''s head, turning around as he activated his Tier 2 Skill.


    He focused the effect in his left arm, the one holding the severed head, raising the power. His body revolved a couple of times, adding the rotational force into the throw executed with the complete activation of his Tier 2 Skill.


    The severed head bolted through the sky, quickly flashing past the chasing Floating Spiders, making an arc in the air, its height crossing the peak of the rock pillars¡ª80 metres. It travelled unhindered above the rock pillars, jumping past a column of water, heading down.


    The momentum carried it towards a large spherical structure, one that spanned a radius of 10 metres, the Spider World housing a Developer, a Tier 3 being. The severed head of the Floating Spider impacted the Spider World, causing a splash of blood, the momentum bursting it upon the point of contact. Witnessing the blood of its brethren, the Spider World trembled, seething with rage.


    "Screee!"


    Hearing an enraged shout, one that travelled far and wide, carrying with it an overbearing aura, Vishen Walta smiled. His goal had been achieved with the shout. Thanks to the powerful shout and the accompanying aura, it basically announced every Cadet about its Tier 3 presence.


    Now, everyone would be careful and not caught unawares. Focusing the effect of his Tier 2 Skill on his legs, Vishen Walta flashed around, experiencing a spike in his speed. He used the sides of the rock pillars as footholds, his momentum causing him to flash between them, quickly reaching the top.


    "Kuoooohh!" Standing atop a rock pillar, Vishen Walta heard another large shout, noticing the volume of water¡ªin the column of water floating in the air¡ªdoubling. Waves formed along its surface, causing the River Whales swimming within to turn restless.


    The humidity in the air experienced a spike, almost as if they bordered a sea region. Having activated his Tier 1 Skill, Vishen Walta noticed the spread of humidity originating from the east, carrying with it slightly colder air.


    "Hreeuhh!" Spurred by the second wave of aura, another sound originated from the west, carrying with it an aura not inferior to the previous two. Soon, Vishen Walta felt another spike in the humidity of the air, the only difference being the slight chillness from before turning warmer.


    The air recovered to its previous temperature, the only difference being the massive increase in the humidity. The air also seemed slightly polluted as Vishen Walta experienced very mild difficulty in breathing.


    "Kiezzzz!" Vishen Walta turned towards the north, feeling his legs slightly tremble as the fourth wave of aura impacted him. A sweet scent wafted through the air, carrying with it a feeling of intoxication.


    "All their positions are known. Now that they are all alerted, they will keep each other in check for the time being. I can use this chance to scout the goals." Vishen Walta jumped from the top of one rock pillar to another, proceeding north-west.


    He planned to scout a safe route towards the goal while at the same time search for the individual in mind. It was an Area Controller, one who possessed the Unranked Skill, Regen. Treating his current injury wouldn''t be much of a problem for her.

 Chapter 186: Graduation Ceremony (10)

    "Ugh," His left leg gave under, causing him to tumble. His body fell forth; his right hand reached up, concentrating the effect of the Tier 2 Skill in it, and grabbing hold of a protruding edge, one along the side of a rock pillar.


    The momentum of his tumble carried him forward, causing his body to slam into the sides of the rock pillar, damaging his armour, coursing a shockwave through his insides, rocking his internals. Vishen Walta heaved ragged breaths, feeling his vision darken a little.


    As he jumped from the top of one rock pillar to another, he had exerted the effect of his Tier 2 Skill on his legs. Despite concentrating most of the effect on his right, solely using it for all manoeuvres, he still had to allot a certain amount in his left to balance his foothold the moment he landed. This caused blood to spurt from his left every time he landed.


    It was only thanks to his robust foundation, the foundation of a Tier 2 Warrior that he had managed to travel until now without fainting due to the blood loss. Vishen Walta closed his eyes for a couple of seconds, training his senses to his surroundings, ready to react upon a moment''s notice.


    The current him couldn''t afford a sneak attack. He opened his eyes, regaining his sight to a bearable extent, noticing the end of the rock pillars. There were only three rock pillars before him; he spotted a swamp beyond, possessing a base colour of olive green, mixed with yellow and brown.


    Vishen Walta took in a couple of deep breaths, turning behind to see the Floating Spiders stop their chase, unwilling to get close by. The cause for their pause wasn''t him but something else; he had a faint inkling but didn''t want to do anything drastic for the time being.


    His initial plan was to head north and then scale west, scouting for the person in mind. But, with a change in plans, he treaded north-west, arriving at the end of the rock pillar terrain. Activating his Tier 2 Skill, he concentrated the effect in his right leg, crouching low to stress it further.


    Upon the moment of relaxation, his body shot forth like a spring, one that had been released after being compressed to its limits. He landed on the top of the rock pillar before him, using the remaining momentum to execute another jump, followed by another.


    He concentrated the effect of his Tier 2 Skill on both legs, raising their toughness as he landed on the final rock pillar, exerting strength in them, a result of his built-up momentum. Blood squirted out of his left leg, almost causing him to faint.


    He hurriedly unleashed his aura, also controlling the muscles in the region, stopping the blood flow to a certain extent. For any normal wound, his body would have formed scabs by now at the very least. But, the bite of the Ring Worm contained toxins, one that prevented the body from healing the injury through its natural recovery mechanisms.


    There was also the presence of the Essence of Frenzy, causing an itch in the bit region, producing puss, and also corroding the tissues, weakening the muscles. If this continued, he would soon be unable to exert strength in his left leg.


    Despite the trouble, Vishen Walta wasn''t flustered, looking at the surrounding with calm. The surface of the swamp was boiling, apparent by the bubbles forming and popping every second. A pungent stench coursed through the region, increasing his difficulty in breathing.


    Through his high vantage point, he could easily spot the goals, inverted yellow cones, with their top surface shaped like circles, spanning a metre in radius. Their top surface was situated two metres from the swamp surface, with their bottoms almost touching it.


    There existed large mounds scattered across the swamp, with most of them similar-sized to the goals. They were rugged, the rocky texture carrying with them a natural symmetry. The bursting bubbles splashed the swamp water on their rugged surfaces, coating them with the colours of olive green, yellow and brown.


    "Lava Turtles!" His eyes widened, looking at the numerous mounds present in the swamp. Their sizes made their Tiers apparent, with the mounds thrice larger than the usual ones belonging to the Tier 2 Lava Turtles.


    "1, 2, 7¡­17 Tier 2 Lava Turtles. I can''t seem to spot the Tier 3 Lava Turtle." His brows furrowed, his mind immersed in thoughts. It was easy to glean the Tier of the Frenzy Beasts through the size of their bodies.


    Even the Espers among the Frenzy Beasts, though smaller in body size were still identifiable, thanks to their external appearance sporting slight differences from their Warrior counterpart. That was how Vishen Walta was able to identify them easily.


    He glanced around, using the enhanced senses brought about by his Tier 1 Skill to find traces of his Batch mates, in hopes of finding the girl in mind.


    "There are none here," He frowned, taking a moment to think of the situation from their perspective. The teams were arranged in such a way that they were balanced overall. Every team had at least one Esper, with very few having more than one.


    The battle prowess of each Cadet varied according to their rank, which was based on the number of Credits they had accumulated. Since one had to be well versed in various areas to accumulate Credits, and since they were graded and awarded on a variety of fields, their rankings were a direct reflection of their abilities.


    So, they were assigned in teams in such a way that their overall strength conformed to their Batch''s average. Vishen Walta''s team was the best example. He was ranked second in their Batch, possessing exemplary skill in numerous fields.


    His teammates though, were lacklustre, with all four of them ranked beyond the 600s. They were incredibly weak even in terms of Tier 1, a dead weight if he was being honest. But, thinking that not all members in his team in the future¡ªwhen he took in missions to scout the Wilds¡ªwould be on par with him, he could only think of it as training.


    They also didn''t have much of a backbone, apprehensive of executing any bold manoeuvres. Within the short duration he interacted with them, there were many times he was irritated at their behaviour. But, not once did he express his irritation, guiding them with patience, instructing them knowledge they ought to know but failed to implement.


    ''Thankfully, their Sync Rates are only in the 50s. Otherwise, they would have lost control within the next 5-6 years.'' He shook his head, concentrating on his task at hand. He memorised the many paths to the goals, tracing the patterns that were bereft of the Floating Spiders in the rock pillar terrain.


    "The current situation where the four major races are keeping each other in check is the prime time for us to move around. If they aren''t dumb, they should be coming out of hiding one by one, to seek better hiding spots along the border." He murmured, observing the status quo.


    He stood atop the rock pillar on the edge, watching the swamp making contact with its bottom. Thankfully, the rock pillar was sturdy enough to not be dissolved by the swamp water and crumble. Though, he couldn''t exactly predict its life. It was bound to crumble sooner or later.


    ''The rock pillars on the edge will collapse the moment an intense battle erupts in the region.'' He rested, taking out another energy biscuit from his pouch to swallow. Even though the first one he swallowed was yet to be digested, in order to recover some blood, he consumed the second energy biscuit.


    Thanks to the Nurturing of his Wisdom Parasite, he would be able to recover soon. He inspected the condition of his body, watching the changes in his wound, heaving a sigh of relief, "The Trait of Recovery and the Trait of Resistance are finally kicking into action."


    Despite the delayed response, he was still happy that they had begun to work. This implied that the Essence of Frenzy injected into him wasn''t at an alarming level, only to the extent being able to be ejected by his Traits.


    This implied that he would recover enough even without any external healing aid, depending solely on his abilities.


    His current position bordered two forces, creating a place of peace. The Floating Spiders didn''t dare approach him, in fear of the Lava Turtles retaliating.


    As for the Lava Turtles, they only moved occasionally, their sole purpose being for food. Even then, they didn''t hunt actively. Vishen Walta gazed at a mound, spotting tiny grey objects, nodding in comprehension.


    "As expected, the Hunter Clams are on them." He swerved his head, looking north, finding a team walk out, still vary of their surroundings but looking prepared against any contingencies. The team was led by a familiar face, an individual ranked in the top 10 in their Batch.


    She was a Warrior, her strength inferior only to his own. There were various levels of damage inflicted on her armour but she didn''t sport any wounds, looking healthy, retaining complete battle strength.


    Following behind her was another team, led by a girl whose armour was in tatters. Though, except for the tiredness she displayed, she wasn''t injured. Her teammates looked exhausted, occasionally glancing at their team leader with an expression of gratitude.


    "She''s here!" Vishen Walta smiled, feeling relief. He activated his Tier 2 Skill, jumping from one rock pillar to the next, keeping an eye on them as he approached.

 Chapter 187: Teaming Up

    "The situation is worse than we had predicted," A girl holding a heavy war hammer walked at the front, her damaged armour leaking out the blood of the foes she had killed. Though, her condition was optimal, bereft of any injuries.


    "Many Cadets are going to fail this time. The presence of four Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts was unexpected. As expected of the military academy, hand it to them to pull off such stunts without batting an eye." Following behind was another girl, sporting tattered armour, with most of it falling off as she walked.


    Worn beneath it was a layer of cloth, giving her a second layer of protection. Though, even that was coming off, corroding in places thanks to the blood splashed over. The girl felt a little embarrassed but wasn''t bothered enough to fret over it.


    They each led a team, the members following the two girls. Two psychic arms coiled around them, shielding them from sight, originating from the girl with the tattered armour. She sighed once, expressing her relief, "Thankfully, someone seemed to have successfully instigated one, resulting in the other three to unleash their auras, making their presence known. Who do you would have been the cause, Shimika?"


    "There are only two people in our Batch who can pull of such a stunt and get away with it," Shimika replied, "But, it could have also been someone else. We neither know the cause nor the individual involved."


    "Someone''s approaching; someone strong!" A boy walking behind shouted, his voice a fluster. He pointed towards the south, raising his arms high up in the air, trembling in fear as his arms scaled in angle, following the target''s approach.


    Hearing his shout, the remaining members who had their senses trained in other directions spurred into action, focusing on the pointed direction. A girl screamed, "It is humanoid but slightly resembles a Floating Spider."


    "The aura¡­" Shimika furrowed her brows, "It is strong."


    She increased the strength in her grip, hoisting her heavy war hammer, glancing at the girl behind her, "Conceal the rest, Hruna. Only support me if my injuries become severe."


    "Okay," Hruna nodded, retracting her coiled psychic arms from Shimika, only focusing on the remaining teammates. She commanded them to retreat with her, raising her concentration to also mask their smell and the sounds they produced.


    The psychic energy drain was massive; adding onto the shielding she maintained, her focus was occupied to the extent she had to be carried by her teammates.


    Shimika felt nervous, craning her head to look at the peak of the rock pillar near her, one that spanned a height of 80 metres. Every rock pillar more or less spanned the same height¡ª80 metres.


    A shadow loomed over her, casting a large curtain over the sides of the rock pillar, thanks to the angle of incident light directed by the sun. A humanoid figure appeared in her view, spanning a head taller than humans her age.


    Covering it was exoskeleton armour, rugged, lacking any semblance of symmetry, layered in blood. It seemed to be a collage of various parts, haphazardly meshed together into a whole. The head region was that of a Floating Spider''s, warped beyond extreme, as if it was bound to explode any second.


    The air surrounding it shimmered with a vicious aura, one that sought to rend its enemies and bath in their blood. Shimika felt nervous, the aura she could sense from the other party was superior to her own.


    She took in a deep breath, her expanded chest contracting immediately, but no air was exhaled through her nostrils.


    "Hah!" With a shout that echoed off the rock pillars, her aura was emitted to the full extent. In response to her unleashed aura, the blood coating her armour flew off, turning into the smallest particle of fluid that existed in the air. The weaker fragments of her armour directly broke off, flying for more than a couple of metres.


    The head of her heavy war hammer faced the ground, as if she had no intention to attack but, judging by the strength accumulating in her arm muscles, it proved otherwise. The humanoid figure flashed between two pillars, descending through a zigzag pattern, instilling in her faint confusion.


    Floating Spiders were capable of flight. Therefore, her foe that partially resembled one ought to fly, based on her expectation. Even otherwise, her attitude didn''t change. Irrespective of the type of foes she faced, she had the motto to smack them once before thinking about the rest.


    When the humanoid figure was in proximity of 20 metres, a voice reached her ears, one that was familiar. "Shimika Doppler, it''s me."


    "Vishen Walta?" Her eyes widened in surprise, her demeanour though, remained unchanged. Unless the words of the other party could be verified, she didn''t plan to relax her guard.


    Witnessing her stance on the matter, and the cautiousness she exhibited, Vishen Walta nodded in praise. The moment he touched the ground, he lost balance for a second, causing his left knee to impact the ground, raising a grunt from him.


    His position was separated five metres from Shimika, the other party watching him in alarm, ready to attack within a moment''s notice. He took a second to compose himself, lifting the headgear, and allowing his face to be displayed. Only then did Shimika relax her posture, whistling once as she walked towards him.


    Her whistle was to signal her teammates of the coast becoming clear.


    "What happened to you? How come you are injured?" She stood before him, extending her hand. Vishen Walta caught hold of her hand and pulled himself up, his brows scrunching at the pain.


    "A Ring Worm got me. Dynamic Acuity couldn''t sense its approach from the ground." He watched Hruna walk out, having retracted her psychic arms, heaving a sigh of relief upon noticing his presence.


    She arrived before him, flashing a psychic arm around his body, seeping through the armour and brushing past the skin. She extended her hand, "What happened to your teammates? How come you are injured to this extent? That will be two energy biscuits."


    "Take it yourself; my hands are soaked with blood." Vishen Walta handed his pouch, watching a psychic arm seep through it and emerge out, holding two energy biscuits. He then replied, "I dug out a cave in a secluded region south-east and made them hide within. Many things happened when I scouted the terrain to find out a safe route for them to follow."


    He gave a brief recount of his discovery of the Spider World and the ensuing actions he undertook, detailing the effect the auras released by the four Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts had in worsening his injury, decreasing his resistance against the Essence of Frenzy injected into him.


    "So, it was you." Hruna nodded, seeping a psychic arm into his wound. "Thankfully, the Essence of Frenzy hasn''t seeped deep into your muscles. I can extract them out in a minute."


    Without any more dialogue, she began to treat him immediately, taking out minute black substances, the likes of which were trace to be spotted. Seeing her actions, Vishen Walta marvelled at her expertise, "Area Controllers can''t comprehend the feedback they receive through their psychic arms. It is a wonder how you manage to do it."


    "I can''t understand the feedback; that is the truth." Hruna nodded, "But, through practice, I can guess certain things. It is like grasping a blurry pattern, more like memorising the chaotic reception and linking it with a definite solution."


    "Can you teach my sister this technique? She''s in the October Batch." He inquired without any shame, gleaning the significance and the future growth the technique Hruna displayed possessed. It wasn''t something taught in their military academy.


    "Only if she joins my Bone Family; otherwise, it is impossible. This is a technique exclusive to our Family." Hruna replied, smiling at him once, implying whether he was okay with it.


    "It is not something I can decide right away," He scratched his head, turning around to notice Shimika keeping a vigilant eye on the surroundings. "Currently, due to the four Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts making an appearance, a stalemate of sorts has been achieved. We can use this time frame to better position ourselves."


    "How far is your team hiding in?" Hruna Bone unleashed her second psychic arm, turning it pale blue, seeping it into his left leg. A cold sensation pervaded his being, soon turning warm, healing the injured tissues that had worsened due to his overexertion.


    Spurred by the healing energy, his Trait of Recovery reacted with full power, causing his muscles to better absorb the energy, hastening the recovery process. After the trace amount of the Essence of Frenzy had been ejected, his Trait of Resistance countered the poison, allowing his wound to begin healing.


    A minute later, he made a full recovery, the signs of injury no longer present. Once she was finished, Hruna Bone sighed, ???If we are not careful, even a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast can injure or kill us."


    Vishen Walta thanked her, looking at Shimika Doppler as he replied, "If my calculations are correct, they are situated 270 metres south-east from here. Also, since the Tier 3 Lava Turtle is hiding beneath the goals in the swamp¡­"


    "Let''s team-up and take it down."

 Chapter 188: Hunter Clams

    "The plan is simple," Vishen Walta crouched, using a sharp mandible¡ªplucked out from the Floating Spider body parts covering his armour¡ªto draw on the ground, forming a layout. "We will proceed 240 metres east, heading south from there. I have scouted a route in that location; it borders the place we landed and has enough room for us to move as a team."


    "That route is too long and takes too much time. The current stalemate might disappear by the time we manage to reach your teammates." Shimika Doppler tapped the side of her arm, following a rhythm. She pointed at a location in the layout, "Also, we walked through this region, having fought for some time before arriving here. That place is currently swarmed by the Ring Worms that were lured by the scent of blood."


    "We can take a similar measure as yours," Hruna Bone glanced at her teammates standing a distance away, spread around, keeping watch of their surroundings through their Tier 1 Skills. "Their battle strength is lacklustre and covering for them will drain me sooner or later. I suggest we make a cave here and hide them before the three of us head to your team."


    "Do you know any good locations¡­" Vishen Walta turned around, watching a mound float towards them. They were currently north of the rock pillar terrain. It was full of cliffs and valleys, mostly circular in shape, forming winding grooves.


    From the edge of the rock pillar terrain to the yellow wall forming the boundary in the north, the length was only about 50 metres. It was a narrow terrain. This also allowed them to witness a shallow beach of sorts, one that bordered the swamp on the west.


    They were situated quite close to the swamp, only separated by 20 metres. They watched a mound, thrice larger than the others float towards them. Circular grey shells littered the mound, reflecting the sunlight. Swampy fluids, coloured green, yellow, and brown collated on it, forming tiny trails as they flowed down.


    It approached their proximity, arriving at the edge of the swamp, pausing for a second. A thorny head peaked out, brownish-green in colour, its skin covered in scales. Its scaly eyes gazed at them, its serpentine head wobbling slightly as it expanded, rising in height.


    A massive leg, its thickness equal to their girth emerged, pressing on the land, its steps slow. Another leg emerged, also landing on the ground, tilting the mound slightly to the back. Followed by the splashing of the swamp water in the vicinity, the creature fully walked out.


    "A Lava Turtle¡­" Vishen Walta muttered, watching the tail segment of the Lava Turtle still within the water. He glanced behind, witnessing the fluster of the remaining team members, whispering to his right, "Hruna, will you be able to shield its vapour attack?"


    "Unless it isn''t concentrated to the extent surpassing the weight lifting capacity of my psychic arms, I should be able to manage," Hruna Bone replied, also tossing forth a caution of warning, "I know of some methods to disperse the force as much as possible but it might not last long."


    "That is fine," Shimika Doppler whispered, motioning for everyone to silently retreat, "We will defend the excess, just heal us later."


    Hruna Bone nodded, preparing her psychic arms, also forming a shape she had in mind. She currently placed them underneath her armour, intent to expand and shield everyone upon a moment''s notice, unwilling to showcase her cards to the foe beforehand, lest it counters her.


    The Lava Turtle crouched forward a little, its size domineering. A Tier 1 Lava Turtle''s shell spanned a lateral size of about two metres, its height varying between 80 to 160 centimetres. The Tier 2 Lava Turtle before them was thrice the size, like a large vehicle.


    Its reptilian eyes gazed at them, emitting smoke from its nostrils. Its underneath was similarly shielded by the shell, the surface rugged, slightly smooth when compared to the top. Its neck region trembled, prompting the three Cadets to assume battle-ready positions.


    Followed by smoke rising from its nostrils, the air surrounding it trembled, showcasing the abrupt temperature spike. A gust of steam, mixed amid boiling water gushed out like a jet, aimed at them.


    "I won''t be able to block this fully." Hruna Bone bellowed, unleashing the structure she had prepared using both her psychic arms. It was shaped into a cone, with grooves spiralling on it, forming numerous helical patterns that diverged towards the end.


    The tip of the conical structure wasn''t pointed, but was slightly blunt, resembling a hemisphere, also deformed in certain sections, connecting with the spiralling grooves. Hruna Bone spread her arms, coiling them around the hips of Vishen Walta and Shimika Doppler.


    Upon her shout, all three of them mildly jumped, no longer anchored to the ground. This was done to absorb as much of the power behind the jet of water as possible. Their jump also coordinated with the approaching jet, to maximise the effect of the erected conical barrier.


    The team members ran as they watched their team leaders take the brunt of the damage, flustered at the situation. If not for the confidence they had in the strength of the three leaders, they would have long succumbed to their fears.


    The jet impacted the barrier, causing numerous cracks to form instantly, the heat contained within beginning to melt it. Steam spread everywhere, reducing visibility. Trailing along the grooves, the boiling water spread out into various streams, ejected radially along the plane of impact.


    The steam too followed suit, dispersing randomly, but with most of it accompanying the boiling water, thanks to its build-up momentum. Vishen Walta activated his Tier 2 Skill, pulling the other two behind him the moment the conical barrier shattered.


    He focused the effect on defence, raising his arms before him to defend against the jet of water. He adjusted their posture, trying as much as possible to prevent the deflected fluid from falling on the two girls behind him.


    "Ugh," He grunted, feeling a burning sensation course his skin, breaking through his defence. Steam seeped into his nostrils, burning up his insides, causing his body to tremble. He closed his eyes, preventing himself from becoming blind.


    Hruna Bone controlled herself from fainting; blood seeped out of her eyes while veins popped on her forehead, a result due to her psychic arms getting destroyed. It would take her some time, also consuming massive amounts of psychic energy to recreate them again.


    Vishen Walta''s defensive posture wasn''t perfect, causing a lot of the boiling water to spill on her, burning up her skin. Since her armour was already in tatters, she took the brunt of the impact, hollering in pain.


    Shimika Doppler dashed to the side, holding her heavy war hammer, closing in on the Lava Turtle''s side within a second. Since its movements were slow, it couldn''t respond to her, only able to follow her movement with its eye.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªArm Burst!


    The hand holding the heavy war hammer swelled slightly, condensing a lot of energy into it. It experienced an increase in its sturdiness, raising the capacity of the strength, and speed it could muster and withstand.


    "Aargh!" She bellowed, slamming her heavy war hammer downwards, aiming at the neck of the Lava Turtle. The feedback she expected didn''t arrive; instead, she received a response akin to slamming against a boulder, one whose hardness was only a tad inferior to what her strength could affect.


    ''An Amplifier Hunter Clam.'' She watched a grey circular shell receive her attack, its shell completely cracking in the process, revealing the gelatinous muscular body underneath. The momentum of her attack still existed, carrying its body along with the head of her heavy war hammer.


    Another Amplifier Hunter Clam arrived beneath, soaking up the remaining momentum, its shell only experiencing a hairline crack. Its shell spanned about 30 centimetres in size, lustrous to the extent only inferior to a mirror.


    Two tentacles emerged from within, coiling around the shaft of her war hammer, slithering towards her hand, its size going beyond the volume available within the shell. The Amplifier Hunter Clam that first resisted her attack shivered a couple of times, unleashing two tentacles.


    Though, they had just crawled along the shaft for half the distance before falling limp; it died. The tentacles of the second Amplifier Hunter Clam approached her hands, prompting her to let go of her hold.


    Her hand shot to her back, unsheathing a short sword, one whose blade spanned 30 centimetres in length and five centimetres in width. Ignoring the Amplifier Hunter Clam holding her heavy war hammer, she shot towards the neck of the Lava Turtle, getting interrupted by almost 20 Tier 1 Hunter Clams, all Observers.


    Her short sword flashed around, slashing an Observer Hunter clam into two with each attack. The Lava Turtle began to retreat, placing its hind legs into the swamp. Since it only bordered around the edge when it launched its attack, it could easily retreat.


    A sword flew past the jet of water, heading straight for its head. Leaving the heavy war hammer, the Amplifier Hunter Clam moved, getting hit by the sword, causing the hairline crack on its shell to widen further. It caught hold of the sword, extending its tentacles as it slashed towards Shimika Doppler.


    Shimika Doppler raised her short sword, defending against the attack. Her knees buckled up under the force, planting her feet deeper into the ground. She grunted once, glancing around, taking in the overall situation, planning her next attack.


    The Lava Turtle closed its mouth, watching the Amplifier Hunter Clam arrive before it and shield the thrown sword. Using the chance when the jet of water stopped, a figure flashed around, arriving before the Amplifier Hunter Clam, sending a kick its way.


    Tentacles occupied due to the slash it sent at Shimika Doppler, it couldn''t defend against his kick. The Amplifier Hunter Clam was sent flying into the swamp, carrying his sword with it, trailing an arc greater than 10 metres. Shimika Doppler threw her short sword at him, picking up the heavy war hammer.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªBody Burst!


    When all the remaining Observer Hunter Clams congregated together to defend against Shimika Doppler''s hammer attack, Vishen Walta plunged Shimika''s short sword into the Lava Turtle''s neck, easily bypassing its neck defences.


    He made a line, starting from underneath its face, and trailing until the part before the shell. He made a circular cut, severing the neck from its body, watching a copious amount of blood splash on him.


    "Aargh!" He bellowed in pain, hurriedly concentrating the entirety of his Tier 2 Skill''s effect into defence. He hurriedly retreated; Shimika Doppler too followed suit. Witnessing the death of the Lava Turtle, the remaining Observer Hunter Clams ran into the swamp, abandoning the fight.

 Chapter 189: Mutualism

    Similar to the relationship shared between the oxpecker and the buffalo, there were also Frenzy Beasts that lived together for their own respective goals.


    In the case of the oxpecker and the buffalo, the oxpecker feeds on the ticks and other insects harming the buffalo, getting a steady stream of food. The buffalo in return experiences a pest control, prolonging its life. They share a symbiotic relationship that is mutualism in nature.


    The relationship the Hunter Clams and the Lava Turtles share is closer to a bond. Lava Turtles have innately hot bodies, existing at temperatures that other organisms can''t hope to survive. They have bulky bodies that are difficult to move around in.


    They were capable of changing the terrain they live in, turning it into a boiling swamp thanks to their body temperatures and the substances they secrete. A special fluid is secreted through their shell, one that reinforces and grows them. The prime material involved in its production is water and the various minerals dissolved in it.


    If left unchecked, the size of the shell spirals out of control, growing beyond the withstanding capacity of the Lava Turtle. This was where the Hunter Clams came into play. The special fluid was the prime food the Hunter Clams desired.


    It had the effect of both satiating their hunger and increasing their Nurturing speed. Also, their consumption kept the growth of the Lava Turtle''s shell in check. Due to the size differences, a group of Hunter Clams lived on the Lava Turtle''s shell, treating it as their home.


    This in turn led them to defend against any attacks, protecting the Lava Turtle.


    Since their movement speed was really slow in comparison to the numerous Frenzy Beasts out in the Wilds, the Lava Turtles welcomed such an offer. Also, the excreta produced by the Hunter Clams reinforced the sturdiness of the skin of the Lava Turtles, which was another added benefit.


    They helped each other in hunting prey, defending themselves from attacks, and also supporting each other''s growth. A Tier 2 Lava Turtle generally had one Tier 2 Hunter Clam and 15-20 Tier 1 Hunter Clams.


    There were few exceptions of more than one Tier 2 Hunter Clams living over one Tier 2 Lava Turtle. Also, due to their genetic makeup, only Warriors were produced in the Hunter Clam race. Not one Esper had ever been produced in their history.


    "It''s hot!" Vishen Walta screamed, flailing his hands over his armour, breaking all the extra Floating Spider body parts. He continuously retreated until arriving beside Hruna Bone, lifting her. The moment of physical contact made Hruna Bone scream in pain, with sections of her skin peeling off as a result.


    He concentrated the effect of his Tier 2 Skill on defence, not daring to retract it any time soon. Despite the Skill in an activated state, he still felt his skin burn. Small patches of skin on his face cracked, on the verge of peeling off. They were stuck to him, like wet paper that was moved a little, now forming wrinkles.


    Carrying her heavy war hammer, Shimika Doppler gazed at the swamp, watching many other mounds begin to move towards the shore. Others further south made a beeline towards the rock pillars in contact with the swamp, their intention unknown.


    "We have to hurry and head deeper into the land." She shouted, wincing at the pain as she habitually tightened the grip around the handle of her heavy war hammer. She paused for a second, gazing at her palm, watching the skin peel off like the skin of boiled potatoes.


    Her arms began to shiver, trembling under the heat she had faced earlier. The moisture in their surroundings was extremely hot, thanks to the steam dispersed by the Lava Turtle. There were large puddles on the ground, the water similar to the swamp water.


    She took a step forward, wincing at the pain that originated from all over her body, her skin peeling off the moment her armour shifted due to her movements. Her eyes turned red, the air she breathed in being extremely hot, burning up her insides. She felt difficulty in breathing, not to mention her vision being affected.


    Vishen Walta carried Hruna Bone, running towards the other team members, the shouts of his and Hruna Bone echoing in the air. Shimika Doppler trailed after them, emitting a shrill shout in pain but still gritting her teeth and persisting in the run.


    When they had created a distance of about 100 metres from the swamp, they stopped, beckoning for the team members to form a defensive perimeter. He gently laid Hruna Bone on the floor, motioning for Shimika Doppler to take care of her, also signalling some of the girls to stand around her, to shield her from prying eyes.


    Most of the cloth worn underneath her tattered armour had been damaged, coming off from the Lava Turtle''s attack, leaving her in an almost naked state. Considering her current state, with her skin peeling off, no one would be willing to glance at her. Even then, he at least wanted to save her from the embarrassment.


    "Heal yourself first, followed by Shimika and finally me. I can still move around; I will scout a suitable hiding spot while you heal." He made eye contact with Hruna Bone, swerving his head upon saying his piece.


    He glanced at the rest, commanding them to observe the surroundings to ensure no sneak attacks happened. Still retaining the effect of his Tier 2 Skill in defence, he sprinted on the ground, his pace unamplified.


    Proceeding 20 metres towards the south, he came across a couple of thick rock pillars, their diameters crossing two metres each. The point worthy to note about was an arching rock that connected the two, hovering two metres from the ground.


    ''It would be risky if this were to fall on top of us but¡­'' He glanced around, sporting numerous rocks, immediately concocting up a plan. He returned and called for the rest, watching Hruna Bone create a psychic arm.


    Sensing his gaze, she replied with a wry smile, masking the pain she suffered from even though it was apparent by how much her body shivered, "I won''t have enough psychic energy to heal if I condensed my second psychic arm."


    He nodded, motioning for the team members on the lookout to follow him. He made eye contact with Shimika Doppler, exchanging information without the need for words. Shimika Doppler sighed once, her face morphing at the pain her habitual actions brought forth. She bent and gently picked up Hruna Bone, following behind him.


    "Everything changes with the situation," She sighed, "Otherwise, given our strength, we wouldn''t have even been injured facing a Lava Turtle."


    "We would have lost most, if not all our teammates if we hadn''t covered for them." Hruna Bone winced, the nerves along her neck and forehead prodding due to the pain she endured.


    "We would encounter similar situations in the Wilds often. Let us consider this training; isn''t that why they copied the terrain to mimic the Wilds." Vishen Walta stopped, pointing at the two rock pillars as he described his plan.


    "That is a feasible plan, it is also easy to finish and guarantees safety for the time being." Shimika Doppler nodded, motioning for her teammates to begin the construction process. She sat on the ground beside Hruna Bone, watching them proceed with the work.


    Their only task was to align rocks underneath the arching section that connected the two rock pillars, creating a pillar to support the structure from collapsing. While at it, they also wished to cover its two sides and layer it with dirt, making it resemble the surroundings and shield them from sight.


    Many rocks littered their surroundings, an array of shapes and sizes. All they had to do was pick the right ones and chisel the remaining to suit their agenda. While they were busy with the process, Vishen Walta gave them instructions to ensure the sturdiness of their construct, also ensuring not too much noise was made, lest it attracted the attention of the Frenzy beasts.


    "I see the Floating Spiders moving towards the west." A Cadet informed, massaging his brows to ease his strain.


    "Good, what about the rest?" Vishen Walta nodded, looking at another cadet that had his ears placed on the ground.


    The Cadet replied after a couple of seconds, "I only feel a disturbance in the underground north-east and south-west of our location. Our immediate surroundings are currently clear of any Frenzy Beasts."


    "Still, pay heed to every movement. Inform me every 15 seconds of their status." Vishen Walta nodded, continuing to instruct the construction. In the meantime, Hruna Bone sat up, having made a full recovery.


    She heaved a sigh of relief, "Thankfully, they were only surface level burns. Even the damage to the lungs wasn''t severe."


    "It is good that the damage is not severe." Shimika Doppler relaxed, handing her an intact armour. Seeing the armour, Hruna Bone paused in confusion, turning around to notice her teammates lacking some parts each. It seemed they had each pooled a part to assemble a whole for her.


    Just when Hruna Bone intended to thank them, Shimika Doppler whispered, "Don''t bother, they didn''t do it voluntarily. Vishen Walta gently hinted at them while sporting a bloodthirsty gaze. Only then did they tremble in fear and arrive with such a method. This put together armour is only useful for covering your body and doesn''t provide much defence."


    "I never knew Vishen Walta was such a gentleman. His armour too had broken into pieces while he shielded the Lava Turtle''s attack for us." Hruna Bone smiled, turning her psychic arm pale blue and seeping it into Shimika Doppler, beginning to heal her.

 Chapter 190: Lava Turtle Vs Floating Spider

    "Ouch!" Vishen Walta winced in pain, watching a pale blue psychic arm seep into him. In normal times, it was difficult for Warriors to detect a psychic arm. But, when Hruna Bone activated her Unranked Skill Regen, it turned her psychic arm pale blue, allowing everyone to see.


    Usually, Vishen Walta used his aura to get a feel for the presence of any psychic arm. The aura was a phenomenon created due to his body exerting its presence. It was thanks to each cell in his body having surpassed normalcy.


    Aura was a formless force, lacking any physical effect for most. The aura of every individual was different, even to the extent of calling each unique. The aura produced in his body was thanks to every cell in him exerting their presence at the same time, creating a unified whole.


    Similarly, every living being had an aura, just that they weren''t pronounced to the extent normal beings can sense them. Though, once they begin their cultivation journey after ingesting a Wisdom or a Frenzy Parasite, their senses would become attuned to sensing them.


    Now, here came an interesting phenomenon. When an individual unleashes his aura, it spreads into the surroundings. Every time it seeps through an object, its overall strength experiences a mild reduction.


    This was later figured out as a cause of even non-living things possessing their own auras. That is why, when an external aura passes through them, they experience a form of resistance. This was why the aura Vishen Walta exerted couldn''t extend indefinitely. Even the very air around him had its own aura, due to each particle present in it. They resisted his aura on an atomic level, hacking away it to the extent it completely dissipated after a certain range.


    If the invasive aura was enormous, it would annihilate the aura of any object it passes through, also imbuing in them physical damage. The same concept also implied to living beings. This was why Psychic Ancestor Marble managed to wipe out all Frenzy Beasts in a 200-kilometre radius of Marble City just by unleashing his aura.


    The psychic arms of Espers¡ªeven if they were Line Controllers¡ªpossessed an aura of their own. Even if it was trace to the extent they couldn''t control or manipulate it, it allowed their psychic arms to be sensed by other parties as a result.


    After becoming an Amplifier, Vishen Walta was able to unleash his aura, also controlling the volume and place of his body that emitted it freely. Now, when he unleashed it, he would be able to faintly sense the areas where his aura experienced differing amounts of resistance. Through practice, he had an inkling of the resistance offered by the psychic arms of Line Controllers and Area Controllers.


    Though, he had yet to see if such a technique worked on Wave Controllers and beyond. He watched Hruna Bone''s psychic arm seep into him, bringing with it a cold sensation that eventually turned warm.


    He felt the burning sensation abate like the tide. It was immediately replaced by an itch as new skin grew underneath, allowing the older burnt skin to completely fall off. Vishen Walta peeled them in response to the development of the new skin layer, marvelling at the magnificence of the Unranked Skill.


    "At Tier 3, I''ll even be able to regenerate organs, bones, etc." Hruna Bone smiled, her expression bordering on pride.


    "I always wondered how you can coordinate to such a fine extent." Vishen Walta gazed at her, expressing his doubts.


    "You mean to say?" Hruna Bone shot him a confused look, unable to make sense of his statement given the lack of context.


    "Consider my case here," Vishen Walta pointed at a place in his arm where a piece of flesh had been gouged out. It was the place that faced the brunt of the boiling water attack, shouldering both the force and the heat.


    "How do you know which muscle to regenerate, to what extent you have to regenerate them, where you have to connect the nerves, etc? You are not specialised in medicine yet."


    "I don''t know," Hruna Bone smile, watching Vishen Walta almost spring up in alarm. She waved her hand, motioning for him to listen, "Regen allocates for the lack of my knowledge. After I activate the Unranked Skill and seep my psychic arm into the place of injury, the effect of Regen uses the ability of my psychic arm to gain feedback to direct me through the spots I have to heal, the amount I have to heal, the shape, content, etc. So yes, I use the insight provided by the muscles in your body."


    "Once I learn the required knowledge, I will be able to heal faster and not waste time prodding around." She nodded, watching the hole in his arm fill up, soon forming the skin. "I''ll also be able to conserve more psychic energy. I''m almost running dry by healing just these surface-level wounds."


    Shimika Doppler walked towards them, whispering, "The situation has changed, the Lava Turtles are attacking the Floating Spider territory. This might affect our plans."


    Vishen Walta clenched his fist, feeling the strength coursing through his arm. It was in no way inferior to his prior condition, making him conclude a certain point, ''Since she is using the inputs provided by my muscles, it means her healing effect also heals the flesh to the same level as my Nurtured state. No wonder I heard that it consumes a tremendous amount of psychic energy to heal beings at higher Tiers.''


    He shared his insight with Hruna Bone, seeing her nod in response, confirming his speculation. Once he was fully healed, he stood up. Hruna Bone too followed suit, eating an energy biscuit to recover her psychic energy. Shimika Doppler commanded the rest to continue with their tasks as instructed.


    She led the way; Vishen Walta and Hruna Bone followed her.


    The trio made their way towards the swamp, stopping at a distance 30 metres from it. They heard intense rumbling sounds echoing off their south. They trod with caution, keeping an eye on the swamp lest a Lava Turtle crops up and shoots another attack at them.


    Approaching the edge, they carefully peered towards the south, watching many mounds peak out of the swamp, the heads of the Lava Turtles gazing at the rock pillars before them. They positioned themselves 10 metres from the nearest line of rock pillars.


    "Have most of the Lava Turtles spurred into action?" Hruna Bone murmured, gazing at the long line of Lava Turtles in the swamp, all facing the rock pillars. A faint rumble echoed off; mist seeped out the nostrils of almost all Lava Turtles in view.


    The level of water in the swamp experienced a visible reduction, decreasing by almost a centimetre. Jets of boiling water, accompanied by steam were ejected from the mouths of each Lava Turtle, heading towards the rock pillars.


    Three to four jets impacted each rock pillar, causing it to faintly tremble. The intense temperature and flow caused the soil to dissolve in the water. The jet attacks focused on the base of each rock pillar, softening it and grinding it off.


    The rock pillars slowly began to destabilise, soon crumbling, the ensuing fall breaking them into numerous pieces.


    The Lava Turtles destroyed one rock pillar after another, creating rumbling sounds that were akin to thunder. From beyond the affected rock pillars flew the Floating Spiders, hurriedly weaving webs, forming a perimeter 20 metres from the swamp.


    Some Floating Spiders flew out, intending to attack the Lava Turtles. They easily dodged the water jets directed at them, making use of their agility in the air, and closing in on the Lava Turtles. When they neared, the Hunter Clams sprung forth, intercepting their attacks.


    The Hunter Clams had tough shells that defended against the Floating Spiders. Also, when they suffered cracks in their shells, they hurriedly retreated, consuming the special fluid secreted within the shell of the Lava Turtles.


    Within a few moments post-consumption, the cracks on their shells began to heal. Soon, the Hunter Clams rejoined the battle, creating an impasse, preventing the Floating Spiders from ever touching the Lava Turtles.


    Neither side suffered any losses but the battle intensified. The Floating Spiders attacked in frenzy, forcing most of the Lava Turtles to go on the defensive. This in turn gave the Floating Spiders enough time to weave webs around the rock pillars, creating a barrier of sorts.


    Since they were capable of flight, this barricade didn''t mean much to them. But for the Lava Turtles, it was a different matter altogether. Also, due to the extra layer of web coating the rock pillars, it negated most of the damage brought about by their boiling water.


    Now, if they wanted to re-enact their earlier success, the Lava Turtles would have to spend a lot of time to slowly grind each rock pillar that now possessed enhanced defence.


    "The Lava Turtles are also trying to destroy our goals." Shimika Doppler pointed at the midst of the swamp, at a spot where many inverted cones hovered in the air.


    "It is useless though," Vishen Walta laughed, "They were created by Madam Mila. Each Goal is a genuine Tier 5 Artifact; they aren''t something the likes of Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts can ever hope to damage."


    "The question remains," Hruna Bone sighed, "How will we reach there? The water in the swamp is boiling, not to mention its murkiness and the unknown depth. It is filled with Lava Turtles and Hunter Clams; so, swimming to our goal is impossible."


    "Our only option is their extermination," Vishen Walta said, looking at pieces of the broken rock pillars, coming up with a feasible plan. "We will have to rope in the others while on our way to my team."

 Chapter 191: Lava Turtle, Losing Control

    "We should scout the goals in the east first before planning anything strenuous." Shimika Doppler began to return, glancing around the swamp once to take in all the details. Based on Vishen Walta''s line of sight, she observed the broken rock pillars, watching them half-submerged in the swamp, arriving at the same plan as him.


    They both made eye contact, smiling at the other party''s thoughts. Hruna Bone was silent, thinking of something as she gazed at a certain Lava Turtle retreating from the battle. A moment of realisation later, her eyes widened in shock.


    She pulled back the two retreating people, pointing at the Lava Turtle. "That Lava Turtle has been behaving strangely for some time."


    "Which one¡­" Vishen Walta paused, feeling a shock course through his spine. The Lava Turtle was indeed behaving strangely; its head gazed at the sky while its body moved forward. It headed towards a goal, its intentions unknown.


    The stranger point to note was the lack of Hunter Clams on its back. It didn''t seem as if they had died in battle considering its lack of injuries. The Lava Turtle emitted faint sounds, blowing off steam from its nostrils.


    The steam condensed into a small cloud, one that hovered above its head. It swirled around, forming a vortex, creating a dispersed pair of arms. Within a second, the cloud dispersed. A similar phenomenon occurred every time the Lava Turtle exhaled, which happened once every 80 seconds.


    After seeing it for the third time, the three Cadets looked at the faces of one another, feeling nervous, retreating a good distance into the land.


    "It is about to lose control." Hruna Bone muttered.


    The Lava Turtle seemed to be in pain, its cries unheard by its brethren thanks to the ongoing war with the Floating Spiders and the ensuing sounds. It finally seemed unable to bear any longer, its neck stiffening up, erect like a pole.


    Its face gazed towards the sky, opening its mouth, creating a large geyser. It was an Amplifier Lava Turtle; the geyser created as a result of losing control, one produced through strain was quite powerful, impacting the psychic energy barrier hovering a hundred metres above.


    The impacted water spread around, turning into water droplets that fell like rain. The war between the Floating Spiders and the Lava Turtles paused for a moment; the Floating Spiders retreated like a wave, shielding themselves from the rain¡ªcondensed from boiling water.


    Only now did the Lava Turtles notice the oddity of the situation, slowly turning around to gaze at their brethren in the back; it was on the verge of losing control. With a final cry, its voice cracked. In response, its shell too cracked, beginning to split into three, each making an angle of 120 degrees.


    The swamp around the Amplifier Lava Turtle bubbled, with each bubble produced as big as its head, growing in intensity with each passing second.


    "It''s here!" Shimika Doppler muttered, her expression serious, her posture battle-ready, enacting maximum alertness.


    "I knew it wouldn''t allow such a situation to develop further." Vishen Walta motioned for Hruna Bone to hide behind him, watching the bubbles around the Lava Turtle become as big as its body.


    Followed by a gust of steam that covered its entire body, a gaping maw emerged behind the Lava Turtle, sporting a face similar to a turtle but one that was elongated, bearing a faint resemblance to an alligator.


    The gaping maw bit on the Amplifier Lava Turtle''s shell, clamping shut immediately; it caused cracks to form, breaking the shell into innumerous pieces. The maw opened and closed once again, biting off a huge chunk, spilling out copious amounts of blood.


    The blood spilled onto the swamp water, immediately raising steam in large volumes. The third chomp completely severed the body of the Amplifier Lava Turtle into two. As it spit out the remains, the gaping maw slightly retreated.


    Four Hunter Clams jumped out from its back, all Amplifiers. They dug into the severed body of the Amplifier Lava Turtle, tearing through flesh, unaffected by the high temperatures. They soon exited its body, holding a spine.


    It was cylindrical in shape, coiled around by numerous nerves, all leaking blood. The middle portion had an evened out bulge, thinning along the ends. The end on one side was even smaller than the other, also possessing two spokes.


    It wriggled, desperately resisting confinement. The four Amplifier Hunter Clams wound their tentacles around it, constricting its movement. They floated on the swamp water, raising the bound spine towards the gaping maw, waiting for its decision.


    The Gaping maw closed; a thick gust of mist escaped its nostrils as it retreated into the swamp. The four Amplifier Hunter Clams raised the strength in their tentacles, twisting the spine and ripping it apart into five pieces. They paused for a couple of moments, watching each of the five severed spine parts twitch erratically, turning limp one after another.


    Once they went limp, the four Amplifier Hunter Clams further ripped them apart into many pieces, dumping them randomly before entering the swamp, heading in the direction the giant maw had retreated.


    "It is not a newly broken through Developer Lava Turtle," Vishen Walta sighed, massaging his brows, watching the goosebumps that had formed over his arms, "It has probably been at Tier 3 for a considerable duration, at least a couple of years."


    "That makes it all the more scarier." Shimika Doppler began to return to where the rest of her teammates were, intending to give a final round of instruction before enacting their plan. "And, should it possess an Unranked Skill, the situation would prove dire for us."


    "Since the Tier 3 Floating Spider possesses an Unranked Skill, the chances are high for this Tier 3 Lava Turtle to possess one too." Vishen Walta clenched his fists, "It might be the same for the other two Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts too."


    "We can only prepare and hope for the best. We still have sufficient time on our hands." Hruna Bone glanced at the sky, noticing the position of the sun inching towards the centre. "We have approximately three-fourths of the allotted time."


    The three returned to see the remaining team members having finished the construct, only leaving behind a small door for entry. Vishen Walta tapped around a couple of places, determining its structural integrity, glancing at Hruna Bone.


    Hruna Bone unleashed her psychic arm, seeping it through the construct, turning all the stone and soil into her Refined Object. She then increased the resistance offered, ensuring any other Esper wouldn''t be able to easily take control of it.


    She also checked for any gaps or faults, rectifying them. She then raised its structural integrity, nodding upon completion. In the meantime, Shimika Doppler motioned for everyone to enter, watching them walk into the construct one after another.


    Vishen Walta stood beside her, gently unleashing a trace of his aura. When everyone had entered, he spoke, "Now, each of you will donate two energy biscuits to your respective team leader."


    "What? Why?" A girl spontaneously questioned, wondering for his sudden statement.


    "Why?" Vishen Walta laughed, "How else are they supposed to defend you? Tier 1 Skills hardly consume much energy. Also, if you don''t spend any energy, two energy biscuits are sufficient for 24 hours. But, Tier 2 Skills consume a lot of energy upon each use."


    "Except for two energy biscuits, the rest is unnecessary for you. But, in the case of Shimika and Hruna, it is a necessity, especially after theirs were polluted thanks to the attack of the Lava Turtle." Vishen Walta folded his hands, turning silent after saying his piece, only smiling gently at them.


    He made a fair point, his tone equivalent to one used in chit-chat, but for some reason, the team members shuddered. They nodded and were about to take one out from each of their pouches when Hruna Bone stopped them.


    "Your hands are coated with the blood from our last battle. Let me take care of this," She lifted a pouch from her teammate and added energy biscuits from everyone until it numbered 16 in total. She strapped it around her hip, firmly securing it.


    She then evened the quantity in each pouch of the eight team members, doubling it in the final pouch which she handed to a teammate. "The two of you share from this."


    As they nodded, Vishen Walta pointed at the weakest member, "Give me your sword. I''ll return it when I escort my team here."


    The pointed boy nodded meekly, throwing his sword towards Vishen Walta. Once everything had been discussed, Hruna Bone closed the entry, making the entire construct blend in with the surroundings.


    Turning around, they proceeded north for 20 metres, appearing in the terrain with cylindrical trenches. Hruna Bone took out an energy biscuit with the help of her psychic arm, eating it swiftly. She then took out another and fed Shimika Doppler, replicating the same for Vishen Walta at the end.


    The pouch she took out from was her own, the energy biscuits in them were undamaged. Hruna Bone sighed, "The fact that they forgot about the pouches being waterproof and their ability to resist elements to a certain extent, those Cadets won''t make any significant contributions in the future."


    "If they were capable of such basic observations, they wouldn''t have been ranked beyond 600." Shimika Doppler shook her head, "Besides, they lack the drive to improve. Such types will either change upon facing the loss of a beloved or die a fruitless death."


    The trio began to head east, treading through the trenches to avoid being detected. Since the depth of the trenches was almost their height, they could proceed forward without being detected. Wrapped around them was a barrier of psychic energy, shielding their image from sight.

 Chapter 192: Frenzy Beast in the Pond

    "I told you, treading north is dangerous." A girl shouted, defending against a spindle flying her way. She rolled on the ground once, picking up the spindle, using the momentum from her rolling to throw it back at her attacker.


    The Spindle Bee swerved its body, barely dodging the attack, shooting forth another spindle in retaliation. The girl defended against it and picked up the fallen spindle with practice, throwing it once again. This time, her throw was stronger, piercing through one of the Spindle Bee''s wings.


    The puncture lacked penetrating power, impaled in its wings halfway, not proceeding any further. This hindered its flapping, causing its body to momentarily fall. Using the chance, the girl threw her sword, making a direct hit.


    Her sword pierced its body, only stopping at the hilt. The Spindle Bee began to free fall, twitching in pain at its abdomen fully impaled. The girl jumped; her hand grabbed hold of the sword hilt, making a slash, and severing the Spindle Bee into two.


    She descended, waving her sword to slash at another Spindle Bee aiming her way. The Spindle Bee flew back a little, escaping from her slash before it shot forth a spindle. Suddenly, 30 Spindle Bees arrived, with each shooting spindles at her.


    "Ah shit," She sighed, glaring at her teammate, resigning herself to fate. The attack originated from all directions, even if she were to defend some, she would still be hit with the rest. She was bound to be severely injured and would probably have to be pulled out by the staff to prevent her death.


    She crouched low, shielding her face and chest using her shield. She protected the back of her neck using the side of her sword, gritting her teeth to face the pain. A moment later, sharp pain originated from all across her body, the shock confounding her senses.


    For a moment, she even forgot about herself, becoming stiff like a statue. When she opened her eyes, she was in a ward, lying on a berth. Placed beside her were her teammates, all in a state of sleep.


    "Sorry, it was indeed my fault." The voice of a boy resounded in her ears, the tone lacking energy, almost choking with each word uttered. She swerved her head to the left, watching the visage of a crying boy. The boy shed tears, trying to cover his face with his hands to hide it but, the falling droplets made it clear.


    The girl sighed, "We can only take this as a lesson for the future. Our strength, ranks, lineage, pedigree, etc. matter not when we are in the Wilds. Death is the same for everyone. Let us engrave this experience and prevent such a situation from ever occurring in the future."


    "Nicely said," A staff smiled, arriving before her to check her pulse, "Nothing can be guaranteed in the Wilds. That is why we can never be careless. But, we should also take bold decisions when needed."


    "Balancing cautiousness and boldness depending on the situations is how one can survive longer in the Wilds." Another staff entered, making a sweep of the area with her psychic energy. "Now that the lot of you are fully recovered, you can head to the stands and witness the rest of the Graduation Ceremony. This way, you will gain plenty of insight by comparing your decisions to the ones still on the battlefield."


    "Yes, ma''am." The girl stood up and patted the back of the boy, noticing the rest of her teammates beginning to wake up one by one. They slowly made their way from the ward on the terrace of the White Building to the stands, watching a strange phenomenon occurring in the pond in the east.


    "The Developer River Whale has made a move." The boy sniffed once, wiping his tears in a hurry to clear his view, sporting a solemn expression as he gazed at the pond. He and the girl were ranked in the top 300, the rest of their teammates averaged around the late 400s.


    Even then, a single misstep caused them to be overwhelmed by the Spindle Bees and forced to be pulled out by the staff. Also, their attackers were only Tier 1. Now that they witnessed a Tier 3 being taking action, they were tensed.


    "I hope we don''t suffer a total wipeout."


    ¡­


    In the east of the battlefield, bordering the rocky pillar terrain and the pond, a group of 25 sat upon a carpet, afloat. They whispered to each other, making some jokes that raised muffled laughter.


    Despite their conversations, they never relaxed, always keeping an eye on their surroundings while concocting their next course of action. Seated in the middle were two Area Controllers, taking charge of shielding them and keeping the carpet anchored to a spot in the air.


    Their current altitude was at 81 metres, hovering just above the rock pillars. A psychic arm was coiled around one rock pillar, using it to anchor the carpet, and preventing it from hovering any higher, and also from moving due to the wind.


    Sitting at the front was Rakh Veera, observing the pond with a concerned gaze. He noticed some teams from his Batch arrive at the pond, unable to proceed any further. The goals hovered above the water surface, situated quite far away from the land.


    It wasn''t a distance that could be crossed by jumping. Also, swimming to the destination wasn''t an option, thanks to the Frenzy Beasts that lurked within. The pond was the water source the River Whales drew out from.


    The column of water began from the north of the pond, forming spirals in the air before hitting an elevation of 90 metres; it then began to proceed west. It took a meandering route, going above the rock pillars and the trench-filled terrain, always maintaining its altitude.


    It took a turn to the south while on the edge of the rock pillar terrain in the west, unwilling to proceed above the swamp. It arrived at the southern-most point, taking a turn towards the east. It proceeded over the rock pillar terrain and a flat terrain that was a mixture of sand and hardened clay.


    Finally, it returned to the pond in the eastern-most area, taking a plunge downwards before mixing into the pond. It covered a significant territory. Since it defied physics, the River Whales had to constantly swim through it, maintaining its inherent structure through the Trait they were born with.


    Upon prolonged absence, the column of water would start to dissociate and fall off to the ground, acted upon by gravity. Hence, the River Whales took shifts, taking turns to make a full circle through the column of water, also spying on the activities of the other Frenzy Beasts using their high vantage point.


    At the start of the Graduation Ceremony, the yellow face created by Madam Mila listed 12 Frenzy Beasts races living on the battlefield. Based on their knowledge, they could somewhat guess as to which Frenzy Beast lived in the territory they visited.


    Other than the River Whales, two other Frenzy Beast races lived in the pond. If they were on land, they were nothing to worry about, capable of being killed by even weaker beings. But in their natural habitat, they were terrifying foes.


    "The Rigordile and the Shoe Fish; unless something is done about them, we would be unable to secure a foothold on our goals." Rakh Veera muttered, turning his head behind to inquire about the opinion of his teammates.


    The two Area Controllers sat in the middle, with the remaining two Amplifiers taking their left and right respectively, acting as a form of protection for them. Of the remaining Tier 1 Cadets, the three Line Controllers sat right behind the Area Controllers while the Observers were dispersed around the remaining spots on the carpet.


    When he turned around for an opinion, he only meant the Tier 2 beings. As for the rest, they were ranked dead last in their Batch, not even worthy to get an opinion off, unless someone proves otherwise.


    Everyone from the top 10 was assigned with teammates that ranked in the 700s and the 800s in the rankings. Only in this way would the overall strength of their teams be around the average.


    "We have a greater advantage while on land," The amplifier on the right commented, "We can kill the Floating Spiders and use the web they have weaved to make paths in the pond, also creating many barricades using the stone pillars around us."


    "A sizeable plan but it will cause too much commotion." The Amplifier on the left let out a sigh, "Even we would get drowned out if we have to face a horde of Frenzy Beasts."


    "I fear a commotion is bound to happen," Rakh Veera''s tone turned serious, prompting everyone to assume battle-ready positions. Trailing his line of sight, they noticed a phenomenon in the depths of the pond.


    The water splashed around, forming a vortex, raising a column of water. A hurricane formed, the volume of water lifted being enormous. In response to such an action, the number of River Whales swimming in the column of water above doubled, as if all the River Whales had arrived.


    An enormous Frenzy Beast floated, covered by a large revolving sphere of water, causing a waterfall around its edges. A stream of water gushed out from the pond, entering the sphere of water, forming a loop as the enormous Frenzy Beast began to rise in altitude.


    "Begin to retreat! Now!" Rakh Veera bellowed, feeling a chill creep up his spine. The massive Frenzy Beast within the revolving water sphere gazed his way, making eye contact, spurring his action.


    The revolving water sphere rumbled, creating two streams that ejected it, turning into arms that coiled around, forming rings that spun at low speeds.

 Chapter 193: Water Symphony and Rave Blossom

    The water sphere became a vortex, with its mouth facing the sky. The two streams formed rings, revolving around the vortex, all having the same flow, rotating about the same axis. The two rings tilted with respect to one another, with one becoming larger than the other.


    The larger ring slid over the smaller ring, beginning to spin in the opposite direction. The vortex joined with the stream connecting to the pond, turning into a whole that touched the water surface of the pond.


    It took three seconds to stabilise, allowing the silhouette concealed within the vortex to become visible. It was a large marine organism, structured similar to a killer whale, sporting three pairs of dorsal fins, lined parallel to one another.


    It sported a pair of lateral fins, thick and short, curved like an elongated semicircle. It had three more pairs of lateral fins, condensed from water, aligned across its streamlined body, assisting its movement and propulsion.


    It had an elegant tail, thrice the size of a human, gently moving up and down in the water. Its underbelly was a shade of white, with patches of greyish-brown near the face. On its head was a horn, three metres in length and a metre in radius at the stump. It spiralled towards the pointed tip, looking sharp and deadly.


    Small vents existed along its cross-section, the grooves spiralling for half the horn. They seemed a product of evolution, having a specific purpose to achieve. The head portion was wider than the rest of the body but shaped aerodynamically to not impede its movements. The body also seemed to have become more flexible, now able to manoeuvre even more deftly as compared to Tier 2 River Whales.


    Scales covered its body, occasionally mottled with shells, like corals. There was also a ring of corals growing around each eye respectively, shielding the eye from any attacks. It was a Tier 3 River Whale, a Developer. Its appearance barely resembled its lower Tiered brethren.


    The Developer River Whale unleashed its Aura to the full extent. It was like a wave impacted them; except for the five Tier 2 beings in their group, the rest felt difficulty breathing, unable to exert much of their strength.


    Rakh Veera released his aura in response, shielding his teammates, allowing them to take a breather. "It has locked on to us. There is no other option, try to control the carpet''s movement as much as you can and retreat."


    His aura broiled around, condensing into a sturdy cocoon that wrapped around them, unwavering under the brunt of the Developer River Whale''s aura. The aura cocoon slightly expanded before pausing, Rakh Veera seemed in thought, deciding otherwise.


    ''I have to be patient and look for an opportunity.''


    Two lumps formed over the spinning water rings, growing in size while unmoving despite the rotation of their respective rings. Seeing the scene, Rakh Veera bellowed, "It has an Unranked Skill."


    Unranked Skill¡ªWater Symphony!


    The two lumps morphed into two River Whales, their appearance similar to an Amplifier River Whale, the sole exception being their bodies composed of water.


    Water Whales!


    It was the signature move within the Unranked Skill Water Symphony. The two water whales swam through the air as if it was water, their speeds no way inferior to an Amplifier River Whale. They arrived before Rakh Veera and group in the span of three seconds, opening their mouths to bite onto their foes.


    Rakh Veera held his spear in his left, pointing his right palm towards the two water whales. He smiled once, his eyes turning green, also activating his Tier 2 Skill. He didn''t move though, retracting his aura into his body, including the amount produced by the activation of his Skills.


    "Hah," With a shout, he unleashed the entirety of his aura through his palm, directing it at the two water whales. The aura was like a formless force that impacted the water whales, exerting his influence over them.


    The two water whales paused for a moment before bursting, spilling forth as tiny water droplets. The Developer River Whale didn''t show any obvious reaction, condensing two more water whales, and sending them his way.


    As the two water whales swam towards Rakh Vera and group, the Developer River Whale created a third ring, one that spun vertically above the other two water rings. The moment Rakh Veera destroyed the two water whales in the same manner as before, three bumps formed on the rings, one per each.


    This time, they were twice as big as before. The three water whales proceeded towards the rock pillars, trailing two metres above the ground. Seeing the change in its approach, Rakh Veera cursed, "Begin to proceed towards the south. That is the place with the least threat as of present."


    The three water whales impacted a rock pillar each, splashing forth as water droplets. The water pooled on the ground, forming large puddles. It was followed by silence. Two seconds later, a series of cracks formed on the impacted rock pillars, covering its circumference at the bottom.


    Soon, the three impacted rock pillars began to crumble down, creating a large dust cloud that was suppressed by the moisture build-up, condensing on the ground.The Developer River Whale condensed three more water whales, sending them forth one after another.


    When the first one was launched, the third one began to form, experiencing completion when the second one was launched. This way, it was a constant launch, creating a barrage of continuous attacks, with each attack destroying a rock pillar.


    They followed after Rakh Veera and group, destroying the rock pillars under them in response, reducing the spots they could anchor using the psychic arms of their Area Controllers.


    "At this rate, we will soon lack any rock pillar to anchor us and would have to descend." An Area Controller shouted, gritting her teeth as she used both her psychic arms to coil around a rock pillar and pull the carpet they sat upon.


    The other Area Controller extended it to another rock pillar situated further beyond, intending to pull next. Only in this way by taking turns could they raise their speed and avoid being attacked by the water whales.


    On the off chance they were late, Rakh Veera and the other two Amplifiers directed their auras at the water whales, detonating them. Though, it was mostly Rakh Veera''s aura that inflicted the most damage.


    Also, the River Whale was observing and comprehending their methods, also beginning to infuse its aura into the water whales it created, getting more and more accustomed to it as the battle progressed.


    A silk rope lashed out, severing a water whale into two, the blunt force causing the water in the two halves to disperse into fine droplets. Followed by a rumble, the Spider World arrived at the scene, accompanied by six spherical silk structures and numerous Floating Spiders.


    ¡­


    North of the battlefield, standing within a large trench was Vishen Walta. Standing beside him were Shimika Doppler and Hruna Bone. Ten people arrived at the scene, all at Tier 2, with three of them being Area Controllers. They each led their respective teams, brimming with confidence upon seeing their greater numbers.


    "We should have grouped up from the start." A boy laughed, wiping off the blood coating his face, all of which were from the Frenzy Beasts he had slain.


    "If we did that, then we wouldn''t have been able to grasp our terrain. Now, from this information exchange, we have mapped out the entire battlefield." Seeing everyone nod at his words, Vishen Walta gazed at the rock pillars beginning to crumble one after another south-east to their location.


    In response to the rumbling sounds and the earth-shaking tremors, a certain hive was stirred up. The Spindle Bees began to fly out of their beehive, buzzing around each other while scouting their immediate surroundings.


    Followed by the sweet scent of nectar, the hive opened up at the top, and out flew a Spindle Bee, spanning almost two metres in height. Its body sported stripes of grey and gold, occasionally bordered by orange.


    It had three pairs of limbs, relaxed under its body as it flew. Its two pairs of wings flapped in increasing frequencies, creating a buzzing sound while stirring up gales. Its face was a mix between insect and human, sporting an exoskeleton armour.


    Its stinger had a zigzag shape, with the tip shaped like a double-edged blade, spanning almost 40 centimetres in length and five centimetres in width. It was the Developer Spindle Bee, finally stirred into taking action.


    Gazing once towards the west, looking at a spot in the swamp before redirecting its gaze towards the east, it flashed through the sky, arriving before a mound of Floating Spider carcasses.


    It was what the Floating Spiders had piled upon to mourn, unable to be executed due to the repeated attacks from the Lava Turtles and now the River Whales. Due to the battle strength of the Floating Dispersed in the two fronts, this place was currently unguarded, left with only 15 Tier 1 Floating Spiders.


    They were currently engaged in a fight against Ring Worms and Life Leeches that had been drawn by the scent of blood. They were soon overwhelmed and annihilated, allowing the two victorious parties to feast on the spoils.


    The Developer Spindle Bee arrived at a stop, directing its stinger towards an Amplifier Ring Worm that was the biggest of the bunch. It shot forth a spindle from its stinger, watching it pierce through the intended target.


    The Amplifier Ring Worm twitched once in pain, shrieking in fear as its body ballooned from the inside, soon bursting as a bud emerged from within. The bud absorbed all the blood and flesh, growing in size, finally blooming.


    It released the scent of nectar into the air, intoxicating the nearby Frenzy Beasts, causing them to uncontrollably throw themselves towards the blooming flower. When they reached the stigma, the petals clamped shut, causing a multitude of blood to seep out through the gaps.


    The Developer Spindle Bee shrieked in joy, shooting forth spindles one after another, causing many such flowers to bloom, soon changing the terrain. The roots of the flower penetrated the soil, absorbing the moisture and nutrients within, engaging in a growth spurt.


    Vines coiled around the rock pillars, reaching the top in a matter of minutes. A barren rocky terrain had now become a jungle, filled with predatory plants. After waiting for its opportunity, the Spindle Bee finally struck, creating a territory to its advantage in a matter of minutes.


    Unranked Skill¡ªRave Blossom!

 Chapter 194: Time Skip, and an Improved Sync Rate

    31st August, the year 334 of Dawn Era, eight months after the November Batch''s Graduation Ceremony; once the November Batch graduated, a new November Batch joined in the next month.


    8:15 PM, standing within the principal''s office was Jyorta, his hands folded behind him, his position ramrod straight. He was silent, his face covered in sweat, his body faintly trembling. His eyes though, were vibrant, concealing a lot of wisdom.


    The principal''s room was bereft of any other existence apart from him. The table was a mess, with papers of all shapes and sizes scattered around. There was a lack of electrical devices in the room, with the lumination and conditioning actuated by Relics embedded in the walls.


    After spending his time as an Area Controller for more than eight months, his strength had progressed steadily. Also, he had long finished consuming all the 70 Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits given by Grapple Force, causing his Sync Rate to increase by seven percent.


    Thanks to the lead attained in his first month, he was placed consistently in second place for the past eight months, rewarded with nine Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits after each month, for a total of eight times. He would obtain August''s rewards on the 10th of September when the results of his Batch would be displayed.


    The rewards he had obtained collated to 72 Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits, giving him an increase in Sync Rate of 0.1 percent per each. Since he could consume one Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit every day, he had finished the rewards of July¡ªwhich were handed out on the 10th of August¡ªby the 19th of August.


    After his breakthrough to Tier 2 in December, his Sync Rate had fallen to 57 percent. After consuming 70 Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits given by Grapple Force, his Sync Rate improved to 64 percent. Now consuming the 72 Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits over the months, his current Sync Rate surpassed 71 percent.


    ''My Sync Rate has slightly surpassed the one I started with.'' Jyorta thought, standing in the principal''s room all alone, feeling nervous. Today was the day his aforementioned breakthrough to Tier 2 was supposed to happen.


    That was how he would be able to display his power without the need to hide it in the future. Since Madam Mary said she would supervise and protect him during his ''breakthrough'', he had to wait until she became free. In response to that, he was summoned to appear in the principal''s office by 8:00 PM.


    ''The memory power of a Sky Controller is no joke. But, I wonder why I''ve been told to wait. Is it another scheme? But this doesn''t seem likely.'' He thought. The last he spoke to Madam Mary was in December when she had summoned him to give a warning. After that, he had never been summoned ever again, since there wasn''t a reason to do so.


    All this while, he had taken plenty of care to never reveal his state as an Area Controller. But, despite knowing his summons was in response to his fake breakthrough to Tier 2, he still felt nervous. Madam Mary''s tone back then was serious. If he did something that went against her plans, then he was bound to be erased without a trace.


    Considering her strength, if she wanted all traces to disappear, then it was pretty easy for her to achieve. Unless Psychic Ancestor Marble personally paid attention to the area, then it wasn''t possible for any clues of him remaining.


    He didn''t know if Psychic Ancestor Marble would arrive to defend him. He didn''t have any assurance that would guarantee the other party''s willingness to save him. At present, if Madam Mary decided to wipe out his existence, then he didn''t have any methods to save his skin.


    In such a case, his strength as an Area Controller was a joke. After all, the speed, range, and the methods under the disposal of a Sky Controller were beyond his comprehension. His abilities in the domain of the soul, though mysterious had their restrictions.


    He didn''t have much confidence in his soul surviving outside his body at its Tier 2 state. He might be able to prolong his survival by wrapping the two Soul Corneas around his blue soul, preventing it from vaporising until he took root in a different body.


    But, if such a thing happened, then all his efforts till now would prove a waste. Also, despite the troubles attached, his current status as a member of the Bone Family was advantageous. The more he learned about the Aristocratic families in the military academy, the greater the importance he attached to them.


    He had also been concocting his own scheme over the past few months, just that he hadn''t completed anything in fear of being detected. Deific Inference was capable of prying open one''s secrets, even going to the extent of pulling forth an individual''s psyche.


    Therefore, despite having many methods to preserve his life, he hadn''t employed anything, placing his existence under the dictation of Madam Mary. All he could hope now is for everything to proceed smoothly.


    9:00 PM, the double doors behind him opened as Madam Mary walked in, watching Jyorta standing in his spot, having not budged an inch for the past one hour. She smiled, "I was in a nearby room, attending to a guest. We can proceed with your breakthrough to Tier 2 now."


    As she motioned for him to follow her, Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief, feeling his body relax, his tension abating, allowing him to appreciate the beauty of life for a moment. He silently followed her, not asking any questions, the fear imprinted deeply in his mind.


    They walked to the end of the corridor, entering a room on the right. It was a tiny room, three metres in length and breadth, sporting another door on the opposite end. A tiny table was placed beside the door, with a monitor affixed over.


    A lady sat behind it, hurriedly standing up after noticing Madam Mary''s figure, performing a salute. Madam Mary nodded, her gentle voice echoing off the room, "I will be accompanying this child to oversee his breakthrough to Tier 2."


    As the lady nodded in a hurry, Madam Mary glanced at Jyorta, motioning for him to listen to the lady''s instructions, "You will need to complete a basic formality. Normally, one of your teachers will forward the application to us before we consider and give approval. Only then will a Cadet be allowed to attempt a breakthrough. In your case, Mila has already forwarded one yesterday."


    Under the Lady''s guidance, Jyorta handed his ID card, filling up a form before signing at the end. It was basically him giving a written declaration that he was solely responsible for his life, and that he was attempting a breakthrough after having considered all the risks it posed.


    Once he finished signing, the door beside the desk opened, revealing a lift. He followed Madam Mary, entering the lift, watching it descend, its pace slow. 30 seconds later, the lift doors opened, allowing a narrow corridor to come into view.


    There were four rooms, two on each side, their doors separated by a distance of 10 metres. At the end of the corridor was a door facing him; it had a signboard overhead, reading ''Recovery Room''.


    The atmosphere was dreary, with the entire area vacant, bereft of any human presence. Madam Mary opened the first door on the right, beckoning for him to follow, "We rarely have more than one Cadet attempting a breakthrough within a day. So, this place is mostly vacant. Also, the number of Cadets attempting a breakthrough is very few, numbering between 30 and 50 per Batch, among the final three Batches here."


    He entered the room, noticing a mat placed on the ground in the centre. Except for that, there wasn''t anything else in the room, no lighting, no air conditioning, and no objects. It was empty, the atmosphere stuffy.


    Madam Mary motioned for him to sit on the mat in the centre. She hovered in the air, seated cross-legged two metres above ground, watching Jyorta in silence.


    He felt like a lamb whose neck was under the chopping board, with the butcher sharpening his knife in nonchalance, as if it was the most natural thing to do. Jyorta felt afraid, the darkness and the silence fear-inducing.


    There wasn''t any sound apart from his breathing and the sounds of his heartbeat resounding in his ear. Thankfully, it seemed the room had been aired out before his arrival, bereft of any lingering scents. Though, the lack of any scents also unnerved him.


    Madam Mary chuckled, "You did a fair enough job in hiding your state as an Area Controller, so you won''t be punished. There is no need to fear."


    His heart calmed down while his breathing turned softer. Hearing her words of confirmation placated his tensed nerves. He then heard her continue, "Also, since Laila from your Batch made a successful breakthrough yesterday, as ranked second in the October Batch, it will not be a surprise if you breakthrough today."


    "Thank you, ma''am." Jyorta bowed, his mind whirring with thoughts of Laila. Since his emotions had calmed down, the blue soul in him overlaid the false persona, one of calm, optimism, and filled with focus, showing no difference in his exterior.


    He then began to think about Laila, fearing the scheme she was concocting. ''On the 10th of every month, when the results were announced, her score always surpassed mine by 1000 to 3000 Credits, irrespective of how I performed each month.''

 Chapter 195: A Family Member’s Concern

    Laila''s score always led Jyorta''s by a steady margin. Irrespective of how he performed, she was always ranked first. It was as if she could predict his performance and adjust accordingly.


    In order to probe and test if such a thing was true, in the month of May, Jyorta acted as if he was appearing for many tests. But in actuality, it was just a front he put forth. He didn''t appear for a single test during that month.


    All he obtained were the tiny amounts of Credits handed out during the theoretical lessons and the practical sessions. When the results were announced on the 10th of the next month, he was shocked to find Laila''s score only leading him by a small margin, the same as before.


    The next month, he appeared for numerous tests, trying to score as many Credits as possible, also appearing for many practical exams in the subject of martial arts. Other than the month of December, he scored the highest during the month of June.


    When the results were displayed on the 10th of July, the same phenomenon as before repeated, with Laila exceeding him by 1065 Credits. It was as if she could read his mind of all the plans and prepare in response.


    Also, due to her identity, Jyorta dared not try anything drastic that would expose his identity. He didn''t want to fall under her radar. After all, if not for his existence, she would have a monopoly in the domain of the soul, her authority uncontested.


    Laila was the one person he felt the most threatened against. His powers allowed him to convert the souls of others into his own, instilling in them his will, ego, character, etc. also shaping their personalities as he wished. Also, if he wanted them to commit suicide, he now had the methods, thanks to the false personas he could create and imbue in others.


    Moreover, as long as he penetrated the broiling fog around beings at Tier 3 and above, he would be able to overlay a false persona over their souls, temporarily affecting their behavioural patterns. By the time the murkiness in their souls destroyed the imbued false personas, he would be able to achieve his objective.


    These were the abilities he had as just a Tier 2 Psychic Parasite. He dared not imagine the abilities Laila ought to possess, considering her higher Tiered state. The only time he probed her foundation, all he was able to witness was a flat blue wall, the size of which he couldn''t observe.


    Just that fact alone proved about the immensity of her soul''s foundation. She ought to have been a Tier 5 or even a Tier 6 Psychic Parasite. Whenever he was in her presence, his blue soul shuddered in fear. Only thanks to his false persona was he able to control his emotions from being displayed through his physique.


    Jyorta sat cross-legged, wondering what he was supposed to do now. He had to stay in this dark room for quite the time, equivalent to the extent a person took to breakthrough from Tier 1 to Tier 2.


    The actual breakthrough process was short, spanning only a few minutes. But before that, one had to prepare a lot, firming their mindset, keeping their bodies at optimal condition, and consolidating their life''s experiences.


    All this took time, the right mentality while at the right moment. Only when one was confident would they attempt the breakthrough. Also, since this was their first breakthrough, the Cadets consumed more than a couple of hours to prepare while in the room.


    The staff assigned as their protectors were in charge of preparing everything in accordance with the needs of the individual attempting a breakthrough.


    Preparations prior to breakthrough, the assistance provided during breakthrough, and also the precautions taken to ensure the survivability of the individual. Also, if one lost control, the protector should be capable of swiftly killing them.


    Therefore, a lot of weight was placed on the protectors. Due to the nature of the job and the delicate requirements at stake, only Espers were chosen for the task. Also, Espers a Tier higher than the person attempting a breakthrough would oversee as the protector.


    So, when a Tier 1 being attempts to breakthrough to Tier 2, the protector would be an Area Controller. Since the abilities of an Area Controller are lacking, Wave Controllers were the lowest Tier of protectors present in the scene.


    So, for a breakthrough from Tier 1 to Tier 2 and Tier 2 to Tier 3, Wave Controllers took charge as the protectors. Currently, a Sky Controller oversaw the role of a protector for him, which was normally a cause for celebration.


    With a Sky Controller in the scene, the chances for any disaster happening was close to nil. Currently, after getting word from the other party, Jyorta was no longer tensed, thinking of the schemes Laila had apparently been concocting.


    He had long ago tattled her existence to Psychic Ancestor Marble. On seeing that no action had been taken, he decided to drop the matter. Three ancestors, Psychic Ancestor Marble, Rhachis Ancestor Light, and Rhachis Ancestor Dawn had grouped up to kill Rhachis Ancestor Space, Gajara Rahi.


    Once it was done, Rhachis Ancestor Light went around the world, getting rid of all her subsouls. This was the last of the information his sister had given him.


    Now, the fact that despite learning of the presence of Gajara Rahi''s subsoul or possibly her own self inhabiting Laila, Psychic Ancestor Marble hadn''t taken any action; this action of his held a lot of significance.


    This made it seem as if the earlier battle had a lot of underlying significance.


    What was presented to the world wouldn''t have been the actual truth, with reality and falsity intermixing with one another. None of the Ancestors were simple beings, this was an irrefutable fact he was able to verify numerous times.


    Also, the more he thought about their schemes, the greater he was able to dig out from them, shaking the confidence he had in his intelligence every single time. Humans were inertly intelligent beings. This was why they dominated Earth for thousands of years.


    Thanks to the Wisdom Parasite, Warriors obtained superhuman bodies. Their brains too developed, as a result, allowing them to think faster, remember more, and generate thoughts of greater complexities. Espers took this ability to the extreme, almost achieving omniscience.


    Also, only people with complex thoughts were capable of breaking through to higher Tiers. Those with simple thought processes and lacking intelligence would lose control at some point in their journey once the Wisdom Parasite in them develops a sufficient understanding of them.


    This was why the greater a person''s Tier, the more complex of a being he/she turned out to be. It was a process of natural selection.


    ''This world is so similar yet so different from the Earth in my memories.'' The blue soul in him retracted the false persona, noticing Madam Mary''s intention to talk to him.


    Over the past few months, he had begun comprehending the treasure trove of experiences contained in the memory fragments in his blue soul. He also began to digest the memories from his past life, enriching his character, trying to understand how his character had been shaped as is.


    Apart from the memories of his past life, he simultaneously comprehended the memory fragments belonging to the Floating Spiders, trying to understand their thoughts, ambitions, intelligence, behaviour, structure of their society, their social norms, etc.


    As for the memory fragments siphoned from Heima''s Wisdom Parasite, he had yet to touch them. He first wished to finish solidifying his character by using his previous life''s memories. Only then did he plan to touch the memory fragments from Heima''s Wisdom Parasite.


    Those memory fragments belonged to Ehara Gobi, a subsoul of Gajara Rahi that had hidden itself within Heima''s soul. Even though he desired to comprehend the secrets her memory fragments contained to get a boost in the abilities of his soul, he controlled himself.


    ''One step at a time, like always.'' He noticed Madam Mary open her eyes, gazing at him with a smile.


    She opened her mouth, scanning him from head to toe, "The side effects of your Trait of Corrosion haven''t emerged in the past eight months nor did Grapple Force ever contact me in regards to this matter. If my memory serves right, they only claimed to have temporarily resolved this issue. What are your thoughts in regards to this?"


    Jyorta felt a slight chill spike through his spine, throwing his thoughts into chaos. The meaning behind her statement was tremendous. She was directly questioning the validity of the claim, despite it originating from Grapple Force, with the Head being Atika Light, one whose prestige and authority was almost equivalent to the Ancestors.


    Even though she had mentioned eight months ago about not raising any questions and putting him in the spot, her current statement proved otherwise. It was a direct probe, the intentions unconcealed.


    If he failed to give a proper answer, then he was bound to garner her animosity. If he said anything he wasn''t supposed to, then there was a guarantee Atika Light was bound to destroy him.


    "I won''t put you in the spot; just tell me how you feel. Are there any problems you face in your daily life? Do you feel some disorder while using the Trait?" Madam Mary smiled, "This question is only directed from one family member to another. I am not asking about what you had learned in Grapple Force. I only want to know if your body feels alright."


    "I am concerned since Jyovic Bone tends to disregard a lot of things while immersed in his research."

 Chapter 196: Attachments, and Memory Fragments

    "Family¡­?" Jyorta accurately sensed the strangeness in her statement, becoming confused.


    Madam Mary''s concern was unnerving. It didn''t seem like something that would originate from a principal to her student but from someone sharing a closer bond, like a family member.


    But, Madam Mary''s actions didn''t correlate with her behaviour from before, the prime source of his confusion. The last time they shared a conversation, he was given a death threat in the name of a warning. Her current show of concern came out of the blue, with no rhyme or reason.


    "It seems Jyovic Bone had never mentioned it," Madam Mary sighed, noticing his confusion. "I guess it is part of being the head of an Aristocratic Family."


    She let out a wry smile, "I have three children, Havita, Hubert, and¡­Henrietta. Henrietta was my third child. And technically speaking, Jyovic Bone is my husband, or was once."


    "Many things had happened between us, one after another; we drifted apart, eventually becoming distant. My three children spent their childhood alternating between the Bone family and the Veera Family. Due to the nature of things at play in Veera Family, considering its standing at the peak of all Aristocratic Families, the three of them eventually decided to settle within the Bone Family."


    "I, on the other hand, had too much on my plate. After a failure in my breakthrough to Tier 6, and sensing the potential of Angrushen Light, I became responsible for fostering his development towards Tier 6. This further distanced me from my children, eventually creating a wide chasm between our relationship. I guess this was probably why your mother never mentioned me; that poor child."


    Madam Mary''s tone was one immersed in nostalgia, with traces of regret buried here and there. She expressed her sadness over the loss of her child¡ªmourning. A single tear seeped from her right eye, making a trail across her wrinkled cheeks.


    She regained composure within a couple of seconds, showing the rigidity of her heart, one that had been tempered over the decades, due to the position of power and authority she wielded. Despite everything, her feelings were conveyed to Jyorta, affecting him, turning his sight blurry.


    His body slightly trembled, his voice became choked. Even though he personally hadn''t forged an attachment with either Henrietta or Hancent, having fully comprehended the memory fragments of the previous Jyorta and making them his own, he began to unconsciously see them as his own parents.


    Memories shaped oneself, whether good, bad, or ugly. Unlike the memories from his past life, the memory fragments belonging to the previous Jyorta had its own attachments to life. Of these, the attachment to Henrietta and Hancent formed the majority.


    This was why he dared not comprehend Ehara Gobi''s memory fragments until he comprehended the memories from his past life. Even the rate at which he comprehended the memories of the Floating Spiders was at a snail''s pace, taking measures to not form an attachment towards them.


    If such a thing happened, then he might begin viewing the Floating Spiders in the same way he considered humans¡ªbrethren from the same race. If such a situation came to pass, then he would become a lost cause.


    Once attached, it was difficult to break free. The domain of the mind scaled in complexity similar to the domain of the soul. Experiences and attachments belonged to the domain of the mind.


    The only thing he could affect in this domain was destroying the memory fragments using his Skill¡ªCorrosion.


    Thereby, he had to be careful in regards to a lot of things. A single misstep would create a vicious cycle. His abilities weren''t absolute; they came with their own drawbacks and limitations.


    Despite all that, he was thankful for possessing such abilities. At least, he was granted a method to attain power that was different from the norm and one that hardly anyone was privy of.


    In a world where survival was difficult, with all sorts of powers and uncertainties at effect, having a power exclusive to him gave him a greater guarantee of survival.


    His powers of the soul came with attachments, formless shackles deciding the path he trod upon. These came from the creepy-haired man''s arrangements, the person who had killed him in the previous life and caused him to become the current blue soul.


    The cost of the power was for him to confront Mother Parasite, otherwise commonly referred to as Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. The opponent was such a powerful being that it was unmatched in the world, the likes of which Jyorta couldn''t even hope to gaze at present.


    But, once he changed his mindset, he began to view the situation differently.


    After becoming a Tier 6 being, Jyorta would definitely have to confront Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. If he failed to achieve Tier 6, then he wasn''t even qualified to worry about the matter.


    It was quite simple when he thought about it. Whether he had the powers of his blue soul or not, nothing changed. The things he had to do at the respective levels remained the same. Now, all he had to guard against was becoming a puppet of the creepy-haired man. After all, he didn''t know what other arrangements had been hidden in his soul.


    Jyorta wiped his tears, noticing the other party heave a forlorn sigh, continuing with a sad tone, "It is a pity that she died an untimely death in the Flying Signature Raid. As a mother, I have failed her many times in her life."


    Madam Mary took a moment to compose herself, wiping the sole tear mark on her cheek. She then gazed at Jyorta in silence, giving him the time to get his emotions under control.


    Five minutes later, when his mental state had stabilised to a certain extent, Madam Mary spoke, "In terms of talent, Jyovic Bone is one of the finest in Marble City. But, it is because of this very reason that I am concerned."


    "The Trait of Corrosion that you possess, its effects are said to be capped at Tier 2. Irrespective of the methods used, it could never be elevated. Also, since it is still a prototype, it has many side effects. The fact that you are the sole successor speaks volumes about it." Madam Mary watched his changing expression, her tone varying in response.


    She continued, her pace unhurried, "If you have any problems, I would be able to treat you. That is the least I can do as your grandmother. This room is isolated from prying eyes, the sole place I could converse freely. Don''t just assume that I can move unhindered in this military academy as its principal. Every action of mine is watched by members of the Royal Families and the other Aristocratic Families."


    "Every military academy in Marble City is controlled by either the Marble or the Light Family. Our military academy is the sole exception, controlled by me. So, many people are secretly envious of my position, even though I earned this seat through a lifetime''s worth of achievements. Just my Unranked Skill Regen has saved innumerous lives ever since its appearance, causing our survival rate to massively increase, and also raising Marble City''s strength as a collective whole."


    "So, for many reasons, they will be constantly watching my every action, trying to find faults in me. They only need the bare minimum of a chance to try to seize my seat. Therefore, I can never show any partiality. This was why I had to say what I said to you back then. I hope you understand."


    Seeing Jyorta nod, she continued, "Now, tell me how you feel. We only have this short duration with us."


    Jyorta paused in thought, looking as if he was framing the sentences in mind. Though in reality, he was clueless about what to say. His possession of the Trait of Corrosion was a lie. Therefore, he didn''t have any of the aforementioned side effects. Due to his lacking experience, he couldn''t create a lie on the spot.


    If Madam Mary decided to investigate or cross-reference his claims, then his lie would be found out. Also, he didn''t know if everything she said currently was all but to test him. If the problem he said was something simple that Madam Mary was able to easily heal, then it wouldn''t make sense for Grapple Force to personally invite him out of the military academy.


    As the creator of the Unranked Skill Regen, Madam Mary was the most capable in terms of healing, her expertise lay in various fields. So, the fact that she hadn''t been requested to help meant that the solution to his problem lay elsewhere, beyond her expertise.


    Now, if his lie made it seem as if the solution to his problem was something she could cure, then Madam Mary might doubt Atika Light. That would become even worse. Offending two terrifying characters was tantamount to suicide.


    He would be stuck between a fire and another fire, his fate being one of doom either way. So, Jyorta had to rack his mind and create a possible explanation.


    The blue soul overlaid the false persona, allowing his thoughts to become clear, spotting many points of oddity in the current situation.


    If he were to realise that Madam Mary had long since seen through him, knowing of the Traits he possessed, his thoughts would differ. Plans, lies, deceit, etc. can only be concocted successfully when one has all pieces of the puzzle, i.e. information in his case. Also, it only worked when one had information superiority.


    Due to a lack of knowledge, any lie he creates was bound to fail.

 Chapter 197: A Blurry Lie

    Jyorta took in the view of his blue soul, watching his surroundings turn dark, now replaced all-around by a broiling fog, one whose intensity was similar to Atika Light''s. It was like gazing at the turbulent sea, one during a full-moon night.


    ''I don''t know if what she said was the truth or a lie she concocted just to test me. But irrespective of the reason, my emotions were affected through external means, with the effect still persisting. She must have done something to the surroundings to subtly affect my emotions. I wouldn''t be surprised if she had one of her psychic arms hiding within my body.''


    Using the clarity brought about by his false persona, he maintained the same emotional state as before, looking immersed in thought, thinking, ''Grapple Force claimed of the side-effects brought about by my so-called Trait of Corrosion. To be honest, there is neither a Trait of Corrosion nor its accompanying side-effects. I can only go with the excuse they have prepared and slightly improvise it.''


    Jyorta exited the view of his blue soul, collating his thoughts and forming the sentence he wanted to speak. He gazed at Madam Mary, speaking without a pause, "To be honest, I never experienced the side-effects. All I ever feel is some minute sluggishness in my psychic energy when I use it at full power. But that too, I am only able to feel them recently after becoming an Area Controller. Until I was called by Grapple Force, I didn''t even know about any side-effects nor did I feel one."


    "Anything else?" Madam Mary looked at him with a gentle smile, her tone calm, as if she had known about it beforehand.


    "That''s all, ma''am. I have never used the Trait, barring the single time I did before. So, I haven''t felt anything else. When I was in Grapple Force, I was accommodated in a room half the size of my dorm room. Nothing of note was done to me. I just had my meals, slept, and did nothing else."


    "All''s good if you are fine," Madam Mary smiled, nodding at him once. She then made some small talk, asking about his experience in staying at the military academy. Jyorta replied with a prepared response, which mostly bordered on thoughts that were common among the students.


    After some rounds of conversations, Madam Mary turned silent, no longer speaking anything. On noticing her unwillingness to pursue the topic about his Trait, Jyorta mentally heaved a sigh of relief. He then closed his eyes, taking a meditative posture.


    An hour later, Madam Mary opened her eyes, "That should be about it. We have spent enough time here. You can directly return to your room. Since I was the one who supervised your breakthrough, it would be assumed that I have fully healed you. This is just a formality since most of the staff and faculty members are privy to your situation."


    Jyorta stood up, performing a bow towards her, "Thank you for your help ma''am."


    "It is only natural that I would help my grandson," Madam Mary smiled, "Though, I wouldn''t provide any more help. Never slack during your days here; try to grasp every opportunity you can find. A diligent person will definitely be rewarded, especially in our merit-based society."


    As Madam Mary floated towards the exit, Jyorta followed after her, hearing a voice echo in his ear, "Everything we have spoken about here, don''t leak it everywhere. You are intelligent enough to know why, right?"


    Jyorta nodded, exiting the room, following Madam Mary through the lift, and finally arriving in the corridor from before. Madam Mary slowly walked towards the principal''s office, not glancing behind even once, her expression sporting a smile as always.


    Jyorta bowed towards her direction once before descending through a flight of stairs nearby, exiting the Head Office Building. He walked on the ground, inhaling the scent of the grass, feeling invigorated.


    The stuffy atmosphere from before, seated in a room with barely any illumination, they were partly calming but mostly fear-inducing. Jyorta felt free now, walking on the open grass plain.


    He appreciated the open ground for the space it provided. It allowed him to broaden his perspective from time to time. He headed to the cafeteria, ate some snacks, and walked towards his room.


    Closing the door behind him, and placing the key in its respective socket, Jyorta heaved a sigh, feeling his mental state running on exhaustive levels. Every moment he spent with Madam Mary felt like he was treading on a thin rope, beneath it being an abyss that sought to devour him whole.


    His nerves were tensed for the whole time, despite Madam Mary speaking a couple of sentences to calm his nerves. The fear etched in his heart never disappeared even once. The reason for this was due to his inability to detect her psychic arm if she wished to hide them from view.


    ''At one hundred percent Sync Rate, the Range of a Sky Controller''s Domain is 10 kilometres. I am well within her range. Even now, her psychic arm might be inside me, sensing every action I take. It might just be my paranoia affecting my thoughts; Madam Mary is a busy individual, she wouldn''t waste her time monitoring my actions 24x7.''


    ''There is also no guarantee that she isn''t monitoring me either. After all, if she had a method to detect the presence of Traits in a human body, she would have figured out the truth long ago. Or maybe¡­'' he sighed, unable to figure out the full extent of the lie Psychic Ancestor Marble had concocted.


    The effect of his Trait of Corrosion couldn''t be sensed unless it acts upon a physical object. That was what had been established when he used his Skill, Corrosion in Madam Mila''s class. If the lie had been built upon this factor, meaning even the Trait couldn''t be sensed, even if a method to detect Traits exists, he would be safe.


    ''It may be or may not be.'' He shook his head, picking up a glass jar on the table by habit. Contained within it was yellow dust, created by Madam Mila. It was a gift she had given to every Esper in his Batch early on.


    Jyorta unleashed his psychic arm, seeping it through the glass jar, watching it pass with ease. Every particle of the yellow dust was his Refined Object, possessing zero resistance to his psychic energy. Upon the influx of his psychic energy, the yellow dust swirled, forming the shape of a person. It was his appearance, a miniaturised version.


    His figure crumbled, turning into the Indigo Building. It then changed into Haesha''s appearance, remaining as such for more than three seconds. He unleashed his second psychic arm, also passing it through the glass jar, seeping it into the created figure of Haesha.


    He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening it, willing his complete concentration into the glass jar. The lower jaw of Haesha moved, slightly, collapsing soon. This led to her entire figure collapsing into the yellow dust, collecting at the bottom.


    "Failed again," Jyorta sighed, it was training, one he performed every day. The abilities of Espers became more complex at higher Tiers, requiring greater skill, concentration, and control. That was why he trained with the yellow dust every day.


    It took him almost a month just to get his figure right. As for Haesha''s, he could only recreate her face and hair, with the rest of her figure looking like a basic female humanoid. It was a sort of task Madam Mila had given to everyone, meant as training.


    The task was for everyone to create their respective faces before the end of their term. Since Jyorta was an Area Controller, Madam Mila changed his task, whispering him to create the bodies of himself and five other people.


    All had to be done using the yellow dust. It was a difficult task but Jyorta learned a lot each time he tried it. When he had first finished refining the yellow dust, a thought popped into his head, it was the gift Madam Mila had hidden within the yellow dust.


    The thought was a set of instructions that guided his will into shaping his psychic arm, flattening and enlarging it, turning the surface convex. It was the method to create a barrier, something every Esper ought to learn and master before they graduated.


    Thanks to the guidance by the thought, most Espers were able to finish creating a spherical barrier¡ªusing their psychic arms¡ªin a month. They were then slowly trained every day in hastening the creation of the barrier, in preparation to be effective in battles.


    The task of shaping the yellow dust into their faces was a next-level application of the barrier. A spherical barrier consumed too much psychic energy to create and maintain. It also consumed greater volume, increasing air resistance, having a greater chance of being hit, etc.


    Therefore, layering the barrier over the surface of one''s body was the best method. This task was to achieve that. Thanks to being an Area Controller, Jyorta had managed to achieve it within a couple of months, allowing him to greater appreciate his enhanced abilities.


    Line Controllers were only capable of moving their psychic arms straight. So, if they had to change direction, they had to retract their psychic arm and unleash it anew, pointing at the desired direction. This was another limitation that put Line Controllers at a further disadvantage.


    Area Controllers were slightly superior in this aspect, but even they faced many limitations. Only Wave Controllers were bereft of such limitations, allowing them to exhibit the true powers of an Esper.

 Chapter 198: How Espers Trained

    Warning: Little Math Ahead!


    At a hundred percent Sync Rate, Line Controllers were capable of moving objects at a speed of one metre per second, but following linear paths. The refined objects could only weigh a maximum of one kilogram in total, movable only a metre around them.


    But, the weight limit didn''t conform to a single Refined Object. The psychic energy of Espers was capable of seeping through objects. Meaning, given the objects were Refined Objects of the Line controller and were lined up one after another within the one metre range, then the Line Controller would be able to seep his/her psychic arm through all of them.


    As long as the total weight doesn''t exceed a kilogram, the Line Controller would be able to lift all the Refined Objects. Also, the restriction the Line Controller faced only conformed to the direction of movement and not his psychic arm''s morphing.


    The control of a Line Controller was only a single line, meaning a single direction. So, he could line up his psychic arm, thinking about it in reference to the three directional axes, X, Y, and Z.


    Now, for assumption, let us assume the psychic arm of the line controller aligns with the positive X-axis.


    Using his ability to move in a straight line, the Line Controller could make the psychic arm expand along the Y-axis, one point at a time, one after another. When he finishes it, his psychic arm would now resemble a square.


    Similarly, he could repeat the same in the Z-axis, expanding one point after another, eventually ending up with a cube. Now, he could expand and contract similarly, the only limitation being able to move in a straight line, one at a time or a collective whole aligned in a straight line.


    Suppose each point of the cube is made up of particles, possessing a definite mass and volume. Then, they would all be the Line Controller''s Refined Objects, their motion controlled by him.


    Now, the Line Controller would only be able to move them in a single direction as a collective whole, despite them being individual units. But, since his psychic energy¡ªthe building blocks of the psychic arm¡ªhas seeped through the particles, holding them in place, the Line Controller would be able to achieve something different.


    Consider the cube to have a side of 80 centimetres. Suppose he chooses a point K(20, 30, 80)¡ªsituated 20 centimetres from the Y-axis, 30 centimetres from the X-axis, and 80 centimetres from the X-Y plane¡ªwith 100 units conforming to a metre in length and moves it up, it will create a point of vacancy in its original spot.


    Suppose the Line Controller throws away the displaced particle; now, the cube is no longer a perfect cube; the point K920, 30, 80) becomes a void. Using his control, while holding all the particles in place, the Line Controller will be able to move one particle after another, changing the shape of the cube little by little.


    Now, the task Madam Mila had assigned them was the same. They would have to pass their psychic arm through the glass jar, passing through all the yellow dust, arranging them into the shape of their face one particle after another.


    Each particle wasn''t too small, only half a millimetre, visible to the naked eye. This way, the Line Controllers were able to spot and move each particle without trouble. It was a daunting task, requiring monstrous patience and concentration.


    It was assigned to them because concentration and patience were traits preferred to exist in Espers, either naturally imbued or artificially cultivated. Only then would they able to create complex structures in the future while in the Wilds, amidst battles.


    Area Controllers were capable of moving objects in two directions simultaneously, capable of expanding and contracting along a plane. This allowed Jyorta to complete the task layer by layer, taking a shorter time as compared to his Line Controller peers.


    When he becomes a Wave Controller in the future, he would be able to manoeuvre his psychic arm in three different directions. Therefore, Wave Controllers were capable of replicating their current task in a single second.


    Line Controllers acted in one-dimension, Area Controllers acted in two-dimensions, and Wave Controllers acted in three-dimensions. This was why only from Tier 3 would Espers be capable of exhibiting their powers to the full extent.


    Placing the glass jar on the table, Jyorta picked up a notebook and tore a blank page from it. Using a cellophane tape, he affixed it on the wall beside his bed, near his feet. He picked up a ball-point pen and sat on the bed, assuming a cross-legged pose.


    He seeped his psychic arm into the pen, hovering it in the air. He brought the pen towards the paper, its nib situated a millimetre from the surface. With a thought, the pen began to rotate, spinning faster and faster.


    He gently touched the spinning pen on the paper, immediately changing its direction, creating a curve on the paper. He moved the pen, limiting contact with the surface lest it bore a hole through the paper.


    "Jyorta!"


    He pressed and relaxed the pen for each word, using a scrip form to write the letters. Even though it read Jyorta, the handwriting was too shabby, as if written by a person who hadn''t written for almost a year.


    He stopped the pen''s spin, bringing it towards him, and made to hover beside his ear. He then unleashed another psychic arm, using it to peel off the paper from the wall, watching many places form tears due to his lack of control.


    He brought the paper before his face, inspecting the depth of the impression, commenting in praise, "The control is better than yesterday. The number of times the pen bored through the paper is one less than yesterday."


    This was a simple but effective method he employed to raise his control in using his psychic arms. Only with greater skill would he be able to achieve more, the difference forming a gap between life and death in the Wilds.


    He already began to plan and take everything seriously. There was no concept of higher education in Marble City; the military academy was the highest, equivalent to the 12th standard from the memories of his previous life.


    Once they graduate from the military academy, they would enter society as full-fledged adults. Becoming soldiers was a mandatory requirement for everyone, irrespective of their status, pedigree, strength, authority, etc.


    Becoming a soldier was the primary job requirement; they were also offered many options in regards to the subsidiary jobs which ranged between everything present in their society. Each job had its respective organisation.


    When graduates from the military academy join the respective organisations, they will be taught while on the job. Every field required one to be aware of the relevant knowledge but, only until the military academy was one solely studying.


    Beyond that, people were required to make time and study while simultaneously performing their jobs. Thanks to their enhanced selves, it wasn????t a difficult task to achieve.


    Currently, Jyorta practiced moving the pen while it was spinning. The top speed an Area Controller could move an object was at 10 metres per second, given he had a Sync Rate of 100 percent. This speed wasn''t even close to being lethal on regular humans, not to mention evolved beings present everywhere in their world.


    Slashing a sword using his hand would be more lethal than a similar attack executed by an Area Controller at full power. This was why Jyorta emphasised controlling the pen while spinning it.


    Spinning increased the power of penetration; the friction caused between the pointed tip, and the contact surface allowed the tip to drill through. Achieving rotation was simple for an Area Controller, the prime factor they depended on to perform many things.


    Jyorta seeped his psychic arm along the longitudinal section of the pen, holding it firmly. Using the powers of an Area Controller to actuate in two different directions, he applied a force along the lateral direction, aiming at the spot right beneath the surface layer.


    This maximised the effect of the torque created, causing the rpm to swiftly increase with little effort. Of the potential two directions he could actuate, one was used to create the rotation. He used the remaining to move the pen: forward, backward, along the sides, etc.


    As long as he constantly varied the direction of the force designating the pen''s movement, he would be able to write. The more he tried it, the greater his control improved. When he tried this method first, he failed to divert his attention to move the pen while spinning it.


    Once it started to move, it stopped spinning and vice-versa. The more he practiced, the greater he began to get a hold of the ability to multitask two different actions at one time. It took him almost a month to get it correct, his concentration no longer breaking.


    After that, he wanted to practice his control, switching over to writing on a piece of paper using a pen. This allowed him to further his concentration and the delicateness of his skill level. Only through repeated practice would he be able to execute an action instantly without any errors.


    It took a lot of time to get accustomed to each minor Esper ability, since it delved into a new field humans were not imbued with by birth. As for Warriors, their strength mostly involved moving their bodies, which was something everyone did from birth, so they had it easy.


    The only aspect they had to concentrate on was the Skills. The more they comprehended the workings of their Skills, the greater the effect they could achieve when using them. Bus, since even Skills correlated to affecting their body, or a part, they could train and improve. Their training was simple and only required repeated practice.


    Warriors had it relatively easy as compared to Espers who had to master many delicate aspects, most of which depended on their thoughts. So, Espers had to constantly maintain clear thoughts.


    A moment of chaos disrupts the order in the psychic energy they unleashed, dispersing it into the atmosphere. A single instant of distraction will cause their efforts to turn futile.

 Chapter 199: Youth

    1st September, the year 334 of Dawn Era; an alarm rang aloud, its sounds echoing off the walls. A figure slept peacefully amidst the sounds, his blissful slumber undisturbed. The sounds stopped after a minute, allowing a moment of peace to encase the room.


    The figure turned around, shielding his face from the gentle rays of the morning sun. Fifteen minutes later, the alarm rang once again, this time accompanied by a second alarm. The two sounds intermixed with one another, creating a cacophony, magnifying the disturbance caused.


    The eyelids of the figure twitched, slightly disturbed by the noise, but not to the extent of getting his sleep disturbed. Three seconds later, the sounds of a hand slamming on the door resounded, the thunderous vibrations felt all the way to his berth.


    The knocking sounds were loud, almost dwarfing the alarms, disturbing the boy''s slumber. It was Jyorta, sitting up with a start, anger clouding his face. He sprang from the bed, making a couple of long strides, and reaching the door.


    He cranked it open, finding a familiar tall figure standing at his doorstep like always, "Why do you have to wake me up every single day?"


    The tall figure''s face was flushed red, stemming from his built-up anger. His voice though, was restrained with difficulty, "Brother, why do you have two alarms if you never wake up at their sound? They are really loud. I can''t even remember the last time I slept well in the morning."


    "The thing is¡­" Jyorta nodded in realisation, "For some reason, I am able to ignore the alarm sounds while sleeping. It is good that you are here."


    The boy''s anger spiked up to a new zenith, watching Jyorta speak without pause, "Anyway, as an Esper, you should be able to cover your ears with your psychic arm. Consider it training."


    Jyorta slammed the door shut and walked towards the bed, still feeling drowsy. He forgot time and had practiced late into the night before, so the amount of shut-eye he could manage was less than optimal.


    "Bastard!" He just lifted his leg to slide underneath his bedsheet when he heard a shout from beyond, followed by a loud smack on the door.


    "Strange, why is he the only one who could hear my alarms? The Esper in the other room attached to mine has not once complained." He shook his head, deftly sliding underneath his bedsheet, pulling it upwards until right beneath the nose. He then placed his right arm over his eyes, shielding his sight from the light.


    6:33 AM, two minutes later, Jyorta sat up, feeling his drowsiness abate like the tide, imbuing in him clear-headedness. Letting out a sigh, he picked up his room key and exited the room, locking it behind him.


    Jyorta began a morning jog, keeping his fitness up to the standard. He intended to develop his body to the limit attainable by Espers¡ªa well-trained body possessed by normal humans his age (Though there weren''t any in this era).


    Running along the boundary of the ground, Jyorta felt his emotions getting refreshed. The rich air mixed with the scent of grass and the traces of moisture carried by the wind, they invigorated his senses.


    He began to feel optimistic for the day, affected by the morning rays and the vibrant atmosphere. Another thing that led to his uplifted emotional state was him no longer having to mask his state as an Area Controller.


    Even though he couldn''t display his current strength, only allowed to reveal based on the progress of an Area Controller''s development, it was still better. A tinge of aura leaked out of his body, something he voluntarily released.


    Newly broken through Area Controllers in his case would just begin to form their aura, unable to control it until taught by the faculty.


    Since he had just broken through on the night before, he wouldn''t have had the chance to be taught aura control by a faculty member. So, he had to put up a front of being unable to mask his aura.


    One had to be careful regarding the details; even a single misstep would collapse any detailed plan. So, he had long since planned through everything worthy of consideration. Madam Mary''s threat was still fresh in his mind, something he dared not forget.


    Even if whatever she said the previous day was the truth, he dared not take the risk. Why risk his life for something that could be easily achieved with little to no effort?


    As an Area Controller, one who had been at the Tier for a bit more than eight months, something like controlling the seepage of his aura was easily achievable.


    "Congratulations!" A Warrior raised his hand and shouted as he passed by. Seeing the aura Jyorta emitted without control, it was evident for everyone that he had broken through recently.


    "Thank you." Jyorta waved back, continuing with his jog. Along the way, everyone he came across congratulated him.


    Breaking through to a higher Tier was always a cause for celebration, something that had been drilled into the minds of all the students. The higher the strength of humanity, the greater their safety and well-being; so, everyone congratulated him without holding back.


    7:30 AM, Jyorta returned to his room, picked up the basket housing his uniform and some toiletries, and exited, heading towards the restroom. 30 minutes later, he returned to his room, noticing Haesha''s door open up just as he unlocked his.


    Haesha walked out of her room and habitually glanced his way, noticing him wave at her, "Give me a second, I''ll fetch my book."


    "Okay," Haesha nodded, adjusting the strap of her shoulder bag to her comfort. Jyorta exited his room, holding a notebook in his hand; a pen peaked out from his pocket. He locked the door and accompanied Haesha, making some small talk as they headed to the cafeteria.


    Over the months, they had become quite close, oftentimes being able to understand the intentions of the other party through minimal gesture. Though, if he wanted to say their relationship was budding, he couldn''t.


    Not once had Haesha ever expressed affection or intimacy to him beyond the level of friendship. He too didn''t try anything obvious, intending to first firm their friendship before trying to forge a romantic relationship.


    It wasn''t that he was incapable of making the girl fall for him; he had plenty of methods for making any girl express love to him from the bottom of her heart. In the memories of his past life, he had received plenty of proposals. Though, most of them were due to them becoming attracted to him involuntarily.


    He was never the sort of guy that played around with the feelings of women, he felt averse with the mere notion of that. Just because he didn''t want to didn''t mean he was incapable of. It was a stark difference he clearly understood.


    Also, the more he comprehended the memories of his previous life, the faster he matured. But, he understood a certain point: if he made Haesha fall for him using tricks, then it might not be long-lasting.


    When one used tricks to make a girl fall for him, it would make the girl develop an illusionary character of the guy, something the guy had staged to make him seem more charming. But, when two people spend time with one another, such illusions would slowly wear off, steadily returning to reality.


    It would be the moment the girl begins to notice all the flaws of the guy, even sensing them as magnified defects in comparison to the previous perfect self. The girl might then take any measure, depending on her character, ranging from a breakup to something severe and vicious.


    At least, in the previous Earth, the consequences wouldn''t be severe, with the damage mitigated to normalcy in most cases. There were reports of extreme cases that were a result of such schemes, but they were a minority.


    In their current world, an era where people treaded between life and death more often, with the strength of an individual surpassing an organisation, solid relations were the most desired. Here, people desired their relationships with their other half to be indestructible, if possible.


    Jyorta too felt the same. He liked Haesha, whether it was a crush developed at first sight, or his current emotions after grasping her character, personality, etc. The two of them thought in the same wavelength in many cases, the affinity between them something he came to appreciate.


    He also considered the possibility of his hormones affecting his judgement; after all, he was at that age where people were vulnerable to the feelings of love, and also confuse normal emotions to that of love. In regards to that, he took some measures to confirm his feelings.


    There were numerous times where he gazed at Haesha after overlaying the false persona over him, considering everything from a neutral perspective. He thought about what he saw, felt, and behaved while accompanying Haesha, able to consider everything calmly, unaffected by his emotions.


    After everything, he concluded: his affinity towards Haesha was completely natural. It hadn''t been induced through any external means or wasn''t something he misunderstood. So, he wanted to take his time to develop a solid bond with her.


    Even though he knew she didn''t see him as a love interest, he didn''t lose confidence. Haesha seemed unable to divert attention to such matters, as if she couldn''t even think about it.


    After numerous observations, he concluded that she faced some issues that plagued her mind. If he possessed the means, he planned to resolve it in the future so that she would begin to look at him differently.


    Until then, he planned to deepen their friendship, not planning to scheme anything. When a person''s life was at stake, one''s true character would be displayed. In such cases, only a bond established with true love would remain unshakable.


    But, just because he didn''t scheme to make Haesha fall for him didn''t mean that he would give others the opportunity. That part he was ready to scheme when necessary.

 Chapter 200: Wisdom and Frenzy

    "Congratulations on your breakthrough!" Haesha raised her right arm, bumping her fist at him, "You are the second in our Batch to achieve this. Your Nurturing speed is high."


    "Everything is thanks to me getting the Trait of Efficiency early on." Jyorta laughed, feeling happy. Only when among his peers did he feel free, no longer having to engage with complex thoughts. He could be himself, the things he had to worry about bordering normalcy.


    8:20 AM, finished with their breakfast, the duo sprinted towards the Head Office Building. They soon climbed up three floors, entering the double doors of a large auditorium.


    It was packed full of students, with only some seats left vacant, dispersed along the auditorium. Jyorta spotted a place with two empty seats, making eye contact with Haesha as the two sprinted towards the spot, narrowly occupying it.


    "Hey, we were about to sit here?" A voice resounded, slightly irritated. A figure stood right next to their seats, retracting his raised leg. Their seats bordered a pathway, hence why they could sprint and occupy it.


    "Do you want to fight me or find a seat to sit?" Jyorta smiled, displaying a face full of provocation, ready to brawl with the other party.


    "You asked for it," A punch headed his way, aiming at his stomach. Jyorta wriggled his body like an earthworm, his action strange, the oddity making the attacker involuntarily pause for an instant.


    A psychic arm emerged from his head, spanning 65 centimetres long. It made use of the momentary pause to arrive before the attacker''s eyes, pulling both the eyelids down in one action, covering his vision.


    Despite having his vision blocked, the attacker exerted strength in his punch and aimed at Jyorta, his aim accurate. His Tier 1 Skill seemed independent of eyesight to function.


    His speed quickly increased, greater than Jyorta''s ability to dodge. Just when his fist was about to slam into Jyorta, it paused.


    The attacker''s forehead was covered with sweat as he showed no signs of attacking anymore. Haesha smiled; her psychic arm had seeped into the chest of the attacker, her threat obvious. If the attacker continued with his attack, then she wouldn''t stop until she dealt him a serious internal injury.


    Jyorta used the seat as a spring and jumped up, watching the attacker''s companion try to attack Haesha. He retracted his psychic arm, sending it towards the other person.


    His leg shot forth, kicking at the attacker''s companion just before he was about to hit Haesha. The companion raised his hand, defending Jyorta''s kick launched with his body weight. If it had been a normal punch, then he wouldn''t have paid heed.


    The companion slightly jerked his body, shifting the force Jyorta had exerted using his body weight, throwing him off. His unleashed psychic arm grabbed the earlobe of the companion, pulling at it as his body flew a couple of steps away.


    Unwilling to get his earlobe torn off, the companion moved his head along the direction of Jyorta''s motion, preventing him from aiming an attack at Haesha once again. Jyorta tumbled once as he landed on the floor, using the momentum to spring forth, intending to ram at the companion.


    The companion raised a hand, intending to withstand the attack before aiming a kick at the other party. It was because he stood right next to the seats that he had been unable to kick before. Just when he braced himself for the impact, he noticed Jyorta crouch and slip past him, making a jump before landing on his seat.


    Before he could wonder, he noticed the double doors close as Madam Rizenne walked onto the dais. He then noticed Jyorta and Haesha direct derisive sneers at them, saying in unison, "Better luck next time."


    Haesha retracted her psychic arm, watching the attacker heave a sigh of relief. The attacker and his companion glanced at Jyorta and Haesha once before deciding to walk away. They divided up and occupied distant seats, seating themselves with a grumpy expression.


    Madam Rizenne directed her gaze at the small scuffle near the middle of the auditorium, ignoring it once she failed to find any injuries. In a place where humans had congregated, conflicts were bound to arise. Unless it wasn''t anything serious, she didn''t have any intention to step in.


    Even if someone were bound to face a severe injury, she was capable of instantly healing them back to full health. Once it was done, imposing a relevant punishment was bound to suffice.


    Madam Rizenne glanced around the auditorium once, nodding with a smile, "Good, all 878 Cadets from the October Batch are here."


    She walked towards the podium, her gait slow but steady like always, picking up a remote, "Now, we have a joyous occasion. Two Cadets from your Batch have already broken through to Tier 2. One was during the day before yesterday while the other broke through yesterday."


    "Give a round of applause for Laila and Jyorta Bone," Madam Rizenne pointed at the two seated among the audience, beckoning them to stand up. "They have given us exemplary performance right from the first month. Now, they haven''t disappointed us and had broken through in such a short duration."


    Followed by the sounds of collective exclaim echoing off the audience, a round of applause ensued. Some of them began to chant the name of Laila over and over, with the same happening for Jyorta too, but the magnitude being a lot smaller.


    After a minute, Madam Rizenne waved her hands, turning the auditorium silent despite the students still in their collective cheers, "Alright, that is enough. Time is running short, so we will resume our lessons. Before that, I am positive your seniors would have informed you but, upon successful breakthrough to Tier 2, you will be awarded 20,000 Credits."


    Her voice turned serious, "Today marks the beginning of your final three months in this military academy. Until today, we had trained you in the basics, allowing you to develop your abilities as Warriors and Espers respectively. From now on, you will be putting everything into practical use."


    "You will directly be dispatched into the Wilds upon short notice once you graduate from here. Therefore, it is prime time you get used to the atmosphere. The Red Building will be opened to you starting today. It is where many Frenzy Beasts are isolated in a cage each. You can spend time there to soak in the feeling of being surrounded by Frenzy Beasts."


    "There are many races of Frenzy Beasts out in the Wild Zones alone, not to mention the Wilds. But, after considering many factors, we have limited the number of Frenzy Beasts races here to only 12. You can try to hunt them one-on-one and get a feel for it. A staff will be there to supervise, preventing actual harm from befalling you."


    "The Orange Building will also be accessible to you from today onwards. You can customise weapons, armours, etc. to suit your requirements and try to get accustomed to them in battle. I don''t think I have to tell you about the Green Building right? It is where you can meditate to soothe your nerves. This keeps your mental state in optimal conditions so you can battle without any setbacks."


    "Finally, the Labyrinth of Frenzy will be open to you. It is where you can battle the Frenzy Beasts to amass Credits. I will detail it later in today''s class. In the afternoon, you will all have to assemble at the entrance to the Red Building."


    Madam Rizenne clicked a button on the remote, allowing a screen to flash into life behind her. It showcased the figures of 12 Frenzy Beasts, their names labelled, with all Warriors¡ªat Tier 1. "Now, we have learned a lot about the Frenzy Beasts over the past few months. But, if I grade the usefulness of your knowledge to your survival out in the Wilds, you would struggle to get a passing grade."


    "Even though the intelligence of the Frenzy Beasts is inferior to humans, they are not far apart. Their intelligence also varies according to their races. Also, Espers among the Frenzy Beasts have intelligence similar to humans from Tier 3 onwards. So, never underestimate them as primitive beasts."


    Madam Rizenne curled her hand into a fist, placing it before her chest, "Remember that wisdom has and will always be humanity''s greatest weapon. It is only thanks to it that we have stood tall to this day. Even the most intelligent races among the Frenzy Beasts have only developed to this extent by imitating us."


    "Never underestimate the Frenzy Beasts but, even more than that, don''t underestimate humanity. That is all I ask from you," She glanced around, watching everyone nod their heads in response, "Now, in order for that to happen, we have to first understand the strengths and weaknesses of both humanity and the Frenzy Beasts."


    "Our first and foremost strength originates from the Wisdom Parasite. It prevents us from falling under the influence of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. The Frenzy Beasts lack such protection, with the Frenzy Parasites fused into their bodies originating from Rhachis Ancestor Parasite itself." She displayed a picture of the Wisdom Parasite and Frenzy Parasite on the screen.


    The Wisdom Parasite was white in colour, arm-length while sporting a suction pod-like mouth. It had a sinistrous appearance, but lacking any character of its own, looking ready to blend in with the surroundings.


    The Frenzy Parasite was grey in colour, sporting traces of black and white in between. It had a bulge on one end, sporting tiny root-like projections. Its other end had a suction pod-like mouth, displaying a brown coloured ring slightly beneath it.


    It looked gentle, its appearance bordering normalcy when compared to the appearance of the Wisdom Parasite. But, it seemed to possess a definite character, its being suffused with a regal aura, one whose trace was omnipresent in their world.


    "The Wisdom Parasite and the Frenzy Parasite are one and the same, barring slight differences, with the prime difference being their source. We had captured newborn Frenzy Beasts, cultivating them in a secluded region within Marble City, administering a Wisdom Parasite to them after they had grown up to a certain extent. It was then we discovered a strange phenomenon¡­"


    "The Wisdom Parasite, after entering their bodies changed into a Frenzy Parasite."

 Chapter 201: Child of Wisdom, and Disaster

    "The Wisdom Parasite, after entering their bodies changed into a Frenzy Parasite."


    The auditorium turned silent, the silence deafening. A heavy aura shrouded the atmosphere, with the seated students experiencing fear and part paranoia. Jyorta wasn''t shaken as much as the rest, broiled in thought as he tried to think up the reasons by comparing his memories to that of the Floating Spiders he had comprehended.


    A couple of moments later, he sighed, unable to link anything. He then noticed Haesha biting the nail of her thumb, wondering what to think and what to fear. It wasn''t the notion of the Wisdom Parasite changing into a Frenzy Parasite¡ªwhen administered to a Frenzy Beast¡ªthat induced fear in them.


    It was the very fact that the Wisdom Parasite could change into a Frenzy Parasite in the first place. This implied a threat to their lives.


    Any being with a Frenzy Parasite was under the absolute control of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, with only the Ancestors among the Frenzy Beasts able to resist this influence to a certain extent. Even then, there hasn''t been a precedent of a Frenzy Beast extricating itself from the influence of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite.


    It wasn''t witnessed normally thanks to the fact that Rhachis Ancestor Parasite didn''t try to exert its influence on any Frenzy Beasts, allowing them to survive and develop on their own terms.


    Only when it plans to strike humanity did it ever exert its influence, that too on a subtle level. Even then, if it so desired, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite was capable of making any Frenzy Beast lose control on the spot. Only the Ancestors were exempt from this, thanks to the changes they experience once entering the realm of Tier 6.


    Rhachis Ancestor Parasite had an irreconcilable hatred towards humanity, the feud between them running deep. This was expressed ever since the dark ages, with it being the prime reason for the fall of human civilisation in the bygone era.


    The epoch of the Dawn Era signalled the arrival of Rhachis Ancestor Dawn, the leader of humanity who took the brunt of resisting Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, the sole existence keeping the other party in check.


    Even then, not once had Rhachis Ancestor Dawn ever been able to one-up Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. Only through a joint resistance by Rhachis Ancestor Dawn, Rhachis Ancestor Reef, and Rhachis Ancestor Light were they able to prevent humanity from annihilation, managing to thwart many plans and also retaliating blows towards Rhachis Ancestor Parasite.


    But, everything would change if their Wisdom Parasite becomes a Frenzy Parasite. This would allow Rhachis Ancestor Parasite to make all of humanity¡ªexcept the Ancestors¡ªlose control with a snap. By then, the Ancestors wouldn''t even retain the morale to put up any resistance, having witnessed everyone from their brethren suffer a fate worse than death.


    "Your fears aren''t without a basis but, listen to the rest before you decide whether the emotion you wish to feel is fear or something else." Madam Rizenne sighed once, "The Wisdom Parasites are manufactured by the Ancestors, with the production method solely in their hands. They use a certain mechanism to imbue a layer of protection over the Wisdom Parasite, shielding itself from Rhachis Ancestor Parasite''s influence."


    "But," She shook her head, "This protection is only limited to humans. For some reason, this protection disappears the moment a being other than a human is implanted with a Wisdom Parasite. Without protection, it slowly changes into a Frenzy Parasite."


    "This is the reason why I mentioned once, long ago in one of our classes," Madam Rizenne controller herself, preventing her boiling anger from being unleashed, "If not for the presence of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, the Children of Wisdom would have been the boon of humanity."


    Madam Rizenne turned silent, taking in deep breaths, controlling her psychic energy from being emitted. Even then, small gales were stirred upon each of her exhales. The students could feel her turbulent emotions, their emotions too getting affected.


    Jyorta too wasn''t different; after a moment of hesitation, he decided against using his false persona. It wasn''t wise to stand out for no reason whatsoever. He went along the flow, allowing his emotions to become affected by Madam Rizenne, getting an inkling as to how Madam Mary had been able to affect his emotions the previous day.


    Five minutes later, she continued, "A Child of Wisdom is born with a Wisdom Parasite, fused between his brain and spinal cord. They have a perfect hundred percent Sync Rate, the majority of which is distributed to either the brain or the spinal cord."


    "In normal cases, this would allow the Child of Wisdom to attain the powers of both a Warrior and an Esper. Though they would be weaker than a pure Warrior or an Esper, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages."


    "As a Warrior, they will possess strong bodies, developing powerful Skills. As an Esper, they will possess psychic energy, able to detect anything within their domain, also having their thought process, computational ability, etc. develop as a whole. They would become terrifying battle strengths once they reach Tier 3 and beyond."


    "But, the presence of a Wisdom Parasite in them since birth changes things. Since it hasn''t passed through the hands of the Ancestors, despite being a Wisdom Parasite, it lacks the protection imbued in the Wisdom Parasites we possess. This allows Rhachis Ancestor Parasite to easily detect them."


    "After all, based on what Rhachis Ancestor Marble had said, the presence of each Child of Wisdom or Frenzy is like a massive beacon among all the other Parasites to the senses of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite." Madam Rizenne felt her voice choke, forcefully stabilised using her psychic energy.


    "Therefore, under the influence of that blasted Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, the Wisdom Parasite in a Child of Wisdom slowly turns into a Frenzy Parasite, hindering the growth of the child as it becomes the sole existence to grow and mature. In the span of 5-10 years, it completely takes control of the child, the process of losing control being subtle, unable to be detected by anyone below Tier 4."


    "Before this happens, we¡­give them¡­peace¡­" Madam Rizenne felt words failing to form in her mouth, her trembling vocal cord unable to produce any sounds. She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths, her shuddering body becoming more and more pronounced as the seconds ticked by.


    Haesha covered her mouth with her hand, leaning towards Jyorta. Seeing her approach, Jyorta directed his ear towards her, listening to her careful whisper, the sounds muffled to the extent even he felt trouble hearing.


    "I heard the seniors mention this; apparently, Madam Rizenne had given birth to five children to date but, every one of them had been a Child of Wisdom."


    "That is¡­cruel¡­" Jyorta felt shocked, feeling something in his mind shatter. Madam Rizenne was a grand Sky Controller, an existence only beneath the Ancestors. Also, she possessed the Unranked Skill, Regen allowing her to treat any life-threatening injury like it was a piece of cake.


    But, despite her strength and abilities, she failed to give birth to a successor, one who would have grown up to become her pride and joy. Now, she didn''t have a child to call her ''mother'', an instinctual joy that she had been deprived of for a lifetime.


    Despite the tremendous powers they possess, the bodies of Espers were no different from regular humans. Going through childbirth five times would have already put a considerable strain on her body, not to mention her aging self.


    She was the right hand of Madam Mary, having been in power for many decades. She wasn''t as aged as Madam Mary but she was still in her sixties, having long since experienced her menopause. Now, even if she wanted to give birth, her body no longer had the ability to.


    "Like the rumours you Cadets have heard, I had given birth to five children in total but, all of them ended up becoming a Child of Wisdom. I watched them grow, watched them lose to the Frenzy Parasite in them¡­watched their final breaths as I gave them peace¡­" She gritted upon the pronunciation of each syllable, using her sturdy willpower to prevent herself from flipping out.


    "In my youth, I was unrestrained. Having obtained a Sync Rate of 93 percent during my Induction Ceremony, I possessed the greatest battle strength in my Batch. Even after I graduated from the military academy and was sent to the Wilds on various missions, my lead never fell. I was always among the best."


    "In search of fame and glory, I undertook dangerous missions one after another, completing each one with staggering success. Finally, through our many missions together, I fell in love with my husband. Having accumulated many merits, we finally decided to marry. I was 37 years old by then, having already become a Ground Controller. My husband too had become a Shifter."


    "When you go from Tier 3 to Tier 4, you will feel an elevation in your very being. You would feel like an almighty, capable of achieving anything. The boundless strength you would come to possess will further assert your delusion. But, here lies the trick of fate."


    Madam Rizenne wiped the tears that streamed from her eyes, "When two Tier 4 beings have an offspring, it has a ninety percent guarantee of being born as a Child of Wisdom. In my case though, thanks to the superior strength of me and my husband, it was almost a hundred percent guarantee."


    "Our overconfidence prevented us from having a child of our own. Strength isn''t the sole deciding factor in this world. Everything has its time, only when you follow them would you have no regrets, unlike me."

 Chapter 202: Advantages and Disadvantages

    "The Wisdom Parasite in us Nurtures our body, maturing in return by absorbing our life experiences. Upon evolution into each Tier, its body experiences a qualitative change each time. This qualitative change influences our body, slowly changing it. That is how we grow." Madam Rizenne began to speak after 10 minutes, taking into consideration her emotional upheavals.


    "But, this influence, brought about by the Nurturing our body experiences every second for years changes our functional being. As has been taught in your other classes, the Nurturing process will never stop, even while mating."


    "This creates a possibility for a trace amount of the Wisdom Parasite''s body within the mating couple to shed off and seep into the ovum. As the ovum becomes fertilised and begins to develop into a baby, there is a chance for this trace to grow into a Wisdom Parasite. Genetically, this is for the best, allowing the human baby to naturally develop superhuman strength. But¡­as I said before, the existence of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite screws up everything."


    Madam Rizenne managed to calm down, continuing with her session, "Eventually, the baby is born as a Chid of Wisdom. This is only in the case the trace manages to grow to a certain extent alongside the baby. Otherwise, it is gradually ejected by the baby''s body and is flushed out."


    She shook her head, "This trace is a natural process. It exists in every baby when they are birthed. It is just that the trace failed to form into a Wisdom Parasite. That is why when a couple mate, they experience a minute decrease in their Sync Rate."


    "Now, this is an inevitable process but, at lower Tiers, the trace is weak to the extent it cannot form into a Wisdom Parasite inside the baby. But, the higher the Tier, the greater the quality of the trace, allowing the Wisdom Parasite to develop more easily." Madam Rizenne glanced around the auditorium, taking in the faces of all the students seated.


    Many students sported reddish eyes, with a significant number of them shedding tears, affected by her sadness. Madam Rizenne sighed once, "When the couple are at Tier 1, the chances of their offspring being a Child of Wisdom is less than five percent. This percentage steadily increases as their Tier increases until at Tier 4 where it is almost 90 percent. This is only on average, your personal strength affects this even more."


    "You don''t even need to think about Tier 5. It is almost guaranteed. That is why my personal advice is for you Cadets to get married early and have children before your strength crosses Tier 3." Madam Rizenne sighed once again, "There is only a one-in-three chance to birth a Child of Wisdom if both the parents are at Tier 3. It is further less if one of the parents is at a lower Tier."


    "Everything has its time; I hope you understand that well. Never forget it; your teacher here is the best example."


    "We have derailed from the topic too much," Madam Rizenne took in a deep breath, "The Wisdom Parasite is our first advantage. The second is our Traits. Now, you can argue about the superiority of the Traits possessed by the Floating Spiders, Lava Turtles, Spindle Bees, and River whales, despite each of them possessing only one."


    She exhaled, the force in her exhale falling to a level of normalcy, "The superiority of their Traits lies in the fact that they possess them by birth and that their Trait develops alongside them. This makes their prowess to be on par with Skills of similar Tiers."


    "We don''t have such an inherent advantage. We had been trying to develop such a Trait for humanity for almost a century but have yet to achieve initial success. But, our advantage lies with the fact that we can imbue ourselves with many Traits."


    "Consider the Trait of Temperance; it helps limit the development of the Wisdom Parasite and helps in your Breakthrough. Even though its effect peaks at Tier 3, its advantages are useful even in higher Tiers. After all, breakthrough becomes so dangerous from Tier 4 and above that every advantage helps widen the gap between life and death."


    "There is our Trait of Severability; by consuming energy in the Heart or Brain Crystal, it directly increases the Sync Rate. This is a major advantage we possess. We also have the Frenzy Fruits, ones that raise our Sync Rate upon consumption. The Frenzy Beasts don''t possess these methods, including their leader, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite thanks to our efforts in safeguarding its production method."


    "We have the Cleansement Fruit that allows us to avoid the fate of losing control and still retain a sliver of our peak strength. Warriors lose their Skills but still retain their Nurtured bodies. Espers lose all but one psychic arm. But, this still leaves them with sufficient strength to safeguard their selves."


    "The Frenzy Beasts don''t have this option; their only fate is to lose control in old age, when their accumulations are no longer enough for a breakthrough. The moment they begin to lose control, they will be ganged up by their brethren and swiftly killed."


    "When Madam Mary created the Trait of Growth, our advantage in this aspect further spiked. After consuming a Cleansement Fruit, using this Trait, we can once again regain our peak strength. Even though further growth is impossible, just the fact of recovering our peak strength is an impossibly achievable feat."


    "I had consumed a Cleansement Fruit eight years ago. After that, despite losing four psychic arms, I still retained my capabilities as a Sky Controller thanks to my remaining psychic arm. Madam Mary published the creation of the Trait of Growth seven years ago. I was one of the first members that obtained it."


    "Now, basing my accumulations using this Trait for seven years," She unleashed five psychic arms, "I have almost recovered my peak battle strength. I estimate one more year before I would achieve the same strength I had possessed in my peak."


    "The Trait of Growth and the Trait of Severability, these two Traits have elevated the power under humanity''s disposal to a whole new level. Now, when needed, we retired veterans can take up arms at any time."


    "We have taken measures to never reveal this aspect. We retired veterans are waiting in silence, sitting in peace within Marble City. On the fateful day, we would rise up once again, taking those bastard Frenzy Beasts in surprise." Her voice resounded throughout the auditorium, echoing in the minds of every student, instilling in them the complex planning and consideration Marble City had taken to ensure their development and survival.


    It showed the resolve they had to forge a path into the future, and their indomitable spirits that were unwavering despite all odds.


    ''Even the Ancestors aren''t immortal, possessing a definite lifespan. Without the protection of the Ancestors, their race would be annihilated or pushed to the brink of extinction sooner or later. Therefore, in order to ensure the survival of their race post-death, they plan to destroy their enemies or deal them a fatal blow. This is the fateful day Madam Rizenne had implied.''


    ''I wonder since when Marble City had begun its planning. Considering the intellect and cunning of the higher-up characters like Madam Atika Light and Rhachis Ancestor Light, I can''t even imagine the date their preparations had begun.''


    ''Also, most of the Ancestors in this world are part of the first generation, becoming Tier 6 beings during the same period as Rhachis Ancestor Dawn and Rhachis Ancestor Light. If the lifespan of most of the significant characters in the world is coming to an end¡­it would be a catastrophic war.''


    ''Before that happens, I should possess definite strength. Only then can I guarantee the survival of me and my family. If Psychic Ancestor Marble''s estimate is accurate, I have at most four decades.''


    Madam Rizenne interrupted his thoughts, speaking with a brisk tempo. "We have the superiority in our information gathering aspects, thanks to our technological advancements. There are also our Artifacts and Relics, furthering our advantage. Even the Floating Spiders, the strongest Frenzy Beast race has a technological advancement equivalent to our Stone Age."


    "But, they are significantly developed when it comes to Artifacts. Their Unranked Skill, Web World shares similar traits to our Unranked Skill, Marble Sonata in its ability to create Artifacts. But, when it comes to Relics, their research is only on the basic level."


    There was a hint of ridicule in her tone, one submerged by pride, "They have yet to create a Relic to date. The rare few Relics they possess are looted from us. Despite imitating us in many aspects, their foundation is still lacking to establish dedicated research capabilities."


    "You might wonder how, despite possessing so many advantages, we have yet to annihilate the Frenzy Beasts." Madam Rizenne sighed, "It is simple when you think about it. They outnumber us by far too much. The population of humanity had dwindled to critical levels during the Dark Ages. When we were recovering from the damage, the Frenzy Beasts developed even more."


    "The Frenzy Beasts also possess a single weapon that has managed to counter most of our abilities." Madam Rizenne let out a wry smile, expressing her helplessness in this regard. "It is the Essence of Frenzy. At first, the Essence of Frenzy was something that damaged the Frenzy Beast into one of irrationality."


    "But, with time, the Frenzy Beasts managed to develop methods to turn the Essence of Frenzy into terrifying weapons. The Essence of Frenzy within each Frenzy Beast is unique; this fact further elevated its effectiveness. To this day, we have yet to counter this."

 Chapter 203: Perimeter Around a Frenzy Beast’s Home

    Wild Zone 12, 18 figures walked towards the gates of Marble City, dragging their wounded bodies.


    A truck stood near the entrance of Marble City, whirring into life upon spotting the team.


    It hovered one metre above the ground, speeding towards the team, traversing three kilometres before stopping. The team of 18 soldiers heaved sighs of reliefs, plopping on the ground upon sighting the truck. Even though they ought to exercise caution due to the danger present everywhere around the Wilds, they no longer had the capacity to do so.


    Three Ground Controllers flew out from the Truck, making a sweep of the surroundings, their auras scaring away any lurking predators. They then seeped their psychic arms through the 18 soldiers, checking for any injuries and also taking caution for any hidden dangers.


    Once all precautionary measures had been taken, they allowed the 18 soldiers to board the truck. The truck zoomed past the deserted land, heading towards Marble City.


    Seated within the truck, the soldier that seemed to be the leader of the team removed her helmet, revealing her beautiful face. She took in a deep breath, allowing her body to relax. Her tensed nerves had been stretched taut all along, only beginning to relax now as witnessed the walls of Marble City come into view.


    "They are hard to catch," She sighed, shaking her head as she looked at her team, feeling sad, "We lost two soldiers this time. Their attacks are really hard to guard against."


    "We can only press on, Miss Bone." One of the three Ground Controllers sighed, "Madam has already classified the threat level of the Ethereal Tailed Frenzy Beasts to be above the Floating Spiders."


    Another Ground Controller chimed in, "We can only try to nip them in the bud before they develop to the extent of posing a threat to Marble City."


    "But, it is easier said than done. From our missions so far, we haven''t managed to kill even a single Ethereal Tailed Frenzy Beast, not to mention capturing one of them." The leader, Heima Bone said, her expression forlorn.


    "If only they didn''t possess such accurate danger sense that is almost like precognition. We can only throw our Tier 3 soldiers at their Tier 4 selves." The Ground Controller in charge of the truck transmitted his voice, keeping watch of the surroundings through his unleashed domain.


    He then lamented, "Till today, we have only managed to witness their Shifters. Apart from them, we haven''t seen any other being, whether Warrior or Esper."


    "They are being incredibly cautious. The fact that they have migrated to our Wild Zones and managed to survive within our radar shows their cunning and intellect. They plan to develop while imitating us first-hand." A lady next to Heima Bone sighed. She was the vice leader of their team, a Wave Controller.


    "Is there any news from the remaining teams that had been dispatched to this mission?" Heima stood up, watching the truck come to a halt next to the city walls. It stopped 100 metres before the gate, to go through a round of inspection.


    An inverted ''U'' shaped structure protruded from the walls, with its two sides sporting a gate each, spanning 200 metres wide and a hundred metres high. After a round of inspection concluded, the truck passed through the gate on the left, facing two gates upon entry.


    The gate opposite it was the other entrance while the gate to its left was the entrance into Marble City. This inverted ''U'' shaped structure had been built to prevent any Frenzy Beast from ramming into the gates with a charge.


    The 200-metre high city wall was their pillar of safety and comfort as the truck they had boarded entered the city, treading along the 200-metre wide main road. The truck branched out after some distance, following a path in the right.


    "Your team fared the best among them all. The rest, especially the team led by Ravis Macht suffered the worst. It seems he had sniffed in the right direction and suffered the brunt of the Ethereal Tailed Frenzy Beasts'' retaliation." The Ground Controller in charge of the truck replied.


    He then shook his head, "The moment we received the information, we hurriedly dispatched two Sky Controllers and three Transformers to the scene. But, by the time they reached, all they discovered was Ravis Macht and two of his team members barely clinging to life. The Ethereal Tailed Frenzy Beasts had already vacated the spot."


    The door opened as they exited the truck, watching a massive skyscraper come into view. It was a branch of Grapple Force, situated in the centre of Sector 12, 10th Ring. They entered the building, walking into a massive hall, spanning the area of the building, the height equivalent to three floors.


    "You guys get treated before assembling in our team hall." Heima turned around to instruct her teammates, "I''ll finish my report in the meantime. Once I get my injuries treated, we will brief through our next plan before calling it a day."


    Her teammates saluted as they were led by the three Ground Controllers through an open section at the end where a large lift was situated. Heima took a different path, walking to a reception situated in the centre.


    It was circular in shape, constructed in steps, with each step conforming to a ring, spanning ten in total. There was a path of access for each ring, with abundant space for each, and with varying inclinations, preventing any feeling of congestion.


    Each ring spanned a wide area, with almost 20 personnel seated being their respective counters. Heima spotted an empty counter along the second ring, lacking any queue. She jumped onto the respective path as she trod forth, her footsteps lithe.


    She arrived before the counter, speaking briskly, "Leader Heima Bone of Team 136 reporting her mission."


    Heima mentioned the details of the mission, requesting to report to her supervisor. The personnel behind the counter noted everything, pulling up her information from the database to verify her identity before permitting her.


    Heima gave a perfunctory nod before proceeding to the location she reported to every time. Taking a lift that headed to the 20th floor, she arrived before a room, gently knocking on the door once.


    "Come in, Heima." A voice travelled out, mellow but carrying dignity underneath.


    Heima pushed the door open, cautiously taking a step inside, witnessing a fist hover before her face, gently touching her forehead.


    "And bang, you''re out." The feminine voice had a hint of cheerful playfulness, but the action pointed at the ruthlessness that could happen anytime, "You must always be alert. If I was a Frenzy Beast hiding within the city, you would have been dead by now."


    "If I was on the edge every second, I would lose control with a week." Heima sighed, closing the door behind her as she looked at the woman standing before. The lady had her hair tied into a bun, the size of which signified the length of hair she possessed, which was a lot.


    Wearing a long gown that reached her ankle and holding a thin stick in one hand, she looked like a gentle lady. The gown seemed difficult to move around, one that hindered the individual''s movements every second due to the fabric it was made from and the excessive number of folds it possessed.


    ''I wonder how many weapons she concealed within it.'' Heima didn''t comment on the choice of dress of her superior, saluting once before reporting, "This mission too was a failure. When the Ethereal Tailed Frenzy Beasts are injured to a certain extent, they turn ethereal and escape into the ground. When they turn ethereal, none of our detecting methods were capable of spotting them."


    "As a result, we couldn''t guard against their attacks in time and lost two members. We also had to face against three Shifter Ethereal Tails, which further added to the chaos." Heima then went into the details of the operation, recounting everything from the moment she stepped foot outside Marble City to her return.


    After listening to everything, her superior massaged her brows, "I had some hope for your team to achieve something this time. After all, your team has encountered them the most in the past eight months."


    She then continued, "It seems Ravis Macht''s team managed to close in on the Ethereal Tails'' home. There were only three survivors from his team, including him when our reinforcements arrived. Unfortunately, the Ethereal Tailed Frenzy Beasts had all managed to vacate the area."


    She then smiled a little, "The good news is that they had made a haphazard retreat, leaving many things in their home. We have already laid a perimeter around the area, with two Sky Controllers and three Transformers. Now, they had requested for further reinforcements from Grapple Force to explore the region."


    "Know yourself, know your enemy, and you will be undefeated for hundred battles. Wouldn''t this quote be apt for our current situation? We can finally learn something about the Ethereal Tailed Frenzy Beasts."


    "I pray for our success," Heima saluted, about to exit the room when her superior stopped her.


    "You will also be accompanying us. You may be a Developer but you are capable of going against a Shifter without trouble, even if the Shifter is from our Grapple Force. This will be a valuable experience for you. Get nursed back to full health and meet me here in 15 minutes."


    "We will depart to the home of the Ethereal Tailed Frenzy Beasts. Even my father and grandmother will accompany us." She glanced at the side of the room, smiling as she relished in the beauty of her armour affixed on a stand, concealing a terrifying aura within.


    "Even Madam and Ancestor Strongest are accompanying us?" Heima was surprised for a second before smiling, "Then I shouldn''t miss such an opportunity. Thank you, Anusha."


    "Call me leader, junior."


    "Unless on duty, I won''t; I am off-duty for 15 minutes."

 Chapter 204: Darkness

    1:50 PM, standing before the Red Building were the students of the October Batch, assembled into a file. Standing along the third row was Jyorta, to his right was Haesha.


    "I am scared, Jyorta. The appearances of the Frenzy Beasts from all the Graduation Ceremonies are playing in my mind now." Haesha''s voice trembled, her nervousness increasing in magnitude with each passing second.


    "It is nothing, Haesha. We won''t be directly fighting them today." Jyorta tried to be calm, failing at it due to his nervousness. It was something that was carried over from his previous life. Before any event of significance, he would begin to feel nervous.


    There were many times he lost a good opportunity due to being held back by his nervousness. He wished to curb his nervousness many times but, one''s being wouldn''t change so easily.


    ''If I use my false persona for each and everything, then I won''t have any personal growth. I can only try to improve over time.'' He thought, trying to prevent his shaking voice from being obvious, "We will only be facing Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts¡­I think."


    "I hope so," Haesha wrapped her arms around her shoulder, rubbing them in an effort to ease her tension. Her shivering stagnated at a certain pitch, thankfully not becoming worse. But even then, it wasn''t wise to stay in a tensed and nervous state for a prolonged duration.


    Jyorta raised his right hand, inching it towards Haesha, hesitating for a moment before retracting it. "We have to learn to control our emotional state. Being on the edge only helps the Wisdom Parasite in us."


    "I will try." Haesha nodded, taking in deep breaths. Many students were in similar situations, nervous about having to face the Frenzy Beasts for the first time. Until then, they had only gazed at the Frenzy Beasts from afar, from the stands as audience during the Induction Ceremonies, conducted on the 20th of every month.


    Jyorta glanced around, searching for familiar faces among the crowd, soon spotting Ashten Coorg and Esina Hawker. Ashten had a nervous smile plastered on his face while Esina wiped off the sweat trailing from her forehead from time to time.


    Noticing his gaze, they swerved their heads, waving at him once. Jyorta waved back and turned, inspecting the condition of others.


    He noticed Dalna Doppler standing on the first row, unflinching at the atmosphere, looking ready to fight with the Frenzy Beasts should the need arise. Standing a row behind her, positioned to her right was George Eagle, motivating himself further as he looked at the individual standing straight.


    His eyes brimmed with fighting spirit, exhibiting the sense of rivalry self-established ever since the beginning. Jyorta felt a sense of relaxation, conversing with Haesha as he made fun of others. It wasn''t a good habit but it served to calm them to a certain extent.


    "I am surprised; even Laila is tense." Haesha gazed in surprise, waving back at the hesitant wave from Laila who noticed her gaze.


    ''And why do you have to act afraid? There is a limit to how much one should act.'' Jyorta mentally cursed, feeling exasperated at Laila''s behaviour. The blue soul in him overlaid the false persona for the duration he saw Laila and thought about her, which spanned around two seconds.


    Retracting the false persona, he directed his gaze towards the entrance to Red Building. Until today, many facilities in the military academy were off-limits to the students in his Batch. First of all, it was ordained that they be given access to only the necessities.


    The first 9 months in the military academy was the training period where one focused on the basics. Since their powers were new, this was the period where they got accustomed to their growing powers.


    The students learned many techniques, focusing on better manipulating their abilities, also training their wit, decision-making skills, battle tactics, power exhibition, etc. Everything was in preparation for their survival out in the Wilds and their future development as adults in society.


    The most important of them all was the training of their mindset, one that shaped them to prioritise the benefits of Marble City above else. The next was the importance one attached to their families, nurturing their feelings of concern, connection, etc. The final was their benefit, their wellbeing, and their development.


    One ought to possess a complex mentality in order to prevent the Wisdom Parasite in them from grasping their being''s character, personality, habits, etc. The more complex one was, the greater the difficulty posed to the Wisdom Parasite''s dominance.


    They were also trained to think, plan, and act accordingly. Though, their age factor played a role in decreasing the value of such teachings. Students at their age had a sense of innocence and naivety attached to them. Only when tempered by the harsh reality in the society would their innocence be shaved off and they unearth the true potential of the teachings grasped in the military academy.


    When compared to his peers, Jyorta was a lot better off, already possessing a somewhat complex thought process. But, he still had many preconceived notions attached to his being as he comprehended the experiences stored in his blue soul''s memory fragments.


    He had to constantly pay attention to his development, analysing his changing character every day to prevent him from becoming someone that went against his wishes.


    2:00 PM, Madam Rizenne appeared before them in an instant, her approach unable to be detected. She produced neither a sound nor stir up a wind, arriving in silence like a mirage. She floated to the air, hovering three metres from the ground, allowing everyone to see her without trouble.


    She neither uttered a word nor symbolised any action, hovering like a statue. In the next second, the figure of Madam Mila appeared next to her, silent, without any disturbance.


    Like usual, Madam Mila looked rigid, unwilling to move her body, only using her psychic arms to speak and motion for the rest, "Your task today is simple. We have created a platform in the middle, over which you must stay. You can stand, you can sit, you can jump around, do anything you wish. The only condition is for you to stay within the boundaries of the platform."


    The door to the Red Building opened, its insides dark, preventing them from seeing the inner workings. There wasn''t any aura or smell of the sort accompanying the opening of the door, allowing the students to heave a collective sigh.


    "Your task is to stay within it until 7:00 PM. Now, enter." Prompted by her words, the students from the first row began to move, entering the Red Building through a file of ten. Standing in the third row, it was soon Jyorta''s turn. He and Haesha made eye contact for a second, taking in a deep breath before walking along.


    It was dark, even the sunlight that seeped in through the door seemed to be suppressed, its radiance dimming with every metre, becoming pitch black after Jyorta had walked 10 metres in. His heart began to thump in increasing frequencies, the amplitude high to the extent audible in his ear.


    This rhythmic beat, accompanied by the sounds of his breathing¡ªrough and haggard¡ªunnerved him, causing his mental state to plummet. Haesha fared worse than him; her body was drenched with sweat, her body shivering in fright with each step she took, treading further and further into the darkness.


    The only solace at first was the sounds of their peers echoing in the air but, as they proceeded deeper and deeper, the sounds grew farther and farther away, distant, and muffled. Three steps into the darkness prompted him to extend his hand and grab hold of Haesha''s.


    She was startled for a second, soon recognising the familiarity before calming down. As they proceeded deeper into the darkness, their hold tightened as they unconsciously walked closer, feeling solace in each other''s company. It was the last thread that held their sanity together.


    ''This must be a form of training.'' For a moment, he wanted to escape from everything by using his false persona. With its use, his fears and other plaguing emotions would be suppressed, not felt by him. Even though his body would still experience the emotions, it would be suppressed on both the mental and the biological level in the source.


    This would allow him free reign of his emotions, his mental state no longer affected. But, he didn''t want to rely on his false persona. He wanted his base self to become tougher, intending to use the false persona only in situations of absolute necessity. He wished to temper himself.


    Soon, only the sounds of their footsteps echoed in the surroundings, accompanied by their rough breathing. Jyorta unleashed his psychic arm, 65 centimetres in length, probing around his range.


    Not once did he use his actual power, only restricting himself to the current length. It was to avoid suspicion from his fellow peers. Unable to detect any other presence in the range of his psychic arm, Jyorta commented, "I don''t sense anyone else around us."


    "Me too," Haesha''s shivering voice echoed back, startling her for a moment. She then pulled Jyorta''s hand, pausing for a couple of seconds before walking. There was fear in her voice as she muttered, "Jyorta, I feel like we are guided by some formless force. The moment we release our hold, we would be swept away. That is what I feel."


    Jyorta tried to link the phenomenon to the morning''s class when Madam Rizenne affected their emotions, quickly sharing the detail with Haesha. Even though his development was superior, his sensitivity wasn''t to Haesha''s extent, capable of grasping the subtle influences without any external aid.


    In Jyorta''s case, only if he used his false persona would he be able to notice the difference, which he found out after a momentary use.


    Jyorta cursed, "This isn''t what they told us. I thought we would see some Frenzy Beasts and get used to their appearance."


    Haesha''s voice resounded, clearly shaken, the presence of fear enriching in her, "We can neither make an accurate guess of their plans nor take their word as the truth."

 Chapter 205: Meditative Calmness

    There was no sound, no smell, and no light, blocking their sight and enriching their fright. As time passed, the feeling Haesha said became increasingly obvious. It was obvious to the extent Jyorta could detect it without the help of his false persona.


    They were being guided somewhere, against their will, their bodies working beyond their control. Jyorta felt a slight strain in his legs, his brimming fear seeking to collapse his sanity. He felt his senses getting dull, a sense of drowsiness gently seeping into him.


    "Haesha, what about¡­" He paused, shocked, sensing his voice muffled into non-existence. He then uttered another set of words, watching the muffling sensation creep closer and closer. Soon, he couldn''t even hear his voice.


    He knew for a fact that his vocal cords were working fine, based on the feedback his muscles in the region transmitted to his head. But, he could no longer hear anything, even the sounds of his breathing and his heartbeats. It made him suspect if he had become deaf or something even worse, unable to even sense the pulsing of the blood that was pumped through his arteries.


    His right hand had lingering warmth, thanks to the presence of Haesha''s hand that was held firm in his. But, the fear he experienced soon increased in magnitude, feeling his right hand turn cold, soon becoming numb to the changes in temperature.


    "Haesha!" Startled into a fright, his right hand pulled with force; he felt a sensation press on his body, thanks to his pull. Jyorta took in the view of his blue soul, watching a murky soul come into his view, positioned right before his blue soul.


    Due to the contact established by the vision of his blue soul, a wave of murkiness washed over his soul, trying to seem into it.


    Fear!


    The blue soul detected an increasing magnitude of fear within the murkiness, the amplitude rising to alarming levels. Jyorta felt his sense of touch disappearing, no longer able to sense the presence of Haesha in his embrace.


    Though, thanks to the vision of his blue soul, he knew that she was still in his embrace, just that he could no longer feel it. He failed to understand where he was anymore, his spatial perception having been suppressed into oblivion.


    He even felt his consciousness fading to the back, the process gradual, creeping into his mind''s defences without facing any resistance. He felt his thoughts coming to a halt, placing him in a state of void, unfeeling, and unceasing.


    He woke up with a start, finding himself lying on the floor, having regained all his senses. Lying over him was Haesha, still unconscious. Jyorta hurriedly checked her wrist, heaving a sigh of relief upon sensing her vigorous pulse.


    Haesha''s body unconsciously trembled, the shivers faint, detectable thanks to her lying on him. His right hand shot up, gently massaging the back of her head while his left patted her back, the action gentle, lacking any force.


    Her trembling showed a noticeable reduction, soon abating like the tide. Jyorta calmed down, turning around to scan his surroundings, looking at a small yellow dome encasing the two of them. The yellow dome was opaque, blocking his vision.


    He trailed from the surface of the dome to his position, feeling a shock. The distance between them was just a centimetre greater than the maximum length of his psychic arm. So, even if he were to unleash his domain, it would fall perfectly within the dome, unable to move out.


    Just when he planned to move a little before using his psychic arm to scout the outside, a voice resounded in his ear, gentle and filled with praise, "You did well; you are one of the first to wake up. Rest for the time being; when Haesha wakes up, I''ll retract this dome."


    Unable to be sensed when it arrived and unable to be sensed when it left, Jyorta sighed. Thankfully, the voice was Madam Mila''s, instilling in him some relief. Also, he felt his body was perfectly healthy, his mind fresh, not affected by the horrifying memory he just experienced.


    ''Does the Unranked Skill, Regen also have the ability to calm the mind? But, this doesn''t feel as if I have just calmed. It feels as if¡­my mind has become tougher?'' Jyorta shook his head, unable to put a finger on his current state.


    He neither felt his body tremble nor experienced any trauma when he recalled the memory of the events, confusing him.


    With a slight jerk, Haesha woke up, blinking in confusion as she felt a foreign sensation, soon noticing his presence. Haesha sprang up, her face red. She blushed, turning her head away, unwilling to make eye contact with Jyorta.


    "How do you feel now? What do you remember from what we had experienced just now?" Jyorta''s question startled her awake, her blush dissipating as her mind whirred in thought. She recalled the previous experience, displaying startling calm.


    She then looked at Jyorta, "It feels like I had meditated for a day. My mind is as fresh as it can be."


    "I feel the same too, surprising considering what we had experienced." Jyorta nodded, watching the dome around them disperse. He then noticed many other domes littered on the floor of an otherwise massive hall.


    The ceiling was at least 10 metres high, while the length of the hall surpassed 100 metres, its breadth almost measuring 40 metres. The domes he spotted varied in size, some similar to the ones he and Haesha were inside, while the others were ten times the size.


    One by one, the domes dissipated, revealing the students inside. They gazed at their surroundings in surprise, glancing around to find who had woken up before them. Most of them noticed Jyorta and Haesha, awake before them. They seemed occupied in thought, retracting their gazes before looking towards the end of the hall.


    Jyorta stood up, about to extend his hand to help her up, retracting the thought as he saw her standing up no slower than him. Haesha soon pointed at a spot on the wall, "What is that?"


    Jyorta followed her line of sight, noticing a slight oddity in the wall. It was a small protrusion, unable to be made out due to a lack of shadow cast around it, the almost perpendicular angle of it concerning their line of sight, and the greater distance between them.


    It took him more than 10 seconds of observation to spot it, directed by Haesha who pointed at it. The protrusion was constantly moving around, making it harder for him to observe. A minute later, it disappeared.


    Madam Mila''s voice resounded, "A keen eye for observation is a must for survival; 200 Credits to Laila for spotting two, and 100 to Haesha for spotting one."


    By this time, all the domes had dissipated. Madam Mila hovered in the air, almost approaching the ceiling, her appearance as sudden as always, unable to be detected. "It has only been ten minutes since you had entered here. Remember that fear, anger, hesitation, courage, etc. are a means for survival. They are emotions your body feels for a lot of reason, but the prime objective is for survival. So, your emotions are a part of your senses, don''t be controlled by them. Rather, use them to guide your way forward."


    "When you don''t sense anything, your emotional state will begin to disappear, placing you in a state of emptiness. This is what the sages of the bygone era tried to achieve through decades of meditation. But, what you had experienced just now is a temporary result. The more you experience it, the less its effect on you."


    "At your current states, your Wisdom Parasite is not developed. That''s why we could make you experience this session without any side-effects. Later on, there is a chance of you losing control due to the turbulent emotions you experience in the first phase of this session. When you meditate in the future, try to achieve the state you experienced at the end. That will help you a lot in restricting the growth of the Wisdom Parasite in you."


    Madam Rizenne appeared next to her, "Now, we will begin the session we scheduled here in the first place."


    Madam Rizenne nodded once at Madam Mila. Four psychic arms¡ªyellow in colour¡ªgushed out from Madam Mila, their speed of appearance akin to light in the eyes of the students. In the blink of an eye, the psychic arms had appeared and touched the four walls around them.


    In an instant, the four yellow walls dispersed into psychic energy, absorbed into the psychic arms before they affected the surroundings due to their density. Rows of cages became visible, with a small platform placed before each.


    Present within each cage was a Frenzy Beast, roaring without rest. Their roars resounded within the hall, the sounds ear-piercing. Accompanying them was an intense stench, nauseating to the students.


    Some directly threw up, while the rest resisted with pale faces. Finally, a massive aura impacted them in waves, directly sending almost half the students unconscious. Jyorta and Haesha covered their nose with their hands, shielding their bodies with a psychic arm.


    Jyorta actively controlled himself, only displaying abilities that he ought to possess based on official records. The aura was really powerful, directly suppressing the tinge of aura his body released¡ªwithout control, a front he had to put up.


    Haesha''s body trembled under the aura, looking on the verge of fainting but persisting under sheer willpower. Having trained by experiencing the aura of the Tier 5 Artifact¡ªhis grandfather had prepared for him¡ªfor the past months, Jyorta fared better than the rest.


    He wasn''t unflinching under the aura, still affected to an extent, but his posture was erect. Feeling such a magnitude of aura for the first time, Haesha''s legs gave under her, her willpower no longer sufficient.


    "Welcome to the Red Building!" Madam Rizenne smiled; her figure disappeared from view. Madam Mila followed suit, leaving the students to fend for themselves.

 Chapter 206: Aura

    "Huff¡­puff¡­" Haesha kneeled, feeling difficulty in her breathing. Droplets of sweat dripped from her, forming small splotches on the floor. The ear-piercing sounds, the nauseating smell, and the broiling aura served to collapse her bearing.


    The barrier shrouding her fluctuated erratically, on the verge of collapse. Small pores formed on it, punctured by the impacting aura, affecting her.


    Considering her accumulation, she possessed enough psychic energy to last long enough. But, her psychic energy barrier was beginning to crumble, its sturdiness unable to cope up with the unleashed aura.


    Once he shielded himself from the sound and smell, Jyorta was fine for the most. As he had restricted his strength to official levels, his psychic energy barrier too was getting punctured in many places.


    Though, when the aura seeped through the punctured holes and hit his body, he wasn''t affected much. It wasn''t something he had to conceal since it was a result of his training with the Tier 5 Artifact his grandfather had prepared for him. It was something he had long obtained permission for.


    Jyorta''s heart lurched when he gazed at Haesha struggling beside him, intending to slightly alleviate her pressure. But, after a moment of consideration, he decided otherwise.


    ''Just like how I tempered myself using the Tier 5 Artifact, this will temper her. If I helped her now, it will negatively affect her growth in the future. Sigh, is this what parents usually feel when training their children?''


    Jyorta sat on the ground, assuming a cross-legged position, motioning for Haesha to follow the same, "Don''t try to fully block the aura. Try to temper yourself with it, and filter the volume using your psychic energy barrier. You can also use this to further your control over your psychic arm."


    Haesha nodded, mimicking his actions. She sat cross-legged, trying to control her breathing. Her body shivered, her skin turned a mild shade of red, worsening as time passed. Her trembling intensified with time, affecting her concentration, weakening the psychic energy barrier she had erected.


    Since it was constantly getting punctured, Haesha had to continuously expend her psychic energy to mend it, also having to divert her concentration to keep up the shape, structural integrity, and stability of the erected barrier.


    Under the barrage of influence that affected her concentration and suppressed her body''s functionality, it was difficult to maintain a state of focus and control for a prolonged duration. Soon, a thin stream of blood dripped from her nose. Haesha wiped it off with her uniform''s sleeve and persisted.


    Seeing her determination, Jyorta''s fighting spirit was ignited. He controlled his psychic energy barrier, fighting against the aura that punctured numerous holes in it from time to time. He increased the speed of mending the barrier, also improving its structural integrity in real-time.


    The holes that had been punctured at first had been quite large, spanning greater than the size of his thumb, also numbering in the double digits. It was because of the uneven distribution of psychic energy in his barrier, and also because of the irregularity in the structure he had erected.


    Jyorta modified it based on the damage, getting accustomed to it as time passed. Practical experience was the best teacher. Experiencing something once was equivalent to studying it a hundred times theoretically.


    The size of the holes began to reduce, the number also decreased, soon approaching the single digits.


    Jyorta had a vast energy reserve in his Brain Crystal, unflinching at the expenditure. Even Haesha, who was still a Line Controller, had enough psychic energy to last for a sufficient duration, not to mention him, someone who had been an Area Controller for more than eight months.


    While he was improving, he split his focus into two. It was something possible thanks to his state as an Area Controller. One half of the focus was directed to maintaining and improving his psychic energy barrier, while the other was used to spy on his peers.


    ''Most have fainted. It isn''t surprising, considering this was their first time experiencing a full-bloom aura.'' Jyorta recalled the intense aura unleashed by the Tier 5 Artifact his grandfather had prepared for him. It was then he began to suspect something.


    Tier 1 beings, both Warriors and Espers lacked an aura. At Tier 2, they possessed one. During his morning jogs, he experienced the aura from many seniors at Tier 2. Though, it wasn''t something that would affect anyone, considering it was emitted by students who had newly broken through to Tier 2 and had yet to learn to control their aura.


    To get a sense of the aura a normal Tier 2 being possessed, he had approached Hrita Bone and Rakh Veera, to which the two of them agreed. When they unleashed their aura, he made a note, thanking them.


    He approached them in December, a day after Rakh Veera had finished his Graduation Ceremony. Even after the students finished their Graduation Ceremony, they stayed in the military academy until the end of the month, finishing the formalities related to their job allotment.


    At that time, Hrita Bone had been an Amplifier, only 21 days into Tier 2. So, her aura was feeble. As for Rakh Veera, having been in Tier 2 for almost three months, he had a sizeable aura. His aura was also amplified by the Trait of Dominance he possessed.


    "My current aura should be the limit of what an average Amplifier should possess." Thinking back to his words, Jyorta''s mind whirred in thought. Even the aura Rakh Veera had unleashed was a considerable sum.


    Considering how the aura would become more powerful at higher stages, also experiencing a qualitative change at Tier 4, Jyorta felt doubt about the intensity of the aura unleashed by his Tier 5 Artifact.


    The difference between the aura unleashed by an Artifact, Relic, a Frenzy Beast, and a Human in the same Tier differed, with the highest being from humans and the lowest being from Artifacts. Even though the difference ought to have been considerable, Jyorta felt the aura from the Tier 5 Artifact in his possession was too weak.


    As for the goggles and the magenta chakram, he couldn''t even sense a trace of aura in them.


    ''Did grandfather limit the aura emission?'' He shook his head, putting the thought to the back of his head. He then looked around, sensing the state of the conscious students. Based on the aura seepage into the bodies of the students that resisted, Jyorta obtained an inkling of their Sync Rate.


    Due to a lack of aura, it wasn''t possible to get a sense of a Tier 1 being''s Sync Rate. From Tier 2 onwards, their Sync Rate would be observable based on the intensity of their aura.


    A body, whether human or Frenzy Beast offered a certain resistance against external aura and psychic energy. This resistance was further pronounced in the Frenzy Beasts, thanks to the Essence of Frenzy in their bodies.


    In the case of humans, since they possessed superior aura, they resisted against external aura and psychic energy on the same level as Frenzy Beasts, sometimes even surpassing.


    This resistance was present even in Tier 1 beings.


    The resistance stemmed from the aura, which was basically, the cells in the body exerting their presence. The greater their Nurturing, the greater the presence of each cell in their body; it signified greater resistance. The Nurturing effect directly corresponds to an individual''s Sync Rate.


    When the external aura tries to invade their bodies, it would face certain resistance, depending on the individual''s Sync Rate. This would make it easy to guess the individual''s Sync Rate. This was how most Warriors probed the Sync Rate of their foes.


    At higher Tiers, one could easily vary the aura they emitted, even making the intensity fall by a couple of Tiers. This made the strength one displayed conforming to deceit. That is why Warriors unleashed their auras and used it to accurately gauge the strength of their opponents.


    Using the remaining half of his focus, Jyorta grasped the Sync Rates of his peers, trailing his gaze along the faces of each, linking their identities with their Sync Rates. Soon, he noticed Dalna Doppler, resisting against the aura like an unmovable boulder, unaffected by the situation in the least.


    ''A startling Sync Rate of 92 percent. No, it is slightly above that. Calculating based on her Sync Rate and her rank every month, it is normal.'' Jyorta nodded. Dalna Doppler started with a Sync Rate of 86 percent after the Induction Ceremony, the highest in their Batch.


    She placed third every month in their Credit ranking, getting a reward of eight Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits each time. A Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit increased Sync Rate by 0.1 percent, and considering the rewards she obtained for eight months, it was pretty much guaranteed.


    One''s Sync Rate fell only due to three possible ways: during a breakthrough, suffering an injury to the fused organ¡ªthe brain for Espers and spinal cord for Warriors,¡ªand during mating. Since she hadn''t experienced any of the above three, her Sync Rate remained consistent.


    Jyorta took in a deep breath, his face morphed due to the stench. It wasn''t possible to filter the air using his psychic energy barrier, at least, not with his current Tier and expertise. Controlling his twitching facial muscles under the effects of the aura, the blue soul in him overlaid the false persona¡ªone of calm, optimism, and filled with focus.


    Making a double check on his false persona, he gazed at Laila, surprised at the eye-contact. Laila gave a wry smile, nodding in his direction. Her psychic energy barrier was stable, preventing the aura from seeping through.


    Even though it wobbled under the aura, not one hole was punctured through, showcasing her dextrous control. Jyorta nodded in return and retracted his gaze, focusing on the barrier he had erected.


    ''I still have a lot to improve if I want to surpass the surface level ability she has displayed.''

 Chapter 207: A Method of Counter

    ''The current aura wave is emitted by only 20 Tier 2 Frenzy beasts.'' Jyorta glanced around, inspecting each cage, noticing a transparent membrane covering each.


    Each cage was attached to the wall, situated on platforms that grew out of it. A narrow space, 2 metres wide, and spanning the length of the cage was available on its front. A flight of stairs, intersecting many winding paths that traversed from each cage to the ground was built, allowing them access to each.


    Jyorta began to notice them more as he defended against the aura, his senses observing a steady increase in the intensity of the smell, sound, and aura. It was a steady increase, the inclination gradual. Since they were defending, they wouldn''t have the concentration to notice the issue.


    But, as an Area Controller, Jyorta had sufficient ability to divert part of his focus, thereby observing the changes. It was then he noticed the presence of a transparent membrane shrouding each cage. Since it was a massive hall, the sounds were echoing off everywhere, the source unable to be pinpointed.


    Jyorta depended on his sight, trailing past one cage after another, soon spotting some cages that were bereft of the transparent membrane. In the end, after observing every cage in his vicinity, he counted to 20 cages lacking the transparent membrane.


    ''Just 20 Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts can produce such an overbearing aura that is vastly superior to a Tier 2 Frenzy Beast.'' Jyorta nodded, his focus broken as he heard a thud from his side.


    "Haesha!" Jyorta turned around, shouting in fluster upon noticing Haesha collapse from exhaustion. When Jyorta was about to lift her, her hand grabbed hold of his, stopping him.


    "I¡­am fine." Haesha weekly sat up, heaving exhaustive breaths, most of which felt strained. She then waved her hands, "This is nothing; I can still go on."


    "Don''t overstrain yourself." Jyorta focused on her, ready to help her upon a moment''s notice. He was concerned, feeling slight pain in his heart as he saw her struggling figure.


    Seeing his worry, Haesha smiled, "Considering how you are able to withstand aura of this level, you should have tempered yourself with something way worse right?"


    "Uh¡­" Jyorta blinked once, twice, thrice, nodding after a pause.


    "Everyone begins at the same starting line, but I could already see the difference between us becoming wider and wider," Haesha gazed at the sturdy figure of Laila, clenching her hand into a fist. "I am no longer as ignorant as I was when I arrived here. In order to train their younger generation, the Aristocratic Families must have made a lot of preparations."


    "That is why most of the rankings at the top are filled with people from the Aristocratic families, but," Haesha looked at Jyorta, "Even without any backing, there are still people like Laila who are head and shoulders above everyone. The fruits of her hard work are definite now, and I don''t wish to fall behind."


    ???Even if I were to faint, please leave me to my devices; whatever may happen, I will pick myself up." Haesha made her stance clear, leaving Jyorta to gaze at her with admiration.


    He then smiled, "I will be rooting for you then."


    "Hehe, watch me." Haesha flexed her muscles, her actions lacking strength, but the willpower she expressed was admirable.


    Haesha closed her eyes, dispersing the tattered psychic energy barrier, retracting the psychic energy into her. She then seeped her psychic energy through her body, one line at a time, her body trembling at the aura. Blood seeped out of her orifices, forming a thin but steady file; her skin turned beet-red. Haesha was calm, the previous suffering firming her willpower and endurance.


    Her psychic energy coursed through her body, underneath her skin, forming a layer, and seeping into each cell. She similarly infused the psychic energy into her heart, dispersing it, attaching them to the blood pumped by her heart.


    The blood carried her psychic energy, coursing throughout her body, circulating without pause. The blood went into each muscle, organ, nerve, etc, allowing the psychic energy attached to the blood to seep into each of them.


    The psychic energy passed through each of her body parts in such a way, from start at the heart, coursing through all her body before returning to it. When it returned, despite its quantity being reduced, carried in it was something different.


    It was part of the presence exerted by each cell in her body, rubbed off on the psychic energy as it passed through each body part, mingling and completing its basic functions. The psychic energy now contained a trace of her aura, her aura in return was held by the psychic energy, slightly amplified.


    Haesha''s trembling came to a pause, her eyes shot open, the smile etched on her face becoming wider. She glanced at Jyorta once before her psychic energy shot out universally from each portion of her body, ejecting straight.


    The distance was controlled, coming to a stop a millimetre above her skin. Each portion of psychic energy passed through her body, expanding upon their direction of ejection, coming to a stop as they formed a barrier conforming to her body''s shape.


    The psychic energy barrier perfectly outlined her body, pushing away the impacting aura. A second later, it was retracted into her body, emerging out another second later, forming an oscillation. This created a wave effect, keeping the external aura at bay. As every second passed, her skin colour inched towards normalcy.


    When the aura pierced through the erected psychic energy barrier, Haesha retracted it into her body. It was then automatically mended, thanks to her psychic energy flowing along with her blood. The next second, her psychic energy seeped out through her body, erecting a new barrier.


    Jyorta stared at her, his mouth agape. He looked at how Haesha combated the aura, using the strength and means at her disposal to create a method on the spot. He flashed her a thumbs up, sighing at the fact that there was no lack of geniuses around him.


    Seated far from them, Laila gazed through the corner of her eye, watching Haesha''s action. She smiled, ''Just as I assumed, she has good instincts as an Esper.''


    Laila continued with her task, resisting the aura with her psychic energy barrier. She didn''t attempt anything out of the book, just pressing on with her displayed abilities.


    Jyorta gazed at her for five minutes straight, thinking of the delicate measures and control one needed to replicate what Haesha had just done. He didn''t dare imagine being able to do it when he was a Line Controller.


    Even at present, he would have struggled a lot to produce an effect on the same level as her. If they were competing in the process of creating a construct, Jyorta would surpass his peers. The speed of manipulating psychic energy, the rigidity of his created structures, etc. were the fields he was well-versed in.


    But, in cases such as what Haesha had displayed, he was below average. Everyone had things they were good and bad at; the same thing applied in this case, since the abilities of Espers depended on their mental faculties.


    A minute later, Jyorta stood up, walking towards a cage situated nearest to him.He climbed the flight of stairs¡ªnarrow, and lacking any handrails. A couple of times, he felt the sensation as if he would fall off. But, thanks to his abilities as an Area Controller, he could climb up the stairs with ease while defending against the aura.


    As he approached a cage, the aura impacting him became stronger, including the stench and sounds. Jyorta arrived on the narrow platform, gazing into the cage before him, situated an arm''s length from him.


    Crawling within was a Life Leech, a Tier 2 Frenzy Beast. He couldn''t determine if it was an Esper or a Warrior upon first sight. Life Leeches looked the same, indistinguishable between Warrior and Esper until Tier 3, beyond which obvious differences appeared.


    The Life Leech lay on the floor, its mouth sucking on it, showing no signs of success. But, it continued to suck on the floor, as if such an action would destroy it.


    Jyorta was cautious, his body steady, his focus on the transparent membrane covering the cage. He noticed three membranes, one over the other. After a moment of thought, he linked the membranes to a filter that prevented the Frenzy Beast within from sending its aura out.


    One membrane blocked the sound, the other the smell, and the final one the aura. Upon closer observation, he noticed the outermost membrane beginning to dissipate, the process slow. Soon, he noticed a small needle-sized hole form in a spot before him, immediately sensing a different stench seep out through it. The stench mixed with the surroundings, faintly increasing its intensity.


    ''So, my conjecture was right. Each membrane blocks something and continues to dissipate. This is why the intensity of the aura, the smell, and the sound has become higher than when we entered.'' Jyorta nodded in thought, involuntarily taking a step back in fright upon noticing a gaping maw, the size of his head before him.


    It was the Life Leech''s mouth, lacking any teeth except for winding muscles that possessed multiple layers, with each contracting and expanding on their own. It was sucking the floor for a moment, appearing before him in the other, frightening him.


    A barrier covered the cage, blocking its approach, preventing him from suffering any harm. Though, in his alarm, he forgot about the narrowness of the platform he stood upon, his leg lacking any anchor upon a back step. His body lost its balance, tilting towards the back without control.


    "Careful," A hand shot forward, grabbing hold of his collar. The figure jumped, the force transmitting to his body through the connection, negating his fall. The jump was more powerful than he had imagined, watching his foot rest on the platform as a figure landed beside.

 Chapter 208: Nurturing Starts From Birth

    "It was quite risky of you to do that," The girl turned around, speaking with a tone that seemed to admonish him but didn''t carry any of the necessary intent whatsoever.


    "Thank you for saving me; that was a close call." Jyorta nodded, placing a hand on his chest, feeling his thumping heart. It was indeed a close call. For a moment there, he glossed over the fact of the narrowness of the platform he stood upon. It was an act of alarm; his only intention was to create a gap.


    ''I have to take in the surroundings as I plan, whether executed based on focus or due to a reflex. If I did something like this in the Wilds, I would probably lose my life.'' Jyorta thanked the girl again, glancing at the mouth of the Life Leech sucking on the cage''s barrier.


    Jyorta unleashed his psychic arm, inching it towards the life leech; it got blocked by the transparent membrane. Beyond that, irrespective of the force he exerted, his psychic arm failed to penetrate.


    Just the transparent membrane alone was rigid enough to block him, not to mention the barrier covering the cage. Jyorta seeped his psychic arm through the hole in the outermost transparent membrane, trying to seep between the layers in an effort to sense its mysteries.


    Each transparent membrane had its designated function, selectively filtering substances. It was the first time he came across such a technique, immediately deriving its advantages in a battle.


    A normal psychic energy barrier he created shielded him from everything, except light. It also consumed a lot of psychic energy to maintain. Even though its defensive properties were the highest, it came with its own set of disadvantages.


    Within such a barrier, he wouldn''t be able to smell or hear anything. In normal situations, an Esper used his psychic energy to sense the surroundings while in battle. But, it wasn''t wise to enact such a method while accompanying Warriors.


    The sensory Skills of Warriors were extensions of their primitive senses. A normal psychic energy barrier was capable of interfering with their Skills to a certain extent, which was a major disadvantage.


    But, if he were to learn the technique to selectively limit the effect his psychic energy barrier could filter and isolate, he would have a lot of chips while in battle. He could adapt to situations based on the terrain, his teammates, and his enemies.


    Suppose there was a Frenzy Beast that solely depended on sound to sense, he would be able to create a psychic energy barrier that isolated the sounds, blinding the Frenzy Beast. Based on the focus, the effect will be higher while also consuming less psychic energy.


    This was why Jyorta was interested in its mechanism, intending to research and learn the secrets behind it. An Esper''s ability was based on his accumulated knowledge and techniques. Because it revolved around delicate operations, one had to carefully study and experiment with many ideas, finally implementing the ones that worked.


    "What are you planning on doing?" The girl, Dalna Doppler asked, looking at him with curiosity.


    "I am trying to learn the technique used in this transparent membrane." Jyorta pointed at the target, lightly tapping it with his finger. The sensation was soft to the touch, like leather but, it was extremely tough.


    The texture was smooth, the feel a mixture of plastic and steel. Jyorta then looked at Dalna Doppler, "Did you find anything worth the notice to come here?"


    "Yeah," Dalna Doppler nodded, pointing at the top of the cages, at a sole cage attached to the ceiling. "For some reason, I feel fear when I look at that."


    Jyorta trailed his line of sight, gazing at the cage she pointed. It was slightly larger than the rest, but not overly different to the extent it stood out. On a closer inspection, it was just a tad larger.


    There seemed to exist another layer of transparent membrane on it, also blocking the light, preventing them from gazing at the Frenzy Beast within. The membrane reflected yellow light, looking no different from the walls unless observed closely. That was why he failed to spot it before.


    His attention had been grabbed by the transparent membrane and its functionality. This prevented him from noticing the odd cage. Also, he wasn''t one to have an eye for details in most cases, unless it was related to a task he had been focused on.


    "What do you plan to do once you head there?" Jyorta gazed at the visage of Dalna Doppler, trying to know her intention first before altering his plans.


    "I have no idea," Dalna Doppler shrugged, "I was just curious since I felt slight fear when I gazed at it. If what they said is the truth, there should only be Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts here. But, I don''t feel fear when seeing all the Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts around us. So, the entity within that cage must be a special existence."


    Dalna Doppler slightly shivered, affected by the sudden spike in the aura. Jyorta kneeled, feeling trouble breathing for an instant. He then noticed another hole form in the transparent membrane near him, it allowed the Life Leech''s aura to leak out. Since they were the closest, they were affected the most.


    "If you find something interesting, please call me. Currently, while the transparent membrane dissipates, it makes it easy for me to sense its inner workings." Jyorta sat cross-legged on the platform, seeping his psychic arm through the newly formed hole, making coils in the gap between the layers.


    "Sure," Dalna Doppler walked away, the shivering in her body coming to a stop once she created some distance. She then hopped along the steps, each of her jump traversing six steps with ease.


    Jyorta''s body was no longer protected by a psychic arm, allowing the aura to hit him with full strength. Two Traits worked in his body, combating the invading aura while recovering his body''s condition.


    The Trait of Recovery and the Trait of Resistance; after he had accumulated enough Credits, he immediately exchanged for a Trait of Resistance, getting his third Trait. This allowed him to resist external influences like aura to a certain extent. Also, the more he trained with the Tier 5 Artifact his grandfather had given him, the greater his Trait of Resistance developed.


    Soon, the Trait of Resistance became specialised in resisting auras. This was why he could resist the auras to a certain extent even without shielding his body with a psychic energy barrier. As for how Dalna Doppler managed to achieve a feat superior to his own, he had no idea. He attributed it to a Trait she possessed; it should have been something her family had prepared for her.


    Jyorta began to study the wonders of the Transparent Membrane. Even though he still couldn''t understand the feedback given by his psychic arm, he could experiment on a trial and error basis.


    The hole formed in the membrane was tiny, allowing him to plug it with his psychic arm. Jyorta then began to change the inherent structure in his psychic arm, varying it randomly, without any order. Upon each change, the effect varied, able to be sensed by his body.


    After all, aura, smell, and sound were easily detectable for him, thanks to his heightened senses capable of sensing even a trace of the above three. At present, a hole had formed on the transparent membranes filtering aura and smell.


    As he varied the inherent structure of his psychic arm, he trained his senses, making note of the changes in the aura and smell. They changed from being partially blocked, to completely isolated, to barely filtered. He made a note of everything, remembering the final structure of his psychic arm when he achieved the desired objective.


    ''Now, all I need to do is practice this until I get the hang of it.'' Jyorta smiled, turning around to notice most of the students had fallen unconscious, with the conscious ones numbering around 20.


    Among the conscious ones were his friends, Haesha, Ashten Coorg, and Esina Hawker. There was also George Eagle who mimicked Dalna Doppler''s actions before another similar cage, situated along the opposite wall.


    Haesha''s complexion had become normal by now. She had even adapted to the extent capable of conversing with Laila. They seemed to be exchanging their insights, in an effort to collectively improve.


    ''It is tiring to always control my strength.'' Jyorta gazed at his hands that had begun to shiver. Despite resisting the aura with his body alone, it seemed he was beginning to hit his limit. It was aura saturation, his body unable to resist any longer.


    Though, he would have hardly been affected if he could unleash his actual aura. But, in order to conform to the official power scale, he had to limit himself. This limited the speed at which he could experiment and learn.


    ''There is no other choice.'' Jyorta sighed, practicing the filtering technique with his psychic arm, noticing the hole in the transparent membrane begin to widen. He then decisively stopped his experiments and began to retreat to the ground.


    ¡­


    Hovering in the air was Madam Rizenne and Madam Mila; they had never left the hall. Having wrapped a psychic arm around themselves, they disappeared from everyone''s senses. The previous act of their disappearance was just a front, to misguide the students of their absence.


    All the while, they had been observing the actions of the students, judging them on a variety of criteria.


    "In terms of quality, the October Batch is only above average." Madam Mila commented.


    "But, in terms of individual prowess, this Batch has some of the best to date, especially Jyorta and Laila." Madam Rizenne smiled, nodding in praise.


    "Laila is well-versed on all fronts. As long as she doesn''t die a premature death, she would become a pillar in the future. As for Jyorta," Madam Mila shook her head, a rare action where she moved her body, "He''s good in researching a technique or grasping it after seeing it once. But, he seems to lack battle instincts."


    "It is very rare for one to possess battle instincts at their age. Laila is an exception thanks to her father. I am always impressed by him; he grew to our level out of nowhere." Madam Rizenne sighed, waving her hands to suppress the aura in the hall.


    "Qualities taught since birth becomes useful tools at an older age. The Nurturing of our basic abilities starts right from birth. That is how our talent and instincts are shaped even without being thrust into a myriad of situations." Madam Mila nodded, "Mavelin''s method of teaching is full of foresight and wisdom; no wonder Laila has such exemplary qualities."


    "I have instructed him to file a document regarding it. Once he finishes the draft, we can publish it to every Aristocratic Family. The next generation will see the rise of even more geniuses." Madam Rizenne retracted her psychic arm, allowing everyone to notice her presence.

 Chapter 209: Hallucination

    "I heard that Mavelin hardly makes a decision unless left with no other choice," Madam Mila transmitted her voice through her psychic energy, "What compensation did you present him that he readily agreed to sell his lifetime''s accumulation?"


    "When the seat for the Administrator of Sector 1 opens up, he will be the first candidate to be judged." Madam Rizenne sighed once, "Despite being a Deputy, he has little chance when compared to the other Deputies. Once I relayed the details of his work to the other Aristocratic Families in the 7th Ring, they readily backed away. After all, the position of an Administrator pales in comparison to getting an upscale in talents among their next generation."


    "That is true," Madam Mila replied after a moment of thought, "To the Aristocratic Families, elevating the overall strength of their family as a collective whole is more lucrative. But, for an individual like Mavelin, the position of an Administrator brings about many benefits that are unimaginable for him."


    "Indeed," Madam Rizenne glanced below once, continuing with her conversation, "When I conversed with him, he lamented about getting the Unranked Skill, Flight. If not for being deployed in Flying Signature Raid, he wouldn''t have made such a rash choice. At least, he survived and even became a Transformer."


    Jyorta had just landed on the floor when he noticed the aura in his surroundings dissipate, giving him a sense of freedom, the suppression from before no longer suffocating him. Dispersed along with the aura were the intense stench and the sounds produced by the Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts.


    Jyorta turned his head, noticing the three transparent membranes on the cage¡ªholding the Life Leech¡ªmending themselves. He glanced around, spotting a similar phenomenon in all the cages whose transparent membranes had disappeared before.


    Trailing along the gazes of his friends, Jyorta gazed up, watching the figures of Madam Mila and Madam Rizenne hover in the air, only a metre below the ceiling.


    Madam Rizenne lifted her hand, forming a dense, pale blue sphere, a metre in size. Small wisps flashed from the sphere, seeping into the bodies of each unconscious student. A pale blue light enveloped them, coursing through their bodies.


    Depending on the severity of the injuries they had faced, the number of wisps entering their bodies varied. A minute later, the wisps entered the bodies of the conscious students, the numbers per each a lot less than before.


    Fifteen wisps entered Haesha''s body, healing the injuries she had suffered thanks to overexerting her body. In the end, one wisp seeped into him, imbuing in him a warm feeling.


    Jyorta immediately closed his eyes, getting a feel of its mysteries, trying to comprehend its essence. It was a rare opportunity to be healed, with the seldom chances he got used in comprehending its workings.


    After all, he planned to obtain the Unranked Skill Regen. That''s why, he wanted to get a feel for its mysteriousness beforehand. It was something he had been working towards since day 1, just that he hadn''t been able to achieve much.


    Still, he persisted. Everything was based on one''s accumulations. After accumulating enough, his accumulations would one day experience a qualitative change and allow his comprehension of the Unranked Skill Regen to soar.


    ''From Tier 3, the effectiveness of the Skill directly varies with respect to one''s comprehension of it.'' Jyorta arrived at his prior spot, watching Haesha flash a smile his way.


    "How was the transparent membrane?" Haesha gazed with curiosity, her eyes opened wide, not daring to miss anything.


    "It is amazing," Jyorta praised without holding back, "It is a must for Espers to master that technique. We can learn it by visiting here every day."


    "Yeah," Haesha nodded, springing forth from her seated position, expressing her vigour after getting healed to full health. "Once I temper myself to the aura lingering here, I will focus on learning the filtering technique."


    "Yes, the filtering technique is of vital importance to Espers." Madam Mila''s voice echoed around them, startling them for a moment, "You can visit here any time and try to learn it. It is a simple technique anyway."


    Madam Rizenne''s voice echoed around, prompting the unconscious students to wake up with a start, "It was a disappointing display, to be honest. Even in the Wild Zones, in a range 1 kilometre around our city wall, the air is filled with aura around the Tier 3 level. In future missions, you must be capable of working in such an environment."


    "But, it is your first day, so I won''t pressure you. The time is only 3:00 PM; we have a lot of time left for the day''s classes to end." Madam Rizenne began to descend, sporting a gentle smile on her face, "It will take time for your body to be tempered under the aura. We can''t wait until then. So, we will start our combat exercises."


    A yellow psychic arm flashed around, forming a layer on the floor, seeping beneath the shoes of everyone. It lifted the students, gentle in its motion, stopping after reaching an altitude of three metres.


    The students witnessed their bodies move on the yellow platform, beyond their control. Their positions changed, forming a circular pattern. Since the area in the hall wasn''t wide enough to accommodate the 800+ students in a single circle, they were split up into five batches, forming five concentric ellipses, arranged in a step-formation. It was due to the rectangular structure of the hall.


    "Take a seat," Madam Mila''s voice prompted them to take a seat in their designated spots, allowing everyone to view the area before them.


    Leaving a gap of one metre from the innermost circle, the wide area in the centre got pressed, the depth aligning to the floor¡ªthree metres. A stage had now been created, forming a depression based on their line of sight. It allowed the students to witness everything happening within the circle with startling clarity.


    A cage from the farther end opened; a Growling Frenzy Beast was picked up and carried by Madam Rizenne''s psychic arm. It was then dropped onto the stage. The students felt apprehensive, especially the ones seated in the innermost circle.


    The depth of the stage was only three metres and wasn''t deep enough to warrant their peace of mind. Most agile Frenzy Beasts were capable of jumping over this height. Some of the Espers hurriedly unleashed their psychic arms, sending them forth, watching them move unobstructed.


    Their expression plummeted, unable to sense any barrier protecting them from the Frenzy Beast within the stage. The dropped Frenzy Beast was a One-horned Rhino, at Tier 1. It was an Observer, judging by its sturdy body.


    The One-horned Rhino was 150 centimetres tall, sporting a single horn on its skull, 60 centimetres in length. It looked sharp and deadly. The One-horned Rhino looked massive due to its bulky frame, and the thumping sounds following each of its footsteps.


    Its body possessed thick and tough skin, the folds along the shoulder, back, and rump gave it a naturally imbued armour with startling defensive properties. It released a gust of air through its nostrils, letting out a grunt filled with anger.


    Its eyes glared at the students, expressing its bloodthirsty nature; the killing intent sent a chill in most students.


    "Practical experience is always the best teacher." Madam Rizenne''s voice echoed, traced with mild concern. "Your task is to kill this Observer One-horned Rhino using any methods you please. You won''t be provided any weapons but, there are 878 of you and only one of it. I''m sure you can kill it in 60 minutes, right? Your time starts now."


    The One-horned Rhino grunted once again, charging for ten steps before stopping. The students seated outside, facing its line of sight directly vacated their spots in fear. Noticing the One-horned Rhino stop its movement, they sighed in relief and hesitantly crawled back to their spots.


    Jyorta''s heart thumped due to a myriad of emotions. After the One-horned Rhino stopped its charge for some reason, it turned to its right, facing a student seated 10 people to his right. It was his first time facing a Frenzy Beast that expressed its intent to kill.


    "Huff¡­puff¡­" His mind became occupied as he looked at the Frenzy Beast, the intent to kill unable to be generated in him. The image of the One-horned Rhino slowly dispersed, like a mirage in the desert. It was gradually replaced by a vague outline, greyish-black, blurred out.


    The outline looked hazy, weak to the extent being dispersed by the wind. Faint black dust swirled around, defining its shape, gradually taking form, also creating subsets around it. It was a feminine figure, surrounded by many humanoid figures, smaller in size, numbering 27. Jyorta''s breathing became laboured, his eyes glazed over.


    Positioned next to him was Haesha, quickly noticing the abnormality. She shook him, "Jyorta! What happened to you?"


    "Guh," Jyorta felt the air in his lungs escape, leaving him in a state of suffocation for a moment. His eyes regained clarity; his vision spotted the visage of Haesha, witnessing her confusion and concern for him.


    Jyorta felt weak, lacking the strength in him to even lift his finger. His body lost balance, falling down. Haesha hurriedly grabbed hold of him, reducing his momentum, giving him the necessary balance to take a seat.


    The blue soul in him overlaid the false persona¡ªone of calm, optimism, and filled with focus¡ªsubtly affecting his turbulent emotions, slowly beginning to calm him down.


    "Killer!" A voice bellowed in his ears. Jyorta''s eyes widened in shock, he swerved his head, watching the attention of his Batch mates trained on the One-horned Rhino roaming about within the stage.


    The source of the voice seemed to have been from afar but resounded within him. The voice seemed familiar but wasn''t something he had ever heard to date. He then looked at Haesha, asking in a flurry, "Did you hear it?"


    "Hear what?" Haesha felt confused, unable to find the cause for his strangeness, gazing at Madam Rizenne to seek help.


    Hearing her answer, Jyorta felt confused but, the voice continued to resound in his ears.


    "Killer!"


    "Killer!


    "Child Killer!"

 Chapter 210: Hypocrite, And a Piggyback

    "Child Killer!" His emotional disturbance spiked, the sound resounding in his ears becoming louder. As every second passed, the sound decreased in magnitude, thanks to his false persona taking effect. His breathing was laboured, the shouts of Haesha falling on deaf ears.


    A pale blue psychic arm seeped into him, quickly clearing his mind. Madam Rizenne''s voice resounded in his ears, "Face your trauma and overcome your fears. What you faced back then, your current self can easily survive something like that."


    "Yes," Jyorta nodded, his mind now calm. He then gazed at Haesha, "Thank you. Sorry to make you see such an embarrassing scene."


    "Are you feeling okay now?" Haesha inquired with concern, watching the pale blue psychic arm exit his body. She then noticed Madam Rizenne nod once at her, indicating that things were under control.


    "Yeah¡­" Jyorta nodded, his line of sight trailing to the figure of a boy who had haphazardly jumped into the stage, hollering in anger. A psychic arm caught hold of him and dropped him back on his seat. A pale blue psychic arm entered his body and calmed his emotional outburst.


    "George¡­" Jyorta murmured, swerving his head to find Laila heaving ragged breaths on her seat; a pale blue psychic arm seeped into her and normalised her state. Haesha helped him get back on his feet; Jyorta took in a deep breath and released it, "Thank you, Haesha. I''m grateful."


    "Don''t mention it," Haesha shook her head, following his gaze, and focusing on the One-horned Rhino. "Anyone in my place would have done the same."


    "Still, thank you." Jyorta stared at the One-horned Rhino, no longer experiencing any hallucinations. The blue soul in him removed the false persona; his emotions were now calm, unaffected by anything.


    Trauma!


    Despite being the instigator and the perpetrator of the incident, the disaster 6 years ago, the actual incident traumatised him. At that time, he was desperate, pressurised into enacting such a vicious scheme, his absence of attachments also attributing to the factor.


    In order to obtain the body he was parasitizing, he claimed the lives of 28 people, 27 of whom were kids, young and innocent. He eradicated the future of 28 individuals solely to achieve his goal. The immorality of the action haunted him to this day.


    Even the very first memory fragment he had siphoned out the subsoul of his Wisdom Parasite conformed to this incident. He didn''t want to do something like that, but the situation forced his hand.


    Whether he was forced or not, it was a fact that he killed 28 people. It weighed on his conscience, becoming more and more pronounced as he comprehended the memories of his past life, firming his character.


    The One-horned Rhino''s killing intent induced his suppressed memories, causing them to flare up and make him hallucinate. Thanks to his enhanced powers as an Area Controller, even the hallucinations were realistic.


    Jyorta took in another deep breath and heaved a sigh, ''When push comes to shove, there isn''t a limit to the method I would employ to save myself. I act righteous but, I am naught but a hypocrite bastard.''


    "Sorry for that," Jyorta bowed towards Madam Rizenne. A voice resounded in his ears, "You were traumatised by that incident; it is only natural. But, don''t worry; we had negated most of the trauma when you were in a coma. This is just the remnants we purposely left behind; take your time to overcome it."


    Jyorta nodded, wondering about how they were able to achieve the effect. ''Can they control the hormonal disturbances affected by mental states? Every emotion, state of mind, etc. have an impact on the body. Are they using the effects of the Unranked Skill Regen to control the body state, thereby controlling the mental state? But, how can they achieve a long-term effect? It seems this Unranked Skill is not that simple.''


    Jyorta watched the One-horned Rhino move about within the stage, springing for 10-15 steps each time before coming to a pause. It seemed to be getting a hang of the situation by probing the students. Despite its killing intent increasing without pause and its state of frenzy making it seem brainless, it still showed a level of balance.


    "How do you propose we try to deal with it?" Jyorta turned towards Haesha, his clear eyes and his usually expressed demeanour calming her. Haesha looked at his eyes, not breaking contact until more than five seconds had passed.


    She then expressed her thoughts, "It is an Observer, adding on to its naturally powerful body. So, it is a strong foe. We can''t estimate its strength based on the other Frenzy Beasts. On our side, we Espers are lacking in our reach to affect it. So, only the Warriors can take the lead."


    There wasn''t uniformity in the strength of Frenzy Beasts, even among the same Tier. The Frenzy Parasites Nurtured their bodies, improving their strengths as a whole. But, the strength possessed by the Frenzy Beasts at the same Tier varied among the races.


    For example, the bodies of the Floating Spiders were small, thereby possessing limited strength. Even though their bodies are Nurtured at Tier 1, it is still incomparable to the body of a Tier 1 One-horned Rhino, a beast that was born with a tremendously powerful physique.


    The Nurturing effect and its outcome differed between different Frenzy Beast races. It wasn''t like all Frenzy Beasts at the same Tier with the same Sync Rates possessed similar physiques; there were vast differences between each.


    Each race had its gifts and advantages. The nurturing effect only further amplified it. If the Nurturing effect was quantised into a number, the amount attained by every Frenzy Beast, including humans was the same. The only difference was the distribution.


    The Floating Spiders were more focused on agility, with other aspects lacking in comparison while being Nurtured. The One-horned Rhino was focused on strength and defence. Humans were the most balanced among all races, slightly leaning towards strength and agility.


    At Tier 1, the nurturing effect was quite weak, only leading to little growth. So, the base physical prowess of each race was at greater play. In the case of the One-horned Rhino, it was even more pronounced.


    An adult One-horned Rhino, even without a Frenzy Parasite, was capable of fighting against an Amplifier human on average, given he didn''t use a weapon or Skill. This was thanks to its natural endowment.


    As an Observer, the One-horned Rhino was even stronger. If they possessed weapons, humans had a lot of means to take down stronger foes with ease. But, since the students weren''t allotted any weapons, they had to use tactics to bring their foe down.


    "There are only two people at Tier 2 in our Batch," Haesha pointed at Jyorta, also glancing at Laila, "But, even the two of you had just made a breakthrough. Your prowess is no different to us Line Controllers."


    "Our only option is for the Warriors to engage in a dog fight with the One-horned Rhino." Haesha was just about to continue when Jyorta interrupted her.


    "Our psychic arms can seep through the defences of the One-horned Rhino with more ease than the attacks of the Warriors. After all, it possesses a tough defence. If we aim at its eyes with our psychic arms that it can''t sense, our chances of taking it down are higher."


    "But, we can''t even reach it without getting impaled," Haesha retorted, showcasing their normal bodies. They might be able to dodge once or twice at most but, attacking the eyes of the rampaging One-horned Rhino whilst dodging was impossible. Also, thanks to the short-range of their psychic arms, they had to close in too much, placing their lives at a risk.


    "A piggyback," Jyorta smiled, "The swiftest of the Warriors will carry the Espers with long enough ranges. While the Warriors dodge and attack, the Espers can calmly focus on its eyes."


    "Fain enough," Haesha nodded, watching Jyorta signal Ashten Coorg with a wave. The other party brought Esina along as the two of them traversed the boundaries of the seats, soon arriving at their spots.


    "What happened to you then? We were just about to come and see you." Esina asked in concern, placing the back of her hand on Jyorta''s forehead, checking the temperature.


    "I just recalled¡­that." Jyorta let out a wry smile.


    "I see," Her eyes dimmed for a second when Ashten Coorg joined in on the conversation, "So, have you come up with a plan?"


    "It''s not much of a plan but," Jyorta detailed his plan, taking less than twenty seconds to get the point across. "We can try and see if this works."


    "It is¡­feasible," After a moment of thought, Ashten nodded. "I can carry you while Esina can carry Haesha. We''ll try to harass and keep its attention on us while you guys attack its eyes. Among the Espers, the two of you are the best right after Laila."


    "Let me inform Dalna," Esina spoke, "Thanks to Dynamic Acuity, she can take the lead."


    "Sure, let me see if I can rope in the others." Jyorta weaved through the crowd, all the while keeping an eye on the One-horned Rhino. The One-horned Rhino only beat its hooves, making threatening sounds but not taking any action.


    He then gazed at its eyes, watching them be slightly glazed over. He then swerved his head, watching Madam Rizenne converse with Madam Mila as if unconcerned about the whole situation.


    ''Are they giving us some time to prepare?'' Jyorta hurried along, intending to make use of the time. He didn''t know how long they would retain their help, unwilling to waste it.


    Jyorta made his way through the crowd, coming to face a boy standing erect, his eyes focused on the actions of the One-horned Rhino, his body ready to explode with power any second. Jyorta smiled, making a tap on his shoulder.

 Chapter 211: First Battle

    The yellow platform was raised to three metres high, spanning almost all the ground area in the hall. The stage was elliptical in shape, 60 metres in length, and 30 metres in breadth. It spanned an area of 1414 square metres, a large moving space.


    Thanks to the depth of it, situated 3 metres below the raised yellow platform, the students had to be decisive in jumping down and climbing up, a fraction of a second delay or a single misstep could cost them their lives.


    Four teams currently stood on one edge, in teams of two. Standing on the left extreme was Ashten, giving a piggyback to Jyorta. To the extreme right was Esina, carrying Haesha. To her left was Dalna Doppler, carrying Laila.


    Finally, to Jyorta''s right was a boy, a head taller than him, sporting a slight blush on his face. Jyorta remarked, "Are you nervous? You don''t seem well."


    "Heh, I will fare better than you, Jyorta." The boy scoffed, his expression though was plain, the hint of a smile apparent.


    "George is enjoying the situation, Jyorta. See that blush on him? Don''t interrupt him." Ashten snickered. Carried on George''s back was a tall girl, possessing a relatively thin frame. She had short hair, a smile etched on her face, slightly blushing. It was Laekha Walta.


    "Once this ends, let me smack you once." Laekha raised her hand, puffing her cheeks as she glared at Ashten.


    "Is everyone ready?" Dalna Doppler''s voice resounded. Once everyone nodded in return, she spoke with a solemn voice, "This will be our first fight with a Frenzy Beast. I advise caution. If we encounter any difficulties, we will readily retreat. There is enough time and we have the terrain advantage."


    The remaining students had turned calm by now, part of their attention on the One-horned Rhino while the rest was focused on Dalna Doppler. They watched the actions of her and her team with anticipation.


    The best of their Batch had begun to take action. They wanted to first gauge the situation and see how the top students fared before planning to follow along.


    "I will focus on the front. Thanks to my Skill, I can manage myself. George will focus on its back," Dalna Doppler gazed at George, "Keep it distracted and prevent it from focusing on me for too long. We''ll take turns distracting it."


    Dalna Doppler then looked at the other two teams, "Ashten will take its left while Esina will take the right. You will get more chances than us to attack its eyes; keep moving, but keep attacking."


    Once she finished her instruction, she turned silent, waiting for the opportunity. The moment the One-horned Rhino turned her way, she shouted, "Now!"


    The four teams made a jump, landing on the stage. The legs of each of the four Warriors were steady, only bending a little to use up the momentum, displaying the shock-absorbing capacity of their nurtured bodies.


    Dalna Doppler sprinted, having long activated her Skill, letting out a bellow to garner the One-horned Rhino''s attention. The One-horned Rhino perked its head, alarmed, its eyes regaining clarity, brimming with frenzy.


    Its Skill was related to smell, detecting the four approaching figures. Thanks to the position of its eyes on the sides, it had difficulty seeing far ahead. But, it noticed two figures approaching on its sides.


    Dalna Doppler charged straight while Ashten proceeded left. George sprinted on the right while Esina followed behind. With a mild shout, George raised his speed, crossing Dalna Doppler.


    The One-horned Rhino turned its head to the left, focusing on him in alarm. George suddenly closed in on it, letting out a loud bellow when he was three metres from it. As the One-horned Rhino reacted, he stepped away, going past it, running towards its back.


    Using the distraction, Dalna Doppler arrived before it, slightly bending her body backward. In response, Laila let go of her hold, landing on the ground, watching Dalna Doppler slide on the floor a little, using the momentum to land a kick to its lower jaw.


    Using the rebound of her kick, her legs landed on the floor, kicking on it to propel her body backward. The One-horned Rhino turned its head, shaking it a couple of times to rid itself of the effects of the kick, charging towards the foe before it.


    Dalna Doppler quickly retreated towards Laila, allowing the other party to jump on her back. Dalna Doppler showcased her speed as ran backward, with the One-horned Rhino charging on the front.


    Laila had long unleashed her psychic arm, a startling 80 centimetres, keeping it ready, pointed at the eyes of the One-horned Rhino. The One-horned Rhino beat its hooves as it raised its speed, closing in on Dalna Doppler.


    To its back charged George, raising his speed to the limit, trailing right begin it. Laekha Walta rested her head on his shoulder; her psychic arm emerged from her head, inching forward before grabbing hold of the One-horned Rhino''s tail.


    The psychic arm pinched once, shaking the tail, as if playing with it. The One-horned Rhino stopped its charge, alarmed as it turned its head left a little, using the position of its eyes to gaze at George.


    Ashten charged forth, making a jump, tilting his body backward, his legs aiming at the sides on its right. He didn''t make much sound, landing his legs on its sides, quickly buckling his legs. Holding onto his back was Jyorta, his psychic already unleashed and pointed in the required direction.


    His psychic arm reached towards the One-horned Rhino''s right eye, seeping into it, facing a lot of resistance in its path. The moment Ashten''s legs landed on its right side, its body violently jerked, the motion throwing off his balance.


    It lifted its forelegs, aiming its pointed horn his way. Dalna Doppler sent a kick to its jaws on the right, displacing its head a little. Ashten watched the pointed horn flash before his face, the gap only spanning three centimetres.


    He was flustered, and losing his footing thanks to the One-horned Rhino???s abrupt lifting, he could only kick at whatever area of the One-horned Rhino his legs could reach, using the rebound to fly back.


    Jyorta''s psychic arm had wrapped around the One-horned Rhino''s right eye. Only then did he find its weight exceeding a kilogram, something he couldn''t affect much unless he used his real strength. After a moment of thought, he seeped the psychic arm deeper, not caring about the psychic energy expenditure.


    The resistance he faced increased exponentially as he passed through each of its cells, seeping through the aura filled region, with each cell exerting its presence, furthering the resistance offered to his psychic energy.


    Ashten jumped back, Jyorta held his psychic arm as is, having grabbed hold of its optic nerve. Ashten''s jump carried enough momentum, adding onto the pull he timed with his psychic arm, pulling at the optic nerve.


    "Damn it," Jyorta cursed, sensing the optic nerve slip from his hold. The momentum exceeded what his psychic arm could handle, breaking off at the point of the hold. Still, he witnessed his psychic arm managing to pull the optic nerve a little.


    He didn''t know how much he managed to damage it, watching Ashten make some distance. The One-horned Rhino was enraged, turning around to chase them. Blood dripped from its right eye, forming a small trickle that flowed down the side of its face.


    The moment it turned its head, Dalna Doppler inched closer, allowing Laila to seep her psychic arm into its left eye. The One-horned Rhino charged at Ashten; all Dalna Doppler hand to do was step back a little, using its momentum against itself.


    Laila damaged it the same was as Jyorta, targeting its optic nerve. "It''s blind now."


    Her attack added to its pain, making the One-horned Rhino feel a momentary conflict about who to charge at. George made a jump, landing on its buttocks, his legs buckling like a spring. His hands grabbed hold of its tail, and his legs kicked forth, allowing his body to spring back in one fluid motion.


    Held in his hand was its tail, leaking out from its former spot was a copious amount of blood. George hurriedly created distance between them, watching the One-horned Rhino turn around, targeting him.


    He back stepped for a couple of steps, watching Laekha jump onto his back. He then firmed her hold and sprinted backward, watching the One-horned Rhino charge at him with reckless abandon.


    The moment he One-horned Rhino turned and charged at him, Dalna Doppler used the chance and sent a kick at its wounded spot, making it shriek in pain. Using the chance, Esina made a leap and grabbed hold of its horn, her legs landing on its head.


    She controlled her body''s balance, synchronised with the One-horned Rhino''s head movements as it tried to throw her off. Haesha seeped her psychic arm through its right eye, making use of the longer duration of contact to seep her psychic arm further in.


    She grabbed whatever her psychic arm chanced upon and pulled at them, ignoring the cost of her expenditure.


    "Growl!" The One-horned Rhino tumbled to its right, the force throwing off Esina. It then used the momentum to make a spin and get back on its feet.


    Sent flying in the air, Esina grabbed hold of Haesha, protecting her as the two fell on the floor and slid for almost four metres. They rolled a couple of times and came to a stop. Esina began to cough, suffering some scratches. Haesha just felt some pain due to the impact; most of the force had been absorbed by Esina.


    They lay on the floor, unable to gather their bearings quickly, still recovering from the fall. They didn''t suffer many injuries, but the shock still affected them, momentarily stunning them. The One-horned Rhino charged straight at them, its body posture slightly wobbly due to the damage it suffered in the head.


    Dalna Doppler made a jump, sending a kick at its head. Due to its slightly muddled state, it was unable to sense her approach. George, on the other side, made a kick on its stomach. Their two kicks stopped its charge, making it tumble, the momentum of its charge making it slid forward.

 Chapter 212: Voluntary Murder

    "Charge!" Dalna Doppler bellowed, raining down punches on the sides of the One-horned Rhino''s head. It was in a vulnerable state after falling on the ground, she didn''t want to miss such a chance.


    George stomped its head, crouching using the momentum as he held its horn, preventing it from getting up or mount any attack. Ashen pressed his body on the muscle part of the One-horned Rhino connecting its right foreleg, pressuring it, preventing it from getting up for the time being.


    Jyorta seeped his psychic arm through the left eye while Laila did so through its right, seeping it to its depths, soon reaching the brain. Jyorta pulled without restrain, uncaring about the consequences. He pulled out specific parts in the brain, causing a haemorrhage. He then punctured a hole through the eye, creating a larger outlet for the blood to leak from.


    Once he was done, he didn''t try anything else, making a retreat. Laila too repeated the same actions as him, quickly making a retreat upon noticing the blood leaking out its right eye. In the meantime, Laekha went to help Esina and Haesha, bringing them to the end of the stage.


    Once they approached the end, Esina helped the two of them climb up, watching Jyorta and Laila sprint towards her. Esina held her arms forward, holding each other, connected through an interlocking of the fingers.


    The palms faced upwards, Laila approached her and made a light jump. One of her legs landed on the exposed palm; Esina pushed her arms up, giving Laila a boost, allowing her to climb up the wall. Her actions were graceful, her lower weight making the task easier.


    Jyorta followed suit, mimicking her actions, his eyes trained to Esina''s palms, calculating the change in distance each instant. He made a jump, noticing it be slightly off. Esina corrected her posture, adjusting her position in accordance, allowing one of Jyorta''s legs to perfectly land on her palm.


    Like jumping from a spring, he was boosted up. His arms grabbed hold of the edge of the wall; his body still had enough momentum to lift more than half his body above the wall. Jyorta then slid his legs over and managed to climb up with ease.


    Esina then jumped over the height with ease, watching the figures of Dalna Doppler, George, and Ashten trail after her, climbing the height in ease with a jump. The One-horned Rhino growled, its shouts ear-piercing, prompting most of the students to clutch their ears.


    It rolled on the ground, having become insane, its state of frenzy further being amplified. Blood gushed out of its three wounds¡ªthe two eyes and the region of its tail.


    "¡­George¡­" Dalna Doppler looked at him, her eyes widened, looking at the individual with a new light.


    "I thought it would hurt it even more." George gave an awkward laugh. Inserted into the left eye of the One-horned Rhino was its tail, partially hanging out as it moved its head around in madness.


    "Now, we have to wait until it weakens itself," Jyorta commented, feeling zero sense of joy or achievement. His gaze was pensive, looking at his dirt-free hands, and glancing at the bloody state of the One-horned Rhino.


    It wasn''t a feeling he liked, the rest too felt the same. Taking the life of another living thing, when one''s life wasn''t threatened, it was a feeling they didn''t want to get accustomed to. Killing out of self defence could be understood to a certain extent.


    But in this case, they had dealt damage to a living being in the name of training, now planning to deliver the final blow, like hyenas watching their prey becoming weak, waiting for the chance to spring forth for the kill.


    The One-horned Rhino cried out in pain, struggling to move around. It was blind; its other senses too had failed it, thanks to suffering damage to its brain. The haemorrhage also caused it to begin losing its consciousness, the process steady, signalling the arrival of the death reaper.


    The One-horned Rhino lost its balance, falling down. One of its legs failed to respond, twitching in vain, no longer able to exert strength in it. It frothed in its mouth, letting out whimpers, the shouts echoing in the ears of the surrounding students.


    Many averted their eyes, no longer able to watch the scene. Some had pale faces, some on the verge of puking; some began to retreat, unwilling to bear to witness the scene.


    Madam Rizenne''s voice echoed, "The Frenzy Beasts are the enemies of humanity, but that doesn''t mean we can torture them for no reason whatsoever. Even they are a life, a living being. The least we can do is to swiftly put them out of their misery."


    A sigh resounded, causing the minds of everyone to shudder in response, "But, our safety is the top priority. If we are unable to swiftly dispatch them to the afterlife, we can only use methods similar to the current one to weaken them, and deliver the killing blow when their death throes can no longer harm us."


    "Just because the method is cruel doesn''t mean you can avert your eyes," Madam Rizenne''s voice was tinged with anger; a faint aura surrounded each student, alarming them. Their bodies shuddered, sweat covered their bodies, fear was etched in them, "Whether it is cruel, kind, an act of mercy, etc. never avert your eyes from the enemy. When you take up a mission, see to it that you execute it to the end. Marble City doesn''t need soldiers who half-ass their missions. Take your pity and feed it to the Frenzy Beasts."


    Madam Rizenne glanced around, looking at the faces of each student, "Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes, ma''am!" Everyone shouted, their posture straight, their gazes firm. Thanks to the tinge of aura she released, the students no longer looked at the One-horned Rhino with gazes of pity or averse to the notion of killing it.


    Their collective shout made the One-horned Rhino tremble in fear; its humongous body slumped on the floor, unmoving. It seemed to have lost function in its legs. A small pool of blood had formed on the floor, surrounding it. It was a shade of crimson, with splotches of black. The blackness spread around, affecting the blood, changing it black.


    "The Essence of Frenzy," Jyorta muttered, "It possesses a significant amount of it."


    "Indeed," Dalna Doppler nodded; faint sweat covered her forehead as she looked at the pool of black forming on the floor, "It was wise of us to retreat. If we had been injured by it, and had the Essence of Frenzy invade our bodies, the situation wouldn''t have bided well for us."


    They watched the One-horned Rhino struggle. Despite bleeding a significant amount of blood, it was still alive, showcasing its abundant vitality. Five minutes later, it became weak, unable to even lift its head.


    Dalna Doppler jumped into the stage, making quick steps, and stopping before the pool of black blood. She crouched low, exerting strength in her legs, causing them to mildly bulge. With a shout, she crossed a distance of four metres and landed on the One-horned Rhino''s back.


    "Guooohhh¡­" A weak whimper leaked out of the One-horned Rhino, its effort to raise its head turning futile. Dalna Doppler placed her hand on its horn, inching the other around its neck, grabbing hold of the edge of its lower jaw.


    "Please don''t blame me; it is the survival of the fittest out here." She whispered; her arms bulged, displaying the protruding nerves as she exerted strength in them, storing her power.


    "Hah," With a shout, she moved her hands clockwise, twisting the head of the One-horned Rhino, rending its life. In response to the constriction in the muscles, a stream of blood gushed out of its eyes like a fountain.


    Dalna Doppler swiftly kicked on the One-horned Rhino''s body and made a long jump, landing just past the pool of blood. She retreated by a couple of steps, watching the unmoving body of the One-horned Rhino, having not relaxed even once.


    "It''s dead." An Observer¡ªhis eyes green¡ªshouted from within the crowd. The students cheered, despite feeling complex emotions.


    ''It''s over.'' Jyorta sighed, clenching his hands into a fist, unable to make sense of the emotion he was feeling. He was one of the people who took part in the fight, now having claimed a life. This was different from the disaster six years ago.


    Back then, he was under a lot of pressure, not to mention being just the blue soul, having no attachments, and not feeling any emotions. He had to connect to the brain of the previous Jyorta to execute even the basic of emotional behaviours.


    Now, given a choice, he had been the one to step forward, even concocting up a plan to eventually reap a life. He didn''t know what to think about his behaviour, and whether his choice was a good or a bad one.


    ''Kill for a reason, and live for an ambition.'' He thought, mentally sighing. ''I would probably reap a lot of lives in the future. It is high time I adapt to this. I should never become a bloodthirsty murder, but at the same time, not be a sage that can never decisively kill someone. A balance of the two; that should be optimal.''


    "Selfless at all times but, selfish when necessary; desperate for knowledge and strength but, never cross your mental blocks to achieve them; cherish your bonds but, never despair when they are severed."


    "The optimal mentality for the world, huh," Jyorta let out a self-deprecating laugh.

 Chapter 213: Life and Leech

    "It was a decent use of your abilities, I must say," Madam Rizenne spoke; the attention of all the students fell on her. "You took 23 minutes, 54 seconds to finish a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast. Two Area Controllers, two Line Controllers, and four Observers, all included took this long to kill an Observer."


    Her calm voice and the tone she used made the students embarrassed, bowing their heads in shame. "Now, I am not criticising you. Remember that everything we prepare you for is to help better your survival rate out in the Wilds. In the Wilds, you will oftentimes face Frenzy Beasts of a higher Tier, not to mention having to face against more than one such being."


    Her voice turned soft, "Our only objective is to turn you into elites capable of battling against foes of a higher Tier. The academy has plenty of resources to help foster your abilities. So, make use of them to the full extent. You won''t get such chances once you graduate. This is your final three months here, and by far, the most important phase."


    "The foundation you build here will determine your future growth," There was a faint rumble in the back, following her voice. Two Frenzy Beasts flew, carried by her psychic arm before being dropped on the stage. "Now, try again. This time, I want more of you to participate."


    The Frenzy Beast dropped this time consisted of Life Leeches, both Observers. At Tier 1, Espers were pitifully weak, including humans and Frenzy Beasts, so they weren''t brought out. The two Life Leeches smelled the scent of blood, crawling their way towards the carcass of the One-horned Rhino.


    They wriggled their bodies, grotesque, and disgusting, crawling forth on the ground before making contact with the pool of blood.


    "Keeee," Coming into contact with the Essence of Frenzy mixed into the blood, they let out shrill screams. Their skin began to burn a little, affected by the corrosive properties of the Essence of Frenzy.


    The two Life Leeches opened their mouths, touching the floor before sucking the blood. They sucked the blood in their vicinity, causing their bodies to bulge as a whole. Their shrill screams came to a stop; their bodies trembled continuously, the process constant.


    "Their Essence of Frenzy will change a little now, after the Frenzy Parasite in them absorbs it while Nurturing their bodies." Madam Rizenne''s voice echoed, "This is why it is difficult to create a countermeasure against the Essence of Frenzy. The Essence of Frenzy in each Frenzy Beast is unique, and is also constantly evolving as they devour the bodies of other Frenzy Beasts."


    "Whenever it achieves a qualitative change, the Frenzy Beast experiences an upgrade in its physique, becoming an elite among its brethren. This is also one of the reasons for their constant war against all living beings." Madam Rizenne sighed, "We have yet to verify this claim, the research is still ongoing on this topic. But, we hypothesise the Essence of Frenzy is one of the reasons that cause their evolution and allow new races to be birthed."


    "You have 60 minutes to kill the two of them." Once she said her piece, Madam Rizenne turned silent. She then began to converse with Madam Mila, the topic of their conversation inaudible to others, thanks to the information exchange being filtered by a psychic energy barrier.


    The students could only see the mouth of Madam Rizenne moving from time to time. As for Madam Mila, she hovered in the air like a statue. If not for the regular blinking of her eyes, they would have assumed her to be a statue held up by Madam Rizenne.


    "How do you propose we kill them?" Jyorta sighed, his conviction now solidified. If one''s individuality proves disastrous or troublesome for a situation, it was wise to assume the herd''s mentality. At least, it would be a form of moral support.


    ''To adapt to this cruel world is a difficult process.'' Jyorta lamented in his mind, soon focusing on the topic at hand. Once he had firmed his will, he wanted to see things through. Whatever was necessary for him to achieve the objective, he planned to learn.


    "From what we know, the bodies of Life Leeches are soft but tough," Ashten Coorg scratched his chin, his cheeks puffed, an action he unconsciously made whenever he was in deep thought. "Their elastic nature and their lack of bones make blunt attacks almost meaningless."


    "Yeah," Haesha nodded, "Their organs are also similar to their body, possessing great elasticity and toughness."


    "Squashing them into a paste is impossible for the current us," George frowned, "What about their abilities? I don''t know about them much. Are they able to use their signature move at Tier 1?"


    "Thankfully, they can''t," Jyorta replied, "The most they can do is suck our blood. But, they can also wind their bodies around us and crush our bones. So, we have to be careful and avoid getting bitten by them. Also, once bit, our injuries will not form any scabs. They will continue to bleed until we die due to blood loss."


    "If anyone of you were to get bit, we can stop the blood loss using our psychic arms. As long as we remove the poison they inject into your bodies, the blood loss ought to stop in a while." Haesha provided her conjecture. She then frowned, glancing at Jyorta, "The question remains, how do we kill them?"


    "I remember them possessing a tiny brain, which is their weakness. If we focus our attacks there, we will be able to kill it." Dalna Doppler interjected, watching their actions.


    "Yeah," Jyorta raised his little finger, displaying its nail for everyone to see, "The only problem is its brain. It is only the size of my little finger''s nail. Also, it is not always positioned in its front end."


    Life Leeches possessed long, cylindrical bodies, spanning almost a metre at Tier 1. They had numerous folds along their long bodies, acting as rings, the edges sharp. When a Life Leech coils around someone or brushes past them, these rings scrap their skin, causing the victim to suffer from uncontrollable bleeding. The Life Leech would then suck the victim''s blood through the opening.


    Life Leech; they were coined as such due to their signature ability, which was to suck the life force out of their victims. It wasn''t a mysterious concept. At Tier 3, they nurtured relevant Skills to make it possible.


    When they suck the blood of their victim, they target the bone marrow, taking in the stem cells. They also affect the body, limiting the abilities of the cells in it to divide further. It was a Skill directed at cell-division.


    A normal cell can divide at most 40-50 times, losing its genetic material each time. The Nurturing process further raises the number of times a cell can divide. As for cancerous cells, they can theoretically divide infinite times, but comes with their own issues.


    Humanity possessed a certain Tier 4 Skill that made a body part in focus to change, morphing each cell in it into cancerous cells, making them divide without limit but controlling the place, amount, limit of division. This is how Shifters with the particular Tier 4 Skill were able to regenerate lost body parts. Once finished, the cells reverted to their usual state, normalising the situation.


    The Skill of the Life Leech siphons out a crucial cell-division material, reducing the number of times it can divide. They target the bone marrow, the place where stem cells are produced.


    Being attacked by the Life Leeches didn''t make one old overnight. Neither their appearance nor their physique will experience any change. But, the number of times the cells in their body could divide, and the maximum number of cells capable of being produced in them will differ.


    So, someone that was severely affected by the Life Leeches may look alright, but might die a natural death the very next day. It is a result of his body becoming incapable of generating new cells. Once the old cells die, with the new cells not being replenished, their body fails to sustain itself, losing its functions one after another, causing a vicious cycle. Once a significant amount of cells die, the body fails as a whole; the individual then experiences a natural death.


    The ways in which the Life Leeches could enact this effect varied, based on the Skills they Nurtured. They gained this ability at Tier 3, with most of the Tier 3 Skills they possessed conforming to this effect, with the mode of action being different. This was how they came to being named the Life Leech.


    They also absorbed the genetic material, fusing them into their selves, elevating their bodies to a new level, increasing their life spans, attaining longetivity. This led to them becoming the race that lived the longest.


    The Nurturing effect didn''t increase the lifespan of an individual, whether human or Frenzy Beast until Tier 3. From Tier 4, there is a mild increase in the lifespan of an individual, though, not by much. The same went for Tier 5. It only resulted in the individual possessing a healthy body until the cells in their body hit their natural cell-division limit.


    At Tier 6, it led to a significant increase in the individual''s lifespan. This was how the Ancestors, human, and Frenzy Beast alike could live for around 300 years. Even then, depending on their species, they had limits.


    The River Whales and the Lava Turtles were one of the species that possessed long life spans even in mortal bodies, not to mention when having attained Tier 6. But, the Life Leeches dwarfed even this, all thanks to their Tier 3 Skills.


    As long as they weren''t killed, even Developer Life Leeches were capable of outliving Ancestors of humanity.

 Chapter 214: Foresight and Wisdom

    ''The Life Leech, one of the three Frenzy Beasts that form the base of the Unranked Skill, Bone Devour. Is a shot at longetivity one of the factors that grandfather had planned and incorporated long ago? If he gave such thought even during its creation phase, it makes him a scary being. No wonder sister is always on guard against him.'' Jyorta retracted his hand, having made his point across.


    His thoughts churned, making him recall pieces of information that he otherwise only noted down as facts. An Unranked Skill focused on the manipulation of bone, and body muscles, having a focus on absorbing energy from the bodies of enemies, also filtering out the Essence of Frenzy in the case of Frenzy Beasts; now, the ability to prolong life through its use.


    Only when he thought about the Life Leech did he consider other possibilities, realising a bit of what his grandfather had planned to accomplish.


    ''And then, there is the Trait of Severability.'' It was a Trait that raised the Sync Rate by consuming energy. When considering it alongside Bone Devour, one of its abilities that allowed the user to absorb energy from his enemies, Jyorta fell in thought.


    ''Did he plan the Trait of Severability simultaneously while creating Bone Devour?'' The Trait of Severability added wings to a tiger, in this case, allowing the user of Bone Devour to swiftly raise his Sync Rate to 100 percent.


    It wasn''t a difficult feat to achieve. All one had to do was farm Frenzy Beasts, absorb the energy in their bodies and Heart/Brain Crystal, and easily raise their Sync Rate. Based on what his sister had informed him, the energy was usually absorbed by lodging a bone spike into the victim.


    The energy siphoned will be filtered off the Essence of Frenzy while its quality will be converted into the levels optimal to the user. So, a person with Bone Devour can calmly kill Frenzy Beasts a Tier weaker than himself, quickly achieving a Sync Rate of 100 percent.


    It was cost-effective, not requiring any resources. There were innumerous Frenzy Beasts in the Wilds and were hence easy to farm. The production of Frenzy Fruits was always less than its demand, thanks to the complex process involved and the number of resources involved in their production.


    Also, depending on their Tier, their consumption had to be limited, to prevent one from losing control due to the unimaginable pain. The Trait of Severability allows one to consciously control the amount they wished to increase each time, placing all control in their hands.


    Even with the Trait of Severability, it wasn''t easy to raise one''s Sync Rate. Due to being based on the source, the Trait of Severability''s Sync Rate increase conformed to the Frenzy Fruits.


    A Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit increased the Sync Rate by 0.1 percent while a Tier 5 Frenzy Fruit increased the Sync Rate by 1 percent. Similarly, the energy consumed by the Trait of Severability to increase the Sync Rate was related.


    To increase a person''s Sync Rate by 1 percent using the Trait, the amount of energy consumed was equal to the energy contained in a Transformer''s Heart Crystal¡ªassuming the Transformer had a 100 percent Sync Rate.


    The energy requirement was astronomical, reducing the value attached to the Trait. The energy from food would be Nurtured by the Wisdom Parasite, a by-product of which is the energy stored in the Heart/Brain Crystal. It was a slow process, taking a lot of time to fill up the Heart/Brain Crystal.


    The Nurturing process spiked both qualitatively and quantitatively upon breakthrough into each Tier but, the requirements too increased. The energy stored in one''s Heart/Brain crystal too spiked in relation.


    Even for Tier 5 beings, increasing their Sync Rate by even one percent using the Trait of Severability took a lot of time, spanning weeks to months. It was faster to just consume a Frenzy Fruit, swiftly increasing their Sync Rates in a matter of seconds.


    But, in the hands of the Bone Family, this Trait became a terrifying weapon. Using the Unranked Skill, Bone Devour, the Bone Family members could hunt in the wilds, absorbing energy without pause, becoming stronger every second.


    There wasn''t anything like the strongest Unranked Skill or the most powerful Trait. But, upon synchronisation with substances that complemented one another, the power one could display would place them at the peak.


    ''Synchronisation and complementation; it seems grandfather''s wisdom and foresight is terrifying.'' Jyorta listened to the discussion of his friends as he broke free of his thoughts.


    "True, it will be difficult to aim at its brain, considering we don''t know where it is situated." Dalna Doppler nodded, pointing at their Batch mates, "But, we have many useful Tier 1 Skills here. They must be able to pinpoint the brain of a Life Leech."


    "From what I had experienced, Aura Sense should be able to detect the vital spots." Jyorta nodded.


    "What you say is feasible," George looked at Dalna Doppler, "Thermal Imaging, X-Ray Vision, and Aura Sense. Using the three of them, we will be able to narrow down the spot of its brain. But, how are we supposed to damage it?"


    "Using the same tactic we used for the One-horned Rhino?" Haesha looked at the growing body size of the two Life Leeches as they dug into the carcass of the One-horned Rhino. "Since their bodies are smaller than the One-horned Rhino, do we try to pin them on the ground?"


    "Once we manage to grab its two ends, it would be relatively safer to clamp the rest of its body." Jyorta offered his piece, thinking of how easy it would be if he had a sharp object to use. His eyes widened in realisation as he looked at the One-horned Rhino.


    "Can''t we just use that?" Ashten Coorg pointed at the One-horned Rhino, having gotten the same idea as him, "Its horn is sharp and can be used as a weapon. If the four of us work together, we would be able to cleanly break it off."


    George nodded, "I thought of it too but, we should first lure the Life Leeches away before choosing to do so."


    "Yeah," Laila nodded, "When then smell blood, the Life Leeches enter a state of frenzy and wouldn''t stop until they suck all the blood. Let us wait and see what happens. Maybe once they are satiated, they would move away naturally?"


    "There is still some time, I guess." Haesha glanced at Madam Rizenne, trailing her gaze over to her Batch mates, seeing if anyone had created any plans. She noticed countless stares directed her way, the same for the rest of her group, the eight students that had killed the One-horned Rhino.


    "It seems the others are planning to move this time." Haesha offered her piece based on her observation.


    "Yes, it was bound to happen, "Jyorta nodded, "People are only hesitant the first time. Now that they had seen us in action, they would have begun to think and plan accordingly."


    Madam Rizenne''s voice resounded, having sensed the changes in the students, "Good, it seems more are willing to participate. I''ll also add a little incentive. You will be awarded 10 points if you kill a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast. It will be awarded to everyone who had played a significant role in bringing one down."


    "I''ll also be dropping two Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts every 10 minutes until the end of today''s session. Plan, execute, persevere, and emerge victorious."


    "Charge!" Prompted by her words, a student shouted. 21 students followed him, charging straight at the Life Leeches. Spurred by his shout, the Life Leeches reacted, burrowing into the body of the One-horned Rhino, using its body as a shield.


    The boy at the front caught up to them, bringing his hands forth in a bid to grab hold of a Life Leech''s tail, watching it slip his hold. Its skin was covered by a layer of flat, slippery to the touch, further enhanced thanks to its soft muscles that compressed under stress, preventing the smooth human hands from grabbing hold of their bodies.


    The boy had crouched, in an effort to catch it. Upon his failure, he was just about to stand straight when a Life Leech burrowed out of the One-horned Rhino''s body, its mouth aimed at his face.


    "Damn it," The body was flustered, clearly shaken, looking as if he hadn''t expected the counterattack. Though, a hint of a smile was plastered on his lips, seeing that his plan had worked. When the Life Leech neared him, a girl appeared from behind, having used his wide body frame to shield from view.


    She lifted her leg, kicking at its below, the force making its body curl. The Life Leech reacted by curling along the force, using the generated momentum to bring its mouth towards her raised leg, intending to bite it.


    The girl had hardened her expression, bracing herself for the pain. Once attached, it would reduce the modes of attack available to the Life Leech. As long as her teammates grabbed hold of the other end, they would be able to subdue it soon.


    A large piece of flesh flew towards her, aimed at her leg. The moment when the mouth of the Life Leech arrived before her leg, the piece of flesh impacted the area, becoming the first it came into contact with. Its momentum, and thanks to its opened mouth, the piece of meat entered its mouth, filling up the region.


    Having spotted a piece of meat, one lodged with a broken bone¡ªthanks to when the two Life Leeches attacked the One-horned Rhino''s body¡ªtheir team came up with a plan. When the two distracted a Life Leech, three of their team members quickly tore off the excess meat, making its size easy to be fitted into the Life Leech''s mouth.

 Chapter 215: Tactics

    It was a sound plan. As the Life Leech swallowed the piece of meat, its body portion attached to the mouth bulged. Also, due to the bone lodged within the meat, it wasn''t something that could be compressed anytime soon, thanks to it originating from a Tier 1 One-horned Rhino, a Frenzy Beast focused on strength and defence.


    The boy grabbed onto the bulged portion, his hold anchored using the rigidity of the bone in the swallowed meat, allowing him to hold the Life Leech in place. He placed a hand below it, preventing the Life Leech from swallowing it further in.


    A psychic arm entered the open mouth of the Life Leech, seeping into the piece of meat, and preventing it from being pushed out. Immediately, a couple more psychic arms followed suit, reinforcing the pressure exerted upon it.


    The girl retracted her leg, using the chance to deliver another kick from the top, slamming the Life Leech down. The tail end of the Life Leech aimed at her leg upon contact, the mouth biting her.


    The body of a Life Leech was cylindrical, with elongated ends, thin and smooth. Both ends looked almost the same, barring the minute differences in circumference. The bigger end was the head while the smaller end was the tail.


    Functionality wise, there wasn''t much difference. Both the ends had a mouth to suck the blood of its prey. Only the efficiency of blood suction varied, with the one at the head being superior to its tail counterpart.


    "Ugh," The girl winced in pain; her heart thumped in fluster, her hands shivered, and her face was pale. Resisting all negative emotions, the girl pressed through sheer adrenaline, crouching forth in flow, using her hands to grab the portion of the Life Leech below the mouth.


    Her teammates arrived at her help, with each of them slamming their foot on the Life Leech''s body, pinning it to the ground. They cautiously dragged the body of the Life Leech away from the One-horned Rhino''s corpse.


    Thanks to the number of people involved, and the careful approach they executed, the Life Leech was wholly suppressed. In the meantime, five people surrounded the One-horned Rhino''s corpse, alert, but acting like they weren''t on guard.


    They carelessly approached the corpse, occasionally even touching it, resisting their aversion to the gore splattered before them. But, irrespective of what they did, the other Life Leech never came out. It seemed to have sensed something, coiling within the carcass, unwilling to even budge an inch.


    The surrounding students discussed with each other, having long since determined the location the Life Leech had hidden within. But, due to the unavailability of weapons, they couldn''t damage the carcass and force the Life Leech out. The body of the One-horned Rhino was tough to the extent resistant against attacks of their level.


    "I''ll be taking this," Dalna Doppler arrived beside them, placing her hand on the horn of the One-horned Rhino.


    "Wait¡­" A student was about to stop her but was blocked by his friend with a shake of his head. Dalna Doppler scoffed once, firming her hold over the horn.


    "You apply pressure on the root part and try to weaken it. It would be a loss if it breaks in the middle," Dalna Doppler said to George, upon his arrival. George nodded and held the bottom-most part of the horn. Ashten and Esina too arrived at the scene, standing beside the two, guarding against the other Life Leech''s possible sneak attack.


    Using their strength and their control, they managed to break the horn from the one-horned Rhino''s skull, albeit with a lot of effort. The portion they broke off was around 48 centimetres long, in contrast to its 60-centimetre size when attached to the One-horned Rhino.


    Even though they had been a lot careful, the sturdiness of the horn had baffled them, forcing them to make use of their full strength, eventually causing a drop in their precision. Hence, the horn broke off at a spot way above their intended location.


    Moreover, it wasn''t a perfect cut. It looked similar to how a stick would look like if it was broken in the middle, rough, with a lot of splinters. Dalna Doppler inspected it up close, noticing a thin crack in the broken spot that trailed to half the length of the horn. It wasn''t apparent past that.


    "It might break any moment when in use, so we have to consider that into our plans." Dalna Doppler commented.


    "Well, it is better than nothing," Jyorta replied from behind, separated by a distance of two metres from her. It was a spot beyond the reach of the Life Leech, with the other one having been dragged a good distance away. Also, even if the Life Leech were to come out, Dalna Doppler would be able to easily intercept it.


    "True," Dalna Doppler nodded, glancing at the other group trying their best to kill the Life Leech. The Espers among them faced difficulty seeping their psychic arms through the Life Leech''s body. Of the Espers with better skill, they were currently busy, trying to stop the blood flow of the girl that had been bitten.


    Hovering in the air, Madam Rizenne discreetly seeped her psychic arm through the wound of the girl, retracting it after a moment, sharing a comment with Madam Mila, "Thankfully, there doesn''t seem to be any Essence of Frenzy injected into her. There are traces of poison, but it isn''t lethal, and only causes the blood to leak without stop."


    "Let''s see how they handle this." Madam Mila said.


    "If her condition becomes serious, I will intervene," Madam Rizenne glanced at the injured girl, trailing her gaze to the three Espers focused on stopping her blood flow. "Though, it seems my intervention is not necessary. They are faring quite well."


    The conversation shared by the two Sky Controllers was inaudible to the students who began to jump into the stage one by one. Dalna Doppler aimed at a student and threw the horn, "Catch."


    After a momentary surprise, the boy¡ªthat acted as the lead in the group¡ªgrabbed hold of the horn, faced the pointed end to the bottom, and plunged it straight into the Life Leech''s body. He had exerted his full strength, adding onto the horn''s sharpness, it penetrated the Life Leech''s body.


    His aim was directed to a spot 10 centimetres above its centre. The Life Leech twitched in response, its actions fully suppressed by the students that held its body tightly, not even leaving an inch of open space.


    After the first attack, the boy targeted a couple more locations, shaking off the blood once before throwing the horn to Dalna Doppler, "Thank you."


    After twitching for a while, the Life Leech died. Blood spurted out from the holes the boy had created, but had been blocked to a fair extent by the Espers using their psychic arms. That was how the students prevented themselves from being drenched by the blood. It was also a precaution against the Essence of Frenzy carried in the blood.


    "Don''t mention it," Dalna Doppler turned around, noticing Ashten Coorg point at a spot on the One-Horned Rhino''s back. It was where the other Life Leech had been hiding.


    Ashten Coorg sighed, "It is using the bones of the One-horned Rhino to protect itself. All its vitals are protected by it. It would be difficult to kill it with only this horn. I am afraid it would snap into two if we forced it through the One-horned rhino''s tough body."


    "We can only wait for an opportunity," George said, pointing at two Frenzy Beasts being carried towards them. Soon, the two Frenzy Beasts were dropped 10 metres away from the carcass of the One-horned Rhino, the place surrounded by many students. "It is bound to surface amidst the chaos. We can use that chance to kill it."


    The two Frenzy Beasts that had been dropped consisted of a Floating Spider, and a Rigordile. The appearance of the Rigordile sent the students scurrying away in fear. Within ten seconds, the entire stage became vacant.


    The Rigordile gathered its bearing and began to make its way to the carcass of the One-horned Rhino. The Floating Spider, on the other hand, floated in the air, not making any moves. It turned around in place, observing its surroundings, apprehensive of making a move.


    It flew up all of a sudden, increasing its altitude while proceeding in the direction of the Red Building''s exit. It suddenly stopped, noticing a psychic energy barrier that formed a dome, encasing it and the students inside.


    It glanced at the top once, noticing the figures of Madam Rizenne and Madam Mila, letting out a shriek in fear. It then flew back to its previous spot, but hovered four-five metres above the ground.


    Once it arrived at its previous spot, the psychic energy barrier disappeared. It was visible before only because Madam Rizenne wanted everyone to witness it. Now that its purpose had been served, she retracted it.


    "A Rigordile," Jyorta frowned, his expression serious. The Rigordile was a reptile, its body armoured with scales, even tougher than the One-Horned Rhino''s skin. Its scales were only inferior to the Lava Turtle''s shell, but in comparison to the Lava turtle, the scales of the Rigordile encompassed its entire body.


    The Rigordile had two pairs of limbs, long and ripped. Its body was slightly serpentine, adding on to its long neck. Its head consisted of triangular jaws, the likes of which spread to the entirety of its body''s width. The neck was flexible, allowing the head to turn in all directions.


    It sported a tail, long, sharp, and uniform, possessing a spike at the end. While sprawled on the floor, it spanned three metres long, a massive Frenzy Beast. It had a menacing appearance. The worst part of them all, the Rigordile pushed forth with its forelimbs, lifting its body.


    Its tail elongated horizontally, using friction on the ground to pull the body to its back. Standing on its two legs, and using its tail to balance was a hulking creature, the prime reason all the students retreated.

 Chapter 216: The Unconquerable Chasm

    There was silence, the air suffused with muffled conversations. The students dared not make a move. Even the ones that were raring to have a go earlier were now as still as statues, their fighting spirits snuffed out.


    "How are we supposed to kill that monster without any weapons?" A student looked at Madam Rizenne, raising a voice of complaint.


    "Fine," Madam Rizenne''s voice rang aloud, "It will be better if I demonstrate it to you once."


    Madam Rizenne landed on the stage, five metres away from the Rigordile. Her hand pointed at Haesha, "I''ll only be using the Esper abilities that she currently possesses."


    There wasn''t a hint of aura emanating from her, adding onto her slightly aged appearance, it painted her as a weak and helpless lady. Even though she stood before the Rigordile, it seemed the other party hadn''t detected her presence.


    "Experience matters a lot, allowing you to beat stronger opponents with relative ease. The only way to get that is to experience a lot. Learn, think, develop, and progress to greater heights." It seemed her voice had been dispersed around the surroundings, filtered, audible only to the students.


    A faint change enveloped her; her presence was gradually detected by the Rigordile and the Floating Spider. The Floating Spider¡ªhaving witnessed her figure before¡ªflew back in alarm, apprehensive, its emotions enveloped by fear.


    The Rigordile, on the other hand, was fearless, having never seen Madam Rizenne before, assuming her as a weak woman. In its vision, there was a middle-aged lady, gaining in on her years situated to its front, the Floating Spider that floated in the air to its back, and the carcasses of two creatures on its right.


    It turned its head, gazing at the Floating Spider, retracting its gaze after a couple of seconds. It lifted its right leg, slow in its motion, akin to a tree branch moving about due to the wind. The moment its right leg touched the floor, its body shot to the front, accelerating in an instant, quickly closing in on its opponent.


    It cast its arms wide, its body crouched forward, its jaws opening wide. It lunged at Madam Rizenne, using its larger frame to cover a lot of area, decreasing the paths feasible for Madam Rizenne''s dodging.


    Madam Rizenne wriggled her body, bending towards the left. A psychic arm emerged from her head, visible to all the students present, looking weak, think, and spanning only 75 centimetres in length. The psychic arm hovered in her previous spot as her body flashed around, missing the arms that swept her way.


    Her bend body curled inward, slipping on the floor, and entering the gap between its legs. The Rigordile''s sharp tail spiked at her face, the actions aimed in reflex. Carried along based on her head''s movement, Madam Rizenne''s psychic seeped into its groin area, pulling at a certain nerve.


    The tail abruptly turned stiff. Using the chance before the Rigordile could react, she stacked a couple more attacks on its groin area, aiming at the nerves inside. Madam Rizenne slid on the floor, grabbing hold of the tail to prop herself up.


    She bent backward, watching the sweep of the Rigordile''s left hand miss her by a hair''s breadth. Having been positioned in the path, the psychic arm seeped into its arm, pulling at a nerve.


    Due to the sweep of the arm, and the resistance the cells within offered to her psychic energy, Madam Rizenne''s psychic arm dissipated. Upon bending backward, Madam Rizenne kicked on the floor using her legs, furthering her motion, sliding a couple of steps back.


    She then made a roll, propping herself with her hands when they reached the ground, landing on the floor with her legs¡ªher body crouched low. The Rigordile had made a horizontal sweep with its tail, actuated by rotating its body and making use of the force of rotation.


    The sharp tip missed her knees by a centimetre. The Rigordile suddenly lost its balance; its body had turned stiff for a second. Thanks to that, it couldn''t steady itself while rotating, resulting in its eventual fall.


    Even after falling on the floor, the resultant momentum of its earlier spin caused the Rigordile to roll on the floor a couple of times, arriving before Madam Rizenne. Madam Rizenne didn''t choose to attack, using her crouched posture to roll to the right.


    Her psychic arm floated on her left, as if positioned for the head of the rolling Rigordile, having anticipated its mode of attack and its eventual fall. It seeped into its eyes, pulling out a couple of nerves, dissipating immediately due to the exerted force going beyond its limits, and also due to Madam Rizenne rolling out of range.


    "Groor," The Rigordile grunted, feeling pain all across its body, with the one from its right eye being the most painful. When it stopped rolling, its back faced up.


    Madam Rizenne leaped; her body arched over its head, measured accurately beyond the reach of its tail. Already positioned below her, her psychic arm seeped into its head once again, affecting something, dissipating into psychic energy as she trailed past.


    The Rigordile slapped the floor with its arms, getting up with a start. Its tail slapped the floor a couple of times in fury, making powerful whiplash sounds. It closed in on Madam Rizenne, its arms making a sweep, adjusting in reflex based on Madam Rizenne''s movement.


    Its two hands slapped each other, failing to burrow into the flesh of its opponent. Madam Rizenne had crouched low once again, moving towards the left, and closing in on its right leg. Her psychic arm seeped into its groin once again, damaging a nerve.


    The tail that arrived before her in reflex, aiming to skewer her, turned stiff. She raised her arm, grabbing hold of the tail beneath the sharp tip. Exerting force in her hands, she pulled, using her body weight by leaning backward.


    Due to becoming stiff, the Rigordile was temporarily unable to control its tail. The sharp tip pierced its thigh, penetrating its scales without much trouble. In the meantime, her psychic arm pulled at another nerve; the tail moved forward in response, burrowing further into the thigh.


    As Madam Rizenne rolled to her left, her psychic arm pulled at another nerve before dissipating, due to the force exerted beyond its limits. In response to the psychic arm''s action, the Rigordile''s tail moved up, getting entangled within a couple of nerves, cutting some along the way.


    It was temporarily stuck in place, due to the surrounding muscles contracting upon it. After her roll, Madam Rizenne sprinted for almost ten metres, coming to a stop after that. She watched the Rigordile turn around, completely enraged, its actions a notch slower than before.


    The Rigordile sprinted towards her; one of its hands pulled out the lodged tail with force, allowing blood to squirt with force. In the next instant, the moment its right leg landed on the floor, it buckled, losing balance. The Rigordile tumbled, slamming on the ground, sliding forward, carried by the momentum of its sprint.


    "Gruuooo!" The Rigordile let out a rage-filled shout, shaking its head a couple of times. It slammed its hands on the floor, using the rebound of the force to push its body up. Its hands suddenly lost the strength in them, its body losing its support, falling once again.


    At the next moment, when the Rigordile was about to get up again, blood gushed out of its eyes, blinding it. There was a faint swelling in its head, arms, and groin, with the swelling in the groin area being the largest.


    Blood gushed out of its eyes without pause, while the swelling on the three places continued to become larger and larger. There was a faint plop that resounded in the area, originating from the three spots respectively.


    After the plop, the three swellings disappeared. The only difference was the amount of blood leaking out of its eyes experiencing a short spike for a couple of seconds before trickling down to a crawl.


    Madam Rizenne walked towards it, crouching down before its head, and seeping her psychic arm into it. Just like before, once she seeped the psychic arm into its head, she exerted a pulling action that was beyond its limits, causing the psychic arm to shatter.


    The part of it beyond the Rigordile''s head dissipated into the surroundings. Soon, another swelling formed on its head; a plop sound resounded before the swelling vanished. Madam Rizenne repeated the action a couple more times, dusting her hands as she got up.


    "Check its state," Her voice resounded around the hall, echoing in the ears of everyone present. Even without her urging, all the Warriors had been observing the fight by having activated their Tier 1 Skills from the start.


    "It is dead," A student muttered in disbelief.


    "That monster was killed so swiftly," Another student placed a hand above his forehead, wiping off the sweat.


    "Madam made it look like child''s play," A student looked awestruck, unable to believe her eyes. Many students either pinched themselves or rubbed their eyes, trying to check whether what they had witnessed was an illusion or a reality.


    "Monstrous," Jyorta sighed in defeat, feeling the strength in him dissipate. He felt a sense of inferiority when he looked at Madam Rizenne, the gap between them insurmountable. He felt it was a wide chasm, the depth leading into the abyss, with the other side situated beyond what he could see.


    The current him neither had the hopes of scaling such a gap nor could he perceive the path that would lead him to that point. Madam Rizenne''s actions were vivid, entrenched deep into their memories, unable to be forgotten so long as they lived.


    ''What manner of battles did she experience to grow to this extent?'' Jyorta didn''t feel envious of the skill level Madam Rizenne had displayed. Everything she showed was as she had said, stuff that Haesha was capable of.


    It was the other fact that made Jyorta envision such a wide chasm.

 Chapter 217: Strength and Weakness is Relative

    From start to end, the flow of battle was in her control. She used her strengths while forcing her opponent to rely on its weakness. She led her foe to its death, swift, with composure. There were zero twists, with the fate of her opponent being determined from the start.


    "Know yourself, know your enemy, and you will be undefeated for a hundred battles." Madam Rizenne''s voice echoed, "It was something said in the bygone era and stays true even to this day."


    She unleashed her psychic arm, turning it visible, allowing everyone to see. "Rigordiles have tough bodies, not to mention the sturdy scales covering them. They are capable of absorbing shock, deflecting sharp attacks, etc. They are a tough layer that serves to protect it from harm. This attribute of it is enhanced at every Tier, making it deadly."


    "But, if you play your cards right, you can turn an advantage into a disadvantage and vice-versa." She smiled, "Let me break it down for you."


    Her psychic arm trailed across its back, "The design of its spine is suitable for movement in the water. It imbues in the Rigordile enough flexibility to move its body sideways, allowing it to swim. Its streamlined body further enhances this effect. Upon evolution, it has also taken in some humanoid qualities, getting the ability to walk on two feet."


    "But, here is something you can exploit," Her psychic arm lifted the dead Rigordile, making a line from top to bottom on its back. "The Rigordile is flexible sideways but is rigid in bending forward and backward. It is due to the structure of its spine. This prevents it from bending, a reason why it leans forward in its lunge, using its tail to grip on the floor to its back for balance."


    Her psychic arm pointed at its arms, "Its long arms almost cover this defect but, we humans are shorter in stature. If we crouch low and attack, the Rigordile won''t be able to defend. Also, it can never move its legs like us to deliver kicks or stomp the ground. Its body will lose balance the moment it does so, limiting its attacks to its hands and tail."


    "Knowing this, you can scuttle around its legs. All you have to watch out for its tail, which is comparatively flexible enough to aim between its legs." Her psychic arm pointed at the groin region, "To counterattack its tail, all you need to do is aim at its groin. Remember that the groin is the weakness for most species. When given the chance, attack its genitals. That will affect any being¡­a lot."


    "Whether you are a human or Frenzy Beast, you possess a fleshly body. And that means, your body has a lot of nerves, with each of them in charge of a wide range of operations." Madam Rizenne smiled, stressing her words, "All nerves are connected. If you damage one, all body parts connected to it are affected. Now, to know the damage of which nerve affects what, you have to learn and experience."


    "The psychic arms of Line Controllers have almost nil combat abilities. Its pitiful range is also a weakness. I am sure that is what you have been told till now and what you have concluded based on your own experiences." Madam Rizenne glanced around, trailing past the faces of all Espers, the silence ensuing for 10 seconds.


    She then spoke, "The destructive capabilities of Line Controllers aren''t worth commenting about, if we are only considering the effect against inanimate objects. Remember that any living being has organs, nerves, etc. all through their bodies. Every cell, every nerve plays a pivotal role in the body''s functioning."


    "Knowledge is power," Carried through her psychic energy, the statement resounded in the minds of everyone, "If you know where to target, you can bring down even the strongest of opponents. In my case, I aimed at its groin and targeted the nerve that actuated its tail''s movement. A nerve is not that heavy, easily affected by a Line Controller''s psychic arm."


    She looked at Jyorta and Laila, "Yes, as you experienced with the One-horned Rhino, nerves are connected to organs, and when you pull them, you are invariably also pulling the connected flesh and organs."


    She smiled, "That is, if you are pulling in the wrong direction. Even in nerves, similar to arteries and veins, but slightly different in function, blood flows. That flow of the blood is due to the blood pressure forcing it to move forward, amid the muscular pressure. You can''t selectively affect with psychic arms of Line Controllers, but to affect something, you need to use your brain. Think, learn, and act accordingly. Use anything you judge will work the best."


    "The bigger the creature, the greater its body''s need for blood and oxygen supply. Therefore, the pressure and velocity of the blood flowing in its nerves, arteries, and veins are also very high. In such a case, all you need to do is bend the nerve a little, preventing the blood flow. The direction in which you have to bend is also something to be learned. Only then will it be effective; otherwise, the body''s natural recovery mechanisms will rectify it. The pressure of blood flow will automatically reorient it."


    She pointed at the Rigordile''s groin, trailing her psychic arm towards its tail, "When I pulled a nerve in its groin, its tail became stiff. Remember that the stiffness recovered within a couple of seconds. But, in a battle, even the fraction of a second is enough to clinch victory."


    "I pulled at the relevant nerves to stun it, allowing me the time to plan and execute my next move. Like I said before, knowledge is important. When you know, you can plan and execute. If I had no knowledge of its anatomy, I wouldn''t have been able to replicate my earlier feat." She glanced at Haesha, "Now, let us come to what you witnessed at the end."


    Madam Rizenne dropped the body of the Rigordile, "Everything, whether animate or inanimate possesses a certain resistance to psychic energy. In the case of inanimate objects, despite varying from material to material, the resistance is a fixed quantity. You can decrease it gradually, finally turning the object into your Refined Object."


    She then pointed at the Rigordile with her hand, "But, such is not the case for living things. The resistance they offer to psychic energy is constantly generated, the same as their aura. So, even if you were to convert a part of their body into your Refined Object, the moment you retract your psychic arm, the resistance in the region will increase from zero to its maximum. Depending on the Tier of the creature, the time for this increase varies."


    "You might have experienced it a couple of times by now," Madam Rizenne glanced at Jyorta and friends, motioning for the remaining Espers to experience the same with the One-horned Rhino, "Most of its cells have yet to die. So, you can still experience the effect."


    Five minutes later, after every Esper had managed to witness the recovery of the resistance, Madam Rizenne continued, "Consider a smooth pipe through which water flows. Let us assume this to be a Refined Object''s case. Now, the pipe is rough, also having some protrusions. When the water flows, it will face some resistance in its flow. The bigger the protrusions, the greater the resistance faced by the water."


    "But," She smiled, her expression bordering on cunningness, a sinistrous gaze suffusing her visage, "The water flows, despite the resistance. This is what we will make use of as our weapon. The resistance offered is thanks to the aura in a being. Even inanimate objects have an aura in them; we can''t sense them only because inanimate objects are unable to emit aura."


    "The resistance aura offers to external psychic energy is radially directed, just like pressure. Each cell offers resistance against psychic energy in all directions." Madam Rizenne chuckled, "Can you now guess what happened?"


    Some looked on the verge of guessing but seemed to lack clarity. As for the rest, they were still clueless. Without any disappointment, Madam Rizenne continued, "When I passed my psychic arm through the Rigordile''s skin, I reduced the resistance of the area against my psychic energy, seeping further in as a result. Once inside, I made it stop between sturdy muscles, curling the remaining length of my psychic arm into a sphere."


    "After that, I tried to pull the skin. Remember that the limit of the psychic arm is its tolerance. So, you can''t use its own power to snap it into two. But, when I moved my body, the psychic arm moved, since it originated from my head. This momentum was transferred through the psychic arm, stressing it. Since the point of effect was the skin, due to the force of my motion going beyond its limit, the psychic arm snapped there."


    "Take the string theory. There is a limit to the tension a string can withstand before snapping. If you were to experiment, it would result in some kilograms of weight. The moment the tension exceeds that limit, the string snaps. It is the exact concept for our psychic arm. The maximum force our psychic arm can withstand is the force it could exert, i.e. its weight limit multiplied by its velocity limit. Beyond that, it snaps."


    "Now, an interesting phenomenon happens here," Madam Rizenne created a large block in the air using her psychic arm, modelling a piece of flesh and skin. Another psychic arm seeped through the skin, its ends curling up into a sphere within two flesh layers. After a pull, the psychic arm snapped at the point on the skin, replicating her explanation.


    The portion beyond the skin dissipated into the air while the portion inside broke down into psychic energy. "The psychic arm destabilises and breaks down into psychic energy. Once my psychic arm disappeared, the places it passed through began to recover its resistance towards my psychic energy. But, here lies the root of a disaster."


    "The skin has now recovered its resistance, fully resistant against my psychic energy. But, the part of my psychic arm that broke down into psychic energy is still within the muscles. Now, they are resisted from all sides, preventing them from moving." She continued, "Psychic energy cannot be absorbed by a body''s muscles, even if it originated from themselves. Only the Unranked Skill Regen, thanks to Madam Mary''s incredible knowledge and wisdom converts psychic energy into energy that a body can absorb and will not offer resistance to."


    "Now, the psychic energy will be cornered, suppressed by the aura emitted by the surrounding muscles. They continue to be suppressed as the body delegates more of its aura to annihilate it. It is similar to how the white blood cells in our body function to combat harmful bacteria. But in this case, the aura is unable to negate the psychic energy, only serving to compress it, pushing it as a whole through weaker muscles."


    "You get my point now?" Madam Rizenne smiled, "They are eventually pushed until the skin. Now, the Rigordile''s skin is its toughest part, so the aura emitted is also stronger in the region. They continue to compress the psychic energy, making it store a lot of potential energy. And, when the body moves, each muscle in it moves accordingly, linear or vibrational."


    "This creates a momentary displacement in the surrounding muscles, creating a difference in the uniformity of the aura. After all, the strength of the aura is dependent on the number of cells emitting it. The moment an imbalance occurs¡­the compressed psychic energy explodes."


    "If its skin wasn''t as sturdy, the explosion would have punctured a hole and cause blood to seep out. But, the damage wouldn''t have been severe. In the Rigordile''s case, the force of the explosion spread inward, affecting the muscles and organs."


    "Also, the psychic energy will seep through a lot of muscles due to the explosive force, going past the resistance until its momentum slows down. After that, the body''s aura will begin to compress it once again, creating a vicious cycle of explosions."


    "Strength and weakness is relative." Madam Rizenne sighed once, massaging her sore throat, "I hope you take this to heart. The Rigordile''s strength became its downfall."

 Chapter 218: Phantosmia of the past

    "There are innumerous ways in which you can use your powers to deal with various situations," Madam Rizenne''s voice became calm, traced with a hint of warmth, "Everything will depend on your imagination. Every day, new methods of use, techniques of practicality are being invented. This is why I have stressed this point numerous times in our previous classes."


    She glanced around, "Despite our superhuman powers, humanity''s greatest weapon has always been our wisdom."


    A psychic arm turned pale blue, seeping into her body for a moment, disappearing after that. "That concludes my demonstration¡­for Espers. Now, I will similarly replicate for Warriors. Watch and learn."


    She unleashed a psychic arm, wrapping it around herself, visible to everyone to witness. The psychic arm outlined her body, seeping into her figure, eventually becoming invisible. Madam Rizenne stretched her body once, lifting her right leg, her actions slow.


    Calm, and steady, her right leg gently landed on the floor. With a flash, she disappeared from her prior spot, quickly traversing a distance of 30 metres in a couple of seconds, arriving before Esina. "I used my psychic arm to reinforce my body muscles, empowering it. Now, my body is no different from a Warrior."


    She pointed at Esina, "I will be using the abilities she possesses. My physique is exactly as developed as hers."


    Madam Rizenne then glanced at the Espers, "Even though you can exhibit the capabilities of Warriors to a certain extent using this method, unless it is necessary, I would advise you from doing so."


    "Though I would be able to move like Warriors, also possessing a tough body, it is all thanks to the amplification brought about my psychic energy. There are some disadvantages to this. First, my body muscles are normal. Moving about in this superhuman speed beyond its structural limits will damage it, breaking it down at the cellular level."


    "I am using another psychic arm after having activated my Unranked Skill Regen to heal my body''s damage. Without this, I would be coughing up blood within 10 seconds. Second, one must consciously reinforce each muscle while moving. Only when they know how each muscle contracts and expands upon each body movement would be able to replicate it."


    She sighed once, "Otherwise, they would reinforce in the wrong direction, increasing the strain faced by the muscle while decreasing the effect of the reinforcement, sometimes even making your overall physique weaker than a normal human body. It becomes detrimental to your cause."


    She raised three fingers in her right hand, "Third, you need to think and actuate a lot to maintain this, which consumes most of your focus. Unless you are a Wave Controller, you wouldn''t even be able to run while using this to reinforce your body."


    Madam Rizenne inconspicuously overlaid a psychic arm over her face, making an illusion of her facial position, using the chance to glance at Laila, thinking, ''Laila was able to replicate such a feat in the first week after coming to the military academy. Even though all she did was enhance a single muscle, it is still impressive. Now, I am curious about the contents of Mavelin''s draft. It should be insightful to read. Hope he completes it soon.''


    She retraced her line of sight, aligning it with her illusion, retracting the psychic arm. No student could guess or detect her sneaky action, with none the wiser. Unless they were fellow Sky Controllers, it would be difficult to detect her actions, should she be intent on being discreet.


    She then raised her fourth finger, "Fourth, it is less efficient. Instead of doing this, you might as well use your psychic arm to get the job done. After all, your psychic arms are termed as such because they can do anything you require your limbs for and can accomplish even more."


    "Pursue efficiency," She curled her right hand into a fist, dropping it, "To achieve anything, there are many paths one can choose. Always ensure to pick the most efficient one."


    Madam Rizenne glanced at the Floating Spider hovering in the air¡ªshivering in fright. Noticing her gaze, it shrieked, flying back, and hitting a psychic energy barrier. It slammed into the barrier in frenzy, attempting again and again, all in an effort to break through and escape.


    It was afraid, fear suffused into its entire being. It knew the monster before it, unwilling to die upon facing it foolishly. Compared to the monster, it was weak, pitiful, and helpless. It had been captured, trapped in a cage, and only fed with the bare minimum.


    Every day, it lived in fear, looking at the humans that gazed at it with bloodthirsty smiles. It watched its brethren trapped in cages similar to it, howling in fear and anger. Their howling changed to a whimper of fear whenever a bloodthirsty human entered their cages.


    Left with no choice, they had to fight with their foes. But, it was a futile endeavour, a living being''s death throes. All they could do was wound their foes, even if they had superior strength. The moment they tried to go in for the kill, an overbearing power would stop them. The bloodthirsty humans would then be healed of their injuries, allowing them to fight with full strength once again.


    If they were lucky and if their opponents were a lot weaker than them, then they would be able to preserve their lives. But, the moment they faced similarly powered foes was the signal to their deaths.


    It had seen the fate of its brethren every day. Once after another, they were killed¡­brutally. Once a sufficient amount of its brethren were killed, more would fill in the vacancy. Every time it happened, the Floating Spider would scream in despair.


    It meant more of its brethren had been captured. They would then be subjected to harassment daily, the threat of death lingering above their heads, the reaper of life claiming them eventually. Moreover, nothing was hidden. Every action, including the rending of their fates, was witnessed by everyone, including their brethren.


    This fuelled their fury, spiking their rage, also imbuing in them despairing helplessness. Despite everything, the Floating Spider didn''t want to die. It wanted to live. It wanted to return to its home, and live among its brethren.


    But, it knew the truth, deep down. Escaping was impossible, not under the watch of two powerhouses, Sky Controllers who were privy of everything that happened in their domains. Even during its short stay in its cage, it had noticed three such monsters. Every time it saw them, fear stemmed from its depths.


    The Frenzy Parasite in it shuddered in fear, the primal fear expressed in its entirety, further enhancing its own fears. Its instincts further warned it, the humans it witnessed were far from ordinary.


    Also, it had a special Skill, its Tier 1 Skill. It was an olfactory-related Skill, the prime reason for its source of despair.


    Tier 1 Skill¡ªPhantosmia of the Past!


    It was a Skill that allowed the user to detect murderous scents around the target. Had the target killed a brethren of the user, it would have a lingering murderous scent, only detected under the Skill. The more lives of the user''s brethren the target had reaped, the more murderous scents lingering around it. Similarly, the stench of the murderous scent varies accordingly to the Tier of the brethren killed¡ªFloating Spider.


    The young humans that entered each cage possessed almost no lingering murderous scents, albeit the few that had killed one before its eyes. It gradually came to realise that the humans were using its brethren to train themselves, getting to understand the secrets of its race, and preparing accordingly. It was a vicious method in its eyes, having to watch its brethren killed.


    The killings weren''t due to the reasons it had grown up with, a fight for food, and a fight for survival. It was just¡­practice, the notion of which felt strange, and terrifying.


    The cause for despair was the individual before its eyes. Its body trembled, shaking like a leaf caught in a storm, floating over the ocean. Turbulent times where balance had been destroyed and chaos reigned supreme.


    There wasn''t even scope for anger, not to mention harbouring feelings of rage. It could neither resist, not mount an opposition. There was fear, only fear. Its despair had long since exceeded what its emotional quotient could grasp.


    Having activated its Tier 1 Skill, it detected a sea of scents, all murderous in nature. It was a stormy sea, the likes of which it had never witnessed before. Rough waves broiled around, the sea currents unbridled, unable to be controlled, or calmed.


    They washed over like the tide, overwhelming its senses. The scents amounted to despairing levels in both quantity and quality. Based on the stench, there were millions of Tier 1 scents, hundreds of thousands of Tier 2, tens of thousands of Tier 3.


    Forming the major currents in the sea waves, like pillars that propelled the flow were scents, the stench thick, each equivalent to independent rivers in the waves. They belonged to the Tier 4 Floating Spiders killed by the target, numbering in the hundreds.


    The Floating Spider cried out in vengeance, its floating body no longer able to remain afloat. Before, while trapped in a cage, the effects of its Tier 1 Skill had mostly been filtered. During then, when it gazed at others, it could only detect scents to limited extents. Now, out in the open, and with the effects of its Tier 1 Skill no longer blocked, what it sensed was different.


    It fell on the floor, tears stemming down its grotesque spider face. Its mandibles clattered restlessly, the force in them lacking, the sounds produced seemingly like the weak throes of a dying man. It counted, sensing distinct stenches in the sea of murderous scents.

 Chapter 219: Demonstration as a Warrior

    Each stench was vast, like a lake, possessing exclusive domains in the turbulent sea. Each was equivalent to a miniature typhoon, forming nature unique to their own. They were scattered about in the sea, the intents in them recognisable. Faint silhouettes formed in them, conforming to the figures of Floating Spiders that had been slain.


    It counted; the increase in each number was the sound of despair pounding its heart. From single digits, it soon entered the double digits, more and more affecting its mind. Finally, just before it lost consciousness, it deactivated its Tier 1 Skill, having counted up to 31.


    In the centre of what had been the sea of scents was a frail figure, even tiny considering the sizes of older Floating Spiders it had witnessed. But, it was this tiny figure that had claimed the lives of the powerhouses among its brethren. 31 Tier 5 beings, it was a significant portion of strength. Even to the Floating Spiders, it was a major loss, something that couldn''t be recovered for more than three decades.


    The Floating Spider took in the visage of the lady standing before it, gradually falling unconscious. It offered neither rage nor expressed its wrath. It despaired; despite its tumultuous emotional disturbance, the Frenzy Parasite in it didn''t initiate anything, silent, as if it didn''t exist.


    Madam Rizenne crouched before it, seeping a psychic arm¡ªpale blue in colour¡ªinto it. A moment later, the psychic arm reverted to normalcy, picking up the Floating Spider before disappearing from view. A couple of seconds later, the sounds of two metals clashing with one another resounded.


    "It seems to have an interesting Skill." Madam Mila''s voice resounded in her ears. Madam Rizenne nodded in response, using her psychic arm to bring in another Frenzy Beast, dropping it onto the stage.


    It was a Spindle Bee, tiny in size, taking to the air in fear. Having been moved suddenly, with the movement forced, and beyond its control scared it. It flew around, buzzing for a while, gradually calming down after not spotting any threatening auras.


    It then looked at the figures of the individuals surrounding it, soon spotting the carcass of the Rigordile, the Life Leech, and the One-horned Rhino. There was a figure standing beside the Rigordile so it avoided it, zooming towards the One-horned Rhino.


    When it was two metres above the One-horned Rhino, it paused, having sensed something. It buzzed around the carcass of the One-horned Rhino, not daring to come close. Suddenly, it turned around, sensing the figure of Madam Rizenne approaching it.


    The Spindle Bee¡ªan Observer¡ªflew up, distancing itself. When it wanted to move further up, its body crashed into the psychic energy barrier. Startled for a moment, it turned around, emitting buzzing sounds as it spun around in place.


    Madam Rizenne''s voice echoed, audible only to the students, "Normally, when flying creatures chose to avoid us, we are left with no other choice but to watch helplessly. Warriors are ground units, unless they possess the ability to fly, which can be obtained through the Unranked Skill, Flight. There is a Skill at Tier 3 that allows one to fly. There are also some Tier 4 Skills, using which one can grow a pair of wings and stuff. You will learn more about them later."


    "The Skill that gives you the ability to fly the fastest, and consumes the least energy is the Unranked Skill, Flight. It is why this Skill is preferred despite lacking any other combat ability. Though, if you have the means, I suggest you work towards getting other Unranked Skills. But, most Unranked Skills can only be obtained if you are at Tier 4. The advantage of Unranked Skill, Flight is that it can be obtained even at Tier 1."


    The Spindle Bee was busy buzzing around, slamming against the barrier. Madam Rizenne took the time to deliver a small lecture, "It is something we termed as Anchor Points or Anchors for short."


    "Anchors¡­" Jyorta murmured, having already known about them thanks to his sister, Heima. Without any change in expression, he listened to Madam Rizenne''s explanation.


    "Normally speaking, you are stuck for life with the Skills you Nurtured. You cannot gain anything else. An Unranked Skill is based on eliminating some Skills and using them as the foundation pillars to support itself. That is why these are called Anchors."


    "Anchors are determined by the number of Frenzy Beast abilities that form the core of the Unranked Skill. Generally, most Unranked Skills need three Anchors. Based on our research, we have determined three Anchors to showcase the greatest ability among Unranked Skills."


    "Below that, the Unranked Skill lacks versatility and is limited in ability. Beyond that, it is impossible to form a unified effect. Each source of the anchor will act as an individual ability, preventing the Unranked Skill to function as a collective whole, greatly reducing its overall capability. So, we generally stick to three Anchors even during conceptualisation."


    "Do you remember the Traits the four Frenzy Beasts races threatening Marble City possess?" Seeing everyone nod, Madam Rizenne continued, "The base material for the Unranked Skill Flight is the Trait of the Floating Spiders. That is why its effect is the most efficient among all flight based Skills."


    "Since it only has one base material, the Unranked Skill Flight requires one Anchor. That is why even Observers can obtain it. Based on how we design and manufacture an Unranked Skill, it would only choose Skills for anchors starting from the weakest."


    "Suppose an Unranked Skill requires three Anchors, then when obtaining it, Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 Skills are used. After getting the Unranked Skill, the individual would permanently lose the three Skills. But since he would be getting an Unranked Skill in return, it is worthwhile."


    "Unranked Skills grow alongside you, Nurtured to be on the same Tier as you. That is why everyone prefers it. With it, you will have two powerful abilities of your Tier." Seeing that the Spindle Bee was beginning to fly down, Madam Rizenne changed the topic.


    "To attack a flying opponent, as a Warrior, you can only throw objects at it. But, unless your power exceeds it by a large amount, it would be difficult to hit it with ease. So, the best case is to lure it in."


    She stood beside the corpse of the Rigordile, "The Tier 1 Skills of Spindle Bees are sound and touch-based. They usually sense the vibrations in the air to determine their surroundings. They also possess 360-degree vision but the disadvantage is the range of its sight."


    Madam Rizenne grabbed hold of the Rigordile''s tail, intending to pull it apart, stopping after a momentary thought. Her voice resounded in the ears of the students, "You Cadets can try it yourselves. I''ll demonstrate a way to lure it over without using the surroundings to my advantage."


    She released her hold, crouching a little before breaking into a sprint, running towards the Spindle Bee. Seeing her charge, the Spindle Bee was momentarily startled, moving back in reflex before hitting the psychic energy barrier. It then reoriented itself, watching Madam Rizenne close in.


    Upon nearing its location, Madam Rizenne made a jump, approaching it. The Spindle bee made a quick turn and moved forward, showcasing its back to Madam Rizenne. Even though she was fast, with her leap accurate, the Spindle Bee had a build focused on speed, easily evading her.


    When her momentum in the upward direction became zero, she began to fall, carried forth by her forward momentum, making a long arc in the air. The Spindle Bee made a circle, facing its stinger to her back, synchronised with her motion.


    It shot forth its stinger, the recoil making it move a couple of centimetres back. The spindle lodged itself half-deep into Madam Rizenne''s back. She landed on the floor, letting out a grunt in pain.


    Her body trembled, losing her footing while landing, tumbling to the floor. She slid forward due to the momentum, feeling another spindle lodge into her back, positioned closely around her heart, missed by a hair''s breadth.


    The Spindle Bee quickly regrew another spindle in a matter of seconds, aiming it on the back of her neck. A hand timely covered the place, blocking the spindle. Blood spurted out of the wound, but it wasn''t fatal. Though, it prevented strength from being exerted in the hand. A poison seeped into the body through the wound, causing her body to uncontrollably twitch.


    The Spindle Bee aimed at the struggling individual, shooting a spindle into her left leg, followed by another into her right after some seconds. It did the same to her two arms. It hovered in the air, patient, waiting for the twitching individual to die.


    But soon, it noticed the twitching individual crawl forward, still alive. The twitching continued, the intensity gradually decreasing. The second spindle that had been lodged on her back fell out. The Spindle Bee glanced at it, noticing a mild trace of blood on its tip.


    It seemed the spindle had only lodged itself surface deep. It then glanced over the other spindles, noticing them be the same. Only the first spindle had been lodged half deep into the body.


    It shot forth another spindle to Madam Rizenne''s back, watching it pierce into the body a little, becoming slant from the momentum. It was even shallower than the others, the Spindle Bee concluded.


    It shot another spindle, having flown a metre closer, watching it lodge relatively deeper, but not to the extent it desired. It also noticed the human grunting in pain, the effort into survival she exerted becoming greater.


    Pushing forth using her hand, Madam Rizenne''s back moved up. Her arms struggled to withstand her weight, thanks to the injury, and the poison seeping into her body through the spindles. Seeing that the situation was taking a turn for the worse, the Spindle Bee closed in further, straining its stinger to mount a stronger attack.


    It aimed at the now exposed neck, seeking to claim her life.

 Chapter 220: Preparing for a Battle

    Madam Rizenne was struggling to support her weight. Her arms trembled, almost failing to prop her body. She was now on all fours. Her right leg dragged forward, seeking to curl up and land her foot on the floor, struggling to even move.


    Finally, with great effort, her right leg landed. Now free after obtaining support from the leg, she pulled out the spindle lodged in her left hand. She panted hoarsely, heaving deep, but ragged breaths. Sweat covered her body, drenching her clothes. She looked weak, on the verge of collapsing.


    Some students directly jumped onto the stage, planning to rush to her rescue. They were confused as to how Madam Rizenne had fallen to such a state, unable to comprehend the situation. But they all knew one thing; the bodies of Espers were as weak as regular humans. They were prone to mortal danger with the slightest of injury.


    The Spindle Bee glanced at the rushing crowd, deciding to deliver the finishing blow before escaping. The moment it focused on the neck of Madam Rizenne, a psychic arm surrounded the stage, stopping the students in place. It was silent; the Spindle Bee hadn''t detected it.


    It strained its stinger, now hovering just a metre above Madam Rizenne. It wanted to preserve most of the force of its ejected spindle, thereby closing in as much as possible. Suddenly, Madam Rizenne''s left hand buckled, causing her upper body to lean forward, increasing the stress placed on her right leg, causing it to lose balance.


    The Spindle Bee adjusted accordingly, its aim unwavering. Just when it was about to shoot its spindle, it felt pain. A spindle had pierced its abdomen; it was something it had created.


    The Spindle Bee had hovered in the air a metre above Madam Rizenne''s neck, positioned 10 centimetres back to aim better. This put the area on her back under its blind spot. When her upper body bent forward, as a result of her limbs giving in, her plan finally took form.


    Lodged half-way into her back was the first spindle. Madam Rizenne had been controlling the surrounding muscles, storing power, firmly holding the spindle. She first freed the muscle tissues surrounding the spindle, ensuring its position remained unchanged. Now, she began to stress it from all sides, applying pressure.


    The spindle was lodged perpendicularly into her back. It pointed to a spot behind the Spindle Bee. When her upper body bent forward, the spindle''s line of action moved upwards, forming an arc. The moment it pointed at the Spindle Bee, her back muscles convulsed.


    Thanks to the applied muscle pressure, the spindle shot forth like an arrow, lodging itself in the Spindle Bee''s abdomen. Thanks to it being positioned in its blind spot, with the attention of the Spindle Bee split between its focus of attack and the students that had jumped onto the stage, it failed to react.


    Despite its Tier 1 Skill sensing the spindle, it couldn''t react in time. It was thanks to the spindle''s speed, and the short distance of travel, making the reaction time necessary less than what its attention-split brain could process and execute.


    A planned action, built upon a series of steps, all conforming to an overall effect. Unless the foe possessed wisdom rivalling the plotter, it was bound to end up with defeat. The spindle lodged itself into the Spindle Bee''s abdomen, disorienting it for a moment.


    The spindle was sharp, the damage inflicted significant thanks to their relative sizes. The spindle spanned one-third of the Spindle Bee''s body length. Madam Rizenne''s right hand¡ªcarrying the spindle she had pulled out from her left¡ªflashed to her back, throwing the spindle.


    The spindle pierced its eyes, damaging the brain. Madam Rizenne pushed forth with her hand, using the force to spring back to her feet. She used her index and middle-finger, sending a jab at its wings, damaging it.


    The Spindle Bee lost its balance, no longer able to maintain its flight. Two hands slapped its head, bursting it into flesh and brain matter. Madam Rizenne''s voice resounded, plain, lacking any emotion, "The laws of nature work in tandem to balance everything."


    "The shrub a poisonous snake coils under is the cure to its venom. Similarly, the pointed end of the Rigordile''s tail is the weapon that can pierce its scales." She then pointed at the spindle of the Spindle Bee, her intent obvious.


    "Wisdom is humanity''s greatest weapon. We also use this wisdom against one another, to strive for benefits, acting based on personal notions, pride, beliefs, working to better oneself while sometimes, seeking to pull down another."


    "Our weapon is also a counter against our brethren." She looked at the faces of the students, noticing their morphing expressions at the brutal reality, "The case is the same among all races. Infighting is present in every sentient race. To counter their tough scales, the Rigordiles sharpen their tails. To pierce them despite their senses, the Spindle Bees make their spindles more discrete, but lethal."


    "The poison secreted in their mandibles allows the Floating Spider to easily bite through their web. Every race is similar. Use their countermeasures to deal with them." She then pulled out all the spindles pierced in her body, "My example is somewhat risky but it is one of the methods to use if your surroundings give you zero advantage."


    "Your scheme begins with the first blow you receive." Madam Rizenne concluded.


    She waved her hands once, watching a small hole form on the One-horned Rhino''s back. The Life Leech flew out, carried by her psychic arm. It was soon thrown into its respective cage. Having drunk a lot of blood in the time being, the Life Leech was now thrice its initial size.


    "I wanted to continue today''s session but unfortunately, time''s up." She glanced at the time once, shaking her head, letting out a deep breath. "We will continue where we left off in tomorrow''s classes. Now that we have entered the battle-preparation phase, we will be having more classes dedicated to training exercises just like today."


    "The details of the Labyrinth of Frenzy will be open to you in the Portal. Do make sure to go through them all. It is the place where you can score the most number of Credits. That''s all, class dismissed." She waved her hands, motioning for the students to leave. Accompanied by her action, there was a faint rumble before the doors to the Red Building opened up, allowing the sunlight to seep in.


    The students heaved sighs of relief; some of them sat on the floor, the adrenaline rush from before abating little by little. Many were emotionally overwhelmed, gazing at their surroundings with a blank stare.


    The floor beneath them moved down, soon disappearing, allowing the students to land on the actual building floor.


    Jyorta gazed at Haesha, watching the other party in deep thought, "What are you planning to do now?"


    "I have the confidence now," Haesha made eye contact, "I will return and rest for the time being. What about you?"


    "I''ll stay," Jyorta glanced around, noticing the Frenzy Beasts within each cage. "I still need to practice a lot."


    He then noticed the figure of Madam Rizenne flying overhead, soon exiting the building. Seeing her flying figure, Jyorta fell into a trance, longing for the day when he would be able to take flight. He saw his friends slowly walking towards the exit, each occupied with thoughts, their backs straight, their confidence brimming. Their gazes were the same as Haesha, having thought of something, intending to attempt it soon.


    Jyorta waved at Haesha, watching her walking figure. He sat on the floor, seeing everyone slowly exit the Red Building. Soon, there wasn''t the presence of any humans in his surroundings, albeit one.


    A figure landed beside him, akin to a statue, the only proof of her being alive was her chest moving up and down, a sign of breathing. Jyorta glanced around, double-checking to ensure the absence of any people, especially the students.


    He then heaved a sigh of relief, getting up before slightly bowing to Madam Mila, "Ma''am, when practicing here¡­"


    His voice was cut short. Without any movement of her mouth, Madam Mila''s voice resounded, obviously transmitted through her psychic energy, "You can''t use your full strength here. Many students will be coming and going, so it is not wise to do so. But, you can use both your Trait and your full strength in the Labyrinth of Frenzy."


    "Prepare first and return. It won''t count as training if you suppress your abilities. In the Labyrinth of Frenzy, each path is exclusive for each student''s use. So, you can freely use your full strength." Madam Mila gently floated a centimetre from the floor, turning her body around rigidly to glance at a couple of students entering the Red Building.


    "Head to the Orange Building and equip yourself. Research the details of the Labyrinth of Frenzy in the Portal. When you are done, return here. Normally, I would advice everyone to first practice with the Frenzy Beasts here in cages. But, in your case, heading down the Labyrinth of Frenzy would be for the best."


    Madam Mila flew towards the farther end of the hall, hovering beside a wall. A counter formed before her, created through her Unranked Skill. Stacks of papers, documents, lists, maps, etc. flew out from somewhere hidden, soon arranging themselves into a shelf that appeared behind her.


    Some of the maps unravelled, plastering themselves on a bulletin board that had formed on her right. Soon, with a faint rumble, two massive paths opened on either side of her, leading down.


    Madam Mila''s voice resounded in his ear, "The same treatment that other students receive here, you will obtain it in the Labyrinth of Frenzy. Get accustomed to battling the Frenzy Beasts in the outer segments. Once I give you the pass, I will stop helping you. You can then begin your actual explorations. Until then, the Frenzy Beasts you kill will not net you any Credits."


    "Thank you, ma''am." Jyorta bowed in her direction, turning around to walk towards the exit. Once he finished his preparations, he would begin his battle.

 Chapter 221: Psychic Armoury

    On his way to the exit, Jyorta noticed the getup of the two approaching students. Leather armour covered their entire body, tough, but flexible. Armguards made of steel, attached to the leather. Leg guards that stopped before the ankle, also made of steel.


    Chest armour made from attached steel strips, riveted for ease of movement. Finally, a helmet that enclosed their head; the pores for the nose stuffed with certain herbs, and the visor possessing a transparent membrane, selectively outlining the eyes. Chainmail covered their neck region while an armoured skirt¡ªchainmail overlaid with metal strips¡ªhung from their hips, reaching their knees.


    They didn''t wear any gauntlets, only sporting leather gloves that gave a better grip. Strapped to their belt was a tiny bag. Hung next to it were a knife and a tong, the ends sharp.


    The first of the duo was a boy, holding an unsheathed sword. Hung on his back was a one-handed axe. The other one was a girl, holding a spear that spanned her height. Hung on her back was a gada, a blunt mace with a spherical head, the shaft arm length.


    They conversed in hushed tones, their gait alert, despite only being in the Red Building. They passed by Jyorta, ignoring after a glance, busy with their plans. Jyorta heard their conversation in the short duration they were in range and their voices were audible enough to be understood.


    "¡­better to have one blunt weapon as safety¡­"


    "¡­spear too long to use in narrow paths¡­"


    Jyorta shook his head, walking after a pause. Just after a slight probe, he determined their states as Amplifiers, a notch stronger than the rest. When he exited the Red Building, he noticed three more students walking in, wearing armours of different styles based on their battle preference. He also witnessed weapons the names of which he was ignorant.


    Even on a conservative estimate, they were stronger than him. Jyorta wasn''t disheartened, taking a turn to the left. There were two buildings of the same colours, one in the Rhachis Block, for Warriors while the other was in the Psychic Block, for Espers.


    Their earlier session had been conducted in the Red Building in the Rhachis Block. After turning left, he walked in the direction of the Head Office Building. The Red Building was one of the longest buildings, second only to the dorm, i.e. Indigo Building.


    After walking for a minute, he arrived before the Orange Building. It was situated next to the Red Building, their walls attached. The floor of the Orange Building was raised high. A trail of steps was present on the front, numbering around 20, wide. At the top was a large double door, four metres wide and ten metres high.


    It was partially opened, spanning wide enough for a person to enter. The moment Jyorta took a step, he felt a gust of air, flowing from the top to the bottom. It acted as a screen, separating the interior and the exterior environment of the building. He crossed the screen of air, stepping into a tiny hall, five metres in length and 20 metres in breadth.


    The air was pungent, mixed with the smell of rust. It was dry, the humidity non-existent in comparison to the humid air outside. A pile of scrap formed a mound before him, reaching twice his height.


    It was filled with pieces of metal, iron filings, machined iron dust, rusted screws, steep plates, cracked sheet metal, semi-soldered iron bars, etc. It was like he had walked into a scrap yard. Jyorta treaded aside the mound of scrap, noticing a counter at the end.


    Hung on the wall behind the counter was a spear, the likes of which he had never seen. It was made of bones, overlaid with lines of magenta. The tip suffused with hints of black, causing faint smoke to billow out. But, it was even fainter than the smoke from incense, almost unable to be detected. But, its size was monstrous, spanning diagonally along the wall, from the lower right corner to the upper left corner where the blade of the spear ended.


    A pathway existed next to the counter, the contents behind it hidden by a curtain. Seated behind the counter was a middle-aged lady, her expression one of boredom. The moment she detected Jyorta, she expressed her annoyance.


    "Ma''am," Jyorta stood before the counter, "I came to look for¡­"


    "Weapons and armours right?" The lady grunted, lazily waving her hands, "That is what everyone comes here for. Head inside and look through the guide. Someone will help you complete the formality there."


    ''Then what are you seated here for?'' Jyorta controlled his urge to retort, nodding in return before entering the pathway beside the counter. The moment he left, the lady took out a register, lazily scribbling some words, slamming it close before gently hitting her head on the table.


    "This is boring¡­"


    It was a short passage, only spanning three metres in length. Upon exiting it, he came face to face with a large signboard. It only had two words, Warriors and Espers, with an arrow mark next to each.


    It was a wide, but narrow corridor. There was an entry next to him, with the plaque overhead reading Warrior. He then walked along the corridor, soon arriving before the second entry, the plaque reading Esper.


    It was a sprawling marketplace, with racks covering all walls, spanning from ground to the 15 ¨Cmetre high ceiling. There were also placed into neat sections, from one end of the hall to the other. Perforated platforms spread around them, divided into floors, with helical staircases treading down from each. Each platform was wide enough for two people to move side by side. Items were arranged in each shelve, almost stacked to the brim.


    Students went about on each platform, browsing the contents. Attached to each shelve was a tiny booklet, detailing the specifications of the contents inside.


    A voice resounded in his ear, "Welcome to the Psychic Armoury. Read through this guide before you proceed to look into weapons you desire."


    Jyorta witnessed a book hovering in the air before him, the pages in it automatically flipping, displaying the contents to him. It wasn''t much, only 10 pages. But since each page was almost three millimetres thick, the book looked thicker than it ought to.


    Jyorta turned his head, glancing around, unable to discern the location of the speaker. He also couldn''t sense the existence of the psychic arm holding the book. When Jyorta took hold of the book, it failed to budge.


    The pages flipped once, stopping at the first page. It began to turn to the second page, the actions slow. But it urged Jyorta to finish reading it before the page completely flipped over.


    "Any weapon design you could think of or haven''t even though of are all here. Don''t be arrogant thinking that you can come up with a groundbreaking design. If you still feel your design is better than the rest here, head to the planning department and have a fight with them. Maybe they will improve¡­?"


    ''What the hell is this?'' Jyorta was surprised, continued to read the contents.


    "But unless you have experienced the Wilds, you wouldn''t know whether a design would work or not. The Labyrinth of Frenzy is just an imitation; it doesn''t count as experience in the Wilds. After all, Madam Marble would save you before you die here¡­"


    Jyorta read through the end of the first page, reading the final sentence, "So, shut up and choose the specifics among either the Chakrams or the Spindles. The choice is yours."


    The moment he finished reading, the page flipped over, stopping at the seventh page. It only had a couple of lines, "Among Spindles: Type 47 and Type 59. Among Chakrams: Type 24 and Type 30. Look at the guidelines on the floor for directions."


    The book slammed shut, disappearing from view. Jyorta blinked a couple of times, surprised, shocked even, remembering the contents displayed. Only then did he notice that the font had been in green. He gazed at the floor, noticing a row of words and numbers lining the middle.


    Many arrow marks were carved on the floor, leading to each rack that spanned from floor to ceiling, housing rows and rows of shelves. The arrangement was similar to a library, the only difference being the number of columns and their sheer size.


    Boards were hung from the ceiling, large, like banners, situated across various locations. The names of the weapons in the respective section were written in large; the same was on the floor, making it seem like a complicated maze, the directions confusing.


    Jyorta felt a headache the moment he looked at them. There were also short paragraphs of descriptions beside each name and number, detailing them. Most were accompanied by line art, to further detail the concept. There also existed arrow marks, connecting one explanation over to another, the intention to help the student by pointing at the next specific should the preceding one not be up to his taste.


    Thanks to the information engraved everywhere, Jyorta felt as if he had walked into a room where sorcery was being performed. With a shake of his head, he read an information block right next to his feet.


    "Type 7 Two-point Sphere: Rigid spherical object on the ends of which strings can be wound. Control the sphere to make threaded nets easily in battle and trap your enemies. For a Three-point Sphere, follow this arrow¡­ For a higher Type of Two-point Sphere, follow this¡­ For classification of its Type, follow this arrow¡­"


    Jyorta followed the arrow, soon arriving before a box that gave him a short explanation. "Two-point Sphere: Type 1, 100 grams of weight, a spherical radius of 2 centimetres, and material iron. Type 2, 120 grams of weight, a spherical radius of 3 centimetres, and material iron¡­"

 Chapter 222: Entering the Domain of Omniscience

    "For an explanation of the Two-point Sphere, follow this. To check through the Type 1 Three-point Sphere, follow this¡­" Jyorta broke the flow, looking around. He found himself standing in a narrow space.


    To his left was a large section, housing shelves that had some type of strings. Helical stairs led from the ground to their respective levels. Each level had its platforms, trailing along the full length of the section.


    To his right was a section, housing shelves that had various types of helmets. Jyorta noticed a small banner hung on one end of the section to his left. It was a booklet. He arrived before it and flipped through its contents.


    "Steel alloy string: 0.5 millimetre diameter and a maximum tensile stress of¡­ useful at trapping Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts when used well."


    There were detailed functions and variations of the strings, and the locations of each in the section. Jyorta then glanced through the booklet at the end of the Helmet section, getting immersed in the volume of information presented.


    ''I would be requiring a helmet to protect my head. There seems to be a lot of variants here in preparation against attacks of specific Frenzy Beasts.''


    After spending five to ten minutes reading through it, Jyorta flipped once to the end of the book, just to glance at the end. He noticed a sentence in red, the font covering up the page. "There are neither Artifacts nor Relics here. All weapons, armours, etc. issued here are made from basic materials."


    "I see," Jyorta felt a little disappointed, then realising a line of thought. Instead of wasting resources to create Tier 1 and Tier 2 Artifacts, it was better to make them using steel or other alloys, which was cost-effective. The materials for Artifacts were usually derived from the carcass of Frenzy Beasts. Artifacts were also produced from the Marble Family''s Unranked Skill, but weren''t distributed to lower Tiers.


    The bodies of Tier 1 and Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts, despite being strong, weren''t fit to be made as weapons. It was a simple cost-effective approach considering the superiority of alloys they possessed.


    As for the Relics, each Relic was a delicate piece, precious. With the slightest of misuse, a Relic could be damaged. Relics were always fused with Artifacts that protect them and use their power in return.


    Even Tier 1 Relics had their purpose, thanks to the Skills in them being of the sensory type. They were always in demand and were usually fused into higher Tiered Artifacts to help the user. Besides, the creation of Relics was state secret, unwilling to be divulged to their enemies. Therefore, unless one had sufficient strength, they wouldn''t be allowed to touch or use Relics.


    Jyorta was an exception, thanks to his identity. He received discreet support from Psychic Ancestor Marble and Rhachis Ancestor Light¡­after the other person had learned everything he needed from Jyorta. Even then, they ought to have placed many contingency measures in the Relics they left in his hands, able to be retrieved should he die in the Wilds.


    They were precious, priceless. If such Relics were to fall in the hands of the Frenzy Beasts, the consequences would be disastrous. When Jyorta placed the booklet down, intending to browse through the Helmets, a voice resounded in his ears.


    "Weapons first, followed by suitable armours, and finally, support items. You need to consider things from the perspective that they would fit in with each other. Choose your weapons first."


    Jyorta glanced around, exasperated, unable to find the source of the voice. There wasn''t any indication of a staff present in the hall, despite him walking around for some time. All he had witnessed were students, mostly conforming to August and September Batches.


    Currently, the August Batch was the oldest in the military academy, in their final month. Following behind them was the September Batch. At third was his Batch, the October Batch. Jyorta followed a trail on the ground, finding an arrow mark that pointed at the section with the spindles.


    He soon found an information box giving a short description of the spindles. "Spindles: Short, elongated objects with pointed ends; they are used by Espers to penetrate obstacles. The middle portion of the spindle body is thicker in comparison to the ends, possessing a convex shape. The thickness at the centre is determined by its curvature."


    He then followed another arrow, soon arriving before a long section. Boards were hung overhead, starting from Type 1 to Type 50. He then looked beyond, finding the shelf behind to showcase spindles from Type 51 to Type 100.


    Thinking back to what the voice mentioned to him, Jyorta decided to first find the Type 59 spindle. He crossed the section with Type 1 to 50 and headed to the next section, soon finding a rack with the Type 59 spindle.


    There were similar looking spindles, arranged in a cluster in every shelf, with the only difference being their colour. Some of the spindles in the upper shelves were slightly longer. There was a small metal board pinned at the bottom of the rack, on the wall between two shelves. Jyorta noticed similar boards pinned from bottom to the top, next to every shelf.


    He crouched, squinting to read the tiny letters carved into the board. "Type 59 Spindle: Weighs 3.15 kilograms, 10 centimetres long, and has a curvature of 50 centimetres."


    Jyorta''s eyes widened, partially surprised, mostly shocked. There was even a trace of fear, lingering amid his exploding thoughts. Faint sweat covered his forehead, his body mildly trembled. He raised his hand, inching it into the open shelf, controlling his trembling.


    Numerous spindles were placed one over the other in the tray. There were about five such trays stacked one over another in the shelf. All the spindles in the shelf looked the same. Jyorta picked a spindle from the top-most tray, squinting in strain for a moment.


    It was heavy, the nerves in his hand felt a bit of strain lifting one. It was tiny, 10 centimetres long, and seemed about 2 centimetres wide approximately. The surface was shiny, lustrous to the extent reflecting his visage, only slightly blurry.


    Sweat poured from his forehead, drenching his collar. His mind whirred in thought, glancing around, noticing the absence of students in his vicinity. He unleashed a psychic arm, seeping it into the spindle.


    He faced considerable resistance, unable to swiftly move the spindle as desired. His control was sloppy, but as he willed, the spindle gently floated. It would stabilise the moment its resistance to his psychic energy becomes zero, allowing him to completely manipulate it.


    The spindle floated, meaning, his psychic arm was able to lift it. But, it was this very fact that imbued in him apprehension and fear. Had the spindle been a notch heavier, then his psychic arm would have been unable to lift it.


    3.16 kilograms or 3160 grams; that was the weight limit of Jyorta''s psychic arm, his current limit as of present. It continuously increased day by day, requiring him to measure it with care to determine the growth. But, without any commotion, the voice had directly pointed him to the respective spindle.


    He had never sensed the other party''s psychic arm. Without him realising, the other party''s psychic arm seeped into his body, made a couple of rounds in his head, and determined the abilities of his psychic arms. This was the scary part.


    This meant that, had Jyorta roamed the Wilds, a higher Tiered Esper would be able to kill him without him even realising it. And, based on the green font he witnessed in the guide, the owner of the voice had been someone from the Marble Family, and was a Ground Controller.


    He would have been able to digest it if the feat had been performed by a Sky Controller. After all, he had experienced Madam Mila''s and Madam Rizenne''s abilities many times while in class. But, experiencing the exact situation, with a weaker Ground Controller sought to unnerve his confidence.


    He couldn''t find any difference between the two. Both the Ground Controller and the Sky Controller''s actions were equally mysterious, beyond his senses and his understanding.


    Logically speaking, the gap widened between each Tier. The fact that a weaker Ground Controller''s actions looked no different in his eyes while compared to a Sky Controller''s meant that he was pitifully weak, weak to the extent unable to even gauge the difference.


    Jyorta placed the spindle back into its respective tray, walking to the previous section, and arriving before the rack where the Type 47 spindles were placed. He looked into the details, heaving a forlorn sigh. It was one of disappointment.


    "Type 47 Spindle: Weighs 2.55 kilograms, 10 centimetres long, and has a curvature of 50 centimetres."


    ''It weighs 2.55 Kilograms, the limit of my second psychic arm.'' Jyorta sighed and returned to the rack with the Type 59 spindle. His two psychic arms weren''t uniformly developed. His second psychic arm was Nurtured into existence after he had become an Area Controller.


    Until then, his first psychic arm already had a certain length and possessed a definite speed and weight limit. After breaking into Tier 2, both his psychic arms were equally Nurtured. Since his first psychic arm was already developed to a certain extent before, it was stronger than his second and maintained the lead.


    The weight limit of his first psychic arm was 3.16 kilograms and the weight limit of his second psychic arm was 2.56 kilograms. Jyorta glanced at the description of the Type 58 spindle, noticing its weight being 3.10 kilograms. Similarly, the Type 60 spindle weighed 3.20 kilograms, making the Type 59 spindle the apt weapon for his first psychic arm.


    ''The higher the Tier, the scarier an Esper becomes. Is this them entering the domain of omniscience?''

 Chapter 223: Physics Can be Confusing at Times

    "The surface of the spindle forms an arc when placed in a circle, and its radius is what we specify as curvature here. Assume the two ends of the spindle forming a line. When both the ends touch the circumference of a circle, the line forms a chord. The chord and the arc form the spindle¡ªwith the chord as the axis¡ª when rotated a full circle. For a spindle with a curvature of 50 centimetres, the diameter at its centre is about 2.02 centimetres."


    "The lower the curvature, the greater the spindle''s diameter at its centre; for example, the Type 57B Spindle has a curvature of 45 centimetres. Its diameter at the centre is about 2.25 centimetres. The Type 57B2 Spindle has a curvature of 40 centimetres and its diameter at the centre is 2.54 centimetres."


    "If the spindle is thin, you can spin it faster. As the diameter in its centre increases, its rotation speed decreases. But, in contrast, the torque increases. To drill through a material, just speed alone is insufficient. If it doesn''t have sufficient torque, its spin will stop the moment it touches a surface. If the torque is too much, then the speed is affected. That will make the drilling operation slow, too slow to have any effect on the Frenzy Beast lunging at you. So, select spindles that suit your needs. If the Type has the suffix C, then spindle length increases. Decide accordingly."


    Jyorta nodded in response to the voice, sensing the ensuing silence. It was like the voice could guess his intentions, providing him with the explanation the moment he wanted to browse the spindles further.


    Etched around the centre, forming a full circle around the circumference were the words, ''SP-Type 59''. It was a short indication of his spindle''s brand.


    ''I should prevent the other students from looking at the inscription. A glance will allow them to link to its properties. This is beyond what I could officially handle. The moment they see it would be when their suspicion will be raised. Another factor to take into consideration,'' Jyorta sighed.


    He controlled the Type 59 Spindle, watching its resistance to his psychic energy decrease, soon becoming his Refined Object. It took less than a minute to achieve it. Upon his thought, it began to rotate, spinning faster and faster.


    Soon, it slipped out of his psychic arm''s control, falling on the floor, making a ringing sound upon its collision. Due to its spin, the spindle rolled on the floor, its speed fast, hitting the metal rails of the helical staircase, and producing a loud ringing sound.


    "Careful!" A shout resounded in his ears, loud, making his head spin for a moment. Jyorta shook his head, clutching his ears in response, squinting. He then noticed the spindle rebound after the collision, its spin only reduced a little.


    It rolled on the floor, hitting the lower lines of the sections, reflected upon the rebound, rolling forward. Ringing sounds resounded every time it hit the metal rails of the helical staircase on its path, making him wince each time in distaste.


    A helical staircase was placed every 20 metres. Soon, after the third hit, the spindle made a full turn and began to roll in his direction. His psychic arm seeped into it the moment it arrived in range. But, he wasn''t able to immediately stop it, his psychic arm unable to grab it firmly due to its momentum and spin.


    He stepped back, following the spindle''s movement as his psychic arm sought to bring it under control. A couple of seconds later, the spindle stopped spinning, its momentum negated by his psychic arm. Jyorta looked at the spindle''s surface; its lustre had reduced by a notch, layered by faint dust. It also sported mild scratches, thanks to its rolling and hitting.


    When Jyorta was about to grab hold of it using his hand, he stopped, sensing the heat emanating from it. ''So, it slipped out of control because my concentration lapsed for an instant. Even though its speed was well within the theoretical limits of my psychic arm''s control. I guess this also serves as a lesson.''


    "Just because you can spin it at that speed doesn''t mean you can control it. You must actively control the actions of your psychic arm with your mind. The moment you relax, it will spiral out of control. Do you get my point?" Hearing the voice shouting in his ears, Jyorta instinctively closed his ears. Even then, he was unable to block the sound.


    "Sorry sir, I will control myself better." Jyorta apologised, making a bow in a random direction, acting as if the source of the voice was located accordingly.


    "That you better do," With an admonishing tone and after a remark, the voice vanished. Jyorta sighed, grabbing hold of the spindle. It was warm to the touch. The heat within it had dissipated fairly in the 5-6 seconds he was being scolded.


    ''So, the material is a good conductor of heat.'' Jyorta nodded, wondering the material the spindle was made of. Its texture was smooth, resembling steel but it weighed heavier than steel ought to at that size.


    "It slipped out of my control even though I hadn''t used my full power. It seems I have to select a thicker one." Jyorta murmured, climbing up through a helical staircase. The stairs were perforated, the sounds of his footsteps dispersed, muffling it.


    He arrived on the second level, picking up a Type 59B Spindle. It was slightly thicker at the centre than the Type 59 Spindle. Jyorta seeped his psychic arm into it, converting it into his Refined Object after a minute had passed.


    The moment he had begun to spin it, Jyorta noticed an obvious difference. The speed at which the rpm of the Type 59B spindle increased was a notch slower than the Type 59 spindle. But, he could feel better control over it, thanks to the wider centre.


    ''Torque and speed, both are important. I must balance between them to find the optimal ratio. Wait, an optimal ratio doesn''t exist. To penetrate a tougher, fibrous hide, greater torque is necessary. But to penetrate a smooth, hard surface, speed is of vital importance. The optimal ratio changes according to each place of application.''


    A moment later, he climbed up another level, picking up a Type 59B2 Spindle. It had a curvature of 40 centimetres and a diameter of 2.54 centimetres at the centre. He used it for a couple of minutes, practicing its usage, feeling it to be optimal for his use.


    He picked two of them, carrying with him as he proceeded to higher levels. The item was a Type 59 BC2. It had a curvature of 40 centimetres, and the spindle length was 15 centimetres. After a moment of use, he returned it, feeling it to be longer for his tastes.


    He then moved up another level, with the sole focus of experiencing all the types of spindles available to use. It was a Type 59BC22 Spindle, with a curvature of 40 centimetres and a spindle length of 20 centimetres.


    ''It is long and serves no advantage than a Type 59 Spindle. Also, when it penetrates through muscle, the greater surface area will increase the resistance experienced by the spindle, wasting power and expending more psychic energy.''


    Just when he was about to return it, he paused, changing his line of thought as he looked at its greater length. He touched it with his hand, feeling a different texture than the previous spindles. After a moment of thought, he slapped the back of his head a little.


    ''Just because they are weapons doesn''t mean that they should only be used as weapons. I can also use them for defence. Thanks to its longer length, I can also use it by grabbing them with my hand when needed.''


    ''I should get a longer one then.'' Jyorta was about to climb up when he paused in thought once again.


    ''The weight limit is the maximum weight my psychic arm could lift. Adding onto the speed, the force it can apply is a lot. But, when defending, do I need to use a spindle with that much weight? If I reduce its weight, I could use that extra bit to negate the force of my opponent. Hmm, but if the weight is decreased, the force it can exert also reduces. Am I just confusing myself?''


    Jyorta stood in place, broiled in thought. He began to revise the concepts of physics he had come to learn, trying to solidify his logic. ''The staff wouldn''t have pointed me to this section only based on my weight limit. What am I getting confused about here?''


    He then went about the basics of the force application. Force, quantised as the product of mass and acceleration; when the acceleration is fixed, the force exerted varies along with the mass. Whether one was attacking or defending, the application of force remained the same.


    Force was a simple concept of push and pull. When multiple forces act, in various directions, upon vector resolution, they would obtain the net force. Gravity was a force acting towards the ground, pulling everything towards it.


    Using his psychic arm, whether he carried an object weighing 50 grams or 3 kilograms, the maximum speed at which he could move it was the same. Therefore, the greater the weight of the object, the greater the force he could exhibit using it.


    ''So, my first choice of action was the correct one.'' Jyorta left a self-deprecating laugh, "Leave it to physics to screw us from time to time."


    ''Maintaining a firm logic is always the best, especially in cases like this where the supernatural still follows the laws of physics.'' Jyorta climbed up two levels before picking a spindle. Its length spanned 30 centimetres.


    Type 59BC24 Spindle!

 Chapter 224: Measures in Textures

    ''Same weight, but longer length; this will do.'' Jyorta held the long spindle in hand, descending the helical staircase after making a round through all spindle varieties. He finally landed on the floor; held in his hand were three spindles, two Type 59B2 and one Type 59BC24.


    Jyorta then went to the next section and surfed through the Type 47 Spindles, finally choosing two Type 47B2. Done with all, he looked at his shivering hands, feeling the strain after having to carry approximately 14.5 kilograms.


    ''Are these too much?'' He wondered, following along the path, tracing the arrows to arrive before the section with the chakrams. He read an information box on the floor, "Chakrams: Thin disks with sharp ends. The centre is thicker than the ends and both the faces are symmetrical. Note: the designs are not aerodynamically modified beyond the levels of symmetry. For reasons, ask the staff."


    Jyorta habitually stood up, sensing the same voice as before resound in his ears, "Aerodynamic designs are primarily used to reduce the drag. If the chakrams were used solely to travel, then aerodynamic designs would have been the best. But, since they are required to cut into the flesh and bones of Frenzy Beasts, suffering damage in return, we have opted for a more stable design."


    After a nod, Jyorta walked to the rack where a board hung with the word ''Type 30'' and began to look into the details. A small metal board was affixed on the walls next to each shelf. He read through the details on the lowermost shelf, "Type 30 Chakram: Weight 3.15 kilograms, a radius of 5 centimetres, and curvature of 60 centimetres."


    The voice resounded in his ears once again, "Unlike the spindle, the rpm of the chakram is not dependant on the curvature. It is dependent on the radius. For a radius of 5 centimetres, and considering the abilities of your stronger psychic arm, you can spin it at about 10 rps or 600 rpm. It is not much, but it is not lacking either. Due to the sharpness of the chakram, even 10 rps is lethal enough."


    "Don''t consider getting larger chakrams. They will simply hinder you more than do you good. As for the curvature, when it is 60 centimetres, the chakram is 0.41 centimetres thick at the centre, and 0.5 centimetres thick when the curvature is 50 centimetres. The defensive property of the chakram is higher when it is thick, but the resistance it faces while cutting through a Frenzy Beast is higher. So, think through before making your choice." The mechanical tone soon became lively.


    It spoke with a hint of disdain, "Having weapons for use is necessary, and having a spare is helpful. But, consider how much weight your body can handle. You would just tire yourself to death by carrying all the weapons you are taking along. You also have to take into account the weight of the armour, the clothes you wear, and the support items you take. Taking precautions is the best but, being overly precautious is equivalent to submitting yourself to danger."


    "Thank you, sir. I will keep it in mind." Jyorta nodded, grabbing hold of a chakram at the bottom. The circumference of the chakram was sealed by a layer of plastic, to prevent the students from being injured while browsing through.


    It was heavy, sporting a rough metallic texture, cast iron. He initially assumed their surfaces would be smooth like the spindles, but was surprised to find the rough texture. He noticed the case being the same for all the chakrams in view, unable to figure out the reason despite his knowledge.


    ''Wouldn''t a rough texture increase the surface friction while cutting through flesh?'' He stopped in thought, staying in place for more than five minutes. He broke free, unable to come up with an answer, deciding to ask, "Sir, why is the surface rough? Shouldn''t a smooth surface be better at cutting into¡­"


    The voice interjected him, carrying with it a tone of irritation, "Think for a second before you speak, will you? A smooth surface is optimal for cutting into inanimate objects. Even for cutting through flesh, it is accurate; a smooth surface is optimal. But, have you forgotten about the Essence of Frenzy? Look at the chakram''s texture."


    Prompted by the voice, Jyorta took a closer look at the surface, gazing at the irregularities. The crests and troughs made the pattern seem smooth, like cups, equidistant from one another. But, he couldn''t find any overall pattern. Everything seemed to be in disarray.


    "Spin it, one rps."


    Jyorta nodded, seeping his psychic arm into it, taking more than a minute to convert it into his Refined Object. Once it became his Refined Object, it began to spin firmly. He controlled the rps, limiting it at one revolution per second, watching the disorderly pattern form a uniform spiral, with about 15 lines.


    "Now, two rps."


    As Jyorta increased the speed, the pattern changed, the number of lines making the spiral increased to 18. After that, he was told to increase the rps by one every time, finally stopping at his limit of 10 rps.


    "You can stop it now. Have you seen the pattern?" Jyorta nodded in response, his expression still one of confusion. He then noticed the voice continuing with a grunt.


    "The Essence of Frenzy can corrode all matter foreign to one''s own. And, the body of every Frenzy Beast produces an Essence of Frenzy unique to its own. Now, what do you think will happen if your chakram cuts into a Frenzy Beast?"


    "It will be damaged," Jyorta nodded.


    "Yes, its edges will become blunt. And, after a couple of times, it might even break. Irrespective of the material and its toughness, it will be affected by the Essence of Frenzy. And depending on the type of the Essence of Frenzy, its effects might be pronounced or suppressed against various materials. You can''t expect to carry an arsenal of items with you while on the Wilds right? How many resources will that waste? That is not efficient."


    "Since we can''t do much about the Essence of Frenzy, we have to think about other countermeasures. The chakram''s texture is one such thing. When it cuts through a body, due to the shape of its irregularities, it forces particles of flesh to be lodged inside them. This creates a defensive layer around it, preventing the Essence of Frenzy in the Frenzy Beast from damaging it further."


    "And, due to your psychic energy within the chakram, it would be able to resist the Essence of Frenzy inside the lodged particles of flesh to a certain extent, thanks to its low concentration. In comparison to the situation where your chakram is damaged by the Essence of Frenzy it meets as it cuts through, this will prolong its life to a certain extent. It''s not a foolproof strategy but still, better than nothing right?"


    "Also, see how the pattern changes with the speed of spin? That will try to somehow maintain a sufficient layer of protection over the chakram at higher rpm."


    "I see," Jyorta nodded in realisation. He then glanced at the spindle in his hand. Before he could raise a question, the voice answered his doubts.


    "Spindles are generally treated as consumables in most cases. Pierce a Frenzy Beast and lodge it into a sensitive part. The moment the Frenzy Beast moves, the spindle will continue to damage it internally. Or lodge it within a joint to constrict its movements. So, spindles have a smooth texture."


    "Chakrams, on the other hand, are designed to last for longer durations, acting as your primary means of offence and defence. So, they are built differently. Even the alloys they are composed of are by taking this into account."


    The staff''s voice disappeared; Jyorta began to look through the chakrams. He directly ignored the larger chakrams. They would rotate too slow considering his abilities, which would diminish their use. So, he stuck with the 5-centimetre radius ones.


    Finally, after much thinking, he decided on the Type 30B Chakram. It weighed 3.15 kilograms, spanned a radius of 5 centimetres, and had a curvature of 50 centimetres. The thickness at the centre was only 0.5 centimetres.


    He decided to focus more on the cutting ability than defence, thinking of relying on the 30-centimetre long spindle for defending. Thinking of the staff''s advice, Jyorta felt conflicted, unable to decide whether to take or leave the extra set of spindles.


    ''I am not diving into the Labyrinth of Frenzy Unsupervised. I will be training under the protection of Madam Mila. Let me decide after a round of experience.'' Jyorta began to walk towards the armour section, not having the intention to select a chakram for his weaker psychic arm.


    He already had too many weapons, any more, and their weight would hinder him. He planned to decide everything else after experiencing a round of battles. No amount of thinking will help as much as practical experience. Also, since he was being protected, there wasn''t any threat to his life.


    It was the same as playing a game. There was the danger of trauma, the ensuing pain should he get injured. There was also the threat of the Essence of Frenzy, something that was life-threatening. And should it seep into his fused organ, it could only be operated out, reducing his Sync Rate.


    Should the seepage be too much, then the situation would have been something similar to what his sister had faced. Even though Madam Mila would save him before the situation develops to such an extent, variables existed everywhere.


    Also, roaming within the Labyrinth of Frenzy were Children of Frenzy, birthed by the Frenzy Beasts living within. The Essence of Frenzy they possessed was many times potent than a regular Frenzy Beast''s.


    ''Carelessness at present may not cost me my life but it might cost me my future.''

 Chapter 225: The Sign of Feedback

    Jyorta approached one end of the hall, guided by the voice occasionally. A tattered curtain appeared, with its ends covered by grease and stains accumulated over time. It sported a tear in the middle, trailing from bottom to half its height, displaying the presence of a door through the gap.


    It was a steel door, its bottom rusted, with most of the stone blue paint peeling off. The doorknob creaked with an obvious grating sound upon turning, the mechanism within stuck mid-turn. Jyorta exerted more strength, soon slamming it violently.


    The door parted a little, the contents within it dark. Jyorta leaned, using his body weight to completely push the door open. He noticed five trail marks on the floor, conforming to the door''s leverage. The marks were 3-4 millimetres deep. Spread around them was fine dust, mostly probably metallic.


    The smell of rust intensified, the air humid. Jyorta blocked his nose with his sleeve, barely able to put up with it for the moment. Inside were two shelves, one on each side. The space in-between was narrow, only allowing a person to walk at a time.


    The shelves were hangers, displaying what seemed to be suits, the type worn by people dealing with biochemicals. It was white, sporting un-washable traces of colours, giving each suit a feeling of old, used cloth.


    Drops of some form of liquid dripped from three such suits, falling onto a perforated platform, and seeping through the holes, heading somewhere. There were a total of about 20 suits on each side, totalling 40 in the room.


    "You are the fourth person to try today. Most students only use this facility to have a test run of their weapons. After that, they practice it on the Frenzy Beasts." The voice continued, "Pick a suit and follow the markings in purple."


    Each suit was of a different size, conforming to various physiques. The ones on the left were meant for girls while the ones on the right were for boys. Jyorta placed his hand on a suit, feeling the elasticity of the material. It seemed stretchable for anyone to wear.


    He grabbed hold of one and exited the room, struggling a bit to close the door. There was an arrow, purple in colour, pointing along the wall to his right. It led into a narrow path, right behind a section that housed cloth type armours.


    The path only allowed one to traverse at a time, also dark due to a lack of lighting. 15 seconds later, he noticed the purple arrow stop abruptly. There was neither a door nor anything out of sort in his surroundings, making him stare blankly into space.


    Suddenly, before he could react, he noticed his line of sight proceeding downward. The floor beneath him had opened up, wide enough for the edges to be just beyond the reach of his arms. Since he had been facing the wall, it couldn''t grab hold of the rails on the rack behind him.


    Everything happened in a fraction of a second. Before the sense of alarm had fully kicked in, Jyorta landed on a soft berth, one that had cushioned his fall. It seemed to have been puffed with air; his body made a deep impression before coming to a stop. This in turn absorbed all his momentum, making him suffer no injury from the fall.


    Jyorta glanced up, noticing a hole in the ceiling, 10 metres above him. It was quite the fall, something that would have crippled him at the very least if not for the cushion. The hall was wide, shaped into a circle, possessing a radius of 20 metres.


    The walls weren''t flat, the surface concave, uneven, the curvature at each position pointing to random spots around the hall''s centre. It was littered with holes, their radius varying from one centimetre to 20 centimetres, the contents unable to be discerned due to the darkness within.


    The only source of lighting seemed to be from a bulb on the ceiling. Followed by a faint rumble, the bulb moved towards the right, positioning itself two metres to the edge. There also existed circular markings or traces across the walls, concentric in nature.


    A lady''s mature voice resounded, slightly nasal, "I will supervise your practice. There will also be some mild simulations to help you get used to your weapons. You can return once again after you have selected your armour."


    In the vacant hall, the figure of a Floating Spider appeared in the centre, "It is a Line Controller. I adjusted its physique to be in line with the original."


    It was blue in colour, making Jyorta wonder about the Tier of the person operating it. Only the Unranked Skill, Marble Sonata was capable of materialising detailed objects out of nowhere. For each Tier, its colour changed, same for the maximum capabilities it could exhibit.


    Based on what he had witnessed, it was magenta at Tier 6, yellow at Tier 5, and green at Tier 4. Jyorta looked around, unable to detect the presence of any individual within the hall. Based on the range of use displayed, the Esper was stronger than an Area Controller. So, the remaining option was a Wave Controller.


    ''So, at Tier 3, Marble Sonata is coloured blue.'' Jyorta walked towards the Floating Spider, stopping when it was within the reach of his shorter psychic arm. With a thought, a spindle hovered before him; it was the lighter one, weighing 2.5 kilograms.


    The spindle began to spin, increasing in rpm, shooting forth after a second. It impacted the Floating Spider''s face, slightly off from where he had focused. It had only drilled a millimetre, facing some resistance.


    The speed of his spindle had also reduced to a tenth of its original, struggling to spin faster. Jyorta lightly retracted it, firming his control before raising its rpm. A faint whirring sound was produced as a result, the speed of the spindle soon approaching limits where his mind was unable to fully concentrate upon.


    With a thought, the spindle shot forth, hitting the head of the Floating Spider. He had aimed at the spot he had earlier pierced, noticing his aim was off by a centimetre.


    Just because he controlled it with his mind didn''t necessitate a hundred percent accuracy, something he became aware of after numerous trials and errors. Concentration, will, focus, mental stability, and clarity of thought affected the final outcome.


    With the slightest of emotional turbulence, his psychic arm might directly dissipate into psychic energy, not to mention having the aim off by a little. The spindle fared better this time, drilling into the head of the Floating Spider for almost a centimetre.


    He quickly retracted it, recovered its rpm, and sent it crashing into the Floating Spider''s head, this time also carrying all the linear momentum he could pack. Due to the abrupt speed, he couldn''t perfectly control it, watching the spindle move past the Floating spider, barely missing its body.


    He willed, trying to pull the spindle back, failing to put a stop to its momentum. The Floating Spider was located a little within his psychic arm''s maximum range. Now that it hadn''t made contact, Jyorta was a step late to react, watching the spindle slip out of his hold and fly past.


    A cushion appeared on the floor, absorbing the spindle''s momentum, preventing its tip from being damaged. A voice echoed in his ear, "Normally speaking, the Refined Object you control cannot slip past your control. Anything the psychic arm can move, it can also stop it without fail. The only reason it is slipping out of your control is that you still lack focus."


    "Yes, ma''am." Jyorta nodded, walking past the Floating Spider and seeping his psychic arm into the blue cushion. Soon, his spindle drilled its way out. The moment it did so, the blue cushion dissipated into psychic energy.


    Jyorta sensed the presence of a psychic arm in his surroundings, unable to pinpoint its shape, size, or power. But, it made him heave a sigh of relief. At least, the very next Tier above him wasn''t unfathomable to the current him.


    He still couldn''t do anything about it but, should he face an attack at the Tier 3 level, at least, he would know. Whether he would be able to react or not was a different matter. Jyorta didn''t want to worry about it, for the time being, seeking to focus on the task at hand.


    The spindle spun once again, slamming onto the head this time. Just the force alone lodged it 0.5 centimetres deep. Adding onto the spin that maintained itself through his efforts, the spindle began to drill its way into the Floating Spider''s head.


    Soon, it drilled through its head, emerging on the other side. Immediately, the head of the Floating Spider recovered, "Aim at every spot on its body. Determine its weakness yourself and etch the data in your mind."


    With a nod, Jyorta controlled his psychic arm. Making a curve around him, the spindle swerved towards the Floating Spider. Jyorta felt a slight decrease in the rpm of the spindle when it curved behind him, but was unable to determine if what he felt was right.


    ''I am beginning to make sense of the feedback?'' His eyes widened a little, his mood enlivened. With renewed vigour, he pierced the spindle into the Floating Spider''s abdomen, feeling the resistance offered to be relatively lower.


    There was a momentary sluggishness in his psychic arm, at least, that was what he felt. Though, he didn''t know for sure. But, he began to get faint inklings, insights of a sort. It was like he still couldn''t make sense of the garbled feedback transmitted through his psychic arm but random thoughts sparked in his head, as if concluding an answer or situation.


    ''My accumulation is beginning to pay effort.'' He smiled, feeling genuinely happy for the first time. This was his seed of hope, the budding of his endurance and perseverance.

 Chapter 226: Battle Between Psychic Arms

    The sound of a needle-like object drilling its way through flesh and blood echoed, painting the surroundings with a dreary atmosphere. Though, there was neither the stench nor the gory visual effect accompanying it.


    As the spindle drilled into the Floating Spider, dust flew out, dissipating into psychic energy. Except for the sound of the drilling operation, there wasn''t any other sound.


    The lady''s voice commanded him, "Use both your psychic arms now. It will be difficult but, try to get a feel in using them both at the same time."


    Jyorta frowned, nervous at the task at hand. Until now, all he had ever used at a time was a single psychic arm. Even then, he still had difficulties in perfectly controlling both the operations he was capable of¡ªactuating a Refined Object in 2 directions.


    He had been getting some practice under him, trying to use both the psychic arms at the same time. But, the time allotted to it was very less, since his first priority had been to master the full extent of his psychic arm''s capabilities.


    ''I guess this is high time I focused on it.'' Jyorta unleashed his second psychic arm, his stronger one. It held the heavier spindle, 10 centimetres in length. The moment it came into the picture, the rpm of the other spindle slowed down to a pause.


    When he made the lighter spindle spin, the heavier too spun as a result.


    He placed the heavier one before him, motionless, willing the lighter one to come towards him. It was difficult, having to split his attention in two directions.


    The moment the lighter spindle flew a couple of centimetres forward, the heavier spindle slipped out of his control, falling on the ground, creating a clanging sound, sonorous. An instant of concentration lapse dissipated his psychic arm.


    A sigh involuntarily escaped his mouth. Jyorta bent and picked it up, allowing his psychic arm to seep into it. A sigh resounded, this time, from the lady, "That is where your problem originates from. You still behave like a normal human. Your subconscious hasn''t yet realised the powers you possess now."


    "Haven''t you seen Madam Marble''s actions in your class?"


    "Madam Marble?" Jyorta inquired, having heard the same term used by the staff in the weapons section, "Are you referring to Madam Mila?"


    "Yes," The voice replied, "In normal conversations, we address someone by their family name. Suppose, for example, I and Madam Mila were to be in your presence; then, only Madam Mila can be addressed as Madam Marble. In return, I will be addressed by my full name. It is a form of respect to the stronger party."


    "In the absence of Madam Mila, it is appropriate to address me as Madam Marble. It is something you would have to get used to once you graduate. You must have experienced something similar before."


    Jyorta nodded, "When people talked with my mother, they addressed her as Madam Bone." He then inquired after a moment of thought, "But earlier, Madam Mila wasn''t here. So, why did the staff in the weapons section address her as Madam Marble?"


    "Tell me one thing," The lady chuckled, "Do you think there is someone from the Marble Family here that is stronger than Madam Mila?"


    Seeing Jyorta shake his head, the voice continued, "Therefore, most are used to addressing her as such. So, even when she is not present, she is addressed as such. You can also consider this from another perspective."


    Jyorta''s eyes widened, listening to her continuation, "Madam Mila''s domain encompasses the entirety of our military academy and beyond. You can say that her presence is everywhere around us. So, it is not strange to address her as Madam Marble, since she can very well be beside us."


    Jyorta nodded, heaving a breath, and closing his eyes, feeling a prickling sensation on his arms and the sides of his face. He opened his eyes and looked at his arms, noticing the faint presence of sweat that had seeped through the pores, opening them.


    ''Such pressure at the mere mention of her name; it seems I am psychologically affected.'' Jyorta controlled his emotions, glancing at the spindle in his hands, wondering about when he would attain such powers.


    Sky Controller!


    The name itself was domineering; a Sky Controller''s powers were even more domineering. It would be a long goal to reach such a point, not to mention the trials he would have to face in the journey. Jyorta longed to witness such a day, but at the same time, he wished to be grounded to reality and proceed step by step.


    ''One step at a time,''


    "Wear the suit now. I will create a simulation to help you further." The voice resounded in his ears. Jyorta heard the faint rumble of machines, seemingly huge, judging by the base sound emitted. He felt anxious, sliding into the suit from the top.


    The suit had only one opening¡ªthe neck area. Due to the elastic material, he could stretch it and enter. It took him a couple of minutes of struggling to finally wear it right. Two psychic arms helped him with the process.


    Lying on the floor near his feet were his weapons, arranged into a neat pile. The moment he bent down to pick up a spindle, he felt his arms being pulled to the back, the force greater than what he could resist.


    Alarmed, Jyorta instinctively jumped back, watching his body stop midway, making him lose all sense of support. A pair of blue handcuffs materialised, locking his hands and legs. Two blue straps simultaneously appeared; one tied his cuffed arms around his midriff while the other tied his knees.


    When Jyorta struggled to break free, the voice of the lady resounded, "An Esper''s psychic arms are capable of accomplishing the same tasks as your limbs, and capable of even more. Madam Marble is the best example; she hardly ever moves her body and accomplishes everything she needs with her psychic arms. After all, psychic arms are faster, have more range, etc."


    "This is a form of comfort and also serves as a mode of training. Even Sky Controllers train this way every day. You should have seen Madam Rizenne, and how her body''s movements are always minimal. Madam Marble takes it to the extreme though."


    The voice said with a laugh, "To quickly grasp the method, I have tied up your limbs. Now, your only means of use are your psychic arms. Continue attacking the Floating Spider and other Frenzy Beasts I would be creating. As for anything else, attack, defend, or escape as you deem fit."


    A loud sound resounded, of a canon being launched. A pebble-like object crashed into the floor a metre beside his head, rebounding from the force and travelling forth. It hit the curved walls and rebounded again, crashing onto the floor, making a bounce before stopping.


    ''What was that?'' Jyorta felt scared, sensing the force behind the projectile. The injury would have been severe if it were to hit his guard. Should it hit in an unguarded region, he would probably bleed a lot.


    "For starters, the power adjusted is akin to a child''s throw. The projectile is made from a semi-soft material. It will hurt a lot but it will not injure you severely." The voice said, the tone calm. Though, Jyorta could sense a faint glee hidden within it, smirking at his situation.


    Jyorta swerved his head, looking at the holes in the walls, noticing that each was pointed at different spots. There was no blind spot in the hall, at least, based on what he had glanced. He exerted strength in his shoulder, changing his centre of gravity and making his body turn.


    Faint smoke billowed out of a hole, aimed at him. His psychic arms approached the weapons, seeping into two. He instinctively seeped his stronger psychic arm into the chakram while taking control of the lighter spindle using the other.


    The two weapons took to the air, their motions aligned, soon arriving beside him, and occupying one side each. The spindle pushed at the floor using its sides; the extra push allowed him to easily roll a couple of times. The moment he came to a stop, he concentrated on his chakram, lifting it.


    He had safely rolled out of the line of attack. Now, he wanted to see whether the force he could exert in his stronger psychic arm was enough to stop a projectile or not. The moment he concentrated on the chakram, the psychic arm holding the spindle dissipated.


    A projectile flashed his way; Jyorta adjusted the position of his chakram accordingly, watching the projectile hit the top half. There was a loud clanging sound, as if two metals had collided into each other.


    The force behind the projectile made the chakram flip in its direction, only halving its momentum. Its flip made the chakram escape Jyorta''s control. The projectile continued in its path, slightly deviated from its original, bouncing after hitting the floor.


    It flew forward before crashing into the wall, losing all its momentum. It then dropped to the ground, stopping.


    ''If I time the actions right, I should be able to completely stop it.'' Jyorta smiled, despite the situation. The previous probing allowed him to glean enough information, now beginning to take countermeasures.


    Before he could gather his bearings, he noticed from the corner of his eye, smoke billowed out of two holes. One was aimed at his current position while the other was aimed a metre to his right, forcing the direction in which he had to roll to escape.


    Just when his psychic arm seeped into the chakram that had fallen on the floor, he noticed a movement in the centre of the hall. The figure of the Floating Spider, one that had been stiff until now moved.


    Its mandibles clacked once as it turned around, gazing his way. The next second, it took off into the air.

 Chapter 227: Anger

    ''Shiet!''


    Jyorta mentally cursed, watching the Floating Spider fly his way. At first, the Floating Spider was just a statue. Followed by the clacking of its mandibles, its entire body began to look lively. It flew in the air, its speed of flight around five metres per second, faster than his psychic arm.


    In normal times, Jyorta was capable of outrunning it. He wasn''t the fastest student in his Batch, but he was still fast enough when considering only the Espers. But, with his limbs bound, he was unable to move; his only option was to roll on the ground.


    Even rolling wasn''t easy, thanks to his hands bound to his midriff, constricting his ability to bend or easily shift his weight. The Floating Spider made a dive towards his face, its clacking mandibles threatening to tear apart his flesh and gorge into the delicate brain matter.


    The spindle flashed forward, rotating at a controllable speed. It aimed at the Floating Spider, closing in quickly by making use of the opponent''s approach. The Floating Spider shifted its body, dodging the spindle by a hair''s breadth, making the manoeuvre look easy. The spindle passed between its legs, unable to harm it.


    Jyorta tried to move the spindle in response, failing to do so. This was a major disadvantage that Line Controllers and Area Controllers faced. They were unable to change direction in the air while attacking. Line controllers were only able to move their psychic arms in one direction, either forward or backward.


    Before moving forth, they could be aimed in any direction. The moment they appear outside the head, the direction in which they move so will remain a line. Suppose the psychic arm seeped out of a Line Controller''s right ear, it could only travel in that direction.


    The Line Controller could only decide whether to move the psychic arm forward or backward. Suppose he wished to send it in a different direction, then he had to retract the psychic arm into his head, dissipate it, and form it anew, pointing it in the new direction.


    Once formed, it could only move in the line it pointed while materialising. This was a major limitation Line Controllers faced. Being able to actuate in two directions, Area Controllers fared a bit better. But, they still faced a lot of limitations.


    When Jyorta sent the spindle flying towards the Floating Spider, he had actuated both the directional actuation available to him. One rotated the spindle while the other moved it forward. This prevented the spindle from adjusting midair when the Floating Spider dodged it.


    Had the spindle not been spinning, then he would have been able to move it to the side and intercept it. But, it wouldn''t have been able to affect the Floating Spider. The greatest offensive power of an Area Controller was the ability to spin objects, increasing the cutting/drilling power depending on the weapons.


    Also, he was unable to swiftly stop the spindle''s spin and move it in response to the Floating Spider. It was a result of a lack of skill.


    The spindle stopped rotating, now able to adjust its tip, pointing at the Floating Spider. It flashed forth, chasing after the Floating Spider, beginning to spin along the way. But, its speed paled in comparison to the Floating Spider''s, unable to close in.


    The Floating Spider had neared his face, on the verge of latching on. The chakram flashed out, arriving before the Floating spider, moving about as it blocked its approach. It was right next to his face, forcing the Floating Spider to make a big turn to go around it and reach his face, the target of its attack.


    It was a simple case of mathematics application: the variation of arc length with respect to radius. With the point of his head as the centre, the Floating Spider had to move longer distances in response to the chakram''s short movements. This effectively put the Floating Spider''s faster movement speed in check.


    A projective landed on his shoulder, raising a scream from him. It was painful, making the area of contact feel numb. For a second, Jyorta was unable to exert strength in the region, preventing him from being able to roll.


    The psychic arm carrying the chakram dissolved, in response to his mental disturbance, allowing the Floating Spider to slap the chakram away and close in on his face. Jyorta stared with widened eyes as the Floating Spider landed on his face.


    Its mandibles clacked once as it bit at his nose, failing to reap blood. A psychic energy barrier had appeared, forming a layer over his skin. It covered his entire body, preventing the Floating Spider from damaging him using its strength.


    The suit covered most of his body, except for the head. This was why the Floating Spider had aimed there in the first place and chose to focus its attack on the area.


    The Floating Spider clamped many times, trying to bite through his psychic energy barrier, failing to pierce. The barrier had been formed with his strongest psychic arm, able to actuate all the available force from any point. Every time the Floating Spider bit the barrier, it suffered the full brunt of his attack.


    After the third attack, the mandibles of the Floating Spider snapped, flying off from the recoil. The snapped parts dissipated into psychic energy. A spindle arrived above him, hitting an incoming projectile like a cricket shot. The force of collision deviated the projectile''s path, its destination now moved away from Jyorta. The rebound from the collision threw off the spindle, making it hit another projectile, the transfer of momentum changing its direction.


    The second momentum threw off the spindle in Jyorta''s direction. A psychic arm seeped into it, altering its direction a little. It didn''t exert any force, since the flying speed of the spindle was greater than the psychic arm''s speed.


    Before it slipped out of its control, the psychic arm released its hold. Carried by its momentum, the spindle hit the Floating Spider, the momentum knocking it off, sending it reeling. The Floating Spider bounced a couple of times on the floor, soon hitting the curved walls.


    It fell on the ground, finally having exhausted the momentum of the hit. Cracks formed all across its body, soon causing it to collapse and dissipate into psychic energy. Two projectiles crashed into the walls at different places, coming to a stop after bouncing once.


    Jyorta''s eyes were sharp, exceedingly sharp. Radiating from him was an overbearing aura, causing the spindles on the ground to vibrate. The four projectiles that had come to a stop on the floor rolled towards the wall, stopping after climbing for five centimetres against the inclined surface.


    The chakram lying on the floor next to him began to slowly spin, making a revolution almost every three seconds. There was no force acting on it, nor was a psychic arm involved. It was through the aura Jyorta released, affecting the objects based on their resistance to the aura.


    A psychic arm seeped into the chakram, lifting it, and bringing it before the handcuffs. The chakram spun as it cut into the handcuff, raising sparks in the process. The sparks fell on the suit he wore, unable to damage it.


    Within three seconds, the handcuffs broke into two. The chakram cut through the binding that tied his hands to his midriff, proceeding to the one tying the knees, taking only a second to cut them. The control wasn''t perfect but was to the extent even the suit hadn''t been damaged by the chakram, not to mention causing him bodily harm.


    Finally, the chakram cut through the handcuffs on his legs, this time only taking about two seconds. With the restraints undone, Jyorta sat up, heaving out a deep breath. His expression seethed with anger, his aura broiled around in response.


    The projectiles further moved up, now positioned 8 centimetres above the floor. Despite the curvature at play, and force of gravity acting downwards, equilibrium had been achieved only at this height. His aura acted as a powerful force, moving the objects due to the resistances in each.


    Jyorta closed his eyes, feeling mild pain in his forehead. He felt angry, unable to calm down. It was when the projectile had hit him, the pain was unbearable. Even now, he was still unable to feel his shoulder.


    When the Floating Spider had landed on his face, his pride was hurt, and something in his snapped. More than the damage to his pride, his ego was stirred up. He felt anger at the fact that someone bested him so easily. Even though the opponent meant it as training, and was one Tier higher, he still felt angry.


    Anger!


    He wanted to vent it out, vent all the anger. It was also most of his bottled up emotions exploding. Jyorta took in deep breaths as he stood up, albeit struggling. He glanced at his weapons, picking them up despite the struggle.


    His two psychic arms shared the burden, carrying a weapon each. He arrived at a certain spot, glancing at the ceiling, "Take me up."


    "O-okay," A voice resounded before a path opened in the ceiling. A psychic arm lifted him, sending him back. The path closed upon his exit. Jyorta landed on the floor, noticing the shelf with a type of cloth armour before him. He then walked in the direction opposite to what the purple arrow pointed, arriving before a door.


    Within the hall where he had just trained, a door opened as a middle-aged lady walked in, sporting a look of confusion. "What¡­ was I doing?"


    A blue colour flashed in her eyes once, disappearing within a second. Immediately, the middle-aged lady regained full clarity, looking around her in confusion, unable to recall what had happened. She noticed four projectiles rolling on the floor, their paths directed towards the centre, soon changing directions due to the irregularity of their structures.


    They stopped along the way, the momentum behind them consumed, with one of them arriving before the middle-aged lady. She looked at the projectile before her with confusion, "Was someone practicing here? Strange, how come I didn''t know? I am in charge of this place. There had only been three people today."


    Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by explosive sounds. The four projectiles exploded, spilling forth the coloured liquids within them. A psychic energy barrier appeared, preventing the splashing liquids from falling on her.


    ''They weren''t damaged, so why did they explode?''

 Chapter 228: A Basic Armour

    Jyorta looked at a cloth armour, finding small wave patterns form on its surface. He noticed the same across all cloth armours, like waves on a lake when the wind blew over its surface. Only then did he notice the aura he was unconsciously emitting.


    Jyorta hurriedly tried to retract his aura, feeling some difficulty in the process due to his anger. His anger made him want to unleash his aura in its entirety. Once he retracted his aura, albeit taking a minute to do so, Jyorta noticed the wave patterns on the cloth armours subside.


    He then gazed at his two psychic arms, watching them hold a weapon each without trouble, rigid. He didn''t experience any emotional disturbance. His anger raged forth, maintaining a constant level, like lava stopping at the brim of a volcano. It was churning within, but maintained a steady peak. It made him want to rend things apart, unable to express it for the time being, since he knew his position.


    The blue soul in him overlaid the false persona, watching it take effect. But, the effect this time seemed slow, looking intent to take considerable duration. Jyorta used his body weight to push open the door, his actions rough.


    As the door opened with a creak, he entered and arrived before an empty spot, placing his weapons on the floor before beginning to remove the suit. He placed it in the hanger, noting that the three drippings suits had become dry by now.


    He picked his weapons, exited the room, and pulled at the door, expressing his anger with the pull. As the door slammed shut, a voice resounded in his ears, "Don''t break the door. No one''s willing to repair it."


    "Sir, where should I apply to take these items with me?" Jyorta spoke, his voice lacking any respect, despite the respectful manner of speech.


    "I have already noted the details down. You can directly walk out with them. What are you going to do about the armour? Select one now? Or pick one tomorrow."


    "I''ll pick one now." Jyorta nodded, arriving before a rack whose details had been pointed by the voice. It housed plain armours, the texture similar to leather but more elastic in nature. It covered the body from top to bottom, the visor made from a gelatinous mixture, outlining the eyes. The shoes were inbuilt while the gloves were thicker.


    It was made from one seamless material, lacking the presence of any stitching. It seemed to have been cast in a mould. On its back was a semi-circular instrument, allowing a single chakram to be inserted. When placed into it, half of the chakram would peak at the bottom. Its mechanism was in such a way that when Jyorta prepared to pull out the chakram, it would slide out from below.


    At the top of the instrument were five half-cylinders, meant to hold the spindles in place, with the arrangement stopping just before the neck region. The suit was white in colour but, based on the angle from which he viewed it, the colour changed. It also seemed to vary with the ambience. He determined its colour as white after gazing at it up close.


    The colour variations weren''t anything impressive but served to mildly consume the attention of opponents that depended on sight. In a battle, every bit of advantage helped. There were various suits, countermeasures against various situations, and Frenzy Beasts. The one Jyorta picked wasn''t anything special, except for being the lightest.


    It had satisfactory defensive properties but paled in comparison to heavy armour, the likes of which Tier 1 Warriors preferred. Not having the mood for anything else at the moment, Jyorta carried them to the exit.


    Just when he was about to exit the building, Jyorta glanced at the lady slumped on the counter, sensing her boredom. After a shake of his head, he continued forth his way, exiting the building before heading towards the dorm.


    Jyorta entered his room, locking the door behind him, and placing the key in its respective socket. He heaved a deep breath, sensing his emotions becoming normal. After a moment of thought, he refrained from removing the false persona, unsure if his anger would spike the moment he removed it.


    He possessed a powerful aura, an accumulation through his training with the Tier 5 Artifact every day. Possessing the Trait of Resistance and the Trait of Recovery, he could continue to be under the effect of the Artifact''s aura for longer durations.


    This shaped his aura, enriching it to frightening levels. At present, his aura was already at the peak of Tier 2, even though his Nurturing wasn''t even close to such a level. Even Rakh Veera, despite possessing the Trait of Dominance only had an aura similar to his level. Though, the time they spent in Tier 2 was also at play.


    When Rakh Veera displayed his aura to Jyorta, he had been at Tier 2 for almost three months. Even though it was a short time, he had all the Traits presented in the pamphlet, placing his actual strength at the peak of Tier 2. Once he finishes his Nurturing at the Tier, he would surpass Amplifiers. It was one of the reasons Rakh Veera was proclaimed to become a pillar in the future.


    The Trait of Dominance''s sole effect was to amplify one''s aura, imbuing in it a feeling of sovereignty. Any opponents with a weaker aura would be unable to resist the user of the Trait. Currently, after more than 8 months of being Nurtured at Tier 2, adding on the aura of the Tier 5 Artifact his body had soaked up with, Jyorta''s aura almost matched Rakh Veera''s.


    ''This is just one aspect I have developed to his level. If we actually fought, I would probably lose in a single move. There are still many things I have to learn. Even the field of Area Controllers is vast. There are many techniques I have to become proficient in.'' He recalled the statement by the middle-aged in the training hall, ''I should begin thinking like an Area Controller.''


    ''Is this what it means to think and live in your field?'' Jyorta derived from the memories of his past life, concluding, thinking of comprehending the related memory fragments again. He controlled himself from emitting an aura.


    The walls of the dorm didn''t filter aura, so the moment he unconsciously releases it, most students would be affected. That was the best way to blow his cover, rendering everything he had endured for the past 8 months a major waste. It would also implicate him with many problems, stuff he didn''t desire to experience.


    Jyorta placed the weapons and armour on the table, walking towards his bed and fishing out a bag from the cupboard overhead. He took out a rectangular box from within and placed the bag on the floor.


    Sitting on the bed, he placed the box before him, seeping his psychic arm into it, activating a spherical barrier that covered him and the box. His other psychic arm gently lifted the lid, sensing a tyrannical aura impact him.


    The aura was overbearing as always, making it difficult to breathe. His muscles shivered erratically, the pressure applying on the arteries increasing by a notch, amplifying the strain on his heart.


    His face flushed red, his body shivered, the pain in his shoulder intensified. The psychic arm shivered, oscillating like an object on a vibrator, soon collapsing under the effect. It dissipated into psychic energy; lacking the force to hoist it, the lid fell, cutting off the aura.


    Jyorta slumped on the bed, heaving ragged breaths. His body soaked with sweat, his gaze was murky, and the nerves protruding on his limbs continued to twitch. Fifteen minutes later, he got up, having recovered to a considerable extent, now able to walk.


    He secured the box, tying the rope around it to prevent it from opening accidentally. Safekeeping it in the bag, he zipped it, placing the bag back in its original spot¡ªin the cupboard overhead his bed.


    Picking up the basket, Jyorta placed a towel, a change of clothes, and other necessities. He picked up the key and exited the room. 20 minutes later, Jyorta returned, having taken a bath, and changed into casual wear.


    7:50 PM, noticing the time, he rushed towards the cafeteria, unwilling to miss dinner. Thoughts clashed in his mind, thinking of his performance in the training hall. It was quite realistic. Also, the only reason he didn''t have his skin peeled off his face was thanks to the psychic energy barrier.


    It was one of the techniques he had been practicing since December, so he was quite proficient with it. That was why he could swiftly create it back then.


    ''Now, after unleashing my full strength, I have obtained valuable memory. Now, it is time to use my advantage and grow faster.'' Jyorta smiled, having arrived before the cafeteria. He joined the queue, mechanically following the boy before him while embroiled in thought.


    Taking a slip from the counter, he headed to the service section and grabbed a plate filled with food. There was a table near the service section, having an empty seat. After inquiring if it was available, Jyorta took a seat.


    He then began to eat his fill, silently listening in on the conversation of the students seated around. Seated in a seat far away, hidden by the figures of other students was a petite figure. She glanced at him once, the expression in her eyes seeking to confirm something.


    She then retracted her gaze, continuing to eat her food, joining in on the conversations around her, and letting out cheerful laughs every now and then.

 Chapter 229: Fruits of Harvest

    8:30 PM, walking on the ground, and feeling the soft grass, Jyorta''s mood improved. He looked past the figures of students moving about, making fun of each other, engaging in casual chat, exchanging gossips, discussing studies, etc.


    Everyone seemed to be proceeding about their tasks, or stuff they were inclined to do. Jyorta continued to walk, his mind almost vacant, not thinking anything. He relished the moment of peace, planning to sharpen his mind.


    In the training hall, he became angry the moment the Floating Spider landed on his face. There was a myriad of emotions he experienced, exhibited in the form of anger. Thankfully, he didn''t do anything stupid that he would otherwise regret.


    The blue soul removed the false persona, looking alert. Jyorta was fine, his emotions in control, having completely calmed down. He let out a self-deprecating laugh, "Hypocrite¡­"


    Closing his eyes, Jyorta stood in his spot, taking a deep breath. The air was slightly moist, the temperature inclined towards the colder side, around 30 degrees Celsius based on his estimation. A gentle wind blew, the flowing sound calming.


    As it brushed past his face, Jyorta relaxed. His clothes gently fluttered with the wind, the sounds mild, forming a relaxing tune. He stood in a spot away from the ongoing students, at least separated by 30 metres.


    The ground was vast, with most of the students only moving around the edges, or making a quick stride over the land when traversing between the Rhachis and the Psychic Blocks. Before he realised it, Jyorta had walked towards the middle, away from everyone.


    He slumped on the ground, facing the sky, feeling the softness of the grass, the cushioning effect making him relax. A faint scent lingered close to the surface, now inhalable thanks to the distance. It cleared all distracting thoughts, imbuing in him a sense of clarity but one that wouldn''t force him to be awake.


    "Like sister said, this spot is the best to relax." Jyorta smiled, looking at the sky. The sky was dark, like a screen of black, blanketing everything. Littered about it were luminescent gems, twinkling gently, fighting against the creeping darkness.


    Jyorta gazed at the stars, training his eyes, spotting the bright ones. As he continued to see them, his eyes trained towards the tiny, dim stars that he had missed before. Now, he began to spot even more stars.


    "Nature''s jewels!" He laughed once, trying to see if he could form any outlines based on the position of the stars. He hadn''t delved into the subject, neither in his past life nor in his present. Therefore, he neither knew the positions of the constellations nor any stars of significance. All he could see were stars, big and small, bright and dim, nothing more, and nothing less.


    Jyorta crossed his legs, placing his arms behind his head, acting as a pillow. He gazed at the sky, the period of blankness making him relax. He didn''t think about anything; all he did was to feel the wind and admire the sky.


    Fifteen minutes later, Jyorta noticed a slight difference. What he had earlier thought of the colours of stars displayed as shades of white was wrong. It wasn''t about the stars that had shades of dim red or blue, it was the minute difference in the stars he earlier perceived as white.


    The sky also wasn''t pitch black, another colour had been mixed into it. Or more like, the air retained a certain colour. It formed an overlay over the natural black sky, also making the stars look slightly different from normal.


    When viewed normally, like taking a glance at the sky, it wasn''t apparent. But, after gazing at it for fifteen minutes, as Jyorta''s eyes became trained to it, focusing on with greater detail, he began to notice it. There was a tinge of magenta mixed into it. It was minute, almost unrecognisable.


    ''Is it the light emitted from the walls? Is the light refracting through the air and causing this minor colour overlay?'' After a moment of thought, Jyorta felt the plausibility of his conjecture being high. He then felt his eyelids turn heavy; the softness of the grass underneath, the gentle wind, and the silent atmosphere, everything made him drowsy.


    Before he realised it, Jyorta fell asleep. The blue soul in him turned still, stopping its comprehension process, allowing his brain to rest better. Laying in a defenceless posture, Jyorta slept in peace. He had been doing a lot these days, having to face Madam Mary being one of the factors that strained his nerves the most.


    Finally, the atmosphere allowed him to relax. The scent emanating from the grass further enriched the feeling of peace. It was a lot later that he woke up, feeling refreshed. He rolled around on the grass for a couple of minutes, feeling the softness, unwilling to get up for the time being.


    The temperature was just perfect, neither hot nor cold, the heat radiating from the ground serving as the perfect blanket, shrouding his body in warmth. Overcoming his feeling of comfort, Jyorta sat up, gazing at the time displayed in his watch.


    5:30 AM, seeing that he had slept for a long time, Jyorta stood up, dusting his clothes. He looked around, finding the absence of people, present all alone in the wide, open ground. He momentarily felt fear, but the feeling abated like the tide, seeing the light radiating from the buildings all around.


    Only now did he appreciate how vast the military academy actually was. It was something he learned to appreciate ever since he obtained control of his body. Even before that, he noticed the ingenuity in the city''s planning.


    Even though there was a lack of space, due to them being surrounded by Frenzy Beasts on all sides, allowing them limited room to work with, not once did Jyorta ever find the feeling of being cramped in Marble City.


    The buildings were tall, mostly skyscrapers except for institutional buildings. Even though their designs were mostly the same, looking like the same structure had been copy-pasted throughout, their arrangement was anything otherwise.


    Through the buildings ran the metro network, with each route having its own discrete path, with not one intersecting other''s path. Two metro networks existed, based on what he had seen in the 7th Ring.


    One passed through the middle floors of the skyscrapers positioned between floors 40-50, based on the area and the building. This was for civilian use, with select lines travelling between different Rings. Such lines were designed for heavy traffic, with the metro trains running on them double the size of others running around the 7th Ring.


    The second metro network was situated in the Lower Strata, in control of the military, used for a myriad of military operations. It was also used in the transportation of goods, also forming a network of travel for the people who worked in the strata even below.


    He had only travelled thrice in the Lower Strata''s metro network. Even then, he appreciated its ingenuity. The distribution of the network, the transportation of workflow, the arrangement of each functional institution, and the usage of space, every aspect seemed to have been created after detailed thought.


    Finally, the lack of any other transportation, leaving the roads to only be traversed on foot. Something like this would have been inconvenient in his past life''s era. But, in a society of superhumans, this was for the best.


    For shorter distances, one could easily traverse on foot. As for longer distances, they could use the metro train. Also, in a society where they were constantly dispatched into the Wilds for missions, commuting by foot on the wide roads served as a form of training, to both the Warriors and the Espers.


    This reduced the space required by facilities that conformed to training one''s body.


    When he attended the 1st Academy, the classrooms were large, enough to seat 50 students but were only used to seat 30 each. The corridors were sufficiently wide, enough for the volume of traffic present in the academy.


    The entire terrace of the building was converted into a large flat area, converted into a ground for the children to play. Large areas were dedicated to a variety of sports. Children loved to play, not to mention doing so with their friends. Also, since the boundaries were perfectly wired, with the nets designed in such a manner as to not hurt them, the place was perfectly safe.


    So, whenever they were free, the students used the terrace to play. This was also a form of training, to better improve their body and mind coordination, and keeping their physiques fit. A constant amount of physical activity kept one healthy.


    ''A healthy body houses a sound mind. Every action of the planners considered many factors, trying to hit numerous goals through single means.'' Jyorta''s impression of the authorities elevated, not just in praise, but also the apprehensiveness at their wisdom and cunning.


    To think that he would join the same playing field as such scary characters once he graduates from the military academy, Jyorta didn''t want to think about it. But, he also felt a form of excitement; because, he too wasn''t a simple character.


    Until now, he hadn''t been able to achieve much due to his lack of power. But, in the future, as he accumulates more power, he would shine forth among the masses.


    "I shouldn''t build a castle in the air," Jyorta shook his head, beginning to walk towards the Indigo building, in the Psychic Block, muttering, "One step at a time."


    The blue soul in him began to work, extracting the memory fragments of everything he had experienced in the training hall. His eyes shimmered with excitement, the gaze also carrying with it a form of cunning, and anticipation at the result of the action he was about to take.


    "It is time to reap the fruits of my harvest."

 Chapter 230: False Persona: Face Mask

    6:00 AM, Jyorta exited the restroom, having emptied his bowels, taken a bath, and had brushed his teeth. He wore a pair of casuals, the fabric cotton, similar to pyjamas. It was grey, sporting discrete lines of white that ran around the body lines.


    Arriving in his room, Jyorta sat cross-legged on his bed, taking in the view of his blue soul. His surroundings turned dark but, he could still make out his surroundings. He estimated the radius of his vision, making an approximate guess.


    It was around 4 metres, a sizeable distance. If it increased any more, then he would be able to detect the souls of the students present in rooms adjacent to his. Even now, he could feel faint murkiness, like smoke from an incense stick floating around in his vision.


    It meant that there was a soul in his proximity, but just situated beyond the range of his vision. A soul was the essence of a person''s being, pure, possessing nothing but their will, and ego. The moment from their birth, as they experience the vicissitudes of life, their soul accumulates murkiness.


    The source of the murkiness was many: desires, emotions, ambitions, inhibitions, memories, attachments, morals, knowledge, bodily needs, etc. They all form their own murkiness, their effects on the soul unable to be guessed by the current him.


    Jyorta never managed to find out about the reason for their existence, nor how they affected the souls. But, after observing the murkiness of numerous souls he came across, he could barely make out the dominant emotion a person felt at that period.


    He could also get a sense of the target''s mentality, though unclear. After all, humans were complex beings; they couldn''t be judged that easily. In most cases, people even think and delude themselves, taking actions that went against their desires or what they wanted to do or achieve. Misunderstanding also originated from within oneself.


    A soul could only exist within the confines of the physical body. Without the protection of the physical body, the soul just dissipates within the matter of a second. In the past, Jyorta had sent a soul tendril outside his body, in one of his many experiments.


    The moment the soul tendril exited his body, it evaporated in an instant. Even the two temporary Soul Corneas¡ªcreated after chanting the verse of the creepy-haired man¡ªbegan to evaporate, though lasting longer than a soul tendril.


    Only his permanent Soul Corneas could move freely outside his body without being damaged. He had yet to find the cause for that. Though, it wasn''t a priority on his list. Jyorta had a lot on his plate for the time being. His attention span was already stretched thin.


    A soul cannot exist outside its body, this was his conclusion. But, there were some cases that he had come to face that were exceptions to this fact. It was as if the conclusion he had reached wasn''t the final answer.


    The first was the wall of blue he had observed in Laila. It was massive, the ends of which he was unable to see. Though, his soul had only been at Tier 1 back then, the range of its vision limited to a metre in radius. But, even then, the size of the blue wall exceeded Laila''s body size.


    The next were the cases when he had activated the vision of his blue soul in the presence of Madam Mary and Atika Light. It felt like he had fallen into a sea; the broiling fog he had witnessed in his sister paled in comparison to the above two cases.


    They easily exceeded the body''s size. But, from what he witnessed, they hadn''t faced any damage. Even his sister''s soul was bigger than her head. From his vision, he determined that the soul resided in a person''s head, situated slightly to the back.


    So, even in his sister''s case, one whose size he could see in its entirety, the soul had exceeded the body''s confines. But, it hadn''t faced any damage. This led to Jyorta trying to come up with his own laws, trying to derive the subject and come to an understanding.


    He postulated the fact that since a person was unable to control his/her soul, even when its size exceeds the body size, there won''t be any damage. After all, a soul was unable to affect or interfere with reality. In relation, the reality was unable to affect the soul. They were like existences in different planes, unable to interfere with one another but shared an intrinsic connection.


    This was because of something he had observed once, in Madam Rizenne''s class. In one of their sessions, Madam Rizenne went around, teaching the Espers about a basic technique. At that time, Jyorta had looked at everything through the vision of his blue soul.


    Madam Rizenne''s soul was only inferior in ferocity to Madam Mary. It was like a powerful sea, broiling about with turbulence. It was massive, scaling beyond the range of his vision. When she taught to a student seated before him, Jyorta noticed the situation of the student''s soul.


    The broiling fog of Madam Rizenne enveloped the student, Jyorta''s blue soul, and the souls of the students around him. It was overwhelming; Jyorta felt as if his blue soul would be snuffed out any second. It was like a tiny candle trying to face the raging seas.


    Jyorta hurriedly exited the view of his blue soul, tallying the damage suffered. The murkiness had seeped into his blue soul, polluting it, making it sluggish. Even when he tried to create a soul tendril, his blue soul struggled to do it, something that was as easy as breathing to it before.


    It chanted the verse imparted by the creepy haired man, sensing the chant taking more than ten minutes just to activate. In the meantime, after Madam Rizenne had travelled well past the range of his blue soul''s vision.


    The moment he had the leeway, he took in its vision, noticing the states of all the other souls. They were the same as before, suffering zero damage.


    It was as if the souls each belonged to planes of their own, making interactions between them impossible. Jyorta''s was the only exception, due to his special status.


    His blue soul was capable of interacting with and affecting other souls.


    It was also able to affect reality. The Soul Corneas and his ability of corrosion was the best proof. Since he was able to interact with others, the reverse was also possible. That was why he suffered damage when gazing at Madam Rizenne''s soul.


    Also, there was something he could theorise. Madam Rizenne had brushed past him many times in the past. In such situations, not once had his blue soul ever suffered any damage. The only time it faced damage was when he looked at her soul with the vision of his blue soul.


    He had experienced a similar phenomenon many times. When he activated the vision, sensing the presence of other souls in range, a wave of murkiness would always wash over him. They were the diluted form, like a smoky version of the murkiness surrounding the souls in range. The closer to the soul, the denser the murkiness would become, present in a liquid state around its borders.


    So, within the domain of his soul, he was able to interact with other souls. The reverse was also possible. This was why his blue soul was only affected when he erected the domain. After that incident, he spent three days vaporising all the murkiness that had seeped into his soul.


    Once the murkiness disappeared, his blue soul could function like before. Coming back to the present, the radius of his soul domain had grown to four metres. Now that he sensed faint murkiness within it, it meant that the soul of someone was in the vicinity, but just beyond the range.


    It seemed a part of the soul''s murkiness came within the domain, hence causing the effect.


    ''As my soul develops more and more, I would become as scary as high Tiered Espers. I wonder what abilities I would wield when my soul hits Tier 5?'' He allowed his thoughts to wander wildly for a couple of minutes. Satisfied with indulging in his wild fantasies for a short interval, he returned to reality.


    There existed his blue soul, having grown even more. Spiralling within it were numerous memory fragments, a shade of blue, darker, forming clusters. Seated at the centre was a blue figure, possessing a face and a body, lacking any limbs. It shared his previous life''s appearance, forming the essence of his soul.


    Placed right before it was a face mask, the false persona¡ªone of calm, optimism, and filled with focus. Situated away from it were two other structures, a Hoberman sphere, and an eye mask. Both were false personas Jyorta had created in the past eight months, after taking many things into careful consideration.


    At present, numerous soul tendrils were working on the eye mask, adding many hexagon-shaped structures. When in Grapple Force, he had managed to accumulate many subsouls. Thinking of the usage he required and as a means of protection, he decided on two false personas, making use of all the subsouls.


    The Hoberman sphere was a contingency measure to save his life in times of need. It was a vicious false persona; its nature went against his morals. But, he still decided to make it, thinking based on his past life''s situation.


    In that era, to secure peace, the powerful countries had created world-rending weapons, commonly referred to as the nukes. After nuclear missiles had been created, no country dared to wage a full-fledged war.


    Conflicts still happened, but they were limited to small scales in most of the cases. With a similar mindset, Jyorta created the Hoberman sphere. Currently, the blue soul focused on the eye mask. Memories from his brain, relating to the battle in the training hall were extracted.


    His scheme had begun.

 Chapter 231: Training Cheat

    At a particular point in time, in the training hall, Jyorta had controlled his two psychic arms, lifting a Refined Object each, their conditions stable. The blue soul took this memory, making this the base.


    Next, the memory from when Jyorta controlled the chakram using his stronger psychic arm was extracted. Even though his other psychic arm dissipated, as a result, it wasn''t a problem. In the extracted memory fragment, all data related to the second psychic arm was erased.


    Now, the memory¡ªwhen Jyorta controlled the spindle using his weaker psychic arm¡ªwas extracted, and everything apart from the psychic arm was erased from the scene. This memory fragment was then merged into the previous memory fragment, taking the place of Jyorta''s weaker psychic arm.


    Now, according to the memory, Jyorta had steady psychic arms, controlling both the Refined Objects without a problem. There were still many problems in the scene: mainly the emotions, feeling, thoughts, body action, content, and most importantly, the experience of moving the psychic arms.


    The blue soul extracted bits and pieces of memory fragments of his battle, changing their contents to suit the needs. Then, like an editor editing a movie, it joined all fragments, making a memory fragment.


    It was a puzzle, with each piece joined together to form a whole. Since they hadn''t originated from a unified source, each piece was irregular, lacking harmony with one another. They were unable to fit perfectly.


    There existed many gaps, excess parts, differing overlays, etc. It was impossible to correct them. Because, correcting them required cutting off the extra pieces, adding foreign pieces in the vacancies, fusing the overlays, etc. This would affect the essence of the experience in them.


    After all, the purpose of this was to create a whole new experience, one that suited his agenda. The blue soul filled as many pieces as possible, also modifying the pattern in the memory fragment, trying to unify it as much as possible. Once it was done, it sent the memory fragment to the brain.


    The brain was capable of many things. It could process, interpret, extract, fuse, derive, integrate, define, and execute information. It could convert the information into different forms, also able to link them to various memories.


    A simple example was the sight. Each eye saw from a different angle, sending two different images to the brain each instant. The function of the brain was to combine the two images into one, adding depth to the result.


    This resulted in humans capable of perceiving depth, a three-dimensional vision. Should a gap arise, the brain would fill it accordingly, referencing the remaining areas, also considering many factors.


    Suppose a person hears a certain¡ªwhether familiar or unfamiliar¡ªword, the brain would process the information and link it to different memories. This enables the person to recall related information or trigger a method to derive an answer.


    The brain does many functions. Now, when the memory fragment was sent to the brain, the brain perceived a damaged, disharmonious puzzle, unable to form a unified picture. What it did was alter it based on similar experiences, taking reference based on the context.


    It quickly found the necessary memories from the battle in the training hall. Using them as the reference and taking everything into context, it modified the memory fragment, creating a unified whole.


    Jyorta felt a scene flash into his mind: he stood in the centre of the training hall, his expression sharp. His aura broiled around with ferocity while his psychic arms were steady, showing no signs of instability. The stronger psychic arm carried the chakram, spinning it at a controllable speed. The weaker psychic arm carried the spindle, spinning it at the highest speed theoretically possible.


    It was just a single scene, but after his brain has smoothened out everything, the scene was vivid. Also, Jyorta felt as if he had personally experienced it, as if it was just a memory he had recalled now.


    "This is terrifying, but epic." He smiled, feeling he had grasped onto something. He quickly seeped his weaker psychic arm into the respective spindle, lifting it and spinning it. He was disappointed after noticing no difference.


    But, as he continued, he felt some effect, barely noticeable, but it existed. It was a weird feeling, as if he was learning something he had forgotten. He could intuitively feel the way to progress faster and grow in the proper direction.


    It was similar to how someone had learned and practiced swinging a sword, continuing it for a couple of years. After that, the person hadn''t touched a sword for almost a decade. Now when he decides to swing a sword once again, his form would be shabby or even horrid at best.


    But, he had the experience of swinging a sword long before. So, as long as his body cooperates, he would be able to attain a similar skill level after lots of practice. The speed of attaining that skill level would be many times faster than a person who had picked a sword for the first time in his life.


    It was because the person had already experienced it, having achieved that level once. Despite becoming rusty after not using it, the experience, and insight were still there, ingrained in his self. Now, Jyorta felt similar. It was like the him in the memory was his prime and the current him had become rusty. As he continues to practice, he would begin to regain that sense of touch and soon recover to his prime.


    "Wonderful," Jyorta relished the feeling. The blue soul extracted the memory fragment¡ªone that had been refined by the brain¡ªand sent it to the brain once again. The brain processed it, doing some fine-tuning that it had previously missed.


    Repeating the same twenty times, the memory fragment now looked as if it had been extracted from the real event. Whether the experience of moving the body and psychic arms, the mental and emotional states, the sound heard, the vision seen, the touch felt, etc. everything now seemed real.


    Even Jyorta couldn''t believe what he felt, under the impression for a moment that he had really fallen from his prime. He then controlled himself, separating his thoughts from reality and what he had created. After the first step, the blue soul continued to recreate many scenes.


    Martial art was a vast subject. It included many branches of study: fighting, strategy, recovery, tracking, pursuit, etc. One can argue martial arts as being only limited to fighting. But, it can be proven otherwise.


    A sword can be used to cut vegetables, and also sever someone''s head. It can also be used to carve a statue or stir some soup. Depending on its use, it can be applied anywhere, the only limitation was one''s imagination.


    Similarly, martial arts can be used everywhere. Since it involves the movement of the body, literally anything can be considered a part of martial arts. The body and the mind are connected; with this relation, mental training also fell under martial arts.


    The use of oneself to achieve one''s needs, that was martial arts. And, Jyorta''s current objective was to achieve that.


    He smiled, thinking, ''Anime, Movies, Documentaries, etc. my previous life has plenty of such memories. Even though they couldn''t be perfectly used as is, but through my soul''s modification, I can derive many useful styles.''


    He recalled a scene from the anime, Naruto. As a story revolving around ninjas, it had flawless martial arts styles incorporated into it. Even though he hadn''t personally experienced it, and had only seen everything through a screen, it still served as wonderful reference material. Through some processing, he could obtain something feasible from it.


    Jyorta focused on the face mask. It had been made from the memory fragments related to fighting, both the physical and the mental department. It wasn''t wise to depend on false personas, as there is a chance they might shatter under stress.


    But, Jyorta didn''t plan on using this false persona like his face mask. It was solely to train himself. It was a training cheat, as he would call it, full of memory fragments the blue soul had refined over the past eight months. They possessed memories similar to the one where Jyorta possessed stable psychic arms and used the two Refined Objects at the same time without any error.


    Hovering next to the blue soul was a subsoul, having grown a little. In the core of the subsoul, two egos fought, their fight had not paused for even a second in the past eight months. The ego he had placed in the subsoul maintained dominance, thanks to his support.


    Whenever the ego created from Ehara Gobi''s memory fragments grew dominant, he would use his Soul Cornea and corrode the extra parts. As for the rest, he left it in the hands of his subsoul''s ego. Having battled for so long, the subsoul''s ego was beginning to adapt, the resistance it could offer against the opponent a lot higher than eight months ago.


    He hadn''t yet touched Ehara Gobi''s memory fragments. He still had a lot of memory fragments to comprehend, planning to touch her memory fragments only after that. First of all, he was still clueless about many things. He had yet to lay a firm foundation.


    It had only been 10 months since he had become an Esper. At a state when he hadn''t even fully grasped the foundations, coming into contact with high-level knowledge would only do more harm than good.


    The Tier 5 Artifact his grandfather gifted him contained the entirety of the Bone Family''s accumulations about Espers. Present within the box was a book¡ªthe Artifact. He had seen it many times when he opened the lid while training.


    He didn''t even have the confidence of being able to open the book before graduating.


    Similarly, each memory fragment of Ehara Gobi was powerful, possessing enough resistance against his corrosion. To fully corrode the white layer on a memory fragment, it consumed him as much psychic energy as a Line Controller''s capacity.


    At present, it wasn''t wise to waste his psychic energy in such a manner. He would rather use it to train, improve his abilities, and eventually hunt the Frenzy Beasts in the Labyrinth of Frenzy. That way, he would gain Credits which could then be used to exchange for treasures and improve his abilities further. He chose the path with greater benefits.

 Chapter 232: Building an Experience

    It was a wide hall, the walls curved, concave. Littered throughout were holes of all shapes and sizes. A projectile exited a hole, heading towards an armoured individual in the centre.


    The individual stood in his spot, not budging an inch. A chakram flashed before him, blocking the projectile, producing a clang. The force behind the projectile pushed the chakram, moving it by a metre.


    The chakram moved in response to the projectile''s momentum, increasing the time of contact to create a cushioning effect, splitting the momentum into batches that it negated using the instantaneous force application actuated by the psychic arm.


    After moving a metre in contact, the projectile lost all momentum. When it began to free fall, the individual raised his hand, grabbing hold of it. He then placed his left foot forward, anchoring his balance, exerting strength in it.


    The force was transferred through his hips, the amount generated in the arm increasing by a notch. With a mild grunt, the individual, a boy, threw the projectile. The throw wasn''t his limit but still made a swishing sound as it flew.


    The moment a projectile shot from another hole, the thrown projectile crashed into it, destroying its momentum. The aim was perfect; the two projectiles collided head-on. The boy then folded his hands to his back, watching a pair of handcuffs magically appear. They locked his hands and legs.


    His body was bound, no longer able to move. A gentle force pushed him to the floor, his only option now to roll.


    A Floating Spider appeared before, raising a screech. A spinning spindle¡ª30 centimetres long¡ªblocked its path. It had high rpm, producing faint whirring sounds, a result of the air resistance it faced.


    The spindle aimed at the approaching Floating Spider, using the opponent''s momentum to close the distance. Being many times agile, the Floating Spider easily evaded the spindle, its body movements minimal. It watched the spindle pass between the gaps of its legs, not feeling any threat.


    The spindle stopped rotating, making a curve as it chased after the Floating Spider. A projectile landed on his shoulder, making use of the timing. The defending chakram intercepted it like before, negating its momentum.


    But, the overall defence was a failure. The spindle was unable to catch up to the Floating Spider. Finally, the Floating Spider landed on his face. But before it could take a bite out of his face, a psychic energy barrier shielded him.


    The scene ended here; Jyorta let out a sigh. After many modifications, the memory was quite insightful but, it still fell short of the result he had expected.


    ''I need a lot of Esper-related memories to act as a reference. I will head to the training hall after classes.'' Dressed in his uniform, holding a notebook, and carrying a pen in his pocket, Jyorta exited the room. Stuffed in his pocket was a glass jar, forming an outline through his clothes.


    He walked through the corridor, stopping before the room next to the staircase, knocking on the door a couple of times. There was no response. After waiting for 10 seconds, he knocked once again. There was still no response.


    8:10 AM, taking a glance at the watch, Jyorta frowned. Haesha was never late; she had the habit of being ready well in advance. But, noticing the lack of response, he assumed she had already gone elsewhere, most probably to train and develop an insight she had obtained.


    It wasn''t unusual. Usually, everyone had their own schedules. They trained, studied at the library, used the Portal to surf through stuff, or accessed the myriad facilities in their academy. Whenever Jyorta planned to appear for a test, he would usually wake up around 4:00 AM and head to the White Building.


    "She did seem focused yesterday," Jyorta descended the stairs, soon exiting the Indigo Building. He briskly walked, entering the cafeteria, watching the queue before the counter. His eyes trailed through the students, hoping to find a familiar face to help with the situation.


    ''I guess I am going hungry today,'' Jyorta sighed, heading towards the exit. He was unable to spot anyone familiar. And, considering the length of the queue, it was impossible to get breakfast and make it in time for the class.


    Punctuality was emphasised in the military academy. So, even if he were a second late, he wouldn''t be allowed inside the class. He didn''t wish to miss any class unless he had something important to do.


    Earlier, he had been immersed in the fruits of his work, forgetting the flow of time. That was why he had been late to the cafeteria, even having to miss his breakfast.


    Heading towards the exit, Jyorta noticed a table positioned next to the path, along the open section. Three students sat around the table, chattering nonstop.


    "¡­we have the first hour free today¡­"


    "¡­good that our turn is in the second hour¡­"


    A smile crept up his face as Jyorta tuned in on their conversations, calmly exiting the cafeteria. He then glanced around, taking a moment to recall the class he had.


    ''It is Madam Mila''s class. It should be in the Yellow Building.'' He glanced at his left, watching the yellow building situated far away. He then glanced to his right, noticing the group of three seated near the open section, situated right beside.


    With a smile, Jyorta whistled, or at least, tried to do so. He had never been able to whistle properly, despite practicing the technique quite a few times. He turned to his right, pacing twenty steps, his actions one of normalcy.


    He unleashed a psychic arm, turning around, keeping it to his left. It spanned 62 centimetres in length. Jyorta tapped on his forehead, his brows scrunched, standing in thought. He glanced at the passerby, noticing their attention trailing into the cafeteria through the open section.


    A couple of students placed a hand on their rumbling stomachs, letting out sighs as they proceeded along. Three students had sweat dripping down their foreheads, their gait unsteady. One of them finally couldn''t endure any longer, entering the cafeteria to join the queue.


    As his friends called out, the boy waved his hands, "I feel like I will be eaten from the inside out. I''ll skip today''s class. Tell me the contents later."


    With a nod, they hesitantly walked across, soon exiting from view. As the boy grunted once, he noticed a familiar presence behind. Turning around, he noticed his two friends also joining the queue. As he smiled, he noticed an oddity at the entrance, focusing on a boy.


    Seemingly having realised something, Jyorta picked up his pace. His eyes were directed towards the front, appearing dignified, righteous, the posture symbolising everything a respectable man ought to bear. His psychic arm crept forward, elongating to its official limits¡ª62 centimetres.


    In his whistling righteous pose, he walked beside the three, only separated by the walls that made up the open section. His target was a plate over which three buns were placed. The buns were stuffed with a gelatinous substance that was highly nutritious.


    They were bland to the taste, akin to water drunk while fully hydrated. Suddenly, Jyorta swerved to his left, his abrupt action startling the three students.


    "Isn''t that our academy''s strongest Warrior? What is he doing here?" His mouth was agape, seemingly of a person who had seen something amazing.


    "He''s here?" The three turned around in response, looking in the pointed direction¡ªaround a corner of the cafeteria, a table next to the service section.


    "He''s hiding behind that tall fellow." Jyorta''s voice resounded, prompting them to stand and take a better look. The toppers of every Batch attracted considerable attention. Also, since no one wantonly shouted their names as they went, most people didn''t know the identities of the toppers of each Batch.


    Anyone who had topped was a formidable student, possessing an arsenal of knowledge and abilities. It was good to forge a friendship with them. Even getting some pointers would be acceptable, allowing their personal strengths to improve.


    Saying his piece, Jyorta continued to walk. A plate followed him, the motion steady, escaping their notice. An Esper''s psychic arm was difficult to detect. There were only a select few methods that allowed one to sense a psychic arm.


    The first was through the use of aura. But, to use an aura, one had to be Tier 2 and beyond. The second was the domain of the Espers. Despite being unable to decipher the feedback from their psychic arm, Line Controllers were barely able to sense stuff through their domains. It was like an extension of their sense of touch.


    The three students clearly didn''t expect the need to use their domains normally. They were still new to the military academy. Also, just maintaining the domain consumed a fair amount of psychic energy, something early Line Controllers like them couldn''t afford. That is why they were unable to sense his psychic arm.


    Therefore, through a simple distraction, Jyorta made out with a plate, having obtained his breakfast. He made a turn, entered the cafeteria through the entrance, and occupied a seat away from the line of sight of the three students.


    He finished the buns within five minutes, placing the empty place in its designated area. Washing his hands, he drank some water and made his way to the yellow building. Holding the glass jar in his hands, he twirled it, watching the yellow dust within move in response.


    8:25 AM, having arrived at the entrance of the yellow building, Jyorta fished out a poster from his pocket. It was the time table. The contents of the time table were changed every week, based on the changes in curriculum or the availability of the faculty.


    Despite being teachers in the military academy, they weren''t exempt from their primary job¡ªbeing soldiers. So, they were often dispatched to missions. To accommodate the classes, the contents of the time table were changed every week.


    Jyorta glanced at the time table, groaning after seeing that his class was scheduled on the 16th floor. Seeing the time, he sprinted through the stairs, unwilling to be late.

 Chapter 233: Invasion

    "Huff¡­puff¡­" Wheezing his way out, Jyorta barely managed to enter the class, watching the doors close right after his entry. It was a close call. Earlier, when he was climbing the stairs, he noticed the 7th floor crowded by students.


    Based on what he had hurriedly heard, they were conducting a mass training activity for Espers from three Batches simultaneously. Hence, they had gathered at the area, planning to head to the designated location later. On seeing that it would take a lot of time to weave through them, Jyorta descended a floor and traversed to the other end.


    Finding another flight of stairs, he scaled it, sprinting. Just this small diversion consumed a minute. Now, pressed for time, he could only sprint to his limits, barely managing to arrive on time.


    Madam Mila''s voice resounded, "Except for two students, the remaining Espers have arrived. We will continue the part from last week."


    Jyorta glanced through the class, unable to find the presence of Haesha. He then noticed Madam Mila motioning for him to be seated in a particular seat. He complied and walked to the spot, noticing Laila seated to his right. His seat was situated in the left extreme of the row.


    Laila glanced at him once, flashing a smile. The blue soul in him overlaid the false persona, the face mask¡ªone of calm, optimism, and filled with focus. Jyorta smiled in return, waving lightly as a form of greeting.


    As everyone fished out their glass jars from their pockets, Jyorta too did the same. It had a diameter of 3 centimetres and a height of 10 centimetres. It was transparent, possessing a cylindrical body that curved at the top, bordered by a hemisphere.


    Filled to half the height within the glass jar was yellow dust, the granules coarse. Due to his painstaking efforts, they had all been converted into his Refined Objects by the end of December. After that, he had trained many things using it. The ability to instantaneously erect a psychic energy barrier¡ªoutlining his body¡ªwas thanks to that.


    Madam Mila''s voice resounded, giving a short introduction, "The essence of nature lies in change. Everything changes with the passage of time. Nothing is absolute; what is invincible at one point in time might become redundant in the future. To reign supreme is to keep up with the changes. That is why humanity has managed to survive to this day."


    "Coming to the topic of today''s class; you have been practicing the method to erect a barrier around yourselves. Even for Line Controllers, despite your barrier only shaped as a sphere, you have to learn to minimise the space. This will decrease your psychic energy expenditure. Also, at your current age, your body is still growing. So, you will have to constantly adjust your barriers to suit the increasing requirements."


    "That is what we will be focusing on today''s classes: increasing the sizes of existing methods while retaining their functionality." A psychic arm materialised before Madam Mila, becoming a sphere, encasing her body.


    The sphere had a radius of 60 centimetres, with the focus inside her head. It barely reached her stomach, with most of the space covering air, leaving half of her body undefended. "Due to a lacking range, you can only protect a part of your body. After curling up, you can bring everything within range. But, this constricts your movements, making you a sitting target."


    Another psychic arm materialised, pointing at the empty space within the barrier, above her head. "This is a wastage of your psychic energy. So, by shortening it, you will be conserving it."


    The spherical barrier began to reduce at every point of its surface, one centimetre per each. It was like the surface was gradually caving in, eventually stopping just above Madam Mila''s head. The same happened at the barrier to her front and back, eventually forming a smooth surface that almost touched her body.


    "I will be guiding you personally in due time. Before that, show me your current progress." Prompted by her voice, all the students unleashed their psychic arms, seeping them into their respective glass jars.


    A voice resounded in Jyorta''s ear, "I have isolated you from everyone. Show me your actual progress."


    Just to show the effect, a change occurred. Jyorta noticed his surroundings¡ªwithin an arm''s length¡ªflicker like he had been trapped inside a translucent glass sphere. He noticed the figure of Laila smile at him once, the motion of her lips indicated that she was conversing with him. But, Jyorta hadn''t replied.


    To his wonder, he saw her nod in response after a couple of seconds and retract her gaze, focusing on her glass jar. Madam Mila explained, "A simple isolation would look odd, even to a layman. That is why I took some measures. First is an optical illusion of your figure, seated in the same spot. This will behave the same as what you have done until now."


    Without a change in tone, she continued, "Next, is an auditory hallucination, followed by smell, touch, heat, etc. Finally, the sound; just now, Laila had conversed with you, or the illusion of you I had created. Don''t worry; I have observed you enough for the past eight months to fully grasp your character, behaviour, speech patterns, etc. Something like this is child''s play for even a Ground Controller, not to mention me."


    "Your illusion will behave in regards to your official strength. Now, you no longer need to hide your actual accumulation. Show me what you have managed to achieve until now." In response to her voice, Jyorta nodded, in awe of her abilities.


    Jyorta unleashed his stronger psychic arm at full power, seeping it into the glass jar. Immediately, the dust settled within moved, like bars stacking upon one another. Within a couple of seconds, a figure of him had formed.


    The level of detail was fairly decent, like a pixelated figure. Just when he expected a response from Madam Mila, the blue soul in him shuddered, despite having overlaid the false persona.


    Madam Mila hovered in the air, still like a statue, not speaking any word. If not for the expansion and contraction of her chest, it would have been difficult to differentiate her from a sculpture. The students concentrated on their tasks, trying to showcase their growth.


    Unnoticed to everyone or unnoticeable to everyone, a flash of blue flickered across her eyes.


    When he was on the verge of giving a finishing touch to the figure in the glass jar, the blue soul trembled in fear.


    ''Is she making a move?'' It was a crisis, the outcome already decided, with no way out. The blue soul in him extended its Soul Cornea, seeping it into the subsoul belonging to his Wisdom Parasite.


    Situated within the body of the subsoul, one that had grown in size a lot as compared to eight months ago, were two spheres, the husks being the remains of subsouls after their soul cores had been consumed by the blue face.


    The husks were being used as bags, concealing something within. One was tiny while the other was twice bigger. The Soul Cornea turned black, quickly attacking the ego birthed from Ehara Gobi''s memory fragments, the energy expenditure originating from the blue soul.


    Both the Soul Corneas worked in tandem, expending the energy in the blue soul to quickly damage it, successfully shattering the formed avatar. Based on his estimate, it would take at least a day before the ego could reform.


    Having expended the energy in the soul, the blue soul now spanned only a quarter of its original size. Its current size conformed to the size of the souls in his peers.


    A Soul Cornea wrapped around the bigger soul husk bag, bringing it within the blue soul.


    The other Soul Cornea wrapped around the smaller bag, poking a tiny hole using its corrosion. Immediately, a murky substance seeped out like a torrent. The Soul Cornea guided the murkiness, overlaying it on the subsoul, soon increasing the layers until everything was used up. Now, the subsoul looked no different from the soul of a normal Wisdom Parasite its age.


    Similarly, the former Soul Cornea first sent the Hoberman Sphere and the eye mask into the subsoul, a moment before the murkiness overlaid it.


    Once that was done, it began to make arrangements in the blue soul. It arranged the memory fragments of Jyorta everywhere, even overlaying it atop the memories of his past life and the memory fragments extracted from the Floating Spiders.


    Having overlaid everything, making the memory fragments look the same, only belonging to Jyorta, the Soul Cornea poked a hole through the bigger bag. The murkiness gushed out in torrents. The Soul Cornea guided them, first making layers over the disguised memory fragments.


    Once all the memory fragments were arranged, the murkiness spread over the blue face, covering it, forming a cluster around it. It was his core, his essence, the source of his apprehension and secrets. Therefore, he had to guard it with the utmost priority.


    Finally, the remaining murkiness spread throughout, even spilling out of the soul, forming a dense fluid of murkiness that covered his soul. The murkiness also became mist that spread out further, even enveloping the subsoul along its wake.


    Once the murkiness spread to every bit of the blue soul, its abilities plummeted to rock bottom. Now, even creating a soul tendril would take it a day, not to mention using its Soul Corneas. It now looked no different from a regular person''s soul, aligned to the age factor.


    It was what Jyorta had been planning from the moment he detected her existence. The murkiness would be generated in his blue soul every day. Unless he chanted the verse imparted by the creepy-haired man or exerted the Soul Cornea''s influence, the murkiness couldn''t be vaporised.


    But, instead of vaporising it, Jyorta used the Soul Corneas to collect them into a bag made from a soul husk, to be used in times of need. It was the only method he could think and prepare. As for using the Hoberman sphere? He had no hope of it succeeding against his current opponent; the chance of victory was a precise zero.


    A thin soul tendril¡ªpale blue in colour¡ªentered his soul, calmly slithering its way in.

 Chapter 234: Wave Formation

    It was like a snake, slithering its way through the murkiness. The murkiness in response attacked the invader, seeking to invade it in return. But, a formless force protected the soul tendril, preventing the murkiness from coming near.


    The moment the murkiness neared the soul tendril, it collapsed, its structure destabilised. After the soul tendril passed through, the murkiness in the region recovered.


    Its presence was akin to an invincible predator in a field of grass. When the predator roamed the field, the fate of the grass was to be stomped. The murkiness churned, behaving based on the laws that governed it. But, irrespective of what it did, the soul tendril was unfazed.


    A suction pod-like projection formed at the tip of the soul tendril. The projection grabbed hold of a part of murkiness, one that looked semi-solid. It exerted its influence, affecting the semi-solid murkiness, causing it to instantaneously vaporise.


    A pure memory fragment appeared. The suction pod-like projection expanded, swallowing the memory fragment. Its serpentine body bulged in response to the memory fragment''s travel, soon disappearing from view.


    A second later, it spat the memory fragment, watching the fragment disappear into the murkiness. The murkiness constantly moved, its motions random. But in truth, it was the blue soul manipulating the currents. It was to prevent the soul tendril from coming into contact with any memory fragment concerning its secrets.


    The soul tendril slithered through the murky region, swallowing any semi-solid murkiness it came across. Everything it consumed was related to the memories of Jyorta''s daily life.


    After making a couple more rounds, the soul tendril paused, emitting faint blue light, causing all the murkiness to freeze.


    The soul tendril circled Jyorta''s soul; its suction pod-like mouth bit on its serpentine body, making a loop. The soul tendril emitted blue light, seeping it through the soul, exerting its influence.


    Jyorta finished his task, watching a detailed figure of him within the glass jar. A blue light flashed across his eyes, his psychic arm began to move, actuating different segments.


    The figure within the glass jar slowly changed shape, morphing into Laila.


    Eyes like a fawn, expressing playfulness, and glistening with wisdom. Thin lips, sporting a bright smile, showcasing the cheerfulness of the character; it was a vivid figure.


    Jyorta''s right hand moved up, using the index finger to outline from his forehead to his chin, eventually proceeding to his neck. The hand then shot up, pinching his cheek once. The flash of blue disappeared from his eyes.


    Jyorta heard Madam Mila''s voice in his ear, "Well done, replicating your friend with such accuracy. I commend your observational skills. Retract your psychic arm now, I will lift the illusion."


    Jyorta looked at the figure of Laila crumbling in his glass jar; his psychic arm retreated into his head. He blinked a couple of times, feeling mildly confused. But, as if everything was natural, he didn''t delve into the topic, focusing on Madam Mila''s class.


    While personally guiding each student, Madam Mila instructed the rest. "There is a certain Artifact that would help in your training. This is what we use to train our Espers faster. It helps you improve most of the basic techniques in a short period."


    "During their 10th month here, every Batch will get the opportunity to use this Artifact and better their abilities. After all, based on what you have seen, training even a simple ability takes months. Your access to the Artifact will last until the end of the month."


    "Wave Formation; that is the name of the Artifact. It is a Tier 3 Artifact; thankfully, we have enough for everyone. The Cadets I have guided can head to the 17th floor and begin using the Artifact." A psychic arm opened the door.


    Seeing that Madam Mila didn''t say anything else, the students that had received guidance stood up, exiting the class. After that, the students exited in batches of two. It was strange since she usually guided at least 4 students at a time in her previous classes. But, the students didn''t ask, assuming reasons of their own.


    Soon, it was Jyorta''s turn. Madam Mila''s psychic arm entered his body, prompting him to unleash his psychic arm. "You have already achieved today''s objective. So, I''ll teach you a small trick."


    Jyorta noticed his surroundings turn translucent, implying that Madam Mila had erected another illusion around him. Without worry, Jyorta unleashed his psychic arm, watching Madam Mila''s psychic arm take control of it, kneading it like dough.


    Soon, his psychic arm enveloped his body, forming a layer. "You can make your psychic arm assume any structure and consider it its base form. Now, after layering your body, this is your psychic arm''s current structure. Now, should an enemy make contact¡­"


    The spike¡ªformed by his psychic arm¡ªemerged from his arm, travelling for a metre before retracting. Similarly, another spike emerged from his back, enacting the same. Spikes formed all across his body, attacking in all directions, at varying angles.


    After the spikes had emerged from all possible locations, Madam Mila said, "Area Controllers have limited speed and power. The chances are, most enemies would be able to evade your attacks and close in on you. This trick will help you in both offence and defence."


    Her voice became a notch serious, "Remember, this is only a trick. After all, the sturdiness of your psychic arm is limited to the power at its disposal. That is why the prime method of attack for Espers is by actuating external objects. There is a certain armour that will help better make use of this trick. Search around the armoury."


    "Thank you, ma''am." Jyorta bowed a little, etching the sensation into his memory. He planned to train this later and grasp it until it became practically applicable. The translucent surroundings dissipated, prompting Jyorta that his guidance had ended.


    Jyorta got up, watching Laila get up in response. It seemed the two of them had been guided at the same time. The duo exited the class and walked through the corridor. It was only the two of them at present. It would take a while before others followed suit.


    "How is your training coming along? Have you mastered the barrier?" Jyorta inquired, watching Laila sigh in return.


    "I barely managed to create my face yesterday. If I hadn''t become an Area Controller, it would have taken me another week or two to finish it. Keeping the structure in position while moving every dust one at a time, it is hard." Laila massaged her forehead.


    "Your progress is astounding. I am still far from completing my face."Jyorta let out a wry laugh. It was based on his official capabilities. Madam Mila had already instructed him before, helping him in setting the standard of improvement every day.


    It only took her a couple of seconds to instruct him. So, she helped him every day. The signal to that was the yellow card she had given him in December. The moment Jyorta wrote a word on it, her psychic arm would enter his room and help him. Since it was an initiative by the other party, Jyorta was thankful.


    Laila was short, around 15 centimetres shorter than him. So, he had to slow his pace to match hers. A flash of blue flickered across his eyes, changing his gait, making it resemble Laila''s for a moment.


    The soul tendril stopped exerting its influence, noticing the still murkiness begin to move. It then retreated out of his soul. No sooner had it done so did the flash of blue in his eyes disappear. Jyorta continued to walk, automatically reverting to his gait.


    He didn''t realise his earlier change, continuing to accompany Laila as they arrived on the 17th floor. All along, despite her cheerfulness, a mild frown was ever-present on her face.


    Laila slowed her pace, watching Jyorta walk a couple of centimetres before her. It wasn???t a large enough distance for him to notice. She glanced at him once, her mind whirring in thought. Her frown deepened.


    As Jyorta glanced at her, her frown disappeared, replaced by her usual expression. She smiled at him once, entering the room. "Let us train to our best!"


    "Yeah," Jyorta nodded in return, following her. It was another corridor, with doors lined across the one side, numbering more than a hundred.


    The moment he stepped foot inside, a voice resounded in his ear, "Head to room number 24."


    Jyorta noticed Laila walking to the other side, concluding that the rooms were allocated at random. Based on the numbers, he walked towards one end, seeing the number of the last room being ''26''.


    There was a flight of stairs beside, running along the wall, proceeding further. He took the stairs and reached the 18th floor, soon spotting room number 24.


    On the 17th floor, at the point of entry was room number 50, and at the end was room number 26. Therefore, Jyorta concluded that there were 50 rooms per floor. But, as for the weird arrangement of numbers, he couldn''t care less.


    The room was 4 metres in length and breadth, spanning a height of 3 metres.


    There existed a single object, occupying most of the space. It was a blue coloured cube, its side being 3 metres. Inside it were many contraptions, their designs complex, and the concept similar to the Hoberman sphere.


    Jyorta placed his hand on it; the texture was akin to glass, but slippery. Jyorta knocked it once, failing to hear any sounds. The material seemed capable of absorbing all the shock produced from his knock.


    Jyorta glanced at his back, watching the door close shut. Embedded in the walls were tube lights, their luminescence gentle. He scowled, feeling vexed. Thanks to the effect of his false persona, his expression became placid at the next moment.

 Chapter 235: A Setback

    Jyorta had always been careful around Laila. Ever since he became aware of her existence, he always pondered about ways to protect himself, should she try to attack him. Though, he never had the option to be arrogant in thinking that he would be able to fend her off.


    His powers in the domain of the soul wouldn''t work against Laila, someone who had spent a century researching its secrets. Therefore, all he could do was to try and hide his identity.


    Ever since it arrived in this era, the blue soul had always been devoid of murkiness. After the blue face had devoured the soul core of the previous Jyorta''s soul, faint murkiness began to form within it. But, it had methods to easily vaporise the murkiness.


    Whether the verse imparted by the creepy-haired man or the influence exerted by its Soul Corneas, the blue soul had methods to rid itself of murkiness. Therefore, it had always been ''clean''. But, this cleanliness was a clear indicator of its identity, that of a Psychic Parasite.


    All souls, irrespective of the individual''s strength possessed murkiness. So, suppose Laila probed through the souls of everyone, for whatever reasons, she would easily identify Jyorta as the second Psychic Parasite.


    Being the second in anything had its consequences. First, you weren''t the pinnacle of this path. Second, your existence ensured that the ''First'' was no longer unique. In the current era, the abilities of the soul couldn''t be guarded.


    Until Jyorta came, Gajara Rahi was unhindered in this path, facing zero rivalry. But, his existence meant that, as long as he grew in strength, he would eventually be able to contest against Gajara Rahi''s plans. Anyone in power wouldn''t wish to see such a day.


    Thanks to the wit of Rhachis Ancestor Light, Gajara Rahi¡ªthe current Laila¡ªassumed George to be the second Psychic Parasite. But, it was only a stop-gap measure. All she needs is a little probing to see through the lies.


    Also, he was apprehensive about a different aspect. Even if she was uncaring about the second Psychic Parasite, she possessed the ability to make subsouls. Meaning, she would try to convert useful people into her subsouls, to create a secret organisation that worked for her behind the scenes.


    And, if she thought in such a manner, then Jyorta would be a fair target. After all, he was the scion of the Bone Family, an upcoming Aristocratic Family whose rise was unstoppable. Not to mention the talent he had been displaying, just his status alone made him a worthy target. So, Jyorta had always been apprehensive.


    Therefore, he saved the murkiness produced in his soul and sealed it, planning to use it to mask his soul into a regular person''s when needed. Also, he had seen how the ego birthed from Ehara Gobi''s memory fragments destroyed his ego in the subsoul¡ªbelonging to his Wisdom Parasite. It broke the connection he shared with his subsoul.


    So, that was one of Jyorta''s plans. Even if he were to become a subsoul, he would protect himself and lay low, accumulating strength by learning from Gajara Rahi''s memory fragments. That is why he had infused his ego into each of his memory fragments, hiding them within everything. Also, he wondered, if he became the subsoul of Gajara Rahi, would he gain the ability to teleport?


    There were also the creepy-haired man''s arrangements; he wondered if they would be triggered in such a situation.


    As he expected, Laila made a move. But, unlike what he had expected, she neither tried to convert him into a subsoul nor did she siphon his memory fragments. Her soul tendril only swallowed some memory fragments that it later spat out.


    He couldn''t guess her thoughts, feeling vexed. After all, when the soul tendril exerted its influence, Jyorta didn''t know what he had done. Even his blue soul was unable to find out what had happened.


    It was like that memory had been erased from his brain, muscle memory, etc. When he came to, he noticed the figure of Laila within his glass jar. Without his knowing, his psychic arm had acted. Also, when walking in the corridor, thanks to his blue soul, he noticed the memory lapse.


    Without the blue soul, he wouldn''t have even known that he had lost consciousness for a second. Also, it seemed his brain had naturally glossed over this fact. It was terrifying. As helpless as he felt, he was unwilling to always be on the receiving end of things.


    Also, in order to camouflage his soul, he had unleashed the sealed murkiness. Now, he couldn''t even use the abilities of the blue soul. Just activating the Soul Cornea seemed to take forever.


    ''This is a setback.'' Jyorta could only sigh. The opponent was strong, too strong. He was weak, too weak to even retaliate. He remembered the time when he gazed at Laila''s soul once. As a result of that, his false persona had shattered, and he made a mess after he had returned to his room.


    Thanks to the false persona, his emotions were one of normalcy. Jyorta looked at the Tier 3 Artifact before him. He unleashed his psychic arm, seeping it into the Artifact, watching it encounter a filament.


    The filament layered the surface, only noticeable through its interaction with his psychic arm. His psychic arm passed through it easily. Only then he realised that the filament was made to not show any resistance to psychic arms.


    The moment his psychic arm entered the Artifact, it felt the aura condensed within. The aura was strong, strong enough to snuff his psychic arm. It wasn''t at the level of a Tier 3 Artifact.


    ''Is a Relic fused into it?'' He thought, watching the filament move. It soon formed a layer over his psychic arm, shielding it from the aura. Now, his psychic arm could freely move inside the Artifact.


    ''There is more than one Relic fused into it. The military academy has invested a lot of resources in developing us.'' Jyorta was amazed at the discovery.


    The filament guided his psychic arm. If he desired, he could move his psychic arm and overpower the filament''s guidance, proceeding as he wished. But, Jyorta didn''t want to do that. He wondered what the filament would do and lead him towards.


    He was also inclined into learning the method to create this filament. It seemed a notch higher in quality than the one he had learned the previous day. His psychic arm came into contact with a contraption.


    It was a sphere, possessing rigged lines all over. At the moment of contact, a gentle wave of psychic energy washed over him. The sphere exerted a mild pulling force; his psychic arm entered it, soon covering its surface, also filling within.


    The sphere began to expand, like a balloon. But, unlike a balloon, the expansion at various points stopped along the way. Within a couple of seconds, the sphere had expanded to become a figure of him, from head to toe.


    "Impressive!" Jyorta remarked. The technique used was just radial expansion, making ample use of his psychic arm''s abilities. First, his psychic arm was shaped into a sphere, becoming its base structure. Then, it expanded radially.


    When it expanded, based on the structure, the expansion stopped at various points. Also, at an instant, only one point stopped. The expansion and the path of stop for each figure made shaping his figure look easy.


    ''The path will be different for each person due to our different body shapes.'' Jyorta felt a wave of psychic energy seep into him, helping him control his psychic arm. After that, Jyorta continued to practice.


    The contraption become his figure from a sphere and reverted to its original form soon. As the process repeated numerous times, Jyorta grasped the method.


    It would take him some more time to master the method but, it was still many times faster than if he were to practice it on his own. Jyorta glanced around, counting to a total of 108 contraptions. The contraptions were in three colours: red, white, and blue.


    The Artifact was blue, so he determined it was made from the Unranked Skill, Marble Sonata. The first contraption he was guided towards was red. The method within was suitable for Line Controllers.


    There were a total of 12 contraptions in red, 24 contraptions in white, and 72 contraptions in blue.


    ''If I base it on the colour scheme, blue is for Wave Controllers. That makes white suitable for Area Controllers. I see, that is why it is named Wave Formation. Also, it means I can learn 24 techniques for my current Tier.'' Jyorta nodded, continuing to practice the first red contraption.


    He wanted to first finish the red contraptions and then proceed to the white ones. Getting accustomed to the basics would help him learn complex techniques faster. Also, he was an Area Controller. So, he had sizeable psychic energy and could practice for a longer duration.


    Two hours later, Jyorta sat on the floor, feeling exhausted. He had finished training with the first contraption. With a thought, a barrier covered his body. It was faster than before; its structure was sturdier. Jyorta felt less mental strain in maintaining the current barrier.


    "Impressive, this Artifact is impressive." Jyorta was genuinely impressed. The contraption guided him through everything, even shaping his psychic arm accordingly. All he had to do was feel the changes and grasp them.


    It was simple but the effect was many times better. Before, he had to concentrate on creating the structure. Every time he managed to create one, it would be riddled with problems. He could only accumulate experience through trial and error.


    But now, the Artifact gave him a template that perfectly suited him and all he had to do was follow it blindly.


    It was similar to a person practicing the method to swing a sword. But, instead of manually swinging it, an Esper controlled his body and performed the perfect motions over and over, allowing his body to become accustomed to it.


    After his body became used to the motions and the forms become muscle memory, the person would be able to replicate it easily. This is what Jyorta currently experienced.

 Chapter 236: A Warrior’s Breakthrough

    ''One day, I will return the favour.'' Jyorta clenched his hand into a fist, his expression one of calm. Due to the state of his blue soul, he was unable to retract his false persona. So, irrespective of what he faced, Jyorta was bound to remain in a state of calm, optimism, and filled with focus.


    7:50 PM, Jyorta retracted his psychic arm, feeling a headache. He had been using his abilities for a long period, placing him under mental strain. As his psychic energy had been fully expended, Jyorta decided to call it a day.


    Within this duration, he had managed to finish training with three red contraptions. The first was a normal barrier, the second was a flat plane that acted as a mirror, and the third was a flat plane that acted as a lens.


    Based on how they were used, just these three techniques alone would raise a person''s survival rate. Jyorta was satisfied with his progress. Based on his nurturing, his psychic energy reserves would be fully replenished within a week. So, he planned to learn more during then.


    ''But, this way, I would consume the entire month just to learn Line Controller techniques. It won''t be possible to learn Area Controller techniques. That would be true unless I do something about my soul''s state.''


    Jyorta planned to first resolve the issue in his blue soul. Using the blue soul''s abilities, he would be able to master the Esper abilities as long as he experienced it once. Extracting the memories and experiencing it many times, etching them into a person''s being, turning them into muscle memory, or even instinct. It was possible for him.


    But, he didn''t know if Laila would strike again. It was wiser to leave the blue soul in its current state until he graduated. But, if he did that, his growth would be hindered. Also, there was the hidden threat of Ehara Gobi''s memory fragments.


    Thankfully, they were in his subsoul and Laila''s soul tendril only roamed in his soul. It didn''t seem to care about his Wisdom Parasite''s soul, which worked in Jyorta''s favour. But, since he wasn''t able to grasp the reason for her actions, Jyorta felt conflicted.


    ''I''ll deal with it in the same manner if it repeats. The slower my growth, the wider the gap between us gets. That would place me at a disadvantage in the future.'' He firmed his thoughts, planning to resolve the murkiness in his blue soul.


    He had already comprehended a significant part of his previous life''s memories. With the passing of each day, his character was becoming more defined. Jyorta estimated he would finish comprehending his previous life''s memories by the time he graduated from the military academy.


    He was constantly changing his mindset, having faced one setback after another. He felt a lot of turbulent emotions every time he remembered such memories, then realising that he couldn''t do anything about them.


    And, every time he thought about the injustice he faced, he remembered the incident that plagued him every day, pouring chill water over the broiling emotions.


    ''I am standing on the corpses of 28 people.'' Jyorta exited the room, making his way through the corridor, eventually exiting the Yellow Building. As he walked towards the cafeteria, intending to have his dinner, he noticed a figure walk towards the Head Office Building, looking solemn. It was Dalna Doppler.


    Jyorta glanced at her for a couple of seconds, soon noticing Haesha follow behind her. He also saw Ashten Coorg and Esina Hawker. They were approaching the Head Office Building from different directions, their expressions resolute.


    Staring at them for a while, watching their backs as they entered the Head Office one by one, Jyorta derived the cause. His fighting spirit was stirred, ''So, they have accumulated enough and are feeling confident. I will be left behind if I slack.''


    ¡­


    9:00 PM, seated on a straw mat was a girl. Her surroundings were dark, the environment humid. It was silent, allowing her to hear the sounds of her heartbeat, which expressed her mild tension.


    A gentle, masculine voice resounded, the source untraceable, "Cadet Dalna Doppler, are you ready?"


    After a momentary hesitation, Dalna Doppler nodded, "Yes sir, I am good to go."


    Breakthrough!


    Her mind resounded with this thought. In response to it, her heart rate changed. The heart was the first organ to exhibit emotions. It was in the sense that to express an emotion, the body behaves in a certain manner, requiring the heart to pump the blood accordingly.


    Suppose a person expressed anger. Before the emotion is expressed on his face or body language, the first to express it is the heart. It would express it by varying the heart rate. Similarly, according to every emotional or mental state, the heart rate varies.


    Dalna Doppler thought of wanting to breakthrough, solely focusing on the notion. Her heart rate visibly changed, slowing down to the same level as when asleep. In discrete intervals, the heart rate spiked to the same level as when she sprinted, looping the pattern.


    The blood flow changed; the transmission of signals in the nerves heightened up by a notch.In response to the changes, the spinal cord actuated a certain effect. Dalna Doppler felt clarity in her hearing and vision. Her thoughts also seemed to flow faster, allowing her to think more in a short duration.


    Tier 1 Skill¡ªDynamic Acuity!


    Her Tier 1 Skill was automatically activated. Her body enacted a mystical effect, producing a faint stench, one that smelled like sweat but mixed with the scent of grass and water. The stench emanated from her body, dissipating into the surroundings.


    Affected by the mystical effect, the stench didn''t dissipate far, slowly beginning to revolve around her body. It eventually created an olfactory cocoon, invisible to the eye and touch, but could be smelled.


    The olfactory cocoon was fragile, looking on the verge of shattering with the slightest of winds. Dalna Doppler''s breaths became gentle, light, her inhales and exhales becoming as weak as humanely possible. Now, even if a person were to place a finger before her nose, they would hardly feel any flow of air.


    A faint force moved her body, making her assume a posture of lying on the floor. Her right leg rested on her left while her hands rested on her stomach. It was the posture her body could relax the most in.


    Dalna Doppler felt her eyes turning heavy. She didn''t resist, watching her eyelids close slowly. At the next moment, she felt startling clarity, sensing two perspectives: a first-person perspective and an omniscient perspective.


    The two perspectives felt as natural as breathing to her, as if she had them since birth. They were both focused on her heart, on her Heart Crystal to be exact. Her heartbeats were powerful, full of vigour. They pumped the blood through her strengthened body, having to withstand and flow under greater muscular pressure.


    A pulse emanated from the Heart Crystal; it was a formless force, its destination being her spine. Dalna Doppler felt a sticky sensation along her back. It was hot at one second, cold at the next. She felt her back becoming heavy, feeling the strain of her body weight. At the next second, it felt like her body had become weightless; the strain on her back had disappeared.


    She instinctually sensed something mix with her blood, flowing through the veins, traversing through the myriad complex network. Soon, she noticed a white fragment¡ªgelatinous¡ªenter her heart¡ªright atrium¡ªthrough the largest vein, the inferior vena cava.


    At the next moment, she saw another fragment enter through the superior vena cava. The fragments continued forth in their journey, being pumped into the right ventricle. As the heart muscles squeezed, the white fragments accompanied the blood and travelled through the pulmonary artery that split into two, with each heading to a lung respectively.


    The blood became oxygenated, sent back into the left atrium through the pulmonary veins. The white fragments followed suit. Through the pumping of the left atrium, the blood flowed into the left ventricle.


    Dalna Doppler became serious, sensing the flow of time relatively slow down. When the white fragments flowed into the left ventricle, she willed them, trying to force them towards the heart muscles.


    Her Heart Crystal was located below the aortic valve; it had a streamlined shape to not hinder the blood blow. Above the Heart Crystal was the aorta, the vessel through which blood was pumped into the other arteries.


    The left ventricle had the highest pumping power. Dalna Doppler focused on the two white fragments, pulling them towards the Heart Crystal, forcing them to break free from the high pressured blood flow.


    The left ventricle compressed, causing the blood to flow into the aorta. The pressure was high, beyond what her Will could affect. It just depicted the strength of her body that had developed faster than her Will.


    She still managed to grab hold of a white fragment, using the flow of the blood to collide it into the Heart Crystal. The white fragment was fairly compressed onto the Heart Crystal, looking firmly attached, unable to be peeled off for the current period.


    Switching back to her omniscient perspective, Dalna Doppler noticed numerous white fragments enter her right atrium. Followed by the process, as the white fragments entered the left ventricle, she tried to pull as many of the white fragments as possible towards the Heart Crystal.


    When she was facing difficulties, a second Will emerged. It belonged to her Wisdom Parasite. Even though it was incomparable to her sturdy Will, every bit of advantage helped her situation. An addition of its Will helped collide a greater number of white fragments into the Heart Crystal.

 Chapter 237: A Figure of Drums

    The unguided white fragments entered the aorta and circulated in her body. If they weren''t stuck, they would probably arrive later, actuated by the formless force pulling the white fragments from the spinal cord.


    She was unable to generate much force through her Will. Being a Warrior, the strength of her Will was inferior to an Esper. But still, Warriors were taught methods of their own to tide through the issue. The first was to make use of the insane pumping force present in the heart.


    When the blood was pumped in the left ventricle, her Will redirected the white fragments, using the momentum of the pressurised flow to collide into the Heart Crystal. After that, she rearranged the layer of white fragments over the Heart Crystal in such a way that they would be better compressed under the blood pressure.


    As more and more white fragments were compressed on the Heart Crystal, the sheer pressure cracked it from the inside. As the cracks continued to form, the layer of white fragments continued to stack.


    Soon, the Heart Crystal crumbled. Dalna Doppler became serious, focusing most of her Will on the broken Heart Crystal. The white fragments collided into it, their essences partially seeping into it under the pressure.


    After being compressed by a layer of white fragments, a certain Heart Crystal fragment became unstable, heating up under the pressure before exploding. The explosion was negated by the surrounding pressure, unable to cause much of a ripple.


    But, the force of the explosion travelled to nearby Heart Crystal fragments, tilting the faint balance they maintained towards instability and causing them to blow up. Dalna Doppler segregated them, trying to preserve as much as possible.


    While she was occupied with the Heart Crystal fragments, more and more white fragments continued to arrive. She had to direct them all towards her Heart crystal.


    Even if the white fragments return after making a round through her body, if her breakthrough ended before that, then her body would simply treat them as wastage and expel them. That would further decrease her Sync Rate.


    The pumping action of her heart continued to become stronger and stronger. Only with a higher pressure would she be able to greater compress the white fragments over the Heart Crystal fragments. This further raised the demand for her Will, also stretching her focus thin.


    Dalna Doppler persisted, unwilling to suffer a loss. She tried to salvage everything possible, using the limits of her abilities. Soon, her efforts paid fruit. A Heart Crystal fragment successfully fused with the white fragments, becoming a condensed structure.


    The condensed structure settled in the centre of where her Heart Crystal one existed, emitting a formless suction force. In response to it, all the other Heart Crystal fragments congregated around, fusing with the white fragments. The process became less dangerous, also decreasing the burden on Dalna Doppler.


    She continued with the efforts, her thoughts grim, seeing the strength of her Will begin to decrease. The Will of her Wisdom Parasite directly collapsed. After all, it had been birthed from a young Wisdom Parasite, one that had been alive for less than a year. So, it couldn''t last long.


    The pressure on her increased once again. Dalna Doppler almost let go of a batch of white fragments. It seemed endless, continuing to arrive at a constant flow.


    Dalna Doppler lost track of time; it felt like she had been persisting in the process for too long.


    Her Will had become sluggish, the effect it could exhibit paling in comparison to what she possessed at the start. Suddenly, she was forced into a first-person perspective, feeling her Will get sucked into the fused Heart Crystal fragments.


    She didn''t resist, watching her perspective collide into the bundle of gelatinous crystals. At the next moment, her perspective had become one with them.


    She noticed the Heart Crystal fragments plastered around the surface, still unable to fuse with the white fragments surrounding them.


    She willed the white fragments, watching in surprise at the increased efficiency. Before, she had to actuate forces in many directions to pressurise the white fragments upon the Heart Crystal fragments.


    Now, all she had to do was to pull everything at her. It was like gravity. As everything slammed and stacked upon the bundle of mass she had taken the perspective off, the pressure continued to build up.


    Some Heart Crystal fragments became unstable, on the verge of exploding. But, the pressure continued to build up. It was threatening; if the pressure continued to increase, then the moment the internal pressure exceeded it, a massive explosion would ensue.


    But, Dalna Doppler wasn''t scared. After a certain quantity of pressure had been achieved, the Heart Crystal fragment''s instability was forcefully suppressed, causing it to fuse with the white fragments. The same continued to occur everywhere.


    But, she faced one more problem. As the Heart Crystal fragments continued to absorb the white fragments, even though it fused and became relatively smaller, the overall size of the fused structure continued to rise. Since it was positioned right below the aortic valve, it began to block the blood flow.


    The aorta experienced strain due to the pressure building up within it. The pressure was the equivalent of force applied per unit area. The force, in this case, originated from the heart muscles in its left ventricle. The area in question was the area of the aortic valve.


    Due to the Heart Crystal beginning to cover the aortic valve, it reduced its valve area. When the area decreased, considering the force remained constant, it led to an increase in pressure. When the blood entered with such pressure, it damaged the aorta. The pressure decreased after travelling a little into the aorta, due to the unfilled area.


    But, the entrance of the aorta still experienced massive strain. And, as the Heart Crystal continued to grow in size, the situation continued to worsen.


    Seeing the negative development, Dalna Doppler began to pull at the white fragments with everything she had. She wished to fuse them as soon as possible, unwilling to see the white fragments pile up and block the aortic valve.


    Also, such a stacking didn''t have enough toughness. The moment the blood pressure increased to a certain level, it would just destroy the blockade and enter the aorta, carrying with it the broken fragments. This would increase her losses, making her suffer a drastic loss in Sync Rate.


    The situation looked dangerous. Thankfully, after resting, the Wisdom Parasite''s Will returned. It only had half the strength as before but, it still proved helpful. Thanks to a mysterious connection, they could think in sync.


    The Wisdom Parasite''s Will began to push the white fragments towards the bottom.


    As she continued to pull the white fragments, she watched them pile on the underside of her Heart Crystal. It reduced her risks. For the time being, there wasn''t the risk of her aortic valve getting blocked.


    As the process continued, another mystical change erupted from the fused Heart Crystal fragments. They began to pull at one another, similar to the effects of gravity but limited to their fused selves. They began to compress themselves further, their overall size shrunk.


    The concentration of the incoming white fragments also began to decrease. It meant that most of the white fragments had arrived. Soon, thanks to all the advantages working in her favour, she noticed the remainder of the white fragments successfully fuse.


    Her Will no longer lacked any strength. There were still some unfused fragments, but it was a small amount.


    A mystical effect originated from the fused Heart Crystal fragments, enveloping her Will. Dalna Doppler noticed the synchronisation she shared with the Will of her Wisdom Parasite shatter. Before it shattered, she sensed faint killing intent.


    The killing intent wasn''t scary. It seemed to have been an instinctual reaction as the Will of the Wisdom Parasite hadn''t been developed enough to exhibit one on its own.


    It was in the same room. But, unlike before, it looked translucent, with most places becoming transparent. Due to a source of light, she could witness them. White and blue lights congregated, condensing into a sphere, slightly elongated. It slowly morphed into a hazy figure.


    It was Dalna Doppler. Her body seemed to be made of mist. Her shape wasn''t defined; it seemed capable of dispersing under a gentle breeze. Once she gained consciousness, she inspected her body, watching numerous drums on her limbs.


    The drums were of all shapes and sizes, with some shaped into a funnel, some as cylinders, cones, etc. There were three strings around her chest, ones that coiled until her mouth. Fragments of knowledge, experiences, memories, etc. formed the essence of her body.


    They had taken shapes based on their essences. Dalna Doppler noticed a thin serpent form before her. It was translucent, like a streak of smoke. Mirage-like objects of drums covered its body, hazy, paling in comparison to hers. There also existed a single string that outlined it from head to tail.


    Dalna Doppler gazed below, watching her body in the real world. A thin extended from her heart in the real world and connected to a spherical marble within her chest¡ªpositioned in the place of her heart.


    She also noticed a similar marble in the head of the serpent before her. A thin thread extended from it and connected to somewhere near her heart in the real world.


    ''So, this is the mystical Mental Realm. How fascinating!'' As she marvelled at the change, she noticed faint figures appear in the far end of her vision.


    Upon noticing the presence of the two newcomers, they flew towards them.


    ''The Cogent Phrenics have already sensed my arrival.''


    ''I have to hurry.'' Dalna Doppler didn''t wish to waste her time. She took a step forward and threw a punch towards the serpent. It wasn''t a wise decision to delay her stay.

 Chapter 238: Awakening the Past Him

    Many things happen while in a breakthrough. It involved both the biological process and a contest of willpower. Unless one had the experience, it was almost impossible to even survive a breakthrough into Tier 2.


    "Psychic Ancestor Marble had once stated: In the early days, we didn''t know such a concept existed. We called it the expiry date, the time until when a person loses control. Back then, there existed only Tier 1. One day, a person lost control, but he managed to defeat the Wisdom Parasite in him. It was then he pointed at the changes. Eventually down the line, we found the method to initiate a breakthrough. Though, we paid a heavy price to get that data."


    Madam Rizenne then continued, "The Mental Realm is risky. Your strength, in reality, will not be available there. It is a repository of experiences that you can make yours. But, the longer you stay in the Mental Realm, the more you will be assimilated into it. The existence of the Cogent Phrenics is to accelerate that. Your willpower at Tier 1 will be lacking to gain anything from the Mental Realm. So, try to return as quickly as you can."


    Dalna Doppler recalled one of the classes related to breakthrough. The military academy placed great emphasis on the subject, giving them training from the beginning. The training methods had been conceived after numerous trials and errors, the fruits of the past generations. So, their effect was guaranteed.


    Therefore, Dalna Doppler didn''t want to take any risks due to greed. Her fist slammed into the body of the serpent, watching its hazy body splash around the contact surface. Some fragments from her body also flew out from the impact, their inertia unchanged. They continued forth in the vector of their ejection, like objects travelling in space, unaffected by gravity.


    The serpent was many times weaker than her. Most of the fragments in its body splashed out from her punch, laying the marble within its head bare. Dalna Doppler pulled out the marble object, watching the serpent''s body destabilise, becoming floating fragments.


    She gently seeped her hand into their midst, watching the fragments stick to it. Seeing the approaching Cogent Phrenics, she hastened her action, soon absorbing all the fragments of the serpent.


    She placed the serpent''s marble into her body. It moved past the fragments comprising her body, soon approaching her marble.


    Suddenly, she shuddered. Her surroundings had become mildly corrosive. The outermost layer of her body began to faintly corrode. Even though the effect wasn''t apparent or threatening, it was still fear-inducing. After all, there was no terrain or climatic characteristics in the Mental Realm.


    As the two marbles began to fuse, she ''heard'' a bark. It was loud and clear. Her eyes widened in surprise, scared that she ''heard'' something in the Mental Realm. Before she could process the fact or glance around, her body disappeared from the Mental Realm.


    Dalna Doppler opened her eyes in reality, noticing the sweat that had formed on her body. Her hands faintly trembled, lacking any strength in them; when she tried to get up, her limbs didn''t cooperate.


    Her facial expression morphed into one of fear, terror-stricken. Tears welled up from her eyes. She knew one thing for sure; it wasn''t due to the joy of a successful breakthrough.


    "So, you''ve seen it." The voice of the overseer resounded, "The ones who had seen it behaved the same as you."


    "I¡­heard a bar¡­" Her statement was cut short by the voice, "Don''t speak about it. It is dangerous. There are still many things about the Mental Realm that we are unaware of. Also, pay heed to never mention this to anyone else. Our principal will call you soon, both to congratulate you and talk about what you had witnessed."


    "Don''t reveal it to anyone else, not even your father after you graduate. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, I understand." Dalna Doppler nodded, staying on the floor as she felt some strength return.


    "Good, your body will soon begin to push out the remains of the Wisdom Parasite''s body that had failed to evolve. Once your Heart Crystal heals, the body of the Wisdom Parasite will slowly fuse into your spinal cord. We will be able to determine your Sync Rate after that. Until the process concludes, try not to activate your Skills. I also advise you to not move much until then, lest you suffer another drop in Sync Rate. We had seen such cases before." The voice disappeared after a final statement, "Congratulations on becoming an Amplifier!"


    ¡­


    Switching off the lights to the room, Jyorta slept on his bed. But, unlike before, he didn''t have the blue soul to instantly make him fall asleep. Even though he had closed his eyes, he was wide awake, despite feeling tired due to the day''s events.


    ''I can hardly control my Soul Cornea. My only option is to vaporise the murkiness. But, what will I do if Laila invades my soul again?'' His face scrunched, feeling troubled. He still had an option but, he didn''t want to go through that path.


    5:30 AM; having not slept till now, he pondered on the issue, finally coming to a compromise. He would waste some days because of this but, it was still better. He didn''t want to do something that would plague him for the rest of his life. He already had enough of that.


    ''I will first isolate the blue face from the murkiness using the Soul Cornea and then vaporise everything inside. After that, I will steadily collect the remaining murkiness and store it into the soul husks once again. This will hinder my growth a bit, but it is the only plan I can take without regrets.''


    He had easy alternatives. After vaporising all murkiness in his blue soul, all he had to do was to head into the Labyrinth of Frenzy and take in the murkiness from the souls of the Frenzy Beasts. He could then easily store them.


    But, this had a flaw. The Murkiness didn''t conform to a human, not to mention being Jyorta''s. Therefore, even if Laila were to invade once again, all she would need is a single glance to figure out his identity. After all, the emotions, feelings, desires, etc. that Frenzy Beasts felt were skewed differently from humans.


    They also varied from one Frenzy Beast race to another, not to mention between each Frenzy Beast. Possessing the murkiness of a Frenzy Beast as a human was a clear giveaway of his identity. It would only be useful if he wanted to put up a front of being a normal person. Since it could be seen through with a single probing, Jyorta dropped the plan.


    The second alternative was to absorb the memory fragments from humans, i.e. the students. Here, he had the option to selectively filter the murkiness to make it similar to his own. Also, if he took it from his friends he spent time with, it would be closer to his own.


    But, Jyorta didn''t want to do that. His nature was a little hypocritical but, even he didn''t wish to siphon the memory fragments of his friends. Only when he had been cornered would he be willing to take a drastic measure.


    But, since he still had feasible alternatives, Jyorta didn''t want to affect his friends. Even though he knew that taking the murkiness from their souls wouldn''t affect them, since he couldn''t guarantee the fact, he refrained from doing so.


    There were some more alternatives that he had dropped after careful consideration. After all, he had to plan based on the person he needed to take preventive measures against. Finally, Jyorta decided on his current plan.


    Even though the murkiness would be reduced, the remaining would still be his. He could still barely manage to pull off a cover, based on the estimates of his plan. He neither knew Laila''s motives nor her intentions. But, since she hadn''t done anything during the first time, Jyorta was inclined to believe that what she had done was just a casual probe, without much intent behind it.


    Even if he didn''t wish to believe such naive reasoning, he had no other choice but to do so to protect his mental health. After all, if Laila so wished, she could easily make him her subsoul. Nothing was preventing her from doing that.


    In the domain of the soul, the only one apart from her was Jyorta. And, he was just a Tier 2 Psychic Parasite. He had a hunch that Laila was a Tier 6 Psychic Parasite, leagues beyond the current him. In her eyes, he was inferior like an ant.


    Therefore, he could only achieve his objectives through the means at his disposal. If he failed even after all that, then he would just embrace death. After all, the current him wasn''t devoid of attachments. His ego was also getting enriched day by day.


    Enacting a vicious feat¡ªthe one from when he was 10 years old¡ªwas impossible. He had his pride and would rather die than do something like that. It was what the him from his previous life would choose.


    ''Alright, it is finalised. Come what may, I will face it in my own terms.'' Jyorta closed his eyes, now able to sleep after firming his mindset. He planned to study harder and sit for exams during the week his psychic energy recovered.


    He still had a few subjects that he could score Credits from. Even though they were subjects he wasn''t well-versed in, something was better than nothing. Every Credit would matter from this point forth.


    ''I may not have the foundation to do so, but I will still challenge you, Laila.'' His eyes shined, his lips curled up. For some reason, he felt something within him change. He felt he had grasped the essence of his character from his previous life.


    Jyorta brimmed with fighting spirit, ''One who ventures into the abyss and challenges the unknown; isn''t that what a scientist does.''

 Chapter 239: October Batch’s Ranking

    10th September, the year 334 of the Dawn era; Jyorta sat on his bed, eyes closed. He was focused on something in his blue soul.


    The blue soul was pristine, lacking any murkiness, the same as always. Settled within it were two bags, created from soul husks. Stored within them was the murkiness produced in his soul. Hovering next to them were three objects: a Hoberman sphere, a face mask, and an eye mask. They were his three false personas.


    Jyorta made a full recovery from the damage Laila had inflicted, faster than he had expected. He had struggled to activate his Soul Cornea and move it around. But, once he managed to do so and freed his Soul Cornea of the murkiness, it was an easy process.


    He had almost glossed over this fact; only when he began to take action did he recall it. He first exerted his Soul Cornea''s influence, limiting it to its internal. Upon vaporising the murkiness within it, his Soul Cornea could move freely, even though his soul was still almost inactive.


    It was a simple process after that. He had finished cleaning his blue soul within a day, better understanding the limits of his abilities. After that, he resumed the work he had been engaging in before.


    Two days ago, his psychic energy had completely recovered. He then went to the Yellow Building, beginning to practice with the Tier 3 Artifact, Wave Formation. But this time, he didn''t wait until he finished training with a contraption¡ªmeant for Line Controllers.


    Instead, he experienced the ability in a red contraption about 20-30 times, obtaining enough memories. As for these memories, he didn''t even feel the need to modify them. They were already perfect as is, thanks to the Artifact.


    He then proceeded to train with the remaining contraptions; the blue soul extracted everything and piled them in its corner. Before his psychic energy was exhausted, Jyorta had finished going through all the 12 red and 24 white contraptions.


    As for the blue contraptions he desired to witness, his psychic arm was unable to even seep into them. Moreover, his psychic arm lacked the facility to follow its training. After all, the psychic arm of a Wave Controller was able to actuate in three directions.


    Seated on his bed, Jyorta relished the fruits of his memories. His blue soul sent the memories of a contraption into his brain, to be processed. When the brain processed the memory, it was as if Jyorta had practiced it a second time.


    Having made a copy using the brain, the blue soul sent the same memory, allowing the brain to process it the third time. He then repeated the process.


    Jyorta felt a vivid scene. He was back in the room, gazing at the Tier 3 Artifact. His psychic arm was shaped by a contraption, taking the form of a shield. The sole effect of this shield was to allow the passage of air while restricting everything else.


    Creating the shield from scratch, varying its shape while maintaining its effect, and limiting the expenditure of psychic energy while in use, Jyorta experienced everything again and again. He had 30 sets of memory for each contraption, allowing him to experience the same effect through different angles.


    This not only enriched his experience, but it also served as a form of training. After all, when in battle, he wouldn''t only create the shield before him. He had to guard against all possible directions. So, keeping in mind the requirements, Jyorta experienced the contraption in different positions, poses, and mental states.


    The 30 tries conformed to that. He couldn''t think of any other variation, so he limited himself to 30. If he thought up a different scenario/situation, Jyorta planned to replicate it while using the Tier 3 Artifact and extract the memory fragment.


    This would give him comprehensive development, increasing his versatility. Instead of learning only after experiencing trouble first hand, he wished to be as prepared as possible. In the military academy, he had the option of choice. But, it was every man for himself in the Wilds.


    There, even Tier 5 beings had a chance of death, not to mention a Tier 2 sapling like him. Jyorta continued with the process, experiencing each memory.


    The experience got etched in his body, becoming muscle memory. Also, this process hardly expended any psychic energy. All it consumed was his mental energy. And, considering his capabilities, and past life''s experience, he had more than enough to continue for hours without rest.


    It was a frightening advantage. As long as his mental capacity wasn''t strained beyond the limit, he could continue without a decrease in efficiency. So, Jyorta was able to experience each ability thousands of times until he mastered it.


    ''That Artifact is a godsend opportunity.'' Jyorta smiled, taking a glance at the watch. He stood and began to get dressed, pulling out an armour. He had skipped the morning classes to engage his training. He had already learned through the contents of the day''s classes on the previous day when he was browsing through the Portal.


    Thanks to his blue soul''s ability to extract information, he didn''t have to worry about forgetting anything. If he couldn''t memorise something the first time, he would just experience the incident again and again. This way, he would never forget the memory.


    Also, for junk information that he wasn''t required to know by heart, he could just store them in his soul and pull them up when necessary.


    11:00 AM, the sounds of bells reverberated through the military academy. Faint winds stirred up, swirling around as they formed a weak twister. The scent of grass intensified, accompanied by gentle music.


    Jyorta walked on the ground in his battle attire. He then noticed the commotion before the White Building, initiated by the sounds of the bells. Its white walls now had rows and rows of information.


    "Dedicated Credit Ranking System," Jyorta murmured, having come in range to read the title plastered above. The commotion had attracted a large crowd. Almost everyone in the military academy had congregated around the White Building.


    Ever since December, the bells chimed every month, on the 10th. So, the students were excited to see how long the top scorers of the October Batch maintained their record streak. Jyorta weaved through the crowd, taking measures to prevent the students from seeing his weapons.


    Each weapon had a tag, a serial number inscribed onto them. A single glance at them was all it took to guess a person''s strength. This was more pronounced in regards to the Espers. After all, Espers carried around weapons that were at the limit of their abilities. Only in such a way could they display their maximum potential.


    Jyorta soon made his way through half the crowd, finally able to see the rankings he wished to observe. No sooner had he done so did a wry smile emerge on his face. Jyorta sighed once and browsed through the rankings, seeing the position of his friends.


    [Rank 1¡ªLaila: 1,14,112 Credits]


    [Rank 2¡ªJyorta Bone: 1,11,403 Credits]


    [Rank 3¡ªDalna Doppler: 90,102 Credits]


    [Rank 4¡ªHaesha: 88,496 Credits]


    [Rank 5¡ªGeorge Eagle: 88,494 Credits]


    [Rank 6¡ªEsina Hawker: 81,393 Credits]


    [Rank 7¡ªLaekha Walta: 80, 604 Credits]


    [Rank 8¡ªAshten Coorg: 80,001 Credits]


    "Oh, Haesha managed to overtake George this month. Also, everyone seemed to have broken through to Tier 2. Getting a reward of 20,000 Credits for a successful breakthrough; no wonder our scores are so high this month." Jyorta sighed, feeling slightly alarmed at the intense competition.


    Even though he was still in second place and maintained a considerable lead, Dalna Doppler and the rest were closing in. He had an advantage of 12,000 Credits in December. Over the months, he steadily increased the gap until it crossed 21,000 Credits.


    But, he wasn''t arrogant. If any, he felt the lead wasn''t enough. After 9 months of stay in the military academy, Hrita Bone had a score of 79,348 Credits, claiming first in her Batch. But, at that time, she hadn''t broken through to Tier 2.


    Since she had been part of the January Batch, her score had been displayed on the 1st. She had only broken through to Tier 2 a couple of days later, getting awarded another 20,000 Credits.


    Being in the October Batch, their score was displayed on the 10th of every month. And for records, the scores of all previous Batches on that day were compared. Currently, Laila had topped the records once again. It meant her score had surpassed the accumulation of everyone in their military academy history, on the 10th day of the 10th month.


    But, here came the situation. In their final three months of stay in the military academy, the students obtained access to the Labyrinth of Frenzy. They would be able to fight and earn Credits according to the Frenzy Beast they kill within it.


    At Tier 1 and Tier 2, Espers were super weak while Warriors enjoyed a significant advantage. Therefore, he wouldn''t be surprised if Dalna Doppler surpassed him by next month. After all, Jyorta could vividly remember Rakh Veera''s performance on the day he broke through all records.


    Jyorta had inquired about Rakh Veera after that, feeling mildly surprised at what he had obtained. Rakh Veera''s performance wasn''t stellar in the first 9 months. But, after the Labyrinth of Frenzy was opened, his score surpassed all records. He was like a crouching tiger lying in wait within a bush, sharpening its fangs.


    Unless Jyorta did something remarkable, he wouldn''t be able to maintain his rank. The Warriors were bound to improve faster.


    "It will be a long, bumpy ride ahead." Jyorta weaved through the crowd, heading towards the Red Building situated in the Psychic Block. He didn''t have time to waste. Before the Warriors left him in the dust, he had to improve his abilities to be able to contend with them.


    ''I wonder what Laila is planning next. It won''t be possible to surpass Rakh Veera''s record through normal means. I have already appeared for most of the tests. The case should be the same for Laila. So, the only option to accumulate such massive Credits is through the Labyrinth of Frenzy.'' He closed his eyes, sensing the Hoberman sphere in his blue soul. With a smile, he walked towards the Red Building.

 Chapter 240: Entering the Labyrinth

    "If you still wish to train, you can do so. You have shown considerable improvement. Only through an exploration will you realise your faults. You can train after that to make up for your deficiencies." The moment he entered the Red Building, Madam Mila''s voice resounded in his ear.


    "Thank you, ma''am, for your consideration. I will explore the Labyrinth today." Jyorta glanced around, unable to find her. He then bowed towards the counter attached to the end of the hall, assuming her presence to be there. Having not heard any reply, Jyorta began to walk towards the counter.


    The hall was large, with cages situated on compact platforms that protruded out the walls. There was considerable aura in the air, but not to the extent he had faced on the 1st of the month. It seemed the aura had only been produced by a few Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts placed far from each other.


    The concentration was to the extent he could casually brush it off. Even an average Tier 1 Esper would only tremble for a couple of seconds under this aura intensity. It seemed the staff had left them like that to create the atmosphere. It was also to deter the students that didn''t take the exploration seriously, preventing the injury they would later suffer as a result of their carelessness.


    He soon approached the counter, finding a queue of four people before him. They were Espers from the August and September Batches, all Area Controllers. Among Espers, only Area Controllers dared to enter the Labyrinth of Frenzy.


    As for the Line Controllers, they were no different from a normal person. So, unless they were confident in their body''s capabilities, they wouldn''t attempt an exploration. Even then, only if they were ambitious to improve would they dare take the risk.


    Jyorta looked above the shoulder of the person before him, finding the counter empty. There were no signs of activity, everything looked pristine. But, the strange thing was the behaviour of the boy nearest to the counter.


    He looked solemn and nodded his head a couple of times. He then stretched his right hand, acting as if he had grabbed something thin, around the length of his palm. His hand moved on the surface of the desk but didn''t make any contact. There was neither any sound nor any signs of strain in his hand. It was eerie.


    Finally, the student placed the thing he held, or behaved as such. He then entered the path trailing to the counter''s right. It seemed to take at least five minutes for each person to finish. Feeling bored, Jyorta began to check out the weapons and armours of the students, comparing their choice with his.


    ''The student before me is going light. His armour is similar to mine. But, he is carrying around 20 Spindles and a couple of cube-shaped objects. I wonder how he fights.'' Jyorta then glanced behind, noticing the presence of three others, all lined up.


    "First time?" The boy behind him smiled. Seeing Jyorta nod, he extended his hand, "I''m Gwansa, from September Batch."


    "I''m Jyorta, from October Batch." Jyorta shook hands with the other party, noticing the person in the queue before him begin to move his empty hands on the desk.


    "So you''re Jyorta Bone." Gwansa nodded, taking a second glance at his face. On seeing the student closest to the counter finish his task, he patted Jyorta on the shoulder, "Just do your best. I''m sure you will emerge victoriously. Even otherwise, take a step back, prepare and dive a second time and clench victory."


    "Thank you," Jyorta smiled, "All the best to you too."


    ''Gwansa, ranked 7th in the September Batch, the strongest Esper in their batch; ranks 1 to 6 are all Warriors.'' Jyorta took a step forward, feeling surprised to see the figure of Madam Mila. Many papers floated around her, stacking within their respective shelves. A couple of pens scribbled on a register, noting down details of the students, recording their performance in the Labyrinth.


    "Read this and sign if you find it acceptable. You would be required to sign it every time you attempt to explore the Labyrinth." A notepad flew towards him, landing on the desk before. When he gazed at the first page, he noticed a ball-point pen land beside.


    It was full of clauses, giving him a headache upon reading the first line. Jyorta glanced at Madam Mila, hoping the lady that resembled a statue would explain the contents in a couple of sentences. But, after getting no response to his silent pleas, Jyorta could only grit his teeth and read through the notepad.


    The contents could be summarised into the following: The student will receive no assistance within the labyrinth. He/she would be pulled out only when on the verge of death. Any injuries suffered within will be healed upon exit. But, in the case of damage to the fused organs, the military academy will not compensate for the loss in Sync Rate.


    Credits would be awarded only based on the quality of the Brain/Heart Crystals collected. The quality would be judged based on the Sync Rate of the Frenzy Beast, which would be apparent by just inspecting the Heart/Brain Crystal. In the case where a student sabotaged another student, the consequence would be disastrous.


    His forehead throbbed in pain after reading through all the clauses, finally sighing in relief after reaching the end. Jyorta picked up the ball-point pen and began to sign at the end of each page. On the final page was a question that he was required to answer, in detail.


    "Why do you seek to explore the Labyrinth of Frenzy?"


    Seeing the question, Jyorta thought for a couple of seconds before writing, "To better my growth as an Esper. Training, battle experience, and Credit accumulation, they all can be done here."


    Maintaining a no-nonsense approach, Jyorta decided to end after the two sentences. The notepad disappeared; appearing in its place was a pouch. Madam Mila''s voice resounded, "It is made from Gulvana. So, you can store the Heart and Brain crystals in it without fear of them dissipating. Submit this pouch upon exit and we will evaluate your score. Head left; take path number 11. All the best!"


    "Thank you, ma''am." Jyorta bowed a little, grabbed hold of the pouch, and entered the path trailing to the left of the counter.


    "All the best man!" Gwansa raised his hand and shouted. Jyorta turned around and waved, "Thank you! You do your best too!"


    The path was dark, save for the source of light placed every 10 metres. It was a flight of steps, kind of steep. Each step was around 60 centimetres high, making it a bit difficult to descend. Jyorta had to exercise a bit of caution, controlling his speed of descent from picking up.


    Sounds of his footsteps echoed. The atmosphere was akin to walking within a dungeon, with cells of criminals trailing along the sides, the floor littered with shallow puddles of polluted water. The steps seemed to be made from stone, judging by its rough, uneven structure.


    It seemed to span a considerable distance. Jyorta continued to descend through the flight of stairs, feeling as if he was walking into the mouth of a prehistoric beast. It got darker and darker as he proceeded down.


    His pupil enlarged to its limits, trying to take in more light. The surroundings got progressively darker, the sounds of his footsteps painting a rhythm. He could hear the sound of the footstep he had made a couple of seconds before. Jyorta varied the intensity of his footsteps before getting this information. It was nerve-wracking.


    He soon approached the end of the stairs, watching the path make a ''U-Turn'' and continue with a flat path. He had walked ten metres on the flat path before noticing a large double door. A plaque hung over it, stating ''Path Number 1''.


    The double door was four metres wide and three metres high. Jyorta continued forth, watching a double door appear after every six metres. The number inscribed on the plaque of each double door increased by an additive of 1. Spiking in response to it was his heart rate, thumping in ever-increasing intensities.


    He felt nervous; sweat formed on his forehead and neck, seeping out through his pores. His breathing became unstable while his body entered a state of alarm. His senses heightened, grabbing hold of the slightest disturbances.


    Jyorta didn''t use his false persona, willing to temper his habit, eventually modifying his character. It was a negative from his past life. As he continued to comprehend the essence of his previous life''s character, this negative was also enriched. He felt tense during the prelude to any event of significance, whether it had any impact on him or not.


    It always existed. Now, Jyorta once again felt the tension, despite having not begun anything. He wanted to get rid of this aspect of him. That is why he refrained from using his false persona.


    The air was mouldy, mixed with the stench of old leather.


    Finally, he stopped before a double door. The plaque on it read ''Path Number 11''. It was then he noticed that the double door didn''t have any handle to push it open. A flash of yellow later, a rectangular slab materialised before him.


    The double door creaked open. A nauseating stench, akin to a mixture of urine, rust, algae-covered water, and old leather wafted from within. He could occasionally hear faint roars, ones that sent the chills in him.


    The rectangular slab affixed itself on the wall within as Madam Mila''s voice resounded, "When you wish to exit, slam your palm on it. The doors will automatically open. All the best!"


    As he stepped foot inside the path, Jyorta watched the double door close behind him, slamming with a loud sound, akin to two boulders colliding with each other.

 Chapter 241: Two-Faced Firefly

    Just the sounds of the double door closing startled him. It was loud, carrying with it mild shockwaves that stirred up the air. His face was flushed red, his thumping heart sought to jump out of his chest, the sounds of his pulses echoed in his ear.


    This wasn''t his first time entering the Labyrinth of Frenzy. He had entered it a total of three times before this. But, during those three times, he was accompanied by a psychic arm of Madam Mila. Moreover, a partition of yellow existed 10 metres into the path¡ªfrom the entrance. This prevented him from taking a look into the actual Labyrinth.


    In the open space, Madam Mila brought in a single Frenzy Beast every time for him to practice. It was her way of helping him since he couldn''t use his full strength under the watch of others. She also taught him some methods to use his corrosion.


    It was something he wished to thank Psychic Ancestor Marble. Because of his word, Madam Mila had been helping him in secret all this while. Even though she was no different from a statue, actions spoke greater than words. Madam Mila had helped him a lot.


    Despite this being his fourth visit, it was his first exploration. So, Jyorta was partly excited but mostly tense. He placed his hand on the sword attached to his hip. It was something he had exchanged after his previous three training sessions.


    Espers were weak at Tier 1 and Tier 2. He was reminded of this fact every time he battled. He could erupt with greater power through his physical body than through his psychic arms. So, having a sword was better. Moreover, while his psychic arms moved, his arms would be free. So, making use of them would give him more options to attack.


    ''If even I am facing such difficulties, I can''t even imagine for Line Controllers. No wonder they never try to explore the Labyrinth.'' Faint aura circulated in the air. It didn''t even faze him but it would serve to mildly affect the focus of Line Controllers.


    He had worn his armour, white that varied in colour based on the angle one looked at it with. On his back was a device, and placed with half its surface peaking out was the chakram. Strapped around his right thigh were two spindles, one for each psychic arm. On his left thigh were a regular spindle and a spindle that spanned 30 centimetres in length.


    Strapped around his hip, on the other side to his sword was a bag, rectangular in shape. Within it was a gauze, a knife, alcohol to disinfect wounds, and some paste to stop bleeding. He also placed the pouch within it, as it was currently empty.


    Jyorta was unable to see beyond a metre from him. Even that, he could only make out faint outlines. It was dark, lacking any light. Faint sounds of Frenzy Beasts resounded from afar, barely audible. It just displayed the vastness of the Labyrinth.


    More than that, it was eerie. The place was also cold, making him unconsciously shiver. Jyorta unleashed his weaker psychic arm; it spanned a length of 266 centimetres. His current Nurturing increased the length of both his psychic arms by one centimetre per day. It was a growth equivalent to an Area Controller that had a Sync Rate of 100.It was thanks to his Tier 5 Artifact, the pressure his blue soul exerted on the subsoul, and the Trait of Efficiency.


    Jyorta closed his eyes, taking in deep breaths, watching his heart rate steadily calm down. He took his time, not budging from his spot, seeking to get used to the atmosphere. His ears captured the slightest of sounds, his eyes sought for even the faintest of luminescence. But, since he was fully armoured, he couldn''t feel the flow of air through the sense of touch on his skin.


    The weaker psychic arm converged around his body, forming a layer. It first insulated the temperature, preventing his body heat from seeping out. It then masked his scent, creating a filter that prevented his presence from lingering on the air he exhaled. Finally, his image flickered in and out of existence, reflecting all incident rays through the barrier and refracting then on the opposite end, making a scene as if the light just passed through his body.


    It was a method using the concept of total internal reflection. Jyorta took almost a minute to get it right. After all, this ability depended on the environment and had to be adjusted accordingly. Thankfully, he had enough practice for this ability.


    Finally, the barrier tried to lift him. But, it didn''t exert itself. All it did was decrease his weight by 2.66 kilograms. It was a measure to decrease his body weight, allowing him to move slightly faster. In a battle, even the slightest of difference mattered.


    Jyorta took in a deep breath, glancing at his blue soul, watching the Hoberman sphere ready in position. He exhaled, watching his body begin to calm down, the nervousness beginning to abate. Once he got into the groove of the atmosphere, his body was adapting to the flow. When things got serious, Jyorta took on a no-nonsense approach. That was his character.


    He closed his eyes, checking how the reception of his senses worked. Finally, as he opened his eyes, he unleashed his domain. His domain was a sphere surrounding him, with its centre being his brain. It had the same radius as the length of his stronger psychic arm¡ª326 centimetres.


    His domain focused on the presence of living beings. To an extent, it was an extension of his body''s senses. So, it felt like his body had become a large sphere. Anything that happened within it would be felt by him. It wasn''t anything fancy like the feedback from his psychic arm. It had a limited effect. But, since he was unable to make sense of his psychic arm''s feedback, his domain played vital importance.


    The terrain was a mixture of sand and clay, with rocks of all sizes strewn about. There existed boulders, forming cracks across their surface, and reflecting the faint luminescence that existed. Holding a sword in his hand, Jyorta neared a boulder. His stronger psychic arm held his chakram, hovering on the back of his head.


    His steps made crunching sounds, the weight of his body shattering brittle rocks. They were dry, making loud sounds as they shattered. Jyorta was alert, taking one step at a time. Most of his focus was on his domain. He hypnotised himself, keeping a mental reminder to move the chakram in the way of anything that entered his domain.


    A high-frequency sound of flapping insect wings resounded, prompted by the sound of his footsteps. Suddenly, a bright light flashed, momentarily blinding him. Jyorta controlled the barrier covering him, hurriedly making changes so that the intense light wouldn''t expose him. In an instant, he modified his barrier, making it seem as if the light passed through him, preventing him from being exposed.


    The part of the barrier over his eyes changed a little, filtering the intensity of the light, allowing him to gaze at the source. It resembled a Firefly, the size of his fist. Its appearance was similar to his past life, except for the size.


    The firefly flew away from him, heading deeper into the labyrinth. Jyorta noticed another face on its back, similar to the one on its front. It was the Frenzy Beast, Two-Faced Firefly. The one that had flown away from him was an Observer.


    Despite their menacing appearance, the Two-Faced Firefly never fought against anyone. They were scavengers. In the aftermath of a battle, they would arrive to feast upon the carcasses. In normal times, they would flee upon first sight.


    Prompted by its flight, many Two-Faced Fireflies that had been in hiding took off to the air, beginning to fly further into the Labyrinth. Their appearance lit up the path, allowing him to take note of his surroundings in detail.


    He was neither unwilling to bring in a flashlight nor was he prevented from doing so. He was advised against doing so because most of the Frenzy Beasts attacked any sources of light. And, the illumination varied by the levels. In the Labyrinth of Frenzy, each level had its own terrain.


    Just as he had expected, a Frenzy Beast sprang upon the flying Two-Faced Fireflies, gobbling up a couple of them with the first bite. After chewing once, it swallowed the contents. Its tongue shot forth, coiling around another Two-Faced Firefly, pulling it into its mouth in an instant.


    It was the Frenzy Beast, Spiked Lizard. It had a body spanning a metre in length, with long, forking spikes trailing across their backs. Their faces slightly resembled humans while their eyes¡ªhidden underneath a thick layer of gelatinous skin¡ªwere suited to the dark. Situated next was another pair of eyes, currently closed. They were used to see in surroundings with greater light.


    Jyorta saw at least 10 of such creatures in his proximity. As the Two-Faced Fireflies lit the way as they fled, he noticed many more of such creatures crawling across the walls and boulders. Their tongues flashed forth, gobbling up the Two-Faced Fireflies that flew nearby. Their tongues extended to twice the length of their bodies, spanning 2 metres. Considering their speed, they proved to be deadly weapons.


    Jyorta also noticed a faint tangy smell permeate through the air a second after the Spiked Lizards began to move. He judged the air had become slightly toxic. He could also feel a mild numbing sensation in his limbs. His fingers began to faintly shiver.


    Jyorta pulled down a small protrusion on his armour¡ªsituated above his nose. Followed by the sound of something sliding, a thin slab covered his nose. In it were the scents of various herbs, detoxifying the poison. A couple of seconds later, the numbing sensation in his body abated.


    The path had also become dark as the Two-Faced Fireflies flew further and further away from him. Jyorta calmed his mind as he unleashed his aura.

 Chapter 242: Spiked Lizard

    It was a wave, overbearing in nature. The air became mildly turbulent under the intensity. Small rocks near him were sent flying for a couple of metres. His aura gushed forth with full strength. His body felt a feeling of relaxation, finally able to exert its presence without having to tuck it all inside.


    The Spiked Lizards around 20 metres from him trembled, their legs turning weak. Their bodies plopped one after the other. The ones who were positioned on the walls and the ceiling slipped, with the ones that fell from the ceiling falling to their deaths.


    The ceiling was 30 metres high while the path was 10 metres wide. So, most of the Spiked Lizards had been on the walls at varying heights. Depending on their heights, their fall damaged them accordingly.


    Jyorta began to sprint towards the nearest Spiked Lizard, gripping his sword with greater strength. He abruptly stopped, finding the path become as dark as to when he had entered. The Two-Faced Fireflies had flown too far for their light to reach him.


    He controlled the barrier on him, assuming a state of invisibility. Since the ambient light would no longer change, he didn''t need to expend mental energy to constantly vary it. Remembering the position of the Spiked Lizard he had last seen, he inched towards it, being careful about his step, unwilling to trip.


    Suddenly, Jyorta raised his right leg, making a slash at its previous spot with his sword. His sword made contact with a wriggling creature that had drilled out of the ground, only lodging part way. He took a step back as his chakram slammed into the creature, beginning to spin.


    A screech resounded, followed by a nauseating stench, making him want to throw up then and there. The chakram began to cut into its body at the spot where it had peaked above ground, preventing it from retreating inside.


    Jyorta took a closer look, the darkness made it difficult for him to ascertain the creature. But, based on how it had attacked, he could easily figure out its identity. Only one Frenzy Beast attacked in such a manner; it was a Ring worm.


    Based on the strength it displayed, it had barely begun its journey as an Observer. His chakram began to cut into its body, severing many nerves along its wake. He controlled his chakram, preventing the Ring Worm from burrowing into the ground.


    Also, due to his aura, it couldn''t react as fast as it usually could, soon getting severed into two. As his aura passed through the ground, it was significantly weakened. That was why the Ring Worm could pop out from underneath him without being deterred.


    The moment it got severed, Jyorta didn''t hurry to fish out its Heart crystal. He stood in his spot, noticing the twitching of the Ring Worm come to a halt through his domain. Even after that, he refrained from closing in.


    His chakram began to sever the Ring Worm''s body longitudinally. The moment it began to cut into its head, the Ring Worm began to thrash erratically. Its earlier act had been faked to lure him in. Having made enough research, and thanks to Madam Mila''s guidance, Jyorta didn''t fall for something this basic.


    The Ring Worm was soon diced into two, longitudinally. His psychic arm dropped the chakram beside its severed body, seeped through a severed part, and came out with a Heart Crystal. It shaved off the blood and muscle tissue surrounding it, arriving before Jyorta.


    Jyorta opened the pouch and watched his psychic arm drop the Heart Crystal into it. He then closed it and strapped it around his hip, placing it next to the rectangular bag. "That was 6 Credits."


    As his psychic arm grabbed hold of the chakram, he began to walk forward, his senses trained to his domain. Soon, a Spiked Lizard came into the range of his domain. His psychic arm placed the chakram into the device on his back, pulling out a spindle strapped to his thigh.


    Jyorta maintained a distance of three metres from the Spiked Lizard, staying beyond the reach of its tongue. The spindle gently moved towards it, beginning to spin along the way.


    The Spiked Lizard could only make gurgling sounds, trying to move but failing to do so. It saw its brethren being in a state similar to it. It also noticed its brethren farther away shiver as they slowly head deeper into the Labyrinth. The farther from Jyorta, the weaker his aura became. Also, it was absorbed or negated by the countless obstacles and Frenzy Beasts it passed, becoming weaker as it progressed.


    The effective range was only about 30 metres. Beyond that, the Spiked Lizards were able to resist and slowly escape with their trembling bodies. The Spiked Lizard was unable to even activate its Tier 1 Skill, lacking the mental capacity to do so. The aura was affecting its concentration, also dulling its primitive senses.


    It was unable to see any enemy but could faintly feel the source of the aura inch closer. At the next moment, it noticed a thick needle-like object take up its vision, closing in alarmingly before a sea of crimson bloomed.


    "Chiii! Chi! Chiiiiii!"


    Hearing the high pitched shrieks of the Spiked Lizard, Jyorta hesitated. His spindle that had been drilling into its eye stopped. Despite its status as a foe, it was still a life. Hearing its screams of pain, Jyorta hesitated.


    Until now, even though he had killed a few Frenzy Beasts, it was more because of self-defence and the fact that the Frenzy Beasts tried to kill him. The case for the Ring Worm was the same. It tried to kill him and he retaliated.


    But, in the current situation, the Spiked Lizard lay helpless, unable to even move. As the shrieks of the Spiked Lizard increased in intensity, Jyorta pulled out his spindle, even retracting his aura. He felt disgusted, feeling his resolve lacking.


    No sooner had he retracted his aura, the Spiked Lizard exerted all its strength in its legs, leaping. While in the air, it opened its mouth, shooting forth its tongue. Due to the darkness, he couldn''t make out such a fast-paced motion through his eyes, failing to react in time.


    He instinctively released his aura, feeling pain in his left hand. A tongue had wrapped around it, pulling his body towards it immediately. The force was strong enough to shake his balance. Jyorta widened his footing, firming his hold on the ground.


    The Spiked Lizard had already lost control of its legs due to his aura. But, as it had been in the air, it contracted its tongue, which was strong enough to overcome the numbing effect of his aura for a moment. Its body shot towards Jyorta; everything happened in the span of a second.


    Jyorta barely managed to notice the body of the Spiked Lizard clamping on his hand with everything it had. His heart sped up in response, thumping at the highest intensity he had ever witnessed. He watched the face of the Spiked Lizard close up, feeling icy cold fluid drip out from its mouth.


    At the spot where its jaws had clamped shut, a spindle had stopped it, piercing through it as a result of the force. His left hand barely managed to remain intact. It was thanks to the spindle holding its two jaws in place, acting as a wedge.


    Jyorta waved his left hand towards the ground, slamming the Spiked Lizard''s body on the rough surface. He then stepped on its tail; his right hand hacked with the sword while he tried to pull his left out. The tongue had constricted itself, preventing him from pulling his hand out.


    The Spiked Lizard tried to close its jaws shut, uncaring about its injury, willing to trade an injury for his hand. Leaving the spindle lodged in its jaws, his psychic arm pulled out another strapped around his thigh.


    It quickly started to spin and drilled into the eye wound he had inflicted before. Copious amounts of blood splashed out as Jyorta hissed in pain. The teeth of the Spiked Lizard began to dig into his flesh. It was currently protected by his armour but it wasn''t hard armour; it could only negate part of the damage, transferring the sharpness to his skin, causing a prickling sensation of a blade piercing into him.


    His eyes widened as his right hand let go of the sword and grabbed the Spiked Lizard. His body tumbled, rolling on the ground, watching two Ring Worms peak out from his previous spot. The moment they emerged out, their bodies stiffened, affected by his aura.


    The part of their bodies buried into the ground wriggled and contracted, pulling their upper bodies into the ground, soon escaping the area of his aura''s influence. When they rolled, his body pressed on the Spiked Lizard''s body, causing its jaws to close in further.


    This time, he felt something pierce his skin. Despite the protection of the armour, the damage was being dealt to him. He also heard the sound of fabric being torn, little by little. His final layer of defence had been the barrier he had created with his weaker psychic arm. But, it didn''t possess much strength.


    In the earlier attack, it had shattered in the place the Spiked Lizard''s tongue had wrapped around. This caused the portion of his hand beyond the spot to be undefended by the barrier. After all, it was a continuous, connected armour, originating from his head. As a place of energy flow shattered, it broke off the connection beyond it, causing the barrier on his left hand to dissipate into psychic energy.


    Every time Jyorta sought to deal with the Spiked Lizard, his focus was redirected to the two Ring Worms that burrowed out from the ground to attack both the entangled parties.

 Chapter 243: A Rough Battle

    "Urgh," Jyorta grunted, noticing a thin stream of blood seep out from his left hand. A tooth of the Spiked Lizard finally broke past all defences, piercing his skin. Even though he had recreated a barrier over his arm, it wasn''t as strong as before. After all, it had to layer the tongue of the Spiked Lizard wound over his arm.


    If it tried to go under the tongue, it shattered every time the tongue tightened its hold. Even though it was recreated, the teeth of the Spiked Lizard continued to press on it, quickly shattering it, finally breaking through his armour''s defences.


    Jyorta rolled on the ground, with the Spiked Lizard in tow. Finally, its body trembled erratically before turning limp. His spindle had finally drilled its way into the Spiked Lizard''s brain and had damaged enough.


    But, despite its body turning limp, its hold on his arm remained. Its body was really heavy, almost half his body weight. Carrying it with him as he moved around, Jyorta was taking a lot of damage. The strain in his muscles increased, the pain he felt amplified as he rolled on the uneven ground, with the sharp rocks piercing him.


    Jyorta retracted the barrier covering his body, using the weaker psychic arm to grab a spindle. His stronger psychic arm placed the spindle next to him, following him as he tried to stand up. The spikes on the Spiked Lizard''s back prevented him from rolling. It took him everything he had to roll twice.


    As he tried to get up, Jyorta noticed the Ring Worms become ready to attack him. A single second of pause was all they needed to spring into action. His right hand grabbed hold of a stronger looking spike, exerting all the strength available into his legs. Thanks to his domain''s input, he timed his jump.


    His legs barely moved up. The only reason they moved above the ground was that Jyorta had bent his legs during the jump. The elevation of his line of sight hardly changed. That was all he could do while carrying a Frenzy Beast that weighed half as much as him.


    Just as he expected, the Ring Worms drilled out from the spot his feet had been on the ground. But, what greeted them weren''t his meaty legs but two alloys of dismemberment. The spindle entered the Ring Worm''s body through its open mouth, turning a little before aiming at its heart.


    The chakram too slid into the other Ring Worm''s mouth, due to its radius only being five centimetres. The mouth of the Ring Worm was slightly larger. As for a couple of muscle strands that were in the way, the spindle cut through them as it began to spin.


    The pain caused them to involuntarily bend their heads forward, in a struggle. No sooner had they done so did his legs land upon them, the momentum slamming them to the ground. Their bodies were compressed, the muscles in them unable to overcome the weight he carried.


    He had landed around 10 centimetres below their head, not allowing them enough room to bend their mouths to bite him. But, they still struggled to wriggle free out of his hold. They controlled their body muscles, varying the toughness in them, seeking to imbalance him.


    Jyorta almost lost his balance as they wriggled the muscles in their bodies. The floor was uneven as is, not to mention the weight he was carrying while stepping on the bodies of the two Ring Worms. Any more disturbances and he would fall.


    Before it could come to pass, his Refined Objects damaged them from within. His aura also served to numb their muscles, leaving them weak. It took almost 20 seconds before Jyorta judged the two Ring Worms as dead.


    Still being cautious, he made a light jump and took a couple of steps forward, tumbling along the way and sliding on the ground. He noticed through his domain that their severed bodies still twitched. Using his chakram, he finished them off.


    The chakram then arrived before him, beginning to cut the tongue wrapped around his left hand. He had to be careful, unwilling to cut his hand in his hurry. While he was occupied with the task, Jyorta heard the cries of the other Spiked Lizards. The moment they smelled the blood of their brethren, they entered a state of frenzy.


    The sounds of stones hitting the ground, rolling on the rocky surface, and mud falling on the boulders echoed. The Spiked Lizards were resisting with greater intensity. Jyorta also noticed his aura beginning to faintly grow weaker.


    It was a sign of fatigue being built up in him. His aura wasn''t an inexhaustible resource. It was just the cells in his body exerting their presence. As his body grew tired, so too did his aura. Therefore, the Spiked Lizards were showing signs of movement.


    Due to the darkness, Jyorta couldn''t see their conditions. All he could do was make a guess based on the sounds. Finally, his chakram severed through a part of the tongue, allowing him to pull out the winding shackle. As a long part of a severed tongue came off, Jyorta winced in pain. His left hand experienced a feeling of being burned; It was also growing numb. He also felt difficulty in exerting strength through it.


    Jyorta stepped foot on an overgrowth along its lower jaw, having placed its body on the ground. His right hand grabbed hold of its upper jaw and began to pull, feeling the muscles in his hand strain themselves.


    The strength in its jaw was greater than his expectations; Jyorta felt difficulty in pulling it up. His two psychic arms helped him, adding on their powers. Finally, he barely managed to pull it up until the tooth lodged in his hand came out. He hurriedly pulled out his left hand and took a step back, watching the jaws of the Spiked Lizard clamp with a loud noise.


    Hearing the sound, Jyorta unconsciously held his left hand, thanking for the fact that had hadn''t lost it. He felt difficulty in retrieving the spindle lodged within its jaws, deciding to leave it there after a moment of thought. It was partially lodged into the skull, also bending a little during the tussle.


    It would be hard for him to retrieve it unless he opened its jaws. Even then he would have to struggle a lot. The situation didn''t allow him the time and strength to do so. So Jyorta had no choice but to abandon it.


    His other spindle drilled its way through the Spiked Lizard''s body, using a path lined with softer muscles. It eventually reached its heart before coming out. Dropping the spindle next to its body, his psychic arm flashed through the drilled part and fished out its Heart Crystal. Shedding the muscle tissues and blood covering it, the psychic arm dropped the Heart Crystal in the pouch.


    The two psychic arms fished out the Heart Crystals from the Ring Worms as Jyorta picked up his sword. There was blood coating its surface, dulling the blood-soaked edge. It was due to the Essence of Frenzy within it.


    "The Essence of Frenzy," Jyorta was startled after being reminded about it, seeping his psychic arm through the wound on his left hand, pulling out something that induced a burning feeling in him. The moment he extracted some mangled muscle tissue and blood, he felt the burning sensation abate by a large margin.


    Thanks to his aura unleashed in full swing, and the quality of the Essence of frenzy being inferior due to it originating from an Observer, it hadn''t managed to seep deep into him. Jyorta took a minute to treat his hand, finally wrapping the gauze around it.


    He still felt difficulty in exerting strength in his left; the feeling of pain began to distract his focus, occupying more and more of his thoughts. His stronger psychic arm carried the chakram while his weaker psychic arm formed a barrier that shielded him, enacting the previous effects.


    Feeling the pain, Jyorta thought, ''It was my naivety that resulted in my injury. If I had reacted a second later, I would have lost an arm. They are enemies, as simple as that. That is all I should think about.''


    Even though he knew about their response towards him, he had still hesitated upon hearing the Spiked Lizard''s cries. It was his mental block, something that had formed thanks to his two decades worth of stay in a city in his previous life, away from making contact with any wildlife of threat. Now, this pain served as a lesson to him.


    If he wasn''t vicious, he would be eaten up without any hesitation. ''Even though I knew about their possible behavioural pattern, I still failed to implement it. Tempering through practical experience triumphs endless theoretical simulations; I guess it is time I wake up to the reality of the harshness of this world.''


    The pain would serve as a reminder of sorts, preventing him from becoming soft-hearted. Making a check of his bearings, Jyorta continued to head deeper, trying to see if any Spiked Lizard would come within the range of his domain.


    The fingers on his left trembled as they held the hilt of his sword. They acted as support; his right hand acted as the dominant performer. Part of his attention was focused on the ground, watching out for any other Ring Worm that desired his flesh.


    Soon, a Spiked Lizard came into range. Its body trembled; it frothed at the mouth, having fainted. Only then did Jyorta notice the change in his aura. Before, it was just his presence being exerted. Now, mixed amid it was faint killing intent that turned his aura deadlier.

 Chapter 244: Crust-Mantle

    The killing intent had mixed with his aura, turning it into a weapon with a focus. Earlier, it was just a formless force, lacking any intent, only causing physical suppression. Now, it had intent, also serving a purpose. Thanks to it, the Spiked Lizard fainted, its mental capacity no longer able to endure.


    Jyorta maintained his distance, unwilling to come into range of the Spiked Lizard''s tongue. His spindle flashed, drilling into the Spiked Lizard through its eyes. The Spiked Lizard woke up with a start, letting out shrieking noises. But, its legs were unable to gather strength, same for its body. Only its internal organs were able to move, thanks to them being shielded by the surrounding muscles. But, except for faint vibrations, they couldn''t do anything else.


    As the spindle continued to drill into its body, the resistance against his psychic energy decreased. The Spiked Lizard''s aura was suppressed by his aura, leaving it unable to resist the seepage of his psychic energy. This was a valuable experience, giving him a couple of ideas to implement in the future.


    Soon, the spindle had drilled deeper into its body, managing to kill it. Jyorta placed its Heart Crystal in the pouch, intending to continue with his killing spree. He had already killed five Frenzy Beasts in such a short duration.


    Based on what he sensed as his aura affected their bodies, he could guess their Sync Rates, deriving the number of Credits he had amassed through them. "6, 7, 6, 6, 6; that makes a total of 31 Credits. Not bad, but not good enough either. Do I proceed deeper until I face Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts?"


    Killing even a single Tier 2 Frenzy Beast would have netted him twice his current gain. It was efficient to kill them. But, after a moment of thought, Jyorta decided against it. ''I am having trouble with just these Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts. It will be difficult to face opponents that won''t be much affected by my aura.''


    "I''ll head in deeper later after I have enough confidence." Deciding on his choice, Jyorta walked forth, finding three Spiked Lizards that were on the verge of death. They had fallen on a boulder that was half his height. One was on the top while the other two were slowly sliding towards the ground. There was a small pool of blood on the ground, with thin streams seeping out from their bodies.


    Just when Jyorta planned to put them out of their misery, he heard a loud crunching sound to his back. It was frighteningly loud, as if a carnivorous beast was gnawing on a bone, its jaw force breaking them into pieces upon each bite.


    Jyorta felt alarmed, deciding to investigate it first. He didn''t wish for whatever creature it was to spring upon him while he battled against another Frenzy Beast. Holding his sword before him, Jyorta tiptoed, unwilling to make any noise.


    His chakram hovered before his chest, ready to intercept attacks from any angle. His heart beat faster, thumping in increasing intensities. Blood rushed to his head; his adrenaline kicked into overdrive.


    The crunching sounds were loud, akin to a pipe of steel broken into two. Followed by faint screeching sounds, the surroundings began to brighten. It was a sudden influx; the Two-Faced Fireflies were returning. Jyorta didn''t why they were returning but all he knew was that it didn''t bode well for him.


    The change in ambient light was too fast for him to adjust. His figure was dimly outlined in the area. As the Two-Faced Fireflies came in the range of his aura, they plopped to the ground, their wings twitching. But, they continued to emit light.


    Jyorta finally managed to witness the creature that was the source of the crunching sounds. It was a large Frenzy Beast, spanning a height of 200 centimetres. Its body was long, spanning at least four metres, segmented into 12, with each segment possessing a pair of legs, shaped into a hook, sharp like spikes.


    Its body thinned along its tail, ending with two feelers, each around 20 centimetres in length, and possessing a radius of five centimetres. Small appendages grew over it, wriggling every second in search of something.


    A hard exoskeleton covered its body, outlining each segment. In the gaps where each segment joined, the exoskeleton was replaced by a gelatinous membrane. At the front of the segmented region was a cylindrical part, fully covered by the exoskeleton¡ªforming strips. The strips seemed to have been riveted, judging by their sliding over each other to facilitate the Frenzy Beast''s movement.


    Four pincers were on its front, two big, situated at the top, and two small, situated underneath it. The pair of small pincers was positioned right underneath the mandibles. The mandibles were fixed upon tough muscles, each of whose movements seemed filled with power. Lodged on its head were three pairs of eyes: one pair facing the front, and the remaining two facing either side. Finally, hoisted up by an appendage was an eye, underneath of which was a valve connected to a tube-like mechanism.


    "Crust-Mantle," Jyorta muttered. Thankfully, the barrier shielding him negated the sound, preventing the Frenzy Beast from sensing his location. Seeing its appearance, Jyorta was alert.


    Crust-Mantles were a Frenzy Beast race that had been discovered in the past decade. Their overall strength and their base of operations were unknown. They lived underground, coming up to the land in search of prey.


    They were solitary creatures, lacking both wisdom and a Trait of their own. So, they weren''t classified as a threat. Due to their low intelligence, hardly any Crust-Mantle managed to break into Tier 4, not to mention higher Tiers.


    Also, the Skills they Nurtured were really weak as compared to other Frenzy Beasts. Their Tier 3 and Tier 4 Skills were useless and served no practical value. Based on what he had browsed through the Portal and the classes he had attended, Crust-Mantles were weak.


    They possessed tough but rigid bodies. Despite their brute power, due to a lack of flexibility, they were prey to other Frenzy Beasts. Their senses were also dull. But, since they primarily lived underground, they managed to survive. While on their topic, the teacher in charge of the class warned that many things about the Crust-Mantles were still a mystery. So, it wasn''t wise to underestimate them.


    ''But, the Crust-Mantles are a new Frenzy Beast race. That means they had evolved due to the Frenzy Parasite to become a stronger race. I wonder what secrets it possesses.'' Jyorta thought, seeing the hole near its tail. It had emerged from the ground by burrowing through the path.


    Jyorta inched towards it, unwilling to alert it. As he had been in the same area for a considerable time, his aura had permeated through the entire place, making his foes unable to pinpoint the source. That was why he was still safe.


    The ambient light faintly flickered, thanks to the trembling of the Two-Faced Fireflies. Jyorta tiptoed around the boulders, taking measures to not fall into its line of sight. Despite possessing three pairs of eyes, the Crust-Mantle had a lot of blind spots. It was due to its eye''s limited sight and its inability to see most of the visible light spectrum. As for the spectrum beyond the visible light, it couldn''t see them either.


    Jyorta arrived within four metres of it, deciding to stop. He watched it eat the carcass of the Spiked Lizard he had killed first, noticing the spindle lodged in its jaws be crushed easily. Bone and flesh were both crushed the same, displaying its immense jaw strength.


    He first wanted to find out the limits of his Esper capabilities, planning to use his powers of the soul later. But, curiosity got the better of him now. The Crust-Mantle before him was at the peak of Tier 2, possessing a staggering Sync Rate of 86 percent. He dared not imagine how much it possessed at Tier 1.


    Just the fact of its high Sync Rate alone made it a good target, not to mention it belonging to a new Frenzy Beast race, about which very little was known. Without any commotion, Jyorta took in the view of his blue soul, watching his surroundings turn dark.


    There was his blue soul, the same as always. Hovering next to it was his subsoul, within which a perpetual battle between two egos continued. There were two souls in his range, to his front, conforming to the Crust-Mantle.


    He noticed the embers of a soul dissipate in its mouth. Judging by what he felt, he determined it to be the soul of the Spiked Lizard''s Frenzy Parasite. There were the emotions of hunger washing over to his blue soul, accompanied by gas-like murkiness.


    The soul of the Crust-Mantle was abnormally large for an Amplifier. It was almost half his blue soul''s size. Considering its lack of wisdom, it shouldn''t have had such a size. As he pondered, Jyorta glanced at the soul of its Frenzy Parasite, which hovered somewhere around the middle of its 8th segment.


    It was a tiny wisp, surrounded by faint murkiness. His two Soul Corneas flashed around it, converting it into his subsoul within a second. After exerting its influence, it vaporised the murkiness surrounding the wisp, also extracting the memory fragments within.


    As the blue soul absorbed the memory fragments, it sent a couple of memories to his brain, allowing them to be processed. At the next moment, Jyorta frowned, his expression morphing into one of shock.


    His eyes widened, experiencing a scare. Within the blue soul, the Hoberman sphere was stirred into activity. His two Soul Corneas pierced through the murkiness of the Crust-Mantle''s soul, exerting their influence, starting to vaporise all the murkiness.


    One Soul Cornea enlarged in size, allowing the Hoberman sphere to travel through it. Finally, when it arrived at its end, the Soul Cornea shot it into the depth of the murkiness, aiming at the soul hidden within.


    Jyorta wiped the sweat covering his forehead, anticipating its effects, all the while frowning, his expression was solemn.

 Chapter 245: The Hoberman Sphere’s Effect

    The Hoberman sphere was shaped into a rugged sphere, with thin lines forming its surface, implying the contraption they formed. It shot into the murkiness, its speed beginning to slow as it was slammed.


    The Hoberman sphere began to spin, drilling through the murkiness, pushing away the semi-solid fragments in them aside through sheer force. The Two Soul Corneas followed its lead, exerting their influence, and vaporising the thrown murkiness.


    They prevented the murkiness from enclosing the Hoberman sphere. They also supplied it with a steady stream of soul energy, repairing any damage it suffered. Jyorta felt the strain in his psychic energy depletion.


    He didn''t expend the energy in his soul to sustain the Soul Corneas, unwilling to use up its foundation unless the situation turned urgent. Therefore, he supplemented it with his psychic energy.


    He was also pressed for time. The Crust-Mantle was about to finish eating the Spiked Lizard. It would probably return through the hole it had burrowed out from. He would lose his opportunity by then.


    His psychic energy reserves were running low. He had started the exploration with the amount refilled over the past two days. Rest were all used up in his training. Jyorta concentrated on his task, always keeping part of his attention on his surroundings.


    The Spiked Lizards were beginning to move. The ones within the range had fallen unconscious but both the intensity and range of his aura were decreasing. Now, its sphere of effect had fallen to 20 metres. Jyorta was worried that the Spiked Lizards would drop on him from the ceiling, which had a fair possibility of happening now.


    The Hoberman sphere unfurled itself, from a shrunken version into a large, spherical cage. It had fully expanded, encompassing the Crust-Mantle''s soul within. The murkiness continued to damage it but a faint blue sheen covered the cage.


    The false persona was beginning to affect the Crust-Mantle. It contained the traits of decisiveness, absolute servitude, and compassion, with servitude directed towards him and compassion directed towards all humans.


    It allowed him to command his foes until the false persona was in effect. Immediately, there was a change. The Crust-Mantle finished eating the Spiked Lizard before proceeding to kill the Spiked Lizards that lay helpless on the ground.


    Even the Spiked Lizards that were beyond the range of his aura were still affected. They were barely able to move at present. The Crust-Mantle unleashed its aura, turning their bodies numb. Its aura overlapped his, enriching the effect.


    The Crust-Mantle used its sharp mandibles and powerful jaws to kill all the Spiked Lizards. As for the Two-Faced Fireflies, Jyorta commanded it to refrain from killing them. He also came to know¡ªthrough the memories he was absorbing¡ªthat Crust-Mantles refrained from killing any tiny Frenzy Beasts. Spanning only the size of his fist, the Two-Faced Fireflies fell under this category.


    Also, Jyorta didn''t wish to destroy his source of illumination. After all, he wasn''t going to end with a single exploration. Bringing out a Soul Cornea, he took in the dissipating souls of the Frenzy Beasts the Crust-Mantle killed.


    He didn''t try to absorb their murkiness, not having the leeway to get their memory fragments. After all, the murkiness would harm him. To get the memory fragments within, he had to first vaporise the murkiness which would consume a lot of psychic energy.


    At present, using up his psychic energy like that would only negatively affect him. It also served no purpose. He still had to explore the Labyrinth of Frenzy as much as he can and accumulate more Credits. That was practically feasible.


    ''I can just get higher quality memory fragments from the Frenzy beasts I would kill in the future.'' Jyorta through, only absorbing the soul fragments; they could be used to create false personas. Jyorta especially wished to create more Hoberman spheres.


    The Crust-Mantle first killed its foes, unwilling to be attacked while it consumed its meal. Jyorta tiptoed behind it, fishing out the Heart Crystals from the dead Frenzy beasts. Even though the Crust-Mantle was currently under his control, he couldn''t act brazenly. He had to put up an act; after all, the entire Labyrinth of Frenzy was monitored by Madam Mila.


    If anything occurred other than the usual behaviour of the Frenzy Beasts, she would investigate. And, considering the prowess of Sky Controllers, it would be weird if she didn''t notice something amiss about Jyorta. After that, unless Psychic Ancestor Marble intervened with another excuse, his fate would be questionable.


    The best would be the fate of death while the worst would be as a research subject.


    Jyorta acted in line with his behaviour and the behaviour of the Frenzy Beasts, only giving minimal instructions to the Crust-Mantle as he tailed it. He maintained the barrier around him, preventing himself from exposing any flaws that would allow the other party to detect him.


    His psychic arm controlled the spindle, drilling through the headless bodies to fish out the Heart Crystals. As the Crust-Mantle continued to walk, its heavy body and its sharp legs created a lot of noise, masking the sound of his spindle drilling into the Spiked Lizard''s flesh.


    After fishing out a couple of Heart Crystals, his actions became more efficient, soon able to catch up with the Crust-Mantle''s pace of killing. Meanwhile, the Soul Cornea within the Crust-Mantle''s soul continued to absorb the murkiness.


    As the murkiness travelled through its body, the Soul Cornea''s influence vaporised it, only leaving behind pure memory fragments. The blue soul also began to chant the verse imparted by the creepy-haired man, vaporising the faint murkiness that still managed to seep in.


    It created numerous soul tendrils, segregating the influx of memory fragments to one side. A couple of soul tendrils sent the memory fragments to the brain to be processed. After a moment of thought, Jyorta stopped the blue soul from sending any more memory fragments to his brain. His focus was too much strained as is. He planned to later go through them while in his room.


    Soon, there were only a couple of Spiked Lizards in the vicinity. Those that could move had escaped further into the Labyrinth.


    Thanks to the influence of the false persona, the murkiness in the Crust-Mantle''s souls didn''t resist him much. That was why they were easily being siphoned by his Soul Cornea. But, despite his wishes, he couldn''t continue it any longer; his psychic energy reserves were running dry.


    He could create more psychic energy by burning the fat in his body but, Jyorta planned to save it as a last resort. After all, who knows what he would face deeper into the Labyrinth. He had to save a backup for the uncertainties.


    Just when he planned to retract the Hoberman sphere, Jyorta glanced at its Frenzy Parasite''s soul.


    It had already become his subsoul. After some thought, he judged it to be risky to leave it there as is. After all, Laila would soon enter the Labyrinth of Frenzy. And, if she spotted the Crust-Mantle and had plans similar to his, she would chance upon his subsoul. His subsoul would eventually Nurture its ability of corrosion; gifting it to Laila was the last thing he wished to do.


    His Soul Cornea entered the back of a Spiked Lizard that was still alive, wrapping around its Frenzy Parasite''s soul. It first isolated the soul from its body, slowly beginning to pull it outside the confines of its fleshly cage. There was a bit of resistance but the Soul Cornea overwhelmed it easily.


    The moment the soul exited the body, the Frenzy Parasite died. The Spiked Lizard''s eyes widened in shock, realising something; but, it couldn''t think further as the mandibles of the Crust-Mantle severed its head.


    The Soul Cornea placed it next to the soul of the Crust-Mantle''s Frenzy Parasite. Its other Soul Cornea isolated the subsoul, gently pulling it outside the body while replacing its position with the other soul.


    There was a faint commotion; the soul was unable to cope up with the foreign body it was placed within. It began to turn dimmer, beginning to vaporise. Soon, a large amount of murkiness arrived from the body, mixing with it, stabilising it for the time being. The murkiness also began to affect it, making it suitable to exist in the foreign environment.


    ''It seems to work.'' Jyorta mentally fist-bumped, trying his best to prevent a smile from forming on his face. He then saw the bulging pouch on his hip, breaking into a grin anyway. On seeing that he hadn''t left anything behind, his Soul Corneas entered the Crust-Mantle''s soul.


    Jyorta began to retreat while his Soul Corneas fished out the Hoberman sphere. No sooner had the false persona''s influence dissipate did the murkiness start to attack his Soul Corneas. It took a bit of trouble before his Soul Corneas returned.


    Jyorta took wide strides, matching his footsteps to the crunching sounds of the Crust-Mantle that began eating a Spiked Lizard. Once all the foes that could threaten it had been killed, its feast began.


    He was panting, feeling difficulty in taking every step. Exhaustion stemmed from deep within him, having maintained his aura for such a long time. This was his first in doing so. Due to a lack of practice in this regard, he had become tired pretty soon.


    As he neared the exit, the psychic arm maintaining the barrier flickered a couple of times before dissipating. His body also stopped exerting its presence. Anymore, and he would faint from exhaustion.


    The Crust-Mantle noticed the fluctuation in aura, turning around to see a humanoid figure slam his palm on a rectangular yellow slab. Followed by a rumble, the double door opened. The Crust-Mantle sped towards him, wishing to kill him.


    It slammed into a psychic energy barrier¡ªerected just outside the moving space of the double door¡ªunable to proceed further, watching the humanoid figure slowly walk out.


    "Don''t worry; we''ll see each other soon." Holding his left hand, Jyorta turned around and smiled, winking once, "Also, thanks for the free meal."

 Chapter 246: Treatment

    Jyorta glanced at the Crust-Mantle staring at him with killing intent; its hook-like legs scrapped the ground, sending stones flying everywhere. Its mandibles clamped on the barrier, unable to even scratch it. The psychic energy barrier was unfazed at its attacks.


    The double door closed with a rumble. Jyorta took in a deep breath, feeling all the tension in his body wash away, leaving behind exhaustion, and a thumping heart. "That was close."


    His brows scrunched, the pain in his left hand worsened. He was out of breath, his eyelids felt heavy. Jyorta dragged his feet, walking through the corridor, feeling the silence deafening. Echoing in his ears were the sounds of his heartbeats, which was beginning to thump faster.


    He recalled how he fought in the Labyrinth, finding flaws in each of his actions. He felt he had barely avoided an accident; his emotional state was as such. The weapons were heavy, dragging his body down. He had to muster every ounce of strength in him to walk.


    There was dim illumination as he approached the end. Once he made a ''U-Turn'' and approached the flight of steps, sweat covered his vision. He couldn''t wipe it off due to his armour hindering him. Jyorta shook his head a couple of times, noticing the droplet of sweat slide further down. Part of it had covered the hair on his eyebrows, lingering in the place despite his efforts.


    Jyorta pinched a part of his armour, trying to use it to wipe it off. But, despite the part on his eyes being a transparent membrane, it wasn''t thin and flexible enough for him to use. He flapped his eyebrows numerous times, continuous, watching part of the sweat get attached to the membrane. It was slightly better now.


    Jyorta continued to climb the steps; his body shivered, feeling cold all of a sudden. His forehead though was beginning to heat up. His breaths also turned warmer while his throat felt parched. The path seemed longer than when he entered, seemingly never-ending.


    Jyorta felt his vision destabilise, forming transparent images¡ªcopies¡ªthat didn''t perfectly overlap with what he saw. He lost track of time, mechanically climbing up the stairs, feeling his body turn weaker and weaker.


    Thankfully, the surroundings became increasingly brighter, the flashes of light were starting to be situated closer and closer. Finally, he felt a sense of accomplishment as he set foot in the hall, watching the counter to his right, glancing at the face of Madam Mila before his vision turned blank.


    1:30 PM, Jyorta opened his eyes, finding his surroundings being one of white. His body lay on a soft bed, with a nutrient solution hung on a stand beside him; the solution dripped into a tube, transported into his body through a needle.


    His body ached all over; he was unable to exert strength in his left arm. Also, his head was constricted by something soft, preventing him from moving too much. That was why he was unable to glance at his hands.


    ''How did I fare?'' Just when he had this thought, he heard a series of footsteps, similar to a woman who wore heels and walked on a hard surface. A couple of seconds later, a nurse came into his view, looking similar to those fantasies he had seen in his previous life.


    Busty, with an hourglass figure, and sporting a face that accentuated her looks, giving her a seductive charm. The lady arrived, gently taking a seat beside him, sporting a smile. She looked at him with a hint of playfulness, her expression one of a tease, as if she had found a fun toy to play with.


    Jyorta looked calm; his heart beat at the same pace. Even he was surprised at his state. He wasn''t the type to gawk at women with a foolish grin, but that didn''t mean he would be indifferent. He would at least admire pretty ones, not to mention the nurse before him was a gorgeous beauty with a bust that was bigger than her face. Just the proportion alone would capture his attention.


    "So, you have yet to exit that place mentally." A calm but gentle voice resounded before the busty nurse disappeared, like an illusion that had been shattered. A normal looking nurse arrived before him, the sounds of her footsteps being minimal. She had worn a pair of soft shoes.


    Just when Jyorta was about to speak, she continued without a change in expression, taking a glance at his eyes, "You have been exposed to foreign aura and killing for extended durations. Your body has soaked it up and has suffered a reduction in most hormonal functions. It has only been a minute since you had fainted. I haven''t treated you yet; first, take a look at the extent of your injuries."


    An oval surface materialised before him, spanning the length of his body. It resembled glass, but after a moment of observation, Jyorta could feel the dense psychic energy circulating within it. He looked at his reflection, getting a scare.


    His expression was akin to a malevolent demon, one that enjoyed blood and slaughter. It was twisted, a face he hadn''t ever seen. His armour had been removed. He currently wore the clothes he had worn underneath the armour. The skin was falling off. Currently, it was in a half-peeled state, with many patches of such covering his face.


    There were tears in all places, with the cloth soaking up blood and sweat. Only now did he smell a nauseating stench wafting from him, making him want to puke. The nurse calmly lifted his shirt, allowing him to notice many lines of blue and violet on his chest. Intermixed with them were patches of pink and red, showing signs of muscle tear and internal bleeding.


    He glanced at his right hand, noticing the skin on his fingers had peeled off. Blisters had formed all over, with some having burst, oozing out puss. His left hand was even worse. It had fully turned purple, with patches of dark green.


    It seemed to be rotting. A large hole existed below his wrist, displaying the bone underneath; dark crimson blood, with hints of black and green, had coagulated, solidifying into a pack of crystals, the texture similar to salt. Below the wound were many lacerations, parallel to one another. The muscles in the region were deformed, compressed beyond their functional limits.


    The muscles faintly pulsed, due to the pressure the arteries exerted from within. Even then, the pulsation seemed to be getting weak. Jyorta also felt pain in his chest. Finally, he gazed at his left, finding the skin on them had peeled off, revealing the flesh underneath. There were signs of muscle tear and blood clot.


    "Two more hours there and you would have died. We would have pulled you out ourselves if you had delayed by 10 minutes." The nurse pointed at his skin, "I''ll begin treating you. Experience to the extent you have damaged your body this time."


    A psychic arm seeped into his left arm, passing through his body. The nurse didn''t try to be discrete, allowing him to sense her actions. This also served as a form of training since he would have to replicate this in the future.


    The psychic arm first seeped throughout his left arm, expanding until wrapping it completely. At the next moment, blood spurted from his wound. It was almost black, forming a trail in the air as it floated, making a couple of curves before dropping into a bucket.


    Another psychic arm seeped into his body, expanding until it outlined his figure. Jyorta felt the pain in his heart abate as the blood flowed easier through his body. His lethargy and numbness continued to abate as something was guided towards his left arm. As its pathways aligned with the blood flow, despite taking time, and travelling longer distances, it didn''t harm him.


    Blood continued to gush out of his left arm, turning from its earlier black to crimson. Jyorta felt light-headed, feeling the surroundings spin. He suddenly noticed the nurse had three heads and six arms. Her body twisted and turned like a snake, accompanying the surroundings that morphed into oblivion.


    The colours were beginning to turn dull, with most of them becoming shades of red, blue, and green. Jyorta felt his body was floating in the air, beginning to spin. The moment the colour of the blood spurting out his left hand changed, the nurse inspected once before turning her psychic arm pale blue.


    His wounds were healed; the lost blood and flesh were replenished. The surroundings that had gone haywire eventually stabilised themselves, finally grounded to reality. Jyorta could feel his body weight once again.


    His pain receptors were cut off, allowing him to look at everything without screaming in pain. Also, he noticed the malevolent expression on his face beginning to subside. The parts of skin that were peeling off flew up, revealing new skin that had grown underneath.


    The colours on his chest and stomach soon returned to normal while the blisters on his right hand were removed, the vacancy healed into normal flesh. He began to feel a piercing pain in numerous places, but the intensity wasn''t severe enough to warrant his screams.


    The psychic arm that had outlined his body slowly floated up, seeping out from his body bit by bit. It carried something from his body, a presence, a formless force. He gazed at it, feeling the familiarity. His eyes widened in surprise as the nurse spoke, "It is the aura of the Spiked Lizards and the Crust-Mantle you had encountered. It had invaded your body through a variety of means."


    As his body was fully healed, the psychic arm pulled him up, making him take a seated posture. The psychic arm hovered above his head, curling into a fist, softening its structure a lot. It then slammed onto his head as her voice resounded, tinged with anger. "Just because Observers can''t unleash their aura doesn''t mean they can''t attack with it. The Spiked Lizard had seeped most of its presence into the poison it had injected in you."

 Chapter 247: Personification of Aura

    Jyorta clutched his head, feeling the pain from the smack. His vision blurred as his eyes moistened, with the tears filling to the brim, on the verge of spilling out. He felt something through his senses as he moved his head. But, the attack was faster; a pale blue fist smacked him again, also healing the damage it had inflicted.


    The nurse then inspected his body condition, focused on the task, her expression tinged with anger. From time to time, her psychic arm would hover above his head and curl up into a fist. Sometimes, she would control her urges but oftentimes, she would smack him.


    Finally, the nurse nodded, seeing Jyorta''s healthy complexion. "It seems you are back to normal."


    His expression was of curiosity, of one filled with questions. The nurse turned around, nodding after seeing that there wasn''t anyone she had to treat for the time being. She glanced at Jyorta, "Jyorta Bone from October Batch, right?"


    "Yes, ma''am." Jyorta nodded, looking at his reflection in the mirror above. He had returned to being normal. The mirror then dissipated while a psychic arm removed the restriction around his neck.


    As he relaxed, the nurse spoke, "Exploring the Labyrinth is not an easy feat. There is not just the threat of the Frenzy Beasts in there. The very environment itself is harmful to the human body. This effect is not pronounced much in Warriors, thanks to their tougher bodies. But, it is different in the case of Espers."


    "Ma''am, I thought my injuries were light; how did they become this worse?" Jyorta felt confused, wondering if his senses had been affected. Based on the pain and sensation he felt, he had only suffered bruises in most of the places. The only injury he suffered was the one in his left hand. But, reality proved otherwise.


    The nurse folded her hands before her, staring at Jyorta for a couple of seconds. She then sat on a chair that appeared from out of nowhere. All Jyorta could make out was a faint blur and the mild flow of air. But, everything ended in a flash.


    The nurse introduced herself, "I am Vaika, a Wave Controller affiliated to the Veera Family. Before I answer your question, what do you think about aura?"


    "Aura is our presence. Every cell in us possesses aura, thought faint." Jyorta readily had a reply. It was something he knew of beforehand.


    "Seems you have read some articles about aura," The nurse nodded, "But, aura isn''t that simple. From the historical records accessible by us, aura had been a concept that wasn''t just theory even before the dark ages, or the Silicon Age to be exact."


    "It seemed aura was also a tool that had a variety of uses, intimidation being only one of them. Just based on a person''s aura, you can judge the state of their body and mind. It is a vast concept. Though, what we learn is just the tip of the iceberg." She displayed her index finger, slowly pointing it at him.


    Immediately, his heartbeat spiked. His vision blurred before the surroundings changed. He was in the same pose, the hospital bed under him remained as is. But everything else apart from that changed.


    It was a grass plain, with gentle winds flowing across, forming large waves of swaying grass that moved about uniformly. The air was warm, the evening sun beginning to set. The faint chirping of birds echoed as a couple of sparrows danced about, playing with each other as they glided through the wind, flapping their wings as they danced.


    It was a scene of serenity. Just when Jyorta blinked his eyes, the scene changed. It was now the interior of a large hall. Curtains were draped over the sides, hiding the numerous paths that trailed behind. Seats were placed along the two sides, forming a long row.


    Each seat was wide enough to accommodate four well-built men side by side. Detailed engravings of oriental dragons covered the legs, with the tails curving around the hand rest. The heads were sprawled on the floor, facing forward.


    Pouring out from within their opened mouths was a thin stream of water, overlaying a layer of mist in the hall. The water fell on the floor and was absorbed into it, vanishing without a trace. The head of the dragon was at the bottom of the nearest seat, inching further and further up as the seats progressed.


    Finally, the seats on the end had the overarching dragon heads. Next to them was a raised platform, possessing three steps, each a metre high. Atop it was a seat, twice the size of others. Also, unlike the other seats, it had a backrest, shaped into a door, with the symbol of a sun parted by clouds, condensing rain. It resembled a throne.


    A streak of lightning flashed through the hall, dimming the surroundings while highlighting itself. Sounds of rain resounded, followed by intermittent thunder. Something seemed to be seated atop the throne, watching him. At the next moment, Jyorta realised he was looking at the face of the nurse.


    She smiled and retracted her finger, "My prime field of research is aura. The more I research it, the more mysterious it becomes. What I did just earlier was use my aura to affect your senses, inducing a hallucination in you. As I affected all your senses, you weren''t able to differentiate reality from it."


    She snapped her finger once, pulling Jyorta out of his reverie. "Coming back to your question, you were affected by the aura lingering in the Labyrinth. When you entered, your aura was inside your body, resisting the foreign aura from invading your body. You had also erected a barrier. Since your psychic arm also has your aura, it helped you."


    "But," She stretched her index and middle finger, outlining a handgun that she pointed at him, bending her thumb forward, "When the barrier on your left hand shattered and the teeth of the Spiked Lizard pierced your skin, the surrounding aura gushed into your body, along with the aura it injected through its poison."


    "Normally speaking, your aura would have counterattacked this." She shook her head, clicking her tongue. "But, the aura in your body is limited, stored within it like a container. Let us suppose you have 100 units of aura. When you unleash your aura, around 60-70 units are emitted, leaving the remainder in your body. This weakens your resistance to foreign aura, making it easy for it to invade your body."


    Vaika looked at him, "What state do you think aura exists as? Energy? Or matter?"


    "Is it¡­energy?" Having not thought along this line of thought, Jyorta could only make a guess.


    "Then, do you think gravity is energy?" She questioned, sporting a smile.


    "Isn''t gravity a force?" Jyorta frowned, failing to catch her line of thought. It was then he thought about gravity. ''How does it act? What is its state?''


    "I''ll leave you to ponder about it later." The nurse laughed, amused by his expression. "Some things look so obvious that we fail to question them. As to how you want to classify aura, I''ll leave it to you. It is not something I can explain to you like this anyway. For the time being, consider aura as a form of radiation, as energy your body contains and can emit."


    "This theory will help you picture it clearer: there exist tiny particles in your cells, called Aurons. I just named them as such, they don''t actually exist." Vaika waved her hand, "This is only to help you picture it. Your Cells exert a certain force of attraction over them, keeping them bound. The Aurons, on the other hand, contain tremendous energy, making them highly unstable."


    "When more of them condense, they can be emitted and retracted upon thought. If the quantity is less, they won''t break out the force field of attraction. This is why normal people and Tier 1 beings can''t unleash their aura. At Tier 2, the quantity of aurons increases beyond the threshold, called the emissible threshold." She then waved her hands, cutting her theory short.


    She then concluded, "They impede foreign aura. But, as their concentration decreases, the foreign aura easily moves through the large spaces. That is why, when you unleashed your aura, you were weakening your defences, making it easy for the aura in the area to seep into you."


    Vaika then pointed at Jyorta, creating the hallucination of the meadow once again, but this time, she was also in there. "You can also imbue properties into the aura. The effect it exhibits will vary accordingly. I am using my aura to create a hallucination. The aura lingering in the first level of the Labyrinth of Frenzy places one in a state of malevolence, causing the person to engage in slaughter. There is also other traces of aura intermixed into it, causing bodily harm upon contact, such as what you faced."


    "I call this the personification of aura." Vaika glanced at him, "Remember how after killing the first Spiked Lizard, your aura was tinged with killing intent? That was a minor personification of your aura. But, an aura filled with killing intent is not suitable for you. That''s why you had tired out so quickly."


    She pointed at herself, "The personification of my aura induces hallucinations. Rakh Veera, who you have seen in your first month, can dominate the minds of his foes through his aura. Your grandfather''s aura can make his foes experience intense hunger. There are many such effects. You would have to find one that suits you. Usually, one will not activate the personification of their aura, only unleashing it in its base form while in the presence of others. It is to guard their secret. As for the examples I quoted, the individuals have expressed their willingness to share it."


    "Now, what do you think your aura will personify into?"

 Chapter 248: Memories of the Crust-Mantle

    The nurse lady, Vaika spoke, "The duty falls on me to explain the intricacies of aura to Cadets after their first exploration. Most of them get injured like you, without even noticing anything amiss. There are many forms of aura in the Labyrinth mixed with each other. That''s why, their effects can''t be guarded against during your first time."


    "Then, how can I proceed with my exploration? When I unleash my aura, I can immobilise my foes. That makes it easier for me to kill them. The strength of an Area Controller is lacking for a full-on assault." Jyorta sat straight, feeling his head spin a little. The nurse had imparted a lot of information in a short duration. It had a lot of complexities that he couldn''t wrap his head around in such a short duration.


    "Your aura is your prime means of attack. It can be used to deter your enemies, suppress them, make them lose their fighting spirit, etc. So, it is better to use them." The nurse nodded, "But, don''t maintain your aura for long durations as you did back there. Unleash your aura in short intervals, in rhythmic bursts. That prevents the foreign aura from invading your body when your resistance to it weakens."


    She raised her index finger, making a point, "Anything that lasts long can be probed and countered easily; change is the only lasting factor. As something that one could accumulate resistance against, aura should not be abused. Use it to complete your objective, as quickly as you can. Unleash it when you need, at the right time, and clench victory."


    She then sighed, "The Wilds are fully seeped with the personified aura of innumerous Frenzy Beasts. That is one of its dangers. Thankfully, Ancestor Marble''s barrier completely shields us from it. But, the further south you proceed from Marble City, the personification of a certain existence''s aura increases."


    Her tone became solemn, "The sole effect of this aura is to gain dominance over our parasites."


    Seeing his reaction, she sighed, "It seems you have an idea. Yes, it is the aura of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. The range of its aura is vast and seems to be increasing upon the passing of each day. Based on the records, almost a century ago, the limit of his aura was 5000 kilometres to the south of Marble City. Now, the distance has reduced. Once you proceed 4000 kilometres to the south of our city, you will come in the range of its aura."


    She then let out a sigh of relief, "Thankfully, it seems Rhachis Ancestor Parasite only left behind the personification of its aura, without its base form. If not for it, no life could exist alive in the range. Also, the base form of the aura has a limited range of effect. From what I learned, it seems Rhachis Ancestor Parasite used its Tier 6 Skill to amplify the effect of its personified aura to such a frightening range."


    She then clapped once, "Alright; that is all I wanted to teach you. Always check the status of your body and mind when you explore the Labyrinth of Frenzy. This advice of mine also extends to the Wilds. Only by doing so can you ensure your survival and well-being. After all, your battle doesn''t end with just the erasure of your external foes. Growing within you is something even scarier."


    Vaika pointed at a door, "Your equipment is stored there. Beware; the aura of the Labyrinth has seeped into them. It is like radiation. Shield yourself with your psychic energy barrier to prevent being affected again. You would later have to negate the aura in them. As for the method to do it, the Tier 3 Artifact, Wave Formation has it."


    "Thank you, for saving me." Jyorta made a light bow as he began to walk towards the door the nurse pointed at. Just when he was about to open it, a voice resounded in his ear.


    "Jyorta¡­"


    "Yes, ma''am?" Jyorta turned around, finding the nurse seated in the same spot as before. He noticed a shadow before him, finding a pale blue fist, the size of his head hover above him. Before he could react, it smacked on his head, the force behind it making him bend, almost making him fall. Before he could register the pain from the smack, a warm feeling seeped into him, adding a bit more mass into his body, also recovering his psychic energy a little.


    "Don''t be reckless, alright?" Hearing her voice, Jyorta bowed, grateful at her consideration. Thanks to her, he had enough psychic energy to unleash his psychic arm and maintain it for a considerable duration. He erected a barrier around him and turned around, entering the room where his equipment was stored.


    Vaika sighed, her expression tinged with sadness, murmuring as she slumped on the bed before her, "Such bright children; most of them end up dying in the Wilds. Such is the cruelty of this era."


    She unleashed her aura, limiting its effect, forming a cocoon around herself. She activated its personification, focusing the effect on her, noticing it begin to steadily affect her senses after some time. Eventually, her expression became one of nostalgia. Tears streamed out her eyes as she gazed around her with part happiness and part sadness.


    She laughed, engaged in chatter, sometimes admonishing, sometimes cheering, oftentimes engrossed in the company, losing track of time. Followed by a knock, a man entered the room, accompanied by an unconscious student he brought on a stretcher.


    Prompted by the disturbance, her body reacted, retracting her aura, breaking out of her hallucination. In accustomed reflex, her psychic arm wiped her tears, mending her appearance. It turned pale blue and healed her, placing her in an optimal state.


    She stood up, "Another first-time explorer?"


    "No," The man shook his head, "This Cadet is part of the September Batch. He pushed himself too hard for Credits. We had to pull him out when his life was in danger."


    After a sigh, Vaika took charge of the student, taking note of his injuries. Her expression morphed, turning grave as she hurriedly placed him on a berth and stripped all his equipment. She looked at the man, "Store his equipment and summon doctor Vatrika. His spine needs to be operated on. The essence of Frenzy has seeped into it, quite an amount at that. Why did you delay until it reached this point?"


    The man unleashed three psychic arms, doing as was told, "After hearing the news of the death of his beloved, a staff almost lost control. He was administered a Cleansement Fruit. But, in the meantime, we were understaffed in monitoring the Labyrinth. To make matters worse, Madam Mila had to leave due to urgent summons from Central Command. By the time we managed to react, the situation had already progressed to this extent for the Cadet."


    As another doctor arrived in a hurry, the man took his leave, his expression tired. Seeing the doctor, Vaika transmitted the details through her psychic arm. Soon, the two of them began to operate on the student, using a variety of medical tools in addition to their psychic arms.


    In the adjacent room, Jyorta soon spotted his equipment placed in a shelf. As they had dumped everything into a bag, it was easy for him to carry. He noticed another door in the room, with the plaque overhead reading ''Exit''.


    As he walked towards it, he noticed a psychic arm carry some equipment, fish out a bag from a draw nearby, dump everything into it, and store the bag in one of the shelves. After its work was done, the psychic arm disappeared.


    ''So, a Wave Controller is this powerful.'' He thought, exiting the room and finding a flight of stairs that led below. After a minute, Jyorta arrived before the counter, finding a staff seated behind it. It was an unfamiliar face.


    From within the bag, Jyorta fished out the pouch and placed it on the counter. The person grabbed hold of it with his hands, spilled out the contents, and counted it one by one. After putting them back into the pouch, he looked at Jyorta, staring at his face for about 10 seconds.


    It was an awkward situation; Jyorta averted his line of sight, glancing at a notepad. Even though the distance prevented him from reading its contents, it was better than staring at the weird staff.


    Finally, the staff spoke, "Jyorta Bone, Area Controller from October Batch. The Credits earned from your first exploration is 136 Credits. It will be updated into your total automatically. You can check it in the Portal."


    On seeing that there was nothing else for him to do, Jyorta exited the Red Building, heading towards his dorm.


    3:00 PM, after taking a refreshing bath, Jyorta headed to the cafeteria and ate snacks until his belly felt like it would burst. He then sat there, watching the passerby, sensing the thin trickle of psychic energy fill his Brain Crystal.


    The blue soul overlaid the face mask, the false persona of calm, optimism, and filled with focus. On seeing its influence take effect, the blue soul grabbed the memory fragments siphoned from the Crust-Mantle''s soul, sending them to the brain one after another.


    Slowly, memories began to play in his mind, accompanied by their respective emotions, feelings, senses, thoughts, etc. painting a vivid experience. It was as if Jyorta had turned into a Crust-Mantle and was living its life.


    The contents that he faced though were frightening, to say the least. Currently, he had become a baby Crust-Mantle, squirming with hundreds of similar-looking creatures, situated within a damp, hot cavern.

 Chapter 249: Psychic Ancestor Coral and Rhachis Ancestor Spindle

    It was a massive cavern, situated deep underground. Two tunnels branched out from the dome-like structure, with the one on the right leading to a pool of lava and the one on the left leading into a ground mottled with holes of all sizes. A tunnel spanned vertically above the one with holes, heading towards the surface.


    Geysers erupted from time to time, heading towards the surface due to the tremendous force in them. Part of the geyser splashed onto the walls, cooling down as they streamed towards the tunnel.


    Due to the steep path, they eventually made their way into the dome-like cavern, vaporising from the heat. The lava in the other tunnel churned, with its surface a darker shade than the rest, showing its decreasing temperature. It formed small plates that broke from the lava''s turbulent motion, eventually sinking within. The heat emanating from it seemed inexhaustible, unable to be cooled down by the water inflow.


    At one side of the dome-like cavern, away from the two tunnels were Crust-Mantles, tens of thousands of them. They were currently sprawled on the ground, in poses of submission. They ranged from Tier 1 to Tier 3, with some rare few Tier 4 scattered around, numbering in the single digits.


    Surrounding each Crust-Mantle were 4-5 baby Crust-Mantles, barely able to move around. All the Crust-Mantles were as still as rocks, unmoving. The baby Crust-Mantles though were different. They climbed the bodies of their parents, sliding down the slopes of their massive bodies, and having the time of their lives.


    They let out faint chirping sounds, no different from birds. Their sizes were small, only around a human''s palm. Considering the size differences, and their poor eyesight, their parents literally meant the world to them. They couldn''t even see the ends of their parents, the colossal structures awing their primitive thoughts.


    To the end of the dome-like cavern was a small entrance, enough for a Tier 3 Crust Mantle to enter. It was a dark tunnel, with the walls hardened to their extremes, preventing any chances of collapse. The tunnel became wider the deeper one went, spanning around 200 metres wide around a kilometre mark.


    The ends were situated 10 kilometres away. At that junction was another dome-like cavern, spanning around one kilometre in radius. Filled within it was sand, finer than the ones on seashores. The sand was moulded into numerous mounds, conforming to various geometrical shapes. Buried within them were tiny eggs, nurturing the offspring.


    Ten Crust-Mantles¡ªArea Controllers¡ªmanned the area, with a Wave Controller taking the lead. They were the only ones focused on the task. Also, judging by their strengths, they seemed weaker than the rest, almost the weakest of the lot in their Tiers. Their Sync Rates barely surpassed 51 percent.


    In the large dome-like cavern, the Crust-Mantles were solemn, their emotions a unison. Sounds of water gushing out from the geysers resounded, getting louder and louder. Suddenly, the sounds were muffled, the humidity in the air increasing by a fold.


    There was a faint rumble, with the cavern trembling a little. Water gushed forth from the left tunnel, flowing into the dome-like cavern with tremendous force, on the verge of splashing onto the Crust-Mantles.


    The Crust-Mantles screeched, their expressions one of alarm, their vigour similar to the death throes of a beast, the spike in their final moments. Just when the water wave was about to crash onto them, it mysteriously stopped. Even the heat radiating from it disappeared, preventing the Crust-Mantles from being affected.


    The water condensed itself, turning into a large sphere, rotating with increasing velocities. The turbulence turned it white, due to the influx of air bubbles and the dirt as it scrapped the cavern walls. The dirt was carried by the water, sent into the tunnel with the geysers, and transported to the surface.


    Soon, the dome-like cavern was twice as large, possessing a radius of three kilometres. The tunnel with the geysers widened, now spanning a radius of 20 metres. Soon, followed by the water converging upon its mouth, the head of a Frenzy Beast peeked out.


    Its girth was equivalent to the enlarged tunnel, only allowing enough space for a thin film of water to layer it. Spanning a thickness of only 10 centimetres, the layer of water wasn''t much to boast about. Seeing its appearance, the Crust-Mantles prostrated on the ground; their bodies shivered instinctively, despite the entity having done nothing.


    Only the side of the Frenzy Beast''s face was visible to them, its upper layer a shade of dark blue, bordering black. Underneath it was murky green, with patches of white. Its skin was covered by scales, with corals protecting the vulnerable parts. It had a long horn on its head, made from corals, with numerous branches breaking out, forming a structure similar to a tree''s canopy.


    Tier 6 Frenzy Beast¡ªPsychic Ancestor Coral!


    On a certain part of the head that had peaked, a large area was surrounded by the corals, with arching portions acting as protection. Three eyes opened within, with each spanning different sizes. The first eye was the smallest, only around 10 centimetres in radius. It was conical in shape, peaking out alarmingly.


    The second was situated further back, lodged into the flesh, spanning a radius of 2 metres. It was the largest eye, shaped into a sphere. The third was elongated, possessing a breadth of 10 centimetres, but with a length of 10 metres. It trailed beyond the head portion that had peeked out.


    The second eye opened, the pupil in it dilating as a transparent membrane retreated to the side.


    The first eye wriggled, capturing everything around it. The Frenzy Beast focused on the prostrated Crust-Mantles as its voice echoed, produced by stirring up the air using its vibrating scales, "Good."


    The hook-like legs of the Crust-Mantles trembled upon the voice, scrapping the ground in fear, oscillating like leaves caught in a storm. Even the baby Crust-Mantles trembled from the thundering voice, with most of them sliding from the backs of their parents. Even though they fell on the ground, with most of them getting injured from the fall, none of the Crust-Mantles dared to move.


    For the next five minutes, only the cries of the baby Crust-Mantles echoed within the cavern. Soon, followed by a fruity smell, a tiny hole opened at the ceiling. Growing out from within was a creeper, the roots burrowing into the soil while the branches exited, forming a dense overgrowth, and stopping as a bud emerged.


    It was a shade of creamy white, with tinges of yellow and purple, the petals looking soft. It bloomed, displaying five vibrant petals, revealing a winged creature from within. It was tiny, only spanning a height of 10 metres. But, seeing its appearance, even Psychic ancestor Coral was stunned, feeling a sense of alarm.


    Its body was a shade of brown, with dense fur that protected it, possessing lines of black and golden, constantly forming designs viewed in a kaleidoscope. It possessed three pairs of wings, thin like a paper, transparent. Veins could be seen through it, transporting blood and other body fluids, constantly Nurturing it.


    Three metres of its body was its stinger, crooked, zigzagging like a bolt of lightning, coloured silver-blue, with shades of black. Its abdomen was thin, slender even, connecting with what appeared similar to the upper body of a human woman.


    It possessed an hourglass figure, having three pairs of arms. Two thin lines protruded on its abdomen, trailing from the hip and ending at the stinger, seemingly the nascent stage for the formation of a pair of legs.


    The head was slightly triangular, with one of the vertices facing downward. It had two pairs of eyes, filled with thousands of lenses; one pair was red while the other was yellow. A third pair of eyes was forming between them, coloured orange, existing as dots at present.


    On its head was a pair of antennae, almost a metre long, curving at the top to resemble a badminton racket. A humanoid nose was taking form beneath the eyes while a long slit existed underneath, forming the mouth. The lower jaw looked like a sack, lacking any bones, but formed from tough cartilage.


    Tier 6 Frenzy Beast¡ªRhachis Ancestor Spindle!


    It looked at Psychic Ancestor Coral, its gaze lingering for a couple of seconds. It then glanced at the prostrating Crust-Mantles, opening its mouth to speak with a feminine voice, "Nice."


    Hearing the language used, Psychic Ancestor Coral''s gaze sharpened, making the surrounding air tremble. "So, the Spindle Bees too have comprehended Modern Rodawri."


    Rhachis Ancestor Spindle chuckled, causing the fruity scent in the surroundings to intensify, "A fruitless question."


    "Indeed," Psychic Ancestor Coral let out a chuckle in response, slightly alarmed, causing the water around it to tighten up. It was a minute change; only Ground Controllers and above would have noticed it. Rhachis Ancestor Spindle didn''t seem to care, content with lazing about within the flower. It gazed at the front portion of the cavern, waiting in patience.


    Among the baby Crust-Mantles, one began to climb up its parent, soon followed by its siblings. The same happened among the others too. One of them was the baby Crust-Mantle Jyorta had taken the point of view of.


    It was an arduous journey, with many of his brethren slipping on the smooth surfaces, tripping due to the slightest of sounds from the colossal creatures. Finally, seated atop its parent, the baby Crust-Mantle witnessed two large domains, barely able to make it out through its poor vision.


    It noticed a patch of blue towards its left, on the ground. High above, in the ceiling was a patch of green, possessing a similar density to the patch of blue. Finally, followed by drilling sounds, patches of soil fell as another Frenzy Beast made its appearance, situated to the front.

 Chapter 250: Earth

    The soil steadily fell, beginning from faint sprinkles to an eventual landslide. A Frenzy Beast head peeked through a hole, only wide enough for its head. It looked at the dust it pushed out, watching a stream of water wash it all away.


    It had eight eyes, uniform, parallel to one another, forming two rows, with four in each. The eyes were tiny as compared to its face, only around 30 centimetres in radius. Another pair of eyes existed at the top, smaller than the others, and positioned closer to each other.


    Hair-like projections grew all over its body, gently swaying about even without any wind. Its mandibles looked blunt, lacking any semblance of threat. The rest of its body was plain, barring any segments of evolutionary advantage, looking weak.


    It was a plain face, around eight metres in size. If not for its large size, it would have been difficult to differentiate it from its common Tier 1 brethren. It was a shade of purple, possessing a tone akin to a stone, dull, eroded for years under the weather.


    Seeing its appearance, the flower Rhachis Ancestor Spindle lay on mildly trembled, its petals curling up a little. Rhachis Ancestor Spindle expressed its frown but continued to lay with unabated laziness. It messed around with its growing nails, trimming them with patience using the nails in another hand.


    Psychic Ancestor Coral retreated a little into its tunnel, apprehensive, ready to retaliate upon a moment''s notice. It diverted most of its attention to the newcomer, only focusing the bare minimum upon Rhachis Ancestor Spindle.


    The target of their reactions was unperturbed, looking no different from a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast. It was as if it would die with a single hit, lacking any robust foundation to lean upon. Its eight eyes swerved to the top, the pupil within its innumerous lenses dilating once upon sighting the figure seated on the flower.


    It opened its mouth, speaking with a human voice, the language being Modern Rodawri, "Your final form would be interesting."


    Tier 6 Frenzy Beast¡ªRhachis Ancestor Warlord!


    A legend even among the Ancestors, the sole existence apart from Rhachis Ancestor Parasite that had survived to this day after slapping the faces of humanity numerous times. Its combat power stood at the peak of the world, able to contend with top human experts, the sole Frenzy Beast Ancestor that had managed to do so to date.


    A wide chasm existed in the power difference between humans and Frenzy Beasts, with it becoming wider and wider at higher Tiers. Humans were even capable of killing Frenzy Beasts a Tier above their own, the sole race able to achieve this feat in large numbers.


    Such an expert popped in other Frenzy Beast races at most once a decade, displaying the ferocity of humanity. If not for Rhachis Ancestor Parasite dealing vicious blows to their foundation regularly, humanity would have ruled the world long ago.


    As such, being able to contend against a similar levelled human one-on-one, its power was unquestionable. It was the strongest among the Floating Spiders. Rhachis Ancestor Warlord looked around, its voice gentle, almost inaudible, "I represent the Floating Spiders. Now that the representatives of the River Whales and the Spindle Bees are here, that leaves the Lava Turtles."


    "I''ve been here since the start. This place is positioned just atop my shell." Followed by a booming voice that caused mud to fall from the ceiling, lava churned from within the tunnel on the right. It turned into a serpent and slithered its way, eventually peeking out the tunnel.


    It morphed into a tiny turtle, its appearance looking no different from an Observer Lava Turtle. It stood, taking a spot in the cavern, blocking the tunnel it came out from. On seeing its appearance, Rhachis Ancestor Warlord emitted chuckling sounds, "There is no use in being this cautious. We are not enemies, at least, until humanity is wiped out."


    "This place is too tiny for me, I hope you can understand." The Lava Turtle replied, slowly turning its head to look at Rhachis Ancestor Warlord. "Besides, I have shown my sincerity. I created the Crust-Mantle race to fulfil our objective. Also, we Lava Turtles don''t feel the threat of humans like you three. Your homes are fixed, but we can make our homes anywhere we wish."


    Rhachis Ancestor Spindle snapped its fingers, causing the flower to tilt a little. Its feminine voice resounded, "Enough probing around, Earth. Don''t forget the existence of the Shell Family in Marble City."


    The Lava Turtle turned its head, its motions a blur, a stark contrast to its earlier slow actions. It stared at the flower, causing it to wilt immediately, the moisture within vaporising instantaneously, the built-up gaseous pressure exploding the vines.


    A second later, the vines regrew; another flower emerged and formed a bed Rhachis Ancestor Spindle rested upon. Followed by parlous laughter, it lifted one of its arms, gentle in its actions. Before anything could happen, Rhachis Ancestor Warlord interrupted, "Before the humans sense our absence, let us finish our plans. I noticed Strongest had been roaming the Wilds recently. It is better to avoid any battle with him for the time being."


    "Speaking of strongest," Psychic Ancestor Coral spoke, staring at the flower with its three pair of eyes, "You are the only one who had faced him till now. How strong is he?"


    Hearing the name, Rhachis Ancestor Spindle shook its head, "He was not my match but, I couldn''t scratch him either. For some reason, my Skills shook with fear in his presence. I haven''t witnessed it ever before in my life."


    "Strongest is the son of that mysterious lady," Rhachis Ancestor Warlord replied, expressing no emotional disturbance, "He is the product of a century''s worth of Marble City''s resources. His abilities are unknown. We have to factor in a large room for failure in our plans."


    It then looked at Psychic Ancestor Coral, "Show us what you have planned."


    Psychic Ancestor Coral peeked out a bit more, unleashing a psychic arm. Within a moment, a large coral structure appeared in their midst, with terrain, layers of ground, air, clouds, etc. all encased in a sphere of water, 100 metres in radius.


    Half was land while the rest was air. The land hand many layers, with the bottom-most looking similar to lava, the only difference being it an imitation. The coral forming the lava were normal corals with that specific colour. Still, it helped with the visualisation for everyone else.


    On the land, spanning a radius of 11 metres was a transparent dome, having concentric cylindrical walls spanning 10 centimetres high, coloured magenta. The concentric rings numbered 11 in total, with the 11th ring being incomplete, with smaller enclosed segments.


    Within it were needle-like objects, standing tall, and proud. The needle-like structures in the outer three rings were a shade of grey, mixed with white. As for the rest, they steadily changed from white to magenta the deeper one went towards the centre. In the three innermost rings, it was completely magenta.


    Underneath it were four more similar layers, with the bottom-most layer being completely blue. The two layers above it were green while the layer below the top was a murky grey. Psychic Ancestor Coral spoke, "This is the map of Marble City. I can''t guarantee its accuracy, as most of the details of the inner 7 Rings are at least a century outdated. I could only probe bit by bit over the years and compile this. Even then, I can''t guarantee anything. Marble could have changed everything, or everything I witnessed was something he had wanted me to see."


    Rhachis Ancestor Warlord nodded, spewing out a ball of silk through its mouth. The silk ball was only a metre in radius at first, quickly expanding like a balloon as it detailed Marble City and its surrounding terrain. There were many discrepancies in what it displayed and what Psychic Ancestor Coral showed.


    It nodded with a laugh, "Of course, it can''t be that simple."


    Seeing their actions, Rhachis Ancestor Spindle waved its hand, watching a vine grow bigger, eventually creating a 3-Dimensional map of Marble City. Obviously, it differed from the other two in many aspects.


    Finally, the Lava Turtle vomited a copious amount of lava, solidifying it into stone a moment later, creating another map of Marble City. It stared at the four maps, thinking of many possibilities, ruling out one after another, correcting the mistakes it detected.


    The four ancestors conversed, exchanging information they had accumulated to date about Marble City, trying to remove as many errors in their maps as possible. Finally, the Lava Turtle splashed out into lava, forming a tiny pool in the place it stood.


    A formless pressure appeared in the cavern, avoiding all the prostrating Crust-Mantles, concentrating on the four maps. Soon, the four maps began to change, combining with one another, fusing at certain parts while breaking down at others. Changes continuously occurred, making the other three Ancestors look at it with a hint of praise.


    Finally, Rhachis Ancestor Warlord couldn''t control itself, expressing its praise, "Your Unranked Skill is impressive. Even though it has little battle capacity, it excels in other aspects, especially in the areas of creation, deduction, and modification."


    "It''s nothing much," The same Lava Turtle as before reappeared, nodding at Rhachis Ancestor Warlord once. "I think we can conclude this to be a fairly accurate map of Marble City and its terrain."


    Before them lay a realistic model of Marble City; it showcased the buildings in the upper two layers, various plants in the two layers below, and the coursing water in the lower-most layer. Placed at principal locations were functional institutions that were of vital importance. The structure of each place, the land it anchored upon, the tectonic plate it existed upon, and the magma flow beneath, everything was factored into and displayed.


    "Let us begin the scheme to destroy Marble City in the fateful war, four decades from now." The Lava Turtle turned silent, taking a glance at the Crust Mantles for the first time since its appearance.


    Tier 6 Frenzy Beast¡ªRhachis Ancestor Earth!

 Chapter 251: Caterpillar: The Third-rate Gangster

    ''The Crust-Mantle was just a newborn when it witnessed this event. Now, it is at the peak of Tier 2. Even on a conservative estimate, that incident should have happened 15 years ago. I have to know more.'' Jyorta exited the view of his blue soul, taking a couple of moments to regain his sense of self.


    In order to not delude himself into thinking that he was a Crust-Mantle, Jyorta planned to experience its memories only at regular intervals. Thankfully, the memories he had obtained were whole until now.


    ''It is a good decision that I targeted the semi-solid murkiness first and absorbed the memory fragments within them. Just based on this fact alone, I can conclude: the more vivid a memory is, the greater the solidification of the corresponding murkiness. Now I wonder what memories existed within the memory fragments that Laila''s soul tendril absorbed from me. I remember their corresponding murkiness was semi-solid too.''


    5:30 PM, noticing how quickly time had passed, Jyorta looked at the plate before him, noticing the food particles that had dried. He had taken more than two hours to experience the Crust-Mantle''s vivid memory. Thankfully, the blue soul controlled his actions, everything previously arranged by him. This prevented him from staring at his surroundings in a daze for hours, behaving normally.


    He closed his eyes, going through what his body had done for the past two and a half hours, not finding anything amiss. He dropped his plate in its designated corner, washed his hands, and began to walk towards the exit.


    He placed his hand on his stomach, feeling a mild sense of hunger. Shaking his head, he approached the counter and ordered what he desired. While handing him the food, the chef stared at him, leaving behind a remark, "Don''t camp at the cafeteria."


    "Yes, sir." Jyorta nodded, carrying the plate as he sat in the same seat as before. He ate the food in a hurry, thinking of what he had to do next. Finalising his thoughts, the blue soul made minor modifications to his face mask, the false persona of calm, optimism, and filled with focus.


    After the minor alteration, the false persona experienced a subtle change in its effect. The blue soul kept it ready for the task he was about to do next. Walking out of the cafeteria, Jyorta breathed in the fresh air, feeling his mind relax.


    In the meantime, the blue soul continued to comprehend the memories of his past and current life, firming his sense of self, his affiliation, his morals, nature, inclination, etc. It worked to offset the impact the Crust-Mantle''s memories had on him.


    This was why he had to always be careful and not abuse his powers. If he comprehended too many memories of a foreign entity, he would begin to develop the respective entity''s personality. If it managed to grow further, then he would be afflicted by a split personality disorder. At worse, the new personality might even replace his.


    Considering the danger, he had to moderate himself. Thankfully, his previous life''s two decades'' worth of life experience, and more than a decade''s worth of his current life helped him suppress all dangerous inclinations.


    ''Just to be on the safer side, I should kill a couple of Crust-Mantles. Only then can I affirm my condition.'' Jyorta entered the Head Office Building, taking the flight of stairs, patiently climbing past each floor.


    He checked the presence of his ID card in his pocket, heaving a sigh of relief. It wouldn''t have been cool if he had forgotten to bring it. Soon, he arrived into a circular hall, with doors trailing along the walls, each numbered.


    Situated in the centre was a thick pillar, surrounding which was a circular counter. Four ladies sat behind it, each facing one of the four cardinal directions, their backs facing the pillar. Seeing his arrival, one of them waved at him, motioning for him to join the queue.


    There were only four people before him, so Jyorta wasn''t bothered, having enough patience to wait. Two minutes later, it was his turn. He stood straight, handing over his ID card, "Jyorta Bone from the October Batch. I wish to use one of my rewarded Frenzy Fruits."


    The staff lady scanned his ID card, going through his information that popped up on her monitor. She smiled, "Congratulations for coming second this month too. You have been awarded nine Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits. You can use one today."


    "I''ll come daily," Jyorta nodded, hinting that he remembered the details concerning the Frenzy Fruits. Consuming a Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit had some risks due to the pain it induced, similar to Phase 4¡ªParasite Assimilation¡ªof the Induction Ceremony. Even though it was a far cry from the Induction Ceremony, consuming more than one at a time was risky, even leading to a non-zero chance of losing control. That was why one was advised to consume only one per day.


    As for Frenzy Fruits Tier 3 and below, even they had restrictions as to the quantity one could consume daily. The staff lady returned his ID card, motioning for him to wait, "I''ll call you when it is your turn."


    Jyorta stood near a door, watching a girl exit it the moment he leaned on the wall nearby. There was enough space for him to lean, so he didn''t block anyone''s path. The moment she exited, a boy entered, anxiousness and excitement evident on his face. Jyorta probed his aura, finding his strength around the middle of Observers.


    ''Is he getting his first Trait?'' Jyorta wondered, not segregating too much time on the matter. He glanced around, looking at the passerby, observing their behaviour, trying to understand his peers as much as possible. These small details would prove useful to him in the future, so he continued his observation, making mental notes of his thoughts.


    "Jyorta Bone, proceed into door number 7." The staff lady shouted, making eye contact with him as she pointed at a door. It was to prevent any delay. Jyorta made a curt bow towards her and briskly walked, arriving before the designated door.


    A boy exited the door, wearing a smile on his face, feeling pleased with himself. Behind the open door was a lift, only wide enough to accommodate a single person. Jyorta entered it and closed the door behind him, watching the lift begin to move upwards. 20 seconds later, the lift doors opened, showcasing an enclosed room.


    There were no windows, with the walls covered by shelves. All the shelves were closed, with the bare few at the top half-opened. They behaved the same as a draw, opening and closing through a sliding mechanism.


    Jyorta took a couple of steps when his body became stiff. Faint sweat covered his forehead and neck while goosebumps appeared on his hands. Before his eyes was a thin thread, looking deadly sharp. If it wasn''t for his breath¡ªthe air he exhaled¡ªcausing the thread to mildly vibrate, producing a faint sound, he wouldn''t have noticed it. Another factor that helped him was the silent atmosphere. Only due to it was he able to hear such a minute sound.


    "Your senses are passable, definitely insufficient to survive in the Wilds but enough to boast around in front of weaklings." Hearing the familiar voice, Jyorta became alert, unwilling to budge from his spot.


    As he expected, the voice praised him a moment later, "I placed another thread behind you. It wouldn''t have been pleasant if you had reacted with a back leap or something."


    Jyorta heaved a sigh, watching the thread before him disappear. The voice though, chuckled, "But, your reaction still warrants death in the Wilds. The attacks won''t be stationary. Even if you stopped after noticing it, the thread can just move forward and accomplish its objective. It is the same either way. You should have destroyed it at first sight. Only then will the initiative be in your hands."


    A green coloured chair formed in the middle. Jyorta blinked once and noticed a man in his thirties seated on the chair, sipping a cold drink from a funnel. He motioned before him with his hands, "Take a seat."


    Jyorta noticed a cylindrical cushion appear beside him. He was halfway into sitting upon it when his actions stopped. A barrier covered his body, defending against a thin needle on the cushion. Thankfully, the needle was like a wooden twig, thin enough to be snapped into two by a child. His psychic energy barrier successfully defended against it.


    "Always be alert; and, whether or not an attack poses a threat to you, don''t take it lightly. Carelessness always leads to misfortune." He waved his hand, yawning, "A Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit right?"


    Seeing Jyorta nod, the man looked at a shelf, watching a glass jar fly out from it. He opened the lid and picked out an orange coloured plum using his hand, throwing it to Jyorta, "Catch!"


    Having been alert, Jyorta grabbed it, heaving a sigh of relief after seeing that the Frenzy Fruit hadn''t been crushed under his hold. Holding it in his left, Jyorta rested his right over his thigh, facing the palm upwards.


    The blue soul in him overlaid the face mask on the subsoul, watching it take effect in a matter of seconds. Tendrils of blood seeped out through the pores on his face, condensing into a sphere before him.


    It hovered in the air, beginning to morph into a crimson Caterpillar. Its face had the same scowl, like a third-rate gangster. There was no change in its appearance from before. Held on its right was a glass of wine¡ªa look-alike--while on its left was a cigar.


    It brought the cigar to its mouth and took a puff. There was no smoke; the Caterpillar though continued to behave as if it was smoking. It landed on his palm, continuing with its actions.


    The man just observed it in silence, not commenting on anything.


    ''It looks the same as before.'' Jyorta mentally heaved a sigh of relief as he handed the Frenzy Fruit to the Caterpillar.

 Chapter 252: Limitations of Superhuman Powers

    The Caterpillar paused in its actions, entranced by a scent it alone could smell. The cigar and wine glass in its hands dissolved into tendrils of blood, seeping into its body. It made sniffing actions similar to a dog, turning its body to gaze at the orange plum in Jyorta''s hand.


    Jyorta gently placed it before the Caterpillar, watching it grab the plum in a hurry, afraid he would take it back. It took a deep sniff, expressing an emotion akin to a disabled man coming across an elixir that could regrow his limbs.


    It opened its mouth, expanding it until the plum could fit easily, gently closing after pushing it deeper with its hands. It then swallowed the plum, watching the bulge on its body settle at its fourth segment. As seconds ticked forth in such a manner, the bulge became smaller and smaller, eventually disappearing.


    A surge of energy seeped into him through the tendrils of blood, circulating through the veins, arriving at his heart before being pumped into the arteries.


    During its flow, the blood carrying the energy arrived at his brain, seeping into the fused region. Jyorta experienced an intense headache; his eyes burned, his ears became hot, the pressure within turning unstable. The scents he smelled spiked without reason while his vision turned blank.


    A second later, everything returned to normal; his flushed face gradually recovered to normalcy. Seeing the Caterpillar pat its tummy with satisfaction, Jyorta willed, watching the Caterpillar dissolve into tendrils of blood and retract into his face.


    "Thank you, sir." Jyorta made a bow and entered the lift, watching the man wave at him once, yawning as he picked up a newspaper from out of nowhere. The lift doors closed as it began its descent, soon opening again to reveal the circular hall from before.


    The moment he exited, he noticed Haesha standing before him. Seeing his appearance, she smiled once, fist-bumping as she entered the lift, "See you during dinner."


    "Sure," Jyorta smiled, glancing at the staff lady wave at him, motioning for him to exit with a shout, "Check the Portal for details and receipt."


    Followed by a curt bow at the staff lady, Jyorta exited the Head Office Building, thinking of what he wanted to do next. He recalled his fight in the Labyrinth, thinking of everything the nurse, Vaika had taught him.


    "The Personification of my aura¡­ I wonder what suits me the best and how I should obtain it." He shook his head, lacking the clues to proceed with the topic at present, intending to consult with the nurse later.


    He decided to surf the Portal and learn the relevant knowledge, beginning to walk towards the White Building. Seated inside the library, one that was digital, Jyorta surfed through the topics he wished to learn.


    Every subject had a vast volume of information. Learning even a single subject took time, time that he didn''t have at present. The topics to study seemed infinite, it was what Jyorta felt. Unwilling to see his thoughts run wild, he searched for aura, beginning to read from the basics.


    "So, aura can also help reduce a person''s body weight?" Jyorta was surprised to find an interesting piece of information. The more he read it, the more thrilled he became.


    Unlike Espers, Warriors Nurtured their bodies. As they broke through into higher Tiers, their body continued to develop overall. They became stronger, their reflex and movements turned faster, their flesh became sturdier, etc. But, it wasn''t as if their explosive power came out of nowhere.


    The laws of motion state that the force exerted by an object is equal to a product of its mass and acceleration. In layman''s terms, to punch with a stronger force, one''s fist should be heavy and be able to move faster.


    The explosive force the bodies of Warriors could erupt with wasn''t solely the product of their enhanced muscular structure. The density of their muscles increases through Nurturing, adding weight to their bodies.


    As their body sizes remain the same, the density of their flesh, blood, organs, bones, etc. increases, compressed further and further. So, even a normal-speed punch from them possesses tremendous force. And due to the enhanced cell structure, the muscles are able to withstand the weight and even actuate faster movements. This is how their strength increases on a comprehensive whole.


    As he read through the topic, he marvelled at how heavy the bodies of Warriors became. Even an Amplifier at the peak of Tier 2 weighed between 120-140 kilograms. Developers at peak Tier 3 weighed between 350-400 kilograms. As for Shifters, they surpassed a tonne.


    "Then, how are they living like normal people?" Jyorta thought about his family. His sister was a Developer, around mid-Tier 3. She ought to have weighed around 250 kilograms at the very least. But, based on what he saw, every item in their house was made from normal materials.


    Their bed was a wooden bed; but, 250 kilograms wasn''t enough to damage it, considering the quality of the wood it was made from. But, their sofas were just foam and sponge. Considering her weight, she should have flattened them or caused a large depression at the very least.


    "But nothing like that ever happened," Jyorta recalled many such incidents. Every incident pointed to the fact that Heima''s body weight conformed to a normal lady her age. It wasn''t anything monstrous.


    "So¡­" He read through, seeing how the aura behaved.


    "The aura present in humans has this trait. Some Frenzy Beasts that possess the ability of flight also has this trait in their aura. Since aura is produced by every cell in the body, it focuses solely on the cell it was generated from, negating its excess weight." His eyes widened as he continued, thrilled, "Despite how heavy a Warrior''s body is, thanks to the aura, he/she would normally only weigh as much as a normal adult. But, that is unless they don''t emit their aura."


    "Aha," He involuntarily shouted, engrossed in the topic, "When a Tier 2 or above Warrior unleashes his aura, its effect falls, making his body weigh close to his actual weight. The greater the flux of the aura he emits, the heavier his body becomes. But, since a person can''t realistically emit all the aura in their bodies, his body weight will always be less than his actual weight."


    Jyorta noticed a tinge of sweat form on his forehead as he read the next part, "This method is used in fights. Keeping the aura in one''s body, the Warrior makes himself light. Now, using his enhanced physique, he can move at speeds faster than he was capable of before. And, the moment his attack makes contact with his foe, he unleashes his aura, adding the weight of his body behind it. This way, he erupts with a force stronger than what was theoretically possible."


    "This ability works wonders when used with the most common Shifter Skill¡ªMass Shifter." Jyorta found a paragraph below, with a larger font and highlighted in blue, making it stand out from the rest of the article.


    "How does the aura exhibit this effect? A similar example is the phenomenon of Buoyancy. But, the effect of aura is dissimilar to the buoyant force in certain areas. Unlike the buoyant force that comes into place thanks to gravity, the effect of the aura makes use of gravity to exhibit it. It uses the force of gravity as an anchor, turning it into a stable foothold that it uses to push the body against. This is how it decreases body weight. The demerit of this effect is that in places with weaker gravitational force, this effect of the aura is relatively affected. In the vacuum of space, beyond the range of Earth''s gravitational field, you will feel the entirety of your body''s mass."


    There was another statement beneath, highlighted in red, "The psychic arms of Espers follow the same rule. A psychic arm of an Esper is capable of lifting weights. But, the point of anchor, i.e. the brain feels zero strain from the weight the psychic arms carry. That is because the psychic arms use the force of gravity as anchors and not the fleshly body. This is also why Wave Controllers and above can fly. But, this also leads to a frightening conclusion: at higher altitudes, the strength displayed by the psychic arm reduces, same for its speed and other abilities."


    Jyorta leaned on his seat, exhaling a long breath, massaging his brows. This article shattered some of his fantasies. He thought about exploring the space once he became stronger and could fly.


    He also wondered why humans hadn''t thought about expanding into space and colonising other planets. All they needed was an Unranked Skill that would help them terraform and create habitable environments. This would prevent them from having to wage war against the Frenzy Beasts.


    All they would need is to capture lower Tiered Frenzy Beasts that they had a use for, giving rise to an era of development and prosperity. It wasn''t that impossible of a plan considering the superhuman abilities they possessed. Jyorta finally read the statement that covered half the page in large fonts, highlighted in red with golden borders. It was what shattered his fantasies.


    "Psychic arms become weaker as the gravitational force becomes weaker. In the vacuums of space, beyond the range of Earth''s gravity, Espers can no longer fly. There, the Law of Conservation of Momentum and Conservation of Inertia comes into complete effect. So, the brain experiences enough strain to make the Esper faint for even moving a one-metre long psychic arm. Even Psychic Ancestors aren''t exempted from this."

 Chapter 253: Quantifying the Nurturing Effect

    11th September, the year 334 of the Dawn era; it was Madam Rizenne''s class in the morning hours. As usual, Jyorta and Haesha arrived only a couple of minutes before classes started.


    8:30 AM, like clockwork, Madam Rizenne arrived on the dais, not a second early or late. Upon her entry, the six double doors leading into the auditorium closed. A couple of students barely made it in as they heaved a sigh of relief, patting their thumping hearts. Without making any noise, they occupied the empty seats in the back, anticipating the contents of the class.


    Madam Rizenne gazed at the faces of everyone, noticing their looks of anticipation. "Since I received many requests from you, I decided to tell you in detail about the Nurturing process."


    "Yes!" A couple of students shouted in joy, almost jumping up from their seats. A moment later, they turned as silent as stones, admonishing at their behaviour due to excitement. Madam Rizenne didn''t seem bothered about the matter, placing the remote on the dais.It seemed she didn''t require one for the day''s classes.


    "Everyone after the Induction Ceremony experiences the Nurturing effect. That is how we grow in strength, obtain Skills, etc. This is also the only method through which the Wisdom Parasite in us grows." Madam Rizenne started with the contents she had already stated a couple of times.


    "The food we consume is digested by our digestive system, with the nutrients transported to all parts of our body through our blood. The blood is the prime carrier. The Wisdom Parasite absorbs the nutrients within the blood, digesting it before excreting some waste. This waste though, is beneficial to us. The excreta of the Wisdom Parasite is carried by the blood, reacting with any body-cell it comes across." She raised her hand, summoning a psychic arm.


    The images of ten cells formed, lined one after another. A single particle flowed parallel to them, colliding into the first cell after being pulled by some force of attraction. The particle settled within the cell, beginning to breakdown into simpler compounds.


    Another particle arrived, passing the first cell. The force of attraction seemed to have disappeared in the first cell. As the particle moved beside the second cell, it was attracted into it. The particle eventually settled within the second cell, beginning to breakdown like the first. The process seemed to take a lot of time.


    Particles began to appear one after another, being attracted by the cells in order. Eventually, all ten cells had a particle in them. After that, the incoming particles continued to move past the cells without any change.


    Madam Rizenne created small changes, making it obvious that she had accelerated the passage of time in the example. The particles in the cells began to breakdown at a faster rate. Eventually, the particle in the first cell disappeared, leaving behind a cell that seemed slightly superior to before.


    After some buffer time, the cell pulled in another particle, continuing the same process as before. After showing the cycle for a couple of minutes, Madam Rizenne retracted her psychic arm. "The Wisdom Parasite''s excreta are the particles while the cells are our body cells. What I showed you is how the Nurturing effect takes place. Since the blood reaches all corners of our body, the Nurturing effect is also transmitted to everywhere, creating a unified effect."


    Her psychic arm appeared once again, forming the number ''7'' in large font, enough for everyone to see clearly, "For a Tier 1 being, with a Sync Rate of 100 percent, the time for the particle to fuse with the cell takes about 7 days. There are many types of cells in our body, with each taking its own time. Now, I think you have heard us, faculty, stress enough times about the importance of Sync Rate? The Sync Rate affects us in all aspects, including Nurturing efficiency."


    Her psychic arm morphed into the shape of a Wisdom Parasite, "A Sync Rate of less than a 100 percent implies that your Wisdom Parasite is injured; the lower the Sync Rate, the greater its injury."


    Suddenly, a large chunk disappeared from the Wisdom Parasite. But, within a couple of seconds, the injured body wriggled, turning into a smaller Wisdom Parasite; the injury had disappeared. "This is a mystical effect that only the Wisdom and the Frenzy Parasites can perform. Even if they lose a part of their bodies, they can change the structure of the remaining cells to fill in the gaps. This way, they will retain all of their biological functions; but, their efficacy is reduced."


    "The production of the particles by the Wisdom Parasite is almost instantaneous, aligned with the digestion of your food. From the first influx of nutrients to the last, it will absorb and excrete in order, like an assembly line. But, the excreted product''s effect decreases the greater the damage to the Wisdom Parasite. After all, despite it having all functions, the output quantity is reduced from the loss in the body." She dissipated the image of the Wisdom Parasite.


    "The quality of the particles is decreased, reducing the Nurturing effect. So, despite the speed at which the cell absorbs the particle remains the same, the end product greatly varies. This is why the higher your Sync Rate, the faster your growth. Though, this also implies a faster growth of the Wisdom Parasite in you. After all, the more complete its body, the better it can absorb the nutrients and process it." Madam Rizenne walked a couple of steps, standing beside the podium.


    She glanced at the students, "Here comes the question you all have asked me over the past few days. How can you quantify the Nurturing effect? And, how much does it vary along with the Sync Rates?"


    "I''ll start with the first question," She smiled once; "It is harder to quantify the growth for Warriors, since the variables for measurement are affected by your health habits. But, in the case of Espers, it is absolute, easy to observe, and conclude."


    She unleashed her psychic arm, making it hover on her left, forming a horizontal line in the perspective of the students. "Three variables change in a psychic arm, length, weight, and speed. But, one thing to note is that they all grow in unison. So, we can consider it as a single variable for observation."


    She pointed at the students with her hand, "The only exception are the Line controllers."


    She pointed at Jyorta, "After Cadet Jyorta Bone became an Area Controller, his second psychic arm began to grow. It started from nothing, growing little by little every day. The third psychic arm of Wave Controllers too begins from zero, growing little by little every day. The case is the same for all Espers, at all Tiers. A point to note here: the speed of growth for all psychic arms of a person is the same, whether they are old or new. If, for example, an Area Controller''s psychic arm grows a centimetre every day, then both his psychic arms grow a centimetre every day."


    Madam Rizenne folded her hands, "But, in the case of Line Controllers, their psychic arm first materialises with a significant length, depending on the Sync Rate. A Line Controller with a Sync Rate of 60 percent starts with a psychic arm around 40-45 centimetres long. For a Line Controller with a Sync Rate of 80 percent, he starts with a 60-65 centimetre long psychic arm. It varies from person to person."


    "But, this psychic arm is weak, unable to lift any weight, and moves really slow. The Nurturing effect after this only focuses on adding speed and weight to it. Eventually, when all three variables are aligned, the psychic arm begins to grow once again. There is a complicated reason behind this but unless you join the department that researches this field, you won''t have access to the related knowledge." She glanced around, seeing if anyone among the students expressed interest. On seeing a student''s eyes express interest in the subject at hand, she made a mental note of him.


    Madam Rizenne turned silent for a minute, giving students some time to understand everything she had said. She then spoke, "For a Line Controller with a Sync Rate of 100 percent, his psychic arm grows by 0.5 centimetres per day. This is after the three variables are aligned. The weight limit and speed too grows accordingly."


    On hearing the number, most of the students sighed. It meant they needed a lot of time to grow before they could breakthrough into Tier 2. On seeing their reactions, Madam Rizenne advised them, "As to how the Nurturing effect varies due to the Sync Rate, I''ll come to it eventually."


    She then continued, "For an Area Controller with a Sync Rate of 100 percent, his psychic arm grows by 1 centimetre per day. For a Wave Controller, it is 2 centimetres."


    She sighed once, "The length limit of a Wave Controller''s psychic arm is 100 metres. Considering the Nurturing speed at a 100 percent Sync Rate, they need at least 13 years to reach peak Tier 3. Since their actual Sync Rates is a lot lower, the time they need is even more."


    "That is why, any Tier 3 being that attempts a breakthrough to Tier 4 will be obese. It is because they usually don''t have enough time to finish the Nurturing effect. The Wisdom Parasite would have developed to an alarming extent by then. So, they compensate the energy for the breakthrough through the flesh in their bodies. After all, in times of need, body mass can be combusted to produce energy."


    Madam Rizenne shook her head, letting out another sigh, "To most of the populace, Tier 3 is their limit."

 Chapter 254: 13 Years

    ''After consuming a Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit yesterday, my Sync Rate increased to 71.3 percent. I too am curious to see how the Nurturing process varies. After all, despite being an Area Controller for more than eight months, I feel like my advantage is too small.'' Jyorta glanced at Haesha, noticing her concentration wholly be on Madam Rizenne, curiosity etched on her face.


    She had already broken through to Tier 2, same for his friends Ashten Coorg and Esina Hawker. Jyorta felt the pressure. Another thing to note was that he initially thought his current Nurturing speed was equal to a Wave Controller. But, after seeing Madam Rizenne give the numerical statement, he was proven wrong.


    Madam Rizenne continued after some time had passed, "The Nurturing rate for a Ground Controller with a 100 percent Sync Rate is 20 centimetres per day. It is 200 centimetres per day for a Sky Controller. Now, theoretically speaking, if you possess a 100 percent Sync Rate, you will only need about 13 years to hit the peak of Tier 3, same for Tier 4 and Tier 5. But, the reality is different."


    "Your Sync Rate falls after a breakthrough. Suppose your fused organ gets injured during your missions, your Sync Rate falls again. And, to recover it, you would need Frenzy Fruits, which have a supply lower than the demand. Even a Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit only increases your Sync Rate by 0.1 percent. A Tier 5 Frenzy Fruit increases the Sync Rate by 1 percent. But, it is harder to manufacture, the costs outweigh the benefits. As for a Tier 6 Frenzy Fruit, it doesn''t exist." She sighed once.


    "Reaching the peak for Tier 4 and Tier 5 needs the same duration, but, hardly anyone has a high sync Rate in these Tiers." She pointed at Dalna Doppler, "Dalna Doppler currently holds the record in your Batch for the lowest loss in Sync Rate during a breakthrough. It is only 4.6 percent. Right behind her is Haesha with losing only 4.8 percent. At the bottom of this Batch is Jyorta Bone with a loss of 8 percent."


    Jyorta let out awkward coughs, feeling embarrassed. He then heard Madam Rizenne continue, "But, he started with a lower Sync Rate than everyone who made a breakthrough. So, it is a commendable effort. With this lead, he is able to make better use of the academy''s resources and grow stronger."


    Her voice turned a notch louder, "Raising your Sync Rate outside is a slow, difficult process. After all, you would have to expend your contribution points to exchange for them. Even then, it is only handed out based on your achievements. If you don''t have any noteworthy achievements to speak of, then even if you were ready to use your contribution points, it will never be your turn. Competition is severe outside the gates of our military academy. At times, an impact to your Sync Rate puts you in a vicious cycle, out of which you would never be able to escape."


    Jyorta noticed Haesha subtly clench her fists, mildly gritting her teeth. There was a tinge of hatred in her eyes, her emotions resounding with Madam Rizenne''s statements. She then took in a deep breath, controlling herself, soon relaxing enough to listen with renewed attentiveness.


    Jyorta made a mental note of her reaction as he listened to the lecture.


    Madam Rizenne then smiled a little, as if hope wasn''t lost, "Remember the Trait of Severability? It can increase your Sync Rate by consuming your energy. Even though it consumes the energy equivalent to a Transformer''s to raise the Sync Rate by 1 percent, it is a useful Trait to possess in times of Frenzy Fruit deficiency. It is not that expensive, costing only 90,000 Credits. If you struggle a little, I''m sure you can obtain it. Many Cadets from previous batches have obtained it."


    "If you have a higher Sync Rate, your growth is faster. With faster growth, you can rake in more achievements, and become stronger at a quick pace. So, the value of these 90,000 Credits is pretty cheap when compared to the benefits." She unleashed a second psychic arm, lining it next to her first.


    Numbers formed on its surface, from 50 to 100. Many lines protruded out, similar to the minor divisions in a scale. The words, ''Sync Rate in percent'' appeared above it.


    As for the first psychic arm, it too had many smaller divisions but only had six major divisions, from 0 to 0.5. The words, ''Centimetres'' appeared above it, detailing the units of the scale. The two were placed parallel to each other, their lengths same, giving the students a mode for comparison.


    Madam Rizenne spoke, "When your Sync Rate falls below 50 percent, your body treats the Wisdom Parasite as a foreign entity to be eradicated; most of the times, this leads to death of both. Also, based on our research, the Nurturing effect only begins after the Sync Rate crosses 50 percent."


    "Now, an interesting phenomenon appears here," She pointed at the first scale, "It has divisions from 0 to 0.5 centimetres, which is the maximum Nurturing rate for Line Controllers at 100 percent Sync Rate. Now, notice how the ''0.5 centimetres'' aligns with the ''100 percent Sync Rate'' of the second scale; similarly, the ''0 centimetres'' aligns with the ''50 percent Sync Rate'' of the second scale."


    She pointed her index finger up, emphasising her point, "At a Sync Rate of 50 percent, the body doesn''t reject the Wisdom Parasite. But, the Nurturing effect at this sync Rate is zero."


    "For a Sync Rate of 51 percent, the Nurturing rate is 0.01 centimetres per day. For 52 percent, the Nurturing rate is 0.02 centimetres per day. So on and so forth, it is finally 0.5 metres per day at a 100 percent Sync Rate." Madam Rizenne smiled, glancing at everyone, "Do you understand how it varies now?"


    "Yes, ma''am!" The students replied with a shout. Madam Rizenne nodded in praise, changing the first scale a little, scaling it from ''0'' to ''1'' centimetres. "For an Area Controller, this is how it plays."


    The students noticed an oddity, with most of them becoming surprised. Jyorta''s mood worsened, feeling a sense of helplessness. Seeing their reactions, Madam Rizenne nodded, "It is just as you suspect. Even at Tier 2, the Nurturing rate is ''0'' at 50 percent. It is ''0.02'' centimetres per day at 51 percent Sync Rate, so on, so forth. Finally, it is ''1'' centimetre per day at 100 percent Sync Rate."


    "Now, calculate and tell me the division line between the Nurturing rate of Tier 1 and Tier 2." Madam Rizenne turned silent, watching the students break into a discussion. Jyorta pulled out his notebook and began to write a simple equation of ratios.


    Jyorta immediately raised his hand, watching Madam Rizenne nod, permitting him. "Only after a Sync Rate of 75% in Tier 2 will the Nurturing effect surpass the effect at a 100 percent Sync Rate in Tier 1."


    "Good," Madam Rizenne motioned for him to sit, continuing as she pointed at him, "Let me take the case of Jyorta Bone. Before his breakthrough, he had a Sync Rate of 79 percent, getting a Nurturing rate of 0.29 centimetres per day. After his breakthrough, his Sync Rate fell to 71 percent. But now, his Nurturing rate is 0.44 centimetres per day. Even though this is an increase, consider Dalna Doppler''s case. She started with a Sync Rate of 86 percent; if she was an Esper, she would have a Nurturing rate of 0.36 centimetres per day. Before her breakthrough, her Sync rate was a bit above 92 percent, getting a Nurturing rate of 0.42 centimetres per day, in the case of her being an Esper. This is almost the same as Jyorta at Tier 2."


    She sighed, "Do you get my point now? This is how much the Sync Rate affects your growth. With a higher Sync Rate, your nurturing speed surpasses even those at higher Tiers. Even a Ground Controller with a Sync Rate of 51 percent only has a Nurturing rate of 0.4 centimetres per day, which is less than some of the toppers here."


    ''When I returned from Grapple Force, I only had a Sync Rate of 57 percent. Even though I was at Tier 2, my Nurturing rate was only 0.14 centimetres per day which was lower than my Nurturing Rate of 0.21 centimetres per day when I was at Tier 1. Grapple Force awarded me 70 Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits, which took me 70 days to consume, increasing my Sync Rate to 64 percent. Finally, after consuming all the Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits awarded thanks to my second rank, I attained my current Sync Rate.'' Jyorta thought, mentally calculating some formulae.


    After a second of hesitation, he refrained from calculating on his notebook. The equations wouldn''t have made sense if anyone were to take a peak. He planned to calculate once he returned to his dorm.


    ''But, even if the nurturing effect was lower at first, it increased later on as my Sync Rate increased. Moreover, I had the Trait of Efficiency to boost me further. Now, I have to see how much advantage it gives me.'' Jyorta thought, raising his hand, intending to ask a question.


    After a couple of seconds, once Madam Rizenne finished her sentence, she nodded at Jyorta, permitting him to ask. Jyorta stood up and spoke, "Ma''am, how much does the Trait of Efficiency affect this calculation. For some reason, I am not able to add it up in my equation. It just doesn''t tally."

 Chapter 255: Personification, Idea

    "I was about to detail the Trait of Efficiency," Madam Rizenne waved her hand, motioning for him to sit. She looked at the crowd, "As you all might know and even come to possess, the Trait of Efficiency increases your Nurturing rate."


    "Now, I''ll tell you how it works," Madam Rizenne pointed at Jyorta, "We will use him as an example. Jyorta Bone has a Sync Rate of 71 percent, with a Nurturing rate of 0.44 centimetres per day. He''s an Area Controller, having a Tier 2 Nurturing effect."


    "Since he possesses the Trait of Efficiency, his Nurturing rate is a lot higher." The scale with the distance changed, with its limits changing to ''0 centimetres'' and ''2 centimetres''. "For a Tier 2 being, the Trait gives them the Nurturing effect of Tier 3, as simple as that. As for its effect, it is the same as everything, related to the Sync Rate."


    She glanced around, her voice turning louder, "What is the Nurturing rate for a Wave Controller with a 71 percent Sync Rate?"


    Taking a glance at the two scales, the students shouted with a collective echo, "0.84 percent!"


    "Yes," Madam Rizenne nodded, "That is Cadet Jyorta Bone''s current Nurturing rate. The Nurturing rates of the Trait and the Wisdom Parasite doesn''t stack. After all, the effect of the Trait too is carried through the Wisdom Parasite."


    "The limit of this Trait''s effect is Tier 3," She continued without pause, "When you become a Wave Controller, the Nurturing effect of the Trait and your Wisdom Parasite is one and the same. That is why the Trait of Efficiency is deemed useless from Tier 3 onwards. Sadly, we haven''t managed to upgrade this Trait."


    Madam Rizenne sighed once, "The Wisdom Parasite experiences a drastic evolution at Tier 4, making it impossible for Traits like the Trait of Efficiency to work at such Tiers. Also, another aspect to consider is the fact that your life is practically at risk every day. You are vulnerable; your chances of losing control are very high."


    "Suppose its effect can be extended until Tier 5, what do you think will happen?" She glanced at everyone, emitting a formless pressure, toning it down to tolerable levels. "The Nurturing rate you experience at Tier 4 will be equal to Tier 5. But, this means that the speed of the Wisdom Parasite''s development will be on par with Tier 5. After all, the Nurturing effect is established only through the Wisdom Parasite."


    She glared at everyone, "Do you realise how frightening this is? It would make your Wisdom Parasite experience exponential growth as compared to you. In Tier 4 and above, that is tantamount to suicide. Even at Tier 3, the Wisdom Parasite becomes intelligent enough to converse with you. So only at Tier 1 and Tier 2 can we afford to use these shortcuts."


    "Converse?" Jyorta involuntarily blurted out, feeling mild fear. Even though his Wisdom Parasite was under his control, the very notion that something within him can converse was fear-inducing.


    The pen is mightier than the sword. Words can both induce and cull wars. A person''s mental state can be easily affected through words, and depending on the choice of the words, the effect may be positive, negative, or indifferent.


    But, considering the source¡ªthe Wisdom Parasite in them¡ªof the actions, it would definitely know the exact words that would damage their mental state. Every human would have secrets, stuff he/she never wished for others to know, even subconsciously choosing to forget it.


    And, in their superhuman society, the number of secrets each individual possessed would be a lot more.


    A precariously laid out maze, built into a tower of straws; all it needs was for a single, anchor straw to be pulled out for the entire building to crumble.


    Madam Rizenne glanced at him, not bothered about his action, "Depending on its development, the Wisdom Parasite would be able to converse with you around mid-peak Tier 3. There are two ways in which it can converse with you."


    She lifted her index finger, "First, making you hallucinate a voice. Usually, this voice will be either yours or of someone that will affect you the most. We term this as Ravings of the Wisdom Parasite. It would gradually erode your mind and sanity. At peak Tier 3, it would even be able to make you dream of strange scenes the moment you aren''t lucid. The frequencies at which you get nightmares will also increase. When they increase, it is a sign that you are on the verge of losing control."


    She shook her head, sadness etched in her voice, "We will be giving you the training to combat this until you graduate. It is not much, but at least, you will be able to buy some time using this."


    Madam Rizenne glanced at her wristwatch, noting the time, "That will be all for this class. In the afternoon, another faculty will arrive and conduct a test. Many tests will be conducted. They will span this entire week, at the end of which we will determine the fields you are suited to."


    She began to slowly walk towards the door at the back of the dais, "In our Marble City, the primary job of everyone is being a soldier. But, as for the secondary job, that will be your choice¡­or more like, based on the qualifications you exhibit in these tests, you will be given the options to choose from. That''s all, class dismissed."


    Followed by a groan, Jyorta closed his notebook and stood up, stretching his body. He looked at Haesha, noticing her stand up after a mild sigh. She looked at him, making eye contact, causing his heart to involuntarily speed up, "What are your plans after this?"


    Jyorta replied after a moment of thought, "I plan to learn more about aura and was thinking of asking nurse Vaika more about it."


    Haesha''s eyes widened, "So, have you already explored the Labyrinth once?"


    "Yes," Jyorta nodded, "Yesterday was my first. And honestly speaking, it was difficult."


    "Tell me more," Haesha inquired, her expression replaced by one of curiosity. She stared at him, her gaze boring into him, causing him to give in after a matter of seconds.


    "Let''s go to the White Building as we talk," Jyorta accompanied her, giving her a light recount. Though, he had to add some falsity into the mix, having no choice but to keep it in line with his official abilities.


    Jyorta ensured that the things he said would prove helpful to her, unwilling to see his lie implicate her in the future. Haesha was an earnest individual; moreover, he liked her, a lot. That''s why, Jyorta didn''t wish to hide anything from her.


    ''But, I can''t do that either. My feelings are currently one-sided.'' Jyorta mentally sighed, trying his best to make the lies as grounded to reality as possible. Thankfully, during most of the situations he had experienced in the Labyrinth, the length of his psychic arms didn''t come into play much.


    "We are weak, even at Tier 2. Most of the time, I used my psychic arms to shield myself, masking my presence, and defending against any attacks. I fought using my body and had a hard time. Thankfully, they were only the weakest bunch of Observers. But even then, I suffered a lot of injuries." He then pointed at his left hand, speaking about his fight with a Spiked Lizard and how he had to defend against its bite while evading two Ring Worms that aimed his feet from underground.


    Haesha exclaimed in fright from time to time, listening to his descriptions. Soon, they arrived at a study room in the White Building. Jyorta pulled up the article he read the previous night and showed it to Haesha.


    "Amazing, I never knew aura was such a versatile and vast subject," Haesha exclaimed. Though, she didn''t seem bothered about the fact that Espers were unable to fly in space beyond the range of Earth''s gravity. It was as if she wasn''t fascinated by the concept of exploring the vastness of space.


    ''Yes, I haven''t seen any programs related to space. No wonder.'' Jyorta thought, feeling her reaction was normal after considering her point of view. From what he had observed in his time with her over the past eight months, Haesha had a lot on her mind. So, she never entertained thoughts similar to a traveller''s mindset. She was pretty much grounded to reality.


    "When do you plan to head into the Labyrinth?" Jyorta asked.


    "After a day or two," Haesha replied, "I have yet to finish my preparations. I haven''t chosen any armour or weapon yet. I explored through the armoury yesterday but, there were too many things to choose from that I was conflicted."


    "I''ll help you make a choice then," Jyorta nodded, "I wanted to change my armour anyway. The one I picked before was pretty much useless during the fight. At least, it wasn''t suited against the Spiked Lizards."


    He let out a self-deprecating laugh, "My armour felt as if it was a bubble that was on the verge of bursting¡­"


    ''Bubble¡­'' Jyorta''s eyes widened, grabbing hold of a train of thought that clicked in his mind. His fingers began to unconsciously tap on the table, making rhythmic sounds. Thoughts clashed in his mind, making a certain scene surface, giving him a direction for the personification of his aura.


    It was when he transmigrated, carried by the creepy-haired man as they travelled through the space-time continuum. Despite being a peak existence, the bubble the creepy-haired man had created was on the verge of being destroyed by the ravaging forces of nature.


    There, a certain concept had been vividly established: in the palm of Mother Nature, even the strongest expert was insignificant.

 Chapter 256: Nail Floating is a No-No

    "You see, there isn''t much of a method to personify your aura," The nurse lady, Vaika said, pointing a finger at Jyorta. At the next moment, his surroundings changed, replaced by the meadow.


    But, unlike before, Jyorta was currently a boulder standing atop a mound, feeling strands of swaying grass brush the bottom of the boulder from time to time. The sensation wasn''t flesh-related but seemed like the reception of vibrations, light absorption, etc.


    A second later, all senses were cut off, placing him in eternal darkness, with neither sound nor the sense of touch. He couldn''t even feel his body weight, also feeling suffocated. The internal pressure in him began to expand his body, at least, based on what he felt. He felt he was about to explode any second, suddenly finding himself back on the hospital bed.


    But, another point of difference was the presence of a window beside the bed, and the lack of people around him. The scenery outside the window was the same meadow from before, but it was dusk.


    Jyorta sprang up from his bed, feeling alarmed, peering through the window, watching the colour of dusk fade around the edges. It was then he noticed a massive meteor heading towards him, blotting out the sky. The colour of dusk was due to the heat and light the meteor emitted. It was currently night time, evidenced by the barely visible stars in the backdrop.


    He could feel the heat; it was getting progressively hotter. Even the air he exhaled was becoming dry while the surroundings became devoid of moisture. He was just about to take in the vision of the blue soul when the scenery changed.


    Jyorta was back in the room, seated on the hospital bed, in the same pose he sat at first. Vaika smiled, "You had moved in that hallucination but in reality, your body hadn''t moved a single inch from this spot."


    She continued with a smile, "Aura is shaped by your imagination; it is not something that you can create instantaneously. Even after conceptualising the aura personification, you will need to gradually accumulate your experience into it, turning it more realistic."


    Finally, she gave a conclusion, "Remember the scene where your aura was filled with killing intent the moment you had killed a Spiked-Lizard? That is the clue you need. Proceed in that direction; think about what you felt then and what acted as the catalyst. That will help you in personifying your aura. If the aura personification you''re suitable towards had been the same as mine, then I would have been able to help you. But, until you determine your path, I won''t be able to help much."


    "Ma''am, I currently have a thought," Jyorta nodded, "I am basing it on a weird dream I once had since it had quite the impact on me. But, I don''t know if it is suitable for me. How will I determine if it is suitable for me?"


    "Good question," Vaika nodded, thinking for a good two minutes in silence. She then clapped her hands, having recalled the content she needed. "There is a method to determine it. Go to the armoury and ask for a bowl. The bowl should big enough to fully immerse your head inside. Also, its inner surface should form a mirror."


    She unleashed a psychic arm, solidifying it into a bowl large enough to fit her head inside, "Remember, it should not be too big. If you say it is for aura personification, they will give you an appropriate one. Fill it to the brim with water until it forms a thin layer above the bowl''s confines."


    The bowl before her was filled with water, with a small portion peeking out at the top. Vaika then laughed, "Add exactly 1 millilitre of your blood into it after removing the same volume of water from the bowl beforehand. Wait until the blood completely diffuses into the water."


    She then glanced at Jyorta, her gaze boring into him, "Clip the excess growth of the nail on your thumb. Tie 12 strands of your hair on it, one above another, leaving most of their lengths free. They don''t need to have the exact length; some inaccuracy doesn''t affect the outcome. When the blood has fully diffused into the water, gently place this on the surface."


    As Jyorta listened with rapt attention, a fist made from a psychic arm¡ªpale blue in colour¡ªsmacked him. Before his brain could register the pain, a warm feeling pervaded his body, also filling the psychic energy reserves in his Brain Crystal a little.


    Vaika chuckled, "After this, all you have to do is unleash exactly 1 percent of your aura into it and try everything you want. If the hair stands up, then it means the personification you tried is not suitable for you. The more the number of hair strands that stand up, the less it is suitable for you. If no hair strand stands up, then it is perfect for you. Generally, three hair strands or less is preferred."


    She shook her head once, letting out a forlorn sigh, "I have seen Cadets chose personifications that even had 8 strands floating up. When the strand floats, it means your body is rejecting the related aura personification. If the hair even starts to wriggle, then it means using the aura personification will damage your body."


    "That is what happened to you when you infused your killing intent into your aura. That is why I could easily conclude that it wasn''t suitable to you," Her expression turned serious, her voice suffused with formless pressure, "Remember, if the nail ever leaves the water surface and floats above, stop unleashing your aura immediately and never try that aura personification ever again. Unleash it in full strength, and you will either lose control or straight up die."


    "Every person has a nature. Due to our circumstances, there are times where we are forced to act against our true nature. But, our body doesn''t care about that. If you do stuff that goes against it, it will eventually stop functioning. Since the aura is your body''s presence in its purest form, this effect is magnified." She stared at Jyorta, making him feel embarrassed.


    "You understand what I am saying, right?"


    "Yes, ma''am, I perfectly understood it. Nail floating is a no-no." Jyorta laughed, scratching his cheek once.


    Vaika laughed in response, flicking his forehead once. But, her eyes stared at him with all seriousness, "Hair dancing is also a no-no."


    ¡­


    2:00 PM, the students of the October Batch were seated in a large rectangular hall, situated in the Head Office Building. Everyone had their own table and chair, situated around three metres from each.


    The distance prevented them from cheating. Though, it wasn''t necessary because of the presence of a certain individual.


    "This test is one of the 21 tests that will decide your future path. So, attempt it with all seriousness. There are no right or wrong answers, so write whatever you feel is correct. Be honest with your feelings. Only then will you get choices that you like. Don''t regret it later." Madam Mary''s voice resounded, carrying with it a hint of pressure.


    A small portion of the students who were indecisive, and were planning to take reference from their friends shuddered, no longer having the guts to do so. Seated in the third row and occupying the seat on the right extreme was Jyorta.


    Held in his hand was a pen. That''s all he carried with him, knowing beforehand that the test would only require one to write. Besides, they weren''t allowed to carry anything extra. To his back sat Ashten Coorg, pouting a little as he cast a gaze filled with longing at a pouch Madam Mary had confiscated. Contained in it were myriad stationery, enough to fund his needs for a year.


    Jyorta blinked once, finding a question booklet before him. It was rectangular in shape, spanning a length of 20 centimetres and a breadth of 30 centimetres. There were 30 pages in total, with the booklet sealed by a piece of paper tape. On the front was a set of instructions that Jyorta read in silence, nodding his head in understanding.


    [The Question booklet contains 30 questions, subjective answer type. Space is provided underneath each question for answering. There is neither a minimum word requirement for any question nor is there any limit. Use all the space if needed.]


    [Time limit: 2 hours]


    [Subject: Humanity]


    He flipped the booklet, noticing the words ''Honesty is a Virtue'' printed on the back in a large, bold font.


    Madam Mary spoke, "Your primary job, i.e. being a soldier is not daily-bound. You will be summoned in shifts, a day or two per week. For missions, you will be assigned in intervals of 3-4 months. It will also vary depending on the severity of the mission and your contribution. If you were to participate in Raids, you will be exempted for at least a year. Participation is mandatory for Waves though."


    She nodded at the examiner, seeing him nod back with a subservient attitude. She then addressed the crowd, "So, most of your life is spent with your secondary job. Your primary job earns you contribution points while your secondary job earns you money. This test decides the choice of secondary jobs that will be available to you. So, be honest with your desires."


    She nodded at the examiner and disappeared from the examination hall. The examiner, a man with a long nose and broad shoulders spoke, his booming voice resounded throughout the hall, making the ears of the students ring, "You have two hours. You can break the seals now."


    "Start writing!"

 Chapter 257: Vexing Questions

    [Question 1: You are standing on the banks of a mighty river that is forking into two. Drowning in one channel is your mother, being carried by the threatening currents. Drowning in the other channel is your daughter who had only recently learned to walk. Frenzy Beasts within the river have closed in on both, about to kill them any second. Your abilities only allow you to save one person. Who will you save and why?"]


    The very first question made him frown, ''Why do they have to ask such a question?''


    He always hated such questions that forced him to choose one over another. Even from a theoretical perspective, he didn''t like them. Jyorta thought, beginning to write while feeling a vexing sensation, "In Marble City, anyone above the age of 16 would be a superhuman, either a Warrior or an Esper. So, my mother should be able to resist longer. I will save my daughter first."


    ''This question is stupid. Why would anyone take their daughter near a raging river? Also, what is her mother doing? If I think like this, this question makes no sense.'' Jyorta scratched his head, feeling irritated. He then read the second question, feeling his irritation worsen further.


    [Question 2: Your wife has been captured by the Floating Spiders to be made into food for their newborns. At this time, you are in the middle of a Raid and the sole peak expert supporting everyone. The battle has reached its peak; a single moment of careless will cause the annihilation of the entire Raid group. There is no hope for a backup. You receive the news of your wife''s capture at this juncture. What will you do?]


    Jyorta wrote with a frown, "Call for a retreat and head for my wife''s rescue¡­"


    His frown deepened, thinking through the question, ''Raids are launched only when the outcome is capable of affecting Marble City. Even arriving at that point should have been through a mountain of sacrifices. Calling for a retreat at that point will make all the sacrifices worthless. So, that is not the right answer.''


    After a minute of thought, he wrote, "I''ll finish the Raid first. The Floating Spiders prefer to feed on living beings. Also, to feed the hatchlings, the Floating Spiders will try to negate the aura in the captured foes, which should take time. So, I should theoretically have enough time to head for her rescue, logically speaking. I can''t say how I''ll be influenced by my emotions and the heat of the moment."


    ''Only in that situation will I realise what I would actually do.'' Jyorta sighed, reading the third question, mentally cursing the person who had set up the questions.


    [Question 3: Three people have expressed their love for you. The first is someone from the Royal Family. The second is someone from an Aristocratic Family. The third is a commoner. Your family wishes for you to marry and settle down; you are a filial child. You have no idea about the three people. Who will you choose?"


    ''So, the question is not asking what I would do in this situation but rather asking me to pick one.'' Jyorta thought, thinking from the perspective given by the question. He had to place himself in the shoes of the person and give his honest opinion. He felt it was somewhat difficult.


    Trailing his gaze on the line stating, ''You have no idea about the three people.'' Jyorta wrote, "Marrying anyone means added responsibilities. I am more inclined to pick the person from the Aristocratic Family."


    Jyorta heaved a sigh filled with exhaustion. He had to think about situations that he never wished to think about, situations he hoped to never be a part of. He glanced around, noticing his peers fare better than him for the most part. They all seemed serious but, the feelings they were exhibiting were a lot less than him.


    It baffled him, ''Are they answering without thinking much? Or, have they already resolved themselves for such situations and are prepared beforehand? No, it doesn''t seem to be the case. Is it my pessimistic maturity to be blamed?''


    Shaking his head to clear the thoughts, Jyorta read the next question.


    [Question 4: You are a Ground Controller possessing the Unranked Skill, Regen. Currently lay unconscious before you are two people, a Sky Controller, and a Transformer. Their injuries are life-threatening, but you only possess enough energy to save one person, even after burning up most of your body mass. You are in the middle of a Raid, having used up all resources. Only the three of you remain alive among the Raid force. Who will you save, and why?"


    "I''ll save the Transformer. Without their psychic energy, Espers are no different from regular people. But, Warriors have their enhanced physiques. A Transformer should be strong enough to fight his foes with just his physique alone." Jyorta looked at the answer he had given, placing himself in the actual battlefield.


    He shook his head, scratching the previous answer, "I''ll use all my energy to escape while carrying the Sky Controller. Carrying the Transformer will be difficult due to his weight. The battle would have expended most of his aura, making his weight closely resemble his actual. As a Ground Controller, I can''t carry that with my limited energy."


    ''If the situation is disastrous and if the two are not my family, I might even escape by myself¡­I think. Only when I am in such a situation can I say with assurance, after seeing how I behave the first time. In the heat of the moment, I can''t predict how I''ll behave. Theory and practice are different.'' He shook his head, continuing with the next question.


    [Question 5: Marble City faces a Wave. What is your first response?]


    Jyorta sighed, seeing the first question that he could readily answer, "Guarantee the safety of my family first. Worry about the rest next."


    The questions continued as such, with some being easily answerable while the rest made him mentally curse the person who had framed them. Finally, the booming voice of the examiner echoed, signalling the end of the exam, "Time''s up!"


    At the next moment, all the booklets vanished from their spots, forming a neat stack behind the examiner. Another second later, the entire stack vanished. As the examiner motioned for everyone to leave, Jyorta turned around, gazing at the face of his friend, Ashten Coorg, noticing the emotions his friend was currently experiencing.


    "Don''t even ask about it," Ashten Coorg sighed, leaning his head on the desk, supported by his hands that acted as the cushion, "The first question itself was difficult to answer. I really want to see if the person who had framed the questions has his brain correctly wired."


    Without even needing his probe, Ashten Coorg complained, "I mean, why would someone take his mother and daughter to a dangerous place? If the mother was on a mission, then it is understandable. But, why would the daughter be outside Marble City in the first place? We all grew up in this superhuman society spending our childhood mostly ignorant. We never even left the 7th Ring, not to mention leaving the City. Even for a hypothetical situation, this question lacks brain cells."


    "So, what did you write in the end?" Jyorta nodded in support, watching his friend express the same opinion as himself.


    Ashten Coorg spoke as if it was obvious, "Of course, I saved the mother. The daughter is not even real in this situation. Even if I was brain dead and carried my daughter outside Marble City, she will always be in my hold. Only if I died would her feet even touch the ground, not to mention falling into a river as the question stated."


    Ashten Coorg expressed his anger, almost shouting. He then realised his outburst, turning around in embarrassment to see some students nod his way, expressing their understanding of his sentiment. He sighed once, controlling his emotions, looking at Jyorta, "What did you end up writing?"


    Jyorta sighed, "I prioritised saving the weak daughter first. Since the mother should be superhuman, she should theoretically be able to last at least a second longer. It was just my optimism at play. But, truthfully speaking, even as a Wave Controller, I would have been able to save them both at the same time. The question hasn''t been framed well."


    He then shook his head, "I wonder what they were expecting from such questions?"


    "Maybe they expected us to exhibit the behaviour of prioritising the future in exchange for the past?" Esina Hawker joined their discussion, raining down weak punches onto both of them to vent her emotions, "All their questions are pessimistic at best. Would it kill them to have some optimism? We, humans, are the strongest, wisest, and the race that is the most cunning. Surely we can screw the Frenzy Beasts and emerge victoriously."


    "There is no use in discussing this anymore," Jyorta accompanied them as they exited the Head Office Building, taking a breather on the ground. They lay flat on the ground, experiencing the softness of the grass underneath, and inhaling the scent it emanated. The gentle breeze further served to alleviate their pent up emotions, calming them down.


    Jyorta glanced around, failing to find Haesha. Thinking that she might have returned to the armoury to browse through the weapons, he sat up, intending to head there.


    "Jyorta, I heard you have already explored the Labyrinth," Esina spoke, using her hands to feel the strength in his arms, trying to set a benchmark to the abilities one would need inside the Labyrinth. After all, she was many times stronger than the current Jyorta physique wise.

 Chapter 258: A Millilitre of Blood

    Jyorta gave a light recount of his exploration, repeating the same stuff he had already said to Haesha. Ashten and Esina listened with rapt attention, exclaiming from time to time at his vivid descriptions.


    In the end, Esina spoke, "Show me that barrier thingy. I want to see the extent of its invisibility."


    "Sure," Jyorta nodded, steadily beginning to fade out from their view. A couple of seconds later, there wasn''t even a hint of his presence in the region. But, upon closer look, a depression existed on the grass in the place he sat upon. There wasn''t much he could do about it.


    Esina closed her eyes, activating her Tier 1 Skill, nodding in praise after being unable to locate him through it. She then unleashed her aura, noticing the spot before her negate her aura, acting as an impregnable barrier of sorts.


    "I am still able to detect your presence thanks to my aura," Esina commented, glancing at Ashten to see his opinion on the matter. Ashten Coorg didn''t speak anything, silently trying his methods.


    Jyorta''s voice echoed around, "I didn''t use this in the Labyrinth but, I''ll activate its effect after a second."


    No sooner had he said his piece did Esina notice a change in the aura she had emitted. The wall her aura encountered seemed to have been breached, or at least, based on what she could sense. She directed her gaze to the ground, noticing the depression still existed in the same place, meaning, Jyorta hadn''t moved at all.


    She glanced at Ashten, motioning for him to probe. Ashten nodded, gently unleashing his aura. His aura mixed with Esina''s, the change in quality confronting a minor wall before them. A second later, the wall disappeared.


    Ashten smiled, looking at the place where Jyorta sat, spiking the aura he unleashed. Immediately, he noticed the wall before him, watching the wall disappear after a second, wondering in surprise, ''How can he adapt so quickly?''


    His gaze turned serious, causing the spike in aura to become stronger. He finally activated his Tier 2 Skill, focusing the produced aura around him, forming an environment similar to a domain.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªAura Burst!


    Using the Skill, Ashten caused his aura to fluctuate, alternating between a crest and a trough, the amplitude being different every time. The wall clearly existed before him now, no longer able to hide itself.


    10 seconds later, Ashten retracted his aura, deactivating his Tier 2 Skill, watching Jyorta''s figure flash into existence. Jyorta wiped off the sweat covering his forehead as he exclaimed in surprise, "I never knew you finished Nurturing your Tier 2 Skill."


    "It is only an Elite Skill, so it just took me 4 days," Ashten Coorg sighed, "Honestly speaking, I never wanted an aura based Skill. I was hoping for an agility based Skill like Rakh Veera."


    "The Skills we Nurture are based on our abilities, our desires, and our battle accumulations. All our life experiences are conceptualised by the Wisdom Parasite''s Nurturing into a Skill." Esina looked at Ashten, "Besides, Rakh Veera''s Tier 2 Skill, Leap Burst is a Peak Skill. Only those with a Sync Rate above 80 percent have a possibility of Nurturing one."


    She then pointed at him, speaking with an admonishing tone, "Also, you just heard Jyorta talk about his experience. You must understand how much of an advantage your aura can give you."


    Jyorta stood up, dusting his pants once, speaking with a tone of calm, "I''ll head to the armoury now; I have to change my equipment. I think Haesha has already arrived there. If you are finding any difficulties in picking your equipment, you can consult me. I am a genius, if I have to say so myself."


    Jyorta flexed his muscles, implying his stance of possessing both brawn and brain. Esina chuckled, lifting her arm and lightly exerting strength in them. Her muscles exploded with power, the nerves in them bulging faintly. She then relaxed her arms, shooting a provocative glance at Jyorta, "Hehe."


    Ashten smiled, "I initially thought of only carrying a weapon and minimal armour. It seems I had been careless. I''ll change my equipment and dive in tonight."


    "All the best," Jyorta flashed him a thumbs up, "Warriors have more of an advantage in the Labyrinth than Espers. I''m sure you''ll have an easier time than me."


    Ashten let out awkward laughs, "I just wish the lead between me and my sister doesn''t decrease further."


    Esina nodded in praise, "Ashray is currently ranked first in the November Batch. She is pretty amazing."


    Esina and Ashten entered the armoury for Warriors while Jyorta entered the one for Espers, soon spotting Haesha looking through a shelf filled with spindles. Held in her hand were tiny cubes, attached to threads forming a net.


    Noticing his approach, Haesha turned around, playing with the cubes as she smiled, "I think I have decided for now. I''ll adapt based on what I experience in the Labyrinth."


    "Sounds fair enough," Jyorta respected her decision, accompanying her as they browsed through the various items present in the armoury. They discussed and ruled out the possibilities of their use, trying to see if they could find something that would help them better than the recommended spindles and chakrams.


    Arriving at the armour section, they debated with each other of the aspects to take note of, using Jyorta''s first dive into consideration. Finally, Haesha picked armour similar to Jyorta''s. She also picked hand and leg guards, including a bracer with an attached blade for her left hand.


    "I think it would be better to attack while defending," Haesha equipped the bracer, waving her hand a couple of times to see the extent of its functionality, nodding in satisfaction. Jyorta too picked the same, concluding that Haesha''s choice better suited his preferences.


    Two hours later, they were done with all necessities, turning around to walk towards the exit. The voice of the staff echoed in his ears, "I have noted down the items you have exchanged. If they are damaged or if you want to return them, give them to the staff seated at the entrance."


    Jyorta nodded, glancing at Haesha to see that she too was listening to the staff''s voice. Haesha nodded obediently, remembering everything the voice imparted to her. Jyorta glanced around, facing the exit as he spoke, "Sir, I need a bowl for testing the personification of my aura."


    "Sure," Followed by the staff''s reply, a bowl appeared before him. Jyorta caught hold of it, glancing at the reflection of his face within it. Due to the curvature of the mirror, his face ended up looking comical. Jyorta burst out into a laugh, startling Haesha at the suddenness.


    "Sorry," Jyorta placed his hand on his stomach, feeling some pain after having laughed all of a sudden. Haesha glanced at the bowl with curiosity, wondering its use when the staff explained the contents to her.


    Similarly, the staff gave him a word of advice, placing a small packet into the bowl, "Don''t turn this bowl into your Refined Object. The process will lose its effect if you do so."


    "I''ll keep it in mind, sir." Jyorta nodded, accompanying Haesha as he exited the armoury.


    8:00 PM; having finished his dinner, Jyorta and Haesha returned to the Indigo Building, heading into their respective rooms. Closing the door behind him, Jyorta locked the door, placing the key in its respective socket.


    He glanced at the table, looking at the bowl for a couple of seconds. Placed within it was a packet¡ªmade from paper¡ªthe size of his fist. Jyorta opened it, noticing two syringes and a moist piece of cotton. Markings were inside the syringe, forming subdivisions, with the upper limit being one millilitre. Jyorta pulled the end of a syringe, noticing that the maximum it could hold was one millilitre, no more and no less.


    Placing the two syringes on the table, Jyorta picked up the bowl and a water bottle, heading towards the restroom. He returned with a half-filled bowl, placing it on the table. He then began to gently pour the water inside the water bottle into it, watching the water level steadily increase.


    Soon, the bowl was filled to the brim with water. Jyorta poured some water into the bottle''s cap, using a syringe to suck water from it and gently add it to the bowl. The water level increased, peaking above the confines of the bowl, forming a thin layer above.


    After a couple of uses, the water level had become the same level the nurse lady¡ªVaika¡ªhad said. Jyorta then used the syringe to remove a millilitre of water from the bowl, pouring it into the bottle cap.


    He then rolled up the sleeves on his left arm, noticing a small black mark. It had been marked by the staff; it was where he had to insert the syringe. Thankfully, Jyorta wasn''t foreign to the action. The military academy had given him ample training for such situations during the first aid classes.


    ''Before that, I should prepare the nail and hair.'' Jyorta smacked his head once, setting off to execute the task. Using the nail clipper he had, he clipped the nail on his left thumb. He then pulled out 12 strands of his hair, wincing in pain each time.


    Each strand was around 4-5 centimetres in length; he hadn''t cut his hair for more than a month, allowing it to grow to this extent. There was a barbershop in the military academy, a place where all the boys visited to get a haircut. Jyorta had planned to visit there but had been putting it off due to a lack of time.


    Thankfully, it proved to be of help to him now. Otherwise, it would have been difficult and he might even have to delay the process. Without any further dues, Jyorta tied them on the clipped nail¡ªshaped like a crescent moon¡ªone over the other, heaving a sigh filled with exhaustion at the end upon executing the delicate task.


    It would have been easy if he had used his psychic arms to do it. But, since the staff had advised otherwise, Jyorta had to use his hands. Finally, after taking a deep breath, Jyorta extracted a millilitre of his blood using the syringe and gently added it into the bowl.

 Chapter 259: Killing Intent, and Compassion

    Jyorta used the piece of cotton to apply pressure on the spot he had used the syringe to extract blood. The blood slowly diffused into the bowl water, taking its sweet time.


    There was a small red mark on the piece of cotton; it was a drop of his blood. Jyorta glanced at the marked spot, noticing that the blood no longer leaked out.


    He sat in silence, training his mind while waiting for the blood to finish diffusing into the bowl water. Five minutes later, the bowl water had turned a shade of pink, almost homogeneous. He then picked up the nail by holding a strand of hair wound around it and gently placed it on the water surface.


    It floated without trouble, its body partially submerged. The presence of the 12 hair strands kept it afloat. The bowl was currently on the table; Jyorta sat on the chair, situated 40 centimetres away. He gazed at the nail, beginning to emit his aura.


    This was the first process he had been told to do. He emitted his aura, steadily increasing it in intensity until the amount equalled one percent of his total. As an Area Controller, limiting the emitted aura was a simple feat.


    The aura was focused on the nail; the blood mixed into the water stirred up in response. The blood congregated under the nail, forming lines that resembled the 12 hair strands. They eerily floated in the water like worms, as if they were alive.


    For a moment, Jyorta wondered if they were a part of his Wisdom Parasite that had seeped out. But, after some time of observation, he concluded that wasn''t the case. What had been mixed into the bowl water was just plain blood.


    The 12 lines in the water eventually emerged, stabilising just underneath the surface. They divided the surface area of the water into 12 equal segments. A tiny circle formed in the centre, situated just underneath the nail.


    It spanned the length of the nail, separated from it by hair-thin distance. The 12 strands of hair soon aligned with the 12 lines of blood, their arrangement similar to a clock. The outermost strand of hair aligned with the 1''o clock position. So on, and so forth, the innermost hair aligned with the 12''o clock position.


    "Preparations are complete," Jyorta muttered, seeing the result before him. Everything occurred just as the nurse lady, Vaika had said. "Now, I need to test the aura personifications one by one."


    Jyorta closed his eyes, beginning to think, all the while maintaining a steady emission of his aura. As the aura was wholly focused on the nail, the amount spreading around was minimal. The tinge of aura that seeped further was absorbed and negated by the room walls.


    The blue soul sent some memory fragments into his brain, solidifying his imagination, and making him recall the memories in their grandeur. He experienced the memory of when he was in the Labyrinth of Frenzy, fighting a Spiked Lizard.


    The moment he killed the first Spiked Lizard, his aura experienced a change. Now, it possessed killing intent. Moreover, this killing intent was more effective against the Spiked Lizards, as they had been the cause that produced it in the first place.


    Jyorta immersed himself in the memory, soon noticing the change in reality. His aura was tinged with killing intent, the same as before, except weaker in effect.


    Aura Personification¡ªKilling Intent!


    The effect pervaded the nail; a ripple formed on the water surface as the aura travelled through the hair. The effect in them resonated with the lines of blood; after all, they were all from Jyorta''s body. The aura they possessed was the same as him. But, as they had been subjected to the external environment, they were slowly losing their aura.


    When they chanced upon Jyorta''s aura, they sucked it greedily, replenishing their expenditure. Blood was the vital fluid flowing through the body, carrying everything that needed to be transported from one place to another.


    The nutrients required for the growth and maintenance of muscles and organs, the oxygen they consumed, the carbon-dioxide they released, the Nurturing effect of the Wisdom Parasite, and aura every cell emitted; the blood carried them all. Also, to prevent any reaction between the various components, the blood acted as the perfect solvent, a vehicle that isolated each and sent them to their respective destinations.


    It also possessed components that fought against anything that proved harmful to the body. When Jyorta''s aura¡ªusing his aura personification¡ªarrived, it was greedily absorbed by the nail and the strands of hair.


    The lines of blood though only absorbed the base aura. It offered a certain rejection to the aura personification. As a hair strand absorbed the aura personification, the blood began to push it away, causing it to slowly rise.


    The outermost hair strand¡ªaligning with the 1''o clock position¡ªhad absorbed the most of the aura personification, causing the rejection it experienced by the blood to become the highest. It swiftly rose, standing perpendicularly from the water surface.


    Once it rose, the second hair began to absorb the aura personification, beginning to stand up too. Jyorta concentrated on the process, noting the speed of rising of the second hair strand to be slower to the first.


    One, two, three¡­soon, nine hair strands rose. The first three hair strands even wriggled, dancing in the air as if swayed by the wind. Jyorta sighed, feeling mild sweat form on his forehead. Just this experiment alone told volumes about his character, personality, and nature.


    Killing intent didn''t suit him; if he continued to unleash killing intent through his aura, his body would suffer damage. Even though only 9 hair strands had risen up and not all 12, the first 3 hair strands danced. This means that, despite him being able to use this aura personification, his body would be damaged every time he used it.


    Jyorta felt a bit troubled. In the world he was in now, war persisted. Battles and skirmishes occurred everywhere, and every day; death, grudges, and hatred were accumulated with the passing of each day.


    When he fights an enemy, unleashing his killing intent through his aura would be the easiest method to make his foes wary of attacking him. That would allow him to conserve energy and not become embroiled in all the battles he comes across. But now, this option was no longer feasible to him. His body would be damaged if he unleashed his killing intent.


    "I should think of some alternatives," Jyorta sighed, controlling his mentality and emotions, slowly retracting the killing intent suffused into his aura. Soon, his aura returned to its base form. A moment later, the hair strands that had risen began to bend, slowly returning to the water.


    Eventually, after a couple of minutes had spanned, the hair strands had returned to their original positions. Jyorta still maintained his aura, picking up a slip from his pocket. Many options were listed in order on the slip. Using a pen, he crossed the first option, "Killing intent."


    The list consisted of all the forms of aura personification that had been documented to date. It was given to him by the nurse lady, Vaika. He read the second option, "Compassion."


    Jyorta closed his eyes, submerged in thoughts, recalling the incidents from when his emotional state conformed to the emotion of compassion. Using his brain to think, the blue soul immediately unearthed numerous memory fragments, most of which were from his previous life. It then sent them to his brain, allowing them to be processed.


    Jyorta experienced many scenes; they felt as if he were experiencing them again. They were realistic. Had it been anyone else, then they would have to spend hours at a stretch to recall memories, consolidate the emotions, imbue them into their selves, and exhibit that feeling. Only then will they be able to emit the respective aura personification.


    Humans experience many things from birth; of them, only a few incidences are vividly ingrained in their minds, stuff they can recall instantaneously and those that can affect their emotions. As for the rest, they would pale in comparison. For most incidents, the person would have to spend a lot of time recollecting, and even then, it wouldn''t be vivid. At most, it would be a dry memory, without any added attachment.


    But, the existence of the blue soul allowed Jyorta to extract and store every memory in its most vivid form. And, whenever he wished to recall, he could experience the memory a second time, as if he experienced it in reality. The number of times Jyorta could experience a memory was infinite.


    This advantage allowed him to quickly find the necessary memory fragments and experience them, affecting his emotions. Soon, the aura he emitted changed. The surroundings became calmer, i.e. the state they were in.


    If anyone were to stand near him at present, they would feel safe, secure, and would be able to trust Jyorta and even depend on him as an emotional pillar. Even someone that didn''t like him or considered him a foe would experience a reduction in their killing intent while standing beside him.


    Aura Personification¡ªCompassion!


    The hair strands began to rise, one by one. Jyorta''s eyelids twitched as he watched them rise, the twitching increasing in intensity as the number of hair strands grew. Finally, 8 hair strands stood; thankfully, none of them wriggled and stood still.


    "I''m neither suited to be a killer nor a saint," Jyorta muttered, controlling his urge to facepalm. He sighed, changing his mindset, beginning to retract the aura personification. He crossed the second option, writing the number ''8'' beside it, and the comment, ''No wriggling''.


    He saw the long list of options, heaving a grunt before beginning to focus on the third option. The blue soul began to scoop out memory fragments one after another and sent them all to his brain.

 Chapter 260: 18 Aura Personifications

    The blue soul stopped sending memory fragments to his brain. To create the third aura personification, Jyorta didn''t require its help.He closed his eyes and concentrated, recalling his previous life.


    The first time he visited a Thrillarium, a place where he was strapped to a hydraulic seat while his surroundings had become a screen. It was a 15-minutes ride¡ªin the virtual sense¡ªwhere he travelled through space, missed the asteroids by a hair''s width, travelled past the Earth, reached the Moon, and finally arrived on Jupiter. His spaceship launched laser attacks on the aliens and clenched victory, eventually returning to Earth.


    The seat never moved from its spot, but it jerked, tilted up and down accordingly to the scenes, making him feel as if he were experiencing everything for real.


    It wasn''t that enjoyable for an adult, but when he was a child, he went for that ride many times and was always fascinated by it. He never missed a chance even once.


    When he was five years old, he broke an old speaker by mistake in his home. He chanced upon a strange UFO-like object among the broken parts. It was a magnet, something he came to know of later. He spent the time playing with mud every day, exclaiming in astonishment whenever stuff within the mud got attached to the magnet.


    He would repeat the process and extract the strange substance daily, later coming to know they were called iron filings after his father taught him the basics. He was 6 years old when he came to know of a compass; the way in which the needle spun and always pointed in the same direction fascinated him.


    During his youth, he strapped a pair of paper wings on his back and imitated the birds. His attempt to fly failed, and later he was beaten up by his mother for the act of foolishness. His father introduced him to the concept of aerofoil after that.


    When he was in his fifth grade, he played by giving a light stir to his half-filled water bottle and gazed at the water tornado that formed within.


    "Hurricane! Hurricane!" He and his friends exclaimed back then. They threw Balsam fruits on each other, shouting, "Bomb!"


    He was always curious at how they exploded with the slightest touch. The leaves of a touch-me-not plant that shrink upon touch, and a parade of ants that carried cubicles of sugar bigger than their bodies; Jyorta recalled many such events.


    His eyes were slightly moist, an expression of longing grew in his heart; having comprehended most of his childhood, the respective attachments were forming.


    Emotions that every human possessed, and spent their very lives to glean a part of, a reason for their evolution. That one desire, that one emotion, that one concept that was ingrained into the deepest of human DNA, forming their functional essence¡ªit was wonder.


    Aura personification¡ªWonder!


    His aura changed, subtly influencing the environment. Part of it also influenced him, making him wonder about the causes of aura, the way it integrated itself into physics, its relation to chemical reactions, whether it would be a reactant or a catalyst, etc. His thoughts ran wild, clashing randomly, generating new thoughts that were even broader.


    ''What is life? How was life birthed on Earth? How did we achieve sentience? Is the universe ever-expanding? Then before the big bang, how was it like?'' From one topic to another, his thoughts jumped, covering more and more concepts every instance.


    The blue soul overlaid the face mask, the false persona of calm, optimism, and filled with focus, causing his thoughts to arrive at a halt. Jyorta shook himself awake, feeling goosebumps on his skin. Unknowingly, he was influenced by his aura personification. Despite having the capacity to break it or remove its influence on him, he indulged in it; or rather, his personality desired it.


    "That was dangerous," Indulging in such thoughts was an act he did in his previous life, something he was fond of. His mind continuously pondered about various topics every second, eventually giving him ideas that led to his research breakthroughs. It was a feeling he was comfortable with, like fish in the water.


    But, it was fine in his previous life. He had that much brainpower and firm control over his self. But, his current body wasn''t like that. Similar to electrical circuits, every brain was differently wired (not in the biological sense). This was why some people were good at maths, some were good at physics, some were cunning, some had the street-smarts to survive, etc.


    Based on the direct comparison between his memories, the thinking ability of his previous life was superior to the current body of Jyorta. If he used the personality of the previous Jyorta, then such thinking would have been beyond him. Even using his current personality, despite being an Area Controller, there were limits.


    ''Though, in a year or two, with the development of my Esper abilities, I would be able to think on the same level as my previous life.'' Jyorta shook his head, bringing his attention back to reality, glancing at the nail.


    A single hair had risen, implying that this aura personification greatly suited him. Jyorta thought, beginning to retract the aura personification, "If I use this in battle, will my enemies ponder too much for every action, causing a delay in their reaction? I can only experiment and see."


    He made a tick next to the third option and wrote a comment, ''1 hair strand, no dancing''.He then looked at the fourth option, "Curiosity."


    After a few minutes had passed, he successfully unleashed the aura personification, watching the nail remain still; not a single hair strand had risen. Jyorta nodded and noted it down, looking at the next in the list.


    There were many aura personifications; a person could use more than one. They can have one aura personification as the primary while retaining one or two more as secondary.


    The nurse lady, Vaika had stated that using only one aura personification for the entire life brought about added benefits. But, she also stated that it sometimes affected the user accordingly. There were times where a person with an aura personification of killing intent had used it too much in battles; after that, he was no longer able to retract his killing intent.


    Even after retracting his aura, his gaze, his posture, and his manner of speech would be affected by the killing intent, making it seem as if he is ready to attack any person he chances upon. The benefits of only using one aura personification were high, but it also had some side-effects.


    That was why she recommended he choose two other aura personifications that would slightly offset the effect of his primary aura personification. This way, he would still get some benefits while not become affected by it.


    To ensure that happened, the nature of the secondary aura personification should be of an element opposing to his primary aura personification. To select them, he first needed to see his compatibility with all sorts of aura personifications.


    All through the night, Jyorta continued with his experimentation, noting down the details of each on the slip. It was well past midnight when he finally finished through the list, sighing once. Now, all that was left for him to check was the aura personification he had thought about before.


    [Killing Intent: 9 Hair strands (3 Dancing)]


    [Compassion: 8 Hair Strands (No Dancing)]


    [Wonder: 1 Hair Strand (No Dancing)]


    [Curiosity: 0 Hair Strands (No Dancing)]


    [Pride: 2 Hair Strands (No Dancing)]


    [Lust: 11 Hair Strands (No Dancing)]


    [Greed: 4 Hair Strands (1 Dancing)]


    [Gluttony: 3 Hair Strands (No Dancing)]


    [Sloth: 1 Hair Strand (No Dancing)]


    [Wrath: 5 Hair Strands (1 Dancing)]


    [Hallucination: 2 Hair Strands (No Dancing)]


    [Desire: 2 Hair Strands (2 Dancing)]


    [Fear: 7 Hair Strands (4 Dancing)]


    [Despair: 12 Hair Strands (6 Dancing)]


    [Resolve: 7 Hair Strands (No Dancing)]


    [Mental Pressure: 0 Hair Strands (No Dancing)]


    [Dominance: 1 Hair Strand (No Dancing)]


    [Servitude: 8 Hair Strands (2 Dancing)]


    These were all the aura personifications listed out on the list. They were the ones that the nurse lady, Vaika was allowed to divulge the information of. She also told him that there existed other aura personifications; the secrets were held by people who wished to keep it exclusive to their family or organisation.


    Jyorta had obtained a clearer understanding of himself, at least based on what his body exhibited. In the future, if his actions conformed to the data he obtained today, the chances of him inflicting injuries to himself would be minimal. This would also reduce his Wisdom Parasite''s chance of striking him.


    Though, he didn''t need to worry about his Wisdom Parasite. It was just another him. But to normal people, this information had startling significance. Suppose there was a person similar to Jyorta that fought in the Wilds and had developed a tremendous level of killing intent.


    He would be a force to reckon with on his Tier but, as time passes, his body would begin to suffer damage as a result. The Wisdom Parasite will take advantage of this fact and gain greater ownership of his body. After a matter of years, the person will lose control. This is the case if he were at Tier 3. At higher Tiers, this duration would be further shortened.


    So, Jyorta understood the significance of this data. The nurse lady, Vaika had also warned him to never leak this information to anyone else. She didn''t tell him the reason but Jyorta took her advice to heart.


    "Now, onto the final one," Jyorta took in deep breaths, beginning to recall that one incident that left the deepest impression on him. It was what had changed his life, or straightforwardly ended his previous life and gave him another.

 Chapter 261: A Talk With…

    His consciousness moved through the air, passing into a cloud. He couldn''t feel the weight of his body; it was as light as a feather, or even lighter. The smoky clouds were like cotton that was penetrated by the consciousness. To be accurate, his consciousness just fazed through them.


    At the next instant, he regained consciousness, having arrived within a large bubble. On the other end of the bubble lay a figure, the appearance etched in the depths of his memory. It was a humanoid figure, bigger than the ones he was used to, way bigger.


    Hair that was long, and transparent, possessing suction pod-like mouths on their ends. A face that was a mix between man and monster; now that he took a better look, the parts of a monster on the face resembled that of a Wisdom Parasite.


    The figure hovered in the air, only retaining the upper body. Everything under the hips was hazy, with translucent fog that seeped out, forming a thin stream as it fused with the bubble. As the consciousness took a detailed glance, the first time after his transmigration, he noticed many details, details that he had the knowledge of.


    ''Face having a resemblance to a Wisdom Parasite and hair that are a replica of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite''s. The spikes on the hands should most probably be the resultant of the Tier 4 Skill, Mass Shifter. The faint glow around the fingers resembles the Tier 3 Skill, Mental Calm. Based on the way they are exhibited, the Tier 5 Skill, Warlord Transformation should also have been activated.''


    As he pondered, the scene proceeded to a wild thrashing of his form, a murky sphere lodged with spikes and pierced by numerous bangles that jingled in response to his emotions. Emanating from his form was a nauseating stench, the likes of which he had only noticed in Dalna Doppler among his peers. Even then, hers paled in comparison to his current form.


    As his form moved, a long, murky trail formed. It was a blob, jiggling its way towards the other party, slow in its movements, exhibiting tremendous hatred. A sigh resounded, involuntarily slowing its actions.


    The consciousness heard the familiar dialogue, something he had repeated numerous times to be rid of the murkiness.


    "Actions, and their consequences; attachments of the material world; bonds that traverse space and time; pride, ego, happiness, and sadness, they form into layers of restrictions that weigh down your soul, your essence. That¡­is your Karma. Shedding them leads to enlightenment!" The creepy-haired man spoke in an ethereal voice that reverberated through the bubble. Every sound produced from his uttering shattered some of the bangles that covered his form.


    After every bangle broke, his form could move better, and faster. ''Now, onto the terrifying part.''


    The consciousness anticipated in impatience as the creepy-haired man continued to speak. The scenery below the bubble blurred, with traces of white soon filling up everything. Traces of black emerged, followed by the colour of violet that changed in luminescence until it became red.


    Rifts surrounded the bubble, with all of them displaying the same scene, of a metropolitan city. With heightened concentration, adding to the fact that this was from memory, the consciousness observed the details better.


    There was a subtle difference in the rifts; the image of a man in white changed slightly, flickering to and fro, soon becoming unstable. Long, aquiline nose with a sharp nose line, large eyes with long eyelashes that would be the target of a woman''s envy, and a bow-shaped upper lip; the youth glanced around, the sole clear figure in the blurry surroundings.


    His deep, dark brown eyes were full of intelligence, a charm accentuated by his sharp jawline. The images displayed through the rifts were of the youth''s movements, the same as a video separated frame by frame.


    The youth got into a car, whistling along the way, giving a hi-fi to a couple of strangers who had wanted to pick up their mobile phones. Seeing his chirpy mood and radiant smile, they retracted their expressions of surprise and mild anger, unknowingly smiling, affected by his attitude.


    A school girl waved his way before shying away behind her friend. The youth switched on the FM as usual and started his car. It was well past the morning rush hours, but the road was still full of traffic. Before the youth''s car was a lorry, carrying steel rods meant for house construction. Each of them was around 13 metres long and a centimetre in radius. A quarter of their length peeked out over the lorry''s back. The length of the lorry proved insufficient. The part that peeked out bent a little due to its weight, now slightly angled below the horizontal level.


    Even the quarter that peeked out was almost equal to the length of his four-seater car. The youth maintained a safe distance, watching the traffic crawl forth. He began to hum the song on the FM, watching the signal turn green.


    The lorry before him moved really slow due to the weight it had to carry. Since the traffic prevented him from overtaking it, he could only drive along its pace. It was a crossroad, the junction where the signals were erected.


    As the lorry was about to cross, the signal changed to red. As usual, vehicles from the intersecting road began to move three seconds before the signal turned green for them. A middle-aged man¡ªwith red eyes and a balding head¡ªon a scooter was distracted, half asleep after finishing his night shift.


    He lost control for a second and arrived before the lorry. The lorry driver slammed the brakes with all his might, but the man on the scooter didn''t cooperate, clearly too tired to react. He crashed into the lorry, causing his scooter to tumble and slide under. The man too followed suit, beginning to scream in pain.


    "Aargh, my leg! Move back! My leg is stuck!" The consciousness heard a clear voice.


    The lorry driver panicked and slammed the reverse gear, beginning to move the truck back. Once he saw the man appear in his view, he slammed the brakes and got down, immediately rushing to his rescue. A leg of the man had been crushed, bleeding copious amounts of blood.


    The youth in the car was humming when he heard the shouts. He switched off the FM with a click and glanced to his right, watching a man on a bike shout as he hurried to the scene with the intent to help.


    The youth opened the door when the windshield of his car shattered and in came 19 iron rods. Leaking out through the opened gap was a steady flow of blood.


    The consciousness shuddered while the creepy-haired man glanced at him, behaving differently from the memory, "The Law of Inertia¡­"


    The consciousness jerked in response, terrified at seeing a scene, not from his memories. He was horrified when the creepy-haired man looked at him, seemingly alive, "When the lorry moved back by a metre, the iron rods obtained the same inertia. When the lorry stopped, the windings on the iron rods were insufficient to negate their inertia, resulting in them travelling the distance and impaling you in the car. Their considerable length was another factor that added to your demise. Cost-cutting and mismanagement have always caused accidents."


    The creepy-haired man sighed, speaking in a tone akin to a neighbour intending to engage in chit-chat, "If you have anything you want to ask, do so now. Atika''s probing caused this portion of my Will to turn unstable. I thought it would be a good opportunity to have a chat with you now."


    Instead of just being in a state of recollection, the blue soul became fully active. Jyorta glanced around, finding all the rifts around had frozen, as if the pause button had been pressed. "Are there more of your Wills inside me?"


    "Shouldn''t it be obvious?" The creepy-haired man laughed, waving his hands once, motioning for Jyorta to stop joking, "I know you''re smart enough to have guessed it long ago. There is not one or two Wills of me inside you. There are many portions. I also know that you have guessed the reason as to why I placed them. Killing Mother Parasite is a daunting task. Shouldn''t I keep some contingency measures to steer you towards that objective?"


    "Why me? I''m just an engineer. Also, shouldn''t Gajara Rahi be enough? None can block her path." Jyorta said, preventing his logical reasoning from being affected by his emotions.


    "I had plenty of my Wills in her, the same as you. But, after she attained Tier 6, she got rid of all my arrangements. Though, she also lost all her ''Soul Corneas'' in the process. But, I am not a Psychic Parasite. Only a Psychic Parasite can contend with another." He shook his head, letting out another sigh, "The case will be the same for you. I can only mildly influence you till Tier 5. Once you reach Tier 6, my arrangements wouldn''t work on you."


    On seeing that Jyorta about to ask another question, the creepy-haired man raised his hand, motioning for him to stop, "As to why I chose you and Gajara Rahi among all the humans, ask her if you can or wait until you unravel my arrangements after attaining Tier 6. You''ll know them then."


    "Fine," Jyorta gritted his teeth, clenching his fists hard. His blob form in the memory squished around, expressing its anger as his voice rang aloud, "The relationship between you and Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, what is it? Are you human?"


    The creepy-haired man laughed, its form of liveliness beginning to crumble, "Anything else?"


    "Wait!" Jyorta shouted, "Answer me! At least, tell me more about Psychic Parasites!"


    "When you have the strength, destroy my wills, and get all your answers. Until then, you are under my subtle influence." Before the final traces of his form crumbled, his smug voice echoed, "As for the Psychic Parasites? Let me tell you something interesting. My Tier 6 Skill is Cause and Effect; whether you wish to or not, the two of you will face Mother Parasite. That, I have ensured."


    His form fully crumbled as a statement reverberated within the bubble, "The prime ingredient to create a Psychic Parasite is the fusion of a part of my soul and the soul of another that has travelled for at least two centuries in this space-time continuum. Thought, without the effect of my Skill, Cause, and Effect, the laws of the world will annihilate any substance that attempts a time travel. Look around and you''ll understand."

 Chapter 262: Transmigration Travel

    His consciousness gazed at the talking visage of the creepy-haired man, a part of his memory. He looked around, watching the scene in the rifts change. On the road was a small pool of blood that began to flow up, against the effect of gravity.


    It entered the opened area of the door, seeping into the many wounds on the youth. The iron rods that had pierced him moved backward, coming out of his body. His wounds closed; the scene felt as if everything was being reversed in time.


    The traffic moved in reverse, the youth drove the car to a certain building. Pravaha Nigam; the car drove past the sign and eventually parked itself underground. The youth exited the car and walked in reverse, eventually arriving on the 14th floor.


    A flurry of backward play later, the scene stopped at the moment when the big figure had entered the room. The scene began to play as usual, but this time, there was a mild difference. A scene from his memory matched with what had happened now.


    The youth closed his eyes and peacefully died. His soul escaped the confines of the body and headed into a cloud. Scenes that he didn''t know existed in his memory played out. Jyorta passively allowed himself to travel through it; the blue soul maintained a steady level of immersion using its abilities.


    The doctor stationed in the hotel arrived to check his state, shaking his head eventually. The scene turned blurry, the next rift was the image of the traffic from before. The only exception was the absence of the youth and his car. Present in the location was an SUV, and seated inside were a couple.


    Similar events repeated; the iron rods from the lorry shattered the windshield and pierced the couple. The consciousness remembered them; they were behind the car in the first scene when the youth died.


    An intense feeling of sadness emanated from the memory, affecting Jyorta. His consciousness looked around, noticing another parallel rift to its left. The image in it was the first scene, of the youth''s death. Suddenly, a massive bird¡ªreptilian, with a wingspan of 2 metres¡ªcrashed into the SUV behind the car, killing the couple inside.


    On his right, a couple of rifts later, the same reptilian bird landed on the SUV, this time not killing the couple as they were already dead. Five rifts later, both the ones on the left and right merged into a single line of rifts.


    As the consciousness watched further, a couple more rifts joined into it. Eventually, the single line of rifts continued forth, without any disturbance.


    ''The ripple from my death disappeared within a couple of moments.'' Jyorta sighed, feeling the insignificance of his presence in the grand scheme of things.


    He was supposed to die in the accident originally. But thanks to the creepy-haired man''s arrangement, he died around two hours in advance. But even then, nothing changed in the world. Some events were mildly altered but they soon corrected themselves into the original timeline.


    ''Insignificance¡­'' Jyorta thought, making his consciousness tread further into the memory. The scenery around the bubble changed. The rifts disappeared, and replacing them were dust clouds.


    Lightning sparked around them, many times coming threateningly close. Each lightning bolt was many times his size in their width, the power in them was frightening. The bubble seemed fragile, moving past the dust clouds and the lightning sparks.


    Tornadoes arrived, their two ends extending beyond vision, each resembling mountain. Some were positioned horizontally, moving across like a snake through space, defending against the lightning strikes. Turbulent forces smacked the bubble from all sides, oftentimes causing depressions to form on its surface.


    The surface rippled, with cracks forming in places. Every time a crack formed, the translucent fog escaping from the creepy-haired man spiked in intensity, fusing with the bubble to mend the cracks. The rate of the creepy-haired man''s vaporisation became faster.


    Soon, his stomach disappeared as his chest began to vaporise. The consciousness looked at the creepy-haired man''s face, noticing his solemn expression. There was tension, anxiety, alarm, and fear in his eyes as he looked around, gazing at something way beyond the dust clouds.


    A tornado approached a dust cloud, beginning to shred it apart. Suddenly, something white flashed from within the dust cloud, instantly destroying a major chunk of the tornado. The consciousness noticed something dark flash within the damaged part.


    The scene turned blurry as the creepy-haired man bellowed, raising the speed of travel. His body began to vaporise even faster. The bubble disappeared from the area, arriving above a dust cloud with flashing lightning.


    Each flash of lightning highlighted the cracks formed on the bubble. The bubble looked on the verge of being destroyed. The consciousness looked at everything, noticing the creepy-haired man emit faint fluctuations from his mouth as he spoke. As for the contents, he was unable to hear anything.


    But, the consciousness noticed that his form had become sluggish, entering a state of slumber. The bubble suddenly slowed down, noticing four massive tornadoes block its way. Swirling around them were dust clouds, the lightning they emitted impacted the tornadoes, damaging them.


    The creepy-haired man panted, looking exhausted as he stared at the scene, biding his time as the bubble steadily inched forward.


    A large lightning bolt vaporised a portion of the tornado. The creepy-haired man bellowed, causing more of his body to vaporise. The bubble burst forth with speed, passing through the gap in the damaged tornado.


    It was fully dark, as if the surroundings were covered by iron sand. The bubble began to shrink, the cracks increased with frightening intensity. The vaporisation of his body had reached his neck by now.


    The bubble constantly mended itself as it broke free from the surroundings. The consciousness gazed at the back of two tornadoes, and at the damage of one using which the bubble had escaped through.


    The consciousness shuddered. Jyorta''s body trembled in fright; his face became pale while his hands and legs turned cold. It was a result of the scene the consciousness saw.


    It was a ring, possessing numerous overlapping sections. It lacked any colour, its form ethereal, as if it wasn''t something that existed in the material world. Two concentric circles were on the side of the ring, perfectly inlaid within.


    The ring emerged from the tornado and crashed into a dust cloud. Outlined within the dust cloud¡ªas a result of the clash¡ªwas a rectangle, two of its sides barely longer than the other. If not for that, it would have been a square.


    Lightning flashed around, attacking the ring. Both were soon enveloped by the dust cloud, a part of which began to rotate, forming a bigger tornado. They clashed and separated, clashing again, stuck in a perpetual state of conflict.


    The bubble passed through many dangers, eventually beginning to fall¡ªbased on what the consciousness had determined upon observation. Soon, the familiar voice of the creepy-haired man resounded as the surroundings turned calm.


    The blurriness turned a shade of white, eventually replaced by sunlight. The creepy-haired man only retained part of his dissipating face. His voice resounded within the bubble, with each sound rattling it. It had become weak enough to shatter any instant.


    "I have killed you, though I could say, I also did you a favour."


    "In the original timeline, after signing the deal, you faced a car accident on your return journey that claimed your life. It was why I chose you; you, a person who is neither too old, nor too young."


    "The older the person, the greater the Karma binding their soul; younger people are too immature and ignorant for my purposes. Only you, a person who is no longer a teen but possesses an abundance of knowledge and a mind for creation, is the right person for this job."


    "You no longer feel an attachment to your past life, but you will remember everything, including me, in detail when you woke up. The laws of the world forbid direct reincarnation without erasure of memories; hence, I am taking this round-about approach. I will attach you to a newborn soul; take your time to conquer its ego and make it yours, finally becoming a resident of this timeline."


    Sunlight shone around the bubble; it was gentle. A city was situated below the bubble, looking clear. The surroundings were no longer a blur now.


    In response to the creepy-haired man''s words, the consciousness noticed his form exit the bubble and fall towards the city. It passed through many sections of a skyscraper, arriving within a room where a woman lay on a bed.


    "Mother!" A thought resounded in Jyorta''s mind. It was feedback through his aura. The shout was from his body''s instinct, a result brought about by the link shared with the existence that birthed it. As he was exploring the concept of aura personification, he could perceive the feedback with startling clarity.


    Despite the form going to the city underneath, the consciousness stayed within the bubble, watching the form extend a soul tendril and attach it to the baby''s soul. The baby cried, the same as all babies did after birth.


    The mother, Henrietta steeled her nerves as she carried the baby and gently placed it within a cradle. Her arms trembled in fear while her expression was on the verge of crying. She looked at the baby in hopes, saying her prayers, all the while struggling to breathe from her emotional state.


    The cradle was actually an apparatus, with many electronic parts embedded into it. It lit up with a faint green light and scanned the baby from head to toe, once, twice, thrice. The colour then changed to red as it repeated the scan. After a few minutes had passed¡ªwith the cries of the baby rising in magnitude¡ªthe scan finally stopped as a green light lit upon it.


    Standing nearby, the man, Hancent hurriedly picked the baby up, an expression of relief on his face. He placed the baby in the hands of a happy Henrietta that began to cry in relief. She looked at her baby with joy, planting a kiss on its forehead.


    Tears streamed out of Jyorta''s eyes as his consciousness within the memory heard the voice of the creepy-haired man, "I pray for your safety, pray for your strength, and pray that you can destroy the¡­"


    "Mother Parasite."

 Chapter 263: Insignificance, Hallucination, and Betrayal

    "I never remember having such memories before," Jyorta sighed, thinking of his encounter with the creepy-haired man. The other party said he would answer his questions but ended up saying nothing.


    "But," Jyorta pondered, frowning in response. "The Tier 6 Skill, Cause and Effect; are Tier 6 Skills a manifestation of the world''s natural laws?"


    Information until Tier 5 was available in the military academy. But, when it came to Tier 6, pretty much nothing was ever said. The only information about Tier 6 was the length, weight, and speed of Psychic Ancestor Marble''s psychic arms. Except for that one fact, everything about Tier 6 remained a mystery.


    ''Why did he tell me this? Does it serve an agenda of his? He said Gajara Rahi broke free of his influence the moment she stepped into Tier 6. Is this true? Or, has he planned a trap for me at that stage?'' He shook his head, sighing in helplessness.


    "One step at a time," He muttered, watching the change in his aura. He decisively shielded himself from its influence, only keeping it around him, and directing the effect towards the nail.


    Were anyone to stand beside him, they would feel insignificant, as if all their actions amounted to nothing. They would feel the grandness of the world and the vastness of the universe, and end up losing their will, their individuality, and their fighting spirit. After all, if they were to realise that everything they had strived for in their lives amounted to nothing in the end, they would be demoralised at the very least. Some might despair and even lose all hope in life and the will to live.


    Aura personification¡ªInsignificance!


    Followed by a ripple, the first hair strand rose, followed by the second, third, stopping at the fourth. All four hair strands stood straight, unmoving. Seeing the response, Jyorta sighed in relief, "It is not perfectly suited to me but I can use it without suffering any damage."


    After some thought, he nodded, making his decision, "The aura personification of wonder made me wish to indulge in it. It is not wise to use stuff that I enjoy being around. As for the aura personification of Insignificance, I wouldn''t ever wish to indulge in it. So, it makes the safest bet to be used as my primary aura personification."


    "And then¡­" Jyorta smacked his hands, becoming hyper, having thought of another aura personification. The blue soul sent some memory fragments into his head, allowing him to immerse himself in the memories. With feelings of anger and irritation, Jyorta''s consciousness lived them.


    His aura experienced another change; it would be risky to use this in the presence of anyone, even if they were close kin. Something that repeated in history, brought about by the acts of greed, envy, jealousy, and malice; it was a concept every human never wished to experience but had indulged in it at varying intensities at one point in their life.


    Aura personification¡ªBetrayal!


    The first hair strand rose, followed by the second, the third, and stopping at the sixth. They were all erect, showing zero signs of wriggling. Jyorta nodded in observation, ''So, my nature is of someone that isn''t likely to betray others but also isn''t averse to the notion.''


    He wasn''t surprised by this outcome. Betrayal was a concept ingrained in human mentality; that was why loyalty and betrayal had played a vital part in human history. In such a case, his character was perfectly neutral, just like most of the populace.


    "But, the good news is that this can be used. This aura personification, when used well can prove to be a terrifying weapon." Jyorta smiled; his eyes shone with a glint, having pondered about the various ways in which he could make use of this aura personification in this short duration.


    Humanity was the strongest race on Earth. Based on the knowledge shared with all sentient lives on earth, there existed two classifications: Humans and Frenzy Beasts. The fact that humans were classified apart from Frenzy Beasts made them unique, a special case.


    Another fact was that they were the strongest race on Earth, whether on individual prowess or overall. If not for the presence of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, humanity would have long become the true overlords of Earth.


    Whether in terms of cunning, innate intelligence, information sharing, ability to invent, capability in the field of creation, organisational structure, etc. humans were number one in everything. This made the Frenzy Beasts both fear and look up to humans.


    So, they began to copy humans, imitating them in everything. The Frenzy Beast races that had a Tier 6 being were further into this. They were the ones that actively researched about humanity and sought to imitate them.


    ''Rhachis Ancestor Spindle is even evolving more and more into a human.'' Jyorta thought, remembering a sentence Madam Rizenne had stressed numerous times in her classes, "There are as many Shifters in the Wilds as the population of humanity."


    This showed how skewed the power structure was when viewed at the scale of the Earth. The fact that humanity was still at the top despite their limited population clearly explained their superiority.


    And, here came the advantage of the aura personification of betrayal. As the Frenzy Beasts become more and more sentient after each passing day, their egos would develop into desiring more personal benefits.


    A simple comparison was between a human and an ant. An ant would execute its designated work for the colony its whole life, not once expressing any complaint or disapproval. For the colony, it would throw itself into the fray of death every time.


    But, humans were different. They moved based on personal benefits. Even they would throw themselves at death''s door but the reason would be different. Needing money for survival, protecting loved ones back at home, patriotism for the country, glory, etc. they acted based on a lot of reasons.


    Unless forced into a corner, a human wouldn''t stake his life against death. Also, in human society, as they interact with one another, emotions and feelings would develop. The emotions of love, hate, envy, camaraderie, jealousy, passion, etc. would come into play, affecting their actions. The loyalty between their bonds would be tested in each trial.


    Relationships of love and hate were created as a result. Now, under the aura personification of betrayal, the chances of a person betraying became magnified. All the catalyst needed was a small misunderstanding or a minor negative impression. That would be the spark that set the forest into a fire.


    Frenzy Beasts moved in groups. They weren''t mindless slaughter machines; they possessed their own egos and had their respective impressions of each of their fellow brethren. Suppose they were influenced under the aura personification; even a mass slaughter could be expected between them.


    "So, Insignificance will be my primary aura personification while Hallucination and Betrayal would act as the secondary to balance its effect on me." The effects of the aura personification of hallucination were vivid in his memory thanks to the demonstration of the nurse lady, Vaika.


    As only 2 hair strands stood up for this aura personification, Jyorta chose it. It had a versatile use that would prove useful in various situations. As for the training required to conceptualise the various hallucinations, it was easy for Jyorta, thanks to his blue soul.


    He could take references from various scenes in his memory and create a suitable scene for the hallucination on the fly. He had an abundance of memories from the movies he watched in his previous life, stuff that didn''t exist in the current life.


    Either they were lost through history or the military felt they proved more harm than good and hence sealed them. Jyorta wasn''t bothered about whether or not his favourite memories still existed in Marble City. Anything he needed was already available in him; that was all that mattered.


    "Insignificance, Hallucination, and Betrayal; now I am hyped!" Jyorta laughed, watching the nail float on the bowl as he lay on the bed, feeling tired. The blue soul severed some connections that instantly put his body in a state of slumber.


    8:35 AM, seated inside the same hall as the previous day, Jyorta felt his forehead throb in irritation. His ears picked up the sounds of grunts from all around the classroom as the students expressed their frustrations.


    On the table before him was a question booklet, the subject on it titled, ''Authority''. Jyorta didn''t even need to finish a question before mentally cursing the person who set the paper.


    [Question 1: You are a Ground Controller, head in charge of the 7th Ring''s Trait Division. You have spent a decade researching the Traits possessed by the four neighbouring Frenzy Beast races and are on the final step of creating a Trait suitable for humanity to inherit by birth. This final step is human experimentation. Unfortunately, you didn''t get any volunteers due to the dangers involved. What will you do?]


    ''A question based on something humanity desires with number one priority.'' Jyorta grit his teeth, feeling conflicted. Traits were equivalent to passive Skills. The Traits Marble City created had limits.


    But, despite possessing only one Trait, the Frenzy Beasts had a massive advantage in this aspect.


    It was because of the sole fact that they possessed the Trait since birth, allowing the Trait to affect their bodies, making their physiques suited to the Trait even before their Induction Ceremony. No Trait of humanity could change their physique. This was why humanity placed a great emphasis n the research of a Trait they could inherit and would possess since birth.


    ''Every question has a purpose and is testing our inclination. They weren''t kidding around when they said these tests would affect our future in Marble City.''

 Chapter 264: Ingrained Earth

    18th September, the year 334 of Dawn era; spectral-like objects floated around, shaped into all sorts of objects, ranging from a corkscrew to a hammer. The moved about aimlessly, with most of them settling down at places, turning immobile.


    The surroundings were transparent, with a single tower outlined relatively clearer. The walls of the tower were see-through, allowing the strange creatures to witness everything that happened within. A human man¡ªmiddle-aged¡ªsat inside a dark room with no ventilation. The only item inside the room was the straw mat he sat on.


    Limitless Tower: the place where humans made a breakthrough to higher Tiers, or tried to do so. The Tier of the breakthrough part varied the floor he attempted from. Floors 1-50 were for people attempting a breakthrough from Tier 1 to Tier 2. Floors 51-90 were for people attempting a breakthrough from Tier 2 to Tier 3. Floors 91-110 were for people attempting a breakthrough from Tier 3 to Tier 4. And finally, floors 111-120 were for people attempting a breakthrough from Tier 4 to Tier 5.


    In the floors for each Tier, depending on the individual combat power of the person attempting a breakthrough, they were allotted a higher room accordingly. Seated on floor 109, the middle-aged man was an elite at Tier 3.


    Sometime later, with the eventual success of the first phase, a hazy figure arrived in the transparent world, positioned right about his body in reality. The surrounding spectral figures with tool like bodies grew excited.


    Cogent Phrenics, denizens of the Mental Realm. They usually sought experiences on the same level as their own or a level higher. Many layers of Cogent Phrenics were congregated around the Limitless Tower, conforming to each floor.


    They occupied the levels based on their requirements. When the middle-aged man appeared in the Mental Realm, the Cogent Phrenics on the same level as him and those directly underneath approached him.


    The middle-aged man fought with his primary foe¡ªthe figure of experiences of his Wisdom Parasite¡ªwhile defending against the lunging Cogent Phrenics. The bodies of each were composed of memory fragments, indestructible in the Mental Realm; they affected the form each Cogent Phrenics took.


    A hook-shaped Cogent Phrenics hooked the arm of the middle-aged man, piercing into his form, causing the experience fragments of both to mix with one another. The middle-aged man tugged, causing a small portion of his experience fragments to splash out. But in return, he managed to absorb a greater portion of the hook''s experience fragments.


    The battle ensued forth, with each collision leading to an exchange of memories, with the sturdier one profiting from the exchange. With a robust foundation of life experiences, the middle-aged man profited from most of the exchanges. He targeted the Cogent Phrenics shaped into hooks, slaws, thorns, spears, etc. and evaded the rest.


    Thanks to the composition of his form, the Cogent Phrenics attracted towards him too were related to pointed and sharp objects. He desired the experiences in them while they desired his. He knew that the Mental Realm was a treasure house of experience, a place where he could instantly gain stuff that required years of practice.


    Also, the experience he obtained now would help him to comprehend his Skills a lot faster, also enriching his battle strength. After all, the effect of the Skill improved based on how much one could comprehend it.


    Though, he never lost sight of his objective. It was the form of his Wisdom Parasite. Within it was a crystal that he had to absorb in order to return to reality. If he stayed longer in the Mental Realm, he would eventually be assimilated into it. After all, the sources of the Cogent Phrenics were the humans and Frenzy beasts that had been assimilated into the Mental Realm.


    Eventually, his efforts were successful as he obtained the crystal within his Wisdom Parasite''s form, soon returning to reality.


    In his room, the protector, a Ground controller who oversaw his breakthrough inquired about the state of the Mental Realm.


    The middle-aged man replied, "There were a lot of Cogent Phrenics around this time. I almost lost my life from greed; but my gains were also significant. Though, anyone weaker than me would suffer a lot of losses."


    "I see," The Ground Controller nodded, "I''ll ask someone to escort you on your way out."


    He then arrived on the ground floor, heading into a back office where three Sky Controllers were seated. They were in charge of overseeing everything that happened in the Limitless Tower. And, should a Shifter or a Ground Controller attempt a breakthrough, they would act as their protector.


    Seeing his appearance, a lady in her sixties, seated on the right said without a change in tone, "I heard the report. The Cogent Phrenics have overpopulated the region once again. We will have to initiate a Cleansement Manoeuvre soon. Begin preparations, Gerude. Summon the candidates who wish to become a part of Steam Force."


    "But madam Light," The Ground Controller, Gerude Eagle bowed, raising his shaking voice, "The previous Cleansement Manoeuvre was only 3 years ago. Isn''t this too soon for another one?"


    "2 Years, 341 days, 8 hours, and 20 minutes to be precise." Seated in the centre of the trio, and facing the exit was a lady seemingly in her eighties. Despite her age, she was spirited, her actions full of vigour like a teenager. Though, it was a clear indication that she could only behave this way through the use of her Esper abilities.


    "The world is constantly changing," A feeble grating voice resounded. The one who spoke was the old man seated on the left. Most of his hair had fallen, with the bare remaining fully white, looking feeble, the signs of lacking vitality. His skin had withered like a tree bark, with dark spots on various places of his skin.


    He was skin and bones, sporting a bulging belly from a lack of exercise. His eyes were glazed over, as if the vision in them had dimmed long ago. Even when he spoke, he stared into space, his mouth barely moving, the vocal cords struggling to move. After a moment of struggle, he spoke again, "When I was an Area Controller, the Cleansement Ceremony was conducted only once every 9 years. But, every time, the duration continued to reduce, little by little each time. We can only prepare and act accordingly. Do you get my point?"


    "Yes, sir Marble. I''ll begin preparations right away. We''ll be good to go in two hours." Gerude Eagle bowed and disappeared from the room.


    "Just as Atika said," The old man spoke with difficulty, taking pauses to breathe after every word. "We are hitting the point of saturation in the Mental Realm¡­"


    "Just talk with your psychic arm, Marink." The old lady in the centre interrupted him, "Don''t strain your body too much. There is a limit to how much you can tax it."


    Despite her warning, the old man continued speaking with his mouth, feeling even more difficulty to utter a word now, clearly exhausted beyond limit. But, he still spoke like a normal person would, "This is the sole bodily function I can maintain. Anymore, and I would be no different from a Relic. Let me live while I can, Minaela."


    He broke into a fit of coughs, spewing out a few droplets of blood once. Before they could fly through the air, the droplets of blood vanished thanks to his psychic arm. He infused a psychic arm into his throat, turning it yellow, being able to speak freely after that. He glanced at the lady on the right, "As someone from the younger generation, what is your take on the matter, Lady Light?"


    "Please, just address me as Anserah," The lady replied, her actions courteous but her voice remained monotonous, "I lack experience as compared to the two of you. But, I still feel our passive situation to be troubling. It is vexing that we can''t do anything about the Mental Realm."


    "That is where you''re wrong," Marink Marble spoke, feeling happy at the comfortable feeling transmitted through his throat, "In this Cleansement, we are trying something different. If it works, we might be able to slow down the saturation point at least in the area of Marble City within the Mental Realm."


    "You mean the stuffing operation?" Anserah Light''s eyes widened in surprise, her monotonous tone imbued with mild fervour. "Didn''t our first attempt with it fail? No one can endure excessive information intake. Their minds would shatter and they would either lose control or end up dying on the spot."


    "That is where this Unranked Skill comes into effect," Minaela Marble smiled, opening her palm. At the next moment, a glass jar appeared on her palm. It was a metre height and 10 centimetres in radius. Floating within was a piece of shell sporting a cracked surface.


    The surrounding viscous fluid was continuously absorbed into it, disappearing soon after, as if going against the law of conservation of mass. It was tightly sealed, but despite that, the water level continued to steadily decrease. Moreover, even though the vacuum formation should have dispersed the water, it seemed as if the water didn''t wish to occupy the vacant spot.


    Seeing the glass jar, Anserah Light was confused, unable to determine what it was. Though, judging by its shape, storage, and the presence it exuded, she could make a guess. "Is this an Unranked Skill? How come I never heard of it? Even the family closest to creating an Unranked Skill still has at least a couple decade''s worth of research left to do. From where did this new Unranked Skill appear from?"


    "Guess?" Minaela Marble smiled, shaking the glass jar once. Traces of red, orange, and white flashed from the shell, immediately being absorbed back into it.


    "Ingrained Earth?" Even someone as experienced as Anserah Light stuttered upon the discovery, shocked when Minaela Marble nodded in confirmation.

 Chapter 265: Cleansement Manoeuvre

    "We finally managed to extract the Unranked Skill from the Lava Turtle in its Skill form and not as a Relic." Minaela Marble gently smiled. "Though, we are currently limited to extracting it from a Shifter Lava Turtle. We were unable to replicate the same to a Transformer Lava Turtle or with any other Frenzy Beast Race."


    Marink Marble coughed once before saying, "It is not an Unranked Skill in the truest sense. It is Ingrained Earth, full and full. But, its limit is Tier 4. Only a Shifter can obtain it. Moreover, it will never develop to Tier 5."


    "But, this is more than enough for now." Anserah returned to her monotonous expression, nodding in thought, "A Warrior with Ingrained Earth can absorb at least three to four times the experience fragments from the Mental Realm as compared to others. This will prove beneficial to us, despite the shortcomings."


    "Indeed," Marink''s grating voice resounded as the layer of yellow on his throat began to peel off, "The candidates we have selected are those who have no hope to reach Tier 5 in their lives. So, Ingrained Earth with a limit of Tier 4 is good enough for them."


    The layer of yellow on his throat completely peeled off as he wheezed for breath, feeling difficulty to even speak. Even his psychic arm trembled, becoming unstable. He glanced at the two seated before him, all Tier 5 beings with immense power and authority, "I''ll be leaving the rest to you two."


    His gaze lingered on Minaela for a couple more seconds before his body gently floated up. His body trembled, the psychic energy infused into him turning unstable. He slowly floated towards the exit, unleashing another psychic arm to open the door.


    The psychic arm was beginning to dissipate, showing cracks in many places. Segments of it even shattered and fell like torn patches of cloth, dissipating into psychic energy midway. The density of psychic energy within the room rose towards terrifying levels. The remaining two calmly sat in their spots, watching Marink slowly make his way out.


    Minaela Marble gazed at his back, her complex emotions finally settling down. Her voice resounded with a sense of exhaustion, "You won''t be alone for long."


    His flying posture unconsciously turned steady for an instant, brimming with unconcealable power. Marink Marble strained his throat until his voice cracked, "I''ll have plenty of company there. Sadly, I retired long ago. Otherwise, I would have been able to help with the Cleansing."


    He floated his way through the reception hall. All the staff that witnessed him promptly saluted, respect and admiration deep in their gazes. They remained in their spots until he disappeared from view.


    Soon, he arrived in a massive underground room¡ªsituated in the Lower Strata¡ªwhere Gerude Eagle was busy organising people for the upcoming task. Assembled before him were men and women of all ages, originating from all social classes. There were around 15 people at present, with a steady stream joining them.


    One thing common in the eyes of everyone present was a sense of resoluteness, the willingness to sacrifice for a better future. They seemed to have all said their farewells, the room for regrets barren in them.


    Marink Marble floated before them, his form unsteady, trembling from time to time. The crowd became larger and larger, the people among them being from Tier 1 to Tier 4.


    Two hours passed in such a manner; Marink Marble was no longer able to float steadily, having created a wheelchair to seat upon. He closed his eyes, concentrating all his mental strength to unleash his psychic arms and focus their power in his throat, with the remainder infusing in his body.


    His entire body turned yellow, imbuing in him tremendous power. The wheelchair disappeared as he stood, his booming voice echoing within the room, "You are all here."


    He looked at Gerude Eagle to see him nod in return, signalling the presence of everyone they had arranged. Glancing around for an instant, Marink spoke, "3761 Observers, 498 Line Controllers, 859 Amplifiers, 134 Area Controllers, 67 Developers, 13 Wave Controllers, 14 Shifters and 3 Ground Controllers; I thank you all for coming here."


    "Your bravery and dedication to Marble City is unmatched. All of you will be remembered as heroes from today onwards. Tonight, everyone will become members of Steam Force, including me." His words caused bouts of surprise from the crowd.


    As they shot him gazes of shock and surprise, Marink gently shook his head, "I won''t be participating in this operation. I lost the qualification 54 years ago. My battle is different from the lot of you, but my spirit will accompany you."


    "We are honoured, sir!" Everyone collectively exclaimed, thumping their fists on their chests, their thundering voice rattling the very ground.


    "Wonderful, as expected of Marble City''s guardians." Marink nodded in praise, "Central Command will wholly support your families from today onwards."


    "Gerude will detail the operation," He clenched his fist, raising his hand, bellowing with all his might. His voice resounded like a clap of thunder, the last vestiges of his vigour, "Glory to Marble City! Glory to Humanity!"


    "Glory to Marble City!"


    "Glory to Humanity!"


    As the crowd echoed back, Marink Marble disappeared from view, appearing in an underground room¡ªwith respect to the Upper Strata. The room was 10 metres in breadth, spanning a length of 100 metres.


    Seated at the entrance was an old lady, looking no different from him in age. The moment she glanced at him, she let out a forlorn sigh, "How time flies."


    "Indeed," Marink nodded, glancing at her as he steadily walked towards the end of the room. "What are you planning to do next?"


    "Just work," The old lady shook her head, "I''m sorry that I can''t accompany you. I don''t wish to leave this place until I see the face of my great-granddaughter."


    "Hah," Marink chuckled, waving his hands. "See you, then."


    Seeing his lonely back, the eyes of the old lady moistened up a little. Soon, she firmed herself, pulling a lever beside her.


    At the end of the 100-metre long room was a stone wall, its surface inscribed with murals of a river and a giant fish peeking at the sun, with its head above the water while the remainder of its body stayed within.


    When Marink Marble stood before the mural, the stone wall rumbled, beginning to move downwards. Soon, it fully entered the ground, displaying a brook flowing past, its murky flow slower than his walking pace.


    The river neither had smell nor produced a sound as it moved, its form ethereal. Marink muttered, "The Memoir Brook; this is it, then."


    He took a step forward, placing his right foot into the brook, watching everything immersed in the water be washed away. Without any hesitation, he tilted his body, watching gravity do the rest of the work.


    He deactivated his Esper abilities, revealing his wrinkled, thin form, watching the brook water come closer and closer. His entire body fell into the brook, turning transparent as it moved along the flow, dissipating when it reached the room''s end.


    Marink Marble was no more. The brook continued to flow just the same as the stone wall blocked it from view. The old lady took up a register and noted down the details, finally closing it with a sigh. She then slumped down on a chair at the entrance, gazing at the empty corridor in silence.


    She then gazed at the mural, "What does this mural signify? Despite being here all these years, I still cannot make sense of it. As expected of the product of Ancestor Strongest. Its mystery is on another level."


    In the large room situated in the Lower Strata, Gerude Eagle finished iterating his plan. Standing behind him was Minaela Marble, active with announcing the plans and other courses of action everyone had to take. Standing next to her were 10 people, all Shifters, slightly tensed under the atmosphere.


    She suddenly sensed something; a psychic arm wrapped her body, silently wiping a tear that streamed out her eye. She retracted her psychic arm and launched their plan, "Take up your respective positions in the Limitless Tower. Everyone will start the moment I signal you."


    She then glanced to her side, gazing at the 10 Shifters, "You will attempt to breakthrough only after I signal you. Firm your mindset until then. Do I make myself clear?"


    "Yes, ma''am!" The 10 Shifters saluted in return.


    Under her lead, everyone marched into the Limitless Tower, soon taking up their spots. The 10 Shifters each took up a floor from the top, occupying floors 111 to 120. The remaining members were all crammed into the remaining floors, seated next to each other.


    Gerude Eagle flew around the entire tower, ensuring everything was in order. Limitless Tower was sealed, preventing anyone from intruding their mission. A notice was put up, prompting the citizens willing to attempt a breakthrough to head to the Limitless Tower in a different Ring.


    A straw mat was arranged for everyone to be seated on, the sole thing they obtained. Everyone wore the simplest of clothes, not carrying any other belongings on them. Some of them prayed while others meditated in silence. Not one uttered any word; the atmosphere was solemn, the calm before the storm.


    Time passed in all the dark rooms, the atmosphere within becoming stuffy due to a lack of ventilation. A flash of yellow appeared, forming cubicles that enclosed everyone within each. It was to prevent every individual from the effect of the subsequent mayhem that would ensue.


    Followed by a flash of magenta, the marble figure of Psychic Ancestor Marble arrived before Minaela Marble as her voice resounded in the ears of everyone within the Limitless Tower, "Let the Cleansement Manoeuvre start!"

 Chapter 266: Humanoid Versus Serpentine

    The marble figure of Psychic Ancestor Marble watched everything in silence, a mild frown expressed on its face. It gazed at Minaela Marble, speaking with a muffled voice, "The moment a scout returns from the Mental Realm, inform me immediately."


    "Yes, Ancestor Marble." Minaela Marble bowed in return, activating her domain, overlapping it on Limitless Tower. Now, everything that happened within it would be under her watch. Even if a speck of dust were to move around, she would be able to notice it.


    Present within each cubicle was a person, resting in various poses¡ªfrom a sleeping pose to one of sitting¡ªas a weak membrane formed around them. This membrane was a resultant of a faint scent emitted by their bodies as their heart rate sped up.


    One by one, everyone began their breakthrough process. Within a cubicle on the first floor sat a man in his early thirties. In the military academy, he was nicknamed a dud by his peers for his abysmal Sync Rate.


    He had barely survived the Induction Ceremony, obtaining a Sync Rate of 50 percent. A fraction lower and he would have died. But this Sync Rate also meant that the Nurturing rate he would experience was an absolute zero.


    Within a week or two since their Induction Ceremony, most finished Nurturing their Tier 1 Skills. But, thanks to his Sync Rate with zero Nurturing effect, he never managed to Nurture a Tier 1 Skill. Over the course of his stay in the military academy, he worked hard, using the Credits he obtained to exchange for Frenzy Fruits.


    He slowly increased his Sync Rate, beginning to experience the Nurturing effect. It took him more than six months to Nurture his Tier 1 Skill, the slowest in his Batch. Even his peers with a Sync Rate of 51 percent managed to Nurture their Tier 1 Skills well within a month.


    After all, Frenzy Fruits were expensive while their effect was minimal. Even a Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit only increased the Sync Rate by 0.1 percent. And, it cost 10,000 Credits per each. He was neither smart nor had much talent. So, just accumulating the necessary Credits took him a lot of time.


    He graduated from the military academy and took up a job in the Grain Strata. The risks with his job were lower than most jobs, but the pay was also relatively little. He had a hard life. Eventually, he got married and had two kids.


    Their living conditions were terrible, due to their low income. His wife worked in the Water Strata; her job wasn''t much different from his; hence, her pay was similar. They had two kids, both were boys.


    Despite Central Command giving subsidies to the lower waged citizens, it was only to facilitate the most basic of necessities. Education was mandatory, with most of the costs shouldered by the Central Command for citizens who were unable to afford it.


    These details will be recorded and, in the future, once the student graduates and become part of the working populace, he/she would be told to slowly repay the amount.


    Normally, they would have been to maintain their livelihood with the amount they earned.


    But, one day, he received the news of his wife suffering an injury in work. Even though their jobs were safe, they still posed some risks to people like them who were no different from a normal human. His wife had lost both her hands. To heal such an injury, the money needed was beyond what they could afford.


    So, he only had one option to save her: attempt a breakthrough to Tier 2 or die trying. Since it was for a Cleansement Manoeuvre, even if he were to fail his breakthrough, Central Command would still support his family.


    His wife would be healed while most of their daily necessities would be shouldered by Central Command. The pay she would receive from her work could either be saved up or used to enrich their lives.


    He thought about how the living conditions of his family would improve, bringing a smile to his face. Unfortunately for him, he wasn''t talented enough to finish his breakthrough. If not for that, he would have attempted it long ago.


    Despite his accumulations over the years, his Sync Rate was only a measly 53 percent. The Nurturing effect had stopped long ago. He had already obtained all the strength his Sync Rate could give. He no longer had room for growth unless he raised his Sync Rate.


    Currently, his attention was focused on his heart, watching the formation of a Heart Crystal that fused with the body of the Wisdom Parasite in him. His strength was lacking to compress the Heart Crystal further while his will wasn''t strong enough to facilitate it. Moreover, he lacked enough energy in his Heart Crystal to maintain the breakthrough process.


    Soon, his Heart Crystal exploded, the shattered fragments piercing his heart, with some of them travelling through the arteries, damaging them from within¡ªunder the load. The man suffered from a cardiac arrest, while his breakthrough ended.


    His Sync Rate fell below 50 percent, causing his body to begin rejecting the Wisdom Parasite. The cells in his body began to wither, breaking down into simpler compounds. His eyes reddened as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.


    He closed his eyes, watching a serpentine organism drill out from his stomach and wriggle its way to his head. He instantly died.


    A psychic arm appeared and froze the bloody Wisdom Parasite, bringing it out of the cubicle and storing it in a room. The room was underground the Limitless Tower. Racks covered its walls, transparent, covered by a glass. Shimmering within was a viscous fluid. The bloody Wisdom Parasite was dropped into it; the shimmering fluid caused its resistance to slowly come to a halt.


    It first slammed its body into the glass walls, trying to break its way out. It slammed repeatedly, watching the blood and other body flesh covering it slowly come off, eventually revealing its body underneath.


    Its body was segmented into six, with the first segment a shade of red, possessing small feelers. The remaining segments were white, the same as the ones in the Induction Ceremony. The shimmering fluid seeped into its body and caused its motions to slow down. Soon, it entered a state of lethargy, its consciousness no longer lucid enough for self-thought.


    Soon, Wisdom Parasites were dropped one after another into many racks. Most of them had the first segment of their bodies different from the rest. They were Tier 1 Wisdom Parasites.


    Time passed in such a manner; soon, the Wisdom Parasites being dropped off had the first two segments of their body different from the rest.


    Seated in the tower''s ground floor, Minaela Marble frowned, "Many have failed phase 1 of their breakthrough. This is not looking good. The percentage of people succeeding in phase 1 is around 1.6 percent lower than the previous Cleansement Manoeuvre."


    "It is to be expected," The magenta figure sighed, "The duration is shorter. So, the quality of people we could bring has decreased. This would only continue to decrease in the future."


    Minaela Marble clenched her teeth a little, observing the conditions of everyone through her domain. She couldn''t help them during their breakthroughs. The moment she interfered, their breakthroughs would naturally fail. So, all she could do was just helplessly watch.


    On floor 88, an Amplifier opened his eyes, having made a successful breakthrough to Tier 3. From now on, he was a Developer. He was one of the scouts taking part in the operation. His job was to scout the condition of the Mental Realm and relay it to Minaela Marble.


    Not everyone had begun to breakthrough; a significant portion still sat in silence within their respective cubicles. They would act depending on the scene in the Mental Realm.


    The scout on floor 88 muttered with a respectful tone, "Madam Marble, in our immediate vicinity, there exist 21,348 Cogent Phrenics. Most of them have mental strengths similar to Tier 1 and Tier 2. I didn''t spot any Cogent Phrenics equivalent to Tier 5."


    Minaela Marble''s voice resounded within the cubicle, "Good work out there. You''ll be rewarded accordingly."


    "Thank you, Madam Marble." He bowed respectfully, his expression one of joy and relief. He then closed his eyes, meditating within the cubicle. His work was done. But, until the operation ended, he wasn''t allowed to exit the Limitless Tower. So, he remained in his spot, inspecting the changes in his body.


    Mental Realm; the image of the Limitless Tower became corporeal as more and more humanoid figures appeared within it. Accompanying each humanoid figure was a serpentine figure, displaying enmity against their respective humanoid foe.


    The moment they appeared, and in such huge numbers to boot, the surrounding Cogent Phrenics rushed over, fuelled by their desire for better experience fragments. Any variety of experience fragment they desired now existed within the corporeal tower.


    Within the 100th floor, Gerude Eagle appeared, taking the lead by commanding everyone. Smell, sound, and the sense of touch didn''t exist within the Mental Realm. They only had their sight to rely on.


    Thankfully, their sight was amplified in the mental realm, allowing them to also sense their body. This made them capable of defending themselves and plan their attacks in response to their foes.


    Appearing before Gerude was the form of his Wisdom Parasite, a serpentine figure that resembled him. Within its fourth segment was a sphere, a crystal that upon intake would fuse with the crystal in him, allowing him to return to reality.


    He motioned using his hands, commanding the others around him. They surrounded all the serpentine figures, intending to get rid of them first before enacting their operation.


    He glanced above him once, noticing that the experience-figures of the 10 Shifters have yet to arrive in the Mental Realm. The Cogent Phrenics had formed a barrier around the tower, unanimously waiting for the time being.


    ''Alright,'' He thought, motioning his hand forward. Upon his signal, a war between the humanoid and the serpentine figures erupted.

 Chapter 267: Gerude Eagle

    Appearing beside Gerude Eagle was another humanoid figure. It was a man, his body covered by spikes that were hazy, intent to make the onlooker lose his/her mind. The man had decisively left his position, disregarding his fight against the form of his Wisdom Parasite.


    He looked at Gerude, making a salute. The moment Gerude nodded, the two of them sprang towards the form of Gerude''s Wisdom Parasite. They began battling it, quickly destroying it in a matter of seconds.


    Gerude and his Wisdom Parasite were evenly matched in experience fragments and the condensation of their forms. Adding the man into the fray, they managed to easily overwhelm it.


    Gerude Eagle absorbed all the experience fragments from his Wisdom Parasite''s form, grabbing hold of the crystal within. He placed the crystal in his mouth, holding it in place, and preventing it from fusing with the crystal in his body.


    In the next moment, he and the man ganged up on the man''s Wisdom Parasite, pummelling it within a couple of seconds. The man clutched the crystal in his mouth, similar to Gerude.


    Gerude gazed below him, watching similar scenes happen everywhere. The humanoid figures ganged up on the serpentine figures in teams, annihilating them in order. But, it wasn''t an overwhelming victory on their part, they faced some losses.


    The battle in Gerude''s case finished quickly because both were experts at Tier 4. In the Mental Realm, the quality and condensation of the experience fragments mattered the most. After all, when they made contact with their opponents, their experience fragments would intermix.


    Depending on who had a higher quality, they would profit from obtaining a greater amount of experience fragments. Gerude''s experience fragments were condensed to the extent he looked solid. His fighting techniques allowed him to fight his Wisdom Parasite while losing the least amount of experience fragments.


    This allowed his helper to deal blows from behind and tide the way to his victory. But even then, his helper had lost half the experience fragments in his body from the first fight. Most of them splashed radially, heading towards the layer of Cogent Phrenics.


    Even after absorbing all the experience fragments from his Wisdom Parasite, his form was a tad smaller than before; moreover, it was loosely condensed. As time passed, it began to recondense into a more solid form. But unfortunately, they didn''t have the time to wait until it happened.


    They began to help the other elites at Tier 4, quickly freeing them by destroying their serpentine foes. Once they were done, they continued forth to help the Tier 3 beings.


    Gerude Eagle glanced above him, watching ten figures appear simultaneously, arriving on floors 111-120 of the Limitless Tower respectively. The moment they appeared, Gerude motioned with his hands. Immediately, all the freed humanoid figures convened around him.


    They flew up and formed a layer of defence around the ten figures. The ten figures were different from the rest. Their forms were unique, layered by experience fragments resembling lava. From within their reddish forms, specks of starlight glowed, constantly revolving around them, forming various shapes that aligned to the Cogent Phrenics surrounding them.


    The Cogent Phrenics had been grabbing and absorbing the experience fragments that flew their way¡ªa resultant of the clash between the humanoid and the serpentine figures. Once the number of experience fragments dwindled, they began to move, rushing towards the humans.


    Amidst the humans, the two forms in their centre were like beacons that attracted the Cogent Phrenics.


    The Cogent Phrenics were like a tide that sought to wash over them with sheer power. Gerude looked at an Amplifier, nodding once. Upon his signal, the Amplifier swallowed the crystal in his mouth, watching it fuse with the crystal in him. At the next instant, he was back in reality.


    The Amplifier had made a successful breakthrough; from today onwards, he was a developer. He wasn''t concerned about this fact for the time being. He hurriedly kneeled, speaking with a tone of reverence, "Madam Marble, we have managed to recover about 83 percent of our troops from the Wisdom Parasites. We are currently engaging with the Cogent Phrenics. Sir Gerude is taking the lead and has set up defences around the 10 Shifters."


    Minaela Marble''s voice resounded in his cubicle, "Okay, good work out there."


    On the ground floor, Minaela Marble gazed at the marble figure, "We have engaged with the Cogent Phrenics."


    "Good," Psychic Ancestor Marble nodded.


    In the Mental Realm, appearing a floor above their position were Tier 1 beings who barely managed to finish phase 1 of their breakthrough. One of them, a woman in her late twenties gazed at the serpentine figure before her, noticing another humanoid figure standing beside. That humanoid figure was getting overwhelmed by his serpentine figure.


    Her Wisdom Parasite glanced at the humanoid figure and created some distance, unwilling to lose the experience fragments from an exchange. After all, its target was solely the lady in her late twenties.


    The lady immediately helped the humanoid figure¡ªa man seemingly in his thirties, his form possessing two drums in place of his ears¡ªwhile barely managing to defend against the attacks of her Wisdom Parasite. After some time, they managed to emerge victoriously. At present, they only retained a sliver of their forms, with most of them lost from the exchange.


    The lady glanced around, watching numerous experience fragments¡ªthose that had splashed out from her form¡ªfloat away from her like droplets of water in space. She then glanced below her, feeling shocked.


    She experienced a rush of emotions, her form unconsciously turning a tad sturdier as she motioned at the man beside her with a wave of her hand. The man followed her gaze and a moment later, his form became more solid. His expression surged with fighting spirit, the morale being as high as emotionally possible.


    In the Mental Realm, the walls of the Limitless Tower was somewhat transparent. Despite it being more corporeal as compared to the other buildings in the Mental Realm, it was still see-through. The two people gazed below them, watching the magenta figure standing beside Minaela Marble.


    ''Ancestor Marble is personally here to oversee this operation!'' This thought simultaneously resounded in their minds, causing their emotions to surge to the limit, also imbuing in them a sense of unprecedented confidence.


    The three Ancestors were the pillars of Marble City, protectors that safeguarded it from foes ever since it existed. They were the pillars, both in the emotional and the literal sense. So, just their mere presence gave the duo surging morale.


    They hurriedly ran through the battling crowd, dodging all attacks that their weak forms couldn''t hope to recover from. All their way, they pointed at a certain location, even tanking some attacks to ensure their message was relayed across.


    Their mission was to sacrifice their lives in the first place. Therefore, they were more willing to do so for a cause that would further increase their chances of victory. In their wake, all the humanoid figures glanced at the spot the two had pointed towards, noticing the presence of Psychic Ancestor Marble.


    Gerude Eagle was no exception. As the two had flown up, they had received too many attacks. When they approached Gerude''s location, their form no longer retained its cohesiveness, the experience fragments in them splashing out like water.


    Thankfully, they got their message across. The moment Gerude Eagle noticed the presence of Psychic Ancestor Marble, his form condensed, pulling in all the experience fragments he had absorbed during his fights.


    His form mutated, shrinking in size. When he had initially entered the Mental Realm, his humanoid form was like a porcupine, covered with spikes all over. On his back was a pair of wings, the wingtips also possessing a small claw. His nose was shaped like a beak while his eyes resembled that of an eagle''s.


    His form was around three metres in height. There were many tools, like blades, hooks, and claws all over his form, with most of them retained within their experience fragments, lacking any lethality.


    During his fights, he had lost many parts of his form while absorbing numerous others from his foes. His form soon turned into a cluttered mess, unable to take an effective form in such a short duration. He needed a lot more time to condense it, time that he lacked at present.


    But, a glance at Psychic Ancestor Marble''s magenta figure was all it took to surge his fighting spirit. For a moment, his will seemed endless, prompting his mind into overdrive as it thought and ordered the experience fragment cluster.


    Within a second, his form morphed into a sphere, with the higher levelled experience fragments taking up the centre¡ªsurrounding his crystal. They condensed, taking up a more solid form, tougher than before.


    His height returned to two metres, humanoid but with two pair of arms. The wings on his back became thin and sharp, glistening with a deadly hue as all blade and sword related experience fragments took up shape within it.


    Experience fragments related to sight-related Skills, sensory organs, etc. congregated in his face, bolstering his senses. Gerude Eagle looked at his form, clenching his fist once.


    He gazed at the dozen Cogent Phrenics¡ªequivalent to Tier 1 and Tier 2¡ªsurrounding him, rotating once. He unravelled his wings, cutting through their bodies easily. The severed portions that lacked a crystal core lost its form, breaking down and forming a cluster of experience fragments.


    If they were left as is, they would slowly congregate around a wild crystal and form into a whole new Cogent Phrenics.


    Gerude Eagle looked at the remaining halves of the Cogent Phrenics, watching his wings remain undamaged. He hadn''t even lost a single experience fragment from the exchange. He spun a couple more times, fully severing them until their forms dissolved back into an experience fragment cluster.


    ''Thank you, Ancestor.'' He bowed towards the magenta figure once and motioned with his hand. A humanoid figure behind him jumped into the experience fragment cluster, absorbing them all into his form.


    He then retreated into the defensive line, hurrying towards the forms of the 10 Shifters in the centre.

 Chapter 268: Static and Dynamic Cogent Phrenics

    Cogent Phrenics, the denizens of the Mental Realm; their forms were shaped based on the majority of the experience fragments that composed them. If the content related to the experience fragments were those of slashing motions, attacks, actions, of blades, rods, paper, etc. they would end up producing a Cogent Phrenics that looked like a flat sword with a wide body frame, lacking a hilt.


    If the dominant portion within them consisted of swords and their hacking experiences, then the resultant Cogent Phrenics would have the texture of a sword, same for its shape, size, its mode of travel, and even its attacks.


    So, when it attacks, it would make hacking motions. Generally, due to the experience fragments in them, the resultant Cogent Phrenics would only possess a set of actions. Their actions would become increasingly complex at higher Tiers, but for Tier 1 and Tier 2 equivalent Cogent Phrenics, they at most possessed three or four forms.


    Tier 1 and Tier 2 Cogent Phrenics were also loosely composed, making them seem unstable in front of solid forms like Gerude Eagle. Gerude Eagle watched the humanoid figure arrive before one of the ten Shifters.


    The Shifter nodded solemnly, watching the humanoid figure begin to break off his arms. The moment they were separated from his body, they broke down into experience fragments, forming a cluster.


    As time passed, they would slowly form into a shape based on the contents within them.


    Before that happened, the Shifter passed his arm through the cluster, absorbing everything. The experience fragments passed through his hand and flowed into his form like a stream, spiralling his body.


    As they spiralled his body, many fragments seeped into his form, settling in their respective spots. They were arranged based on what their contents were and where it should be arranged to complement the overall effect his form exhibited.


    Unlike the forms of other people, this Shifter''s form readily absorbed all experience fragments and even allocated them complementary positions, ensuring his form retained its solidity while growing in size.


    The moment he finished absorbing the cluster, the humanoid figure before him broke off another arm, presenting it to be absorbed. As the Shifter absorbed it, he noticed some imbalance in his form. After a moment of comprehension, he looked at the surrounding Cogent Phrenics, pointing at the ones shaped like grass and leaves.


    The humanoid figure nodded and flew out, relaying his message to the ones fighting through a motion of hands. All instructions were conveyed in detail before the operation, so everything proceeded without confusion.


    All the humanoid figures surrounded the Limitless Tower, forming a spherical formation. They created a loose defensive structure, keeping part of the force as a reserve. The Cogent Phrenics collided with them like a wave, overwhelming them. But they fought using their superior forms, giving out more damage than they received.


    They also ensured the direction of their punches, kicks, slashing, and stabbing motions were directed towards their defensive layer, ensuring most of the experience fragments that splashed out from impacts were received by their own.


    Otherwise, the Cogent Phrenics would keep forming as they absorb the experience fragments, causing a continuous loop of attacks. If that happened, then it was only a matter of time before they lost.


    After all, their forms couldn''t exist permanently in the Mental Realm. The adhesive that retained the solidity of their forms was their ego, will, emotions, and desires. It was a finite amount, the source being their bodies in reality.


    Their bodies, in reality, were currently in a state of unconsciousness; therefore, the ''adhesiveness'' they could draw upon was limited. Moreover, to move around and enact their formations, most of them had decisively severed their links to reality. So, it was a do or die situation for them.


    Gerude Eagle severed his connection with reality the moment he glanced at Psychic Ancestor Marble and had experienced a solidification of his form. It was because he intuitively sensed that he had absorbed all ''adhesiveness'' from his body in reality, using the emotional weight Psychic Ancestor Marble had in his mind as a catalyst.


    ''Goodbye my son, Garuk.'' He waved his hand, cutting the thin cord that extended from the crystal in him and connected to his heart in reality. Confirming that the link had been severed, he turned around and lunged at the Cogent Phrenics that arrived before him.


    It was shaped into a human''s stomach organ. Condensed within were experiences of hunger experienced by many humans. Gerude slammed his fist into it, piercing its form without trouble. His hand emerged from the other size, holding a crystal similar to the one in him.


    There were two variations of Cogent Phrenics: Static, and Dynamic. Static Cogent Phrenics were those that had formed as a result of the condensation of the experience fragments in the Mental Realm. But they were not sentient or were capable of moving.


    They either remained in a spot or moved based on their inertia as experience fragments collided with them and were absorbed into them. They passively grew and developed.


    Dynamic Cogent Phrenics all possessed a crystal in them, acting as their cores. The source of the crystal was from the beings (Humans, Wisdom Parasites, Frenzy Beasts, and Frenzy Parasites) that had arrived at the Mental Realm and failed to return to reality.


    The cause could be many: they were devoured by the Cogent Phrenics; they fully expended their ''Adhesiveness'' and could no longer move, their only option to see the fate of their forms dissolving; the battle between the being and the parasite counterpart taking too much time and dealing too much damage to one another that completely broke down their forms, preventing them from ever moving. As time passed, their links to reality dissolved and they were assimilated into the experience fragments that flew around the Mental Realm.


    Once the will and ego in the crystals were completely expended, they no longer possessed a sense of self. After that, as they float around in the Mental Realm, they absorb experience fragments and grow in size. As time passes, they would steadily condense.


    Eventually, after they come to possess a significant amount of experience fragments, they would birth some actions and meagre sentience. After that, they would actively seek out experience fragments that conformed to the essence that formed their majority.


    As time passes, they would birth their own Will, turning into Tier 1 Cogent Phrenics. The strength of their birthed Will correlates to the solidity of their form.


    When they move around, their will is expended. So, most Cogent Phrenics tend to stay immobile and wait for the floating experience fragments to collide into them.


    If they were suitable, they would absorb it. If not, they would form a cluster beside them. If the quantity in the cluster reaches a certain amount, it would form into a Static Cogent Phrenics. They would use the Static Cogent Phrenics as weapons against fellow Cogent Phrenics to rob them of their experience fragments.


    ''It would be wonderful if I could get my hands on a Static Cogent Phrenics equivalent to Tier 4. That would be a formidable weapon I could use.'' Gerude Eagle thought, watching his knuckles become a bit soft.


    He had punched through the bodies of many Cogent Phrenics. Even though his form was superior, the toughness allowing him to come out unscathed, he was expending some of his Will with every move. As the Will in his knuckles reduced, the toughness in the area decreased.


    He sighed once, continuing to battle without stopping. He had already resolved himself to death. He didn''t have much choice. He had received nightmares for the past week, and mild hallucinations whenever he was tired. It was a sign that his Wisdom Parasite was closing in on him. He was close to losing control.


    He planned to consume a Cleansement Fruit after a month had passed, wishing to get as much of the Nurturing effect as possible. Unfortunately for him, his plans couldn''t keep up with changes.


    His son was graduating from the military academy after six months. He would soon be drafted into dangerous missions. If his son was even the least bit careless, he would lose his life. Normally speaking, the strength of a person was limited.


    Artifacts, Relics, and Traits helped elevate a person''s strength to higher levels. But everything required contribution points. Artifacts were somewhat cheaper but, Traits and Relics costed a fortune. Moreover, their demand always exceeded the supply. So, even if he were ready to exchange his contribution points, he wasn''t guaranteed to chance upon a Relic or Trait that would better his son''s survival.


    But, none of that meant he had to sacrifice his life in the Cleansement Manoeuvre. There were other ways in which he could support his son. The easiest way was to present his son the Relic he would create upon consuming the Cleansement Fruit. Or, he could use that Relic to exchange for something more suitable. After all, he was a Shifter, an elite in their society that didn''t have to worry about money or luxury.


    He wasn''t out of options, nor was he in dire need to bet his life upon. But the reason he decided to participate in the Cleansement Manoeuvre was due to a single reason. The funds Central Command gave out to the families of the people who sacrificed themselves in the Cleansement Manoeuvre varied.


    Not everyone was equal, whether in their era or their city. The life of a Shifter was more valuable to Marble City as compared to a Tier 3 or Tier 2 being. Even a retired Shifter was still a force to reckon with. After all, any Tier 4 being and above were treated as an elite in Marble City.


    The case was the same even among the Frenzy Beasts. The majority of any race''s strength was the number of Tier 4 beings they possessed. After all, Tier 5 were few and far between. Tier 6 were the pinnacle powers whose every move is closely monitored by enemy forces. Tier 3 and below were too weak, despite their numbers.


    But, Tier 4 was the perfect level where they possessed sufficient numbers and had enough strength to achieve a qualitative effect.

 Chapter 269: Reason for Sacrifice

    A Tier 4 being could easily trump a hundred Tier 3 beings from his/her race. Another thing that led to a qualitative leap in their strength was their possession of an Unranked Skill.


    The Parasites, whether Wisdom or Frenzy had six segments, meaning they were capable of six evolutions.


    When the Parasite evolves the fourth¡ªwith the first being the Induction Ceremony¡ªtime, it gains the ability to exist independently. If it chooses so, it can roam the Wilds. The only reason it refrains from this option is that the moment it does so, it would lose all scope for growth. Moreover, it wouldn''t be able to use its Skills, not to mention its body paling in comparison to the host it had Nurtured.


    So, unless the host died, the Parasite would never resort to living out in the open.


    The Nurturing effect changes at Tier 4, resulting in a qualitative change in the host''s aura, amplifying his/her presence to the extent it suffocated all lower Tiered beings. This was why Tier 4 beings were termed elites and composed the majority of any race''s strength. It wasn''t odd that Marble City valued the lives of every Tier 4 being.


    So, the compensation for his sacrifice would of course be different from others.


    He had everything he needed in life: power, wealth, authority, and an alive family. If he wanted to strive for something, it would only be to fuel his greed. He didn''t have a necessity to sacrifice himself; this fact further increased his compensation.


    The reason he readily sacrificed himself was to better the conditions of his family. The Eagle Family had been established 40 years ago by his father''s generation; a group of like-minded strong people, all at Tier 4 convened together and established it.


    They made an official declaration, obtained support from Central Command, recruited other like-minded people into the fold, and expanded considerably. They then pooled their money, time, effort, and resources into research and development, seeking to create something that every established Family wished to create.


    An Unranked Skill!


    In their world, a person''s strength could trump an organisation.


    But to grow strong in the first place, one needed the collective accumulation of an organisation. Traits, Artifacts, Relics, knowledge of techniques, methods to obtain certain Skills through the Nurturing effect, etc. were all products of accumulations of tens of hundreds of people spanning decades.


    Only by using the wisdom of the forerunners could the torch bearers tread further into the uncharted land.


    Every Aristocratic Family had once started as a small group of like-minded people convening together to achieve a single objective. As they grew with time, pooling accumulations worth decades or even a century, their fruits of labour would ripen and they would create an Unranked Skill.


    An Unranked Skill was something that everyone desired to possess. Unlike regular Skills, it grew with the person. Moreover, Unranked Skills were versatile and superior to Nurtured Skills even at the same Tier.


    Mass Shifter¡ªa common Tier 4 Skill Nurtured by humanity¡ªallowed the Shifter to shift his weight by morphing his body parts. A Shifter''s body was heavy, surpassing a tonne. The amount of force he/she could pack through a normal body slam was terrifying.


    But using this Skill, a Shifter could instantaneously shift the mass in his body to a certain spot, raising his power. He could similarly use it to defend by raising muscle density at impact location and also toughen up the leg muscles, leading to an explosive spike in jumping ability.


    Mass Shifter was the most versatile among all Tier 4 Skills in humanity''s possession. But it had its limits. Even though Mass Shifter could fill in for the aspects of offence, defence, and evasion, it was primarily focused on close combat; its user would face a hard time while confronting Espers.


    Moreover, it lacked any means in the domain of sensory and healing abilities, not to mention endurance.


    When compared to Bone Devour at Tier 4, it paled in comparison. Shooting bone spikes for offence, manipulating one''s flesh and bones for defence, and an impressive regenerative ability, it surpassed Mass Shifter in the fields it excelled at.


    Moreover, Bone Devour allowed the user to sense the presence of flesh and blood in his surroundings, the range similar to an Esper a Tier lower. The user can also influence the bodies of everyone in this domain. Adding onto the ability to filter out Essence of Frenzy and absorb energy from foes, Bone Devour excelled in every aspect.


    All the user of Bone Devour needed to do was to win a fight and he would be able to recover to his prime immediately.


    All Unranked Skills were similarly versatile. Despite possessing powerful Artifacts, Relics, Traits, etc. a Shifter would lose to an unarmed Shifter that possessed an Unranked Skill. It was pretty much apparent as to what was cost-effective and beneficial in the long term.


    The creation of Artifacts, Relics, and Traits required significant resources, time, and manpower per each. Traits were still fine as they can''t be damaged once injected into the body. But, Artifacts and Relics were constantly damaged in battle.


    Artifacts were still inanimate objects. But Relics were different; they contained Skills in them, a creation by morphing the body of the Wisdom Parasite. Therefore, Relics lost their Skill with the slightest damage.


    Moreover, if the wielder died, they were permanently lost in the Wilds. Losses such as these were commonplace and continuously expended the foundation of any organisation.


    Therefore, a worthwhile investment was in Unranked Skills.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light, Psychic Ancestor Marble; Ancestors were titled based on their Unranked Skill. Just this fact alone spoke volumes about the benefit of Unranked Skills.


    This was the reason why he, as a Shifter decided to sacrifice his life in the Cleansement Manoeuvre.


    The contribution points obtained from his sacrifice would be sufficient to invite the legendary figure from Central Command for a short duration. In both Marble City and beyond, she was treated the same as an Ancestor. Just the number of Unranked Skills that passed through her hands to perfection numbered in the double digits.


    During the time she would oversee their research, the development of their Unranked Skill would progress by at least a decade. To increase the progress, they needed her to spend more time. To obtain that, they had to accumulate enough contribution points. The Cleansement Manoeuvre provided a good opportunity to do so.


    Creating an Unranked Skill was a daunting task. The Bone Family took almost a century to perfect Bone Devour.


    As part of the Eagle Family, Gerude Eagle knew that to achieve their goal, sacrifices were necessary. Being in the same Ring and having interacted on numerous occasions, the Eagle Family was well-versed in the Bone Family''s struggles. ''The Bone Family sacrificed plenty to achieve their goal, even approaching bankruptcy numerous times to fuel their research.''


    The upper echelon of the Eagle Family, Gerude included had enacted numerous schemes to obtain as much support as possible. One of them was making use of the Cleansement Manoeuvre. They had plans for various other missions too.


    They wished to complete their Unranked Skill in their generation, unwilling to suffer like the Bone Family that struggled for a century with uncounted hardships. The completion of their Unranked Skill would signal their rise, making all sacrifices worth it. Therefore, they were willing to shed blood for that.


    Three Tier 4 beings¡ªincluding Gerude Eagle¡ªand 21 Tier 3 beings from their Eagle Family had participated in the Cleansement Manoeuvre. They had long since designated their members for each mission, intending to comply as and when Central Command announced them. It was a unanimous decision; those that had no more room for growth would serve as the logs that fuelled the fire.


    Moreover, since he volunteered to sacrifice himself, it meant his wife and children were exempt from such sacrifice. That was another reason he and the participants from his family volunteered.


    Sacrificing his life in the Cleansement Manoeuvre made him a member of Steam Force, ensuring a steady stream of funds for the development of his family. As dictated by their established laws, the Eagle Family would protect the family members of those that had sacrificed themselves for the Family.


    Obtained through their sacrifice was the help from Atika Light, giving them hope for their children to one day wield the perfected Unranked Skill.


    Atika Light was responsible for many matters concerning the fate of Marble City and other cities. The price to obtain the help of such a being wasn''t cheap.


    Competing against them were other Families similarly researching their Unranked Skills. After all, there were many families like the Eagle Family in Marble City. They all had their own plans. So, only through such a sacrifice can she be summoned for a short duration. But, everyone in the Eagle Family''s upper echelon felt it was worth it.


    Creating an Unranked Skill was a daunting task. The more they researched and invested, the more they understood this point. It led them to understand why the Bone Family almost experienced bankruptcy many times.


    In comparison, sacrificing themselves to further their research was the cheapest way they could think of. Central Command would take care of the daily needs of their families while the contribution points from their sacrifice would fuel their research. To the Eagle Family, it was a win-win situation, despite the losses and pain from losing their loved ones.


    Surviving in their era without a guarantee in strength was simply suicide. The number of Shifters among the normal populace that lost their lives were five times those from the Aristocratic Families and more than ten times the Royal Families.


    This was the difference between those that wielded an Unranked Skill and those that did not.

 Chapter 270: Impending Disaster

    ''H-How long do I need to persist?'' Gerude Eagle watched in a daze at the horde of Cogent Phrenics before him. Their numbers didn''t seem to dwindle. On the contrary, they seemed to have increased.


    ''Are they being attracted from the other Rings too?'' He grabbed hold of a rope-shaped Cogent Phrenics, tugging at it with force. Attacked to its ends were two discs, sporting the shape of a beast''s maw.


    The two discs hacked at him, trying to damage him. His wings shielded him from harm, also managing to absorb some experience fragments from the attackers. Though, he didn''t try to absorb the experience fragments, leaving them to linger around his wings.


    Every movement expended part of his Will. He would turn into a statue the moment it was fully expended. After that, his ego would be gradually eroded, unless his experience fragments weren''t gobbled up first.


    Holding onto the middle of the rope, he spun his body, aligning the angle of the discs by twisting the rope. The discs damaged the approaching Cogent Phrenics, inflicting plenty of damage while suffering less in return. It was a Cogent Phrenics equivalent to a Tier 3, hence its form was durable.


    The two discs soon lost their sharpness, beginning to break; their experience fragments spilled out. Gerude Eagle slammed it on a box-shaped Cogent Phrenics and threw it towards his subordinate. By the time it reached his subordinate, its form completely collapsed, causing most of its experience fragments to collide into her.


    Her job was solely to collect all the experience fragments resulted from the battle. Many did her role too. After all, the prime objective of their operation was to reduce the number of Cogent Phrenics, i.e. the number of experience fragments in the Mental Realm overlapping their area.


    Experience fragments were indestructible in the Mental Realm. The only means by which they could reduce their quantity is by bringing them back to reality.


    They were as their name implied, fragments of experiences. Suppose a person absorbed blade-type experience fragments in the Mental Realm, he would find it easier to wield a blade after returning to reality.


    The moment he holds a blade, he would instinctively sense methods to better his form, and inspirations to improve it further. Banking on the wisdom of the predecessors; the experience fragments in the Mental Realm allowed one to directly convert the experiences of others as their own.


    But, the amount of experience fragments one could bring back depended on the ''Adhesiveness'' of his/her form. To obtain a greater number of experience fragments, one had to have a vast reserve of willpower, emotions, ego, etc.


    Geniuses were made based on how much they could obtain from the Mental Realm, the treasure trove of experiences.


    Their mission was to bring back as many experience fragments as possible to reality. This way, the number of Cogent Phrenics would reduce in their area for the foreseeable future. This would allow others to have an easier time during their breakthrough.


    Otherwise, the moment they appear in the Mental Realm, their forms would be drowned and devoured by the overwhelming number of Cogent Phrenics. This would further increase the number of Cogent Phrenics in the area, implying an increase in the experience fragments, creating a vicious cycle.


    The subordinate lady soon obtained the maximum amount of experience fragments she could carry, beginning to head deeper into their defences. She had made a breakthrough as an Amplifier; her form was mostly human with tiny speakers embedded under her arms.


    Most of those designated with the duty to carry the experience fragments were Amplifiers. She felt her speed slow down to a crawl, the number of experience fragments she had to carry burdening her, expending her Will in greater quantities.


    She slowed her pace, taking note of the distance to travel, calculating her speed based on her expenditure and the remainder of her Will. Her destination was one of the 10 Shifters. The 10 Shifters were tasked with bringing back as many experience fragments as possible.


    The Unranked Skill, Ingrained Earth was mysterious, effective in various domains. The moment Marble City came to know of its wonders, they waged a war with the Lava Turtles. They came to learn of its secrets and found ways to make use of the Unranked Skill that even the Lava Turtles were ignorant about.


    The subordinate lady finally arrived before one of the 10 Shifters, feeling her consciousness slip. She experienced a rapid decline in her emotions, her ego crumbled at an alarming rate.


    Hovering before her was a humanoid figure that was now on all fours. His neck had slightly elongated while carried on his back was a massive shell the size of a hill. Stuffed within were experience fragments, forming a complex cluster.


    Faint energy circulated in the shell, constantly adjusting the experience fragments to prevent inner conflict between them. They were arranged in a complex formation, creating a unified whole. It was similar to creating a human body using various cells. A cluster of cells combines to form an organ, the heart for example.


    Similarly, based on their content, another cluster of cells combine to form the lung. As more and more organs form, they clash with each other due to their purposes. The purpose of the lungs was to expand and contract; it was to beat rhythmically for the heart.


    What the energy in the shell did was to place each organ in its designated spot and connect nerves, arteries, veins, etc. eventually creating a human body that made use of all the organ functions to create a unified whole.


    Normally speaking, the energy required to create such a process was a tremendous amount, something the ''Adhesiveness'' a human produced proved insufficient.


    The subordinate lady hovered before the Shifter''s face, one that had a large slit in the middle. By this time, she no longer retained any Will to move, her ego had also collapsed. Thankfully, she had completed her duty.


    The shifter''s neck elongated further as his mouth reached her form. It expanded, revealing a row of triangular teeth that clamped down on her, tearing out a huge chunk of her ballooned form. Followed by a series of munching, the Shifter swallowed all the experience fragments.


    The experience fragments flowed through his body, arriving in his stomach. Formless energy then guided them to the shell in the back, arranging them in spots based on their contents. The shell turned a tad bigger.


    The shifter clamped his mouth, biting off another chunk from the subordinate lady''s form. Without a Will, her form couldn''t move. Without an ego, her form couldn''t resist. Soon, the Shifter''s mouth grabbed hold of two crystals¡ªone that belonged to her and the other that belonged to her Wisdom Parasite''s form.


    It struggled once, trying to apply pressure while expending a tremendous amount of Will. With a snap, the two crystals shattered, producing a tremendous amount of formless energy. This energy also recovered his Will to a certain extent, allowing him to move his neck and gobble the remainder of her form.


    But, it seemed the Shifter was reaching his limit. His ego was beginning to collapse, steadily being assimilated by the Mental Realm. He used his focus to direct part of the formless energy, placing the crystal of his Wisdom Parasite right next to his.


    They were only separated by a thin layer of formless energy. The moment the formless energy disappears, the two crystals would fuse and bring him back to reality. It was a contingency measure in the off chance his ego crumbled due to unexpected reasons.


    The last thing he wanted was to become a monstrous Cogent Phrenics that would haunt future generations in the Mental Realm. Moreover, to finish his task, he had to return to reality with all the experience fragments he had gobbled up.


    The battle had dragged for a long while; their defences were being breached time and time again. Gerude Eagle noticed the situation and weakly motioned with his hands. From the beginning of his battle, numerous scouts had their gazes trained on him.


    Some of them were in charge of relaying his message across all the troops while the remainder were to report the proceeds to reality. On seeing his signal, an Amplifier swallowed his Wisdom Parasite''s crystal, returning to reality.


    He hurriedly bowed and spoke with a tone of reverence, "Madam Marble, our defences are getting breached. We have already lost all Tier 1 and a significant portion of Tier 2. Even our Tier 3 are approaching their limits."


    He then hurriedly relayed the positions of the breach, the strength in each place, etc. After all, the battle was in and around the Limitless Tower. Before the battle began, they had given coordinates to each floor, creating a point of reference to make the communications quick and accurate.


    On floor 92, many were still seated in their cubicles. Some of them heard Minaela Marble''s voice, "Your positions in the Mental Realm has been breached. Hurry up!"


    Without a second''s delay, they began their breakthrough process. They quickly fused the body of the Wisdom Parasite around their Heart/Brain Crystal, making a sloppy mess. They didn''t care if it would explode as they were pressed for time.


    Thanks to their enhanced senses, they could notice the level of their breakthrough process. The moment they reached 51 percent competition, they allowed the remainder of the Wisdom Parasite''s body to be flushed out, abruptly ending phase 1.


    They immediately arrived in the Mental Realm and took up positions, teaming up first to defeat the forms of their Wisdom Parasites.


    Suddenly, the form of Gerude Eagle crashed through the defensive lines, causing the form of many people to splash out like water. There was no concept of air resistance in the Mental Realm, causing him to fly uncontrollably.


    The only way to slow down was to expend his Will and try to fly against the motion. Eventually, he crashed into a large hill¡ªthe shell on one of the 10 Shifter''s back.


    ''W-What was that?'' His expression was one of fear; his form trembled, the experience fragments in them jumping out, like struggling fishes in a boiling lake.


    The left side of his face began to slowly melt, the experience fragments inside squirming in fear before turning still, as if they were dead.

 Chapter 271: Using a Disaster to Their advantage

    Seated within a cubicle on the 61st floor of the Limitless Tower was the Amplifier who had recently returned to reality. Theoretically, he had made a successful breakthrough.


    "Huff¡­puff¡­" He wheezed in pain, clutching his chest. Sweat oozed out his skin while a thin stream of blood leaked from his eyes. Faint white lines formed on his skin, rupturing it bit by bit. In actuality, he had failed his breakthrough, despite finishing both phase 1 and 2.


    The fused Heart Crystal in his heart wasn''t solid enough, nor was it stable. Before stabilising it, he had initiated the next process and arrived at the Mental Realm. This was the method everyone taking part in the Cleansement Manoeuvre had taken. Otherwise, with their accumulations, they wouldn''t even have been able to finish phase 1 successfully.


    Normally, one would focus their everything to stabilise their Heart/Brain Crystal before heading to the Mental Realm. But due to their objective, they only focused on a small part, forming the centre. After that, they just randomly stacked everything over it, piling it up until it was enough to warrant a ''pseudo-completion of phase 1'', allowing them to head to the Mental Realm.


    This state of completion wasn''t permanent. Their Heart/Brain Crystal would begin to destabilise and crumble slowly. The case was the same with the Amplifier scout. On paper, he was a Developer from today onwards.


    But, as he hadn''t finished his breakthrough process correctly, his Heart Crystal was crumbling.


    ''I guess this is it.'' He sighed, trying to will his Centipede into forming. But, even after many tries, it failed to appear. He bowed once, "I apologise for my lack of skill, Madam Marble."


    "It is fine," Minaela Marble''s voice consoled him, "In such a situation, even Sky Controllers fail to summon their Caterpillar. In our city''s history, only one person has managed to do so. Even for her, it was tremendously difficult."


    "You have done well, soldier. Raise your head and face it with pride. Central Command will ensure your family is taken good care of."


    "Thank you, Madam Marble." The scout closed his eyes, performing a salute as his body turned into sludge. In the next instant, a damaged Wisdom Parasite wriggled out of the sludge, struggling to stay alive. After every second that passed, its actions drastically slowed down, seemingly on the verge of dying.


    A green coloured beam of energy fell on it, actuating a reaction from within it. Tiny particles rose from the sludge, burrowing into the Wisdom Parasite, each impact forming craters on its body. But, not a single drop of blood oozed out. A small suction force appeared in its centre, pulling everything towards it.


    The Wisdom Parasite''s body was helplessly pulled into it, its form morphed, fusing with all the tiny particles. Soon, it turned into a spherical marble, the size of a thumb. Appearance-wise, it was similar to what Jyovic Bone had brought in from his latest mission to the Wilds.


    In the now-empty cubicle, Minaela Marble''s voice resounded after a sigh, "Every time I witness the Trait of Wonder''s effect, I can''t help but marvel at Jyovic Bone''s ability to surprise me. He''s a Transformer and not a Sky Controller. I wonder how he manages to create one ground-breaking invention after another. The Bone Family doesn''t possess a Sky Controller."


    Psychic Ancestor Marble''s voice resounded, "He finished them alone but most of what he created were things he wasn''t alone at their conception. From what I know, she had taken part to progress it most of the way."


    "By she¡­do you mean Madam Mary?"


    "Of course," Psychic Ancestor Marble replied with a sigh, "Every time they encounter each other, they end up fighting. But in actuality, it is their way of exchanging ideas and helping the other party. Their most recent fight was around 6 years ago when they displayed two Traits. Soon after their fight, they announced the completion of the Trait of Growth and the Trait of Severability."


    The spherical marble disappeared from the cubicle as the surroundings turned silent. Their conversation was short and stealthy, thanks to them being Espers, ensuring no third party could ever eavesdrop.


    In the Mental Realm, on floor 112 within the Limitless Tower, Gerude Eagle was stunned to even move. The left side of his face had melted while there wasn''t any reaction from the experience fragments that made up the area.


    The experience fragments in the rest of his form resisted the experience fragments that made up a shell. It spanned a hill in size, belonging to one of the 10 shifters. A head attached to a long neck floated his way, its mouth biting the ends of his left wing.


    With a tug, it pulled his form out of the shell, displaying a massive depression beneath. Gerude made eye contact with the face, motioning with his hands to signal the other party to be ready to leave at a moment''s notice.


    "Woof!" A high-pitched sound resounded, making the forms of everyone tense up in response. All the Cogent Phrenics paused their actions, acting subservient as they parted way.


    A massive head of a hound flew through the path, approaching their defensive line. Despite feeling fear, Gerude Eagle still resisted the sensation as he flew towards it, intending to restrain it.


    ''Of all the times, why should it appear now?'' He cursed in his mind, feeling vexed. His form still shivered at the sound he had just heard. The concept of taste, sound, and touch didn''t exist in the Mental Realm. It was a sort of perceived common sense through their data accumulations worth centuries. So, finding something that went against the norms caused them fear.


    As he flew closer and closer, he began to realise just how big the hound had become. When it was first sighted, it was 20 metres in size. But now, it was almost double the size. Such growth in such a short duration was incredibly scary. It meant the hound was able to roam freely and absorb that much experience fragments.


    Cogent Phrenics never moved unless they found an irresistible prey. In other times, they just stayed still and prevented any expenditure of their Will. Also, when they remained motionless, the Will they had expended would slowly recover, taking the time that spanned even decades.


    It was a really slow process, hence they never moved unless necessary. It was also the reason why the Cleansement Manoeuvre was a practical mission. If they managed to clear an area of the Cogent Phrenics, they can be assured that it won''t be filled by the surrounding Cogent Phrenics that easily.


    When he was fighting earlier, he hadn''t managed to notice the attack that had sent him flying. Now that he had flown closer and had all his attention trained on it, he noticed the hound gently open its mouth a little and from within shot forth a tongue.


    Ghostly flames that shimmered in place of the eyes, and the existence of a mark on its forehead. It was a square, enclosing a ring. Flashing within it was a thunderbolt. Were Jyorta to witness it currently, he would be shocked to see the familiar images that he thought only existed during his reincarnation travel.


    Before Gerude could react, its tongue slammed into him, absorbing a quarter of his experience fragments. The force sent him flying up, allowing him to gaze at the remainder of the hound''s body.


    Cogent Phrenics¡ªMind Hound!


    It had the head of a hound; attached to its neck was a thin serpentine form that was thinner than its eyes. The form was long and seemed to span 100 metres in length. Its head was as solid as Gerude Eagle''s form, equivalent to Tier 4.


    But its tongue was on another level. Gerude Eagle couldn''t even hope to scratch it. He expended most of his will, coming to a stop while using the force to morph his form. He gathered all the experience fragments, using the ones related to his Skills as the core and taking the shape as a spike.


    Seeing his actions, all the Tier 4 beings¡ªexcept the 10 Shifters¡ªtoo morphed into spikes. They relayed instructions to the remaining troops, prompting some of the scouts to return to reality and relay the situation.


    Using the remainder of his Will, the spike that Gerude Eagle had morphed into flew with a tremendous speed. Thanks to the Mental Realm lacking any air resistance, his speed remained unaffected, the spike aiming at the Mind Hound''s head.


    The Mind Hound''s tongue flashed forth, wrapping around the spike, displaying its superiority in speed. But, using the window when it intercepted Gerude Eagle''s spike, the spikes formed by the other Tier 4 beings flew towards it.


    Unlike Gerude Eagle who suffered two major attacks from the Mind Hound and lost a significant portion of his experience fragments and had expended most of his Will, the spikes of the other Tier 4 beings possessed significant toughness and Will to maintain themselves.


    They combusted all their Will and erupted with frightening speeds, quickly approaching the Mind Hound before it could react. Thanks to the forms of both the attacking and defending parties being at Tier 4, they managed to pierce into its head.


    All 16 spikes pierced the hound at various places, causing large swathes of its experience fragments to spill out.


    "Aieee!"


    The Mind Hound screamed in pain, its shouts causing most of Tier 1 and Tier 2 equivalent Cogent Phrenics to collapse. The Tier 3 equivalents barely retained their forms, suffering considerable damage.


    The scouts that were about to return to reality directly collapsed; after all, they were only Tier 2. One of the Tier 3 soldier took the role as the scout and swallowed her Wisdom Parasite''s crystal, returning to reality.


    The remainder took the opportunity, using the Mind Hound''s shout to their advantage. They hurriedly flew, ignoring the expenditure of their Will, and began gathering all the experience fragments from the collapsed Cogent Phrenics.

 Chapter 272: Success with the Cleansement Manoeuvre

    For some reason, the Mind Hound could feel pain, despite being in the Mental Realm. It rolled around, screaming in pain as its tongue shout out, pulling out the spikes one by one. As it clenched using its tongue, the spikes collapsed one by one, its experience fragments gushing out from the force.


    The attacks had caused depressions on its head, the holes threateningly huge. The Mind Hound expended part of the Will it had stored up, healing its injuries, causing its form to shrink. It was now only 23 metres in size, losing most of its accumulations over the past 8 months.


    It glanced around, noticing some more spikes head its way.


    "Aieee!" Letting out a whimper, the Mind Hound turned around and flew away, eventually disappearing from view.


    The spikes decisively stopped, returning to their humanoid forms. They were part of the reserve force Minaela Marble had decisively sent to the Mental Realm the moment things had gone south.


    Of the spikes, none were equivalent to Tier 4. They were only Tier 3. All the Tier 4 beings had already sacrificed themselves to attack the Mind Hound. In its hurry, it thought all the spikes were at Tier 4 level, capable of injuring it. That''s why it escaped.


    If they had clashed, it would have discovered that the recent batch of spikes were weak, unable to damage it. They would simply be absorbed into its body upon contact, unable to mount any resistance.


    The final batch of troops numbered 20 Tier 3 beings. The forms of their Wisdom Parasites looked in a daze at them from within the Limitless Tower. There was nothing the serpentine figures could do to them now, as the Tier 3 beings were beyond reach.


    The moment they arrived at the Mental Realm, they had decisively severed their links to reality, taking flight before the forms of their respective Wisdom Parasite could fight and interlock with them.


    Now, the serpentine figures gazed in helplessness, taking a look at the figures of their host in reality. Now, they couldn''t return to reality, their fate was now to stay in the Mental Realm until they lost their Will and ego and turned into a Cogent Phrenics.


    The links connecting them to reality had limited length, preventing them from chasing after their respective targets. Severing their links to reality only meant their deaths, but staying there without doing anything also meant their demise.


    While they were in a dilemma, their targets were busy scooping out all the experience fragments and destroying the Tier 3 equivalent Cogent Phrenics.


    After the Mind Hound''s shout, and due to their close proximity, the forms of all the surviving Tier 3 equivalent Cogent Phrenics had become weak. Now, they collapsed after a couple of hits, dissolving into experience fragments.


    The 20 Tier 3 beings who arrived the latest did all the work in destroying the Cogent Phrenics. The remaining humanoid forms scooped the experience fragments and presented them to the 10 Shifters.


    Having consumed too much experience fragments, one of the 10 Shifters, the one on floor 111 of the Limitless Tower was unable to endure any longer. His ego was on the verge of collapsing. Moreover, his form no longer resembled a human. He had wholly turned into a Lava Turtle.


    On seeing another humanoid form present some experience fragments, he barely managed to shake his head, implying that he had reached his limit. He then glanced at his body in reality, finding that there were no problems with it.


    Unlike the others, he had managed to make a proper breakthrough. To ensure that they had enough time in the Mental Realm, all the 10 Shifters had made a proper breakthrough, finishing phase 1 before arriving in the Mental Realm.


    Also, unlike the participants, they had enough accumulations to finish their breakthrough to Tier 5. Before this, they didn''t have confidence. But once the Cleansement Manoeuvre was being planned, Central Command had invested in them.


    After giving them the Unranked Skill of the Lava Turtles, their Sync Rate was raised to 100 percent through the Frenzy Fruits. After that, many Ground Controllers that possessed the Unranked Skill, Regen healed them, pouring their energy into them in the process.


    This filled the energy in their Heart Crystal, also ensuring their body could keep up with the enhanced Nurturing rate. They did everything in their hands, investing a tremendous amount of resources to ensure the 10 Shifters would finish their breakthrough without trouble.


    But there was still no guarantee. Thankfully, it seemed his body managed to last long enough. It meant his final Sync Rate was above 50 percent. Or even if it was lower, it wasn''t far off from 50 percent, making the collapse of his body really slow, giving him enough time to finish his task in the Mental Realm and return to reality.


    With a thought, he removed the layer of formless energy preventing the two crystals in him from coming into contact. One of them was the crystal of his Wisdom Parasite, while the other was his, the core of his ego, will, etc. The moment the formless energy disappeared, the two crystals fused, erupting with a subtle phenomenon.


    At the next moment, the Shifter opened his eyes in reality. But, before his lips could even curl up, blood flowed out of his seven orifices. A moment later, his eyes popped out. Something protested to wriggled out of his spine, causing faint bulges to form on his back.


    A moment later, all the bulges disappeared. The Shifter closed his eyes, falling unconscious. Minaela Marble''s psychic arm entered the room, noticing his state. After a moment of inspection, she commented with relief, "He has survived."


    Immediately, numerous pale blue psychic arms arrived in the room, seeping into his body. They hurriedly healed his damage, recovering his eyes. Within a minute, his body returned to its optimal state. But, the Shifter never opened his eyes.


    Suddenly, a psychic arm seeped into his body. It was denser than all the psychic arms combined, despite looking the same size-wise. It was Psychic Ancestor Marble''s psychic arm. After a couple of seconds of probing around, he commented, "His mind seemed to have been destroyed from the information overload. There is no hope of him ever waking up."


    In the Mental Realm, the operation had reached its end. They had only managed to collect a portion of the experience fragments in their surroundings. But the good news was that they managed to destroy all the Cogent Phrenics in their area.


    One by one, after reaching their limits, the remaining 9 Shifters returned to reality. Finally, only 20 Tier 3 beings remained in the Mental Realm. They looked at the vast swathes of experience fragments, glancing at each other.


    They began to pile the experience fragments into small clusters and scattered them within the corporeal projection of the Limitless Tower in the Mental Realm. This was to fuel those that made a breakthrough next. For them, these clusters of experience fragments would be a boon, a gift, a tremendous opportunity that would allow them to soar the skies in one leap.


    The objective of the Cleansement Manoeuvre were two things: the eradication of the Cogent Phrenics in their area and piling up of the experience fragments within the Limitless Tower.


    Without a crystal to act as their core, the experience fragment clusters would only form Static Cogent Phrenics. They were not a threat but were easy prey. Moreover, before they could even form, many would breakthrough in the Limitless Tower and gobble up all the experience fragments.


    Soon, Marble City would announce the news of the success of the operation and would invite the individuals who had contributed to Marble City the most to breakthrough here. This was a reward for their service, to honour their contributions, and to also boost the morale of others so that they would serve Marble City even more willingly. After all, by absorbing the experience fragments collected in the tower, one would become a formidable expert, sometimes even becoming strong enough to contend with Frenzy Beasts a Tier higher.


    This was one of the methods that Marble City used to produce heroes that were capable of killing Frenzy Beasts a Tier higher. To date, the Frenzy Beasts failed to replicate this feat. Even the Floating Spiders were no exception. After all, they didn''t possess the mentality of self-sacrifice that humans possessed.


    After seeing that they had completely cleared the area, the 20 Tier 3 beings glanced at each other. With a nod, they gazed at the forms of their respective Wisdom Parasites. To curb this threat, they had to annihilate all the 20 serpentine forms.


    Thankfully, their Wisdom Parasites were still young, unlike the case with the others that had participated. This was another reason they were sent last. It was to clean up the battlefield. Soon, all the serpentine forms were annihilated without trouble.


    Of the remaining 20 humanoid forms, 19 destroyed each other. The last survivor grabbed all the crystals and stuffed them inside his form, holding the crystal of his Wisdom Parasite in his mouth. He also scooped all the experience fragments resulted from the 19 humanoid and 20 serpentine forms, placing them within the Limitless Tower.


    Finally, he swallowed the crystal of his Wisdom Parasite, watching it fuse with his crystal. A chain reaction erupted, involving all the 38 other crystals in his form, causing them all to fuse.


    An instant later, all the crystals crumbled into pieces, dissipating into a speck of light. Without the link to reality, he couldn''t return. The destruction of his crystal destroyed his ego and emptied his Will, causing his form to crumble into experience fragments.


    The experience fragments occupied a corner of the Limitless Tower, slowly forming a cluster. This concluded the Cleansement Manoeuvre.


    In reality, Minaela Marble sighed, "Despite all odds, we managed to succeed this time too."


    "Our battles would get increasingly difficult in the future." The magenta figure nodded once and disappeared. "To prolong the day when we hit the saturation point in the Mental Realm, we would have to prepare more. Using Ingrained Earth proved to be helpful. Good work, Minaela."


    "Thank you for your praise, Ancestor." Minaela Marble bowed, relief plastered on her face.

 Chapter 273: Marble asks for an Input

    All the remaining 9 Shifters had returned to reality. They all behaved the same as the first Shifter, immediately falling unconscious. Psychic Ancestor Marble observed their states through a psychic arm.


    ''I should immediately check the condition of their souls to better understand their situation. It won''t be wise to disturb Jyorta and spoil his growth. As for Laila, she could reach here from the military academy without any problem. That would be a better choice.'' He thought before retracting his psychic arm.


    A couple of seconds after his psychic arm disappeared from the place, the eyelids of a Shifter subtly trembled. It was the Shifter who had attempted a breakthrough from floor 120, the highest floor in the 7th Ring''s Limitless Tower.


    It was subtle to the extent no one noticed in their hurry. Moreover, once they had finished healing the 10 Shifters, all Espers retracted their psychic arms from the room. Since this happened after that, there wasn''t anyone to notice it.


    A second later, a team of personnel entered the room and picked up the Shifter''s body. Thankfully, the Shifter''s aura was retained in his body, making his body weight conform to a normal person. Otherwise, they would have faced some difficulties and would need a Ground Controller or a large team of Wave Controllers to take action.


    In the Mental Realm, the Mind Hound flew past many Cogent Phrenics that showed subservient postures to it. The Cogent Phrenics that hadn''t moved even once after forming, staying in the same spot for decades had to move just because they were in the Mind Hound''s way.


    Those that failed to do so were swatted aside by a lash from its tongue. Moreover, its tongue attack faintly corroded their forms.


    It flew past illusory buildings, watching scenes of humans working, sleeping, relaxing in their living rooms, etc.


    It watched an illusory metro train pass through its form, not affecting it in the slightest. Soon, it arrived before a massive magenta wall. It stopped and looked around, spotting the military academy.


    It landed on the military academy''s ground, rolling on the ground once, despite being unable to make contact. There was no concept of ground or any physical limitations in the mental realm, unless it tried to tread to areas where no one had ever attempted a breakthrough. There, it would come across the boundary of the Mental Realm, beyond which it would be unable to traverse.


    It roamed the ground, scanning past the faces of all the students. It barked once in joy, finding a boy walking on the ground, heading towards an Indigo Coloured Building. It floated behind him, maintaining a distance no longer than his arm''s reach.


    The boy soon entered the Indigo Building and arrived on the third floor, entering his room. He began to change into a set of armour, grabbing hold of many items to attach to it.


    After a minute of observation, the Mind Hound shot forth its tongue, watching it pass through the figure of the boy. It then retracted its tongue and barked at him a couple of times, rolling around him for a full minute, making many revolutions.


    Seeing no reacting from him, it whimpered and flew away, beginning to roam the military academy campus. Eventually, it passed through a White Building, scanning through the numerous faces there.


    Soon, it barked in joy. The serpentine portion below its neck wriggled, dancing like a dog''s tail. Its tongue hung outside its mouth like a normal dog, its actions, and even the sounds it emitted conforming to the same.


    It behaved like a dog whose owner was about to treat it to its favourite food. It passed its head through a wall, watching its head fully cover the room and the rooms beyond. After all, its head was currently 23 metres in size.


    It then moved back a little, tilting its head until its left eye hovered before a petite girl. It was a rectangular room, with a monitor attached to one wall. A rectangular table had been placed after a metre in distance. Surrounding it were 6 chairs, with three lined up on each side.


    The seated students had to turn their heads sideways to glance at the monitor. Seated on the seat closest to the monitor was the petite girl. To her left was the monitor. She was currently giggling and teasing the friend seated to her right.


    Parlous laughter resounded within the room as the students, all six of them engaged in their merry. They studied, discussed, made fun of each other at an opportune time, etc. creating a lively atmosphere where they had fun while finishing their objective to study.


    The Mind Hound''s left eye was positioned alarmingly close to the petite girl''s face, watching her actions without blinking even once. Even the tiniest change in her facial muscle, the waving of a hair strand in her eyelid as they blinked, etc. the Mind Hound observed everything.


    Reverberating in its area were its constant barking that occasionally changed into whimpers. As time passed, despite her behaving the same as before, a droplet of sweat slid down her face. Her smile became a bit stiff while the muscle below her left eye twitched.


    As time passed, her forehead was covered with sweat. The friend seated to her right glanced around, feeling that the room was appropriately cold enough and the air conditioning was functioning fine.


    She glanced at the petite girl, "Are you feeling fine, Laila?"


    "Y-Yes?" Laila was startled for a moment before she replied in haste, "A-Ah, I am fine. I was just distracted for a moment there, ahaha."


    Her expression then changed subtly as clapped her hands, getting up from her seat, "I forgot to do something important. I''ll return in twenty minutes. You girls continue without me until then."


    Before her friends could say anything, she exited the room, making a light sprint before exiting the White Building. The Mind Hound made patterns similar to the rise and fall of a wave as it followed her.


    Soon, Laila returned to her room. With a snap of her finger, the room subtly changed. It was as if the room was partly sealed off from reality, forming a mirror image that overlapped it.


    A minute hole existed on its border, so small that even a Sky Controller would have trouble noticing unless he/she actively looked for it. It wouldn''t be noticeable under the passive watch of a Sky Controller''s domain.


    A psychic arm entered the hole as the magenta figure of Psychic Ancestor Marble formed. Before she could utter a word, the magenta figure spoke in a hurry, "I need your input on a certain matter."


    "Can''t you ask George for that?" Laila grunted once, getting an idea immediately without even needing to know the context of the situation. After all, there was only a single field that a Tier 6 Esper like Psychic Ancestor Marble required her help of.


    "It is best to refrain from disturbing him for the time being. The more sensitive information he comes across in such a budding stage, the more it would hinder his growth in the future." The magenta figure shook its head.


    "Fine," Laila sighed, scratching her head once. She then gazed at the magenta figure, her expression turning sharp for an instant, "Before that, tell me what you are planning with Jyorta? He''s barely an Area Controller but possesses a Tier 4 Artifact, a Tier 5 Artifact, and a Tier 6 Artifact fused with a Tier 5 Relic."


    ''So she is still unable to sense the presence of Deific Inference.'' The magenta figure thought.


    The magenta figure chuckled once, "It is a result of a deal between Light and Jyovic Bone. You know how Heima has a shot at Tier 6 after inheriting part of your memories right? They plan to use Jyorta to further her chance into Tier 6¡­"


    Laila closed her eyes, motioning for him to drop the matter. She then changed the topic, "I don''t plan to leave the military academy for the time being. So, I won''t be able to actively take part in anything."


    "Isn''t this futile and a waste of time for you? Shouldn''t you have everything you need? I even gave you my Marble Sonata. If you need anything else, you can simply ask me for it."


    Laila pointed with her index figure, shaking it a couple of times, "If I don''t wish to repeat my previous failure, then I need to enjoy proper growth. A solid character, ego, emotional state, attachments, etc. are needed to establish a steady character. Unless I finish that, I don''t have any other plans to act otherwise."


    She then smiled, "Besides, I don''t wish to reveal my identity for the time being. Isn''t that why I left Heima alone, so that she could fill some of the void I left behind? You haven''t revealed my identity to others right, Marble?"


    "No, I have no reason to do so." The magenta figure shook its head, "Besides, none of them are fast enough to react should you take any action. So, I have no reason to tell them unless you say so. Besides, it will be helpful if you can reach Tier 6 before I die."


    "Don''t worry too much, Marble. I''m sure humanity will pull through like always." Laila smiled, but the gaze in her eyes hardened, "And, what about the brat that ratted out on me? He hasn''t blurted my identity to anyone else, right?"


    "For the time being, he hasn''t. I''ll warn him once too." The marble figure nodded, continuing on the topic he came to speak about, "At the end of our Cleansement Operation¡­"

 Chapter 274: The Objective

    "Finally, it''s done." Jyorta smiled, clenching his fist and bending a couple of times to check if the armour fit him correctly. He glanced outside his window, watching the students walk on the ground, going about their various ways.


    He frowned, "Why haven''t they begun to build the battlefield for the graduation ceremony? Did Madam Mila still not return?"


    Madam Mila had three tasks in the military academy: training the Espers in basic Esper abilities, monitoring and grading the activities of the students in the Labyrinth of Frenzy, and creating the Graduation Ceremony battlefield every month.


    When he returned from his first labyrinth exploration, Madam Mila had been absent. Occupying her seat was another staff. Now, despite there being only two days for the August Batch''s Graduation Ceremony to start, there was no sign of any building activity. This meant she had gone somewhere far and couldn''t return for the time being.


    Jyorta was less enthusiastic to explore the labyrinth now. ''I had planned to use and experiment with my corrosion today. But, since she is unavailable, I''ll put it off for next week.''


    He turned around and grabbed a pouch, strapping it to his hip, also attaching a sword to his belt. Worn on his left was a bracer with a sharp blade, designed similar to the blade of an ice skate. It was in hopes the blade would damage his attackers when he defended against their attacks.


    Attached inside an apparatus to his back was a chakram, a tad heavier than the previous one. Over the week he rested and recovered his psychic energy, his psychic arms had grown further. Therefore, he switched to heavier weapons.


    He carried one chakram and three spindles, with only one spindle being less heavy, meant for his second psychic arm. It was a contingency measure since he planned to use his second psychic arm to shield his body.


    All four weapons totalled around 14 kilograms in weight. He didn''t wish to carry any more in fear of becoming exhausted quickly.


    Since he planned to use his stronger psychic arm to carry the chakram, he only needed to carry around 10 kilograms while on the move.


    Jyorta took in a deep breath as he arrived before his table, taking a seat. Placed above the table was a glass jar, and settled within it was yellow dust. It was something Madam Mila had given to everyone in December, stating it was a gift for them.


    He had long since received the gift in it. But thankfully, its effect was recurring. He was thankful to Madam Mila every time he used this gift.


    Jyorta seeped his psychic arm into the glass jar, unwilling to disturb the yellow dust. The moment his psychic arm covered all the yellow dust, mild feedback was transmitted through it, forming an image in his mind.


    The image was of two psychic arms gently floating in space, unaffected by everything. They gently moved up and down, making motions similar to a handwave, directed at him. Jyorta closed his eyes, relishing in the memory.


    As a result of the feedback, his focus improved, entering his most optimal state. The blue soul extracted this memory and implanted it on the eye mask, the false persona of martial devotion, mental peace, and one of body and mind.


    It was the false person he had created to increase his training progress and efficiency. At present, he had three false personas: the face mask, the Hoberman sphere, and the eye mask.


    After creating them, he didn''t set them aside. The moment he found any flaws or chanced upon experiences that would better help him, he modified the false personas. Of them, the eye mask had experienced the greatest modification.


    He was currently in his training phase, learning new knowledge and abilities every day. Therefore, he had to constantly modify and improve upon the eye mask. Only in such a way would he obtain the greatest result from his training.


    ''Good, I have extracted enough memories of this incident. In the future, I can enter my optimal state using the eye mask.'' Jyorta gently bowed to the glass jar, thanking Madam Mila for her consideration.


    Normally, unless a person was a Wave Controller or above, he/she was unable to make sense of the psychic arm''s feedback. Thanks to his uniqueness and experience in using the blue soul to deal with experience fragments of all sorts, he could understand bits and pieces of the feedback.


    The so-called gift in the glass jar was something that optimised the mental state of an Esper while also getting them used to the feeling of feedback. This way, the moment they reach Tier 3, they would instantly be able to understand everything their psychic arms relayed.


    It was their training partner until Tier 3. This was why every Esper in the military usually roamed with their respective glass jars. Moreover, they could also practice their other abilities by modelling the yellow dust within. It was every Esper''s training partner.


    Jyorta got up and arrived before the door, intending to exit the room. Before he left, he inspected his equipment, noting that he had everything he needed. He also adjusted the spindles in their holds so that any passer-by wouldn''t notice the tag on them. After all, a single glance at the tag was all it took to raise a truckload worth of suspicions.


    He turned the doorknob when a familiar voice resounded in his ears, "The part about Laila being Gajara Rahi, don''t mention it to anyone else. Even I wouldn''t be able to save you should that happen."


    "I understand, Ancestor Marble." Jyorta promptly kneeled on one knee, taking a respectful posture. "I haven''t said it to anyone else. The reason I informed you before was to prevent any disaster from happening should she have any plans of."


    "Since you have similar abilities, you understand her threat more than anyone else. Isn''t that right?" He chuckled once, "Anyway, keep working hard. I won''t be free enough to help you but Mila will be there to aid you, even after you graduate from the academy."


    "Thank you, Ancestor, for your consideration." Jyorta bowed a tad lower, his tone one of genuine admiration.


    "It seems you have soaked this era''s culture pretty well." After a pause, the voice said, "If you are facing any problems, tell me now. Since I am here, I will help resolve them."


    "None, Ancestor. My situation is under my control." Jyorta replied.


    "Good," The tone held a hint of praise as the voice disappeared. After waiting for a couple of minutes, and seeing that Psychic Ancestor Marble hadn''t said anything else, Jyorta exited the room, locking the door behind him.


    He arrived before Haesha''s room and knocked on the door, waiting for a few seconds before it opened. He handed his room key to her, "I am exploring the Labyrinth now. I will collect it when I return."


    The room keys were made from a material that was good at absorbing aura. After an exploration, it would be akin to a dangerous weapon. Hence, after wising up, they decided to leave their keys to their friends while exploring the labyrinth.


    "Be careful," Taking hold of his keys, Haesha spoke in concern, "I could barely tread a hundred metres before I was pulled out by the staff."


    "That is impressive," Jyorta flashed a thumbs up. "You fared many times better than my first."


    Haesha clicked her tongue, rolling her eyes once, "That was because you had entered without much knowledge of the Labyrinth. In my case, I had yours, Ashten''s, and Esina''s experience to act as a base of reference."


    Haesha had finished her first exploration in the morning. When she returned to the dorm, she similarly picked her room keys from Jyorta and slept the first thing once she entered her room.


    He had yet to inquire about the details of her exploration. Jyorta waved his hands, cheerfully smiling, "Let us talk once we return."


    Seeing her wave from behind while he marched forth to battle, Jyorta relished in the experience. It felt as if she was saying farewell to him while praying for his safe return. For a moment, it was like they were newlyweds and he was a soldier who had to leave on a dangerous mission. All she could do was pray and wait for his safe arrival.


    Though, most of it was his imagination. But, such a thought still roused his fighting spirit to its zenith. Jyorta hummed a tune as he entered the Red Building, walking to the counter on its end. He sighed in disappointment, noticing the staff behind the counter was not Madam Mila.


    After finishing the formalities, he entered the tunnel on its right. The atmosphere was still as dreary, making his heart skip a beat. His nerves automatically tensed up while his gaze hardened, becoming attentive, focusing on everything around him.


    His body entered a battle-ready stance, even though he was still descending the flight of stairs. Soon, he arrived before a large double door, the same as his previous run. He stood before it, taking in deep breaths to calm his nerves and absorb the vibe in the atmosphere.


    He mentally iterated his objective for this exploration, ''I will head to the deepest layer, the 5th layer. And, the moment I come across a Tier 2 Crust-Mantle, I''ll launch the Hoberman sphere into its soul and grab all of its semi-solid memory fragments. That way, I''ll be able to learn more about that incident.''


    He was both curious and excited at the prospect of unearthing a meticulous plan arranged by the world''s top experts.

 Chapter 275: To Search, To Capture, and to Reap

    The four enemy races of Marble City had set a plan in motion, spanning decades to destroy it. The memories he obtained from the Crust-Mantle only detailed a small portion of the plan. Even if he wished to inform Psychic Ancestor Marble about it, he had to unravel all the details first.


    Marble City was his home, his haven in this treacherous era. He didn''t wish for anything to compromise its safety or change the status quo. Therefore, his prime objective was to obtain the details from the Crust-Mantles.


    If he failed to find them, then he simply planned to use the Hoberman sphere to initiate a massacre in the Labyrinth and rake in a lot of Credits. From what Rakh Veera had told him, the fifth layer spanned an area equivalent to the military academy. Moreover, all the 100 paths joined into it at various locations. From the fifth layer, one could access all the paths.


    Therefore, he would definitely be able to come across the Crust-Mantles while he went about accumulating Credits.


    ''After all, I shouldn''t lose sight of my goal.'' His eyes shone with a cunning glint as a marble slab materialised, causing the double door to open. He unleashed both his psychic arms and took a step inside; his intent, to search, to capture, and to reap.


    His weaker psychic arm immediately formed a layer over his armour, while his stronger psychic arm formed the epidermis. The moment he took a step inside the path, his figure vanished. The double door closed after with a rumble.


    Jyorta stood 3 metres from the double door, his senses trained to his surroundings. Unlike last time, he now knew the factors that came into play in the labyrinth. Of them, the multitude of auras lingering in the air was a prime factor.


    Jyorta unleashed his domain; 3 metres 35 centimetres was the current range of his domain. Having consumed the rewards of his second rank, his Sync Rate had progressed from 71.2 percent to 73 percent. He still had a Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit remaining to be consumed.


    It wasn''t much but, the slight increase in Sync Rate helped him in the long term. Thanks to the Trait of Efficiency, his current Nurturing Rate was at 0.92 centimetres per day. Adding onto the suppression effect on the Wisdom Parasite''s soul through his blue soul and the suppression effect on his body through the Tier 5 Artifact''s aura, his Nurturing Rate surpassed 1 centimetre per day.


    He could say his Nurturing Rate had surpassed Tier 2. Through his domain, Jyorta felt lingering traces in the air around him. There were the presences of the Frenzy Beasts who had roamed the area.


    Each aura was like a coloured particle, separated from each other by huge distances. They moved about in the same manner as air particles, with most of them suffused in them. Various forms of aura occupied in the space between each other, creating a puzzling mess, the overall effect unable to be determined with his current abilities.


    ''I see, so most of the damage last time was from the air I inhaled here.'' Jyorta nodded, finally understanding how he suffered such injuries the previous time without his notice. The very air in the labyrinth was filled with various forms of aura.


    As he inhaled them while moving, they affected his internals, starting with his lungs. Moreover, when he emitted his aura, his internal defences decreased. And through the lungs, as the oxygen mixed with his blood, it carried the dangerous aura, affecting his entire body.


    Sweat oozed out his pores as Jyorta felt a chill. The more he thought about it, the more afraid he felt, afraid at his ignorance. During his first exploration, he had assumed he would be unmatched thanks to his robust aura that was able to overwhelm all Tier 1. Now that he looked at it from a knowledgeable perspective, it was nothing but a fool''s endeavour.


    ''Thankfully, I finished learning the ability to filter aura from Wave Formation.'' Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief, causing a subtle change within the two barriers that shielded him. The Tier 3 Artifact, Wave Formation had a lot of abilities useful for Espers. Using it, he had already obtained enough memory fragments to master all the techniques later.


    At present, he concentrated on abilities that he felt were mandatory for his labyrinth exploration. Jyorta took in a deep breath, sensing the aura in the air clash with his aura in the barrier. After an instant''s worth of pause, only the air particles entered.


    All the foreign aura was successfully filtered out. Jyorta noticed his psychic energy be faintly expended every time he took in a breath. He noticed the quantity of expenditure, mentally calculating the amount of time he could remain within the labyrinth.


    ''3 hours, 57 minutes; ample time for me.'' Jyorta also sensed his aura lingering in the air he exhaled be similarly filtered, only allowing plain air to pass through the barriers. This way, he could minimise his loss in aura.


    It was then a thought hit him, ''If my aura lingers in my breath, then how come the air in the military academy remains pure. Shouldn''t it become a cluster of auras originating from all the students and teachers? Do they possess a method to suppress and annihilate the auras? I should experiment once I leave the labyrinth.''


    Jyorta began to walk; his two layers of barrier made him invisible, prevented the sound of his footsteps from resounding, blocked his aura and smell, and also made the lingering auras in the air pass around him. This way, no frenzy beast would be able to detect his presence through their auras.


    Thankfully, there were only Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts in the first layer, beings incapable of using aura. So, Jyorta didn''t worry. He trained his senses, focusing everything on his domain to detect the approach of any Frenzy Beast.


    Even though he had negated most of his presence, he couldn''t negate his weight. The floor beneath him would experience stress due to his body weight as he treads on it. To the Ring Worms, it was their cue as their Tier 1 Skills were mostly touch-based.


    Based on the data he surfed about their Tier 1 Skills, some of them were even capable of detecting the minute change in stress in an object or ground. Therefore, he was careful.


    Sleeping before him was a Spiked Lizard, its body sprawled on a boulder only wide enough for it. Its senses were trained for any threat, thanks to the danger of death lingering above all Frenzy Beasts in the labyrinth 24x7. But, should he act quickly, he would be able to kill it.


    But, Jyorta didn''t attack it. He didn''t wish to alert the others of his presence. Moreover, it wasn''t efficient to hunt Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts. He would run out of psychic energy by the time he was through 20 of them.


    Instead, it was more efficient to hunt Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts. They would serve as his training and he had the Hoberman sphere to use should things go south. Therefore, Jyorta continued to march forth, passing alarmingly close by each Spiked Lizard.


    ''Damn, it''s huge!'' He mentally bellowed, using his legs to cross over a sleeping Spiked Lizard. They had occupied all the ground in the area, leaving him with the sole choice to cross over their bodies.


    Sweat dripped from his face while his nerves were stretched taut. Sleeping between two boulders was a Spiked Lizard, and crossing over its back was Jyorta. The height was too much in the remaining areas, thanks to many boulders strewn across.


    His heart thumped with increasing intensity as he crossed over its back with his left leg first. His eyes were focused under his groin, watching the tip of a spike come alarmingly close, almost touching him. All the Spiked Lizard had to do was move its back a little and send him into a world of pain and a lifetime''s worth of trauma.


    He felt strength ebbing from his left leg as he lifted his right, slowly bringing it over the spikes. Moreover, he carried a lot of weight on him, causing his balance to be less than optimal. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he managed to cross over it, taking a couple of steps forward to rest.


    His limbs shivered while he felt mentally drained, the endeavour proved more strenuous than he had imagined. Thinking back to his risky action, Jyorta shook his head, rubbing his arms to ease the goosebumps that had formed.


    He inspected the condition of his armour, noting its pristine state. He also inspected himself, concluding that everything went fine. He hadn''t taken any damage from the surrounding aura.


    20 metres, 50 metres, 150 metres¡­ finally, Jyorta arrived halfway on his path. Through his domain, he noticed that the strength of the Spiked Lizards hadn''t changed all that much. It was then he noticed a Spiked Lizard slowly crawl towards his location.


    It had only taken a single step before turning still, looking no different from a rock, unwilling to alert its prey. After a momentary observation, Jyorta understood why it had discovered him. It was an Esper. It had sensed the psychic energy he unleashed through his domain.


    ''Let me see the extent of my improvement.'' Jyorta calmly turned around, unsheathing his sword. He gazed at it while deactivating his outer barrier, using the stronger psychic arm to lift a spindle. For a moment, he had to focus intensively to maintain all the effects with his weaker psychic arm to prevent from giving his position away.


    He gazed at the Spiked Lizard, his mouth automatically curling up into a smile, unleashing his aura coupled with an aura personification.


    Aura Personification¡ªInsignificance!

 Chapter 276: Surprise and Horror

    The eyes of the Spiked Lizard went into a daze. It recalled its lifetime''s worth of memories, gazing at them with a point of view that was pessimistic. It watched the death of the being that birthed it. Soon after giving birth, it had lost control.


    It thrashed around in pain, the process morphing its body as the Frenzy Parasite in it took control. Brethren, hatchlings that had hatched at the same time as it were stomped to death one after another. In the span of two seconds, everyone else apart from it had died.


    Its mother had lifted its leg, raising it above the hatchling, about to kill it. A blast of acid sent it flying away as another giant Spiked Lizard came into view. Followed by its attack, many Spiked Lizards came into the picture, raining down attacks on the one that had lost control.


    It saw in helplessness, its tiny body flying up and down, a result of the ground trembling upon each stomp of the giant Spiked Lizards. A small droplet of the acid fell on its tail, instantly melting it. The hatchling could only cry in agony.


    Years later, after a scary event, it had obtained a Frenzy Parasite. Just when it thought its life would change for the better, it found its powers were weak, almost useless in comparison to its brethren whose bodies were growing stronger day by day.


    It tried to improve, hunting prey and devouring them to quickly grow stronger. One day, humanoid beings came and thrashed its home, capturing everyone. Their resistance proved futile. It was then locked up in a cage, forced to watch its brethren taken out from their cages to never return.


    Whatever it tried to do, whatever it tried to achieve, the outcome remained the same. Its fate was to remain perpetually weak.


    Insignificance!


    The Spiked Lizard''s body plopped to the ground, lacking the strength to even more. Tears streamed out its eyes, falling on the ground, causing a mild smoke to waft out as a result.


    Seeing the outcome, Jyorta nodded in satisfaction. He turned around and proceeded deeper into the path, uncaring about the Spiked Lizard. The moment he injured it, the resulting stench of blood would make things complicated.


    That''s why left it as is and proceeded deeper.


    ''Ugh!'' He placed his hand before his mouth, controlling his urge to throw up. Two metres before him, at a spot a metre underground was a space wide enough to fit a man. Wriggling within it were 10 Ring Worms, munching on the carcass of a Spiked Lizard.


    They drilled into its body and made many loops inside, coming out from the other end while forming a blood pool. They moved close to each other, with many of them crawling over one another, causing a sight disgustingly disgusting to watch.


    Jyorta even reduced the range of his domain just to prevent his mental sanity from suffering critical damage. He didn''t have much tolerance for ugliness. And the scene underground was nightmare-inducing. Trauma was the least of his concerns.


    ''No wonder they always say the Ring Worms were the ugliest Frenzy Beast in Marble City''s surroundings. I don''t even wish to encounter Frenzy Beasts even worse than them.'' He massaged his brows, taking a wide detour to avoid alerting them.


    They may only be Tier 1, but handling 10 of them at the same time was difficult for Jyorta. The difficult part was that they moved underground, diminishing the influence of his aura on them. Moreover, the moment he killed some of them, the scent of blood would lure more of their kind to the scene.


    When that happened, he would have no choice but to fight until he expended all his psychic energy. It would signify the end of his second exploration, something he didn''t wish to happen.


    The path was 10 metres wide, so he had enough room to go around them, finding a safe route, all the while thinking, ''At the entrance in layer 1, there were Spiked Lizards. The moment I come to the second half, the dominant species turn out to be the Ring Worms.''


    Suddenly, he heard a thud 10 metres before him. He looked at the location with alertness, unable to make out anything due to the darkness. He inched forward, taking cautious steps, intending to make a back leap the moment he encountered something amiss.


    A couple of seconds later, he smelled the scent of blood, thick enough to overwhelm his olfactory senses. He didn''t filter out the scents using his barrier, it was to remain alert. After all, why filter and limit his senses when he could identify many things through smell alone?


    Within the range of his domain came a piece of meat. The meat seemed to be the thigh portion of a Spiked Lizard, oozing out blood, increasing the intensity of the scent of blood.


    ''From where did it fall?'' Jyorta wondered, focusing his senses on the uppermost part of his domain. He didn''t find anything since the ceiling was high up, positioned 10 metres from the ground, far beyond his reach.


    Suddenly, a Ring Worm burrowed out of the ground, biting at the piece of meat. At the next moment, its body disappeared, along with the piece of meat. Followed by it were harmonious scuttling sounds. There was only a vacant hole in the place it had burrowed out from.


    ''W-What was that?'' Jyorta was startled, feeling the hair on his skin stand up in alarm. He felt jittery, panicking a little. The Ring Worm and the piece of meat disappeared instantly, the speed beyond his senses.


    It wasn''t even his sight that failed him in the darkness. It was his domain that was unable to grasp the motion. It almost felt like the Ring Worm teleported out of the location after grabbing hold of the piece of meat.


    As he pondered in silence, alert, straining his ears for any other sound, Jyorta heard another thud. This time, it was from behind him. Just this fact alone caused him to feel fear. The situation was similar to many second-grade horror movies he had watched in his previous life.


    But now that it happened in reality, it was super scary. ''Damn, what the hell is happening?''


    On seeing that he hadn''t been pulled out from the labyrinth, Jyorta calmed down a little, thinking that it was just the doing of another Frenzy Beast. As for the Frenzy Beast that was responsible for this, Jyorta couldn''t figure it out.


    Though, the moment he realised that Madam Mila wasn''t the person overseeing the labyrinth, he tensed up once again. If a Ground Controller was in charge, his domain wouldn''t fully encompass the labyrinth, unless his Sync Rate was a 100 percent and he had finished the Nurturing process for Tier 4.


    But, something like that was unlikely, so at least a Ground Controller and a team of Wave Controllers should be in charge so prevent any blind spots. But, even if it were a Ground Controller, the maximum speed his psychic arm could travel was at a kilometre per second.


    The labyrinth of frenzy spanned at least 400 metres wide and a kilometre long. Suppose Jyorta was 500 metres away from the Ground Controller and had gotten into a life-threatening situation. Even if the Ground Controller sent his psychic arm Jyorta''s way, it would take 0.5 seconds. Moreover, that was considering his Sync Rate was a hundred percent and he was at peak Tier 4.


    In normal cases, it might take anywhere from 0.5 to 1 second for the psychic arm to reach to his rescue. The window of a second was too long in a life and death battle. Just considering the previous scene where the Ring Worm disappeared from view, if something like that happened to him, then he would die before the psychic arm could come to rescue.


    Had Madam Mila been at the scene, the rescue process would have been instantaneous as she was almost at the peak of Tier 5.


    ''I guess I don''t have a choice in the matter.'' Jyorta sighed and took in the view of his blue soul. Immediately, he noticed many souls in his range. The range of his soul''s senses had surpassed 4 metres in length. As he continued to devour and comprehend more and more experience fragments, the abilities of his blue soul improved.


    If not for the fact that it needed to absorb energy from his body and convert it into soul energy to increase its foundation, Jyorta would have focused on it more. Currently, he was hard-pressed for energy.


    The energy streaming into his Brain Crystal was hardly enough for all the tasks he was engaged in. That was why he had to push aside the development of his blue soul for the time being. Some things took a higher priority, like accumulating Credits for the matter. With the Credits, he could obtain the Traits and the Unranked Skill, Regen he was gunning for.


    Even then, his blue soul was still growing at a steady pace, albeit slower than before since Jyorta allotted less energy to it. Just in case, he unleashed his two Soul Corneas, wrapping them around his body, forming a barrier, intending to activate his corrosion immediately.


    He inched forward until the place the thud originated from came in the range of his domain. It was the same piece of meat as before. It even had faint depressions on one side, the exact place the Ring Worm had bit into.


    Thanks to its earlier action, the smell wafting from the meat had become stronger. In the next second, three Ring Worms burrowed out from the ground, pouncing on the piece of meat as if they had been hungry for a week.


    Jyorta''s eyes widened in shock as he witnessed an unbelievable scene.

 Chapter 277: Aura Personification—Hallucination!

    Of the three Ring Worms that had burrowed out, two were faster as they latched onto the piece of meat. The third was a tad slower.


    But, the instant the two Ring Worms bit onto the piece of meat, they disappeared, leaving behind the third one that wriggled in confusion. An instant later, it retreated into the ground. This time, the scuttling sounds were a notch intense.


    ''The key is when they touch the piece of meat.'' Jyorta thought, steadily retreating from the scene, intending to return to the area dominated by the Spiked Lizards to regain his bearings first.


    Suddenly, he noticed a soul fly his way incredibly fast. Without any hesitation, Jyorta activated his corrosion. The two Soul Corneas expanded in size while turning jet black. Similarly, the two psychic arm barriers around him also turned jet black while Jyorta pulled out his sword.


    Using his faster reaction speed as an Esper, he willed the effect of his two Souls Corneas to be limited to the soul. The moment the approaching soul collided into them, a significant chunk of it was corroded.


    The soul was attached to the body. The only connection between the domain of the soul and reality was the former''s reliance on the latter. Therefore, when the body moved, the soul could only follow suit.


    After passing through the first barrier by the Soul Cornea, almost half of its soul was corroded. When it came into contact with the second, most of its soul was corroded, causing it to dissipate.


    Jyorta used the face of the blade to defend against the foe. His two layers of barriers shielded him further. He willed them to send an outward force the moment contact was established.


    "Ugh," Jyorta grunted from the impact, almost losing balance. His foot slid on the floor for a couple of feet, barely managing to keep his footing, thanking his stars that no rocks were on his path. After he managed to block that attack, he heard a thud.


    The Frenzy Beast that had attacked him lifelessly fell on the floor. Through the vision of his blue soul, he noticed that its soul had fully dissipated, causing it to die. Through the senses of his domain, he observed the figure of a Floating Spider, the size of his head.


    Its body lay sprawled on the floor, motionless. Its face had half corroded, forming a murky pool on the floor. He was shocked at the outcome, feeling surprised at the effectiveness of his corrosion. Before he noticed, his abilities had grown tremendously. He managed to kill a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast so easily just by defending himself.


    He hurriedly deactivated his corrosion in both his psychic arms and the Soul Corneas. The faint stench of rust and acid wafted out from the dead Floating Spider. Momentarily, the scuttling sounds became twice as intense.


    Faint screeches resounded from time to time, loud sounds that echoed throughout his path. Jyorta felt mentally strained by activating both his psychic domain and his soul domain. He hurriedly retreated, retracing the path he had walked on, arriving before a large boulder.


    He abruptly stopped, the instincts in him had warned him. It stemmed from the Wisdom Parasite in him. This instinct was one of the reasons it was called a Wisdom Parasite. This instinct had saved the lives of many soldiers innumerous times.


    Even though he failed to detect anything amiss through both his domains, he trusted this instinct. Moreover, he had an objective for coming before this boulder. After taking in a short breath, he adjusted his mind, the blue soul sent a couple of memory fragments to his brain.


    He emitted a gentle flux of aura, converging it only around the large boulder, overlaying an aura personification atop it.


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    He immediately closed his eyes, also shielding it with his hand, sensing a bright light flash from the boulder, the source numbering around 30. They were the Frenzy Beast, Two-Faced Fireflies. They were startled, having fallen under the hallucination.


    They took up flight, revolving around the large boulder while emitting light from their bodies. Fifteen seconds later, his eyes adjusted to the brightness. He retracted his hand from his eyes and was startled to notice a transparent silk thread hover before his face.


    The silk was a centimetre in diameter, looking tremendously tough. Thankfully, he had always trained himself to always minimise the movements of his limbs, keeping it around his body as much as he could, making it a habit.


    That was the only reason his hand wasn''t caught in it while he used his hand to shield his eyes and retract after they adjusted to the brightness. He quickly looked up, involuntarily tensing up, barely managing to prevent himself from shrieking out in fright.


    On the ceiling was a sprawling field of web, forming complex patterns akin to what one would witness in a kaleidoscope. Crawling over it were Floating Spiders, hundreds of them, as far as the light intensity allowed him to observe.


    Thanks to his training, he had swiftly corrected his barriers, preventing his figure from being seen by the others when the Two-Faced Fireflies emitted light.


    As he observed their actions, he could understand the source of the scuttling sounds. The Floating Spiders worked in groups, spinning silk around the prey they had captured. He also noticed a piece of meat 30 metres away from him.


    Through his enhanced eyesight, he noticed a thread of silk span from the piece of meat and trail to the ceiling. It seemed weak, unable to even pull up the piece of meat. But, when a Ring Worm grabbed onto the piece of meat, the silk rope pulled it with a tremendous force.


    Moreover, the moment it began to pull, two strands separated from the rope and attached themselves to the Ring Worm, preventing it from escaping. It all seemed automated, like a hunter setting up a trap for his prey and waiting at another location, reaping lives one after another.


    The silk thread shrunk into a dot instantaneously; the force slammed the Ring Worm into the web, getting it stuck. The Ring Worm struggled to move its body, trying to break free of its constraints, either by shredding apart the silk or shedding the skin in contact with it.


    Before it could do so, at least four Floating Spiders pounced on it and began wrapping their silks over its body, constricting it more and more. Eventually, it was wound into a cocoon, now no longer able to break free.


    Numerous such cocoons existed; their sizes displayed most of them to be Ring Worms. Some Floating Spiders flew towards the ground at their maximum speed, attaching one end of a silk rope before flying back to the ceiling in a hurry.


    At the next moment, a Floating Spider wrapped a silk rope around a piece of meat and dropped it to the floor. Moreover, it did so by making the second rope spin around the first, allowing it to make spirals before the piece of meat fell on the floor with a loud thud.


    ''That spiral is what caused two strands to break and attach themselves to the Ring Worm. Interesting!'' Jyorta nodded, realising another point, ''So, the one I killed only planned to set a spot for the silk rope behind where I stood. I was in its way, but it failed to sense me and died as a result.''


    He then gazed at the Two-Faced Fireflies flying around him, still under the effect of his aura personification. Moreover, thanks to his manipulation, they only flew within the range of his aura personification.


    ''Going blind is quite dangerous. If I had been caught by that silk rope, it would have been difficult to escape unless I expended all my energy reserves and used my corrosion without limit.'' Jyorta shuddered at the thought, gazing at the Two-Faced Fireflies near him.


    He calculated the energy he had expended to kill the Floating Spider, making a mental note of his energy reserves. ''It would be hard to control them all. Moreover, it taxes my mind too much.''


    Using his domain, he sensed the strongest of the 30 Two-Faced Fireflies. He then focused the effect of his aura personification on it, watching the others slowly come to their senses. A couple of seconds later, they stopped emitting light and hid under the large boulder, taking up spots in its cracks.


    They were only the size of his fist, easily able to hide in the smallest of places. The remaining Two-Faced Firefly spun in circles, escaping from whatever prey it saw under the hallucination.


    The blue soul continued to send memory fragments to his brain, helping in realistically changing the scenery in the hallucination. He made changes, directing the path the Two-Faced Firefly flew in. Eventually, it landed on his right shoulder, curling up in exhaustion before stopping its light emission.


    Jyorta felt some aversion seeing it up close but on seeing its actions, he felt it was kind of cute. With a smile, he subtly changed the hallucination, causing the Two-Faced Firefly to panic and take flight. He controlled its actions, making it fly before him while he followed behind.


    The moment a Floating Spider flew with the intent to kill it, Jyorta directed part of the aura personification on it, watching with amusement as the Floating Spider clamped its mandibles 30 centimetres above the Two-Faced Firefly.


    He only changed the contents for it a little, making it hallucinate the position of the Two-Faced Firefly 30 centimetres above its actual position. The Floating Spider made a curve and returned, missing its prey by a wide margin, feeling confused.


    After it missed five times, it became afraid, scurrying at its fastest speed to the safety of the web above. Jyorta chuckled at the scene as he continued to tread forth, feeling a bit relaxed now that he could see with his eyes.

 Chapter 278: Getting a Bright Companion

    The Two-Faced Firefly flew within his arm''s reach, illuminating the area around him. The light it emitted was the brightest among all the Two-Faced Fireflies. Moreover, unlike the others, it had the option to vary light by either focusing it like a beam or spreading it wide.


    When it spread it wide, Jyorta could make out things as far as 20 metres away. In the range of 10 metres, he could see things clearly. When it focused its light into a beam, it was as big as his body 30 metres away. Moreover, it was pretty clear. To Jyorta, it was more than enough.


    Manipulating just one Two-Faced Firefly expended very less aura, and was less mentally straining. Pursuing efficiency based on the objective at hand, that was the motto they were taught at the military academy, hammering the thought repeatedly into their mind until they subconsciously sought it.


    Even the brightest of wisdom failed when incompletely implemented.


    Jyorta walked in a hurry while being alert. He retracted his domain after noticing that his soul domain functioned better to detect enemies. Moreover, now that he could see, it was no longer necessary to keep his domain active. Too much information was transmitted through his domain, furthering his mental strain.


    To keep things at an optimal state, he retracted his domain. Moreover, he lost some confidence in it when it failed to notice the presence of the silk rope.


    ''Maybe they have evolved to make psychic energy perfectly pass through their silk. Moreover, the Unranked Skill, Web World is capable of generating silk that can perfectly prevent psychic energy from seeping into it.'' Jyorta thought, renewing his opinion of the Floating Spiders.


    In all the Graduation Ceremonies he had witnessed, the Floating Spiders had suffered the most, despite their advantages. They had small bodies, making them fragile. This was why he labelled them as not a threat at Tier 1 and Tier 2.


    But, now that he witnessed their hunting methods, his opinion of them changed. ''They are not warriors but hunters. They plan, devise traps, capture and kill their foes. The setting in the Graduation Ceremonies was different, and the time was too little for their advantage to come into effect.''


    The Graduation Ceremony was conducted on the 20th every month. The military academy¡ªMadam Mila to be exact¡ªwould begin setting up the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield two days prior. After all the Frenzy Beasts were placed inside, they only had a day to get used to the atmosphere.


    Having a standoff with the enemy races, marking territories, etc. gave the Floating Spiders less time to set up their advantage. That was why they resorted to small spherical domes, leaving a vast majority of their Tier 1 out in the open, causing them to suffer the greatest of damage each time.


    Moreover, the military academy always placed the Floating Spiders in the middle, causing most of the battles to take place within their territory. This was another reason their losses were the highest.


    ''They aren''t called the strongest Frenzy Beast race for no reason.'' The moment he thought about this line of topic, the image of a certain Frenzy Beast flashed in his mind. It was a Frenzy Beast that left his sister on the verge of death.


    Blessed with exceptional danger sense and a mysterious ability, they were a frightening race that had recently emerged. To this day, Marble City had been unable to capture even a single Frenzy Beast from this race.


    He had obtained detailed information about them from his sister''s memory fragments. ''If they manage to produce an Ancestor level figure, how strong would they become?''


    He immediately rid him of the distracting thoughts, focusing on the issue at hand. The Two-Faced Firefly had almost managed to break free of his hallucination in the short duration he was embroiled in thought.


    With a change in thought, his mental state would be accordingly affected, also affecting his aura personification. He quickly returned to the optimal state necessary to use the aura personification, continuing to walk. Soon, he arrived at the end of the path, noticing the layer of web become thick, drooping down three metres from the ceiling.


    Contained within seemed to be a lot of things, possibly even eggs. As it was beyond the range of his senses, he couldn''t be bothered to disturb them. But, as he looked forward, Jyorta couldn''t help but frown.


    At the end of the path was a flight of stairs that lead to the second layer. But, a layer of web had cordoned it off. Moreover, it was a thick layer, spanning 10 centimetres in width. The silk ropes forming it were each 4 centimetres in diameter. The amount of strength needed to snap them was beyond what he possessed.


    In one of the activities the military academy had conducted, they were given a sword and were asked to cut a silk rope¡ªproduced from Observer Floating Spiders. There were silk ropes of varying thickness, starting from 0.5 centimetres to 5 centimetres.


    Warriors and Espers were ranked separately for the event. Among the Espers, many failed to even cut through the thinnest silk rope¡ª0.5 centimetres.


    It was many times tougher than steel with the same dimensions.


    Using all the force and technique at his disposal, Jyorta erupted with his strongest slash of the time, barely managing to cut a 0.8-centimetre-thick rope. The highest among the Espers was 1.1 centimetres. It turned out to be the same boy who occupied the room adjacent to his.


    For a moment, Jyorta recalled how he had troubled the other party daily in the mornings through his alarms. After a moment of thought, he conveniently brushed it off.


    George obtained the highest score among Warriors, managing to cut a 2.8-centimetre-thick silk rope. The event had been held two months ago, so the scores might turn out higher now. But even then, cutting through the silk ropes before him was beyond Jyorta''s physical ability.


    ''I don''t wish to leave too much traces of corrosion in the absence of Madam Mila.'' Jyorta sighed once. In the times he trained at the entrance of the path, Madam Mila wiped out all traces of his corrosion after he was done, keep it secret from the rest.


    That was why he was disappointed when he learned of her absence. It meant he had to clean up after himself, unless he wished to keep the traces for someone else to discover.


    Usually, anyone would just attribute it to the Spiked Lizards who stored acids in a sack underneath their tongues that they shot to melt the bones of their prey. But, suppose Laila were to make an investigative sweep, then she might sense the difference. He didn''t wish for his corrosion to be revealed to her.


    Using the hallucination, Jyorta made the Two-Faced Firefly dart around, allowing him to inspect his surroundings. Failing to notice any Floating Spider, he observed the silk layer, trying to sense relatively weaker sections.


    In the meantime, he noticed the lack of any Ring Worms underground through his soul domain. He then unleashed his domain, spotting several areas there were relatively weaker. But the difference wasn''t big enough to give him an advantage.


    Finally, he arrived at the left extreme, watching the spot where all the silk ropes were attached to the wall. The walls were yellow, a sign that they were made by Madam Mila. Jyorta unleashed his two Soul Corneas, flattening them into a long sheet of paper.


    Morphed paper thin, he passed a Soul Cornea through the layer of silk, layering it just beside the wall. As for the other Soul Cornea, he layered it on the ground. He intended to cut an L-shaped section, separating its hold from the wall and the ground.


    Moreover, since he affected it on the bottom-most corner, it wouldn''t cause any disturbance to the structure, preventing the Floating Spiders from being alerted. Moreover, he also wished to use it during his return.


    If he made a commotion and bored through a big hole, then by the time he returned from his exploration, the hole would have been patched up. Suppose he didn''t have enough energy, then his fate would be to wait in the second layer until he ran out of energy and suffered enough damage for the staff to pull him out.


    He didn''t wish for something that foolish, hence his decision to affect the corner.


    The blue soul connected twenty soul tendrils to his Brain Crystal, siphoning away the psychic energy for the operation. After taking in a deep breath, he furrowed his brows, willing the effect.


    The blue face in the blue soul opened its mouth to send a ray of blackish mass into the two Soul Corneas. The two Soul Corneas turned jet-black in response, fully suffused with the effect of corrosion.


    Immediately, the silk threads began to corrode, like thermocol coming into contact with a candle flame. The energy expended though was anything but little. With a brief estimate, he noted an 8 percent expenditure of his psychic energy.


    But despite the heavy expenditure, the result made him smile. In the span of two seconds, he had managed to finish corroding their contact with the wall and the floor. ''I have become a bit strong.''


    Using his stronger psychic arm, he picked up a spindle, using its flat side to push the silk layer. Thankfully, the strength in his psychic arm was enough to move it. Jyorta crouched on all fours, carefully proceeding through the gap.


    He made extra sure to avoid coming into contact with any portion of the silk layer, even the speed at which he moved the silk was as slow as possible. Once he crossed to the other side, he gently placed it back, correcting it to ensure it looked the same as before, even using the blue soul to send the related memory fragment to his brain, pulling up the image for cross-reference.


    Finished with his careful measures, he heaved a sigh of relief and began to descend the stairs, feeling partly excited. ''The second layer, here I come!''

 Chapter 279: Layer 2

    The flight of stairs consisted of 10 steps, followed by a platform and another ten steps in the opposite direction. There were four such loops, with the fifth only having 10 steps.


    Jyorta had turned around on the platform after the fourth loop when he was assaulted by intense heat. The heat was unbearable, hurting his eyes in a matter of seconds. Jyorta made some changes to his barrier, shielding himself from the heat.


    He noted an increase in his psychic energy expenditure, sighing in helplessness. There were only 10 steps to the second layer. Though, sand covered the area after four steps, filling up the region. The moment Jyorta landed on the fourth step and had just stepped on the sands with his right leg, his instincts warned him. He instantly retracted his foot.


    He didn''t find any souls in his range, activating his domain to detect if he could find anything amiss. A second later, his back was covered by cold sweat, his arms feeling goosebumps once again. ''A moment''s carelessness will kill me.''


    Sand only existed on the top layer. 20 centimetres underneath was a hollow area, proceeding deep under. Probably at the end of it existed a Frenzy Beast, waiting for its prey. Had Jyorta taken a step, he would have fallen into its clutches.


    It would have been too late by then to save him. Despite having filtered out the heat, sweat still formed on his forehead. Jyorta wiped them off as he took in a deep breath, noticing his psychic energy expenditure had increased slightly.


    The aura in the second layer was a notch more intense than layer 1. Early to mid Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts were on the first layer while mid to late Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts were on the second layer. On the third layer were peak Tier 1 and early Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts.


    On the fourth layer were Frenzy Beasts at mid Tier 2 while most of the Frenzy Beasts on the fifth level were at the peak of Tier 2. Occasionally, there might even be Frenzy Beasts that would attempt a breakthrough to Tier 3.


    Therefore, the lower he went, the stronger the aura lingering in the air. From the third layer onwards, he would face waves of aura wafting out from numerous Frenzy Beasts, making it a treacherous region to tread through.


    ''I guess I can''t exercise maximum stealth here. After all, the very foothold under me could be fake.'' Jyorta sighed, using his stronger psychic arm to pull out a spindle.


    It hovered before him, pointing one of its sharp ends at the sand layer. In the meantime, he controlled the Two-Faced Firefly, making it land on his shoulder. It then curled up and began to doze off.


    ''Hallucination is a frightening weapon to use. Moreover, in my hands, thanks to the blue soul, its effect is on a whole different level.'' Jyorta thought, feeling his accumulation and advantages come into effect one after another.


    The nurse lady, Vaika had to simulate everything while using the aura personification of hallucination, having to greatly concentrate. But in his case, he could steadily prepare numerous scenarios using his blue soul, creating memory fragments that conformed to each situation. All he needed were some slight tweaks depending on the situation at hand and he would end up with effects far surpassing his Tier.


    With a thought, he made the spindle spin, increasing its rpm to his current max without an issue. He still had a long way to go to handle the max rpm of his psychic arm''s capability, but the current speeds were still deadly enough.


    The spindle flew into the sand, throwing off particles of sand as a result of its rotation, drilling through. The moment it punctured the top layer, the entire area caved in.


    "Holy Shit!" Jyorta exclaimed in shock, the shout involuntary. As the sand area before him caved in, it seemed to have caused a chain reaction, causing three more areas beyond to cave in. Moreover, the three areas were lined up horizontally, taking up all the width of the path.


    No matter which direction Jyorta chose to traverse, he would have fallen into the trap. Within the next second, three Crust-Mantles climbed out from the exposed holes. They looked around, wishing to find the culprit that had collapsed their traps.


    Jyorta held his spindle in his hand while forming the barrier with his stronger psychic arm. he decided to wait for some time and observe the state of things first. After all, this was his first time in the second layer.


    The Crust-Mantles looked around, failing to find anyone through their senses, letting out faint screeches in anger. Jyorta peered down the hole before him, failing to find anything inside. It seemed to be a vacant hole.


    Suddenly, he noticed many souls crawl up from within the hole. Jyorta immediately climbed up the steps, watching more than 20 creatures appear.


    The second layer was well lit, as if it was noon. It was the reason he allowed the Two-Faced Firefly to rest on his shoulder.


    After a glance at the newcomers, he immediately identified them. ''Steel Porcupines.''


    They were named porcupines, but their bodies were serpentine, resembling snakes. Their head portion resembled a porcupine in external appearance alone. Covered on their backs, spanning from their head to half their length were numerous spikes.


    The spikes weren''t simply rigid objects they carried around as a weapon. They were like feelers, capable of bending when needed. Their lengths also allowed them to naturally sense any disturbance in the sands they were burrowed into.


    The Steel Porcupines arrived on the surface and noticed the three Crust-Mantles. Followed by hissing sounds, they immediately attacked the Crust-Mantles, shooting forth numerous spikes from their back.


    Each spike was 20-30 centimetres long, while some spanned almost a metre in length, trailing from the head to the tail of the Steel Porcupines. The Steel Porcupines kept the long spikes as a reserve while shooting the remaining.


    Each spike flew like an arrow, accurately impacting the vulnerable areas of the Crust-Mantles.


    Before they could even react, they were showered by the spikes. Two seconds later, the Crust-Mantles dropped dead one by one.


    The Steel Porcupines crawled their way towards their dead foes, grabbing onto the spikes lodged in their bodies. Followed by a superhuman feat of moving weight many times their own, they began to pull the massive bodies of the Crust-Mantles.


    Within 15 seconds, they dropped the three Crust-Mantles in the hole before the flight of stairs, proceeding to follow after while covering it up with a layer of sand. The whole process was executed with expert precision.


    They aimed their attacks on vulnerable places, not giving their foes the breather to resist or retaliate. Once they finished, they cleaned up the scene and disappeared with their spoils of victory.


    ''It is no wonder Crust-Mantles are placed at the bottom of the hierarchy, despite their menacing appearance. If not for the reason they had been created, I too wouldn''t have bothered with them.'' Jyorta sighed, gazing at a large murkiness in his blue soul.


    It was all the semi-solid murkiness he obtained from the Crust-Mantles while they were being dragged by the Steel Porcupines. Since they had just died, their souls were beginning to collapse but hadn''t completely collapsed. Such a situation reduced the energy he had to use to invade their souls and capture the memory fragments he needed.


    He used a soul husk to store them in, sealing them immediately to prevent any leakage. Setting it aside on one corner of the blue soul, Jyorta took hurried steps on the sand, having already noted the safe footholds thanks to the previous battle.


    Walking on the dry, loose sand proved to be more difficult than he had expected. The sand was fine, loosely packed to the extent a mild wind could easily lift a huge volume of them. Each of his step sunk until knee depth, making it difficult to walk.


    Even by walking just 10 steps, he had grown tired. ''The bodies of Espers are weak. So, I shouldn''t exhaust myself in this manner.''


    Jyorta glanced at the Two-Faced Firefly sleeping on his shoulder, flashing a devilish grin. He unleashed his domain, walking towards a pit covered by a thin layer of sand. His spindle spun and penetrated it, causing the top layer to collapse.


    A second later, a Crust Mantle climbed out from within.


    Jyorta raised his right hand, pointing the index finger at the ceiling. He placed he left palm on his forehead, making the fingers lightly rustle his hair, imitating a pose that he had seen many times in his previous life.


    He pointed his right at the Crust-Mantle that had climbed out, shouting in excitement. "Pokemon, I choose you!"


    Aura personification¡ªHallucination!


    "Come out, Crust-Mantle!"


    The Crust-Mantle crouched before him, allowing him to climb on its back. Jyorta grabbed hold of a protrusion on its exoskeleton armour for support, watching the Crust-Mantle slowly move forward.


    The moment he sat on its back, Jyorta frowned in thought, ''It is too high, preventing me from sensing the situation underground.''


    He didn''t sit comfortably on it, remaining in a posture that allowed him to leap back at a moment''s notice. The moment the Crust-Mantle stepped on a trap, he wished to leap back.


    But on another note, that was his objective too. He wanted to pull out all the Crust-Mantles he came across. That way, he would have enough memory fragments to picturise the entire plan of the four Ancestors.


    ''Either way, it works in my favour.''


    It was the second layer, occupied by only Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts. It gave him the room to use his aura personifications to his advantage. In the off chance he chanced upon a Tier 2 Frenzy Beast, he had the means to kill it.


    "Hallucination is a frightening weapon indeed!"

 Chapter 280: Crest to Trough

    It was dark all around, the air still, suffused with a mild chill. A hollow cone extended to the top, blanketed by a hemispherical dome. The walls were made of sand, slightly hardened with saliva.


    It was hardened to the extent capable of maintaining its structural rigidity against the natural phenomenon. The moment anything artificial affected it, the ceiling would collapse, bringing down the cause into it.


    Prowling at the bottom, with its body covered by a thin layer of sand was a Crust-Mantle. It was larger than the others, its presence grand. When the ceiling collapsed, it was just about to lunge at its prey when it noticed its brethren falling.


    It swiftly climbed up, going above its brethren while inspecting its condition. On seeing that it was perfectly fine, the Crust-Mantle was confused for a moment before deciding to see things for itself. Moreover, unlike the others, it was a Tier 2 being, top of the food chain on the layer it resided.


    Every day, it resisted a certain feeling that prompted it to proceed down. It would go down and return the moment the feeling subsided. After all, the layers below were incredibly dangerous for it. But here, it was at the peak.


    The Crust-Mantle climbed out and immediately unleashed its aura, preventing any Frenzy Beast from attacking it. It looked around, failing to find any Frenzy Beast in its vicinity. Its brethren lay at the bottom, heaving ragged breaths, looking tired.


    The Crust-Mantle was confused, unable to glean the reason as to why it was like that. It activated its Tier 1 Skill, failing to find any abnormal sound that hinted at the presence of a third party.


    But suddenly, its instincts warned it, causing it to clamp its mandibles while making a turn. Though, the moment it did was when its body froze in fear, its form hurriedly kneeling on the ground. It even buried its face partway into the sand, expressing utmost subservience.


    Its body trembled, the exoskeleton rattling, producing a sound akin to seashells crashing into each other. As time passed, it lifted its trembling head, noticing an image that almost sent it into unconsciousness.


    It was a grass stalk, the stem bigger than its body, its form reaching the ceiling. Its front part drooped low, almost approaching half its height while a part of the step touched the ceiling. Hanging on the tip was a flower bud, resembling a hibiscus.


    The flower bud was facing a different direction. Only now did the Crust-Mantle notice another of its brethren present in the flower bud''s line of sight. It was similarly kneeling, burrowing most of its body into the sand as a sign of respect and devotion, but mostly in fear.


    Slowly, the flower bud turned its way, gentle in its approach. The Crust-Mantle immediately tensed up in response. The moment the tip of the flower bud trembled, its body shivered with greater intensities.


    Suddenly, it made eye contact with the tip, shuddering in fear. From within the tip emerged a vine, sporting leaves at discrete locations. The vine curved in the air, making its way towards the Crust-Mantle.


    The Crust-Mantle felt something pierce its head, its fear surpassing its zenith. Its instincts warned it to escape but its reason prevented it from doing so. It remembered the deepest memory it could recall, something vividly etched in its mind, unable to be forgotten despite everything it tried.


    Even with its lacking intelligence, it knew not to defy the vine. The moment it did so would a disaster ensue. It was something it knew, came across, and even witnessed. Therefore, it gazed in silence as the vine drilled into its head.


    A couple of moments later, its consciousness blacked out. Pulling out a spindle from its head, Jyorta looked at the dead Crust-Mantle before it. Based on his experience, he triggered its deepest memories using the aura personification of hallucination.


    Moreover, he used the memory he had obtained from the first Crust-Mantle he had encountered, using that as a base to null its foe''s resistance. Finally, when it died, and its soul started to collapse, he easily invaded it and obtained all its memory fragments.


    Of them, he only took in the memory fragments that had been stirred up due to the scene the Crust-Mantle had witnessed. Now he knew for sure that the memory fragments he selected were related to that incident.


    ''Using that incident, I can easily kill the Crust-Mantles. It is almost too easy; the psychic energy I expended now is less than what I had used against the Tier 1 Floating Spider earlier. Moreover, this is a Tier 2 Crust-Mantle.'' Jyorta used his spindle to drill at a certain location under one of the Crust-Mantle''s hinge joints.


    There, the muscles paved way as his spindle penetrated, soon reaching the heart. After a couple of seconds of drilling, he retracted the spindle and fished out a Heart Crystal. Through the aura the Crust-Mantle had emitted when it surfaced, Jyorta grasped its Sync Rate.


    He looked at the Heart Crystal floating before him, "This is worth around 63 Credits."


    Using his psychic arm, he dropped the Heart Crystal in his pouch, hearing a clanging sound. The sound brought a smile to his face. He had hunted four Tier 2 Crust-Mantles by now, using the same method.


    Moreover, he had unearthed a lot of memory fragments from them, storing them all in various soul husks. Thankfully, he had enough, thanks to his accumulations over the past two weeks. During his training¡ªat the path''s entrance, under Madam Mila''s guidance¡ªbefore he attempted his first exploration, whenever he killed a Frenzy Beast, he took in their souls.


    He used some of them to strengthen his false personas while the rest were made into sacks to store murkiness. Now, it proved its worth as the blue soul dumped lots of murkiness filled with memory fragments into each of them, sealing and storing them when they were full.


    ''When I comprehend them all, I should be able to make a definite picture.'' He thought, subtly changing his aura personification. A moment later, the Crust-Mantle from before climbed up. It was only Tier 1, unable to resist his aura personification.


    Jyorta climbed over its back while making it move forward. Not once did he turn visible, maintaining a high level of vigilance.


    Suddenly, a Frenzy Beast rushed out of a sand mound, approaching the Crust-Mantle with ferocity. Jyorta jumped aside, watching the Frenzy Beast collide into the Crust-Mantle, pushing its massive body by two metres through sheer force.


    Just the impact alone made part of its exoskeleton cave in. Jyorta quickly retracted his aura personification, watching the Crust-Mantle retaliate against the Frenzy Beast. The two tussled, biting and tearing off into each other.


    "So, it is a One-Horned Rhino," Jyorta murmured, watching the One-Horned Rhino get overwhelmed by the Crust-Mantle in a matter of seconds. In close combat, the Crust-Mantle was a frightening foe, thanks to its robust defence and its mandibles capable of shredding through its prey.


    The One-Horned Rhino''s horn pierced through the Crust-Mantle''s armour many times, drawing out blood from each attack. But considering its massive size, the injuries weren''t severe. Moreover, all the One-Horned Rhino''s attacks missed the vital spots.


    Eventually, the Crust-Mantle tore off the One-Horned Rhino''s head, beginning to feast on it with vicious anger. It then watched something serpentine drill out from the One-Horned Rhino''s back, clamping with its mandibles once to sever it into two.


    The serpentine being possessed abundant vitality, looking alive despite being severed into two. It was the One-Horned Rhino''s Frenzy Parasite. The Crust-Mantle clamped a couple more times, shredding it apart until it could no longer move.


    Jyorta looked at it with focus, comparing its similarities and differences with a Wisdom Parasite. "Their behaviour is a bit different. I still need to see more to conclude anything."


    The Crust-Mantle chewed the entirety of the One-Horned Rhino, bones included, swallowing everything. Just when Jyorta planned to board it again, numerous Steel Porcupines burrowed out from the ground.


    They had appeared before the Crust-Mantle, the distance between them beyond what his senses could reach, hence unable to sense their approach in advance. Moreover, unwilling to waste his aura, he had solely been maintaining his aura personification. Otherwise, he would have been able to sense them through his aura.


    The moment they appeared, they rained down spikes upon the Crust-Mantle. Moreover, they had surrounded the Crust-Mantle from all sides, preventing Jyorta from taking cover behind it. He hurriedly protected his vital areas, grunting in pain as three spikes pierced him, with two on his left thigh.


    "Ugh," Jyorta grunted, rolling on the ground to dodge the remaining. The three spikes directly penetrated his two layers of barriers, penetrated his guard and armour, and pierced his flesh. Thankfully, he barely managed to adjust his posture, preventing the spikes from hitting the bone. Otherwise, his bone would have cracked at the very least.


    Even now, the spikes pierced his body and emerged on the other side, burrowing halfway into the sand. They packed tremendous power, akin to a bullet. Faint poison circulated in his body, making it difficult to breathe. The heat in the layer served to further aggravate the poison, quickly circulating it in his body as his heart pumped faster and faster.


    The moment his barriers were pierced through, sections of them collapsed, revealing some areas of his body. His pain affected his mental state, dissipating his aura personification, preventing him from using it again for a short while.


    Noticing his presence, the Steel Porcupines were startled, wondering how he suddenly appeared in the area. Soon, they smelled the scent of blood emanating from him, hissing in response before showering him with spikes.

 Chapter 281: An Oddity and a Mystery

    Jyorta felt his sense of time slow down to a crawl. All the pores on his skin opened up, allowing him to perceive everything. The droplet of blood that spurted out his thigh, the sweat that slid past his eye, the manner his heart thumped, and the sound of blood flowing in his ears, Jyorta felt them with resounding clarity.


    His eyes focused, the scope widening to draw in all the spikes flying his way, watching them arrive in slow motion. Soon, a shadow loomed over, arriving in the nick of time.


    The Crust-Mantle shielded him using its claws, watching the spikes pierce into it, with some of them even piercing until their tips. Jyorta''s heart thumped in fear, noticing many spikes implanted into the sand, causing deep holes that were instantaneously filled. They fully surrounded him, with not one injuring him.


    Everything that was bound to hit him was shielded by the Crust-Mantle''s claws. On seeing that the Steel Porcupines were about to shoot another volley, he unleashed the brunt of his presence. Unlike the aura personification, unleashing his aura only required a thought, irrespective of his mental state.


    His aura was like a raging twister, causing the air surrounding him to vividly tremble, forming a vortex for an instant. Sand around 10-centimetre depth spilled out like a wave, with his body as the centre, tiding past the Steel Porcupines, burying them in response.


    His aura impacted their bodies, causing their muscles to turn numb, immobilising them. The blue soul overlaid the face mask, the false persona of calm, optimism, and filled with focus, swiftly normalising his mental state.


    Without a second''s hesitation, he removed the false persona the moment his mental state had recovered. The blue soul sent some memory fragments to his brain, affecting his emotional state and thought process, firming a concept in his mind.


    He retracted his aura, rolling out from under the Crust-Mantle''s protection. In the process, the blue soul retrieved the Hoberman Sphere from its soul, swiftly healing the damage. Before all the Frenzy Beasts could recover from the effects of his aura, he unleashed his aura personification, easily affecting their thought processes.


    Aura Personification¡ªBetrayal!


    The Steel Porcupines distanced themselves from each other, hissing repeatedly as they took up protective stances, being wary. They communicated with one another through their language, expressing their anger.


    The spikes on their backs bloomed like a peacock''s feather, trembling while making clanging sounds, like metal sticks clashing with each other. They curled their serpentine bodies, taking measures to not expose any weakness. But, none of them attacked each other.


    As their bodies recovered from the effects of his aura, they began to move relatively far from each other, expressing their wariness but never initiating any threat or attack. It surprised Jyorta, seeing his aura personification fail to create an outcome.


    ''I guess they didn''t possess enough negative impression of each other to warrant an attack.'' He then frowned, changing his line of thought, ''No, that''s not it. They always move and hunt in groups. The fact that they distanced themselves from each other is itself a sign of betrayal. Right, betrayal is subjective, varying from one race to another. I shouldn''t have judged them from a human''s perspective.''


    He concluded his thoughts, having already vanished from their sights by creating his barriers once again. Since their attention was focused on each other, Jyorta obtained some time to treat himself. He took out gauze and some ointment from his kit, swiftly applying them on the injuries while popping a tablet in his mouth.


    Most Frenzy Beasts possessed a certain toxin in their bodies, apart from their Essence of Frenzy. He had already prepared a tablet to neutralise the toxins of each Frenzy Beast. But they were only effective for mild dosage. Any more and they would fail and might even amplify the effect of the toxin.


    Jyorta unleashed his domain, solely limiting it to his body, sensing the presence of faint traces of Essence of Frenzy in his body. Using his aura, he directed them through his bloodstream until they spurted out through his wounds.


    He unleashed his Soul Cornea, turning it jet black, and passing it through the sand where the Essence of Frenzy had fallen. The sand was the first to corrode while the Essence of Frenzy took time, eventually turning into a crystalline substance similar to water.


    ''My corrosion can affect the Essence of Frenzy.'' Jyorta was happy at the outcome. Through his injuries, he learned significant information. Using a Soul Cornea, he corroded all the minute traces of the Essence of Frenzy still in his body.


    The produced crystalline substance mixed with his blood, the traces too little for him to detect anything through his domain. ''If only I can comprehend my psychic arm''s feedback like a Wave Controller.''


    While treating his injuries, Jyorta watched the Crust-Mantle crawl towards its fallen brethren. Spikes protruded everywhere from its body. Thanks to its humongous body size, it couldn''t evade the spikes, resulting in its current condition.


    Despite being severely injured, it dragged itself, expressing its immense vigour. It gazed at its brethren, looking at the hole on its head, watching blood spurt out from it in a daze. Its body trembled, causing the spikes lodged into it to sink in deeper one after another.


    "Keeescreeee!" It let out a shrill scream similar to a bird, the sound overwhelmingly loud, as if it had used its massive body to amplify it. Jyorta had to abruptly drop everything he was doing to shield his ears, grunting in pain.


    A thin stream of blood dripped out from his ear as his aura personification was cut off. Jyorta no longer had the attention span to unleash his aura personification, nor did he see the need to, for the time being, focused on healing himself first.


    The Crust-Mantle turned around to look at the figures of the Steel Porcupines that burrowed into the sand, letting out another scream. Tears streamed out its eyes as it kneeled before its fallen brethren.


    A couple of minutes later, it began to drag their carcasses into the trap its Tier 2 brethren had set up. There were the carcasses of two Tier 2 Crust-Mantles in the area, it dragged both into the hole, eventually sealing up the entrance with sand.


    Unlike before, it layered the sand heavily, ensuring no Frenzy Beast will fall inside even if it were to walk over, unwilling to be disturbed for the time being. It then began to munch on their carcasses, its eyes seething with hatred.


    Something seemed to have been born in it thanks to the influence it had been under for this period. Its exoskeleton armour began to crack while its mandibles turned sharper as it cut into the tough bodies of its brethren.


    An hour later, the Crust-Mantle managed to swallow up the bodies of both its brethren. While it was swallowing them, two Frenzy Parasites drilled out from their bodies and jumped into its mouth, as if it was a suicide attempt.


    The Crust-Mantle too didn''t seem willing to kill them, allowing them to jump into its mouth. It swallowed them, beginning to feel some pain in its stomach as a result. Without caring about them, it rested on the sand, noticing its body form a massive depression, with half of it buried under.


    Its current form was over-inflated, unable to even move due to the size. Moreover, it seemed like a balloon, capable of bursting with a single prick. Without any delay, the Crust-Mantle closed its eyes, attempting to breakthrough.


    There was a small change in its surroundings as a result. It had begun to breakthrough. At the next moment, a small hole appeared in the dome, hurriedly covered by sand in the next second. Even though it was puzzled, it could no longer move, its breakthrough had already begun.


    Jyorta slid on the inclined path, eventually arriving at the bottom. He stood just before its face, his expression curious. He had witnessed the scene of it swallowing the two Frenzy Parasites, wondering the reasons.


    He made a mental note of his psychic energy reserves, determining that he had enough to see through the breakthrough process and return.


    ''I guess I won''t be proceeding further today. I hope this decision is worth it.'' He sighed, only now noticing the Two-Faced Firefly still perched on his shoulder. Its wings trembled like a leaf while the rest were like rocks, immobile.


    ''The Frenzy Beasts are not that simple, judging by what I witnessed in my two explorations. I am curious as to why it behaved in such a manner.'' His curiosity had been triggered. Now, unless he learned it, he would be unable to have mental peace. It was part of his nature, his character.


    Jyorta looked at everything that happened before him, activating his soul domain. In fear of his psychic domain disrupting the breakthrough process, he only activated the soul domain. He immediately spotted the soul of the Crust-Mantle and three tiny souls in its back.


    A slight murky wave¡ªresembling thin mist¡ªwashed over him, trying to seep into his soul. The blue soul didn''t even need to mobilise the Soul Corneas, easily able to resist and negate the murky wave. The concentration was too low to warrant the Soul Cornea''s interference.


    Two souls in its back moved, gently inching forward, taking many curved paths before stopping at a certain spot. Through what he had learned, he determined their position to be around the Crust-Mantle''s heart.


    ''What are they planning?'' He wondered, curious at the mystery before him.

 Chapter 282: Shocked Beyond Belief!

    The Crust-Mantle was immobile, its attention fully focused on the process at its heart. Jyorta watched the changes through the minor fluctuations in the surrounding aura while keeping an eye on the three souls through his soul domain.


    Suddenly, he noticed one of the two souls around the Crust-Mantle''s heart break down, dissipating soon after. When he was wondering the reason, the other soul too followed suit. Jyorta unleashed his Soul Cornea and grabbed all the soul residue.


    The blue soul immediately began to work on the memory fragments, expending part of its soul''s foundation to vaporise the murkiness first. When the pure memory fragments emerged, it sent them to the brain, allowing Jyorta to experience them.


    He didn''t remove the white layer over the experience fragments, wishing to see what the egos of the Frenzy Parasites deemed the reason for their sacrifice.


    ''Don''t all Parasites wish to survive? Why did these two Frenzy Parasites sacrifice themselves?'' Jyorta thought, beginning to comprehend the absorbed memory fragments. In the meantime, he observed all the changes in the Crust-Mantle.


    The Crust-Mantle''s body began to shrink while its exoskeleton broke off into pieces and fell on the ground. Its presence converged towards its heart, subtly changing, morphing into something superior. The semblance of threat it exhibited began to steadily rise, getting more potent.


    In order to conserve his psychic energy enough to observe the entire breakthrough, Jyorta only retained a single barrier. Moreover, since he was deep underground, most of the ambient aura was filtered out. This way, the psychic energy he consumed was the least.


    He made a conservative estimate of the time he had left based on his current psychic energy expenditure. ''I have seven hours at the very least.''


    The area was silent, even its breathing didn''t create any disturbance. When the souls of the two Frenzy Parasites began to breakdown, their murkiness was the first to dissipate. This allowed him to capture them easily while expending the least energy.


    As the blue soul sent memory fragments to his brain one after another, Jyorta''s expression steadily changed. He felt their emotions, their feelings, their thought process, and the dominant instinct that dictated their current action.


    ''So, when a Frenzy Beast experience drastic emotional upheavals and desires immense strength, the surviving Frenzy Parasites originating from its dead brethren will sacrifice themselves to it.'' He frowned, ''This seems to be a predominant instinct in them, largely overwhelming their instinct to survive. But what is the reason? Why are they behaving in such a contradictory manner?''


    Jyorta continued to comprehend their memories while waiting for the Crust-Mantle to finish its breakthrough. Time passed in such a manner; the Crust-Mantle was now only a tenth of its original size, having become weak.


    Its body looked tender, like the soft muscles underneath a crab''s exoskeleton. Currently, any Tier 1 Frenzy Beast would be able to kill it without struggling in the least. Only after its exoskeleton had fallen off did Jyorta notice the numerous spikes lodged in its body.


    But they were currently melting, getting absorbed into the flesh. Moreover, faint black liquid seeped out from the spikes, their traces minute, quickly getting absorbed into the squirming muscles.


    ''The Essence of Frenzy of the Steel Porcupines!'' Jyorta was surprised, seeing the Crust-Mantle absorb foreign Essence of Frenzy without suffering any damage. Moreover, the Essence of Frenzy seemed to be helping its body, subtly elevating its being into something more sinister.


    Jyorta noticed the souls of the Crust-Mantle and its Frenzy Parasite dim considerably, the memory fragments in them exhibiting a resplendent splendour. The splendour was so bright that even the blue soul was affected, allowing some of the murkiness to invade it.


    The Soul Cornea exerted its influence a little, easily getting rid of the murkiness. The blue soul extended a Soul Cornea, tapping it on the Crust-Mantle''s soul. Immediately, an image flashed in his mind. It was a familiar area, just transparent than usual, as if it wasn''t something that existed in reality, but was based off.


    The blue soul retracted the Soul Cornea in surprise, noticing the image disappear from his mind. After a thought, he connected the Soul Cornea with the Crust-Mantle''s soul, watching the image appear once again.


    Existing before him was a serpentine figure, its form covered by spikes, with tiny flag-like objects waving from the tips. The head of the serpentine form resembled the Crust-Mantle, also possessing a pair of claws that it threateningly clamped.


    ''The Mental Realm!'' Jyorta was tremendously shocked, his body trembling as a result. Just by connecting with the soul of a being when it was attempting a breakthrough, he was able to glance at the Mental Realm.


    It defied the common sense of the era. After a thought, he connected the other Soul Cornea to the soul of the Crust-Mantle''s Frenzy Parasite. Immediately, another perspective overlapped his view. It was from the serpentine form''s perspective.


    Before him was a blurry figure of a Crust-Mantle, its form barely glued together into a single whole. It was like a fog, too thin to even make an attack. Any Cogent Phrenics would be able to easily kill it. Of course, the serpentine form was even worse off.


    Using the two perspectives, Jyorta noticed some Cogent Phrenics hovering around the area. They were all still like statues, not even bothering to look at the two figures that had appeared in their area.


    ''I see.'' Jyorta nodded in realisation, his horizons broadened. ''In Marble City, where geniuses appear one after another, with each possessing a rich treasure trove of experiences, the experience fragments of a Crust-Mantle are lacklustre. That is why no Cogent Phrenics bothers to even make a move on them.''


    "They don''t possess the quality to instigate the greed of the Cogent Phrenics. But similarly, they don''t have any hope to obtain experience fragments from the Cogent Phrenics due to the limited distance of their links to reality." He murmured, "They are neither threatened nor can they hope to grow strong."


    "In the Mental Realm, risks and rewards go hand in hand." Jyorta relished in the experience, watching the two forms fight each other. They were like swirling clouds that mixed, barely able to define themselves under the tussle.


    It was a simple fight of who swallowed the other party first. A simple, brutal fight pitting their life experiences against one another. Soon, the Crust-Mantle began to overwhelm the form of its Frenzy Parasite.


    Jyorta simultaneously experienced the feeling of dominating and getting suppressed by the other party. Eventually, the Crust-Mantle''s form swallowed the crystal of the serpentine form, watching the two fuse inside it. At the next moment, its consciousness returned to reality.


    The moment it returned to reality, Jyorta lost the two perspectives, no longer able to sense the presence of the Mental Realm. Still, he was satisfied, finding another aspect of his ability. Moreover, this was tremendously useful.


    It allowed him to spy on the Mental Realm''s state whenever he wished. All he had to do was form a link with the soul of a being that attempted a breakthrough, finished phase 1, and had arrived at the Mental Realm.


    On seeing that it had successfully completed its breakthrough, Jyorta unleashed his domain, also sending his other psychic arm to its heart. As its body had decreased in size and had expended a tremendous amount of energy, its presence was incredibly weak.


    Jyorta faced almost zero resistance when his psychic arm passed through the Crust-Mantle''s body. The moment his psychic arm arrived at its heart, he was surprised to find an oddity. He could make sense of it through comprehending bits and pieces of his psychic arm''s feedback.


    The Crust-Mantle''s Heart Crystal was rapidly healing. The speed was confounding, surpassing his understanding. In Marble City, despite all their resources, technology, and impressive methods, the Heart/Brain Crystals of those that managed to breakthrough took time to heal.


    For Jyorta, it took a bit more than a day. For people who managed to finish with a higher Sync Rate, it took even longer. He remembered Dalna Doppler taking almost three days to heal her Heart Crystal after breakthrough. It was because she sat out from all training activities during that time, hence it was apparent.


    But now, the Crust-Mantle defied common sense, surpassing the speed of all humans he had witnessed, that too from a race at the bottom of the Frenzy Beasts. The Crust-Mantle rested, looking tired, its mind exhausted from all the high-intense task it had to do in such a short duration.


    The moment it closed its eyes, it dozed off. Only through such a way would it be able to replenish its expended Will and mental strength. Even now, the Crust-Mantle failed to sense Jyorta''s presence.


    Jyorta observed it in patience, fully concentrating on his senses, trying to comprehend as much as possible of his psychic arm''s feedback. As time passed, he noticed his comprehension improving at a drastic rate.


    ''Is it because of what I witnessed in the Mental Realm just now?'' Jyorta thought, noticing inspirations explode in his mind. New thoughts were produced, colliding with each other as they clashed, integrating the parts while deriving new conclusions. Ideas were generated in his mind one after another. Soon, he started to comprehend more and more of the details from his psychic arm''s feedback.


    Three hours later, the Crust-Mantle''s Heart Crystal was fully healed. The moment it happened, Jyorta unleashed a gentle flux of his aura. The concentration was so low that the exhausted Crust-Mantle failed to sense it.


    The moment he did so, Jyorta inhaled a sharp breath of air, feeling shocked, tremendously in fact, even greater than when he accessed the Mental Realm by accident. He mumbled in disbelief, mentally shaken to the extent ripples formed on his barrier, causing it to collapse after a couple of seconds. "A S-Sync R-Rate of 97 p-percent?"

 Chapter 283: Predator

    Previously before its breakthrough, the Crust-Mantle wasn''t anything impressive, only possessing a Sync Rate of 64 percent. Moreover, it had been at Tier 1 for almost 7 years, a period too long for even Frenzy Beasts.


    This showed its lack of confidence to even breakthrough to Tier 2. But now, not only did it successfully breakthrough, its Sync Rate even shot up to a staggering 97 percent, surpassing common sense.


    Raising the Sync Rate by even a single percent required a Tier 5 Frenzy Fruit. The Trait of Severability consumed the full capacity of a Transformer''s Heart Crystal to increase the Sync Rate by one percent. This fact alone showed how difficult it was to raise the Sync Rate. After all, it meant regenerating the lost body parts of the Wisdom Parasite while simultaneously fusing it with the host.


    Buy the Crust-Mantle easily broke this preconceived notion, easily raising its Sync Rate by staggering heights, after a breakthrough even. Jyorta felt his head spin, unable to handle the surge in the information.


    "I have to know the reason, no matter what it takes." Jyorta gritted his teeth, unleashing his two Soul Corneas into the Crust-Mantle''s soul. Immediately, they exerted their influence, vaporising all the murkiness.


    Jyorta only used up 5 percent of his psychic energy reserves before he managed to fully vaporise all murkiness. He then absorbed all the memory fragments, leaving none behind. He did the same to its Frenzy Parasite''s soul, absorbing all its memory fragments.


    He stored them inside a soul husk, sealing it up and leaving it on one corner of the blue soul. He hadn''t removed the white layer surrounding the memory fragments, so there was a chance they would birth an ego soon.


    But, thanks to the never-ending fight in his subsoul¡ªthe soul of his Wisdom Parasite¡ªbetween his ego and the ego birthed from Ehara Gobi''s memory fragments, he was now able to easily take care of any egos that popped out efficiently. After all, unlike normal egos, the one birthed from Ehara Gobi''s memory fragments possessed ample resistance against his corrosion. Therefore, it served as the perfect whetstone to sharpen his abilities.


    Jyorta gazed at the Crust-Mantle, noticing its weakened state. Its body was subtly changing, turning into a better killing machine. Thought, it seemed it would take a lot of time before it was ready to hunt. Until then, it would probably desire to remain hidden.


    ''I have time until then to solve this mystery.'' Jyorta placed his hand on the sand walls, noticing the height he had to scale. After thinking his plan through, he took out a plastic bottle from his kit. It was shaped like a sachet, with a corked lid.


    He brought it before the Crust-Mantle''s mouth, gently unleashing his aura personification of hallucination. A couple of seconds later, the Crust-Mantle opened its mouth, generating saliva that drooled out.


    Using his psychic arm, he diverted the flow, pouring the contents into the sachet. When it was filled to the brim, he made the Crust-Mantle close its mouth. Stored within the sachet was about 600 millilitres of its saliva. Jyorta glanced at the dome above, nodding after a moment of thought, deciding that the amount was enough.


    He placed the sachet in the kit and took out two spindles, holding one in each hand.


    He pierced the spindle in the wall, using it to support his climb, piercing the spindles one after in order as he climbed up. Thankfully, the place was shaped like a funnel, the sand walls only being steep. Therefore, he managed to climb without any difficulties, managing to prevent them from caving in.


    That was part of his concern. Until he solved the mystery, he didn''t want the Crust-Mantle''s place to collapse and become a target of the prowling Steel Porcupines. Soon, he bored through the dome from a corner, surfacing from the same hole he had bored through to enter.


    Upon exiting, he first took some solid footing. Removing the sachet from the kit, he poured the saliva on the sand nearby, mixing them up. The sand hardened, turning similar to clay in strength. Using his psychic arm, he layered it atop the mound, closing up the hole he had burrowed out from.


    He also layered more sand over, hardening the entire structure to reinforce it further, just in case as a safety measure. Thankfully, the area was dominated by the Steel Porcupines. They were long and agile, therefor possessing very little chance of causing the dome to collapse through their weight.


    He only hoped no One-Horned Rhino would walk over it. ''I''ll try to return before something like that happens. I can''t let go of this opportunity to know something this mysterious.''


    Just when he turned around, he paused, ''Why are there no such records in the Portal? Is this confidential information? Or is there some other reason?''


    He sighed, "There is no harm in trying."


    He then gazed at the existence on his shoulder, watching it sleep peacefully despite everything that had happened. Jyorta laughed, gently patting its back once, "You are one brave little champ."


    The Two-Faced Firefly trembled upon his touch, flapping its wings for an instant before curling up, returning to sleep. Jyorta was amazed, chuckling at the response. Despite its grotesque, almost nightmare-inducing appearance, its actions were cute.


    Moreover, the Two-Faced Fireflies were one of the most harmless races among the Frenzy Beasts. They neither possessed any offensive Skill nor were they biologically evolved to hunt. All they did was feast on the corpses of Frenzy Beasts after the predator had its share and had left the remainder.


    It was a scavenger. Therefore, Jyorta wasn''t guarded against it. Moreover, just to ensure it wasn''t part of a mysterious secret like the Crust-Mantles, he went through some of its memory fragments, concluding that it was just a harmless Frenzy Beast. Moreover, it seemed to possess fairly sharp instincts, not once trying to feast on his blood that had seeped out through the gauze on his wounds.


    After braving through some ordeals together, despite it doing nothing, Jyorta began to treat it a little as his pet. Though, he hadn''t become attached to it enough to name it. He drew a clear line between human and Frenzy Beast, unwilling to take chances that would soften his view on them.


    The moment he does so would plunge him into a vicious spiral when he comprehends the memories of Frenzy Beasts, eventually making him unable to harm them. This approach would prove detrimental to him in the long run.


    Jyorta treaded on the sand, maintaining both his domains. The soul domain was used to sense the presences of any Frenzy Beasts while the psychic domain was to look out for any traps. He had only taken twenty steps on the sand before he started to pant in exhaustion.


    ''This isn''t good.'' Jyorta thought, gazing at the distance he had to travel to reach the stairs to the first layer. He had more than 150 metres to traverse. In the current environment, that was hard. Moreover, every step was laden with traps while the heat and the ambient aura further served to wear him out.


    To prevent the environmental factors from affecting him, he had to expend psychic energy to filter them out through his barrier. After a moment of thought, he stopped moving, conserving his stamina.


    He glanced back, making a note of the area where the Crust-Mantle was resting under. He took deep breaths while the blue soul sent some memory fragments to his brain. Soon, he unleashed his aura personification, ensuring to avoid the area around the Crust-Mantle.


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    ''I hope at least one Frenzy Beast takes the bait.'' He wished to pull out a Frenzy Beast and ride it to his destination.


    He was alert, attentive of his surroundings, observing all the changes. Suddenly, his back was covered with sweat as a mound appeared right behind him.


    It was only a metre behind him. Jyorta hurriedly rolled forward, watching a massive serpentine figure crawl out. It was three metres long, its girth almost 60 centimetres. The spikes on its back were menacing, deadly sharp.


    Muscles wriggled around their roots, concealing tremendous power. They were elastic, able to store and burst with enough power to shoot out the spikes like a bullet. Moreover, the serpentine figure possessed 12 full-body length spikes, displaying its immense might.


    It was a Tier 2 Steel Porcupine. Among the Steel Porcupines, the number of body length spikes they possessed displayed their accumulation, their strength. This was the case for all Warriors among the Steel Porcupines.


    They averaged between three and five body length spikes while possessing about 30-50 short spikes. Anything beyond that classified them as elites, powerful foes that Frenzy Beast from other races wished to evade.


    Jyorta mentally counted, feeling his head spin. His forehead was covered with sweat while his mind was alert as if he had faced his life''s worst enemy. Numbering on the Steel Porcupine''s back were 12 body length spikes, while it also retained around 80 normal spikes.


    The numbers were too much, so much so that he wondered if it were a special case. The moment he gazed at it, a certain term popped up in his mind. Until now, he witnessed the term only used to refer to some students in the military academy.


    In their Batch, he, Laila, Dalna Doppler, George, and Haesha were referred to as such. It was a term to show they were above the average, even a step above the elites, a showcase to their potential and displayed abilities.


    A Genius!


    The Steel Porcupine before him was the same. A Steel Porcupine with 6 full-body spikes would be the leader of its group, becoming the alpha of the pack. But a being with 12 spikes; that was a notch above the rest, a genius.


    Moreover, unlike the other Frenzy Beasts, this Steel Porcupine unleashed a sliver of its aura, making it apparent that it had activated a Skill. A second later, it gazed at Jyorta, its eyes shimmering with murderous intent. It overlaid a subtle influence atop its aura, seeking to break past Jyorta''s influence.


    Aura Personification¡ªPredator!

 Chapter 284: Jyorta vs Steel Porcupine

    Aura Personification¡ªPredator!


    It was an aura personification that amplified the user''s presence while diminishing the target''s. it also imbued in them fear, making them subconsciously tend to run upon every situation. This made them showcase their unguarded backs to the user and were dealt vicious blows.


    The Steel Porcupine slithered away, creating some distance. After a look, Jyorta frowned, expressing mild worry. The Steel Porcupine was more than 4 metres away, the maximum reach of his Soul Corneas. This prevented him from using the Hoberman sphere.


    ''I have to close the distance somehow.'' The moment Jyorta thought and was about to move, the Steel Porcupine curled, brushing its tail through the sand. It created a large dust cloud, the force sending it his way, blocking his vision and everything in his surroundings.


    Its aura personification slammed onto his barrier like a wave, trying to seep in. Jyorta''s aura within the barrier fought against it, negating it while also shielding his position. Jyorta rolled on the ground, watching three spikes fly past his earlier position.


    The danger instinct originating from his Wisdom Parasite sent alarms like crazy. Thanks to his gains from the Mental Realm, Jyorta could faintly make sense of the alarms, moving his body in reflex. He unsheathed his sword, ready to defend against the attacks with it.


    He used his stronger psychic arm to pick up the chakram, intending to use it as both offense and defence. The spikes launched by even Observer Steel Porcupines were capable of penetrating his dual barriers, his armour, and his muscles to appear on the other side and even lodge halfway into the sand.


    He didn''t even have a bit of confidence in blocking a single hit from it. It was an Amplifier, a genius among the Steel Porcupines. He was disadvantaged in terms of power, drastically so.


    ''It already knows my position. So, I only need to guard myself against the influence of its aura personification and the surrounding aura.'' Jyorta decided, unleashing the brunt of his aura. The dust cloud instantly flew back a metre around him, flying further away in response to his aura.


    Aura personification¡ªHallucination!


    Aura personification¡ªInsignificance!


    The blue soul worked in frenzy, connecting more than 40 soul tendrils to his brain. It sent memory fragments to it in a stream, trying to keep up with the expenditure to maintain two aura personas. Normally, whether a Warrior or an Esper, anyone was only capable of maintaining a single aura personification.


    After all, to maintain it required the user to fix his mentality accordingly, feeding it the emotions, experience, etc. to induce all the cells in his/her body to feel it, thereby emitting the effect through their presence. Activating a second aura personification was impossible.


    Any person only trained and developed two aura personifications that countered each other. It was to keep the effect and influence of each other on their selves in check. Jyorta wasn''t constrained in this regard, thanks to his abilities. That was why he started to develop three aura personifications.


    Now, using the blue soul, part of his body felt and emitted the aura personification of hallucination while the remaining emitted the aura personification of insignificance. Insignificance was a self-inducing effect. Its effect unearthed memories from the target based on the impact it would have on them, affecting them accordingly. So, it didn''t require too much mental energy.


    But for hallucination, Jyorta had to actively manipulate an illusion reality to confuse his opponent. It consumed tremendous mental energy. Jyorta simultaneously activated the two aura personifications while dodging two more spikes.


    They were alarmingly getting close each time. The Amplifier Steel Porcupine wasn''t able to clearly sense his location, hence missing each time. But as it attacked him, it was getting a better grasp of his location. Soon, it would be able to destroy him.


    Moreover, the Steel Porcupine never closed in to attack him, always maintaining its distance. Just like how Jyorta was wary of its attacks, it was also wary of his abilities. That was why it only emitted its aura personification, retaining all its aura in its body to defend against his aura and aura personifications.


    ''It is cunning, but not cunning enough.'' Jyorta retracted the aura personification of insignificance after seeing that its effect wasn''t satisfactory. It seemed his opponent led a fairly dominant life. After retracting the aura personification of insignificance, he diverted all focus on his hallucination, causing its effect to amplify on a qualitative level.


    In the hallucination, he didn''t change much, only trying to make the Steel Porcupine hallucinate his position a metre behind the real one. This way, he would be able to avoid its attacks with the least mental energy expenditure.


    Spikes flew his way, lodging into the ground a step behind him. He couldn''t determine if his aura personification managed to affect it. Moreover, his aura too wasn''t affecting it. It was fully focused on defending itself from his aura while launching projectiles at him.


    Jyorta unleashed both his domains, wary against any sneak attacks from third parties. As the dust cloud was beginning to settle, his psychic arm carried the chakram and lodged halfway into the sand. It began to spin at increasing speeds, throwing out the sand into the air.


    Moreover, he controlled its actions, taking curving patterns to throw off the Steel Porcupine''s sensory Skill. Based on their short interaction, he judged its Tier 1 Skill to be similar to a Ring Worm, a sensory-based Skill that was able to sense the change in stress in its surroundings.


    That was how it was able to sense his position¡ªthrough the depression he made on the sand and the stress patterns in the dust cloud as he moved through. After the surroundings were covered by the dust cloud, its Skill wasn''t affected but was further amplified. Moreover, Jyorta''s sight was rendered useless.


    But to counter its senses, Jyorta made the chakram cut through the sand, producing a lot of noise and vibration. The chakram also threw sand into the air, creating a lot of stress in various locations. This way, he prevented the Amplifier Steel Porcupine from locking onto his position through its Tier 1 Skill.


    Even while fighting against it, Jyorta didn''t counterattack even once. His focus was somewhere else.


    He spread his aura personification like a tide, covering almost a hundred metres. The expenditure was severe, draining his aura reserves. He would at most be able to maintain it for another twenty seconds. Thankfully, Steel Porcupines soon burrowed out one after another as a result.


    Upon seeing them, Jyorta further raised the intensity of his aura personification while focusing most of his aura on the Amplifier Steel Porcupine, suppressing its aura personification.


    The Steel Porcupines that had burrowed out were only Tier 1, instantly falling under the effect of his hallucination. There was no change in the scenery, it was the same sandy dunes and scorching heat.


    But, they noticed an Amplifier Steel Porcupine, possessing six body-length spikes on its back fighting against a One-Horned Rhino. Unlike all the other Amplifier One-Horned Rhinos, this was twice huge. Moreover, its body was an abomination, a culmination of Steel Porcupine, Crust-Mantle, and a One-Horned Rhino.


    Such a strange creature shocked them, causing fear in their minds. But the moment they saw their brethren getting overwhelmed, they immediately began to shoot out their spikes, even unconditionally using their body-length spikes, trump cards they had saved up for emergencies.


    Their foe had a back filled with spikes, a massive horn on its upper jaw, an extra pair of claws on its midsection, and a serpentine form for a lower back. It was fast, strong, and suffused with a terrifying presence.


    As the spikes fell on their foe, it was startled at first, becoming shocked upon getting injured. The normal spikes failed to penetrate its body. Only the body-length spikes dealt any damage. It expressed its shock at the getting attacked by spikes.


    For a moment, it was confused. As they were in a contest of an aura battle, Jyorta noticed a faint fluctuation in his opponent''s aura. The blue soul worked in overdrive, activating two more aura personifications. For a moment, his mental capacity was stretched thin, tiring him out quickly.


    Aura Personification¡ªinsignificance!


    Aura Personification¡ªBetrayal!


    The Amplifier Steel Porcupine gazed at its brethren attacking it, all the while spewing out tremendous hatred. Moreover, they expressed worry against its foe, the detestable human it had planned to hunt.


    Its brethren that it led had turned against it, attacking it and even managing to injure it. They even supported its foe, a being from an enemy race. Just this fact alone made it rage; it counterattacked to express its wrath.


    Its spikes shot forth, impaling the Steel Porcupines one after another. When its mental state worsened, Jyorta''s aura personification started to affect it. Whenever it aimed at Jyorta''s figure that it could now sense, its attacks seemed to pass right through, hitting the Steel Porcupines behind.


    It began to feel a sense of helplessness, having to kill its brethren one after another. It failed to understand why they revolted against it, unable to comprehend the reason in such a short duration. All it knew was to kill its foes before it was severely wounded or even killed.


    Its foe stopped moving and stood in a place, gloating as its attacks passed right through the humanoid enemy. In reality, Jyorta continued to run, already exhausted to his limit. He made the Amplifier Steel Porcupine hallucinate his position as stationary while making the Tier 1 Steel Porcupines hallucinate his actual position as that Amplifier Steel Porcupine that was getting cornered and the genius Steel Porcupine as that Frenzy Beast that was a culmination of three races.


    He was already at his limit, but despite possessing an advantage, he couldn''t go in for the kill. The attacks of the Steel Porcupines didn''t severely wound the Amplifier Steel Porcupine as it used its superior agility to dodge and retaliate, minimising its injuries.


    Suddenly, another Frenzy Beast burrowed out from under him, opening its mouth wide to clamp at his legs.

 Chapter 285: Changing the Land’s Presence

    7400 kilometres southeast to Marble City was a massive continent. Further southeast, at the tip of the continent, a tiny Frenzy Beast was flying. It was smaller than a human but seething from it was tremendous power.


    It flew into a territory that was burning in fire, quickly shielding itself with a psychic arm. it unleashed its domain, sensing the presence of the figure it was searching in the land of fire. Seated on a large rock, the remains of a mountain¡ªthe tallest peak on the continent¡ªwas a humanoid figure.


    Seeing its arrival, the humanoid figure turned around, looking amicable as it spoke with a gentle tone, "What is the matter, Crash?"


    Tier 6 Frenzy Beast¡ªCrash Bandicoot!


    It was termed Psychic Ancestor Crash. It was one of the oldest Ancestors, having reached Tier 6 even before Rhachis Ancestor Dawn. It was one of the four Frenzy Beasts that guarded Rhachis Ancestor Parasite.


    Psychic Ancestor Crash dared not descend on the ground, feeling fear from the flames that burned. It hovered 600 metres above ground, positioning itself a level below the line of sight of the other party, displaying its position in the hierarchy.


    It responded with a humble bow, "Sheep managed to make a recovery. It was really hard, but I was barely able to extract all the aura of Light and Marble from its body. Sheep will be able to use its Unranked Skill now."


    The humanoid figure waved its hands, beckoning for Psychic Ancestor Crash to come closer. As it obeyed, the humanoid figure pointed at the ground, "What do you think of it?"


    Psychic Ancestor Crash gazed at the intense flames burning on the ground, shuddering in fear. It subconsciously tightened the psychic energy barrier around it, even going to the extent overlaying it with another psychic arm.


    It then controlled its trembling, unleashing its domain to probe into it. After a while, its body trembled even more, speaking in a hurry, "Even after eight months, this land still burns. Shockingly, this effect is brought about by his aura alone."


    The flames raged forth, reaching a height of 20 metres. Flame tongues wriggled, sometimes reaching as high as 30 metres, swirling into a spiral upon reaching their peak as they fell back. Psychic Ancestor Crash observed it, trying to find a countermeasure.


    It unleashed its aura, overlaying its aura personification atop. Instantaneously, the height of the flames reduced by two centimetres while the flame tongues curled into spheres that exploded like bubbles and dissipated into heat.


    It continued its actions, finding that no matter what it did, the height of the flames no longer decreased. Seeing its struggles, the humanoid figure sighed, "As expected of the idiot four, useless as always."


    It then motioned for Psychic Ancestor Crash to look at the hill it sat upon. Psychic Ancestor Crash obeyed, sending a psychic arm through the hill. But, the moment it touched the surface, it felt tremendous resistance preventing its psychic arm from seeping even a millimetre deep.


    Seeing the situation, Psychic Ancestor Crash realised something as it looked at the foot of the hill. Flames still burned intensely but the higher they climbed the hill, the weaker they got. Eventually, they fully dissipated halfway up the 600 metres tall hill.


    But, the heat was still transmitted through the hill, all the way to the peak. Just by probing with its psychic arm around the spot the humanoid figure was seated on, it screamed in fright, "It''s hot! My body would melt within seconds if I come into contact with it."


    The humanoid figure waved its hand, motioning for it to shut up. It then gently retracted its aura, starting from its farthest reach. Psychic Ancestor Crash noticed the flames around the perimeter grow higher, their intensity of heat emission even rose by a notch.


    Slowly, starting from the perimeter, the flames rose like a column, following the receding of the humanoid figure''s aura. Soon, its aura had reached the foot of the hill.


    Psychic Ancestor Crash disappeared from its spot, hovering a kilometre above the ground in fear as it watched the flames reach as high as 400 metres. It was a literal sea of flames.


    As for the hill the humanoid figure sat on, except for 20 metres around it, everything was on fire. It looked at Psychic Ancestor Crash, its toothless, tongueless mouth curling down, "I have been suppressing its effect for the past eight months while learning about it. But all I could manage till now is to suppress it a little. The intensity of the flames hasn''t decreased even a fraction from back then. In fact, it seemed to have increased in size and intensity."


    The humanoid figure punched the air once, directing it towards the sea of flames. Powerful winds were stirred up as a result, surpassing the speed of sound. The shockwave was like a stream of water as it passed through the sea of flames, parting way, eradicating everything in its path.


    Though, a second later, flames converged upon the gap, filling it up, destroying all traces of its attack. The humanoid figure said in a placid tone, "Dawn somehow managed to infuse his aura into this land, changing its very presence. Now, this land has the same presence as Dawn and will continue to generate flames."


    It facepalmed, sighing once, "Mind, Soul, Aura, and Parasite. Of the four power systems, Mind and Soul hasn''t been explored much. But at least, humans had Gajara Rahi to pioneer in the system of Soul."


    "Even in the Parasite system, a field I ought to have absolute advantage of, the reality is different. Thanks to that bastard, humanity has Wisdom Parasites to lean on. The only reason we have the lead is because the parasite system is the base required to explore the other three systems."


    Its voice was tinged with faint killing intent as it gazed at Psychic Ancestor Crash, "Now, humanity has surpassed us in the aura system. Dawn''s grasp of aura has surpassed even mine. He is now capable of changing the presence of the very earth we live on. Do you understand its implications?"


    "Yes," Psychic Ancestor Crash nodded feebly, trembling in fear the more it listened to Rhachis Ancestor Parasite''s conjectures.


    Suddenly, a voice echoed around them, "I have arrived, Ancestor."


    From the sea, a massive head peaked out. Just the head alone surpassed 300 metres in size. It was akin to a mythical dragon as it emerged from the water, rising up and up. No matter how much it rose, its neck seemed never-ending.


    The humanoid figure nodded at it, "Try to see if Ingrained Earth can get anything from this, Earth."


    Just when it was about to nod in reply, the ocean water churned, splashing out like a tsunami, reaching as high as 80 metres. Gently rising from within was a familiar sheep with a body the size of a mountain.


    Upon its entry, the splashed water fell on the fiery earth, producing copious amounts of mist. Faint explosions rang out here and there, a result of the fight between fire and water.


    Child of Frenzy, Tier 6 Frenzy Beast¡ªColossal Bawling Sheep!


    It unleashed its aura, countering the fire atop pouring in water from the ocean. Rhachis Ancestor Earth began to work in conjunction, trying its methods to suppress and understand the root cause. Suddenly, lava spewed out from the ground, negating their efforts.


    Rhachis Ancestor Earth exerted its influence, pushing the lava back into the earth before starting to seal it up. But, irrespective of what they did, the sea of flames refused to die. Even after being covered by water, they burned, causing explosions while generating tremendous volumes of steam.


    The fire raged, burning in high intensities. Moreover, it wasn''t a simple flame that could be put out with water. It was generated by aura, the presence exhibited by the very land they were on. Unless the presence was negated or annihilated, it would be impossible to put out the fire.


    ¡­


    7000 kilometres north of their continent was colder lands, partially layered by snow. Frenzy Beasts were abundant, forming massive groups as they rushed towards a certain direction. It was evening now, with night approaching.


    It was starting to dim, with stars blanketing the skies, twinkling in everlasting radiance. Soon, it had darkened, but the Frenzy Beasts continued to rush forward, braving the cold winds that sought to freeze their fleshly bodies.


    Eventually, they came across a bright source of light, making it seem as if time had flowed in reverse and they had returned to the time of evening. Warm winds brushed past them, alleviating their numbness as the cold in their bodies receded.


    To their front, separated by a long distance was a massive fiery dome, shining with resplendent light, like a gem in the night. It was one of the strongholds of humanity.


    Dawn City!


    The moment they spotted it, the Frenzy Beasts sprinted towards it in frenzy, leaking out drool while emitting a bloodthirsty aura that condensed and turned corporeal, planning to break into the city''s defences.


    Seated in the city''s centre, located within a seven tiled pagoda was an old man. He gazed, looking over the approaching Frenzy Beasts, unfazed at their presence. His gaze extended beyond the horizon, burning with intense, congealable hatred. "The land is part of our foundation. Without space to develop, anyone would be eventually snuffed out from existence. I will never allow you to deal with my flames."


    "The feeling of losing our homes and having to migrate to survive, I''ll let you experience it as many times as I can, Parasite."

 Chapter 286: Morphing Battle Situations

    The first Ancestor of humanity, the one to signal the dawn of a new era, Rhachis Ancestor Dawn. Followed by his proclamation, his aura seeped into the pagoda walls, travelling through it without damaging it.


    The moment the aura seeped into it, the pagoda walls shone with a magenta hue, carrying out its designed functions. Seeing its condition, Rhachis Ancestor Dawn smiled, "I shall gratefully accept this gift, Marble."


    His aura travelled through the pagoda, travelling from the first tile to the seventh tile, before seeping into the ground. Without causing any disturbance to the city''s stability, the aura arrived at the earth''s mantle.


    There, it mixed with a certain lava flow, selected after a lot of calculation and deduction. The lava flowed like a stream, slow in motion. Time passed in such a manner; eventually, the lava flow arrived at a certain region.


    There, the aura seeped out and followed some volcanic channels, soon arriving at the tip of the crust. It subtly seeped into the ground, creating a change without being detected by anyone else.


    Above ground, the Colossal Bawling Sheep and Rhachis Ancestor Earth tried their best to suppress the flames. But, the moment they took a step back, the noticed that the sea of flames had risen by another metre in height. Its area had also increased a little and seemed to be expanding bit by bit.


    Moreover, the aura in it interacted and converted the surrounding aura into its own, steadily increasing in size. Seeing that the situation was worsening, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite frowned, looking troubled for the first time in centuries.


    It patted the hill it sat upon a couple of times before unleashing its aura. The moment it did, the sea of flames began to visibly shrink, soon suppressed to twenty metres in height. From time to time, flame tongues escaped the suppressed region before being pulled back into the mix. The scene was similar to the phenomenon happening on the sun.


    "Dawn¡­" The humanoid figure muttered, gazing around to look at the figures of all the Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts on its continent. Sensing the commotion, most of them had arrived, waiting beyond the sea of flames, awaiting further instructions.


    "Four in Dawn City, Three in Marble City, Three in Reef City, Two in Floating City, and Two in Desert City; Humanity has a total of 14 Ancestors now. Just the Frenzy Beast Ancestors surrounding Marble City number 7, not to mention the rest of the world."


    It gazed at Psychic Ancestor Crash, "But, despite our superior numbers, we fail to annihilate humanity every single time. Dawn, Reef, and Light were able to stall me before. Now that Dawn has surpassed me in the system of aura, their advantage has increased."


    "Among all the Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts, only Warlord can fight one-on-one against a Human Ancestor. The rest are all weak." The humanoid figure gazed at the Colossal Bawling Sheep, "You are different from others. Before our decisive battle against humanity, I''ll make you strong enough to fight against Light, and possibly even kill him."


    ¡­


    ''It arrived in the nick of time.'' Jyorta felt a sense of relief, using his Hoberman sphere on the Frenzy Beast that had burrowed out from under him. It opened its mouth wide and was about to clamp on his legs, intending to sever it.


    Just when it was about to sever his legs, its mouth stopped moving. On seeing that it was a Crust-Mantle, Jyorta directed part of his aura personification of hallucination at it, stopping its movements. It was then he noticed the presence of a psychic arm on his back, about to coil around him.


    Before he could react, it disappeared. ''Was it the psychic arm of a staff that was about to pull me out? Seeing that I still have control over the situation, the staff retracted it?''


    He didn''t have time to think, his forehead heating up from the mental exertion. He widened his legs a little, landing on the Crust-Mantle''s teeth. He jumped once and landed on its back, grabbing hold of a crevice in its exoskeleton for support. Seeing that he was able to manipulate it through his aura personification of hallucination, he retracted the Hoberman Sphere.


    Since a staff was monitoring his fight, he didn''t want to leave behind any strange points that were beyond his abilities. That was why when whenever he used his Hoberman sphere, he simultaneously activated his aura personification and retracted it the moment his aura personification took effect.


    It was just a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast. But in this situation, it was to his advantage. He didn''t have enough capacity to influence a Tier 2 Crust-Mantle given the situation. The Crust-Mantle began to run, stepping on a couple of Steel Porcupines in its way as it broke out of the encirclement.


    Jyorta held the sword in his hand, using his thumb to prick at a small crevice. The crevice turned to reveal a small protrusion, only a millimetre high. He pressed his thumb on it, squinting once at the prickling pain.


    His blood flowed into it, soon filling up a thin container within the handle. The container was placed in its centre, protected by tough materials to prevent leakage or a breakdown. It was thanks to this property that Jyorta had selected this sword.


    Once his blood filled the contained, the crevice turned around, sealing the hole. Jyorta infused a large portion of his aura, overlaying it with the aura personification of betrayal. He turned around and threw it with all his might, aiming it at a certain spot he had deduced based on their exchange.


    As the Crust-Mantle broke out of the encirclement, the sword flew into the dust cloud and landed at a certain spot, lodging halfway into the sand. Jyorta panted at the exertion, feeling tired. When the Crust-Mantle charged out and had stomped a couple of Steel Porcupines to death, he had to expend more mental energy to make the others hallucinate it as if the cause was the Amplifier Steel Porcupine¡ªthe Frenzy Beast that was a culmination of the three races in the hallucination.


    This caused many gaps to emerge in his hallucination, causing some Steel Porcupines to break out. But, before they regained clarity, his hallucination covered them again.


    "Faster!" He urged the Crust-Mantle to run, manipulating it through the hallucination it was induced into. A hallucination to make the Crust-Mantle run, a hallucination to prevent the Amplifier Steel Porcupine from grasping his actual location, and a hallucination to make the Steel Porcupines target it; Jyorta was hovering the borders to a mental collapse.


    He no longer had the capacity to maintain the other two aura personifications. But, the moment he threw his sword, he had managed to buy some time. As the Crust-Mantle created some distance from the battle, his aura personification no longer affected them.


    Its effect wasn''t potent enough to affect them any longer. Having known that beforehand, Jyorta retracted his aura and collapsed on the Crust-Mantle''s back.


    The sword landed near the Amplifier Steel Porcupine. The sword was first aimed at its midsection but the Amplifier Steel Porcupine adjusted its position, watching the sword land on the sand.


    But, it was a mistake on its part to remain curled around it. From his blood within the handle, the aura personification of betrayal was emitted. It was weak, unable to affect the Amplifier Steel Porcupine.


    The moment Jyorta retracted his aura personifications, the Amplifier Steel Porcupine sensed his fleeing figure. The spikes on its back trembled in fury as it hissed in response. But before it could chase him, a hail of spikes landed on it.


    Under his manipulation, all the Steel Porcupines had shot their body-length spikes when they noticed their Tier 2 brethren was on the verge of dying. Once he escaped from the area, they broke free of the hallucination one by one.


    It was then they noticed the situation that was different from what they had witnessed till now. Their brethren, an unsurpassable figure in their minds was currently injured. Blood leaked out through its injuries.


    And through the injuries, the places with lacking defences, the aura personification of betrayal seeped into it, subtly affecting the thoughts of the Amplifier Steel Porcupine. It hissed, transmitting the anger-filled contents through their language.


    The Tier 1 Steel Porcupines hurriedly replied with what they had witnessed, expressing their confusion. For a couple of seconds, the Steel Porcupine was unwilling to trust their words, looking at them with anger.


    It then noticed the retreating figure, linking the details before amounting him as the cause for everything. The aura personification of betrayal emitted by the sword also vanished. It only possessed the limited quantity Jyorta had infused into it. But, its job was done. It had bought him that crucial few seconds to escape.


    It was difficult to traverse the sandy terrain on foot. Even while fighting the Steel Porcupine, all Jyorta did was roll on the sand, which was faster than dodging by foot in the situation. Thankfully, the Crust-Mantle could maintain considerable speed on it.


    Within four seconds, it had traversed around 40 metres. By the time the Amplifier Steel Porcupine had reacted, seven seconds had passed. Only 60 metres remained until he reached the end of the second layer and took the stairs to the first layer.


    The Steel Porcupine hissed as the spikes on its back trembled, producing sounds similar to those generated by a flute. Despite its anger, the sound generated by it was pleasant to hear. When Jyorta heard it, he was surprised to notice his mood was affected.


    His tension, the sense of crisis, and his fighting spirit diminished as he entered a state of peace and relaxation. His mental state was instantly affected, shattering his aura personification of hallucination.


    The running Crust-Mantle immediately slowed down and noticed the figure standing on its back, regaining its sense of clarity. It emitted killing intent at him, starting to attack him.


    With the Amplifier Steel Porcupine at the lead, the Steel Porcupines sped towards his location.

 Chapter 287: Spring Burst!

    The moment the Crust-Mantle clamped its claws, trying to get him, Jyorta unleashed his aura, immobilising it. Using the opportunity, the blue soul sent some memory fragments to his brain, using the attached emotional and mental states to forcefully alter his mental state.


    Using it, he unleashed the aura personification of hallucination, taking control of the Crust-Mantle once again. The moment his hallucination took effect, the Crust-Mantle clamped its claws in confusion, blinking while turning around in wariness.


    For a second, it was unable to gauge the changing situation, its lower intelligence prevented it from doing so. Soon, it turned around and began to run. But, this already took four seconds, negating most of the time he had obtained.


    "That damned serpent!" Jyorta gritted his teeth, noticing the Amplifier Steel Porcupine close in, now only separated by 30 metres. Moreover, considering its superior speed, it would catch up within the next three seconds.


    Jyorta crouched low, using his left hand to hold the crevice tightly. He faced his right hand towards the approaching Amplifier Steel Porcupine, taking in a deep breath as he riled up all his presence. His heart began to thump in increasing intensities while his body faintly ballooned in size.


    "Hah!" Followed by his shout, Jyorta unleashed the entirety of his aura through his palm, causing the dust riled up from the Crust-Mantle''s running to part way as a column of force rammed through. The Amplifier Steel Porcupine''s gaze changed, its body tensing up while its forked tongue trembled.


    The Amplifier Steel Porcupine abruptly paused, as if it had slammed into a transparent membrane that prevented it from moving forward. It let out a hiss akin to a human''s scream as blood spurted out through all the wounds it had suffered. Its eyes dimmed in radiance while its presence was now only a tenth of its original, severely wounded.


    Blisters started to form on its skin while some sensitive sections began to peel off, showing signs of corrosion. Blood leaked out through its mouth, forming a small pool on the sand. Within an instant, the mighty Amplifier Steel Porcupine had become weak, losing most of its strength.


    The moment he had unleashed that aura beam, Jyorta almost lost consciousness. The blue soul in him forcefully maintained his lucidity, allowing him to maintain the aura personification of hallucination.


    Dragon Ball, an anime from his previous life that he loved. While going through the related memories, he drew inspiration for this move, which was to condense his aura into his palm and shoot it as a beam.


    He had practiced it many times, reserving it as a trump card thanks to its effective range. Even after travelling forty metres, it had only lost some power, being deadly enough to be considered an ace up his sleeve. As he trained it more and was able to condense and concentrate it further, its power would only rise.


    It was a technique he had thought up to counter the limited range of his psychic arms. But, using it rendered him in a state of weakness, a reason why he hadn''t used it till now. Only by packing as much aura as he could exert would its power be threatening enough, especially against terrifying opponents like the Amplifier Steel Porcupine.


    Seeing their leader suffer a major injury, the Steel Porcupines were startled, experiencing a fright. They converged around their injured leader, planning to shield it until recovery. Lying in a pool of blood, the Amplifier Steel Porcupine lifted its head and noticed the Crust-Mantle running towards the exit.


    After fighting against its humanoid foe, its Tier 1 Skill was able to spot its location fairly accurately. Its eyes shone with a vicious sheen, the muscles along its body contracting. The Amplifier Steel Porcupine curled up, releasing cold air from its nostrils.


    Seeing its stance, all the Steel Porcupines retreated, directly burrowing into the ground in a frantic escape. The Amplifier Steel Porcupine curled itself into a spiked sphere, with a tiny segment of its tail buried into the sand.


    At the next moment, all the sand surrounding it were sent flying like a tidal wave, with it as the epicentre as it unleashed its aura. Its aura spiked to the zenith instantly, having activated its Tier 2 Skill for the first time.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªSpring Burst!


    The Amplifier Steel Porcupine shot to the sky instantly, crossing 10 metres. Its body expanded, forming a helix that began to rotate, accelerating to 20 revolutions per second. Its Tier 1 Skill locked onto Jyorta''s position.


    After he had used his aura beam, he was fatigued, unable to conceal himself as well as before. This made it easy for the Amplifier Steel Porcupine to lock onto him. Without further ado, its body muscles wriggled, trembling with tremendous frequency, rumbling the very air around it as it shot forth all the spikes on its body.


    It only retained a single body-length spike as a cautionary measure, shooting out the rest. The spikes packed enough power in them to speed forth as a straight light, unaffected by gravity. As they interacted with the air, their curvatures produced a certain sound.


    It was similar to the sound produced by a flute, a single note, high pitched whose amplitude rose and fell at a rhythmic frequency. The sound pervaded the entire second layer, echoing towards the first and third layer, alarming every Frenzy Beast.


    Moreover, it even travelled to the fourth layer, riling up most Frenzy Beasts that had heard it. Growls and roars soon resounded within the entire Labyrinth of Frenzy.


    Having placed his attention on it all the time, Jyorta noticed it the moment it curled up into a ball and its brethren retreated into the ground. Even though he was weary, he spiked his hallucination, causing the Crust-Mantle to use its claws and dig up the sand below it.


    As the sand was loose, it unearthed a significant volume with a single sweep, forming a large pit. Jyorta jumped into it, watching the Amplifier Steel Porcupine shape itself into a helix and spin. He made note of the angle made by the ground with respect to the line drawn from it to him.


    As he landed in the pit, he curled up his body, taking as little space as possible while influencing the Crust-Mantle to act. The Crust-Mantle dug its claws into the sand, covering as wide an area as possible, using it as an anchor to lift its body.


    Starting from its tail, it used all its muscular force to lift its body, aligning it with the line from the Amplifier Steel Porcupine and Jyorta, ensuring as much of its body formed the shield between them.


    The Amplifier Steel Porcupine shot forth the spikes, watching it impact the target area. They pierced the Crust-Mantle, boring through its tough defences and its massive body, hitting bones, and puncturing through muscles.


    Some of the spikes almost pierced through, barely peeking out from the other side with just a fraction of their tips. Some caused tiny bulges to appear on the Crust-Mantle''s head. But, they were only for the regular spikes.


    The body-length spikes though, completely pierced through its body, and sped into the sand, all eleven of them without fail. Completely shielded within its claws was Jyorta, grunting in pain as three spikes hit the mark.


    Thankfully, due to the toughness of the Crust-Mantle''s claws, its surface curvature, and the power they had lost from all the obstacles, they bent, missing their target barely. One scrapped his leg, the other scrapped his stomach, taking away some flesh with it while the final one pierced his legs.


    This one though, hit his leg bone, shattering it¡ªin both legs. Moreover, the mid part of the spike was lodged in them, with its remainder peeking out on both sides.


    Pain! Jyorta felt unbearable pain, almost fainting if not for the blue soul forcefully maintaining his consciousness. Blood leaked out from the gaps in the Crust-Mantle''s claws, drowning him. He was unable to move, constricted by the shield he had created and no longer able to exert strength in his legs.


    Jyorta pushed at the sides with his hands, getting drowned by blood. He shielded himself with his psychic arm barrier, preventing the blood from rushing into his body through his wounds. He unleashed his two Soul Corneas, corroding the spike before pulling it out.


    He noticed faint hair wriggling out from the parts that came into contact with blood, trying to invade his body. He corroded everything, preventing them from jeopardising his safety. He finally pushed out the two claws, coming face to face with a dead Crust-Mantle whose face was covered by spikes.


    Just when he was about to climb out of the hole, he watched a serpentine figure wriggle in the blood, weak, on the verge of dying. But, it didn''t wish to die, wishing to take root in him to survive. It was the Crust-Mantle''s Frenzy Parasite.


    Before it could latch onto him, Jyorta corroded it with his Soul Cornea, killing it. His hands grabbed at the sand, tugging at them to pull his body up. He made the barrier around him possess as little friction as possible, using the smoothness to pull him out with the least effort required.


    The moment he came out, he turned around, gazing at the Amplifier Steel Porcupine. it was sprawled on a sand dune, gasping for breath, deflated like a rubbed tube. Steel Porcupines burrowed out one after another as they guarded it and pulled it underground.


    Before it lost consciousness, it hissed once, weakly pointing at his direction with the tip of its tail. Upon its instruction, five Steel Porcupines began to slither their way towards him.


    "Dammit!"

 Chapter 288: Height of Aura Application

    Jyorta placed his hand on the sand, feeling its loose texture. He saw the Steel Porcupines slithering towards him, feeling a sense of urgency. Blood leaked out through his legs, making him feel light-headed. He didn''t have enough time to treat the injury.


    He inspected his psychic energy levels, noting that he had around 40 percent left. Just when he was about to execute a plan for escape, the psychic arm from before coiled around him. At the next moment, he disappeared from the spot.


    Two seconds later, Jyorta found himself before the exit as the voice of a man resounded in his ears, "It seems you still have a plan to save yourself. But I judged the situation threatening your growth after seeing the injuries you had accumulated. Even though you have protected yourself well, the Essence of Frenzy from the Amplifier Steel Porcupine has invaded your body. That''s why I pulled you out."


    "Sorry," Jyorta sighed, feeling down. The double door opened with a rumble as his body floated before it.


    "You don''t need to worry about something like this. You are still learning. Make use of everything here to grow stronger. After all, there won''t be anyone to rescue you in the Wilds." The voice replied as another psychic arm grabbed the Two-Faced Firefly on his shoulder and placed it in a rock''s crevice.


    The double door closed with a thud as Jyorta was carried to the nursing room within a second. After dropping him on a berth, the voice said his final piece, "The Heart/Brain Crystals you obtained can still be traded for Credits. But, this favour is only given for the first time. From the next time you are pulled out by a staff, the Credits you gain from that exploration will be deemed zero, irrespective of how many Heart/Brain Crystals you obtained."


    ''So, it is a Ground Controller.'' Jyorta accurately sensed the psychic arm''s disappearance, feeling surprised. Suddenly, he noticed another psychic arm seep into his body, its arrival detected only after it made its presence noticeable.


    ''So, the Ground Controller purposely made his presence noticeable.'' Jyorta felt a bit disappointed at the fact that his senses hadn''t grown to sense their presence yet. He then turned around, trailing the psychic arm to the familiar nurse, Vaika.


    Sensing his body''s overall state through her psychic arm, Vaika frowned, "What the hell did you fight to end up in this state?"


    "A Tier 2 Steel Porcupine, on the level of a genius," Jyorta replied, glancing at his body, retracting his psychic energy barrier. He saw Vaika''s psychic arm pass through his barrier without trouble, as if there existed enough gap in it to allow free travel.


    After retracting his barrier, he watched his armour drenched with blood, the blood he had shed. Vaika used all her three psychic arms to begin his treatment. Soon, she pulled out faint strands from the wound in his legs.


    The strands were the same he noticed emerge from the Steel Porcupine''s spike when it came into contact with blood. Seeing his gaze, Vaika said, "It is similar to hair but has an affinity to blood. When injured, numerous such strands emerge from the spike and seep into the body. They absorb the blood while wrapping themselves around any organ they come across."


    "This prevents the victim from directly pulling out the spike. If not treated soon, the strands would soon coil over all the internal organs and kill the victim from inside out. Even otherwise, they would faint from blood loss as the spike collects the blood absorbed by the strands and simply gush it out."


    Vaika talked while she treated Jyorta, teaching him about the various injuries inflicted on him and how they would worsen if not treated on time. Soon, she turned silent, her forehead filled with sweat.


    Jyorta noticed tremendous waves of psychic energy emitting from her, all gushing into his body through her psychic arms. But, they were being continuously expended, even though Jyorta couldn''t make out where.


    A couple of minutes later, three black droplets were pulled out from his leg wound. Vaika placed them in a yellow container, commanding her psychic arms to arrange the broken bones in order. She connected the torn tissues, loosened the coiled muscles, etc.


    Finally, her psychic arms turned pale blue as all the injuries started to heal. Jyorta closed his eyes, sensing the working of the Unranked Skill, Regen as it healed his body. The work was efficient, only using minimal psychic energy to complete the process.


    Vaika guessed his intentions, saying with a smile, "Technically speaking, even if you have zero knowledge of the human body, you can still perfectly heal it, thanks to Regen''s effect. The moment I activate it and seep my psychic arm into your body, I receive a lot of feedback that would guide me through the injured regions and take actions that efficiently heal the body."


    Watching the wound on his legs close, she said, "This feedback is from your body''s memory of you. So, it is 100 percent accurate. But, we are still advised to learn more about the body. This way, we can save time prodding around, and not wait for the patient''s body to transmit the feedback."


    She retracted two psychic arms, leaving behind the last one to heal the remainder in his body. "It is because the Essence of Frenzy tampers and blocks the feedback process. So, in patients with a high concentration of the Essence of Frenzy in them, we have to manually heal them."


    She gazed into Jyorta''s eyes, "Judging by your actions, it seems you wish to exchange for the Unranked Skill, Regen. When you graduate, don''t stint on learning about the human body, in both theory and practice."


    "Yes, ma''am." Jyorta nodded, feeling strength return to him. His fatigue too was mostly cleared out while his psychic energy reserves had grown from 40 percent to 50 percent."


    Jyorta placed his legs on the floor, finding no issues with it. He then looked around, finding the room empty. Seeing her attention trained on his face, like a mother waiting for her son''s scorecard, Jyorta said with a smile, "The aura personification of hallucination is amazing."


    "Right! I told you about its merits that vastly outweigh its demerits." She clapped her hands, motioning for him to continue further, inquiring the ways he used the aura personification.


    Jyorta calmly explained everything that had happened from the start, only omitting the part where he used the false personas.


    "Right, when your mental state fluctuates, your aura personification shatters. It is a weakness of all aura personifications." She nodded, "But, that is only the case now."


    She gazed into his eyes, motioning with a finger to look at her eyes, "Stare for three seconds and focus only on it."


    Jyorta did as told, curbing his embarrassment to focus on the task. A second later, he felt his head spin. He shook his head and noticed Vaika had disappeared from her spot. But, seated in her spot was Rhachis Ancestor Light, looking calm with a hint of a derisive sneer.


    Followed by a clap, Rhachis Ancestor Light disappeared and Vaika took his place. Seeing his confused state, she smiled. But upon noticing a hint of fear in his eyes, she was puzzled for a moment before deciding to gloss over it.


    "When you master an aura personification, it becomes permanently etched in your presence. That way, activating it is the same as activating your aura, only requiring a thought. And, as you have experienced, after mastering it, it has become ingrained into me. Even without activating it, onlookers fall into a hallucination when they stare at my eyes. To keep it simple, I replace myself with the figure of Rhachis Ancestor Light in my hallucination. It always works wonders against all my foes."


    She then pointed at herself, sporting a smug expression, "Mastering an aura personification is not an easy feat but it is definitely achievable."


    "Usually, after experiencing a qualitative change in their aura at Tier 4, they become able to do this. Mastering the aura personification is part of the qualitative change at Tier 4." Her smugness rose by a notch, "But certain incredibly, superiorly talented individuals can achieve it even at Tier 3. This shows that their aura has grown to the extent it experiences a qualitative change."


    Jyorta sported an expression of being amazed, "Ma''am, how many have achieved the same as you in Marble City?"


    Vaika pondered in thought, shaking her head with a sigh, "I don''t know the details of the entire Marble City. But in the 7th Ring, I am the sole individual to do this within the past 7 years. That is because, even though I am a Wave Controller, my aura is already on par with Ground Controllers. My understanding of aura also surpasses most Ground Controllers. Many fail to realise that aura is a powerful force to rely on."


    She then looked at him with surprise, "Your concept of an aura beam is fairly decent. When you condense it more in the future, it would become a powerful ranged attack. Good work!"


    ''It hasn''t even been three weeks since he came into contact with aura personifications but he is already able to wield them fairly well. Moreover, his usage of them is also creative enough to be labelled as a combat system of its own.'' Vaika thought, placing Jyorta in a new light.


    She then gave him heartfelt advice, "When you become a Wave Controller, your Esper abilities improve drastically. But even after that, don''t neglect your aura training. Because, as a Wave Controller, you can directly infuse your aura into your domain. This drastically elevates the quality of your domain while also improving your senses."


    She then lowered her voice, her expression solemn, "As for the heights you can achieve with it, look into the walls of Dawn City once you graduate. The information is not available in the Portal you have access to but it is available for all graduates."


    "Dawn City is dubbed a wall-less city but its defences are inferior only to Marble City."

 Chapter 289: Frenzy Beasts Can Also Increase Their Sync Rates

    Jyorta returned to his dorm, took a bath, and changed into his uniform. His weapons and armour were placed in a bag that prevented the aura in them from leaking out. Jyorta exited his room and headed towards the Head Office Building.


    ''I obtained 312 Credits this time. I used up most of my strength against the Amplifier Steel Porcupine. It was too strong. Otherwise, my exploration would have gone smoother.'' Jyorta thought, revising his actions from a calm perspective.


    He then tallied his Credits, ''Adding this exploration''s worth, I now have 1,11, 841 Credits. I have used up 25,000 Credits for the Traits of Efficiency, Recovery, and Resistance. So, 86,841 Credits are remaining with me. I need 1,10,000 Credits to exchange for the Unranked Skill, Regen. It would be difficult to obtain anything else with my current speed.''


    ''Espers are drastically disadvantaged in this aspect. Warriors would have been able to explore more. Amplifiers would have been able to reach the third layer by now. As the nurse said, my greatest weapon at present is my aura. Only through this will I be able to accumulate more Credits.''


    As he walked on the grass, he remembered something, plopping face flat on it. The grass was soft, emitting a pleasant aroma that served to relax him. He breathed out, unleashing a tinge of his aura, concentrating on it through his senses.


    He unleashed part of his domain, limiting himself to his official range. His aura lingered on his breath, mixing into the air around him. When he inhaled again, he was astonished at the lack of that aroma.


    When he exhaled and inhaled again, he could smell the aroma once again. He once again unleashed a tinge of his aura, sensing it mix with the aroma, turning heavier. It flew downward and was absorbed by the grass.


    After it absorbed the aura, tiny droplets precipitated on it, evaporating to produce the aroma once again. Jyorta experimented for five minutes before getting up and started walking towards the Head Office Building.


    ''This grass can actually absorb aura as nutrients.'' He decided to experiment with it in detail later, once he completed the task that weighed heavily on his mind. Soon, he arrived on the first floor in the Head Office Building.


    This was his first time here, a reason because he didn''t have any necessity to visit before. Along the way, he noticed some potted plants in the corridor, placed every twenty metres. The pots were built into the wall.


    The plants resembled bonsai, their growth stunted, unable to ever grow beyond a certain height. Above them existed the section of the wall that acted as their ceiling. Jyorta stood closer to a plant, gently emitting a tinge of his aura, watching the plant absorb it similarly to the grass.


    ''So, this is why there is no aura in the Military Academy. But what is the limit to their absorption? To what extents or intensities of aura can they absorb? I can only find out later.'' Jyorta thought, planning to pocket some grass for his next exploration if they had considerable absorption capacity.


    The plaque atop a door read ''Staff Room''. It was his destination. Jyorta glanced at the time on his watch, seeing that he still had 20 minutes before the staff left for the day.


    After that, only those who had a night shift would remain. But they never taught any students anything. Their sole task was to monitor the military academy until dawn and prevent any trouble from erupting.


    The door was ajar, Jyorta peered through and caught a staff looking his way. He made a light bow, watching the staff permit him to enter. Jyorta entered and looked around, finding a cabin on one side with the name of the staff he wanted to meet.


    Seeing his gaze, the staff that had permitted him entry returned to his task, scribbling something on a stack of paper. Jyorta walked past the seats of many staff, finding the names of most unfamiliar.


    Each Batch had its respective set of staff that taught accordingly. All the Batches only had one teacher in common, Madam Rizenne. She taught them about all the basics. The teacher common for the Espers from all Batches was Madam Mila while it was Sir Cosmi for the Warriors¡ªboth Tier 5 beings.


    Therefore, if they had any doubts apart from their field of operation¡ªRhachis and Psychic¡ªthey approached Madam Rizenne for clarification. Though everything they needed was available in the Portal so hardly anyone approached her.


    If not for the incident he had witnessed, Jyorta too wouldn''t have arrived here for clarification. On the way from the Labyrinth of Frenzy, he noticed that construction for the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield hadn''t begun yet. It meant Madam Mila hadn''t returned.


    To avoid delaying it, in fear of the Crust-Mantle getting killed by another Frenzy Beast preying on its weak state, Jyorta was in a hurry. Therefore, he arrived at the staff room without hesitation.


    The staff room was no different to the university from his previous life. Soon, he arrived before a cabin with Madam Rizenne''s name attached. The door was ajar, seated inside was Madam Rizenne.


    The cabin was 4 metres long and 5 metres wide. Seated behind a desk was Madam Rizenne, her expression a frown. On her back was a rack stacked with thick books, made from Floating Spider silk to prevent erosion over time.


    To her right was a detailed map of the military academy. Jyorta glanced at it once, the blue soul extracted the memory, planning to comprehend it later thousands of times to learn it by heart. It was on the off chance he missed something of value through ignorance.


    To her left was a human mannequin, donned in full-body armour, realistic to the extent he assumed it was a real person for a moment. Madam Rizenne glanced at him, motioning two fingers at him, implying him to wait for two minutes.


    Jyorta did as told, gazing at the books to pass the time. Seated before Madam Rizenne were four staff, engaging in a flurry of discussion. All sorts of emotions were expressed on their faces as they conversed. Of the four, Jyorta could only recognise Rishen Veera, their physical training instructor. Since their conversation was shielded, Jyorta couldn''t hear anything.


    As he looked through the book titles, a familiar cover caught his eye. The moment he glanced at it, his expression morphed. The blue soul overlaid the face mask, calming him down before he reacted. Thankfully, Madam Rizenne seemed busy, not catching the mild change in his expression. Even if she had noticed it, she didn''t seem to care.


    ''The Fundamental Flaw in Human Cognition, by¡­'' Jyorta took in a deep breath, unable to grasp his feelings after seeing a name he hadn''t ever thought of encountering.


    ''Father¡­'' He closed his eyes, opening after exhaling, retaining the face mask. The book''s author was his father, from his previous life. Just this alone further concreted Psychic Ancestor Marble''s claim of him reincarnating to the future.


    ''No, based on what he said, I was brought to the future by their decision.'' Jyorta then noticed the four staff stand up in unison and bow a little towards Madam Rizenne. As they walked past Jyorta, they glared at him, continuing forth in anger.


    Jyorta was confused about their reaction for a second before he tossed it over to the back of his head. Seeing Madam Rizenne nod his way, he entered the cabin.


    "Take a seat, Jyorta Bone." Madam Rizenne motioned for him to take the first seat on the right. Jyorta sat and took in a deep breath; the blue soul retracted the face mask once his emotions pertaining to the book were calmed.


    He thought of the order of things he had to say, speaking concisely, "When I explored the labyrinth just now, I came across an Observer Crust-Mantle that attempted a breakthrough with a 64 percent Sync Rate. But after breakthrough, its Sync Rate had increased to 97 percent."


    "It was really weak, and judging by its state, it seemed like a Frenzy Beast that didn''t have the confidence to successfully breakthrough to Tier 2. But not only did it complete its breakthrough, but its Heart Crystal also healed within a mere three hours." Jyorta said.


    He also detailed everything that led to the incident and at the two Frenzy Parasites jumping into the Crust-Mantle''s mouth and it absorbing the spikes of the Steel Porcupines into it while breakthrough. When he was done, Madam Rizenne wryly smiled, "Do you know the loss in Sync Rate after each breakthrough?"


    Before Jyorta could nod, Madam Rizenne continued, "4-10 percent from Tier 1 to Tier 2, 12-20 percent from Tier 2 to Tier 3, 22-32 percent from Tier 3 to Tier 4, and 34-46 percent from Tier 4 to Tier 5."


    "The highest Sync Rate in your Batch was 86 percent by Dalna Doppler," She gazed at his eyes in seriousness, "Suppose she made breakthroughs with minimal losses, she will only end up with 48 percent Sync Rate at Tier 4. That means a guaranteed death."


    Seeing him open his mouth, Madam Rizenne interjected, "The actual situation is different thanks to the Frenzy Fruits. But in the case of the Frenzy Beasts, they have inferior intelligence to humans. So, their losses from breakthroughs are higher."


    She raised her hand, "Based on the loss in Sync Rate during breakthrough, theoretically, there should be no Tier 5 beings among the Frenzy Beasts, not to mention Tier 6. But, the reality is different."


    She shook her head, "And no, Frenzy Fruits are exclusive to humanity. But, the presence of Tier 5 and Tier 6 beings among the Frenzy Beasts point out to a method in which they can increase their Sync Rates."


    She glanced at his eyes, her gaze boring into him, "What you had witnessed was just that."

 Chapter 290: Warlord’s Legend

    "Unlike the Wisdom Parasites that are manufactured by us, all Frenzy Parasites are produced by a single individual, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. Therefore, they possess a trait of devouring fellow Frenzy Parasites and recovering their body until completion."


    "But, there are three restrictions for this to occur," Madam Rizenne pointed three fingers, "One, they all should be part of the same Frenzy Beast race. Two, the body of the calling Frenzy Parasite should be lower evolved than the Frenzy Parasites it calls forth. Finally, its host must experience enough emotional fluctuations that it is on the verge of losing control."


    "Even if all three criteria are satisfied, it is still not guaranteed a success. The compatibility of their bodies, the similarity of their Skills, the external factors at play, and the aura induced in them, all decide the outcome. And based on how well they come into play, the resultant increase in Sync Rate varies." She sighed once, "What you had witnessed is rare even among the rarest of cases. A 33 percent increase in Sync Rate shows its potential."


    She then glared at Jyorta a little, "It is fine since such a case happened here. But, if you witness something similar in the Wilds¡­" Her eyes glimmered with killing intent, "Make sure you kill it, no matter what."


    "If left alone, such a being will definitely end up as powerhouse to reckon upon." After a moment of thought, she added, "Rhachis Ancestor Warlord was a similar case. At Tier 2, it had become a dud with a Sync Rate of 50 percent, obtaining zero Nurturing effect. Without means to increase its Sync Rate, its future ended at that point, at the bottom of Tier 2."


    "But, without getting Nurtured, it wouldn''t be able to attempt a breakthrough. So how¡­" Jyorta was cut off once again.


    Madam Rizenne said without giving him much time to speak, "With a Tier 1 constitution, it attempted a breakthrough to Tier 3. But, before that, it had made ample preparations, spanning decades. It was born with an intellect far surpassing its peers, so it made ample use of that."


    She tapped on the table, once for each line, "It spent 20 years at Tier 1, barely surviving each day, waiting for its opportunity. It purposefully drove itself to the brink of losing control by coming into contact with the aura of powerful Floating Spiders. It refined its body using all the auras it came across, tethering on the border of madness and insanity. It scavenged the bodies of Tier 2, Tier 3, and beyond meat, consuming them while harming itself."


    "The Essence of Frenzy present in their bodies ate away at its body, causing it more harm than good. There were times when it couldn''t even move for months at a stretch, turning pale and weak. But every time, it survived, slowly but steadily evolving its Essence of Frenzy. Eventually, it was able to kill Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts using just the potency of its Essence of Frenzy."


    "Any high Tiered flesh it chanced upon, it consumed them. If it obtained a Heart/Brain Crystal, it swallowed them. Consuming them always proved more harm than good but it continued to do so without rest. Despite its Frenzy Parasite unable to Nurture its body due to the 50 percent Sync Rate, it soaked up in the aura and Essence of Frenzy."


    "It always roamed the Wilds in search of opportunities. One day, it got its opportunity. A human Transformer had died in the Wilds. But, he dragged all his foes to death with him. It watched the earth-shattering fight between them, hidden afar within a small crevice, suffering numerous life-threatening injuries from the shockwaves."


    "The moment the opportunity presented itself, it ran towards the battlefield, resisting all the blasting aura while ignoring its worsening injuries, tethering on the border of life and death. It gobbled the human Transformer''s spine and Heart Crystal, also doing the same for his foes."


    "It then dragged its body and hid within the crevice and attempted a breakthrough." Madam Rizenne raised a finger, "The concept I told you before was already privy in the Frenzy Beast society. The young Warlord too knew it. But, among all the beings that had died at that time, not one was a Floating Spider. So do you know what it did?"


    Before Jyorta could shake his head, she continued, "When it swallowed all Frenzy Parasites and had even swallowed a Wisdom Parasite, all the Frenzy Parasites banded against the Wisdom Parasite. Moreover, the Wisdom Parasite was the strongest among them all. But the young Warlord knew that the moment they fought, its body would be ripped apart from inside. So, it initiated its breakthrough before that."


    "On noticing the situation, all the Frenzy Beasts gobbled each other up, fusing without an ounce of resistance. Their combined form was a notch stronger than the Wisdom Parasite that they swallowed in their body. When the Wisdom Parasite fought back, the fused Frenzy Parasite resisted its attacks with its body. In the meantime, the young Warlord''s Frenzy Parasite called it forth, beginning to eat it. The fused Frenzy Parasite constricted the Wisdom Parasite''s movements as much as it could, watching the young Warlord''s Frenzy Parasite consume them both."


    "Its aura gushed into the fused Frenzy Parasite, empowering it while weakening the Wisdom Parasite. Its Essence of Frenzy began to damage the Wisdom Parasite''s body, making it easier for the Frenzy Parasite to suppress it. The fused Frenzy Parasite also consumed all the Heart/Brain Crystals the young Warlord had gobbled up to aid its efforts."


    "The resultant energy was transferred into the young Warlord''s Frenzy Parasite that was used in the breakthrough process. Eventually, its Sync Rate rose while it possessed a tremendous reserve of energy to finish the breakthrough process without problems."


    Madam Rizenne sighed, "From a Sync Rate of 50 percent, it ended up with a Sync Rate of 99 percent after its breakthrough to Tier 3. Its gamble had succeeded. Moreover, it obtained two perks from this incident."


    She raised two fingers, shaking the first, "The incredible stress it had to endure during the breakthrough process, and consuming beings three Tiers beyond its evolution had destroyed its mind. After this, the young Warlord never faced the risk of losing control. After all, the entity wishing to take control was no longer cognitive."


    She shook the second finger, "Thanks to all the Heart/Brain Crystals it had swallowed, and catalysed by its Essence of Frenzy, it caused a certain mutation. Their fragments had combined and even replaced its original Heart Crystal, resulting in a Tier 5 Heart Crystal."


    "But, using the energy stored in a Heart Crystal was only possible if it was on the same Tier, right?" Jyorta felt confused.


    "Yes, normally, that is the case. We have tried transplanting the Heart Crystals of higher Tiered beings into lower Tiered beings. Their Parasites always rejected them, similar to a body rejecting an external organ implant. Moreover, this rejection was strong enough to make all the cells in the transplanted being wither, causing their death."


    Madam Rizenne nodded, "But, thanks to its essence of Frenzy and its Frenzy Parasite''s lack of cognition, the young Warlord managed to survive. Now, equipped with a Tier 5 Heart Crystal, despite the quality of its energy being at Tier 3, the amount it could possess was on a whole different level."


    "It was smooth sailing for it after that, thanks to its advantages but," Madam Rizenne sighed, "After persisting in its insanity for 20 years, it wasn''t satisfied with the power at its disposal. An increase in Sync Rate, from 50 to 99 percent, an amount unprecedented in history, a legend till today, but it wasn''t satisfied."


    "When it broke through from Tier 3 to Tier 4, it enacted a similar feat, though inferior in quality to its previous one, but ended up with 100 percent Sync Rate. It did the same from Tier 4 to Tier 5, again finishing with a 100 percent Sync Rate. It almost made it seem natural and without trouble."


    "As for its final breakthrough, even it dared not attempt anything drastic, attempting a breakthrough traditionally. And it succeeded in the end, becoming a Tier 6 being. After that, it still desired more power, turning to the strongest race to fuel its growth, the humans. The result of it was its Unranked Skill, Greater Warlord, coining it the term Rhachis Ancestor Warlord."


    Madam Rizenne controlled her anger, "To this day, it remains the sole Frenzy Beast apart from Rhachis Ancestor Parasite that is capable of fighting a human Ancestor one-on-one. Its existence is a direct slap to humanity. After all, the prime material for its Unranked Skill is a human Transformer."


    She then gazed at Jyorta, her expression solemn, serious, and tinged with a threatening stare, "Rhachis Ancestor Warlord is an exception even among the Frenzy Beast. That method of raising one''s Sync Rate is solely available to the Frenzy Beasts, thanks to their Frenzy Parasites originating from a single source. Humans cannot replicate this feat, never forget this."


    She then pulled out a book from behind her, flipping to a page that she displayed to Jyorta, "This is the result of humans who had attempted similarly, with Wisdom Parasites, and even Frenzy Parasites."


    A gaze at the picture was all it took for Jyorta''s revulsion to surpass its previous zenith. Just when he was about to vomit, a pale blue psychic arm seeped into his body and healed him, negating his revulsion.


    Madam Rizenne closed the book, saying with a sigh, "Frenzy Fruits are expensive and have a supply less than demand. So, desperate individuals always try to attempt it, for that improbable chance of success. But, it always ends up in failure. Even if you succeed, Marble City will still kill you."


    She massaged her furrowed brows, "Irrespective of your strength, if you become a demon who sacrifices his family for personal growth, you will be killed. Marble city only desires heroes that create a Morningstar, not demons that erect a chipped sword."

 Chapter 291: Live by My Word

    She looked at Jyorta in calm, "That is why this information is not available to the Cadets, the general public, and those with less Sync Rates. Since you had witnessed the process, I told you about it. Make sure to never divulge it to anyone else. I''m sure Madam Mary had told you why."


    "Yes, ma''am." Jyorta nodded, gulping in thought, ''If I leak it, even my corpse might not be left behind. Madam Mary made it crystal clear.''


    "Do you have any more doubts?" Hearing her question, Jyorta spoke after a second of thought, "I also noticed the Crust-Mantle absorbing all the spikes pierced by the Steel Porcupines. How is that possible?"


    Madam Rizenne nodded, speaking calmly, "The breakthrough process requires tremendous energy. When the energy in the Heart Crystal is lacking, one can supplement it with the energy stored in the body. That is the reason many end up skin and bones after a breakthrough."


    She raised a finger, her expression turning serious once again, "But, the Frenzy Beasts use this aspect on another level, thanks to their differences from humans. They designate all foreign matter in their bodies as breakthrough support, absorbing their energies while using the remainder to evolve their Essence of Frenzy. In this manner, they might even end up with some perks that give them an advantage over their peers."


    "Part of evolution is self-induced while the remaining is caused by consumption of external matter. By consuming distinct traits of creatures prior to a breakthrough, there is a small chance they will evolve to possess the traits post-evolution. Even if they don''t obtain the trait as is, they might still end up with a result more geared to themselves."


    Madam Rizenne massaged her temples, glancing at the time once, "By continuing in this route, new Frenzy Beast races are created down the line. The Floating Spiders had done this on a large scale to obtain their Trait. The formula to this has been kept secret by Rhachis Ancestor Web."


    "Do you have any more doubts now?" Madam Rizenne smiled, gazing at his expression. Jyorta fell into thought once again.


    ''I have already taken all the memory fragments in the Crust-Mantle''s soul. Due to the presence of the Mind Hound in the Mental Realm, it is not wise to create a subsoul in a being that will breakthrough in the future. So, I no longer have a reason to visit it again.'' Jyorta sighed.


    If he had been able to guess it, he would have proceeded deeper into the second layer and avoid encountering the Amplifier Steel Porcupine. It was only in his hurry to return that the events from before happened.


    ''But, I am not a prophet. How can I guess what creature was hiding within the sands? I can only face whatever came my way.'' He then remembered his two explorations in the Labyrinth of Frenzy. Despite the first and second layers stated as a place where only Tier 1 beings roamed, he encountered Tier 2 beings.


    In his first exploration, he came across the Amplifier Crust-Mantle, near the entrance at that. In his second exploration, he didn''t come across any Tier 2 beings in the first layer. But he came across four Amplifier Crust-Mantles in the second layer and even encountered the Amplifier Steel Porcupine, a being that ought to live only on the fifth layer.


    Jyorta expressed his confusion, "How are the Frenzy Beasts designated in the layers by their strength? And, despite it being so, why are they able to move above?"


    Madam Rizenne nodded, expressing her understanding of his concern, "We have fused Tier 3 Relics in the Labyrinth walls that unleash a mild effect on the Frenzy Beasts. The greater their strength, the stronger the effect on them. It forces them to move down and disappears once they have settled in a place appropriate to their strength."


    She then laughed, "But, if the labyrinth was a simple dungeon, this would have been possible. But as you have witnessed, the terrain for each layer is different. And certain Frenzy Beasts can only live on certain layers, so even if they are prompted to move below, they will resist the effect with all their might."


    She pointed at Jyorta, "As what you have witnessed, the Crust-Mantles do this the most. They will settle in the upper floors and only proceed downward when the compulsion becomes unbearable. After hiding in the lower floors, once the compulsion disappears, they hurry back to the upper floors."


    She then smiled, "Besides, we never solved this issue for a simple reason. What do you think would happen if the strength of the Frenzy Beasts varied linearly across the floors and the environment was the same throughout?"


    After a second, Jyorta replied, "We would have an easier time."


    "Right," She nodded and continued, "Moreover, the Cadets will limit themselves to areas they became accustomed to. This way, they will only fight against foes they are confident in taking down. We don''t wish to see such a situation."


    She shook her head, "After all, our objective is to make the Cadets experience the feeling of the Wilds. That is why we left many variabilities in place and don''t intrude beyond necessary. Only when faced with unforeseen encounters would a person mature and become accustomed to dealing with uncertainties."


    ''So it was on purpose.'' Jyorta nodded, expressing his gratitude as he stood, bowed and exited the cabin. Just when he stepped out, Madam Rizenne''s voice resounded in his ears, "I will be witnessing your efforts in the Labyrinth."


    Jyorta bowed in her direction and exited the Head Office Building, heading to the cafeteria. He ate his fill and returned to his dorm. As the food digested in his stomach, he felt his aura steadily recovering.


    Jyorta observed the process, using all his senses, ''Am I absorbing the presence in the food and converting it into my body''s? If I consider my body as my stomach, will I be able to absorb the aura in the surroundings and make it my own?''


    Thirty minutes later, the sounds of the door being knocked resounded. Jyorta opened to see the figure of Haesha standing out. Jyorta smiled, "I was just about to come to meet you."


    Haesha was currently out of breath, seemingly having run a long distance in a hurry. She took deep breaths as Jyorta invited her in. After ten seconds, Haesha drank some water, regaining her breathing rhythm.


    Jyorta stared at her, wondering the reason of her fluster. He controlled his curiosity, waiting for her to speak on her own. A minute later, Haesha spoke, trying her best to conceal the fear in her voice, "This news is just being circulated around the academy."


    Taking in a deep breath, she looked at Jyorta, "It seems Madam Mila suffered serious injuries, even losing a significant portion of her Sync Rate. She won''t be returning for at least a month."


    Jyorta''s eyes widened at the news, his heart speeding up in alarm. The pores on his body opened, a result of the spike in his emotions. He began sweating within a second, his body tensing up as if he was in the Labyrinth of Frenzy.


    Haesha''s voice trembled as she buried her face in her arms, "Shouldn''t a Sky Controller be invincible unless faced with an Ancestor? Moreover, with the Unranked Skill, Marble Sonata, her defence should be unparalleled right? But, how was she injured?"


    "Jyorta¡­" Tears streamed out her eyes, "Espers are weak at Tier 1 and Tier 2. But, are we weak even at higher Tiers?"


    Jyorta felt his confidence shake a little at her cries. Espers were strong at higher Tiers, this was the fact he and other Espers anchored on, a belief that they would be strong in the future. In their eyes, Madam Mila, a Sky Controller was an invincible figure.


    The methods at her hand, the immense psychic energy reserves she possessed, and the tremendous strength she wielded, she was a powerhouse. Moreover, Espers were able to fly starting from Tier 3. As a Sky Controller, breaking through the sound barrier was mere child''s play.


    So, if they faced a strong opponent, they could just escape and fight in an advantageous location. One-on-one, Espers were said to trump Warriors at Tier 4 and Tier5. With five psychic arms, possessing means to move anywhere between 5-10 kilometres per second, and an Unranked Skill fabled for its defence, unless an Ancestor made a move, beings like Madam Mila were impossible to injure.


    In their world, strength mattered the most. This also meant that should any powerhouse defending the safety of their homes were to be affected, everyone would panic. Haesha felt it, Jyorta too felt the same.


    Their world was akin to a raging storm. They were like grass growing on the ground, their survival not guaranteed. Each powerhouse was like an umbrella that protected them from the calamitic weather. With more umbrellas, the area the grass could grow upon increased. The loss of a single umbrella meant doom for the grass underneath.


    Jyorta thought logically, thanks to his maturity, looking at the news from another perspective. He sighed, grabbing Haesha''s shoulders, "Sky Controllers are unimaginably strong. Unless an Ancestor acted against them, they cannot be injured. The situation must be more complex than we had imagined. Don''t lose heart so easily."


    "Aren''t we weak now? Maybe the military academy blew up about the strength of high Tiered Espers so we won''t be disillusioned at our future prospects." Haesha''s eyes lacked its prior lustre, her confidence rock bottom.


    His hands trembled a little as his voice rose by a notch, "A week before I arrived here, a Ground Controller from my family fought three Shifters, just to show me his power. The Shifters even possessed my Family''s Unranked Skill but, the Ground Controller won by a large margin. So, the military academy is not fabricating the strength of Espers."


    He then gazed deep into her eyes, making her flinch a second, "If you are still unsure, judge after two years when you become a Wave Controller. To you, it shouldn''t be difficult. Until then¡­"


    "Live by my word."

 Chapter 292: Shatter Obstacles Together

    "Live by my word."


    Haesha''s eyelids trembled at the words, her eyes regaining its lustre. She stared at his face, taking in his expression of confidence, his stable breathing, and his solid presence. Seeing his being, a word echoed in her mind, greatly renewing her confidence in him, further elevating the value of his words.


    A pillar!


    On noticing that Haesha wasn''t in a state of despair, he sighed, judging that the news of Madam Mila''s injury was an emotional blow for her. He spoke with a resolute tone, "In this world, strength is absolute but, you can also say strength is never absolute."


    He showcased his fists, "Suppose I possessed peerless attack power, capable of wounding any Frenzy Beast. But I end up in a situation where I have to defend people precious to me, forcing me to passively defend, unable to launch any attacks in fear of implicating the people I wish to protect. In this case, I am pitting my weakness against my opponent''s strengths."


    "Using our strength against our opponent''s weakness, we can win against stronger foes. But, they can also use our example. After all, the Frenzy Beasts fear and look up to the humans, imitating us using every means possible." Jyorta displayed a helpless expression, "Remember what madam Rizenne has always said in our classes?"


    Haesha looked at the floor, nodding as she muttered, "Become complex characters to never give a chance for both the external and internal threats."


    He patted her shoulders, encouraging her, "Yes, so you must never lose hope. And besides, we aren''t that weak, even at Tier 2."


    Haesha lifted her head, looking at Jyorta with confusion, "What do you mean by that? Our psychic arms are weak to the extent we face difficulties in even killing Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts with it."


    "Yes, you are right about that," Jyorta nodded, closing his eyes as he uttered a line in confidence, "But, is that all we are limited to?"


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    He hadn''t replenished his aura reserves yet; the aura personification was weak. On seeing Haesha instinctively defend against its effect, Jyorta said in a hurry, "Don''t defend yourself against it. Let it take effect. I''ll show you the proof."


    After a moment''s hesitation, Haesha nodded, curbing her aura as much as possible for the aura personification to take effect. At the next moment, she found herself in a desert. Sand dunes existed everywhere, a weak breeze flew past, lifting the sand to five centimetres high. It made the ground look hazy, painting it with an incorporeal feel.


    Heat blasted at her, the dry air making her feel as if she was inhaling air rising from a fire. Suddenly, Haesha noticed her body move forward. After a glance, she noticed her body in a seated posture, the same she had taken while sitting on Jyorta''s bed.


    Instead of her moving, she felt the entire surroundings move, matching the feel to enact the relative motion of her moving forward in the landscape. As she proceeded forward in such a manner, she noticed the figure of Jyorta appear atop a sand dune.


    Jyorta stood on the sand dune, his body shielded by two barriers to prevent being affected by the environment. Only now did she notice the various aura suffused in the air.


    ''This is the second layer? So fierce!'' Haesha was shocked, watching Jyorta proceed forward in caution, taking each step carefully, being as restrained as possible. His eyes were focused, alert against any Frenzy Beast that would spring upon him.


    ''Being this careful is a given, what was I expecting?'' She sighed, feeling sad for some reason. She then blinked her eyes once, wondering in surprise, ''How was he able to reach the second layer so easily, and without suffering any injury to boot?''


    She then noticed her body fly forward, until stopping three metres before Jyorta, watching his front from a higher altitude. Jyorta crouched on the sand dude, panting in exhaustion as sweat dripped out from him in copious amounts, making it apparent even while under a layer of armour.


    "Aha!" She suddenly heard his shout filled with joy. As she wondered, Jyorta unleashed his aura personification. In this atmosphere, she couldn''t sense the property of the aura personification. Before it took effect on oneself, it wasn''t easy to sense the properties of an aura personification, unless the person had an ability geared to that.


    As Haesha didn''t possess one, she couldn''t sense what type of aura personification he had used. Though, a couple of seconds later, Haesha was shocked, "What? How? Why is it acting like that?"


    A Crust-Mantle had burrowed out from the ground and displayed a subservient posture to Jyorta. Jyorta patted its head once and climbed above, grabbing a crevice in its exoskeleton as support.


    His aura slightly fluctuated before the Crust-Mantle stood and began to move forward. Jyorta sat in comfort and probed the ground through discrete waves of aura he unleashed into it. When a Frenzy Beast appeared, he suppressed it with his aura while making the Crust-Mantle deal the finishing blow.


    ''That''s an Amplifier!'' Haesha mentally screamed when she saw an Amplifier Crust-Mantle burrow out and prostrate on the ground before him, suffering in pain but not daring to resist as his spindle drilled into its head. In such a manner, he killed four Amplifier Crust-Mantles, harvesting their Heart Crystals.


    The scene continued forth, detailing his exploration. She also noticed a Two-Faced Firefly perched on his shoulder, making its presence as obscure as possible, not moving even once since the beginning. It stayed on his shoulder like decoration as if it was a badge he had pinned in the spot.


    Soon, Haesha witnessed Jyorta''s battle with the Amplifier Steel Porcupine. On noticing the presence of 12 body-length spikes on its back, she was shocked once again, watching in incredulity at the methods Jyorta unleashed one after another to combat it.


    Her eyes widened to its limit as she witnessed more than 20 Observer Steel Porcupines launch a hail of spikes on the Amplifier Steel Porcupine, all the while not even one grazed him.


    She saw the way he positioned himself, prompted each reflex, and his usage of his surroundings, amazed at his application of powers.


    The scene proceeded to Jyorta''s escape, him shooting an aura beam at the Amplifier Steel Porcupine that made it cough up blood and become incredibly weak. After that, it led to the Amplifier Steel Porcupine activating its Tier 2 Skill and launching that deadly attack at him.


    "Jyorta!" Immersed in the scene, Haesha involuntarily screamed in fright, getting up from her spot. She then watched the Crust-Mantle position itself in the way as a meat shield and defend against the Steel Porcupine''s attacks.


    Three of its attacks got past the defences, hurting him. It was the final scene as the hallucination dissipated. Haesha''s aura surged in her body, negating all the remaining influences as her vision cleared, noticing Jyorta stand before her while gasping for air.


    Using his aura personification in such short notice further exhausted him. While gasping for air, Jyorta spoke, his tone suffusing with confidence, "Espers are not limited to our psychic arms. We can think faster, calculate precisely, and have solid imagination; we are walking talking supercomputers. Even at Tier 2, just by using our auras, we can bridge the gap between us and our enemies."


    He then let out a wry smile, "I made some mistakes and got injured in the end, so what I showed is not a good example. But, that still shows the pow¡­"


    His words were cut short as a feeling of warmth wrapped around him. Haesha embraced him, "No, that was an exemplary example. I was feeling down since I couldn''t clearly see my path ahead."


    She lifted her head, making eye contact, "But, you cleared all my confusion. I will no longer doubt the strength of Espers."


    She wiped her tears and broke free of the embrace, expressing her improved mental state with a smile, "Thank you, Jyorta. Like I thought, you are the best!"


    Jyorta flexed his tiny biceps, acting as if they were the most ripped in the world, "Of course, these muscles of mine are tougher than steel."


    Jyorta moved his arms like a see-saw, acting as a bodybuilder unbefitting his frame, painting a comical scene. Haesha burst into laughter, cheering up soon after. Jyorta continued in such a manner, making silly body movements that strung her humour chords.


    Twenty minutes later, as Haesha held her stomach in pain after having giggled too much, he stopped, taking a seat on the bed in exhaustion. He rested his back, staring at the ceiling for ten seconds.


    On seeing that Haesha''s mind had cleared up for most, Jyorta spoke, "Why were you so out of breath earlier? Even though I received my room keys from you just some time ago, there wasn''t a chance I would be here."


    Haesha stretched her arms as she replied, "When I heard the news, I didn''t know what to do or how to deal with it. I ran and followed my instincts. Before I knew it, I was before your room. Weird right?"


    "Not really," Jyorta spoke, tilting his head to view her face, "If you are troubled, or face any problem, knock up my door first. I''ll be there to help you, always."


    He smiled, "We would face many obstacles in life, but by relying on each other, we can tide through them without fail."


    Haesha mumbled his statement once, etching it in her mind, her back straightening up to her usual self. Looking at Jyorta, she clenched her first, expressing her resolve, "Yes, we will shatter all obstacles in life together."

 Chapter 293: Wave

    8:45 PM, walking through the corridor were Jyorta and Haesha, following the trails of discussions. People huddled together in groups, expressing their fright and unease, with most being restless. They were startled, even frightened at the slightest of sounds, alert beyond reason.


    "Did you hear it?"


    "Madam Mila got injured?"


    "Is this true?"


    "I feel this is just a rumour. This is Madam Mila we are talking about."


    "Yeah, I feel the same. Madam Mila is a Sky Controller. They aren''t titled as such without reason."


    "I just obtained confirmation from a staff. The news is true."


    "Seriously?"


    The duo listened in on the flurry of discussions as they exited the Indigo Building, walking on the ground while heading towards the Head Office Building. Haesha pointed at a group near the Violet Building, the building closest to the Head Office Building, "I heard this news there."


    "Was the one who said this news a staff?" Jyorta inquired.


    "No, I heard it from a student." Haesha shook her head, "He was screaming about it there and was also accompanied by his Batchmates. It seems he overheard it from an exchange between the staff."


    "Also," She took in a deep breath, "We were sceptical at first but when a staff passed through, and we inquired about this news, the staff nodded in conformation. I couldn''t bear it and ran away from this place."


    They soon reached the group, weaving through the crowd to find the source. When they arrived at the centre of the crowd, they were surprised to find no one who acted as the source of the news. Everyone had congregated into smaller groups, engaging in a flurry of discussions. None seemed wiser, their collective emotions spiralling towards fear.


    "Jyorta, Haesha, so the two of you were here." A shout grabbed their attention. They soon noticed Ashten and Esina walk their way, relieved at their presence. They were confused, unable to get their emotions under control. But, as they were Warriors, they weren''t as worse off as Haesha. To them, the thing that affected them the most was the injury to a powerhouse.


    Sky Controllers were below only to the Ancestors, each figure renowned in Marble City. They were famous figures, their details ingrained in the minds of the students by the military academy.


    Tier 5 beings formed the overall commanding figures of Marble City, the higher-ups responsible for everything that happened in the city. It wasn''t far off to say they were the brains of the city. The Ancestors were usually busy researching and developing their Skills and abilities, trying to grow stronger to become a firmer backbone for their city. So, Tier 5 beings were the ones who truly were in charge of everything.


    Moreover, thanks to their superior computational abilities, excellent memories, and overall thought capacity, Sky Controllers oversaw most of Marble City''s development. An injury to a Sky Controller meant an injury to Marble City. So, it was a given the students would express their fluster.


    Ashten and Esina were affected because of this reason. Esina clutched her head, mildly trembling as she expressed her worry, "What is even happening out there for Madam Mila to be injured?"


    "They even delayed the construction of the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield, something attached with heavy importance here. So, something serious has definitely occurred out there." Jyorta expressed his thought, worried about the state of his sister. Considering her status, she would definitely be involved in serious issues.


    Even though Heima possessed the ability to teleport, it wasn''t guaranteed that she would be safe, if she was embroiled in whatever had injured Madam Mila. After all, considering Madam Mila''s speed, her flight was skin to teleportation in the eyes of most foes. Even then she was injured, suffering an injury to her brain that reduced her Sync Rate.


    An injury to the brain was a serious matter.


    "Her defences were breached," Haesha muttered, "She possesses the Unranked Skill, Marble Sonata, the same as Psychic Ancestor Marble, using which our city walls were created."


    "The strength of our walls is not something that could be easily breached, not while Psychic Ancestor Marble is overseeing the situation," Jyorta said, closing his eyes to sense his surroundings. Affected by their emotions, the students unconsciously released fragments of their aura.


    Affected by their mental state, it had become an aura personification. As every student felt the same, they all unleashed a similar effect. All the various fragmented aura personification combined, fusing into a whole that served to further affect their mental and emotional state, causing a vicious loop.


    It was on the verge of spiralling out of control. Jyorta glanced at the grass underneath him, directing his aura at it in the form of a weak beam. He focused the beam at various empty spots, retracting after a second from each location.


    A second later, the aroma in the air intensified, spreading around as it was inhaled by the students. As seconds passed, their emotions were brought under control, affected by the aroma. As their moods were affected, the developing aura personification was curbed, soon vanishing.


    Seeing the development, Jyorta sighed in relief. He was just about to speak when a voice resounded in his ears, "A prompt decision on your part to dissolve the negative atmosphere; 500 Credits will be awarded for your actions. Keep up the good work."


    Hearing the voice, Jyorta''s eyes widened as he turned around, facing the Head Office Building while bowing a little. ''So, they were observing us.''


    "What happened?" Seeing his movement, Ashten inquired in confusion. Even though he was affected, he still retained enough mental strength for a level headed judgement.


    Jyorta pointed at his ears, "I was complimented by Madam Mary for my action just now."


    Ashten stared at him, his gaze boring into Jyorta, waiting for him to continue further. Jyorta faced the other way, muttering with a soft tone, "500."


    "Dammit!" Ashten facepalmed. "I feared it might be a test. But seriously, this matter is too serious to be used as a test material."


    "So, it is just a rumour made by the staff?" Esina patted her chest, relieved at the news. Haesha too behaved as if a weight had been lifted from her chest.


    "The news is not fake." A voice resounded in their midst, startling them. Hearing the voice, Jyorta''s mood worsened. He looked up, noticing a glowing figure positioned high up in the air. Followed by his gaze, Ashten and group too followed suit, looking up.


    Seeing their actions, the others followed suit, looking up one by one. All the discussions died down, the area silent to the extent they could hear the faint wind ruffling the grass.


    Madam Mary''s voice resounded throughout the military academy, alerting all students, "The rumours are true, Mila Marble has suffered an injury to her brain, causing a drop in her Sync Rate. But, it is nothing to worry about. She only suffered a percent drop due to overexerting her abilities against the odds."


    "As for the cause, you lot are not qualified to know. Her mission requires a high level of secrecy, so unless you are Tier 4 or above, you won''t get to know the details." She glanced around, noting the expressions of the students. Hearing the news directly from her, their hopes for the rumours being fake died, their expressions morphing into fear.


    She stood still, in silence for a minute, watching the students arrive on the ground. Soon, all the students had arrived, gazing at her in unison. After a double check to see if any student remained within the buildings, Madam Mary pointed at the White Building.


    In the next moment, a white streak of light emerged from her hand, illuminating the sky. But, the light was gentle to the eyes, allowing the students to stare without trouble as the light arrived before the massive walls of the White Building.


    The light hovered before the walls, illuminating its entirety, allowing the students to notice something different about it. The light then seeped into the walls, disappearing after a second, causing darkness to shroud the ground once again.


    Just when the students wondered, the white walls emitted a bright light, blinding to the extent everyone immediately turned around, with some shrieking in pain. Madam Mary unleashed a wave of psychic energy, healing everyone while placing them at their most optimal states.


    The 100-metre-tall and 400-metre-wide wall lit up, the radiance condensing into a mild hue, displaying numerous rectangular parts on it. Each rectangle was 40 metres in width and 10 metres in height, displaying different scenes.


    Jyorta took a glance before inhaling a sharp breath, shocked at the cruelty depicted. Some of the weaker willed students lost the strength in their legs, barfing out their dinner.


    Scenes of battles were depicted in each rectangle, recorded from various position and point of views. Some were on the ground, some from high up the city walls, some from its open sections, etc. But, one thing was common in all the rectangles, i.e. the horde of Frenzy Beasts.


    Frenzy Beasts they had never witnessed or even knew of were present in droves, marching on the ground, burrowing from underneath and even flying from above. As they arrived at the city''s vicinity, the soldiers positioned on the walls rained down attacks.


    Guns blazed, arrows were launched, various colourful effects were unleashed; the attacks possessed devastating power. But, no difference was made to the horde of Frenzy Beasts, their numbers not dwindling in the least.


    Powerful presences from within flew out, raining down attacks on the walls, concentrating on a single spot to pierce through. Espers flew out, engaging with the foes, with each attack cracking the air.


    Madam Mary''s solemn voice resounded throughout the academy, causing the emotions of everyone to freeze, "We are facing a Wave."

 Chapter 294: The Swarm

    "Wave?"


    "¡­a Wave?"


    "This is a Wave?"


    The students murmured with blank expressions, their fear skyrocketing beyond their emotional limits. They stared at the screens in a daze, watching the slaughter-fest that didn''t seem to end any soon.


    Madam Mary spread her psychic energy, healing the students while influencing their minds, calming them down to the level they were able to digest the information. She spoke, "The Frenzy Beast world is divided into two: Terra and Aquatic."


    "The Frenzy Beasts on land are controlled, distinct races that have persisted since the dark ages. New races emerge from time to time, but their sources can be traced back easily. But, the case is different within the waters." The students heard a sigh.


    All the screens on the wall disappeared, replaced by a large video of a horde of Frenzy Beasts coming out from the ocean, and making a foothold on land. Their bodies were a shade of murky green, long and cylindrical like worms.


    They possessed fins on their backs that were sharp like blades. Their mouth was placed on the underside of their midsection, taking up one-tenth of their body length. The mouth resembled a shark''s, with teeth that glistened like the sun, emitting tremendous heat that vaporised the water.


    Numerous tendrils resembling sea anemones grow on their extremities, numbering in the hundreds. Their numbers increased according to their Tier, multiplying in both length and numbers. They lacked eyes but possessed numerous pores on their body that they exhaled a certain mist with.


    This mist created an environment that allowed them to sense everything that moved within, like a collective extension of senses. When they arrived on land, their mouths were positioned to the front while their bodies bent, resembling the letter ''M'' as they ran on the ground.


    Their movements were sloppy, unbalanced to the extent they were on the verge of tripping with the slightest breeze. Their bodies were unsuited to move on land, vastly inferior to the Frenzy Beasts that lived on land. But, their speeds were on another level, vastly surpassing most land-based Frenzy Beasts.


    Madam Mary spoke with a complex emotion, "They were the Frenzy Beasts that formed the previous Wave, dated year 294 of the Dawn era. Coined as the Lace Wave, it lasted for 2 years, at the end of which they looked like this."


    The video changed to display a serpentine figure that possessed a pair of limbs resembling a Floating Spider, a pair of wings resembling a Spindle Bee, a body that had the lines and veins of a Ring Worm, the tail of a Life Leech, and the face of a human.


    "At the end of the wave, they had evolved into such, in just the span of 2 years."


    The students inhaled sharp breaths, experiencing emotional upheavals. This was the first time they were told about this type of Wave. Seeing their expressions, Madam Mary divulged more information, "Normal Waves are classified with the same nomenclature as Raids, Stamp for Tier 3 level, with the appearance of some Tier 4 beings, Signature for Tier 4 level, with the appearance of some Tier 5 beings, Crown for Tier 5 level with the chance of an Ancestor''s appearance. And finally, Throne where more than one Ancestor will appear."


    "They will have the prefix as Flying, Water, Hive, etc. for the type of Frenzy Beast, respectively airborne, aquatic, nest type Frenzy Beasts, etc. But those are in the case of established Frenzy Beast races. The Raids and Waves you have learned were all based on such."


    "But," Madam Mary pointed at the large screen, "These Frenzy Beasts that arrive from the depths of the ocean have a certain purpose, i.e. to obtain our genetic material to fuel their evolution. When they are on the cusp of an evolution, they raid the land and retreat once their objective is accomplished."


    Her voice boomed all of a sudden, "There doesn''t exist any Frenzy Beast race that could be defined within the ocean. They are constantly changing. The dominant species thirty years ago in the waters near us don''t even have a trace left. The Frenzy Beasts in the ocean constantly evolve, turning more and more bizarre as the years pass. Even Rhachis Ancestor Parasite cannot control their progression."


    She unleashed two psychic arms; one formed a plane while the other formed a cube. "We live on the land, following a two-dimensional progression. But, the Frenzy Beasts in the ocean follow a three-dimensional progression, thanks to the depth of the ocean. This means greater competition and faster evolution. Unlike the immobile land, water constantly moves, the Frenzy Beasts living within also follow the same, moving from place to place, devouring foes on a larger, grander scale."


    "As a result of such continuous evolution, there is no Frenzy Beast race within the ocean with distinct identifiable traits or a society. They continuously change their entire beings through evolution." Her tone turned solemn, "And, through such evolutions, some beings evolved to become biological nests. They are able to birth massive quantities of Frenzy Beasts in a short period."


    Her voice was suffused with a hint of agitation, "These beings constantly desire new genetic material to evolve further. When they evolve, the Frenzy Beasts they birth also change."


    "The genetic material of the Frenzy Beasts in the ocean is not consistent. While evolving, they obtain some advantages while losing others. But, the genetic material of the Frenzy Beasts on land is distinct and relatively constant, and present in large quantities for the same consistent type. Therefore, when they are on the cusp of an evolution, they raid the land."


    She addressed in solemness, "We termed such beings the Skep. The greater the Tier of the Skep, the greater the number it could produce. A Tier 5 Skep can birth 1000 Frenzy Beasts every month. A single Tier 5 Skep is a walking disaster."


    She sighed with a hint of helplessness, the emotion imbued in her tone affecting the students, "Skeps are beings that have evolved to become independent from the Frenzy Parasites. They have evolved their bodies in such a way that they can become stronger through devouring genetic material. The Frenzy Beasts they birth vary in strength, even without a Frenzy Parasite. Very rare few among them possess a Frenzy Parasite. Rest rely on the toughness of their bodies alone and the traits they were born with."


    "Due to their lifestyle of constantly devouring each other, they are birthed and consumed at such a rate that Rhachis Ancestor Parasite was unable to produce Frenzy Parasites for them. It had long since given up on them, solely focusing on developing the Frenzy Beast races on land."


    Madam Mary dropped a shocking fact, "Calling them Frenzy Beasts is wrong. After all, hardly any among them possess a Frenzy Parasite. That is why, we have termed them the Swarm, due to their trait of swarming everything in their paths."


    "Swarm¡­" Jyorta muttered, familiar with the term. It was a term introduced in a movie in his previous life, a concept that had become popular to the extent many books were based on it. Having witnessed the fight on the screen, his mood worsened, ''A Swarm is a Calamity.''


    The large screen flashed, displaying a picture. It was a map of the landmass they were on and the water they were surrounded by. This was the first time a map had ever been shown. Jyorta had previously searched for them in the portal but failed to find any, of both Marble City and the surrounding region.


    Now, the map displayed was at a larger scale, showing their entire subcontinent. Seeing the familiar layout, Jyorta closed his eyes, his emotions broiling in chaos, ''This is my home country, India.''


    In the familiar peninsula, Marble City was displayed as a large gem, magenta in colour. It was a single gem without any designs; it showed Marble City''s unwillingness to divulge its city layout, even to its citizens.


    It occupied a large area. Having been a resident during the era where satellite technology existed, he had seen the positions of the places he had visited many times on the internet, being familiar with quite a few places.


    The place Marble City existed was a place he had visited many times. It was where his grandparents had lived so he visited every year. Jyorta sighed, ''So, Marble City is based around the Nilgiris.''


    To its east, he saw a large habitat in the Bay of Bengal marked¡ªin green¡ªas the Territory of the Spindle Bees. To the west, a large part of the Arabian Seas was marked¡ªin grey¡ªas the territory of the Floating Spiders. The territories of both the Floating Spiders and the Spindle Bees only occupied a small portion of the land. After all, as compared to the land, the ocean was bountiful and could cater to all their food requirements.


    A far distance to the north, among the northern plains where the Ganges flowed, was the territory of the Rives Whales, cutting them off from proceeding further north. There were many other habitats marked all over the map. The blue soul extracted the memory, compiling them into a comprehensive memory where every minor detail on the map was inscribed.


    Beyond the tip of the peninsular land, occupying the water and the numerous islands strewn across were the Lava Turtles. Moreover, this portion differed a lot from his memories, a cause of intense terraforming by the Lava Turtles.


    A large arrow flowed from the Indian Ocean towards the north, covering the territories of the Floating Spiders, Marble City, Spindle Bees, and the Lava Turtles, with the Lava Turtles being the first among the receiving end. This arrow showed the movement of the Swarm.


    Madam Mary sighed, "All the races will be implicated in this Wave. But, having predicted this, the Lava Turtles have already relocated to a different region."

 Chapter 295: Precursor to a Wave

    Madam Mary appeared above the large screen, "The first sign of this wave was around 8 years ago. It was the Phantom Wave."


    "Phantom Wave," Jyorta muttered, possessing a vivid memory about it. It was one of the first terms he heard when he gained lucidity in the body of the previous Jyorta. Every time he travelled in the metro train, the adults would always mutter this term.


    "The Phantom Wave was the Skeps probing our lands to see if the genetic material here would be the key to finishing their evolution. Now that they have decided, they have launched an all-out assault." Madam Mary unleashed another wave of psychic energy, healing the students until they were feeling better.


    She then nodded once, "The screens here will play everything that happens in this Wave 24x7. See it and grasp as much information as possible. After all, once you graduate, you will be required to participate in it through some form or the other. Since Mila Marble has been injured, the Graduation Ceremony for the August Batch will be held in the fifth layer of the Labyrinth of Frenzy. Exploration of the Labyrinth will not be allowed on the 20th for the September and October Batches."


    The large screen was divided once again. Each smaller screen¡ª40-metre wide and 10-metre tall¡ªdisplayed various scenes. The Swarm consisted of three types of beasts this time.


    The first was the flying types. They possessed a body similar to a stingray, but more rounded. The round bodies spun at terrific speeds, hovering in the air. Hung from the centre were tentacles, their ends attached with sharp spikes, and seemed denser than the rest, weighing as much as the rest of its body.


    Hidden within the roots of the tentacles was a large protrusion, shaped into a cone. It was its sensory device. Its surface was fully covered with fins that faintly trembled, emitting an ultrasonic wave that it used to perceive and transmit information.


    The tentacles spanned thrice the radius of the body. The sizes of their bodies varied from three metres to 20 metres. Occasionally, mixed among them were Frenzy Beasts, their sizes surpassing a hundred metres at Tier 3.


    Crawling on the ground were eight-legged beasts. Their feet were webbed, their bodies covered by fins that flapped, producing a faint sound. They used the sound similar to the flying types, for both perceiving and transmitting information.


    Their bodies were shaped similar to a reptile, but had long sturdy legs akin to frogs. Using them, they were capable of jumping as high as 50 metres. Their skin was fully covered by scales, tough like steel. Their tongues were the same as frogs, capable of expanding up to 10 times their body length.


    Their bodies ranged from 10 metres to 30 metres in size. They were hulking fortresses. When they hopped, they released faint toxins into the air, polluting it, making the environment dangerous.


    The final type was shaped like a frog with the head of an octopus. It possessed thick, stout legs that supported its massive frame and a long tail to balance its actions. It was fully armoured from head to tail, its defences the strongest among the three.


    Its head was almost one-fourth its body while it possessed two bellies. The underbelly was full, housing something while the upper belly expanded to twice its body size before contracting. When it contracted, the beast opened its mouth and shot out a large spike.


    The spike flew with tremendous speed and impacted the city walls. After launching the spike, the beast inhaled again, causing its upper belly to inflate once again. A couple of seconds later, it exhaled while opening its mouth, shooting forth another spike.


    The 200-metre-high magenta walls resisted the attacks without suffering a single scratch. From its surface extended a psychic energy dome, shielding all the attacks from the air. When the attacks on a part of the dome increased in intensity, it turned magenta, resisting them all. When the soldiers fended off the attacks, the part of the dome reverted to being transparent.


    ''Only the vertical part looks magenta while the remainder is transparent. Is it to allow sunlight to pass through? But, just by this scene, it seems Psychic Ancestor Marble''s marble barrier is shaped into a dome or possibly a sphere.'' Jyorta thought, feeling his heart thump with powerful momentum.


    Madam Mary spoke at this time, "We gave them the code name of Stingray, Frog, and Armadillo respectively. Based on what we have probed, 36 Skeps are behind the force attacking us. There are 16 behind the force attacking the Spindle Bees and 44 behind the ones attacking the Floating Spiders."


    "This time, their primary target seems to be the Floating Spiders." She concluded, "All Cadets can continue to watch it or resume the activities they were doing before. As for the September Batch, they will be informed about their Graduation Ceremony tomorrow morning."


    Her voice then resounded with unwavering firmness, igniting the fighting spirit of the students, "This is what you will be hearing and speaking about for at least two years, so etch this in your minds. We have termed this disaster the Lacquer Wave."


    "Lacquer Wave¡­" Jyorta and co. muttered the word, watching Madam Mary disappear from the scene. Jyorta stared at the sky, ''She could influence our emotions like it was child''s play.''


    The moods of everyone were heavy, no longer wishing to converse. A terrible war ensued at their doorsteps, so they were unable to calm down.


    Moreover, as they witnessed the scenes in the screens, their moods further worsened. Until now, Marble City hadn''t suffered any casualties. The soldiers only threw out attacks from within the city. Even the Espers only used their reach to attack from afar, not daring to linger beyond the walls for more than a couple of seconds.


    If any beast came alarmingly close, they flew out and sent it flying, retreating behind the safety of the walls immediately. There were just too many enemies to fight.


    It was a Swarm!


    Among the soldiers, Jyorta noticed many panting in exhaustion as they retreated. A new batch of soldiers replaced them immediately, erupting with attacks instantaneously. Since Warriors were close-combat units, they used their tough bodies to carry heavy machine guns that sprayed out bullets.


    But, they limited the use of guns, unwilling to waste resources too much at such early stages. After all, based on past experiences, the Lacquer Wave would continue for a long time. Bullets were expendable resources, but they were finite.


    As they were easy to use, the military kept most of it as a reserve, planning to use it in dire situations. Developers and above stood at the periphery, pointing their arms at the Swarm outside. One by one, they unleashed their Tier 3 Skills.


    Among the Skills Nurtured by Warriors, only their Tier 3 Skills were emission-based. Therefore, they resorted to using them. Suddenly, the students clamoured, shouting with high spirits as they pointed at a certain screen.


    In it, soldiers dressed in turquoise coloured armour, donned with stars that glistened with purple radiance appeared. They formed a neat file, pointing their hands at the Swarm in unison. To their front stood a Transformer, a figure familiar to every student in the military academy.


    "It''s the Vice Principal." A Warrior student shouted; the others too echoed his shout, causing the mood in the area to enter a fervour. The Vice-Principal of the military academy in the 7th Ring, Cosmi Tumbler was a Transformer who had recently retired.


    A person was said to have retired when he/she consumed a Cleansement Fruit. As Cosmi Tumbler did the same, he had lost all his Nurtured Skills. But seeing him stand on the frontlines, the students were surprised.


    They then witnessed Cosmi Tumbler point his hand forward, shouting with a valiant posture. As there weren''t any sounds generated from the screens, they couldn''t hear his shout. But, the image itself caused them to hallucinate his voice.


    At the next moment, the air around the soldiers trembled, converging into a cocoon that morphed into a cone, with its tip pointing towards the Swarm. The cone spun and shot out as a beam with a spiked tip, burrowing everything under its fluctuations.


    Tier 3 Skill¡ªMental Frenzy!


    It drowned everything in its way, impacting the ground with tremendous power as it splashed around. Standing atop the city walls, Cosmi Tumbler shouted once again, directing his aura into the splash.


    Aura Personification¡ªMental Frenzy!


    It was such a clear outcome that even Jyorta could guess the aura personification, surprised at the Vice Principal''s choice. As for those ignorant about aura personifications, they could only stare in confusion.


    ''He developed an aura personification the same as the Tier 3 Skill, Mental Frenzy. So, that is why he stood there despite losing his Nurtured Skills.''


    The splash was like a tsunami, drowning the Swarm from all sides. The moment his influence entered it, it changed. A serpent grew out from the tsunami of energy, resembling a cobra. The cobra looked at the Swarm, spreading its hood while it opened its mouth and hissed.


    It took flight, targeting all the Stingray as it passed through them. The Stingrays were incapable of guarding against this energy attack, only able to depend on the aura in their bodies to resist as much as possible. Soon, they were affected by the Skill.


    The Stingrays were no longer sane, attacking their closest targets. Immediately, a significant portion of them turned on each another while the remainder attacked the Swarm on the ground. To defend against the attacks, the Armadillos focused their projectiles on the Stingrays.


    Within a couple of seconds, the situation morphed into a dogfight. The enemies fought within them, tearing at each other. But, Cosmi Tumbler didn''t express any joy. On the contrary, his expression was solemn. A thin streak of sweat slid down his face as he looked at the unending Swarm behind the ones his attack had affected.


    "So, this is a Wave," Jyorta muttered, clenching his hand into a fist, feeling his insignificance once again. This was a war where their foes pitted their sheer quantity against the trained soldiers.

 Chapter 296: Surpassing the Depth

    "The pile of bodies has reached half the wall''s height. Where are the Espers?" A Transformer bellowed, unleashing his Tier 3 Skill, causing a drove of Stingrays to fall to the ground.


    "This is not the only place we are in charge of," A Ground Controller grunted, panting while unleashing all four psychic arms. The four psychic arms exited the dome and seeped into the hill of carcasses, picking them up part by part.


    The body parts were wrapped by his psychic arms and brought into the dome. Ripples formed on the dome as they passed through, making a check to see there wasn''t anything strange or suspicious within the carcasses. It was Psychic Ancestor Marble monitoring the situation while allowing the soldiers entry and exit. He had to actively arrange it every moment.


    "Can''t you move it faster?" The Transformer shouted, "At this rate, our entire city would be buried underneath their carcasses."


    It took the Ground Controller almost thirty seconds to finish transporting the carcass of a Frog, cursing at the time it took, "A single Frog weight more than 100 tonnes. I am already operating at my maximum strength. If I go any faster, I''ll expend all my psychic energy within a couple of hours. This is my most optimal speed."


    Suddenly, an arm patted the Ground Controller''s shoulder, "Let me give you a hand, young lad."


    The Ground Controller turned around before he was shocked, "Sir, didn''t you retire long ago?"


    It was a wizened old man that was a legend in the 8th Ring a decade ago. After a major injury to his brain, he retired from service. Wearing a uniform that was a decade old, the wizened old man smiled, "The attention of our Frenzy Beast foes is currently diverted from us. Let us old fogeys step in for the moment. We''ll retreat once their attention is back on us. Until then, take a breather."


    Five thin psychic arms emerged from his head, as thin as a strand of hair. He looked back, watching a large tower within which all the Espers dumped the carcasses. Workers shuttled within it, placing the carcasses in a lift that proceeded to the Fruit and Grain Strata.


    Large boxes were filled and sealed, placed into the underground metro train to be shipped to the 7th Ring. Their destination was the manufacturing plants for the Frenzy Fruits.


    ''This Wave is actually a blessing in disguise. It would provide us with enough resources to last for the next half-century. I just hope our production plants can keep up with the load.'' His thin psychic arms lifted large pieces of a Frog''s carcass, transporting it to the destination in an instant.


    Each psychic arm flashed to and fro, showing incredible efficiency. As the Ground Controller gawked in amazement, the wizened old man praised, "I should thank Mary Veera and Jyovic Bone for allowing this old man to battle once again. They are our city''s boon."


    The Ground Controller too joined suit, trying to clear up as much as possible. But, the carcasses were still piling up at a faster rate than they could clear them. Soon, he noticed many retired veterans arrive, swiftly beginning to clear up the area. They were all Ground Controllers, with many Sky Controllers hidden amongst.


    ''Since when did we have so many Sky Controllers?'' Just when he wondered, the ones that had arrived disappeared soon after. Relying on his trained senses, the Ground Controller felt a prying gaze from afar, from beyond the horizon.


    The prying gaze disappeared in the next moment but the Ground Controller was no longer calm. He nodded in understanding, finding his back drenched in cold sweat, ''So, this is what Sir was talking about. Those damn Frenzy Beasts are probing our strength through this chance.''


    It was then he realised why they were fighting with limited numbers. If every elite from their city made a move, things would have been easier. He then looked around, coming to a realisation, ''I see, the Aristocratic Families have yet to make a move while the Royal Families are just watching from the sidelines.''


    "What are you dazing around for?" The Transformer''s shout broke his thoughts, urging him, "Start working."


    "Yes, sir." The Ground Controller nodded, continuing to pull up large pieces of flesh one after another. But, what he failed to perceive was the existence of a middle-aged man behind him.


    Short trimmed hair with a pair of brown eyes, possessing sharp jaws with thick pursued lips on an otherwise oval face, he was a plain-looking middle-aged man. He wore a set of white, loose clothes, standing barefooted on the wall. Carried on his back was a large cuboidal box, four times his body size.


    The box was magenta in colour, perfectly sealed to prevent the contents from leaking out. It didn''t seem to possess a lid, a perfectly closed container. The middle-aged man walked forward, calmly brushing past the Warriors and Espers, with not one managing to detect his presence.


    Arriving on the edges, he stared at the Swarm, "Wow, that is a lot of resources at our doorstep."


    He took another step forward, falling down. His clothes fluttered as the wind brushed past him, his fall was soon impeded as he landed on the carcass of an Armadillo. The Armadillo''s body was fully covered by spikes, a sign that it was attacked by its brethren.


    His body looked weightless as the middle-aged man walked forward, not even causing the mildest depression on the Armadillo''s carcass. Suddenly, a voice resounded in his ears, "Are you sure this is a good idea."


    The middle-aged man smiled, "Don''t you see the Swarm before us? Unlike the Frenzy Beasts, their bodies are easier to treat and use. Imagine the amount of food and Frenzy Fruits we can produce with this amount."


    He then gazed at the walls, "Besides, we need to gear up for that war in the future, right?"


    "You''re right," The voice sighed, "Don''t take too much risk. Humanity cannot afford to lose you at this point. The further south you proceed, the greater the chance of Parasite detecting your presence. You haven''t faced it directly, so you don''t realise how scary it is."


    "I am not that arrogant. Besides, mother put a lot of thought into this plan. So, you can rest assured. Also, it''s not like you don''t know about it." The middle-aged man continued to walk forward, making small jumps to land on the heads of the approaching monsters.


    "I am worried because I am still unable to make sense of your Unranked Skill. It is just too¡­mysterious." The voice sighed in helplessness.


    "This is why I wish for her to reach Tier 6. She would be unstoppable then." The middle-aged man sighed in helplessness. "But, this is exactly the reason mother is unwilling to do so. Even at Tier 5, she was able to create something like Memoir Beckoner."


    The voice left him a message, "After you are done with the task, take the opportunity to visit Dawn. He wished to speak with you."


    "Dawn City is not even close that I can make a visit and return soon." The middle-aged man grunted, "It would be difficult for me to head there without falling under the Radar of the River Whales."


    "If the situation turns bad, signal with your aura. I''ll be able to detect your aura from here even if you proceed beyond Dawn City. Light will rush to your aid within a second." The voice disappeared.


    The middle-aged man, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest continued to carry the box, walking undetected amid the Swarm. A Frog landed right before him, rumbling the land around in response. When it jumped again, one of its legs hit him.


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest remained like an unmovable mountain while the Frog tumbled, its face crashing into the ground. It stood up and looked behind, failing to find anything that could trip it, staring in confusion for a second before continuing to hop towards Marble City.


    Along his way, many beasts tripped and fell, but he continued to walk in a steady gait. Soon, he began to increase his speed, jumping from the head of one beast to another, unable to spot any vacant spot on the ground.


    He continued to proceed in such a manner, finally landing on the head of an Armadillo. He lightly stepped with greater strength as his body shot forth like a bullet, covering more than a kilometre with a single leap.


    The Armadillo only fell on the ground from the impact, uninjured. It stood up after a couple of seconds, beginning to move once again. Every second, a beast fell on the ground for unknown reasons.


    Within ten minutes, he reached the tip of the peninsular land, gazing at the islands scattered about in the ocean beyond. With a powerful leap, he traversed more than 10 kilometres, landing on a small island. Changing directions, he landed on another island 13 kilometres away.


    He gently probed the ocean with his abilities, going in the direction opposite to the movements of the Swarm. Soon, there were no more islands. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest landed on the ocean, his body as light as feather, traversing on the surface.


    Soon, he felt a minor change in the air, ''There are lingering traces of Parasite''s aura personification here. Did it come here for something?''


    He wondered and jumped into the ocean, swimming past numerous beasts, proceeding deeper and deeper. ''Strange, I never knew the waters here were this deep.''


    He had already proceeded five kilometres deep, watching the Swarm swim opposite to him, their source still a long distance away. The more he proceeded, the deeper his frown became, ''This depth has already surpassed the Mariana Trench.''

 Chapter 297: The Tier 6 Skep

    ''Hmm, there are some Frenzy Beasts here. 70 Tier 2, 38 Tier 3, 8 Tier 4, and 1 Tier 5. That is a lot; did Parasite help them? Strange, I thought it gave up on the ocean long ago.'' As he frowned, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest continued to swim deeper.


    The group of Frenzy Beasts were hurriedly swimming in panic, heading deeper and deeper. They were all Warriors, using their Skills to move faster. Intrigued by their actions, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest followed them, noticing an increase in the number of Frenzy Beasts.


    These Frenzy Beasts looked different than the Frog, Armadillo, and the Stingray that were part of the Swarm attacking Marble City. They had reptilian bodies, with spikes on their backs that reduced in length as they proceeded to the tail.


    Their bodies were a shade of grey, lacking any eyes, depending solely on radiation they emitted to perceive their surroundings. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest thought, ''The three species of the Swarm this time perceive through sound. But, these Frenzy Beasts use radiation instead.''


    It was an oddity. In every Wave, the Swarm would have common characteristics, despite differing in body shapes and sizes. That was how they were able to operate as a collective whole. Their abilities complemented and amplified one another, achieving an overall effect. That was how they became a Swarm.


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest landed on the Tier 5 Frenzy Beast, holding a spike using his toes as he looked around in curiosity. Despite him being on its back, the Tier 5 Frenzy Beast failed to sense his presence, swimming along in panic.


    Its body was streamlined like a fish, possessing two pair of limbs that acted as the fore and rear legs. They possessed webbed feet while their claws extended unusually long. They faintly vibrated, manipulating the water around them, forcing the Frenzy Beast to move faster.


    Soon, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest noticed the approach of the seabed, watching a pair of rocks glisten in a red hue. Faint specks of blue and green circulated them like flies, eventually condensing into a small mound before dispersing once again, repeating the phenomenon in a loop.


    It was a massive trench, wide enough for their massive bodies to pale in comparison. After all, the Tier 5 Frenzy Beast was 40 metres in length. It was a massive creature whose every movement created faint undercurrents.


    The Tier 5 Frenzy Beast swam along the trench, shattering small rocks that were in its path. Lava spewed out from the shattered rocks, instantly suppressed by the water pressure and solidified. Unlike the upper dark parts, the trench was well-illuminated thanks to the glowing specks.


    The Tier 5 Frenzy Beast soon arrived before a massive hole; reddish-yellow light radiated from the hole that spanned 300 metres in diameter. All the Frenzy Beasts immediately swam inside.


    ''What the hell have they done to our earth?'' Rhachis Ancestor Strongest furrowed, noticing a massive dome the ends of which he couldn''t perceive. He didn''t want to unleash his aura to probe around, for the time being, watching where the Tier 5 Frenzy Beasts headed towards.


    Unlike the trench, the area in the dome was barely illuminated by faint blue specks. The water pressure here was tremendous to the extent even the Tier 5 Frenzy Beast slowed down. As for the Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts, they could barely move, struggling to breathe.


    Despite everything, they persisted. The Tier 5 and the Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts took the lead, increasing their distance from the group as they proceeded further downward. Fierce undercurrents moved about, throwing them off at every instant. They could only helplessly suffer from it, beginning to move when the undercurrents died down or had moved them beyond their range of influence.


    Time passed in such a manner, the Tier 5 Frenzy Beast was panicking more and more. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest closed his eyes for a second, ''We are probably 14 kilometres below sea level.''


    He soon noticed a massive dark figure hover underneath, with vibrant lights flashing around it. Powerful undercurrents were stirred up as a battle ensued. It was a massive diamond-shaped being, possessing five long tentacles.


    On one side of the diamond existed a large mouth, enclosing two other mouths, ragged with triangular-shaped teeth inside. Every time it opened its mouth, undercurrents were produced. Covering its body were tentacles the size of 20 metres each. They morphed between solid and jelly-like, defending against the attacks.


    Wounds were created on its body, with each gash drawing out a stream of glowing blood, a mixture of blue and green that swerved out and made a curve before retreating into the wound. A couple of seconds later, the wound began regenerating.


    Specks of blood that were left out began to float upwards, swirling around fellow glowing specks as they danced, forming various patterns. The diamond-shaped beast used its five massive tentacles to defend and attack, moving with difficulty under the water pressure.


    Each tentacle was around 200 metres long while its main body was 80 metres in size. It was a behemoth. Currently, its aura continued to dim as it battled. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest faintly sensed the quality of its aura, his gaze sharpening while he understood the reason he sensed the lingering presence of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite''s aura above water.


    Tier 6 Frenzy Beast!


    It was a Skep that had developed to Tier 6 level. But, sensing its diminishing aura, he judged it as a Frenzy Beast that had only recently attained Tier 6. ''It has yet to recover from the damage it suffered from its breakthrough. Once it heals itself, it would probably dominate the entire water.''


    But, the Tier 6 Frenzy Beast was currently being overwhelmed by its foes. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest spotted 28 Skeps surrounding it, attacking from all sides. They possessed varying forms but were similarly sized to the Tier 6 Frenzy Beast.


    Upon a sensory sweep, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest figured that all the attacking Skeps didn''t possess any Frenzy Parasites in them. ''So, the rumours are true. The Skeps have evolved beyond the need for Frenzy Parasites, so they detest anyone that has a Frenzy Parasite. This Frenzy Beast seems to have broken through only a week ago. So, they made use of its weakened state to attack it.''


    As the Tier 6 Frenzy was still recovering from the injuries of its breakthrough, it couldn''t use any Skills nor could it draw upon the energy reserves of its Heart Crystal. Its Heart crystal was still healing while it had expended all its energy in the breakthrough.


    In its current state, even activating a Tier 1 Skill would further worsen its injuries and delay its recovery process. If it persisted with it, then it would permanently damage itself and would be unable to experience any Nurturing effect in the future.


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest frowned, ''But, it has broken through to Tier 6. Even an idiot can determine its value but, why hasn''t Parasite rushed to save it? After all, shouldn''t it be capable of sensing the presence of all Frenzy Parasites, not to mention a Frenzy Parasite such as this that had evolved 6 times?''


    He then decided to wait and see, watching the Tier 5 Frenzy Beast swim in a hurry and begin attacking a Skep. It opened its mouth, activating all its five Skills at the same time to produce a bluish-white beam that impacted a Skep.


    The Skep trembled under the attack, the area the beam touched had frozen while the flesh began to melt soon after. The Skep retaliated with its tentacles, failing to catch the Tier 5 Frenzy Beast that slipped using its superior speeds.


    Under such depths, everyone was affected, constrained in their movements. Using all its Skills, the Tier 5 Frenzy Beast barely overcame the restriction to the extent its speed surpassed their tentacles. But, within a few seconds, the Skep had fully recovered from the damage, regrowing the lost flesh without having expended much energy.


    ''So, they possess a reserve of energy in their bodies, Just like our Heart Crystals.'' Rhachis Ancestor Strongest thought. This was his first time seeing a Skep up close. During the previous Wave, he was only at Tier 5, not qualified to search for them. But now, he had the opportunity.


    The Skep didn''t seem fazed at the energy expenditure to heal its body, continuing to attack the Tier 5 Frenzy Beast. In the meantime, the other Skeps continued to attack the Tier 6 Frenzy Beast, dealing wounds one after another.


    When they were injured, they swiftly healed, making it a battle of attrition. Soon, the Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts arrived at the scene, each attacking a Skep to distract them. The Skeps retaliated in return, reducing the pressure on the Tier 6 Frenzy Beast.


    Among them, a Tier 4 Frenzy Beast slithered through the gaps, targeting a certain Skep that hadn''t launched a single attack till now. The moment it was about to open its mouth, three Skeps blocked its path and unleashed their tentacles, blocking its escape routes.


    Soon, it was constricted and crushed by the tentacles. A tentacle glowed with a gentle blue hue, freezing the crushed body, killing the Frenzy Parasite within. They seemed capable of sensing the presence of Frenzy Parasites.


    A Skep opened its mouth and ate the crushed body, swallowing it in one gulp before proceeding to attack the Tier 6 Frenzy Beast. This interaction allowed Rhachis Ancestor Strongest to glean some clues, trailing his gaze to the Skep that hadn''t moved once till now.


    Judging based on their battle positions, it was at the safest spot. The Skep was a tad larger than the others, also possessing 6 large tentacles, instead of the usual 5. Its body faintly glowed with a blue hue, releasing glowing particles into the water.


    An instant later, the particles dimmed, but they moved in the water, proceeding to line up on the edges, forming a barrier of sorts. Without disturbing anything, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest probed around, using the myriad methods under his disposal, shocked at the result, ''It actually managed to block out Parasite''s senses?''

 Chapter 298: The Marble Box

    ''Parasite could faintly sense the presence of the Tier 6 Skep but was unable to pinpoint its location. So, its aura only lingered around the water surface? Or maybe it is currently occupied with something pressing, unable to divert much attention here? The issue must be pressing enough considering it hasn''t sent Crash to probe around. As an Esper, Crash should have an easier time locating the Tier 6 Skep.'' Rhachis Ancestor Strongest thought.


    His thoughts aligned with the truth. Rhachis Ancestor Parasite was busy suppressing the sea of flames that had erupted on his home, unable to divert much attention elsewhere. Its subordinates were also assisting it in suppressing the flames while trying to think up countermeasures.


    ''Seeing as how Dawn asked for my presence all of a sudden, he must have been the cause. I am curious how he had been able to achieve it.'' He thought, moving through the water to avoid a tentacle that brushed past him.


    The tentacle scratched a Tier 4 Frenzy Beast, drawing out copious amount of blood. The Tier 4 Frenzy Beast didn''t possess any regenerative power, struggling to move as it continued to lose strength. It activated all its four Skills, bursting with power as it spewed forth a bluish-white beam, only inferior to the one launched by the Tier 5 Frenzy Beast.


    The beam landed on a Skep, mildly freezing a small part. The Skep easily resolved the injury in a couple of seconds, brandishing its tentacles in retaliation. The Tier 4 Frenzy Beast dodged for a couple of minutes before its injuries worsened. It was soon diced by a tentacle, the pieces swallowed by a Skep.


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest observed their battle, understanding their battle tactics. He looked around, noticing a tunnel''s entrance in a corner of the dome. The tunnel was inclined, its inner surface melted by something that made all solids brittle under extreme cold.


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest swam towards it, noticing the remains coagulated at the bottom. It was a residue from whatever had dug the tunnel. The interior of the tunnel faintly glowed with a blue hue, extending a long way, beyond what he could inspect without giving his position away.


    He arrived at the spot and crouched before the residue. His left hand held the box while his right created a container. Scooping out some of the residue, he placed it into the container, watching it hold up without getting damaged.


    He pocketed it and swam back, watching the ongoing battle. Soon, he frowned, ''Their exchange is just a volley of attacks back and forth. All their damages are negated by their regenerative abilities. Are they trying to exhaust the energy supply of the Tier 6 Frenzy Beast?''


    He then sensed the energy levels of the Tier 6 Frenzy Beast, frowning, ''It barely lost any energy. I fear they have been battling since the moment it finished its breakthrough. At this rate, their battle might span 7-8 months at the very least. Before that, Parasite would definitely be able to pinpoint its presence. And the moment it gains the Tier 6 Skep as an ally, its strength would soar.''


    The strength of most of the Skeps was more or less the same, judging by their presence and energy reserves. But, except for physical attacks, they hadn''t used any other abilities. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest knew for a fact they possessed quite a few abilities of their own. But for some reason, both the parties refrained from doing so.


    As he observed the battle further, he noticed every tentacle attack draw out blood from the Tier 6 Skep. Their tentacles would immediately absorb part of the blood. Similarly, when the Tier 6 Skep attacked the other Skeps and wounded them, it would absorb their blood. But, it only did so in instinct. Consciously, it sought to escape their confinement but was unable to do so.


    The tremendous water pressure prevented it from moving fast enough while there were too many Skeps around to constrict its movements. The other Frenzy Beasts, including those that arrived later, were being killed off one by one. So, its situation was getting progressively worse. Moreover, its aura was plummeting continuously.


    ''These bastards are lusting after the other party''s genetic materials! So, that was the reason.''


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest directed his gaze at the largest Skep present, the one that seemed to prevent Rhachis Ancestor Parasite from sensing the presence of the Tier 6 Skep. Energy-wise, it was the same as the other Skeps but, its presence was on a higher level.


    ''It has stepped into the realm of Tier 6. Its flesh is on the same level as a Tier 6 being that had recovered from the breakthrough damage and had spent a year with the Nurturing effect.'' He hovered beside it, probing it at a deeper level.


    Even now, it failed to sense his presence. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest took this opportunity to understand it better, noting that both its flesh and presence were in Tier 6 Realm. ''It has achieved this without a Parasite. Impressive! I think this is the first Skep to achieve this level.''


    Slowly, the Skep turned around, causing the radiance on a part of its body to flicker. This flicker was exactly in the direction Rhachis Ancestor Strongest hovered. A moment later, without causing any other disturbance, it gently moved back.


    The glow on its body intensified, solidifying the barrier in the dome that blocked Rhachis Ancestor Parasite''s senses. Seeing its actions, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest smiled, following it. Soon, the two of them had arrived at a spot beyond the range of the other Skeps.


    The Skep hovered in silence, gazing at him in alarm, feeling threatened. It dared not express it back there, only deciding to do so now. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest smiled, transmitting his voice, "You have devoured enough beings from Terra. So, don''t stay silent."


    "Yes," A voice resounded from it, faint to the extent only he could sense it. It was a method of communication using their auras. When his body sensed its aura, a word formed in his mind. That was how they were able to communicate.


    "No wonder," Rhachis Ancestor Strongest''s eyes turned serious, suffused with killing intent. He looked at it in anger, but his opponent didn''t feel anything amiss. After all, his anger wasn''t directed at it, but at the Frenzy Beasts it had swallowed and managed to learn the language from.


    While communicating, the Skep had used their language, Modern Rodawri, something that ought to have been exclusive to humanity. ''Not only the elites among the Floating Spiders have learned Modern Rodawri, but they also taught it to their lower cadres. That is how even the Skeps have managed to learn it.''


    He sighed once, ''I can now say Modern Rodawri has been completely compromised.''


    He gazed at the Skep, "Your objective?"


    For a moment, the Skep gazed in silence, staring at Rhachis Ancestor Strongest without moving. Its six large tentacles continued to move about, affected by the undercurrents, floating in the waters. It then replied using its aura, "Usual."


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest didn''t say much, knocking once on the box he carried. Followed by a faint fluctuation, the Skep was able to notice it. For some reason, its desire grew unabated as it stared at the box. If not for the fact that the being hovering beside it was someone that caused it to fear, it would have jumped at it immediately.


    It resisted its urges, its gaze focused solely on the box. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest unleashed a sliver of his aura, prompting its gaze on him. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest spoke, "A trade; the Frenzy Parasite in it for this box. I don''t need its body, only its Frenzy Parasite."


    "Belongs to us." The Skep replied, showing its stance on the matter.


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest laughed, looking at it with a smile, "Shall I kill everyone and get what I want?"


    His aura condensed into a needle, shooting into the Skep, burrowing into its depths. Based on his earlier probing, he aimed at the energy source in its body. His aura needle burrowed into its energy source and vanished. The Skep''s body trembled, producing many currents in the surrounding water as a result.


    As its trembling continued to increase, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest continued, "Based on what I could infer, you will at most be able to block Parasite''s senses for a couple more days. Don''t underestimate it. We both have the same enemies, so helping each other is beneficial."


    "It must have taken you a really long time to achieve your current power. But, to go against Parasite, that is not enough." He pushed the box towards it, "Contained within is a wing of Spindle, an eye of Web, a spine fragment of Earth, the sperm of Coral, and the hair of Light. I''m sure the genetic material in them would be enough for you to grow stronger."


    He smiled, his expression one of interest, "The box is made from Marble''s famed Unranked Skill. You can dissolve it in your body and absorb the contents slowly, without alerting the owners. Though, how soon you can dissolve it is up to you. I ask for the Tier 6 Skep''s Frenzy Parasite. Deal?"


    The Skep''s trembling stopped as one of its tentacles wrapped around the box, pushing it into its mouth, showing its stance with its action. It swallowed the box, slowly floating back towards the battle area. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest accompanied it, not feeling alarmed in the slightest.


    Even if it were to go back on its word, he could deal with it. Before they reached the battle area, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest said one last piece to the Skep, "When you achieve your objective and decide to withdraw your forces, wait for me here. I''ll bring you another box."


    "If you are not present here at that time, it would mean you are unable to digest this box. This would imply you are lacking in capability and humanity will no longer invest in you. With the presence of Sheep, it wouldn''t be long before Parasite starts targeting the Skeps."

 Chapter 299: The Deal

    "I know," The Skep replied. Its body continued to move as its tentacles paddled, occasionally shaping into a hexa-helix that rotated like a fan. Soon, it arrived in its previous spot, emitting faint radiation accompanied by soundwaves that rippled the waters.


    Seeing its arrival, the other Skeps decreased their intensity of attacks, making way for it. This clearly expressed their hierarchy; the largest Skep was their leader. Soon, they engaged in a flurry of discussions, conversing back and forth, with the Skeps unwilling to part with the Tier 6 Skep.


    As they were engaged in conversation, the leader Skep said a word to Rhachis Ancestor Strongest; in response to it, he made his presence known, unleashing a tinge of his aura. At the next moment, the conversation died down.


    The Skeps finally realised the threat mingling among them. As they were wary, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest spoke in leisure, pointing at the leader Skep, "When this war ends, if you manage to reach its level, humanity will support you. You will obtain enough strength to resist Parasite after that. Currently, only your leader is qualified."


    He turned silent after that. The leader Skep immediately sought to convince the others. They possessed intelligence on par with Tier 3 human Espers, so they quickly came to a conclusion. They retreated to the sides, making way for Rhachis Ancestor Strongest.


    The Skeps had a single goal, to be free from Rhachis Ancestor Parasite''s influence. That was why they continuously evolved their bodies until they created a path where they could gain strength without the Frenzy Parasites.


    Once they achieved this objective, they wished to prevent Rhachis Ancestor Parasite from influencing their matters. After all, there were still some Skeps that fell into its grasp, turning into Frenzy Beasts. It was an ever-ensuing battle, a battle that would never end until they either surrendered to Rhachis Ancestor Parasite or killed him.


    But, killing Rhachis Ancestor Parasite was easier said than done. The strongest race in the world, humans were still unable to achieve it, not to mention them. The Skeps were capable of creating massive armies easily but, their foe was capable of the same.


    When it needed, all the Frenzy Beasts in the world will stand on its side. Even with an all-out war, the Skeps didn''t have the confidence of emerging victorious. After all, they didn''t have peak level existences on their side except their leader. But, even their leader didn''t have the guarantee of winning against a Frenzy Beast Ancestor, not to mention Rhachis Ancestor Parasite who stood at the peak of their power scale.


    ''They''ll probably be the first ones to jump at me if my strength proves lacking.'' Rhachis Ancestor Strongest thought, smiling. He slowly moved towards the Tier 6 Skep, keeping track of its diminishing aura.


    The Tier 6 Skep was alarmed at his presence, its danger signals going full throttle. Sensing the threat, it forcefully tried to activate its Tier 5 Skill, no longer paying heed to the injury it would sustain as a result.


    ''It would be best to keep my Unranked Skill a secret before them.'' Before the Tier 6 Skep managed to activate its Tier 5 Skill, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest smiled, unleashing a wave of aura. At the next instant, the surrounding water was pushed out by 200 metres, forming a vacuum in their region.


    This vacuum perfectly encapsulated him and the Tier 6 Skep, pushing all the Skeps away. The Skeps trembled at the might of his aura, his presence powerful enough to push the water for such distance despite the depth they were at.


    Moreover, they also noticed the rigid structure of the vacuum sphere and its stable form that was unrelenting under the water pressure. The Tier 6 Skep was affected, its body shuddering, on the verge of collapse under his aura. Without giving it a chance to try anything, he overlaid his aura with another effect.


    Aura Personification¡ªNullity!


    For an instant, the Tier 6 Skep was unable to think, no longer cognitive of itself. In that instant, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest pierced its body, arrived at a certain spot and yanked out its fused organ. His hands radiated a green glow, emitting a ray of light on it.


    The fused organ struggled, resisting as must as it could. But, it was already in a weakened state from the breakthrough. Moreover, after the breakthrough to Tier 6, it had already become one with the host, affected by the aura personification of Nullity, unable to plan a course of resistance.


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest felt some difficulty, using both the hands, even resorting to emitting the green radiance from his entire body.


    Trait of Wonder!


    Unfortunately, it was only at Tier 5 level, requiring Rhachis Ancestor Strongest to exert greater power. But, considering their power difference, it soon took effect. The fused organ wriggled, detaching itself from all bodily connections, beginning to morph. Ten seconds later, it transformed into a bluish-white marble sphere.


    Tier 6 Relic!


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest created a box to store the bluish-white marble sphere. His stomach muscles wriggled, opening to create a vacant space. He placed the box there, watching his muscles cover it, soon turning normal.


    ''Thankfully, the Trait allows me to condense the Relic until it becomes thumb-sized. The Trait of Wonder; Jyovic Bone outdid himself with this creation. Even mother cannot help but praise him whenever she uses this Trait. This Trait alone elevated humanity''s strength to another level.'' He then dug through its body, arriving before another place.


    There existed a crystal before him, possessing a lot of cracks that were mending themselves, bluish-white in colour, the size of his fist. Seeing it, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest couldn''t help but inhale a sharp breath of air. The quality of energy stored in the Heart Crystal was slightly superior to a human Transformer but, the quantity was on a whole other dimension.


    A human Transformer''s Heart Crystal was the size of a rice grain. Even for Frenzy Beast Transformers, despite their humongous body sizes, their Heart Crystals were the same size. It was a biological limit brought about by their Wisdom/Frenzy Parasites.


    The Parasites, both Wisdom and Frenzy gave them access to tremendous power but, they also had certain limitations in place. The size of the Heart Crystal was one of them. To this day, they were unable to figure out the root cause. Their research didn''t bore any results.


    But, as a species that constantly evolved by consuming the genetics of every marine creature to have ever existed, and also having consumed significant genetics of land-based creatures, the Skeps seemed to have found a way to surpass this limit.


    Even though the energy quality was barely superior to a human Transformer, the size meant the quantity it could store was humongous. After an estimate, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest couldn''t help but sigh, ''It has twice the energy in my Heart Crystal.''


    This was the case when its body hadn''t even stepped into the Tier 6 level. Even then it was this terrifying. Once it healed its Heart Crystal and began the Nurturing process, the energy it would come to possess would achieve another leap. Moreover, the other Skeps weren''t any different; the Tier 6 Skep didn''t obtain any advantages over the Skeps due to the Frenzy Parasite. So, all the Skeps possessed such frightening energy levels.


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest dared not imagine the level the leader Skep would reach once it finished digesting the box he had gifted. Using the same manner he employed for the Relic, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest stored the Heart Crystal in his body.


    ''Thankfully, I already laid the necessary groundwork within that leader Skep.'' He smiled and retreated, exiting the Tier 6 Skep''s body.


    Blocked by the vacuum sphere, the region filled with his aura, and the Tier 6 Skep''s body, the Skeps failed to see the actual situation. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest made sure to not leave behind any residue of his ability, lest the Skeps develop this property in them.


    They were only pawns he wished to make use of, unwilling to give them the key to become major players of the world. They were terrifying enough as is. If they were to develop any further, even the Ancestors would be helpless against them.


    He finally retracted his aura, ensuring not even a trace of it remained in the Tier 6 Skep''s body. As its body healed automatically, the Tier 6 Skep remained still. The moment its Frenzy Parasite was pulled out, it entered a vegetative state.


    It had lost its mind, unable to gain consciousness ever again. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest smiled, ''The prime weakness once you reach Tier 6, your mind fuses with the fused organ.''


    The water rushed back to fill the vacuum; the Skeps too followed suit, hurriedly brandishing their tentacles to protect the body of the Tier 6 Skep from being shredded by the water. They suffered a lot of damage from the ensuing chaos but they easily healed their injuries, achieving pristine states within a couple of minutes.


    They looked at the condition of the Tier 6 Skep, feeling a chill creep up in them. They subconsciously distanced themselves from Rhachis Ancestor Strongest, not making any moves on the Tier 6 Skep for the time being.


    They knew the amount of power the Tier 6 Skep could wield, and its tough defences, not to mention its regenerative ability. But, all it took Rhachis Ancestor Strongest was a mere 10 seconds to defeat it, placing it in a state worse than death.


    The leader Skep arrived before him, its presence trained on him, waiting for him to speak. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest closed his eyes once, sighing as he said, "Parasite can finish me even faster."


    It shuddered under his words, even more than when he planted the aura needle in its body. After a while, the leader Skep spoke, "I have lived since the dark ages when we Skep first came into being. Through the centuries, I devoured everything I came across, growing little by little, sometimes even regressing in strength when I consumed cancerous genetic material."


    Its tentacles rose, making a motion similar to a human''s while praying, "Today, you clearly expressed the distance I have yet to traverse. Human, the Skeps are willing to cooperate with the humans when you fight Parasite."


    ''So, that means they still won''t pull back their armies from Marble City. As expected, they only move towards their objective.'' Rhachis Ancestor Strongest spoke, "That is enough."

 Chapter 300: Quasi-Tier 6 Relic

    19th September, the year 334 of Dawn Era. It was still night time, the morning rays of the sun had yet to arrive. Waves churned while the Swarm continued to swim across, heading towards the land in a steady file.


    From within the gaps between a Frog''s legs, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest surfaced, landing on the water before he sprinted towards the land. He wasn''t in much of a hurry, taking care to not damage the items he carried in him.


    An hour later, he arrived in the vicinity of Marble City, stopping at the foot of the city walls. He landed on the head of an Armadillo, stomping it to death, the shockwaves causing the surrounding beasts to tumble aside.


    Psychic Ancestor Marble''s voice resounded in his ears, his tone suffused with unease, "How did it go?"


    "Better than we had hoped," Rhachis Ancestor Strongest recounted everything that had transpired, wriggling his stomach muscles to fish out two containers. One held the Tier 6 Relic while the other contained the Tier 6 Skep''s Heart Crystal.


    "Incredible!" Psychic Ancestor Marble praised, the two boxes trembling as he held them, displaying his emotions. His psychic arm inspected them, commenting in praise, "Even though this isn''t a genuine Tier 6 Relic, it has already evolved 6 times. We can slowly Nurture it until the Skill in it is elevated to Tier 6."


    "Unfortunately, it hadn''t Nurtured its Tier 6 Skill," Rhachis Ancestor Strongest lamented, "Otherwise, its value would have been even higher. Elevating its Skill to Tier 6 pales in comparison to a genuine Tier 6 Skill."


    "Yes," Psychic Ancestor Marble replied, "But, this is still good enough. If we had delayed any longer, Parasite would have obtained the Tier 6 Skep. Considering the overall situation, this outcome is already for the best. Besides, the Skill in this Relic has incredible uses."


    "Have you already figured it out?" Rhachis Ancestor Strongest was amazed, "I thought it would take longer."


    With a sigh, Psychic Ancestor Marble replied, "It is because I have been researching in this direction for more than two centuries without any result. But, who would have thought a fusion of a Skep''s Skills, from Tier 1 to Tier 5 would produce such a result."


    "Before I forget," Rhachis Ancestor Strongest took out another container and threw it in the air, watching it halt mid-flight. "The Skeps had used something to drill their way through the earth''s crust. It is like another world down there. I just collected some residue as a sample."


    "I''ll give this to Atika. She should be able to figure out its mysteries." Psychic Ancestor Marble then focused on the other two containers. "Give me the results of your probe. Using the aura fluctuations, I would be able to narrow down the Skills the Tier 6 Skep possessed."


    Hearing his words, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest nodded, watching a marble slab appear before him. He placed his palm on it, unleashing his aura into it, transmitting everything he had sensed and probed.


    Once he was done, the surroundings turned silent. Two hours later, Psychic Ancestor Marble replied, "I got it. Once I cross-reference the evolutionary path of this particular Skep, I''ll be closer to the truth."


    He then praised once again, "I commend you for also bringing its Heart Crystal. Without it, the Relic would have become useless."


    "What do you mean?" Rhachis Ancestor Strongest was confused.


    "The abilities of the Skeps are hidden within their energy source, the Heart Crystal in this Tier 6 Skep''s case. Those abilities are in no way inferior to the Skills of Warriors and they don''t have a theoretical limit to the amount they can possess. But, only the Skep it was a part of can wield the abilities in it. To the rest, it is just an unusable energy resource."


    He chuckled once, "But, using the Relic, we can draw out the energy from it. With a bit of research, we''ll be able to make use of its abilities, in return activating the Skill in it. It seems like the two have become a circuit, only capable of functioning in the presence of each other."


    "Seems complex enough." Rhachis Ancestor Strongest nodded.


    "It is a million times better than to run in the dark as I did in the past two centuries. At least, I can see the light now." Psychic Ancestor Marble said.


    "What is the Skill in it?" Rhachis Ancestor Strongest inquired, gazing at the two boxes hovering before him.


    "Energy Heart!"


    ¡­


    A large bird-type Frenzy Beast flew in the air, its path unhindered. Its beak was mildly curved but was wider than its head. Its throat area consisted of a large sack, connected with the underside of its beak. Its tongue acted as the lid for the sack, sealing something that was squirming within.


    Its speed of flight wasn''t incredibly fast nor did it possess astonishing might but, not a single Frenzy Beast tried to attack it. Some Frenzy Beasts that flew in the air even changed directions, accompanying it, acting as its guards.


    The Frenzy Beasts on the ground became excited the moment they saw its presence, becoming disappointed once it crossed their boundary. At a steady rhythm, the bird-type Frenzy Beast continued to fly. Its strength was only at Tier 3, but powerful Tier 5 Frenzy Beasts guarded it, accompanying it while it passed over their respective territories.


    Tier 3 Frenzy Beast¡ªCarrier Pelican!


    It was a Frenzy Beast race with almost zero fighting strength. Killing one was easy to the extent a being could skip multiple levels and still emerge as the victor. But, it was the sole race that faced the least number of deaths in the world.


    The Carrier Pelicans only had one task; it was to carry the Frenzy Parasites from Rhachis Ancestor Parasite and transport it to the rest of the world. Each Carrier Pelican had a destination where it would deliver the Frenzy Parasites to.


    The sack on their throat held the Frenzy Parasites. The sack secreted a certain liquid that allowed the Frenzy Parasites to live comfortably, in a state of slumber. This was how they transported the Frenzy Parasites without any issue.


    Their bodies were huge, allowing them to transport a lot of Frenzy Parasites in their sacks. Even a Tier 3 Carrier Pelican was 10 metres in height and possessed a wingspan of 24 metres.


    The Carrier Pelican soon arrived at its destination. It was a hill, the sides of which had a large hole leading into a cave. The hole was big enough for it to enter. The Carrier Pelican landed before it, opening its mouth to chirp thrice.


    Immediately, many Frenzy Beasts converged around it, expressing their respect for it. The Frenzy Beasts were from the same race, possessing a boar-like body covered by bone. Circulating within the exoskeleton was Essence of Frenzy, copious amounts, the likes of which wasn''t present even in more than 10 Frenzy Beasts combined.


    They were a dangerous Frenzy Beast race that bordered Dawn City, possessing two Ancestors. Unlike the other Races that were a close-knit community, these Frenzy Bests preferred to roam around, always engaging with the other Frenzy Beasts. In this way, they accumulated more and more essence of Frenzy in their exoskeleton.


    Mohr Frenzy!


    They were characterised by their desire for the Essence of Frenzy. The Carrier Pelican was only in charge of delivering to the outskirts among their roaming area. Under the stares of the Mohr Frenzies, the Carrier Pelican entered the cave, walking forward for a dozen seconds, arriving before a pool.


    Half-filled in the pool was the same substance secreted in its sack. Submerged at the bottom of the pool were Frenzy Parasites, numbering in the hundreds. The Carrier Pelican opened its beak, lifting its tongue while bending its neck forward.


    Frenzy Parasites poured out, mixed with the substance in its sack, collecting in the pool. Around 80 Frenzy Parasites poured out from its sack. The Carrier Pelican dipped its webbed feet in the pool, activating a Skill.


    It then opened its mouth and poured out some more liquid from its sack. Finished with its task, it exited the cave, gazed at the Mohr Frenzies for a couple of seconds before taking flight. Soon, it disappeared from their sight.


    After unloading everything, its sack was no longer a bulge. Moreover, no Frenzy Beast came to guard it when it flew now. It was as if all they had cared about was the Frenzy Parasites it carried with it. Now that it had finished its task, they didn''t care about its well-being.


    Though, none of them tried to attack it. That was tantamount to suicide. Any Frenzy Beast race that allowed a Carrier Pelican to die in its territory would no longer receive support from Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. There had been some precedents, the related Frenzy Beast races had long been exterminated.


    So, even though they didn''t actively guard it, they still watched it from afar, intending to come to its rescue the moment they sensed something amiss. Many Espers among the Frenzy Beasts were alert as they watched the Carrier Pelican fly out of their territory. After that, they returned to their duties.


    The Carrier Pelican made a couple of rounds in the air, wantonly taking roundabout paths before landing in a valley. After glancing around to ensure no Frenzy Beast was in the vicinity, it unleashed its aura, masking its presence.


    Its body then collapsed into a pool of murky fluid that condensed into solid, reconstructing into the figure of Rhachis Ancestor Strongest. Some murky fluid seeped out from his hand, coagulating into a sphere above his palm.


    "I can''t defend against Parasite''s influence, so for the time being, it is best to not keep any Frenzy Beasts with me." With a thought, the murky sphere turned ethereal before vaporising. It was as if an existence had been permanently deleted.


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest then jumped out and ran in a certain direction. Within 10 minutes, thanks to his speed, he arrived before a massive flaming dome that shone with radiance dwarfing the morning rays of the sun.


    Dawn City!

 Chapter 301: Impersonation and Manifestation

    "Thankfully, they thought I was only a Tier 3 Carrier Pelican. If not for that, I wouldn''t have been able to cross the Mohr Frenzy''s habitat, not to mention the other habitats along the way." Rhachis Ancestor Strongest patted his chest, calming his thumping heart. Even he dared not be careless in this journey.


    Between Dawn City and Marble City existed the habitats of 3 Frenzy Beast races that had an Ancestor guarding them. This was when considering the shortest route between them. The longer routes were laid with even more risks, the greater number of powerful Frenzy Beast races putting him in a precarious situation.


    Every Frenzy Beast race that had survived to date possessed their own methods. In their home, they must have laid down plenty of preparations to defend and retaliate against any invaders, especially against Ancestor-level opponents.


    If Rhachis Ancestor Strongest had been discovered, then a battle would have ensued. And, should they use one of their trump cards, then his life would be at risk. Unlike the other Ancestors, he had yet to finish Nurturing his Tier 6 Skill. So, he wouldn''t have an easy time against any Ancestor level opponent.


    Relying on his Unranked Skill wasn''t a feasible option during a crisis. It was mostly because his mother had advised him to keep the Unranked Skill a secret. Only during the fateful war was he allowed to use it. Therefore, if he was discovered, he didn''t have sufficient methods to survive.


    That was why he felt lucky to chance upon a Carrier Pelican on his way. He used his Unranked Skill on it and transformed into it, carrying the Frenzy Parasites in its sack to their respective destination.


    There didn''t exist any ability to transform into beings of a different race.


    Even the Transformer Skills related to such were only superficial transformations that altered external appearance. Their functional essence never changed. But, using his Unranked Skill, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest fully became a Tier 3 Carrier Pelican. That was why he wasn''t discovered.


    No Frenzy Beast would ever make a move on a Carrier Pelican. That was his saving grace. After all, the Carrier Pelican he transformed into was the same as the original. But, this also meant its body was similarly fragile. One hit and it would die.


    If something like that had happened, then he would have to transform back and be discovered.


    "My title as the Strongest is to facilitate my Tier 6 Skill. I am not strong enough for the time being." He sighed, arriving before the glowing dome. The Dome''s surface was covered by tiny flames, growing like grass that danced with the wind. It produced a warm heat, the intensity of light emitted dimming down after the sun rose.


    Soldiers dressed in scaled armour shuttled to and fro, continuing with their respective tasks. Some groups dragged the corpses of massive Frenzy Beasts towards the city while others rushed about as they fought with the Frenzy Beasts that roamed the city''s periphery. Not one managed to detect his existence.


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest pointed his hand towards the dome, unleashing an aura beam. It was gentle, lacking any force. But, the moment it impacted the dome, it caused a single ripple, startling the soldiers who noticed it. They immediately took up battle positions, transmitting the information back to their command center.


    A second later, a voice resounded in his ear, "Come in, Strongest."


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest allowed himself to be picked up by a psychic arm. He vanished from the spot and arrived inside a room. The room was open on all sides, the ceiling hoisted by corner pillars. It was a house situated atop a mountain overlooking Dawn City. But, it wasn''t situated within the city, rather 20 kilometres to its north.


    A small pond was on one side of the room; swimming within were twenty Koi. They were just regular Koi and not Frenzy Beasts. Bamboo plants surrounded the pond''s border, painting it with a serene atmosphere as gentle winds blew past.


    The other side of the room consisted of jade sculptures of historic individuals. Paper screens adorned the ends of the room, acting as the walls. Light seeped through them, filling the room with a gentle, dim ambiance.


    A round table was placed in the centre of the room, spanning a metre in diameter. It was made from wood. Two stools were placed beside it, facing each other. Seated on one stool was an old man who carefully poured tea in a porcelain cup.


    He then poured the tea in another cup, motioning for Rhachis Ancestor Strongest to be seated. Rhachis Ancestor Strongest took the other seat, lifting the porcelain cup to sniff the tea. He relished its aroma, sipping it slowly as he enjoyed its taste.


    It was sweet at first but, when it passed through his throat, it left behind a tangy aftertaste. When it entered his stomach, it created a warmth that coursed through his body, calming his nerves that were strained by the journey.


    "Having two Espers can change a lot of things." When he finished his tea, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest placed the cup and commented.


    "Indeed," The figure opposite to him nodded, "It makes a world of difference. When one takes charge of the city''s management, the other can wholeheartedly focus on research and vice-versa."


    "If only it was easier for Espers to become Ancestors." Rhachis Ancestor Strongest lamented, gazing at the Koi in silence.


    "They are the last of their kind in this world." The old man commented. "It is getting harder and harder to keep up with past traditions. Circumstances have forced this change."


    "Marble said you wanted to see me for some reason." He changed the topic, unwilling to waste too much time.


    Seeing his stance, the old man nodded, refilling his cup with tea, "How is the Wave progressing?"


    "It is under control. The Floating Spiders are the Skep''s main objective this time." Rhachis Ancestor Strongest took another sip, feeling the relaxing sensation hit him again. He remarked in surprise, "Good tea."


    "It took me 38 years to grow this batch of tea leaves. This is my only solace in this world." The old man wryly smiled, content at the praise.


    His expression turned serious, "I have been giving some headache for Parasite. I changed the land it lives on into a fiery hell."


    "You changed it?" Rhachis Ancestor Strongest blurted out in shock, "How is that possible?"


    "Aura," The old man smiled, "Aura is a progressive system. The more I research it, the more effective it turns out. Its only liability is the inability to grow without relying on the Parasite System. Overall, it can change the tides to any situation."


    He made eye contact, "Marble told me that you were the most well-versed in aura in Marble City. I called you here to exchange pointers."


    He placed his teacup down, "I will tell you everything about my method to change the aura of any object permanently into your own. I named this method Aura Impersonation. You give me something of equivalent value."


    "Alright," Rhachis Ancestor Strongest smiled. He was an expert when it came to aura, the combat system he was well-versed in. Just by relying on his development in the field of aura, he was able to fight against Rhachis Ancestor Spindle before.


    "I''m sure you''re amply familiar with aura personifications." Seeing the old man nod, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest smiled, "This is of equal value to yours. I call this the Aura Manifestation."


    ¡­


    Within a dome deep in the ocean, numerous Skeps tore down the body of a Frenzy Beast. It was the Tier 6 Skep. Its body was shredded into numerous parts, each of which was gobbled by a Skep each.


    The leader Skep only took the smallest of portions, unwilling to take any more, its focus on the magenta box in its stomach. Despite the corrosive nature of its digestive fluids, the magenta box remained undamaged. Therefore, it didn''t have the capacity at present to divert its focus.


    But, since it didn''t wish to be left out from the Tier 6 Skep''s genetic material, it consumed a small part, satiating its desire. It gazed around, watching the Skeps clean up the surroundings of the Tier 6 Skep''s blood that had spilled.


    They used a myriad of abilities, swiftly cleaning everything. Once it was done, the leader Skep retracted the barrier it had unleashed, entering the tunnel at the bottom. The other Skeps soon followed after.


    They continued to move through the tunnel that steadily inclined, the angle of inclination being around 2 degrees. After travelling for more than 500 kilometres, they arrived at another massive dome that was nearer to the water surface. It was situated only a kilometre underneath the surface.


    The moment they appeared, many beasts converged around them, taking up protective stances. Each beast was 20 metres in length, a mixture of the Frog, Stingray, and Armadillo. They were the guard beasts of the Skeps, acting as their final layer of defence against enemies.


    They were also in charge of taking care of the hatchlings the Skeps gave birth to. The dome was fully covered by eggs a Skep had laid. As some cracked, the guard beasts took care of them, allowing the hatchlings to attach themselves to their bodies.


    A day later, after the hatchlings had grown a little, the guard beasts would release them out into the ocean. When a Skeps arrived, the guard beasts brought in many carcasses of Frenzy Beasts, with the majority being Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees.


    The Skeps started to feast on the carcasses, with some giving birth soon after. The new batch of hatchlings were slightly different from the rest, a sign of evolution.

 Chapter 302: Jyavreh Sahi

    At a discrete spot in the dome, hidden underneath an egg was a half-human half-fish Frenzy Beast. It was an Observer, its strength at the bottom of Tier 1. But despite that, it wasn''t discovered by all the Skeps that were around.


    The Tier 1 Frenzy Beast made an incision on the egg, inserting its hand into it before pulling out the hatchling growing within. Faint black radiance spewed from her hand, dicing the hatchling into numerous even pieces.


    It popped a piece into its mouth at discrete intervals, soon finished with the hatchling. It didn''t even leave behind the hatchling''s developing bones, devouring everything. Once it was completed, it placed its thumb on the incision, trailing across it once.


    The incision slowly healed, now making the egg look the same as before, without any damage. Black radiance converged on its body, forming a barrier. It disappeared from its spot, appearing underneath another egg situated far away in the dome. The dome had a radius surpassing 30 kilometres, a massive place underwater.


    In its previous place, a black radiance outlining its silhouette still existed. As time passed, the silhouette began to steadily shrink, eventually disappearing. This ensured not even a ripple would be created when the Tier 1 Frenzy Beast had teleported.


    Surrounded by tens of Skeps, it had to exercise maximum caution. The Tier 1 Frenzy Beast made a similar incision on the egg it hid under, dicing up the hatchling within before devouring the pieces one by one.


    When it was done, it disappeared from the spot. As time passed, the eggs in the area began hatching, all except it. A guard beast arrived, watching it in silence before noticing the oddity. It cracked the shell open, gazing at the egg matter that spewed out.


    It shook its head and began to clean up the area. Soon, a Skep arrived at the location, birthing hundreds of eggs. The eggs formed a cluster in the water, drifting with the currents. The guard beasts hurriedly collected them and attached them to the wall in neat order, using their saliva as an adhesive.


    The Tier 1 Frenzy Beast watched everything in silence, trying its best to hide. Whenever a guard beast came close or was on the verge of discovering it, a blue radiance would seep into their bodies. An instant later, they would just gloss over its existence.


    ''My expenditure is greater than my recovery.'' The Tier 1 Frenzy Beast thought, frowning as it held its chin. ''The hatchlings have too little energy in them. I am just wasting too much of my energy in teleporting my stool to their dumping area.''


    It drank the fluid within the egg to relieve its thirst, its eyes shining with resolve. ''I have been lingering here for the past 6 years ever since I located their nest. But, my gains are too small. At this rate, I would fully expend my energy reserves.''


    It then sighed, ''I wonder how Laila is faring. Hope she can pull through before the time limit.''


    It gazed at the water surface, looking beyond at the moon that was moving past the horizon. It stared at the moon until it disappeared, sighing before it continued with its task. After eating three more hatchlings, it stopped, gazing at a Skep hovering nearby.


    Its gaze was serious, suffused with resolve. It inspected the condition of the Skep, trying to glean as many details as possible. ''Its flesh is at the peak of Tier 5 and it seems to possess numerous abilities, some of which can counter me.''


    It then disappeared from the spot, appearing underneath another egg, inspecting the Skep nearby. ''This Skep has more robust flesh than the latter but its abilities are a bit lacking. Even then, it has an ability that can counter me.''


    It changed locations once after another, observing the Skeps. It had accumulated a lot of information over the years, knowing the dome like the back of its hand by now. When it first entered the ocean post-death of Gajara Rahi, it faced a lot of trouble.


    But eventually, it managed to find the location of a Skep''s nest, taking refuge in the place while planning its next objective.


    Jyavreh Sahi!


    When Gajara Rahi died, she created two beings: the human Laila and the half-human half Frenzy Beast Jyavreh Sahi. Both had their own objectives to accomplish. Laila had her plans in the human city while its plans were in the ocean.


    Laila was already traversing the Parasite System, the same path Gajara Rahi had traversed to the peak of. So, her situation was a lot easier, having the abundant experience to rely on. But, Jyavreh Sahi faced a lot of difficulties.


    After all, it wished to proceed in the evolution path of the Skeps, trying to gain strength external to the Parasite System. It was why it remained at Tier 1, devising its plans all along.


    Soon, it arrived underneath an egg, watching the Skep hovering nearby. ''This Skep has a lot of abilities, a tad more than the rest. But, none of its abilities can counter mine. Alright, it''s a do or die situation now. If I delay any longer, I will run out of energy to affect anything.''


    The Skep was currently giving birth, spewing out eggs in large volumes. Jyavreh Sahi watched with bated breath, finishing its preparations. A black barrier covered its body, condensing to the limit.


    It unleashed three soul tendrils, seeping them into the Skep''s body. They moved around, relaying everything they found to it, soon traversing every nook and cranny of the Skep''s body.


    The moment the Skep spewed out the final egg, Jyavreh Sahi teleported to the hole in the Skep''s birth organ, entering it. Covered by the black barrier, it was as if Jyavreh Sahi existed in another dimension. The Skep was unable to detect it.


    Jyavreh Sahi hurriedly moved inside, arriving before a sea of cords. There were hundreds of them in the area, their extremity blowing out a small bubble that was growing in size. Among them, a cord had already blown a bubble the size of the egg from before, solidifying it while faint mist circulated within.


    Jyavreh Sahi teleported within that bubble, unleashing a certain influence through its soul tendrils while retracting its black barrier. Faint blue radiance seeped into the Skep, affecting it. At the next moment, the bubble stopped solidifying; the remaining bubbles had finished solidifying by now, becoming eggshells.


    Faint liquid began to flow into it, corroding Jyavreh Sahi''s body. Jyavreh Sahi squinted under the pain, its body trembling while the skin began to melt. A couple of seconds later, it teleported out, returning to its position underneath the egg.


    ''That was risky. It was only birthing a Swarm member.'' It then began to influence the Skep through its soul tendrils. Time passed in such a manner. Soon, the Skep spewed out another batch of eggs. The moment it finished, Jyavreh Sahi teleported inside its birth organ.


    A couple of seconds later, it returned, looking disappointed. ''From everything I had investigated, it was this Skep''s turn to birth a Skep. But, it seems to need some more time for it to happen.''


    Jyavreh Sahi continued to teleport in and out the Skep, unwavering in its actions, displaying incredible patience. Soon, its actions bore fruit. All the cords inside the birth organ converged to one spot, collectively beginning to blow a single bubble.


    This bubble was different from the ones before, its size being massive while the bubble itself was tremendously tough. Soon, the bubble finished forming, beginning to solidify. The Skep''s body suddenly began to tremble, the action increasing to fervour in a matter of seconds.


    Suddenly, all the cords began to burn while a bluish-white radiance leaked out from them. Bluish-white mist gushed into the bubble, condensing into a crystal half the size of the Skep''s energy crystal. The moment it condensed, it was as if the Skep had lost half its power, turning incredibly weak.


    Four Skeps converged around it, guarding it while they continued to give birth to more eggs.


    ''The Skep''s birth crystal! It''s finally here!'' Jyavreh Sahi teleported into the bubble, creating a black barrier over her spine. Her spine was instantaneously diced into dust and teleported to a spot where the Skeps dumped their body waste.


    As a chain reaction, her body began to break down. But, before that could finish, she pulled out a tiny chip from her mouth. The chip was a piece of flesh, the aura imbued within being extremely frightening. If it unleashed all the aura contained within it in an instant, it could obliterate the Skep.


    But, Jyavreh Sahi didn''t do that, connecting tens of thousands of soul tendrils to it, transferring soul energy to it in a torrent. It was to such an extent that its eyes instantly dimmed while its body turned sluggish.


    Within a second, the chip glowed with a gentle radiance. Through its Will, it manipulated the radiance, wrapping both its body and the Skep''s birth crystal, activating the effect.


    Tier 6 Skill¡ªFusion!


    It was Gajara Rahi''s Tier 6 Skill. Using her abilities and research results, she shaved off a part of her spine and made it retain her Tier 6 Skill. It became a Tier 6 Relic, though it could only be used once, after which it would evaporate.


    Jyavreh Sahi''s body broke down¡ªdue to its Wisdom Parasite getting destroyed. Anyone else only had the option to die. But, it was different; Jyavreh Sahi hovered in its soul form, watching everything in calm. Its breaking body fused into the Skep''s birth crystal as a result of the Tier 6 Skill.


    A second later, the soul form of Jyavreh Sahi entered the birth crystal, not facing any resistance. Now, the Skep''s birth crystal was its genuine body. Bluish-white mist entered the bubble and was absorbed by the birth crystal, beginning to form a layer of flesh over it.


    The flesh soon grew, from a blob of meat to a set of defining features. ''Now, I only have to wait. When I am born, I will be reborn as¡­''


    ''A Skep!''

 Chapter 303: To Ignore Based on Common Sense

    8:30 AM, seated inside a room was Jyorta. The room was shaped into a circle with a radius of three metres. The walls curved, forming a dome, with the vertical height being three metres. The ground surface was fully covered by soft mud, over which grass grew.


    Even the walls were fully covered by the grass. There existed a rectangular section among a part of the wall, also covered by grass. A handle was on it; it was the room''s door. The grass was the same as the one that covered the military academy''s ground.


    Tiny metallic protrusions existed among the walls, spraying mist from time to time in tiny quantities. The grass absorbed the mist and emitted a faint aroma in return. The mist dissolved the aroma and was inhaled by Jyorta.


    It calmed his nerves, relaxing his mind while faintly improving the foundation of his body. Jyorta could instinctively sense his Nurturing effect continue without any trouble, at a pace smoother than before. The aroma was both a calming medicine and a nutritional substance that was beneficial to the human body.


    As he sat there in a meditative pose, Jyorta felt that the grass had some minute differences from the one planted on the ground outside. Only the sounds of his inhales and exhales filled the room. Even the mist was sprayed in silence, creating the perfect atmosphere for one to meditate.


    The room was bereft of any light, something that would have been a cause for fear to normal people. But, such a place was a haven for Warriors and Espers. It was where they could calm their mind and fortify their mental faculties.


    With the Wisdom Parasite in them, they were constantly on edge, trying their best to prevent it from taking control. Such a state of constant unrest and anxiety only worsened their conditions, increasing their chances of losing control.


    That was where the meditation rooms came into place. They were places where people could meditate, healing their minds while firming their willpower. It was a place they could relax and decide their future course.


    The mist secreted in the room wasn''t simple water. Mixed in it was a substance that mildly suppressed the Wisdom Parasite, giving the people some reprieve. It was a watered-down version of the Trait of Temperance.


    The meditation rooms were expensive to maintain, but it was free for the students. The military academy invested in their students, providing them such facilities for free of cost. Though, they would have to pay the appropriate price if they needed to use it beyond the military academy.


    After a battle, the students were advised to visit the meditation rooms to recover. Most of the time, Jyorta just stayed in it for the minimum most time necessary before heading out. After all, he didn''t need it. He could treat any mental condition using his false personas.


    People employed the meditation rooms when they were comprehending a Skill, formulating an ability, conceptualising an idea, etc. It was the place where they could think the best without any interruptions.


    Warriors used it when comprehending a Skill while Espers used it to solidify their imagination. But, Jyorta was capable of experiencing a memory over and over again using his blue soul. The effect he could enjoy was vastly superior to the meditation rooms. So, he never stayed there more than necessary; it was solely to avoid suspicion.


    But now, he had a reason to employ the services of the meditation room. It was because he was about the deal with all the memory fragments he had obtained in his previous labyrinth exploration. To avoid any complications, he decided to use the place where his body could relax the most.


    The blue soul created ten soul tendrils, grabbing hold of a soul husk bag. Within it was the memory fragments of a Tier 1 Crust-Mantle. He planned to go through them in chronological order from the youngest. After all, only the older ones were guaranteed to have witnessed the event from back then.


    The face mask¡ªthe false persona of calm, optimism, and filled with focus¡ªlanded on the blue face. The false persona soon affected his entire being. This was Jyorta''s contingency measure against the influence brought about by the memory fragments.


    When he comprehended while wearing a false persona, all the influence the memory fragments had on him would be blocked by it. Even though the false persona might be damaged or even polluted as a result, Jyorta had the confidence in repairing it. Moreover, the face mask had become quite sturdy through his improvement over the months. So, it wouldn''t be damaged that easily.


    The two Soul Corneas coiled around the soul husk bag, exerting their influence. The psychic energy in his Brain Crystal was siphoned by ten soul tendrils and transmitted to the two Soul Corneas. The murkiness within the soul husk bag was vaporised bit by bit. Within a minute, they were fully vaporised.


    Jyorta sighed, ''It doesn''t even take me a minute to fully vaporise the murkiness in the soul of a Tier 1 being now. I wonder how fast I can make them my subsoul.''


    He dropped the thought, unwilling to take the risk for the time being. The two Soul Corneas coiled around another soul husk bag, enacting the same. They went from one soul husk bag to another, soon finishing everything.


    Jyorta got rid of all the murkiness from the memory fragments he had obtained. A couple of soul tendrils tore open a soul husk and grabbed some memory fragments. The blue soul connected twenty soul tendrils to the brain, sending memory fragments through all of them.


    Jyorta immediately winced, ''Too much!''


    The quantity was so high that they went past the defences of his false persona and affected him. If he went all-out with comprehending the memories, then he might end up deluding himself into thinking he was a Crust-Mantle. The blue soul retracted the soul tendrils one by one, limiting itself based on trial and error.


    Only when four soul tendrils were connected to the brain did Jyorta heave a sigh. The stream of memory fragments gushing to his brain had decreased by a lot; this was his current limit. ''It will take longer for me to comprehend them all. Thankfully, there are no classes today.''


    A large part of the staff had been assigned the mission to resist the Lacquer Wave. The remainder were busy with the Graduation Ceremony scheduled a day after. So, there were no classes for all the Batches. Jyorta took this opportunity to comprehend the memory fragments. He had two days of free time to finish it.


    As the memory fragments continued to gush into his brain, Jyorta began to live the memories. It was chaotic, with numerous fragments of scenes flashing by. Jyorta failed to make heads or tails of it. But, he just blindly experienced them, not trying to comprehend anything.


    A couple of hours later, he finished the memory fragments from a soul husk bag. Once it was done, the blue husk extracted all the memories from his brain, beginning to assemble them. It was like solving a picture puzzle.


    Hundreds of soul tendrils operated, causing him mental strain. It was where the meditation room''s environment came into effect. The aroma heightened his senses, placing him in the optimal mental state always. This allowed Jyorta to continue the process for long durations without rest.


    Thankfully, the senses and instincts imbued in the blue soul allowed it to arrange the memory fragments in order, solving the puzzle easily. It took him half the time he used to comprehend the memories.


    The blue soul inspected the face mask, noticing a white layer had covered it, trying to seep into it. The two Soul Corneas turned jet black, corroding the white layer. ''This seems a lot easier than corroding the white layer over each memory fragment. Now, the process is easier and consumes less time and energy.''


    After it was fully compiled into a memory, the blue soul set it aside. Two soul tendrils opened another soul husk bag, sending the memory fragments to the brain in a stream. Jyorta planned to first prepare everything before he started to comprehend them in earnest.


    He didn''t wish to be interrupted, nor did he like being under suspense and waiting for the answer while the blue soul worked over the remaining memory fragments. That''s why he planned to do everything in order. After all, he only retained a bit more than 50 percent of his psychic energy reserves. So, he had to be as energy-efficient as possible.


    Time continued to pass as such; Jyorta''s legs began to ache. Finally, when the blue soul arranged the last memory fragment into its rightful place, Jyorta slumped on the grass, taking a nap to cool his head.


    3:30 PM, After waking up, refreshing himself, and eating his lunch, Jyorta returned to the meditation room. He sat cross-legged, closing his eyes before a thought hit him. He laid on the grass, taking in deep breaths to see if there was any reduction in the efficiency of the meditation room''s effects.


    ''It works fine,'' He felt like smacking his head. There wasn''t any difference; it would have been fine if he slept previously.


    "Haha, is this what it means to ignore based on common sense? It was wrong of me to assume meditation was only done cross-legged." Jyorta slept in a comfortable posture, closing his eyes as the blue soul sent a steady stream of memory fragments to his brain. From Tier 1 to Tier 2; that was his plan.


    A couple of seconds later, Jyorta found himself atop a sand mound, situated underground.

 Chapter 304: I’m Dying; Call my Brother.

    He had become a Tier 1 Crust-Mantle, one that had obtained its Frenzy Parasite recently. Standing atop the sand mound were four Tier 1 Crust-Mantles, including it. The mound was three metres in height.


    Standing before them, with the same line of sight was a massive Crust-Mantle, a being at Tier 4. It looked at them, motioning with its eyes towards a half-dug corner. "Dig a straight line for xxx xx."


    The Crust-Mantles used a new language, something that hadn''t been used by any other Frenzy Beast. As he was comprehending the memory, despite having never heard the language before, the meaning was automatically translated through a variety of impulses.


    It was the experience, will, meaning, etc. in the memory fragments. Through them, words popped into his mind, allowing him to understand their chirping sounds.


    There were some parts he couldn''t understand though. Based on what popped into his mind, it was a unit of distance the Crust-Mantles used. But, unlike the scaling humans used, their sense of distance was based on the sound. It was a strange unit that was based on the reduction in a sound''s amplitude as it was reflected from an object.


    Jyorta failed to make sense of it. But thankfully, he didn''t need to do anything. The scene played out by itself; he was just in a state of lucid dreaming, unable to control his actions but was aware of everything that happened.


    His Crust-Mantle form took the lead, crawling to the pointed area before it started to dig using its mandibles. It broke the soil, eating the parts that fell from the clanking of its mandibles. Acids were secreted in its stomach, absorbing the necessary nutrients from the soil while reacting with the remainder.


    Sometime later, his Crust-Mantle form pooped out a brown sphere, a quarter the size of its head. Without any delays, it continued to dig, proceeding further and further into the tunnel. When it had tired out, it returned to the sand mound while scooping all the brown spheres it had pooped out.


    Tier 2 Crust-Mantles arrived at the area, grabbing all the brown spheres before disappearing further into the tunnel. It was a long tunnel, the ends of which seemed infinite to its poor senses. After resting for a while, it returned to its task.


    The Tier 4 Crust-Mantle would occasionally come and give it instructions, changing the path their group of four had to dig through. What started as a straight line soon turned into a cluster of winding pathways that intersected at many joints, turning into a complex maze.


    His Crust-Mantle form travelled long distances, digging without a single complaint. The Tier 4 Crust-Mantle soon arrived, speaking with praise, "Your Tier 1 Skill is useful in a different location, head there."


    The Tier 4 Crust-Mantle pointed at a scent trail that led through many winding tunnels. Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form followed the scent trail like an ant, travelling for a day without rest, finally arriving at a large tunnel.


    The air was dry, with occasional sparks from the volatile substance in it. The heat was unbearable for even the Crust-Mantle, beings that lived in hot places. Five Tier 1 Crust-Mantles lay on the floor, resting, looking exhausted.


    Seeing its arrival, a Tier 4 Crust-Mantle beckoned it, motioning it to check the walls, "Use your Tier 1 Skill to check the sturdiness of the walls here. If there are cracks or any weaker areas, notify me immediately."


    It then pointed at a section of the wall, "This is your base of reference. Anything below this in unsatisfactory."


    The walls of the tunnel were seemingly hardened under intense heat. When Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form neared it, faint mist seeped out through the gaps in its exoskeleton. It bore the pain, activating its Tier 1 Skill while facing its back towards the wall.


    The tendril-like protrusions on its back acted as feelers as they moved over the walls, inspecting its hardness and toughness. It moved around, making a round of inspections, marking some spots with its mandibles.


    The walls were tough; it could barely manage to scratch some faint marks on it after a lot of effort. After marking the deficient areas, it began to scale up the walls, resisting the heat through its robust defences.


    When the heat turned unbearable, it returned to the ground, resting for a while before continuing with its task. After a long time had passed, it walked further into the tunnel and beckoned for the Tier 4 Crust-Mantle.


    The Tier 4 Crust-Mantle looked at the markings on the walls, expressing its disappointment through the screech it let out, "This is not good, there are too many mistakes. At this rate, it would collapse within 10 years."


    It then looked at Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form, "Continue with your task."


    Saying its piece, it sprinted further into the tunnel. A long time later, it dragged a Tier 3 Lava Turtle, motioning for it to look at the cracks, speaking in a language commonly used by the Frenzy Beasts, "The places with horizontal markings have formed cracks while the ones with circles are weaker than the established standard. Please correct them all."


    The Lava Turtle slumped on the floor, behaving as if it had become exhausted beyond the limit. It even went to the extent sprawling its tongue outside its mouth, twitching on the floor as saliva drooled out.


    "I am dying. Call my brother, he will take my place." It said with a weak tone.


    "You have thousands of brothers." The Tier 4 Crust-Mantle retorted.


    "Anyone of them will do, I am not working," The Lava Turtle replied. "When I die, place my shell in the most glorious of places. I am counting on you, my comrade."


    "¡­" The Tier 4 Crust-Mantle looked at the Hunter Clams living on its shell, sleeping in peace. If the Lava Turtle was actually in a state of dying, they would have been in a state of unrest and would have tried every possible means to save it. Seeing as they were peacefully resting, it meant the Lava Turtle was blatantly lying.


    The Tier 4 Crust-Mantle gazed at the Lava Turtle''s face. Facing its stare, the Lava Turtle upped its acting, playing dead, acting even better than actual dead beings. Time passed in such a manner; the Lava Turtle continued to play dead.


    The Tier 4 Crust-Mantle began to walk deeper into the tunnel, purposely stating its thoughts out loud, "I remember a powerful Lava Turtle telling me to inform it if a Lava Turtle died. I think it mentioned something along the lines of burial by fire¡­"


    "Blazing popsicles, this wall looks incomplete." Displaying agility beyond normal, the Lava Turtle stood before the wall, using its tongue to lick at the marked place. The air surrounding it faintly rumbled, creating gentle waves of wind.


    Unranked Skill¡ªIngrained Earth!


    Its tongue turned reddish-orange as the Lava Turtle licked the marked regions, seeping its energy into the wall. The energy condensed into lava, filling up the cracks before solidifying. The Lava Turtle continued as such while its eyes darted to the Tier 4 Crust-Mantle, watching its actions.


    The Tier 4 Crust-Mantle spoke after watching it work, "I was told to escort you to the dug path after this. You are in charge of solidifying the walls this time."


    No sooner had it said its piece did the head of the Lava Turtle spin, its body plopping on the ground. "My end is near. I think this is the best spot to place my shell. Don''t wait for me, comrade. Go do your work, find help from my brothers."


    Its neck trembled while its head gently touched the ground, rubbing the surface a couple of times before it rested. Its limbs retreated into its shell while its head too followed suit. Before it could fully head inside, it heard the Tier 4 Crust-Mantle speak once again, "The powerful Lava Turtle from before also said that those who finish their tasks on time will be exempt from any future work. Also, the better the finish, the longer they will be exempt from work."


    Its limbs popped out while its body shot towards another marked section on the wall, activating its Unranked Skill in earnest. Faint heat undulated from its body while a large volume of energy gushed out.


    The energy seeped into the walls, modifying its structure, hardening it to a level greater than the established standard. It also imbued in it a bit of an elastic property, to absorb shock better, preventing it from cracking easily.


    The heat radiating from the walls returned, used up as fuel by the Lava Turtle to better its structure, thereby consuming less energy. The Lava Turtle showed dextrous abilities, mending every tiny detail the Tier 1 Crust-Mantle had marked.


    When it was done, it walked to a part of the tunnel that had been recently dug up. The tier 4 Crust-Mantle and the other Tier 1 Crust-Mantles followed it. Their tasks were to check the end product for any defects using their Skills.


    The Lava Turtle stood on ground that had been solidified, facing its head towards the dug-up parts. It opened its mouth, spewing out a copious amount of energy like a torrent. The energy seemed to have a weight of its own, curving towards the ground like a waterfall, turning into lava mid-way.


    The lava morphed into a human figure that fell face-first on the ground, splashing forth as lava. The lava spread on the ground, causing a lot of smoke and steam. The Lava Turtle vomited out even more lava, turning it into human figures one after another.


    Each human figure fell on an empty region, splashing forth as lava. One human figure ran on the ground, cackling like a clumsy idiot before crashing into the wall. It was as if the Lava Turtle had a certain desire based on the way it manipulated the lava, using a lot of redundant actions.


    Seeing its actions, Jyorta''s consciousness frowned, feeling anger.

 Chapter 305: Slaves of the Frenzy Beast World

    Jyorta regained consciousness, opening his eyes to rest. He didn''t comprehend the entire life of the Tier 1 Crust-Mantle, only focusing on the memories related to the incident. Otherwise, he would need to spend months just to go through a single Crust-Mantle''s memory.


    The Lava Turtle in the memory tried its best to insult humans through every action it took, as if it gained pleasure from doing so. Since it was just a memory of an incident that happened long ago, Jyorta couldn''t do anything about it.


    Even if he was personally present in the scene, there wasn''t anything he could do. The Lava Turtle was a Developer possessing an Unranked Skill. Unless he was a Wave Controller, he had a zero chance of survival against it.


    But, through the memory, he obtained a lot of information about the working of the Lava Turtle''s Unranked Skill, Ingrained Earth. The blue soul extracted all information related to the Unranked Skill, storing it in a different region.


    Jyorta rolled on the grass a couple of times, inhaling the aroma that calmed his emotions, ''Since the Tier 1 Crust-Mantle was young, this incident seems more recent. But, I have no clue as to where it was present. It would prove more helpful if I could find its location.''


    After one of its missions, the Tier 1 Crust-Mantle was injured. It was then transported to an underground area a long distance away. The underground area seemed near the surface. When it was recuperating, the ceiling collapsed as humans invaded and captured everyone present there.


    The only clue Jyorta obtained was the sand that fell in through the collapsed ceiling. It meant the surface was a desert. ''Is it somewhere in the Thar Desert? But where exactly? The final location was only their resting place. They were transported a long distance to reach there. So, the actual location is somewhere else.''


    When the humans invaded, the resting Crust-Mantles were quickly subdued. The Tier 1 Crust-Mantle immediately lost consciousness. When it regained consciousness, it found itself in the second layer of the labyrinth of Frenzy, underneath the military academy in the 7th Ring of Marble City.


    Jyorta spent some time going through his memories, firming his mental state and inclination to humanity. He didn''t wish for there to be any after-effects that would influence him subtly, making him hesitate when facing a Crust-Mantle.


    He had to be in a constant state of alertness while comprehending the memories of others. A single mistake and he would turn into a different individual without even realising it. Thankfully, he had his ability of corrosion. It was his countermeasure against any external and unwanted influences.


    ''Is this the creepy-haired man''s arrangement after he came to realise the issue with Gajara Rahi? To prevent me from ending up with a multiple-personality disorder, he gave me an ability to solve the issue?''


    He then frowned, ''Just based on everything I have witnessed, an ability like teleportation goes beyond the capability of this era. So, how did he give Gajara Rahi such a powerful ability? In comparison, despite its wondrous uses, corrosion is pretty common. Many Frenzy Beasts have a corrosion-based ability. The only difference would be my vast range of applications.''


    The blue soul spent some time comprehending his memories. Jyorta remembered the memory related to the Lava Turtle shaping its lava into human-like figures, and making them act disparaging to their image. When he thought about it, Jyorta felt anger.


    He then recalled the scenes where he fought against the Crust-Mantles and other Frenzy Beasts, cross-referencing the emotions he felt to the ones he felt at the incident. When they were the exact same, Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief. ''I am ready now.''


    Without a second of delay, the blue soul began to send the memory fragments of another Tier 1 Crust-Mantle to his brain. A couple of seconds later, his consciousness fell into another scene.


    It was on a sandy mound, many times bigger than the previous one. It resembled a hill. Standing atop the sandy hill were hundreds of Tier 1 Crust-Mantles. Jyorta''s consciousness looked afar, spotting massive shadows on the horizon.


    They were straight lines, looking thick enough despite the long distance between them. The lower end of the thick lines proceeded into the sea while its upper end proceeded into the clouds. There were many such think lines littered over the sea, separated by even distances.


    The clouds swiftly moved with the blowing wind. There was a small gap between the cluster of clouds. When they flowed past, the gap aligned with one of the thick lines, allowing the Tier 1 Crust-Mantle to gaze at its beyond.


    It was a massive structure, the size of a hill. Even on a conservative measure, the structure was around 200 metres wide. It was a sphere, its define smudged by the distance and the refraction of the light, making it resemble a shadow.


    The air was a mixture of blue, similar to the morning, making all the far-off objects look a blurry shade of blue. As the clouds moved past, the gap in them outlined numerous such spherical structures. There existed smaller spheres hovering beside each giant sphere, like the moon near the earth.


    Further beyond, visible as faint shadows were even larger structures, their sizes becoming bigger and bigger towards the back, until resembling mountains. ''The territory of the Floating Spiders. Domineering indeed; as expected of the strongest Frenzy Beast race.''


    Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form gazed towards its back, allowing his consciousness to witness a desert that stretched far beyond the horizon. Suddenly, a massive shadow cast over his view. Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form turned around, noticing a massive Crust-Mantle appear before.


    Judging by its size, it was a Tier 5 being. The Tier 5 Crust-Mantle spoke through their signatory chirps, using the new language exclusive to them, "Our orders are to dig a tunnel whose entrance will face into the sea. Our Tier 4 brethren will take the lead with the digging while the Tier 3 brethren will fill in the gaps and support them. All Tier 2 are in charge of transporting the soil back to the surface and pouring them into the sea."


    It spoke with a flurry of chirps, looking at the Tier 1 Crust-Mantle standing atop each sand hill, "Your task is to flatten the soil we pour into the sea. There will be some Tier 3 among you to relay instructions and harden the soil accordingly. Follow their orders and do your best to create an appropriate structure."


    Its voice then turned gentle, almost pleading, "Whatever you do, never ever come into contact with the water. And most importantly, when you see a Floating Spider, never look into its eyes. Enter a submissive stance immediately, even if they are just Tier 1 Floating Spiders. Also, should they ever attack one of us, act as if you haven''t seen it. Remember to follow my words if you don''t wish for everyone to be exterminated."


    Its chirps almost turned sorrowful, as if it was crying. Thankfully, they used a new language, so only the Crust-Mantles understood what it said. Moreover, their voices were similar to the chirps of a bird, the pitch always being the same. So, only the Crust-Mantle''s could understand the underlying emotions based on the faint modulations.


    Suddenly, a silk rope coiled around the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle, pulling it towards a spherical structure hidden within the clouds. A minute later, the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle landed at the foot of a sand hill, its face sporting a vicious gash.


    The Tier 5 Crust-Mantle wheezed in pain, struggling to get up. Seeing its state, the Tier 1 Crust-Mantles cried out in agony, beginning to descent the sand hills. Suddenly, the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle let out a loud chirp, "Don''t move. Remain in your positions. I am fine, I won''t die from such an injury."


    The Tier 5 Crust-Mantle weekly stood up, dragging its body towards its previous spot. Just by its stance alone, it was apparent it was gravely injured. Moreover, the moment it turned around, showing its back, all the Tier 1 Crust-Mantles shuddered in shock, looking at a massive hole on its back.


    A large part of its flesh had seemingly been gorged out. The only thing left behind was a wriggling spine which was left undamaged. Whatever had attacked it had only left the spine and some vital organs necessary for survival untouched. It had gorged out as much of the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle''s flesh as it could.


    After arriving at its previous location, the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle turned around, facing the Tier 1 Crust-Mantles once again. Just when it uttered a word, its mandibles fell off, breaking down into three pieces when coming into contact with the ground.


    While wheezing in pain, the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle chirped, "Remember to focus solely on your task. Ignore everything else."


    The moment it said its words, Tier 3 Crust-Mantles arrived at the scene, with each climbing to the peak of a sand hill. A Tier 3 Crust-Mantle led all the Tier 1 Crust-Mantles on each sand hill towards the waters.


    A large hole was being dug up 20 kilometres inland, with the Tier 2 Crust-Mantles transporting the soil and rocks from within towards the shores, piling it up into large hills. Each Tier 3 Crust-Mantle took charge of a hill, leading its group of Tier 1 Crust-Mantles.


    They scaled its top and began to push the soil towards the waters, filling it up from the shore. As the soil turned wet, the Tier 1 Crust-Mantle used their body weight to harden them, forming a pavement as they proceeded further into the sea.


    When it scaled to the peak, Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form gazed at the lone figure of the injured Tier 5 Crust-Mantle, watching it drag its body into the waters, in hopes of finding something to eat. Not one Crust-Mantle helped it, even though many shot pleading stares at it, wishing to help it.


    The Tier 5 Crust-Mantle shook its head, warning them to proceed with their tasks, its entire figure a personification of sadness and despair.

 Chapter 306: Pity

    Saltwater seeped out through some pores, touching a gelatinous surface as they spread out, gaining in mass. Soon, they were unable to be confined, causing a thin stream to break out from the mass. The head of the stream resembled a drop as it moved past a region of bristles before flowing down a vertical leathery surface.


    Faint hair covered it, hindering the flow of the stream. But soon after, the volume of the stream increased, its momentum gaining the upper hand to the extent it could ignore the resistance of the faint hair.


    The surface turned warmer, suffused with a mild shade of underlying pink. The stream absorbed the heat, turning warmer than the surface. A while later, a pair of fingers brushed past, breaking the stream.


    Jyorta regained consciousness, realising he was crying. Before he realised it, his emotions were affected. He started to mourn for the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle''s injury while feeling a sense of helplessness. Hatred started to churn, brewing in his heart. The moment the blue soul noticed the situation turning amiss, it stopped sending memory fragments to the brain, forcing the body to wake up.


    Even watching a movie on a screen would affect a person''s emotions. Some emotions will quickly die after either the scene or the movie finishes. But, there was a chance for an emotion to linger long after, if the scene was something that resonated with the individual.


    This was considering it was just a movie, something the viewer knew beforehand of it not being real and also watching it on a screen. He/she wasn''t actually living in it.


    But, in Jyorta''s case, he was actually living the Tier 1 Crust-Mantle''s memory. It won''t be the truth to say he wasn''t affected, as he was actually experiencing each scene with all the related stimuli and emotions.


    And, even though he was using his false persona, the filter wasn''t able to protect him for long as he started to invest his emotions, immersing himself in the scenes. Because of this involvement, he was slowly affected, getting pulled further and further into the memory.


    Thankfully, the blue soul quickly severed the source, stopping the transmission of memory fragments to the brain. Instantaneously, the false persona began to affect him, calming his emotions, allowing Jyorta to inspect his state from a calmer perspective.


    ''I was easily affected.'' He sighed, wiping his tears. The blue soul was an emotionless existence but the body it was connected to was an emotional being, possessing all emotional faculties. Without the brain''s involvement, the blue soul was incapable of self-thought, only able to function the bare necessities instinctively.


    Thanks to his previous life''s memories, his perspective was broad. But, his emotional development conformed to his body''s age. There wasn''t much he could do in this aspect. The teenage was a dangerous period where people were prone to emotional fluctuations. It was a period where they were hormonal driven, having as little control over their emotions as possible.


    Jyorta continued to take deep breaths, the aroma inhaled serving to cool all the emotional fluctuations his body was experiencing. This was another reason he comprehended the memories in the meditation room. It was beneficial to his body, lowering the chances he would be emotionally influenced by the memory fragments.


    Once he calmed down, he would be able to deal with them. Ten minutes later, his body was in a state of normalcy, all the effects of the memory had died down.


    After noticing this, the blue soul extracted the related memory fragments from his brain. A white layer existed over them, having grown a tad thicker than before. A Soul Cornea arrived, turning jet black before it corroded the white layer.


    The blue soul did the same to all the memory fragments Jyorta had currently comprehended. When it was done, Jyorta looked at his psychic energy reserves, ''I have around 38 percent remaining. The expenditure is greater than expected. The more I am affected by them, the more energy I need to expend by corroding the white layer on the related memory fragments.''


    ''Even the false persona is not that effective in this case. I don''t have a method better than this.'' He thought hard, unable to think up any other measures for the time being. His only choice was to take it slow and steady.


    Jyorta sighed, reminding himself, "One step at a time."


    The blue soul fed his brain pieces of information that went against the influence brought by the Crust-Mantle''s memory fragments. It unearthed his fight with the Crust-Mantles in the labyrinth, using other memories, facts, logic, etc. to override what he felt at present.


    The two logic and emotional states collided with each other. Thanks to the face mask, Jyorta was calm all the time. The blue soul continued to send memory fragments, one after other, repeating them as many times as necessary, flooding the influence of the Crust-Mantle''s memories.


    Soon, it won, overwhelming the opponent. Ten minutes later, the blue soul lifted the face mask. Jyorta rechecked his emotional state by recalling the memory of the Crust-Mantles, comparing his view to them at present and what he had originally at the scene.


    ''There are some minute differences. I am feeling slight pity to the Crust-Mantles. It seems I have to wait a bit longer and continue to firm my mental state and inclinations.''


    Jyorta exited the meditation room, deciding to take a walk on the ground for a change of pace. Along the way, near the entrance of the Green Building¡ªthe building with the meditation rooms¡ªwas a mirror.


    Jyorta stared at his reflection, firming his reasoning. ''I am a human. Humans and Frenzy Beasts are irreconcilable enemies. Don''t show pity to your enemies.''


    He stared at his reflection for more than 10 seconds, his expression focused, mentally chanting his views over and over again, as a form of brainwashing. He returned to his room, securely locked the door, and placed the key in its respective socket.


    He took out a bag from the rack above his bed and fished out a box from it. Contained within was a book, a Tier 5 Artifact his grandfather, Jyovic Bone had made for him. Information related to Espers, a compilation of the Bone Family''s total accumulations was in it.


    It was a pity that he was unable to peek into it, despite all efforts. He tried using his Soul Corneas but was unable to find any information in the book. The Soul Corneas were freely able to sense and affect things only related to the soul.


    They were capable of affecting reality, but that was only when he activated his corrosion. So, he was unable to use them in witnessing the secrets contained within the Tier 5 Artifact. At present, Jyorta only used the Artifact to train his aura.


    He used his psychic arm to slightly open the lid after drawing a pattern over it by infusing his psychic energy. The moment the lid opened, an overbearing aura wafted out, instantly paralysing him. His thoughts came to a halt while the air in his lungs gushed out.


    Jyorta could no longer sit still, losing control of his limbs. Even his psychic arm shuddered until it broke down into psychic energy. When the psychic arm collapsed, the lid fell, blocking out the aura. Jyorta lay paralysed on the bed for a good ten minutes before he got up, feeling weak.


    ''It took me 15 minutes to recover before. Now, it only requires 10 minutes but¡­'' He frowned, ''The aura it unleashes feels a tad weaker. Is it because it is a Tier 5 Artifact and is unable to recover the expended aura?''


    He still wasn''t completely knowledgeable about the Artifacts to think up a definite answer. Jyorta stood up and arrived before the table, pulling up its drawer. Within it were a glass jar and a marble slab.


    Jyorta picked up the marble slab, pulling out a pen attached within. He sat on the chair, immersed in thought for a couple of seconds before writing on the slab. "A Tier 5 Artifact is in a sealed state. When the seal is lifted, its aura is unleashed. The seal is lifted for a second at least twice daily. After 9 months of use, the aura feels a tad weaker. How does the aura in objects, Artifacts, and Relics behave?"


    He read it twice, seeing that he had expressed everything he wished to inquire in it. He put the pen in its holder in the marble slab and placed it inside the drawer.


    Feeling some hunger, he went to the cafeteria and consumed snacks until his belly felt like it would burst. After that, he went to the White Building, brushing up some books about human and Frenzy Beast psychology.


    While he was at it, he appeared for a test, in a subject he only had partial knowledge of. Every Credit mattered at this point, and there were a lot of topics he hadn''t appeared in the tests for, a simple reason being he knew next to nothing about them.


    By inquiring his seniors, he ruled out tough topics with concepts that were difficult to understand in a short time. He decided on easy topics among the subjects he hadn''t studied earlier. This way, he could amass Credits efficiently.


    ''In my next exploration of the labyrinth, I will proceed to the fifth layer and use my abilities to trigger a war.'' The screen flashed and displayed the first question. Jyorta started answering it, all the while observing his psychic energy replenish slowly.


    ''It would take some time to go through the Crust-Mantle memories. I will obtain more memory fragments of the Crust-Mantles from my future explorations. But, once I am done, how will I relay the information to Ancestor Marble? A Tier 2 fledgling, and a student at that asking for a method to contact the highest authority of Marble City; no sane person will help me.''


    He massaged his temples, feeling tired.

 Chapter 307: Weak, But Has Value

    Starting from the shores and extending a few kilometres into the sea was a pavement made of soil and stones. It was a disharmonious mixture, barely held together by the saliva of the Crust-Mantles.


    Crust-Mantles shuttled to and fro above it, transporting soil further into the sea. They were creating a long path, spanning 20 metres wide each. Once the paths were created, they dropped the soil into the sea to fall onto a structure beneath.


    It was a tunnel, extending deep into the sea and making a large arc around the territory of the Floating Spiders.


    The tunnel was made by interweaving of silk ropes, produced by Transformer Floating Spiders using their Unranked Skill, Web World. The ones who had taken charge of the entire operation in the sea was the Web Family. The remaining two Families were in charge of other operations.


    Cylindrical columns were joined together one after another¡ªlike compartments of a train¡ªto extend the tunnel.


    Each cylindrical column spanned a kilometre in diameter and two kilometres in length. They were massive structures that weighed beyond what anyone could carry. Thankfully, the silk ropes were weaved in such a pattern that the entire structure could bear its weight.


    Adding onto the elastic property which was in tune with its rigidity, the structure was stable and was capable of withstanding intense water pressures. As the structure was made from the silk produced by the Unranked Skill, Web World, it was capable of hovering in the air.


    If it wasn''t anchored to the ground, it would probably fly away into space until reaching equilibrium with the forces of nature. Riding within each cylindrical web structure were droves of Floating Spiders, using their weight to keep the structure hovering a hundred metres above sea level.


    A Sky Controller Floating Spider took the charge to man it, moving it towards its respective spot. It eventually aligned it over the ends of the long tunnel proceeding into the sea.


    Upon the Sky Controller Floating Spider''s signal, a couple of Transformer Floating Spiders within the structure unleashed their auras, directing the brunt of it away from the working force. Upon unleashing their auras, their body weights were no longer inhibited, causing the cylindrical web structure to move downwards.


    The Sky Controller made fine adjustments, making the ends of the cylindrical web structure align with the ends of the tunnel. The two Transformers walked towards the joint, using their Unranked Skill, Web World to connect it. They continued to reinforce it until it looked like the entire tunnel was one long structure, without any segments.


    The moment they finished joining the cylindrical structure, Crust-Mantles poured over in droves, bringing soil while filling up the area. They covered the sea surface with the soil, leaving most of the work to the seawater.


    When the seawater mixed with the soil, it turned them heavier, causing them to sink and cover the tunnel. They mixed their saliva into the soil which turned the soil into a cohesive unit that attracted each other, developing an affinity to one another.


    As they proceeded deeper into the sea, the depth the tunnel was laid went deeper. Eventually, even the upper surface of the tunnel was a kilometre below sea level. When its lower surface rested on the sea bed, the Floating Spiders delivered some commands to the Tier 5 Crust-Mantles manning the area.


    The Tier 5 Crust-Mantles relayed the instructions to their underlings. Hundred Tier 4 Crust-Mantles dived into the sea, swimming towards the seabed, occupying spots around the tunnel. They began to dig up the soil underneath it, piling them up beside while causing the tunnel to slowly fall deeper into the ground.


    Starting from one end, they did the same towards its other end which was peaking on the shore. There was another similar tunnel twenty kilometres inland, starting from the place where the Crust-Mantles were digging the ground for.


    It seemed they planned to connect the two at the end when they were finished on both sides. Their depth was a kilometre below sea level while the lower surface was two kilometres below sea level.


    The soil they dug up for the tunnel inland was used to cover the one in the sea. As for the sand they scooped out from underneath the tunnel in the sea, it was used as topsoil cover, making the sea bed look the same as before, as if nothing happened there.


    ''They are planning to bring something from the seas deep into the land. Judging by the directions, it should be far from Marble City, but not far enough, possibly within the range of 300 kilometres.'' Jyorta thought. His consciousness experienced the life of the Crust-Mantle form that scooped soil from one place, ran over some distance, and accumulated it as a small mound.


    Another Tier 1 Crust-Mantle scooped the soil from there and transported it some distance further, scooping it into another mound. In such a way, the soil was orderly transported deep into the seas before being dropped over the tunnel. It was a repetitive process.


    Floating Spiders made up almost half the workforce. They flew from one place to another, helping in transporting large rocks. If the rocks proved to be too big or heavy, the Crust-Mantles would use their mandibles and break them into smaller pieces.


    The two races worked in sync but hardly ever exchanged a word. Most of the conversations transpired between the Tier 5 beings of the two races. More than a conversation, it was just the Floating Spiders ordering the Crust-Mantles around.


    A Wave Controller Floating Spider had become tired, most of its psychic energy had been consumed by this operation. The work of the Espers in this operation was only one thing, it was to mask the entire area using their psychic abilities.


    Sight, sound, smell, etc. every aspect that could be detected had to be blocked out. It was to prevent their enemy, Marble City from figuring their plan out. Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form gazed towards the sky once while on its task, noticing hundreds of Floating Spiders in the air.


    Just the area above it alone consisted of such frightening numbers. Through its poor eyesight, it made out the silhouettes of even more Floating Spiders in the air, casting a massive net that blocked out everything. The Transformers from the Web Family used their Unranked Skill to create the net.


    The web made from the Unranked Skill was capable of blocking out most, if not all detection methods of the same Tier, except sight. Shifters created two more layers below, unwilling to take any chances. After all, it was best to be as careful as possible, considering the astounding abilities of their foes, the humans.


    Above the net formed by the Web Family were the Espers, overlaying another layer with their psychic arms to make the net invisible while also masking its presence. Unlike the net that was a solid structure once formed, the Espers had to constantly maintain their layer while keeping an optimal state of mind and focus.


    When they got tired, there were replaced by other Floating Spider Espers, taking as much care as possible. Among them was the Wave Controller Floating Spider that had almost exhausted itself. When it was replaced, it flew towards its home, one of the massive spherical domes.


    Along the way, it noticed the working figures of the Crust-Mantles, looking at their robust physique. It found a Shifter Crust-Mantle swimming towards the surface, flying towards it before attacking its back.


    Despite possessing more than enough means to retaliate, the Shifter Crust-Mantle endured while defending its vitals. On noticing the ensuing battle, many more Espers who had completed their shifts flew over, watching the fight with interest.


    Seeing the Crust-Mantle''s robust physique, they drooled, intending to join the fight. But, just when they were planning to make a move, a Sky Controller Floating Spider arrived at the scene, breaking up the fight.


    "Don''t do anything that would delay the work? Understand?" It glared at the Wave Controllers, emitting dense killing intent. The Wave Controllers meekly nodded in response and proceeded to their homes.


    When they left, the Sky Controller Floating Spider gazed at the Shifter Crust-Mantle, "Get back to work. Don''t complain about losing a bit of flesh every single time."


    The Shifter Crust-Mantle hurriedly nodded and retreated into the water, escaping from the scene.


    "Too weak," The Sky Controller Floating Spider commented, "But, they have their uses. Just their flesh alone improves our Essence of Frenzy."


    The Shifter Crust-Mantle climbed up the pavement, collapsing near Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form, chirping in anger, "Damn them!"

 Chapter 308: Schemes of the Weak

    Scuttling sounds echoed within a dark tunnel as Crust-Mantles carried dirt from one end to the other. In the deeper end, Tier 4 Crust-Mantles broke large pieces of rocks, creating a lot of gravel in the process.


    The rocks were easier to carry as two Tier 2 Crust-Mantles joined and carried it together. Most of the time, they were small enough to be carried by a Tier 2 Crust-Mantle alone. On the other hand, Transporting the gravel was a cumbersome process.


    A Tier 2 Crust-Mantle, Jyorta''s current form pulled forth a trolley and stopped a fair distance away from the flurry of activities.


    He finished the memories of all the Tier 1 Crust-Mantles he had obtained. One common thing among them was the fact that all of them had been captured by humans from the same place underneath the desert.


    After that, Jyorta took some break before focusing on the memory fragments of the Tier 2 Crust-Mantles. He had four of them to go through. It was well into the night when he started to comprehend the first set of memories.


    The Crust-Mantles were expert diggers, capable of working with the least commotion. Their Skills were related to such, capable of digging through the earth while ensuring the created tunnels were rigid enough to never collapse.


    ''This is what Rhachis Ancestor Earth had intended when creating them. They can work in high temperatures, heavy pressures, in both air and water, and possess tough but agile bodies. Their bodies are also beneficial for consumption as they improve the consumer''s Essence of Frenzy. Their fighting power is at the bottom of their Tiers, so they can never hope to rebel. Moreover, for some reason, they are a close-knit community, caring about the lives of their brethren more than their own, and can be forced to work using a hostage situation.''


    ''All these factors make them exploitable targets. The four Frenzy Beast races can exploit the Crust-Mantles as much as needed. And, if they outlive their use, they can be used as a farming material due to the beneficial nature of their flesh.'' Jyorta thought.


    The blue soul then continued to send memories to his brain, fully immersing himself in the memory. Now, he was no longer able to think, passively experiencing everything the memory has to offer.


    He had planted certain stimuli previously. The moment his brain churned thoughts, it meant he had obtained some information to process. The blue soul would immediately stop sending the memory fragments and break him from the immersion. Jyorta would then think through the information he perceived and would resume when he had concluded his thoughts.


    The trolley was made from silk, with most of the frame hardened thanks to the coiling structure of the silk threads used. It was twice the size of the Tier 2 Crust-Mantle, shaped into a rectangle. Two ropes extended from one side and were wound around the head of Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form.


    When it reached the area, the Crust-Mantle form turned around, using its mandibles as a forklift to lift the trolley and made it face the opposite direction. After placing it on the ground, it turned around, facing the direction of the exit.


    A Ground Controller Crust-Mantle used its psychic arms to send a steady stream of gravel into the trolley, filling it up within a dozen seconds. The moment it finished, it nudged the Tier 2 Crust-Mantle, "Keep up with the good work. Nothing troubling happened outside, right?"


    Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form chirped, looking around to notice that only its Crust-Mantle brethren were within the tunnel. It hesitated for a second before chirping, "Everything we were told to ignore has happened. The Floating Spiders are a bloodthirsty race. They are nothing like the Lava Turtles."


    Hearing its words, the surroundings turned silent. It seemed most of the workers were listening to their conversation. For a couple of seconds, all work paused. The other Tier 2 Crust-Mantles too echoed its reply, validating its claims.


    The Ground Controller Crust-Mantle let out sad chirps, "There is nothing we can do about it. We are helpless against them. They have Tier 6 beings on their side while we can''t even face their Tier 5 beings."


    Its chirps resounded through the tunnel, "Resume our work. We can''t be impatient. Our time will surely come."


    Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form sulked and started to pull the trolley. It soon increased its speed, accompanied by eight more Tier 2 Crust-Mantles. They sprinted towards the exit; the scuttling sounds they produced echoed within the dark tunnel.


    After an hour had passed, the tunnel lit up and began to incline. They had to exert greater strength to pull the trolley up. Thankfully, they had built up more than enough momentum to do so. In unison, the nine Tier 2 Crust-Mantles exited the tunnel, running on flat, paved land before arriving at their destination.


    Nine Ground Controllers stood before them, using their psychic arms to lift the gravel from the trolley before scooping them atop the hill. Just when they were done, another batch of Tier 2 Crust-Mantles, numbering nine arrived. It was an efficient loop, without any wastage of time. Everything, including their abilities, had been perfectly calculated to ensure the most efficient performance of the tasks.


    Suddenly, chirps of all intensities resounded. The tone held anger, sadness, grief, pain, hatred, etc. it was an overwhelming influx of emotions. Even the Ground Controllers were startled for a second before chirping in unison, their cries echoing with the others.


    ''Someone important was gravely injured!'' This sentence formed in his mind. Just as he was wondering, Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle left its trolley behind and sprinted towards the source. The moment it noticed the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle sporting a massive hole on its back, it expressed its fury.


    But, before it could run to the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle''s rescue, a psychic arm coiled around it, stopping it. "Don''t, all you will be doing is escalate the situation. Leader is stronger than you think and will definitely live."


    "But!" The Tier 2 Crust-Mantle chirped in anger, its mind clouded by hatred. Seeing its response, the Ground Controller Crust-Mantle was helpless. Its other psychic arms similarly held three other Tier 2 Crust-Mantles. They all wished to rush to their leader''s rescue.


    "Get back to work." Seeing the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle shake its head, the Ground Controller Crust-Mantles clattered their mandibles, controlling their broiling emotions as they placated the others.


    Seeing the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle enter the sea alone, without even treating its injuries, Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form injured itself. Its injury prevented it from being able to work for the time being. Seeing its condition, the Ground Controller Crust-Mantle chirped in sadness before letting it go, "Take some rest. But, never try to help our leader. Those Floating Spiders always wish to gloat on our misfortune. When you help our leader, they will injure it even more. At least, its Sync Rate hasn''t been affected."


    Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form dragged its body and began to head towards the desert, retaining most of its attention on the shore, at the place where the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle had entered. A couple of hours later, it burrowed into the sand and entered a dome.


    The entrance was inconspicuous, looking no different from the surrounding sand. But, a faint difference in the sand''s porosity was what allowed them to locate it. When it entered, it noticed more than a hundred Crust-Mantles resting in the area.


    It took a corner and rested, trying to figure out a way it can use to treat the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle. Its thoughts were apparent, laid across its mind, body language, and being. It was easy to figure out its thoughts.


    Suddenly, the sand walls beside it churned as the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle entered. Seeing its appearance, Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form chirped in joy, "Leader!"


    "Don''t create a commotion," The Tier 5 Crust-Mantle admonished it, signalling the remaining Crust-Mantles to remain seated. All the resting ones hadn''t been at the scene and hadn''t witnessed its injury. Moreover, the Tier 5 Crust-Mantle only peeked its head through the sand and avoided exposing its injury.


    Moreover, its face no longer sported the gash from before while its mandibles looked to be in a pristine state. For a moment, Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form stared in shock, unable to figure out the reason for its recovery.


    "Come with me," The Tier 5 Crust-Mantle retreated into the sand. Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form hurriedly followed suit, burrowing into the sand. It followed the scent trail, using its mandibles to make a path.


    As the sand was loose, it closed the gap the moment Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form passed through. Soon, it was unable to catch up, sensing the scent trail turn fainter and fainter. It activated its Tier 2 Skill, moving faster through the sand, soon breaking into a small dome.


    The dome was only wide enough to allow the two beings to stand side by side. The Tier 5 Crust-Mantle still sported the large hole on its back. But, unlike before, its muscles wriggled, increasing in mass as they filled up the hole.


    An hour later, its body was fully healed. But, it seemed it had lost a considerable degree of energy in doing so, panting in exhaustion while it looked at Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form, "We are one of the weakest race among the Frenzy Beasts. While creating us, Rhachis Ancestor Earth took great measures to ensure we wouldn''t ever be able to Nurture powerful Skills. I can''t even fathom how it is possible, but it is our reality."


    "But, I don''t wish for us to stay like this." It chirped, expressing its dissatisfaction. "I had purposely lured the Floating Spiders to injure me earlier. They couldn''t resist gorging on my flesh. Now, using my injury as an excuse, I will go on a trip."


    "Trip?" Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form chirped in confusion.


    "Yes," The Tier 5 Crust-Mantle chirped in response, "If we wish to change our fate, there are only two alternatives. I am heading into the ocean to find the Skeps while I leaked the location of this resting place to the humans. For some reason, humans desire to capture Tier 1 and Tier 2 beings of every Frenzy Beast race. So, they won''t be able to resist this."


    "Everyone resting within are already privy of it. After they are captured, they will try to establish communications with the humans in Marble City." Its chirps were suffused with a gentle tone amid the sadness, "Most, if not all of you might fail and die. But, we have to grasp that slimmest chance of success."


    "Based on everything I investigated, the Skeps are planning another invasion. The Lava Turtles are planning to temporarily vacate their homes and migrate somewhere else. The Spindle Bees and the Floating Spiders will be affected by the Skeps. Unfortunately, the River Whales won''t be affected, but they will retreat further north to reduce their causalities."


    "This will give us time to plan as less attention would be placed on us." It chirped, "Are you willing to be captured?"


    "Yes! I will do anything for our future." Jyorta''s Crust-Mantle form chirped with resolve, "Please be safe. The Skeps are terrifying foes that are at the pinnacle of evolution."


    "That is precisely why I am visiting them. It is worth the risk." The Tier 5 Crust-Mantle burrowed into the sand and proceeded towards the sea.

 Chapter 309: Inclination and the Difficulty in Maintaining it for Psychic Parasites

    It was a narrow desert, with the sides walled by yellow marble. Faint wind brushed past, lifting small portions of the smooth sand, gentle in its actions. The air was blazing hot, the humidity non-existent. Underneath a sand dune rested a being, having prepared a trap for its prey.


    Its surroundings were dark but its senses were focused on the faint vibrations the flowing wind undulated. The fluctuations allowed it to sense the presence of any approaching foe. It suddenly sensed its brethren but was confused at its actions.


    ''Why is it walking out in the open like that? It is also walking dangerously close to the traps laid by other Frenzy Beasts.'' Just when it was thinking as such, its vision was affected. The earlier darkness vanished and was replaced by a languid tunnel suffused with a gentle purple hue. Something within the tunnel made it feel weak, wishing to lie down and rest for eternity.


    When it tried to move, it suffered a lot of resistance, despite its path only filled with air. The tunnel walls looked rigid but sand fell off from it with the slightest touch. The moment it sensed its surroundings, it noticed the presence of a massive beast lurking within the tunnel, positioned 20 metres below.


    It was a serpent, its body as wide as the tunnel. Its eyes shot open, the reptilian features caused a bone-chilling sensation to seep into its spine. The reptilian beast started to move.


    "Where did it come from?" Letting out a couple of chirps, it exerted all its strength to move up the tunnel, moving through the resistance. Soon, it reached the top and burrowed out, landing on a familiar sandy dune.


    The moment it did so, its surroundings changed. The purple hue vanished and was replaced by blinding light and the dry air. The tunnel it burrowed out from was collapsing as sand continued to fall into it, carried by the wind.


    Through its senses, it failed to detect the presence of the serpent. When it felt confusion, the scene before it was overlaid by a green hue. A stalk of grass grew, like a vine, soon reaching the ceiling. A bud formed at its tip and the vine bent forward under the weight.


    It continued to grow, with its middle touching the ceiling while the bud on its front hovered above the sand.


    "R-Rhachis Ancestor Spindle?" It screeched in fright, its body shuddering in fear, its mandibles unconsciously clanking at each other. It watched a vine appear from the bud and gently touch its head.


    ''If I dare resist, others will be implicated. Sorry leader, I failed the mission. I can only place hope on the rest that had been moved to a different facility.'' It stared with a resolute gaze, watching the vine drill its way into its head.


    It neither screamed nor struggled, bearing the pain while infusing its Will into its Wisdom Parasite unconsciously, ''Us Crust-Mantles would one day be free! We will be free! No one will be able to challenge our freedom by then! We won''t lead pitiful lives! Our leader will avenge us! Mark my words! We will be free!''


    The vine drilled into its brain and ended up killing it. In its final breath, the Tier 2 Crust-Mantle watched the vine before it disappear, replaced by a Tier 1 Crust-Mantle on whose back sat a human. A psychic arm appeared from his head, carrying the spindle that drilled into its head.


    ''Hah, none of you are any better. All of you should die!''


    "Huff¡­puff¡­" Jyorta broke out of his immersion, heaving ragged breaths while his brows were scrunched. He gritted his teeth, clenching his hand into a fist, pulling out some grass in agitation. His breathing grew ragged while his face was flushed red.


    Tears streamed out of his eyes while his vocal cords moved up and down, uttering the words, "All of you should die."


    His eyes widened in surprise as his right hand slapped his cheek. The pain broke his thought process for a moment while the aroma in the air forcefully stabilised his emotions. The face mask continued to placate his emotions, suppressing them.


    But, something was being built up within him, trying to force its way into exploding. It was a raging volcano that wanted to drown everything in its magma. The blue soul extracted all the memories from the immersion, using the two Soul Corneas to corrode them.


    It unearthed the memories of his life, those that were vividly etched in him. They alleviated his emotions a little, barely balancing his alignment. The blue soul worked in full capacity, trying to influence the impression in his mind through the sheer volume of memories it sent.


    It was a battle, his mind in a dangerous state. If he was either interrupted or prolonged from taking an action, then Jyorta would possibly delude himself into thinking he was a Crust-Mantle. Reliving the memories of a being was incredibly dangerous.


    The more he lived their memories, the more he understood. And, the greater he could understand them, the deeper he was influenced and fell into. As he had comprehended the memories of quite a few Crust-Mantles, the influence their memories had on him was deepening.


    Even though the blue soul was negating them after every session, his comprehension of them still remained. So, the moment he comprehended them again, he comprehended troves of their memories at every instant, greatly overwhelming all the defensive measures he had put in place.


    It took three hours before Jyorta''s anger died down. But, his emotions were still affected. There was a possibility he would attack himself if he were to see his reflection in a mirror. His mental state was in a dangerous inclination.


    Thankfully, there weren''t any risks of an interruption in the meditation rooms. So, Jyorta could take his time mending the damage he had suffered. To negate the influence of the Crust-Mantles on him, he had to firm his belief in humanity.


    The best example of this was the memories of his previous life. But, it wasn''t enough to completely negate the influence. After all, there existed no enemies to humans in his previous life. Humans dominated the world. The only enemy of humans were fellow humans.


    Thereby, he had to also make use of his current life''s memories. But, he spent a large part of his budding life in a state of coma, decreasing the number of vivid memories he possessed. He only had the memories of his childhood under the impression of a child''s naivety.


    His memories from the military academy were too little. But, they were his best bet in negating the influence. But, it wasn''t easy to use sheer quantity to overwhelm the quality.


    It was the case of bamboo growing on flat land. It was tall and was blue in colour. The land didn''t wish for it to grow but was incapable of annihilating it in the short term. So, it wished to hinder its growth by planting green bamboos around it.


    But, the height of the green bamboos was only one-fourth of the blue bamboo. So, they were unable to hinder its growth to the desired level. Even though its growth speed was hindered a little, it still grew faster than the green bamboos. Sooner or later, it would dominate the region.


    This was Jyorta''s current condition. The blue soul extracted all the memories from the immersion, corroding the white layer over them. Once their ego fragments were destroyed, the growth of the blue bamboo was temporarily hindered.


    The blue soul sent the memory fragments to the brain once again, extracting them after the brain went through them. It corroded the white layer over it, continuing to repeat the process.


    Ego was something established over time, taking years to form. When an ego was damaged, unless the person experienced something to heal it, the damage would be irreversible. At most, only time could heal it. But that would require years to even a decade.


    The blue soul was currently using this method to damage the ego on the memory fragments. Every time they were extracted from the brain, a faint white layer would form over them. It was the ego developed in his mind under the influence of the Crust-Mantle''s memory fragments.


    As he had comprehended years'' worth of memory fragments, the ego had been considerably developed. The blue soul repeated the process, damaging the ego repeatedly until it was no longer generated.


    Soon, it was completely expended. But, this process alone took 4 hours. Jyorta lay on the grass, his expression tired, his emotions still partly affected. He was still far from completely negating the influence.


    ''Even with my corrosion, I am still facing such difficulties. No wonder Gajara Rahi suffered from multiple personality disorder.'' His eyes were blank, lacking the glint of wisdom they usually possessed.


    ''To grow the foundation of my blue soul, I have to absorb and comprehend the memory fragments of other beings. At higher Tiers, the requirement would become tremendous. Even after absorbing so many memory fragments, my Tier 2 blue soul has yet to reach peak capacity. I can''t fathom the requirements at Tier 3 and beyond. Even now, after just a day''s worth of comprehension, I am facing such difficulties. I am surprised Gajara Rahi was even able to remain remotely human.''


    "There is nothing easy in this world." He muttered, laughing helplessly. The final piece of memory of the Crust-Mantle was of him killing it. Now, he witnessed first hand the result of his actions, from the perspective of the foe he had slain.


    He was in the memory, as a foe. This conflicted with his image, making him ignore his actual self while inclining more with the Crust-Mantle''s. This was another reason he was influenced by the memories to such depths.


    ''Thankfully, it died and the memory stopped. If it had lived any longer, I would have gone past the line of no return. The blue soul actually failed to pull me out in time.''


    ''The domain of the mind is mysterious indeed. The domain of the soul can only partially affect it. I should remember it. My methods aren''t supreme.'' He sighed, closing his eyes to sleep. The blue soul continued with its task, trying its best to bring his inclination back to normal.

 Chapter 310: Oddity

    21st September, the year 334 of Dawn era. The ringing sounds of an alarm rang within a room, increasing in amplitude as time passed. Five minutes later, the sounds stopped.


    Snuggling within a blanket was Jyorta, his expression a mild frown, despite the posture of comfort his body was in. The morning rays of the sun were warm while the air was slightly cold, creating the perfect atmosphere for sleeping.


    His eyelids trembled constantly while sweat formed on his forehead. He turned from time to time, seemingly suffering from a nightmare.


    "Murderer!"


    A loud voice echoed, resounding in his mind with such startling clarity that it shook him awake. Jyorta sat up in fright, panting as he clutched his head. The voice resounded in his mind once again, making him feel jittery.


    His eyes darted to and fro, gazing at his surroundings, focusing on the items in his room but was unable to understand them for the time being. Some seconds later, clarity returned to his mind. Looking around and seeing the familiar things, Jyorta murmured, "I am in my room."


    Only then did he notice his clothes slick with sweat. He had a headache as he gazed at his fingers, noticing them faintly tremble without any signs of stopping. He clenched his hand into a fist, closing his eyes as he firmed himself.


    "This is hard. What am I supposed to do?" He buried his face in the bedsheet, his body trembling while a thin stream of tears flowed from his eyes. Nightmares, questionable identity, loss of judgement, failure in perceiving surroundings, emotional outbursts, foreign habits that couldn''t be associated with humans, Jyorta experienced them all in the past one day.


    He didn''t touch the memory fragments of the other three Tier 2 Crust-Mantles for the time being. He couldn''t even recover from the damage he had suffered from a single batch of memory fragments. He didn''t wish to court death for the time being.


    The moment he slept, he was plagued by nightmares. Most of them were related to the scenes of him killing the Crust-Mantles but, the only difference was him being the respective Crust-Mantle in the memory. This caused him to hate himself unknowingly, damaging his sense of self.


    After all, he had killed the owners of the memories he possessed. So, he was plagued by a lot of things that affected his mental state. He tried all possible methods but was unable to curb the damage for the time being. Only time would heal. But, this also meant he wouldn''t be able to know more about the plan the Frenzy Beasts were concocting.


    If he fails to inform Psychic Ancestor Marble and whatever plan the Frenzy Beasts were concocting came to fruition, Marble City might very well be destroyed. He didn''t wish to see the home he had come to accept be destroyed like that.


    ''Creepy-haired man, do you have a method to solve this?'' He thought, sighing as he massaged his temples. He waited in patience, hoping the being who brought him to this era possessed a method. More than an hour passed, but he didn''t hear anything.


    Jyorta sighed and stood up, taking a step forward, feeling something sharp prick his leg. He retracted his leg in reflex, watching a screw lay on the floor. Near it was one of his alarm clocks, its glass sporting a crack.


    Jyorta inserted the screw in its place in the alarm clock, shaking it a couple of times before he saw it work again. Sighing, he placed it on the table and picked up the basket. He placed his toiletries and a change of clothes in it, taking the key from its socket as he exited the room.


    An hour later, he returned, refreshed. He peered out through the window, watching the students exercise on the ground. But, he felt detached from everything, as if he didn''t belong in the place. Jyorta closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as he controlled his thoughts.


    "I am Jyorta Bone, a human studying in the 7th Ring''s military academy. I am a Human! I am a Human!"


    He chanted it a couple of times before exiting the room, leaving the Indigo Building. A minute later, the alarm with a cracked glass started ringing, its sounds broken, the pitch jarring to the ears.


    "I.Am.Telling.You¡­" Followed by a rage-filled shout, a boy with a large built appeared. When he saw the door ajar, he pushed it open, walking in rage before he was rooted to the spot in shock.


    Clothes strewn across, with some ripped to shreds. A table that seemed like it had been chewed by a beast, with splinters scattered around. The chair lacking a leg, its armrest bent in a weird shape. The bed was ripped, with the cotton and coir in it pulled out and strewn all over the room.


    Books were torn to shreds and piled at one corner of the room, their book covers strewn at the top, folded into paper claws. Thankfully, the cupboards were left intact, the contents within were left untouched.


    The bulletin board affixed next to the door was emitting faint fumes. The pamphlets and papers pinned on it were lying on the floor, half-burned. On the bulletin board existed an inscription, created by carefully controlled heat.


    It was a line art of a Tier 2 Crust-Mantle on a sand dune, prostrating itself. The line art was from its point of view. Standing before the Tier 2 Crust-Mantle was a Tier 1 Crust-Mantle and seated atop it was a human boy.


    Surrounding the Tier 1 Crust-Mantle were faint outlines of a vine, their shallow inscription and the disjointed lines making it seem like a form of illusion. The vine extended to the top of the bulletin board, with the middle of its stem touching the top before curving down. Hovering at its tip was a bud that almost reached the ground, hovering just above the boy''s head.


    Five tiny vines emerged from the bud, their shapes horrifying, converging on the Tier 2 Crust-Mantle. One of the vines pierced the Crust-Mantle''s head. Faint lines surrounded the line art of the Tier 2 Crust-Mantle, depicting its shivering body.


    It wouldn''t have meant much if it was a normal line art. But, it was created on the bulletin board through something hot, melting through the surface of the bulletin board while preventing the surroundings from catching fire. It created a sort of style that painted a horrific feeling.


    When he saw the bud, the boy''s heart lurched. Suddenly, his expression got a bit dazed as he closed in on it, gazing at the bud in close-up. The bud trembled, slowly beginning to open. In the parts that had opened, the boy managed to glimpse a spindle, similar to a Spindle Bee but significantly developed.


    He was slowly drawn towards it while the bud bloomed more and more, seemingly drawing him towards it. Suddenly, his body disappeared from the spot, reappearing in his room. His dazed expression dissolved as he regained clarity, perspiring all over in fright.


    "What was I doing?" Seated on his bed, he wondered when he heard that annoying sound of the alarm. In anger, the boy stood up, "I am going to give him a piece of my mind today. I don''t care if he''s an aristocrat or if he''s ranked second in our Batch. He''s going to receive my anger today."


    He exited his room and walked to the nearby room, striding over in anger. Just when he clenched his hand into a fist and was about to slam onto the door, a voice resounded from inside, "Sorry, my alarm broke when I was cleaning my room. Do you know how to fix it?"


    The door opened to reveal a tired Jyorta sporting a wry smile. His clothes were dirty while his room was sparklingly clean. There were thick eyebags underneath his eyes, as if he hadn''t slept for days. Seeing his figure, the boy''s anger cooled down for some reason, "It is better if you dump that alarm into the trash can. That is where it rightfully belongs."


    Before Jyorta could reply, the boy turned around and returned to his room, rambling about something in anger. Until the boy returned to his room, Jyorta continued to peek into the corridor, his gaze trailing the other party.


    When he heard the door''s thud, Jyorta''s head slowly inched inside his room, gently closing the door. The room was in the same state as before, messy as if a beast had lived within. Standing before the bulletin board was a figure with a mild hunch.


    She carefully straightened her back, massaging her sore limbs as she gazed at the line art on the bulletin board. It was the principal of the military academy, Madam Mary. She looked around the room, inspecting everything without disturbing anything.


    She noticed many points of oddity, ''The Table has claw and bite marks but, the chair only has a leg broken while its armrest was twisted. The damage in each area is different, as if more than one had taken part in the process. Strange, this is really strange. Jyorta was perfectly fine when I last saw him.''


    She frowned, ''Was he somehow affected in the labyrinth? But, the staff would have noticed it. And, the fact that he spent the past 2 days in the meditation room, only coming out to eat and take care of his daily needs is a cause for concern indeed. It is not matching with his character and his actions for the past 9 months here.''


    ''There should be a reason.'' Madam Mary used her psychic arm to close the door, preventing anyone else from trying to open it. She disappeared and reappeared in her office, seated on her seat as she thought.


    Sometime later, she appeared in a different room and picked up a landline, dialling a number. Three rings later, a gentle voice resounded from the other side. Madam Mary sighed, gazing at the figure before her in puzzlement as she spoke in the receiver, "Atika¡­"

 Chapter 311: Jyorta Bone Killed Me

    "I''ll be there soon." The call disconnected. Madam Mary placed the receiver down and sighed as she looked at Jyorta''s still figure. He was currently unconscious, wrapped around by one of her psychic arms.


    "What is the reason? Others might think it is a side-effect of the Trait of Corrosion you possess, but I know for a fact that you don''t have such a Trait. So, what is the cause?" She pondered, disappearing from the room and reappearing in the principal''s office.


    Jyorta''s body hovered horizontally next to her, carried by her psychic arm. For the time being, Madam Mary didn''t attempt anything on him to alleviate his condition, waiting for the arrival of Atika Light.


    Despite being unconscious, his eyebrows trembled while his lips parted and closed numerous times. The hair on his skin stood up and returned to their initial posture, repeating the act in discrete intervals. It was an odd sight.


    His breaths were hurried, almost ragged. It was too quick to be called a human''s. His demeanour was subtly different from that of a human, as if it was a beast in human skin. Everything about him was odd, contradicting with the ''him'' of the past.


    The moment Jyorta exhibited strange behaviour, she started to pay some attention to him. When he began to trash his place, she observed him, noting all odd points in his behaviour. When he left his room, his mental state wasn''t in the right order.


    Fearing that he would affect the students, Madam Mary intervened and pulled him out. She forced him into a state of unconsciousness and arrived at his room, gazing at the inscription he made on the bulletin board.


    "That work can be attributed to the Trait of Corrosion''s effects. But, I never managed to sense its presence in his body in the few times I inspected him. This is the first time I am facing such an issue." She frowned, seated on her seat as she continued with her work.


    9:30 AM, the door opened as Atika Light entered. Jyorta''s state immediately caught her attention. She frowned as she neared him, sensing something amiss in him.


    "What is actually happening to him?" Madam Mary spoke, getting up from her seat.


    "I have yet to figure it out. Unless I inspect his condition, I wouldn''t be able to determine the reason. I''ll take him back with me to Grapple force for treatment." Atika Light focused her attention on Jyorta''s twitching eyebrows, noticing the pattern the air over it swirled.


    "I don''t mean this," Madam Mary shook her head, "I''m sure you know what I am talking about."


    "It''s a Trait¡­"


    "Atika¡­" Madam Mary''s voice turned sharp, the pitch low, sounding imposing. The room they were in subtly changed, the colours vanishing, only retaining black and white. It was as if the room was cut off from the rest of the world. "You shouldn''t mock my intelligence so much."


    "The less you know, the better it is for you." Atika Light didn''t seem bothered, "Even I don''t have the authority to talk about this matter."


    "But, Jyovic Bone knows? Does he have a higher clearance than me?" Madam Mary''s body turned still like a statue, her presence almost fading out of existence. "Does he? He knows and is involved in something I am unqualified?"


    Her skin was continuously pricked by a formless substance as Atika Light shuddered in response. She turned around, looking at Madam Mary to notice six psychic arms exiting her head. The presence in the room was increasing to the extent that even she felt difficulty breathing.


    Just when she was about to activate her abilities, a flash of magenta appeared in the room, turning into the figure of Psychic Ancestor Marble. Noticing his arrival, Madam Mary didn''t press forth, slightly lowering her presence.


    The moment his figure formed, Psychic Ancestor Marble quelled the atmosphere within the room, gazing at Atika Light, "Atika, stop!"


    Only then did Madam Mary notice a shade of white light lingering in the room, mixed into the black and white she had created. Upon Psychic Ancestor Marble''s command, the white light disappeared.


    Madan Mary snorted, retracting her presence, watching the room return to normal. Psychic ancestor Marble overlaid a barrier on the interior of the room, turning around to look at Jyorta, "What happened to him?"


    "I''m not sure yet," Atika Light replied, "I will have to wake him up first. Only then will I be able to know for sure."


    "So, what is happening? I have a right to know about my grandson." Madam Mary spoke, her expression rigid, focusing on Psychic Ancestor Marble.


    Receiving her stare, Psychic Ancestor Marble looked at Atika Light, noticing her shake her head. He was silent for a minute, weighing all the pros and cons of the decision he would make. Finally, he sighed, scratching his head as he spoke, "I am worried about leaving everything in the hands of Jyovic Bone. It feels like a better choice for you to know."


    "Where should I start¡­" He sighed, thinking for a couple of seconds before he said with a mellow tone, "He''s the second Psychic Parasite. Corrosion is the ability of the second Psychic Parasite, same as the first Psychic Parasite''s ability to manipulate space."


    Madam Mary slumped on her seat, her eyes widened in shock at the news. She let out ragged breaths before breaking into laughter, her state hysterical. "And just when I was wondering¡­"


    She cackled uncontrollably, burying her face in her hands, her cackling sounds soon broke down into sobs. A minute later, she was back to normal, her expression placid, "Was it from birth?"


    "Yes," Psychic Ancestor Marble nodded, "He was born as the individual Jyorta. He is unlike Gajara Rahi. He''s your grandchild through and through."


    "I understand," Madam Mary nodded, "What happened to that individual? Where is he?"


    Psychic Ancestor Marble shook his head, "He''s no more. His last act was bringing Jyorta to this era."


    "And," Madam Mary''s gaze hardened, "Whose child was he before then?"


    "Another researcher," Psychic Ancestor Marble sighed, "He was a colleague of mine who was killed during the Disaster."


    "So, the previous time you summoned Jyorta was to¡­?" She looked at Atika Light.


    "It was to test him, to see if he was someone who''ll ally with humanity and is worth to support." Atika Light replied, "And I judged him as someone worthy. His abilities are more¡­stable, a contrast to the volatile abilities Gajara Rahi possessed."


    "Alright," Madam Mary nodded, "Before you check up on him, come with me. I have something to show you."


    Her psychic arm coiled around Atika Light before the three of them disappeared. Psychic Ancestor Marble''s figure dissolved into a flash of magenta and was absorbed back into his psychic arm.


    The door to Jyorta''s room opened as the three individuals arrived. Madam Mary closed the door and turned around, watching the marble figure form beside. A moment after the marble figure appeared, Psychic Ancestor Marble sealed the room, preventing their conversation from leaking out.


    He then noticed the state of the room, frowning, his gaze finally falling on the bulletin board. Atika Light too focused on it, noticing a certain presence covering the inscription. When one looked at it with rapt attention, they would fall into the hallucination lingering on it.


    The beings before it though were peak powerhouses, unaffected by something of this level. Atika Light spoke after a minute of observation, "The bulletin board has become his Refined Object while the inscription is made using his corrosion. And, the product¡ªthe corroded material¡ªof the corrosion was made to linger within the inscriptions, the aura in them switched to the aura personification of hallucination. And, the hallucination seems to be a memory in him, the trigger for his strange behaviour."


    She quickly deduced the facts, commenting in praise, "Even in such a situation, his abilities have improved. He used a method to make his aura personification linger within the inscription. And, the inscription is a piece of art, so any individual''s attention will automatically be drawn towards it. The moment they do so, their attention will be captured by it and they would fall under the hallucination."


    Atika Light nodded, "He has improved a lot since I last saw him. This level of growth, the application of the abilities he possesses, and his creativity, they are complex enough and displays a certain degree of cunning. Even without his identity as a Psychic Parasite, he would grow up into a fine powerhouse in the future."


    "But, I wonder what changed him to act like this?" She looked around, observing the state of the room as she spoke, "Wake him up, Mary. I''ll probe the reason myself."


    Madam Mary nodded, making some changes to the psychic arm that carried Jyorta. A couple of seconds later, his trembling eyelids stiffened before it shot open. Jyorta''s eyes were glazed over for a couple of seconds before regaining clarity.


    His eyes focused, allowing him to witness the three figures before him, feeling bouts of shock. He immediately closed his eyes, taking in a couple of deep breaths before using his methods to verify that it was reality.


    He then stared at the three of them with lingering fear, expressing mild paranoia, like prey that had come face to face with a predator. The sense of respect he had of them before was no longer present, his gaze one of resignation, of a fate he didn''t wish to witness.


    Atika Light noticed the oddity, her heart lurching as she asked in alarm, "You are not Jyorta Bone."


    "Yes," Jyorta nodded, his eyes spewing out venomous hatred, "Jyorta Bone killed me."

 Chapter 312: Jyorta Bone is a Schemer

    "What?" Madam Mary blurted out in shock. She just came to know of his identity and now his identity had changed to something else.


    "No," Atika Light held Madam Mary, "Be patient."


    Jyorta closed his eyes once again, taking in deep breaths for a couple of minutes before he opened his eyes, his expression tired. His voice was hoarse, tinged with a sense of fear, "I feel like I might go mad any second. The second I close my eyes, I imagine myself as a Crust-Mantle, watching ''me'' kill me. It repeats over and over again. When I walk, a lapse in concentration would make me hallucinate myself as a Crust-Mantle hatchling that is running across a seashore."


    "They are continuously playing over in my head and making me view myself as an enemy." Tears streamed out his eyes, "I am trying my best to control them, but I am still far from recovery. Until then, I am scared of meeting others."


    "Actually," Madam Mary sighed, stepping aside, allowing Jyorta to witness the state of his room. "I had no choice but to subdue you when you exited the dorm building in that state. Do you remember that?"


    His expression hardened, his gaze wavering as he bowed his head, "I didn''t know¡­"


    "Alright, tell me the reason you ended up in this state. And, don''t worry. I can hasten your recovery." Atika Light interjected, her expression gentle. Psychic Ancestor Marble took the backend, for now, deciding to observe everything in silence.


    Jyorta took in a deep breath, controlling the emotional fluctuations that marked the ones before him as his enemies, speaking in strain, "In my first exploration of the Labyrinth of Frenzy, I came across a Tier 2 Crust-Mantle near the entrance. To develop and see the extent of my abilities, I siphoned some memory fragments from its soul that looked different than the rest."


    "When I learned of the contents in them, I was shocked. The Crust-Mantles were a weak race whose strength is at the bottom of the Frenzy Beast world. But, we¡­they were created by Rhachis Ancestor Earth to serve a purpose."


    "A purpose?" Atika Light frowned.


    "Yes," Jyorta nodded, "The Floating Spiders, the Spindle Bees, the River Whales, and the Lava Turtles; they joined hands to create a large scheme to destroy Marble City."


    He let out a wry smile, gazing at the marble figure, "It is in preparation for the eventual war sir had mentioned before. And, the Crust-Mantles seem to the ones at the centre of it. Therefore, I wanted to find more information. When I came to know everything, I had planned to contact you, Ancestor Marble. I don''t have the means to contact you but since you know everything that transpires within the city, I could think up some methods to bring it to your notice."


    "But¡­" He sighed, "The more I comprehended their memories, the more I was influenced by them. Even though I negated those influences at every step, I was suddenly affected to the extent it was beyond my capabilities to negate the influence quickly. At present, it would take me 2-3 days before I become normal."


    "So, you barely have the situation under control." Madam Mary snorted.


    Jyorta stared in helplessness, noticing the state of his body. He couldn''t help but think about the time Rhachis Ancestor Light had placed him in a similar situation. ''I guess I was too reckless? Maybe somewhere down the line, I got overconfident in my abilities of the soul? This is bad for my future. I should take note of it.''


    Placing him in a state of unconsciousness seemed to have helped him a little. As Jyorta talked, he regained greater lucidity, saying his piece, expressing his ego, beginning to regain confidence in his sense of self, "I''ll show you everything I had discovered till now. After I recover, I''ll make some plans before figuring out the rest. I won''t be defeated by something like this."


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    Everything he had experienced through the memories of the Crust-Mantles, Jyorta relayed them through his aura personification. The three beings before them diverted part of their attention to it, witnessing everything that was shown in the hallucination.


    Eight hours later, Jyorta panted in exhaustion, cutting off the aura personification, "I cannot maintain it any longer. I expended all my aura."


    "Even though you solely used the aura personification, the fact that you could last eight hours is worthy of praise. It seems Jyovic Bone helped you by gifting that Tier 5 Artifact." Madam Mary showered some words of praise on him.


    "Good, I''ll treat you now." Atika Light stepped forward, intending to activate her Tier 5 Skill.


    Jyorta hurriedly stopped her, "Ma''am, if possible, can you teach me a method to protect myself. Since I would be doing this many times in the future, it would prove helpful if I had a method to counter their influence on me."


    "You rascal," Atika Light laughed, giving him a mild smack on the head. "Fine, I''ll show you an easy method."


    She gazed at Psychic Ancestor Marble, showcasing her palm forward. Psychic Ancestor Marble sighed and turned his head. The cupboard above Jyorta''s bed was opened as a bag was pulled out. His psychic arm fished out a pair of goggles from within, removing a certain restriction on it before placing it on Atika Light''s palm.


    "It seems he had gifted this to you in advance for situations like these," Atika Light said, making Jyorta wear the pair of goggles, "This is a Tier 6 Artifact that has fused with a Tier 4 Relic. The Relic contains the Unranked Skill, Deific Inference at Tier 4 level. This is more than enough to help you. You could only use it superficially until now, but after Ancestor Marble removed a layer of restriction on it, you can use it better."


    She laughed, "Thanks to Ancestor Marble''s modification, you can activate it with your psychic energy. Now, insert your psychic arm into it."


    Jyorta did as told, watching his psychic energy gush into the pair of goggles. A gentle white light gushed out through the two lenses, falling on the three individuals before him. But, nothing happened. Either they could easily resist its effects or he hadn''t activated it properly yet.


    "Now, Will for the beam to fall on you." Followed by Atika Light''s instructions, Jyorta Willed the beam, watching it fall on him. A moment later, a projection of him formed behind him.


    But, the projection was odd. The projection of Jyorta was slightly mature, the eyes suffused with jet-black colour. Attached on its back were four pairs of a Floating Spider''s legs, scuttling about with no rhyme or reason.


    A faint projection of a Crust-Mantle''s head overlapped Jyorta''s head, its mandibles clanking repeatedly. There were all sorts of corruption in his projection, with a lot of parts being replaced by either the Crust-Mantle or the Floating Spider. But, the area dominated by the Crust-Mantle was almost ten times the Floating Spider''s. it was because Jyorta only retained the memory fragments of the Floating Spiders and hadn''t truly comprehended them yet.


    The reason they still invaded his projection could be attributed to his breakthrough, when he faced Ehara Gobi. At that time, one of the creepy-haired man''s arrangements had activated, causing the four pairs of Floating Spider legs to appear on the back of his projection.


    They defended against Ehara Gobi''s sneak attack, allowing Jyorta to clinch victory and return to reality.


    "Now, seep the effect of the Relic into your psychic arm and bring a part of it out." Jyorta nodded. Part of his psychic arm peeked out of the pair of goggles, hovering in the air beside him. There were faint changes to it, its form now suffused with white colour, covered by faint mysterious patterns.


    The patterns were a mixture of squares and circles, forming numerous clusters as they constantly changed patterns. Seeing that he had succeeded on the first try, Atika Light smiled, "Now, use that psychic arm to touch a leg of the Floating Spider on your back."


    The white psychic arm approached his projection''s back, gently touching the scuttling floating spider leg. Miraculously, his psychic arm could feel solid contact.


    Seeing Jyorta''s surprise, Atika Light said, "Deific Inference is the sole ability in this world that deals in the domain of the mind. It also has other aspects to it that I won''t talk about now. When you become a Ground Controller, I''ll personally teach you about it."


    "Now, your psychic arm can touch the projection. But, if you try to pull it out, your ego itself would be damaged. After all, it is embedded into yours. But, you can use your corrosion through your psychic arm too right?" Seeing his expression, Atika Light laughed, "Then try it now."


    Faint traces of black formed veins on the white psychic arm. A black vein spread around, touching the Floating Spider leg the psychic arm was coiled around. Instantly, the leg corroded, dissipating in the air as faint specks of light.


    The blue soul unleashed a Soul Cornea, passing it through the projection to see if it can affect it. But, the Soul Cornea just passed through it, showing no signs of being able to affect it.


    ''So, this projection is related to the domain of the mind.'' Jyorta nodded; he had a basic understanding of the four power systems: Parasite, Aura, Mind, and Soul.


    Seeing that the process was a success, Atika Light smiled, "Remain here and treat yourself first. Mary will prevent anyone from disturbing you for the time being."


    Saying her piece, she exited the room after taking a glance at Madam Mary. Madam Mary followed her out, using her abilities to prevent anyone from seeing them.


    While they were descending the stairs, Atika Light laughed, seemingly satisfied with something. When Madam Mary inquired, she said with a laugh, "This little devil has already begun to scheme."

 Chapter 313: I Want to Obtain Regen

    "You mean¡­" Madam Mary stared at Atika Light, "Part of what he said and behaved was an act?"


    "Did you feel as such?" Atika Light smiled.


    "No," Madam Mary shook her head, "Everything he had said was the truth."


    "One doesn''t need to lie to scheme. He just used the truths he had accumulated to force things his way. It is crude and has a lot of risks, but it seems he had enough confidence to foresee his plans into fruition." Atika Light stared in calm, expressing her interest, "Did you ever reveal your identity as his grandmother before?"


    "Yes," Madam Mary nodded, "I did speak about it to him once. But¡­you mean, he decided to base everything on a single line? He doesn''t strike me as such a gullible and na?ve individual."


    "No, right," Atika Light said, "But, he must have obtained some information to consolidate his confidence."


    "The Portal, huh." Madam Mary nodded, "It is true that he can pull up the information of his lineage upto three generations worth in the Portal through the access given to his ID."


    "There must have been other instances where he would have tried to verify the information listed in the Portal." Atika Light continued her conjecture, "His situation was dangerous this time, and he had definitely used the goggles before to see if it could offer him a solution."


    She shook her head, "But, its beam only allowed him to gaze at his projection. Heima must have told him the things she had witnessed about Deific Inference when Ancestor Light confronted Ancestor Space to sever their connection. So, he concluded that the Relic in his hands was either sealed or limited in its functions. So, he had to do something."


    "And, he also wanted a way to take the burden off his mind. After all, the things he discovered were beyond someone his age could handle. To relay the news, he stopped restricting himself, pushing his condition to dangerous extents." Atika Light exited the Indigo Building, taking a breath of fresh air.


    She stretched her limbs, speaking with interest, "When you previously escorted him to my care, he figured that we had a relationship or at least a method of contact between each other. And, when he was in Grapple Force, I had purposely hinted at my abilities to influence the mind. He linked them all to come up with this plan."


    "But, if I had acted any later, then his mental state would have progressed to a point beyond return." Madam Mary retorted.


    "But you did right," Atika Light smiled, "Besides, when he exited his room, he was asking to be captured. If not, then other students might come at a risk. So, you were forced to act. But, his nature is kind, he chose a time to leave when there were no other students in the dorm. This shows that he''s not someone who tosses others aside just to foster his plans."


    "Now, when you captured him, even you won''t be able to figure out the reason for his behaviour. After all, his behaviour wasn''t an act. A normal person wouldn''t become as such overnight. And, there was only one thing about Jyorta that is different from the rest." Atika Light smiled.


    "The fake Trait of Corrosion. Since though you saw through that lie, you would be unable to understand the cause of his condition. So, the chances of you contacting me are definite. He relied on that factor. Whether I am busy or not, since I was the one who gave an official statement of his Trait, I am related to it. So, I would definitely have to move to show my stance on the matter." She laughed, "And, with my arrival, he would achieve the goal of getting a method to solve his issue while also being able to relay the information about the Frenzy Beasts'' plan."


    "And, he was willing to divulge his identity to you in the process." She chuckled, "In his eyes, Jyovic Bone already knows about his existence. He doesn''t know of the political conflict between you too but he concluded that the benefits outweigh the risks. After all, he couldn''t prolong his situation any further."


    "Cheeky brat," Madam Mary snorted, but sported a mild smile. Seeing her expression, Atika Light laughed, "Cheeky brat indeed. He took a lot of information into consideration before he enacted this plan. Though, the arrival of Ancestor Marble could be said to be an unexpected surprise. It made things a lot easier for him."


    "As for what Jyorta showed us," Madam Mary said, her expression hardening.


    "Oh, they''re going to bleed a lot this time." Atika Light chuckled, "Just from what he showed us, the Frenzy Beasts are trying to weaken the foundation of the land we are on while changing the terrain around us that would bolster their strength further. It is a simple but effective plan. They must also have more agendas hidden behind this plan, but now that we found it out, we can start planning countermeasures."


    In Jyorta''s room, the restrictions wore off as Jyorta regained control of his limbs. He sighed and fell, resting on the floor as he heaved a sigh. Standing before him was Psychic Ancestor Marble, looking at him in calm. "You did well. The two of them seem impressed by your meticulous plan."


    "I was barely scrapping by. I actually failed to realise and control my actions," Jyorta sighed, gazing at his room.


    "None were harmed, and none were pulled into the mess you created. So, it is fine. You did everything using the means at your disposal. I applaud you," Psychic Ancestor Marble waved his hand, emitting a gentle flux of psychic energy. At the next moment, all the mess in his room was cleaned, with the things returning to their prior conditions.


    Even the fold marks he left on some pages in the textbooks while studying were returned, showing an exceptional manipulation that went beyond his understanding. Seeing his blank look, Psychic Ancestor Marble said, "The aura in each material in a treasure trove of their information, from the beginning of their existence. Using these, I can easily restructure them back into their rightful places and states."


    He then pulled out a magenta chakram from Jyorta''s trolley bag, making certain changes to it. "I lifted a layer of seal on it and made some modifications. Now, when you insert your psychic arm into it and Will the Relic in it to cause a fluctuation in this pattern, I will immediately arrive before you."


    He pointed at Jyorta''s forehead, unleashing a tinge of his aura, forming a thin line that impacted his forehead. The aura in Jyorta''s body reacted in reflex, affected by the oppressive aura that vanished after a moment. Soon, Jyorta perceived some information in his mind, shocked at the method displayed, "H-How?"


    "Information sharing using aura. You should be able to replicate it when you are at Tier 4. Though, it won''t be necessary since the information you can transmit through your psychic arms at Tier 4 will be thousands of times greater in volume and detail." Psychic Ancestor Marble placed the magenta chakram in its respective place and disappeared, leaving behind a statement.


    "Update me on all the information you get, once every month. When you graduate, I''ll bring you to a place where we have stored most of the Crust-Mantles. You can fully help in investigating their plan then. As for now, I''ll talk with Mary Veera. You will be unofficially awarded 1,00,000 Credits for bringing such valuable information to our notice. Mary Veera will contact you soon. Keep up with the good work, Jyorta Bone. I have high expectations for you."


    "Thank you, Ancestor Marble." Jyorta bowed. He then gazed around, noticing his room was in the same state as before his rampage. He turned around and noticed that the bulletin board still remained, sporting the inscription.


    Underneath the bulletin board, scribbled on the walls were a couple of lines glowing in a magenta hue, "What you did here was impressive, considering your skills. I left behind some of my presence around it that would prevent anyone other than you or Mary Veera from discovering it."


    The moment he finished reading it, the wordings disappeared. Jyorta continued to sit on the floor as the beam of light fell on him, casting his projection behind him. The psychic arm infused into the pair of goggles peeked out, its form turning white while covered by clusters of squares and circles.


    Black veins formed on it as the psychic arm began to corrode everything apart from him in the projection. Starting with the four pairs of a Floating Spider''s legs, the psychic arm proceeded to the projection of a Crust-Mantle''s head overlapping his.


    With every external projection that was corroded, Jyorta''s mental state recovered miraculously. After an hour, when his psychic energy reserves were fully expended, Jyorta retracted his psychic arm, heaving a breath of relief. "Finally, it''s over."


    He took in a deep breath, relaxing at his peaceful mental state. There were neither nightmares nor hallucinations that plagued his mind now. Jyorta wiped the tears that streamed from his mind, caressing the pair of goggles in gratitude as he put them back in their respective place.


    He slept on the bed, his expression suffused with a content smile, immediately falling asleep. He only woke up on the morning of the next day, dressing up in his uniform as he was summoned to the principal''s office.


    After waiting at the entrance for 10 minutes, he was permitted to enter. Madam Mary smiled upon seeing him, "I''m sure Ancestor Marble informed you about the 1,00,000 Credits you were unofficially awarded. Do you want something you wish to exchange using them?"


    "Yes," Jyorta replied with a brisk tone, "I wish to obtain the Unranked Skill, Regen."

 Chapter 314: Suspicion and Undercurrents

    "The Unranked Skill, Regen costs 1,10,000 Credits. You have been unofficially awarded 1,00,000 Credits. The remaining 10,000 Credits will be deducted from your balance. Is that alright?" Madam Mary smiled, lightly waving her hand as she pulled out a piece of paper.


    "Yes, that is perfectly fine." Jyorta saluted, watching the paper hovering before his face. The paper consisted of the periodic table, with the column of the alkali metals being white. From white, they turned a shade darker with every column, with the column of the noble gases being jet black.


    "Ma''am, this is?" Jyorta looked at the markings done on it, with many boxes not matching the gradient of white to black.


    "Atika Light sent it to me yesterday after she returned to Grapple Force. It is some preliminary conclusion she arrived at after obtaining the research results of Mila Marble." Madam Mary pointed at the paper, "It is related to your corrosion."


    As Jyorta gazed at the paper, Madam Mary continued to speak, "The darker the cell, the more effective your corrosion is against the respective element. Judging based on it, your corrosion is most effective against non-metals, while the efficiency decreases against the metals."


    She then frowned, "But, your corrosion is not consistent, based on the data I received. Depending on your emotional fluctuation, the product of your corrosion can vary. In the three times you used your corrosion on copper, the products differed. It was a brittle state of copper on the first attempt. All its molecular bonds had been severed. Seconds after it, they began to react and formed new bonds."


    "On the second attempt, the copper turned into bohrium for 0.1 seconds, turning radioactive before ending up as barium nitride. It is further diversified with respect to its effect on compounds. It is barely effective against hydrogen in its molecule state while affecting it the most when it is part of a hydrocarbon."


    "There is a lot that has yet to be discovered about your corrosion but one thing is for sure, it can cause unforeseen reactions in every element or compound. The only difference is the efficiency of its effect." Madam Mary commended after a moment, "If we can understand it more, any form of chemical reaction can be initiated with it."


    Jyorta nodded, immersed in thought. Matter can neither be created nor destroyed, but it can be transformed from one form to another.


    ''So, my corrosion only changes the state of matter and varies its chemical composition. It is only corrosion, not destruction. Psychic Ancestor Marble''s Unranked Skill is already capable of converting energy into matter. I wonder if my corrosion can convert matter into energy by corroding its physical state?''


    Madam Mary retracted the paper, storing it away, "Anyway, you can research your ability further after you graduate. You''ll get access to more information and the necessary environment to do so then. When you reach Tier 3, you''ll be taken into Grapple Force. Atika Light has already made her mind on the matter. Unless you do something that completely disappoints her, you are assured of this privilege."


    "You can take some time to decide, getting an Unranked Skill will decide your path for the rest of your life." Madam Mary made eye contact, her expression serious. "You won''t be able to change it for the rest of your life. This is not something you can decide willy-nilly. I won''t usually hinder the decisions of the students, since their only chance to obtain an Unranked Skill would be from here. The ones from Aristocratic Families would refrain from choosing so."


    "But, yours is a special case," She continued further, noticing Jyorta''s unwavering gaze, "There is a chance for you to get access to other Unranked Skills. Due to your identity, as long as you contribute enough, Ancestor Marble might even give you Marble Sonata."


    "Yes, Marble Sonata is impressive," Jyorta nodded, "It has unfathomable abilities and is the most versatile based on everything I have seen. If I can obtain it, I am sure my life would be many times safe."


    "But," He smiled, "My personal preference is Regen. I am inclined and mentally attuned to this Skill. Even the greatest of weapons becomes lacklustre in the hands of an unsuitable wielder. I am sure I''ll be able to do my best with Regen in comparison to Marble Sonata."


    Hearing his words, Madam Mary frowned, "It is not something you can say without even knowing their limitations and extent of use. Once you obtain the Unranked Skill, you cannot go back. There will be no room for regrets by then. There have been plenty of such cases in our history."


    "Ma''am, can I ask you a question?" Jyorta inquired, expressing his desire and unwavering confidence.


    "Go ahead." Madam Mary nodded.


    "Have you ever felt lacking in a battle?"


    "Yes, I have. Plenty of times than I could count," Madam Mary replied.


    "Can I know the cause or reason for those?"


    "I see your train of thought," Madam Mary''s expression turned solemn, "Remember that on paper, the abilities of similarly Nurtured Espers is the same. The only advantage we can have over our foes is through our Unranked Skill, and our comprehension of it."


    "Regen can only heal you; it has zero offensive capabilities. It doesn''t complement an Esper''s ability in battle. Remember that if you were to face a similar Tier Esper as an opponent, just one of them would be able to negate you. If another one were to be present at the scene, your death is guaranteed. And no, Regen cannot heal you fast enough to overcome a grievous injury in battle."


    "It will hinder you in battles, while not giving you any advantages whatsoever. To a normal person, Regen is their life-saving tool. But to you, who has an option to pursue something better, Regen is not worth it." Her voice turned cold, "You are a psychic parasite, the only one alive after your predecessor had died. You are the only one who can stand up against Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. So, don''t hurry in your decision and limit your prospects."


    Jyorta closed his eyes, iterating, "Evasion, strength, defence, manipulation, concealment, multi-tasking, achieving omniscience, Espers obtain them all. The only aspect they lack is in the healing department. Sure, by taking Regen, I would be limiting my offensive ability but, I already have my corrosion for that."


    "Based on their natures, Corrosion and Marble Sonata hinder each other. But, I feel like Regen is suitable for me. I won''t regret this decision." Jyorta thumped his fist on his chest, speaking with enough resolve to convince Madam Mary, "I am neither being hasty nor am I making a judgement from a narrow perspective."


    "Parasite, Soul, Mind, Aura; I am treading through the paths of Parasite, Soul, and Aura now. Most of my development in Parasite would be natural and without hindrance, considering I am a parasite myself. There are many struggles in the path of the Soul, but I can''t rely on anyone else for that. But, as for Aura, I would have to subject myself to various auras lingering in the wilds to resist, comprehend, and train my aura. The healing abilities of Regen would boost my development in this field. Moreover¡­"


    Jyorta smiled, his eyes glinting with a cunning light, "Regen has a calming effect on the mind. This is related to the Domain of the Mind. Based on what I was told yesterday, only Deific Inference is related to the domain of the Mind. But, I feel Regen is also capable of interacting with it, although minimum. Aren''t these more than enough reason to obtain Regen?"


    "Fine, you are convincing enough," Madam Mary smiled, waving her hands, motioning for him to exit the room, "Return by 5:30 PM sharp. I''ll implant the Unranked Skill, Regen in you. Don''t be late."


    "Thank you, ma''am." Jyorta bowed and left the room. Even though his stature still expressed a sense of exhaustion, his frame was erect, having regained all the confidence in him. With an assurance and definite understanding of his sense of self, Jyorta was confident in himself.


    The moment he exited the room, Madam Mary murmured in interest, "There you have it, Ancestor Marble. It seems this child has decided on a path already. Let us see how far it takes him."


    Followed by a flash of magenta, the marble figure of Psychic Ancestor Marble appeared, "I suppose it wouldn''t hurt to see how he develops Regen. His prospects seem promising. Even if he hits a limit, Atika can help him."


    "Yes, after all, she managed to remove Light Symphony from Rhachis Ancestor Strongest once he attained Tier 6 and imbued in him his current Unranked Skill." Madam Mary sighed, her tone filled with praise. "With her around, we don''t have to worry about Jyorta hitting an end."


    "Jyorta doesn''t know that," Psychic Ancestor Marble smiled, "It seems he and Jyovic Bone are planning something. That was also taken into consideration for his choice."


    "Tch," Madam Mary snorted, "I can guess as to what that mashed cluster of bones wants."


    "Speaking of Jyovic Bone¡­" Psychic Ancestor Marble hesitated for a second before he spoke, "I discovered some odd points in Henrietta''s case."


    Madam Mary''s eyes widened, spewing fury as she almost lost control for a second. Instantly, every material around her turned into dust, the room walls forming large cracks. Psychic Ancestor Marble layered it with his psychic energy, mending the cracks before returning the room to its previous condition.


    A couple of seconds later, Madam Mary spoke with great strain, speaking while trying her best to control her anger, "What¡­oddity?"


    "The Unranked Skill, Bone Devour she possessed was slightly different from the rest. The cause for her losing control originated from it, it seems. But, I can''t say for sure. I barely found some traces in the place she died. But, I can''t remain outside the city for long. I only managed to find some clues in the 1 minute I was outside." Psychic Ancestor Marble continued, "I surveyed the entire Bone Family mansion and every asset they possessed, including their affiliations and relations, and didn''t find any data to support my claims."


    "Thank you," Madam Mary bowed a little, expressing her gratitude. Her emotions turned placid, but she was like a volcano ready to erupt at any time.


    ''The Flying Signature Raid; the more I see it, the more suspicious it seems.'' She frowned, the air around her shimmered before she even exerted her presence.


    "I knew it, Jyovic Bone cannot be trusted." She muttered.


    "Light favours his accomplishments the most. I can''t just deal with him without any concrete reason. If we are talking about suspicious individuals, the head of every Aristocratic Family is even worse as compared to him." He sighed, "But, they are all valuable individuals that defend Marble City. And, whatever their plans mean or have a later significance, they had heavily contributed to our City''s growth and progression as a result. That is an undeniable fact."

 Chapter 315: Laws of the World

    10th Ring, Sector 1; it was a massive tower, with entrances on all floors, directed outside. Espers flew in from the Walls, carrying the injured as they entered through the various entrances. Flying within were Espers with the Unranked Skill, Regen, giving first aid to the injured before transferring them to other wards depending on the severity of their injuries.


    On the topmost floor of the building, positioned on the same level as the city walls was an open room. There existed a berth on it, customised to suit the person lying over. It was a middle-aged lady who was slightly gaining in on age.


    After suffering an injury to her brain, she had fallen unconscious. Even before, when she returned to the city from her mission, she had already fallen unconscious. Before she lost consciousness, she placed some mental inputs in her head using her aura, willing her psychic energy to fly towards her destination while unconscious. That was how she arrived.


    After getting ample treatment, she was placed on this floor, to see if the atmosphere would force her awake. Seated before her was a young adult, his demeanour graceful, carrying with it a hint of pride.


    But, a gaze at his eye proved otherwise, for it suffused with wisdom that could only be gained from the vicissitudes of life. Faint symbols swirled around, creating sparks in the air before seeping into the lady.


    It was a treatment process that would heal the injury to the mind. Standing beside him was a nurse, her gaze poised, not once looking at the floor. Most of her attention was trained beyond the walls, listening to everything that happened there.


    "Ahera, concentrate on the task at hand. This is important for your future." The youthful-looking man spoke, his voice gentle, but suffused with authority.


    "But, I am a Warrior. And, Deific Inference is completely unrelated to me." The girl, Ahera spoke, pouting as she dared not disobey, grudgingly looking at the sparks in the air.


    "Do you wish to follow in the footsteps of Ancestor Light?" The youthful-looking man continued to speak nonchalantly, as if he was unrelated to the matter.


    "Yes," Ahera turned serious, the playful demeanour in her eyes was replaced with all seriousness. She clenched her hand into a fist, the veins popping on them.


    "Relax," The youth-looking man smiled, his voice automatically making Ahera enter a state of absolute relaxation. Her eyes even began to droop, fluttering towards completely closing until he spoke another line, "If you are always serious, your face would develop wrinkles."


    "Smile cheerfully; if you smile, even the Frenzy Beasts might fall for you. The option for peace lies before you; you have to firmly grasp it. Cuteness is justice; that is this world''s singular absolute law." The youthful-looking man spoke it in all seriousness, without a hint of embarrassment.


    Ahera rolled her eyes, placing her palms on her puffed cheeks as she spoke, imitating his tone, "I''ll be so cute that the Floating Spiders wouldn''t resist gobbling me."


    "¡­I can see that happen," He didn''t retort, accepting her satire. Seeing his silence, Ahera just turned around to gaze at the wall when he spoke again, "Observe this."


    Before she could protest, he continued, "Deific Inference is the sole Unranked Skill that delves in the domain of the Mind. To develop our Skills, we have to comprehend them. The greater our comprehension of them, the more they are effective when we activate them. This comprehension treads on the domain of the Mind."


    He turned around, his tone serious, "Our understanding of the domain of the mind is superficial at best. But, Deific Inference is our key to unlocking the mysteries of the domain of the mind. After all, this Unranked Skill is continuously evolving as we study and enrich it. Unlike the other Unranked Skill, Deific Inference is an incomplete Unranked Skill, despite already being perfected by Ancestor Light."


    His tone turned solemn, "The day we grasp and tread the domain of the mind is when Deific Inference completes its evolution."


    He then pointed at the sparks lingering around him, "Each spark is my collision of thoughts as old ideas are destroyed while new ideas bud from them. I am also using these sparks to infer and feed information to her to heal and jolt her mind awake. It is a troublesome process only because my skills are lacking. If I understood it better, I would have been able to wake her up instantaneously."


    "But," Ahera said after a moment of thought, "How is this related to me. I am not contributing anything by being here. In fact, I am hindering you."


    Before he could sigh and reply, Ahera''s eyes lit up as she thought, speaking in a hurry, "If I observe the workings of Deific Inference, I could gain some understanding of the domain of the mind. When I comprehend my Skills in the future, I would be able to comprehend them faster and proceed to levels deeper than my peers."


    "Yes," The youthful-looking man smiled, "That is why I want you to observe. Besides, the greater the knowledge you accumulate, the more helpful it is for your attempt at Tier 6."


    He sighed, "Do you know why, despite being superior to the Frenzy Beasts, we have a lower number of Ancestors? And why, despite being inferior to us, they are producing more Ancestors?"


    Ahera shook her head. The youthful-looking man glanced at the lady on the berth, his expression turning sour for a moment, "It is the sheer difference in quality. Our requirements to complete a breakthrough, the number of memory fragments we have to collect in the Mental Realm, the solidity of our Heart/Brain Crystal upon evolution, they are all higher than the Frenzy Beasts."


    "How can that be possible? Don''t we have the same Para¡­" A psychic arm hurriedly blocked her mouth as sweat covered the youthful-looking man''s forehead. Immediately shielding the two of them, he transmitted his voice through his psychic arm, "The next time you speak about it, even I wouldn''t be able to guarantee your life. I might wield a lot of authority but, rules are the rules. Understand?"


    "Yes," Ahera bowed in shame, "Sorry, Dad."


    The youthful-looking man sighed as he retracted the barrier, continuing with his treatment, "This higher breakthrough requirement also decides the quality of the evolved Wisdom/Frenzy Parasite. And, that quality directly correlates to the potency of the Skill Nurtured."


    "The first three evolutions are probably the easiest and the simplest. Anyone can become a Tier 3 being with a bit of effort, unless they were peerless idiots. But, attaining Tier 4 is a multitude of times hard. Restrictions will be imposed to signal a breakthrough completion." His voice turned sharp, "It is as if our evolution criteria is decided by the laws of the world."


    "The Laws of the World?" Ahera was shocked, "Something like that actually exists?"


    "Why do you think they never existed before?" The youthful-looking man laughed, "If you place a paper in the fire, it burns. That is a law. An unsuspended object in the air falls to the earth. That is also a law."


    "But, that is¡­due to gravity¡­" Ahera was cut off by the youthful-looking man''s smile, as if her remark was exactly as he had assumed she would say.


    He flashed his teeth, having fun with the conversation as the intensity of sparks around him tripled, "The laws of physics are what humans have inferred from nature through countless observations and experiments. But, most of them are incomplete, as our research is still ongoing. The same applies to other fields too."


    "One such law we found out was a restriction in the Mental Realm when you try to breakthrough to Tier 4 and beyond. You have to absorb experience fragments a certain number of times than the one you entered with. Only then will you be qualified to exit the Mental Realm." He sighed.


    "Such a restriction exists?" Ahera exclaimed, shocked at the information.


    The youthful-looking man continued, "And, humans are more enriched and endowed in all factors than the Frenzy Beasts. So, the experience fragments we possess are greater, meaning we have to obtain as many from the Mental Realm. This raises the difficulty tremendously, after all, it is a multiple of the amount we possess. And, you know how shitty multiplication works for bigger numbers, right?"


    He continued to speak, "But, if we manage to succeed, our future is proportionally brighter. The greater the requirements, the greater the rewards. There are many such restrictions, added together, they limit the number of ancestors we could produce. But, as such, our Ancestors are terrifyingly powerful."


    His voice turned dangerously low, "This is why Ancestor Dawn, Light, and Reef have been progressing in strength even now, despite most of the Frenzy Beast Ancestors having hit their limits ages ago."


    "Every Ancestor of humanity has yet to hit their limits while there exist only two individuals among the Frenzy Beast races like this: Warlord, and Sheep." He gazed at his daughter, cheering her, "You have a shot at Tier 6 not because of some heaven-defying innate talent. It is because the requirements you will face to attain Tier 4 will be the highest among humanity, even surpassing Madam Light."


    "Grandma Atika¡­?" Her eyes widened, filled with a sense of worship and fear. "I can become someone like her?"


    "The possibility is not zero," Her father smiled, ruffling her hair. The sparks around him further doubled, almost filling their surroundings. He looked at the sleeping lady, "Looks like she''s about to wake up."


    "I only know these details because I''m the most advanced in developing Deific Inference. In this aspect, I will surpass Ancestor Light in a couple of decades." His gaze turned sharp, "And, I can say this with assurance, Ahera. You will become someone the Frenzy Beasts wouldn''t even dare utter the name of."

 Chapter 316: They are Terrifying!

    "I-I can become someone like that?" Her mind exploded with thoughts and emotions. Amplified by the surrounding¡ªunder the effect of Deific Inference¡ªair, sparks appeared around her, even surpassing the youthful-looking man for an instant.


    Seeing the scene, he smiled, "Of course."


    A minute later, when Ahera had cooled down, he continued, "But, there are two obstacles you must face. One, the requirements for your breakthrough will be the highest among humanity. So, unless your preparations break human records in all aspects, every single time, you won''t be able to survive."


    It was like a bucket of cold water was poured on her head as Ahera pouted, tears welling up in her eyes. The youthful-looking man continued before she could cry, reining her attention to his words, "The second would be to counter a certain Frenzy Beast that has recently surfaced."


    "Counter a Frenzy Beast that has recently surfaced? Why would that hinder my growth?" She proceeded with his train of thought, soon forgetting her need to cry. The youthful-looking man gave her enough time to think, trying to bring her as close to the answer as possible before he would explain the remainder.


    She looked at the war happening beyond the walls, linking the information she had absorbed to date as she thought in silence, finally opening her mouth to show her conjecture, "It has something to do with the Mental Realm?"


    "Yes, you are absolutely right." He nodded, "The Mental Realm is a plane overlapping reality. As we always breakthrough within Marble City, the experience fragments we leave in the Mental Realm will mostly become Cogent Phrenics that stay here. These Cogent Phrenics are superior to those formed in other areas, as our experience fragments are superior."


    Ahera clapped in excitement, stating her thoughts, "This also means if a Frenzy Beast were to breakthrough here, it would profit more. The experience fragments will also allow it to know and guard against humans better."


    "Yes," The youthful-looking man nodded, "And, this Frenzy Beast race precisely is trying to do that. That''s why they will be your number one threat."


    "But," Ahera frowned, "Won''t every Frenzy Beast race be a threat in that way? But, considering their inferior experience fragments, the Cogent Phrenics in our area won''t be interested in them. So, they can''t threaten us."


    "You are wrong in one place," The youthful-looking man displayed a mild expression of fear, "This Frenzy Beast only surfaced recently. We thought it was a product of the evolution of some other Frenzy Beast race, just that they had evolved too much so we couldn''t figure out their roots so quickly. But, it seems we had been deceived all along."


    "Deceived?"


    "Yes, deceived." He sighed in helplessness, "Not just the humans, even the Frenzy Beasts had been deceived all along. They had been hidden right beneath our noses, watching every war we fought, ever since the dark ages."


    "The dark ages? From then? But how did they remain hidden from that long ago? And why did they start appearing only now?" Ahera blurted out in shock, failing to conceal her shrill voice. The youthful-looking man erected a barrier around them to prevent any leakage of information.


    "They are a long-lived race, their requirements to achieve Tier 4 is¡­" He looked at his daughter, speaking with a bit of pain, "the same as you."


    "You mean?" Ahera staggered, doubtful of the claim, unwilling to understand it for the time being. The youthful-looking man consoled her, sighing as he spoke, "They are incredibly frightening. They possess a danger sense that hasn''t failed them even once. Even when Ancestor Marble made a move, he was unable to capture them. They fled long before he could even reach their area. It is just like precognition."


    "Who are they?" Ahera spoke, gritting her teeth, "What are they called?"


    "Ethereal-Tailed Frenzy Beast," The youthful-looking man uttered each syllable with a solemn tone.


    "Ethereal-Tailed Frenzy Beast¡­" Ahera muttered, clenching her hand into a fist, her thoughts focused on the name as she iterated it over and over again.


    "Thanks to the brilliance of Ravis Macht, we recently managed to raid one of their homes using a team of Sky Controllers. We failed to capture any Ethereal-Tailed Frenzy Beasts, but we managed to learn a lot about them. They had been in hiding all along, only attempting a breakthrough when they were fully confident." He glanced at the state of the unconscious lady.


    As the sparks increased steadily, he continued, "Their entire race only possesses eight Tier 5 beings and a couple hundred Tier 4 beings. There are only Espers in their midst. For some reason, they cannot create any Warriors. They were patiently hiding and waiting till now, when the time is ripe before they started showing themselves."


    "Why is the time ripe?" Ahera failed to think of any reason, feeling confused.


    "The Saturation Point in the Mental Realm. We are approaching it. After some more decades, the Mental Realm would become saturated by the Cogent Phrenics. By then, breakthroughs will no longer be possible. The moment we end up there, we would be gobbled up by the Cogent Phrenics without being able to mount any resistance." His hands shook a little.


    He quickly suppressed his anxiety, "And, considering the number of breakthroughs that happen in Marble City daily, we are conducting a Cleansement manoeuvre once every 3 years. The duration is continuing to shorten. And, our rich experience points are a massive treasure trove the Ethereal-Tailed Frenzy Beasts wish to obtain."


    "Remember that the Cogent Phrenics are attracted by superior experience fragments." His shaking finally stopped, suppressed by his psychic energy.


    "But, how can their experience fragments be superior to us?" Ahera inquired.


    "Experience fragments are a condensation of our life''s experiences. The greater and nourishing our experiences are, the higher the quality of the experience fragments." He looked at his daughter, patting her head once, "Between the two of us, who has more experience? Who possesses higher quality experience fragments?"


    "It is you, father." Ahera nodded.


    "And, why is that?"


    "Because you''re stronger, and you''ve lived and witnessed more than me."


    "Yes," The youthful-looking man nodded, "All the Ethereal-Tailed Frenzy Beasts at Tier 4 and Tier 5 have been alive since the dark ages. Imagine what all they must have experienced. Compare it with any Tier 5 human, who do you think will possess higher quality experience fragments?"


    "They," Ahera replied, downcast.


    "So, the Cogent Phrenics in and around our city would rush to them crazily. And, the Ethereal-Tailed Frenzy Beasts would probably make a move when we are closer to the Saturation Point." The youthful-looking man sighed, "Moreover, the Ethereal-Tailed Frenzy Beasts have been able to phase through all matter. We thought it was their Tier 4 Skill, judging by how their ethereal tails shortened upon each use. But, reality is more shocking."


    The sparks had become numerous enough to outshine the ambient light as he noticed the unconscious lady''s condition before speaking, "They were Espers, and all they were using against us were their Traits. And, based on the clues we found in their base, they can possess more than one Trait. One of their Traits allows them to possess tough bodies, equivalent to Shifters upon maturity."


    He looked at Ahera, reading her mind, "No, the Traits are not like the ones we possess. You know Frenzy Beasts can''t possess them. What they possess is similar to the Trait of the Floating Spiders or Lava Turtles or Spindle Bees or River Whales. Traits possessed since birth and those that evolve with their Tier. And they possess more than one. We were unable to estimate their limit."


    "They are..." Ahera took a couple of seconds to orient her thoughts before finding the necessary word, "terrifying."


    "Yes," The youthful-looking man sighed, "If they were to produce an Ancestor, it would become a terrifying figure."


    On seeing that the sparks had turned lively, he deactivated his Unranked Skill, "That is why their threat level is the highest among all Frenzy Beasts. To become an Ancestor, you would have to experience better instances than them and overwhelm them in the Mental Realm."


    "Ankh Light," A hoarse voice was transmitted from the lady who regained consciousness. "Just because you wish for your daughter to become stronger doesn''t mean you should pressure her like that."


    "Aren''t I right though?" The youthful-looking man, Ankh Light looked at the lady that remained still like a statue, "Or, do you have a differing opinion, Madam Marble?"


    "Yes," Mila Marble replied, "Even if they produce an Ancestor, it would need decades worth of time to grow stronger and even longer to understand and develop its Unranked Skill, should it possess one already. If not, using the enlightenment obtained from its breakthrough to Tier 6, it would need to conceptualise and carry out decades and decades of research before creating an Unranked Skill. This is not to mention comprehending it and deepening its power after that. They all take a lot of time, time that would no longer matter once we hit the Saturation Point in the Mental Realm."


    "Once that happens, our foundation is what would allow us to last longer. Humanity has maintained a solid foothold in this world since the stone age. Our accumulations have spanned eons, and our accumulations through the dark ages to the Dawn era have grown to a tremendous extent. Artifacts, Relics, Esper Knowledge, Warrior Skill development, Unranked Skills, development in the field of aura, mind, and soul. These are all our accumulations."


    Mila Marble snorted, "And, what accumulations do you think a race that spent its life hiding have? Experience fragments stored in the Mental Realm? They don''t possess one. Relics? Artifacts? They don''t have them either. Traits are their advantage. And they are proving to be tough opponents, but that''s all. What is their foundation? Eight Sky Controllers and a couple hundred Ground Controllers."


    "Even if all the Ground Controllers become Sky Controllers while a Sky Controller becomes an Ancestor. What about after that? They cannot grow any further because of the Saturation Point in the Mental Realm and are stuck with a pitiful number of powerhouses. At the end of the day, they are troublesome only when hiding."


    "The moment they come into the open, they will be annihilated." Mila Marble sat up, beckoning for Ahera Light to come forward.


    The moment she did, Mila Marble patted her head once, "Wisdom has been and will always be humanity''s greatest strength. Be wise, and you will trump all troubles."


    Ahera Light fell into thought, gaining enlightenment as her aura subtly changed. Mila Marble was astonished for a moment before she shot a loot at Ankh Light, seeing him smile with content, as if everything he said had borne fruit.


    Suddenly, her head ached as she remembered something, spiking her aura as she activated her Unranked Skill. Psychic Ancestor Marble immediately materialised before her as the magenta figure, "Thank goodness, you''ve woken up, Mila."


    "Grandpa, it was Warlord. I saw it flying towards the territory of the Spindle Bees. I swiftly escaped but its attack grazed me and put me in an unconscious state. We have to hurriedly mobilise our forces. The Spindle Bees are up to something."

 Chapter 317: The Spear’s Path

    "Warlord? What actually happened, Mila? Weren''t you flying south to inspect the movements of the Skeps?" Psychic Ancestor Marble spoke in confusion.


    "Yes," Mila Marble nodded, "After transmitting the movements of the Skeps to Central Command, I was just about to return when I noticed a Tier 1 Floating Spider fly east. When an Armadillo launched a spike at it, the Floating Spider shrugged it off as if it wasn''t affected. Just that fact alone revealed its identity. It was Warlord."


    "On seeing that I had realised its identity, it attacked me. I defended with all my might while flying towards Marble City at my maximum speed. I managed to survive somehow." She sighed, "But, for some reason, it was heading towards the territory of the Spindle Bees, at a time when the Floating Spiders were attacked by the Swarm the most."


    "I''ll dispatch our scouts," Psychic Ancestor Marble closed his eyes, emitting a psychic energy pulse. Five seconds later, a team of three exited Marble City from the outermost sectors, proceeding in 12 radial directions.


    Each team consisted of three Sky Controllers, all hailing from the Marble Family. With such a line-up, even if an Ancestor made a move, they were guaranteed to return alive. After all, despite being alone, Mila Marble survived an encounter with Rhachis Ancestor Warlord.


    "Hmm," Psychic Ancestor Marble frowned, "Every mode of communication beyond the city walls is being jammed. The jamming is many times stronger than the usual."


    The marble figure gazed at the soldiers on the walls, throwing attacks at their foes that swarmed without end. Corpses were being brought into the city upon every instant. To manage everything that happened in the city, in and around the city walls, and possibly defend against any attacks other Tier 6 beings might make, Psychic Ancestor Marble didn''t have the freedom to personally make a move.


    Ten minutes later, he received the first report, "So, Puppet has already made its move in their defence against the Swarm."


    It was the report from the west, by the team that exited from Sector 9, 10th Ring. They had the least amount of distance to scout, hence their early arrival. Soon, the team that exited from Sector 10, 9th Ring made their report. "Rhachis Ancestor Web is moving towards the northeast of the Floating Spider territory."


    Ten more minutes later, the team that had exited from Sector 8, 10th Ring returned, making their report, "No sight of Warlord. A large number of Transformers from the Warlord Family were flying near the place of battle, waiting for their turn against the Swarm."


    The teams from the south reported the movements of the Swarm. But, the moment the teams that had gone north returned, they conveyed in panic, "Rhachis Ancestor Wave is flying towards the territory of the Spindle Bees."


    The ones that had gone east returned with injuries, "Rhachis Ancestor Warlord and Rhachis Ancestor Spindle are standing side by side and facing Marble City."


    Once he obtained all information, Psychic Ancestor Marble thought, linking everything to find the cause, "Web has moved closer to Marble City, as if it wishes to attack us the moment it gets a chance. Warlord and Spindle are in the territory of the Spindle Bees while Wave is flying towards them. Earth has migrated for the time being. So, all the characters that could influence the situation have made their move."


    His eyes widened as the marble figure dissolved, appearing 50 kilometres above marble city. The marble figure gazed east, finding something amiss. "It can''t be¡­?"


    Just when he thought, the aura in the region visibly trembled, moving away from the territory of the Spindle Bees. It was evening, the sun beginning to set.


    Suddenly, an aura flux pulsed from the heart of the Spindle Bee territory. The pulse caused waves to form in the air, coursing far and wide, forming numerous concentric circles as they progressed. The moment the Swarm came in contact with the pulse, their bodies trembled, affected by the aura.


    They stopped all attacks, creating numerous fluctuations in the air as they communicated. The pulse lasted for 10 seconds before waning in strength. A minute later, the Swarm started to move once again.


    Using the time when they were immobile, the soldiers on the city walls erupted with a lot of attacks, killing most of the Swarm in their surroundings. It was thanks to the barrier shielding out everything that they were safe. But, their expressions were solemn, their gaze directed towards the east in unison.


    "Light," The marble figure muttered, watching a streak of light condense into the figure of Rhachis Ancestor Light beside it. "They are birthing an Ancestor."


    "These are dangerous times," Rhachis Ancestor Light frowned, "Strongest is in Dawn City. You have a lot to manage because of the Swarm. But, the moment I make a move, Web will try to attack us. And, it seems Warlord, Wave, and Spindle are ready to stall me."


    "Don''t mobilise the Royal Families unless the situation is dire," Rhachis Ancestor Light said, "If the situation escalates, even Parasite might be willing to make a move. We have to tread with caution. For now, we''ll probe them first."


    "Alright," Psychic Ancestor Marble nodded, condensing a 100-metre-long sphere. Rhachis Ancestor Light took in a deep breath, gazing east as he closed his eyes. His aura was fully concealed in his frail form, slumbering within.


    Tier 5 Skill¡ªWarlord Transformation!


    He immediately turned into an 80-metre-tall giant, grabbing the magenta spear using his right hand. A translucent energy covered its tip while white light seeped into the shaft. The shaft faintly trembled, brimming with power, emitting enough light to brighten the night.


    Seeing the scene, the soldiers fighting on the wall bellowed, displaying their fighting spirit, their roar resounding in the Wilds 200 kilometres away. Citizens on the streets immediately kneeled, paying their respects, bordering devotion.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light craned his arm backwards, exerting strength in his muscles. With a mild shout, he simply threw the spear, without using his Unranked Skill to propel it forward. Even then, the spear travelled in a straight line, not even lowered by a millimetre¡ªby gravity¡ªdespite travelling for more than 200 kilometres.


    Figures of River Whales, numbering in the thousands¡ªcondensed from water¡ªlined themselves in the spear''s path, forming a blockade more than a dozen kilometres wide. The spear pierced through the blockade, its speed only lowered by a fraction, splashing all the water along its wake.


    Vines grew from the ground, turning into a lush forest as flowers bloomed, showing their faces towards the approaching spear. Each flower possessed a radius of 10 metres, their girth massive. The spear pierced through all of them, its speed lowered by another fraction.


    "It''s too powerful." Rhachis Ancestor Spindle spoke in panic, standing on a flower petal, overlooking a massive flower bud growing out of the water. Hidden within the bud was the source of the earlier aura pulse.


    "Let me try again." Rhachis Ancestor Wave spoke, erecting massive barriers of water along the spear''s path. They were structured to divert the force of impact through their entire forms, absorbing as much of the spear''s energy as possible. Hundreds of such barriers were formed in a second, lining up in the spear''s path.


    The spear pierced through them all, its speed lowering by another fraction but the water structures failed to absorb much damage, getting pierced at the point of contact. Vines formed again, attempting to grab the shaft before shredded by flashes of light emitting from within.


    "Move away, it has already come close enough." Rhachis Ancestor Warlord spoke, turning humanoid as it raised its right hand, aiming at the spear.


    Unranked Skill¡ªGreater Warlord!


    The moment it activated the Skill, it was no longer able to use any of its Nurtured Skills, even its Tier 6 Skill. In return, it could activate the Tier 3 Skill hidden within Greater Warlord, its power elevated to Tier 6.


    Tier 6 Skill¡ªForged Line!


    It was a laser, the effect imbued in it changing to light the moment it impacted the spear, countering the light in it. The spear emitted light from it, negating Rhachis Ancestor Warlord''s ability while propelling the spear forward.


    The spear began to slow down but the rate of decrease wasn''t enough. Rhachis Ancestor Warlord flew forward, exerting more strength in its ability, increasing the volume of the laser beam. The spear soon arrived, its momentum more than enough to destroy their defences.


    Rhachis Ancestor Warlord caught the spear with its bare hands, the momentum sending it reeling back. Emitted from its hands was the effect of its Tier 6 Skill, preventing it from suffering any injury.


    The spear began to lose momentum, curving towards the surface. It pushed Rhachis Ancestor Warlord along its path. Soon, they passed over the land and continued to fly over the sea, eventually stopping after they crashed into a jungle of plants.


    The vines retracted as Rhachis Ancestor Warlord panted, the thumping of its heart audible from kilometres away. The marble spear in its hands dissipated into psychic energy, leaving nothing behind.


    It wasn''t injured, except expending some energy. Rhachis Ancestor Warlord flew over, watching that Marble City had turned silent. Rhachis Ancestor Spindle flapped its wings, spinning around the bud it protected, checking if the exchange caused any disturbance within.


    When Rhachis Ancestor Warlord flew over, it nodded to show that the situation was still fine.


    Rhachis Ancestor Wave sucked in a lot of water from the sea, creating a massive sphere around it, spanning three kilometres in radius, speaking with lingering fear, "We have to stall Light using any means necessary."


    "That will be difficult, almost impossible." Rhachis Ancestor Warlord gazed west, "Light is someone who has even fought against Lord Parasite. We can''t fathom his true strength. The only way to stall him is by attacking Marble City. He cares for his people. That''s our only choice."

 Chapter 318: Skep Primogenitor

    "It will be difficult to survive if go near Marble City. Marble will be there to reinforce Light." Rhachis Ancestor Wave said, unwilling to put itself in that much danger.


    "Can you attack Marble City from here?" Rhachis Ancestor gazed towards west, alert to defend against any attacks.


    "I can, but their power would be severely reduced by the time they reach Marble City. It won''t make a dent on their barrier unless I spam attacks while Marble takes a leisure break. We are too far apart." Rhachis Ancestor Wave muttered, the water surrounding it rippling once before increasing in size.


    "What you have to do is simple. Make it rain over Marble City. The Swarm is from the sea. The seawater will energise them and make their attacks stronger. With a strong enough downpour, the attacks of the Swarm would increase in might. And, to avoid this situation, Marble would have to divert his attention to intercept your attacks." Rhachis Ancestor Warlord said, chuckling as it clenched its hand into a fist.


    It began to fly westward, "I and Web will attack Marble City to keep Light''s attention away from here. Wave, you make as big of a barrier as you can to protect our target while launching attacks at Marble City. As for Spindle, come with me."


    Without any hesitation, Rhachis Ancestor Spindle accompanied Rhachis Ancestor Warlord, leaving the protection of its base to Rhachis Ancestor Wave.


    They were peak existences surrounding Marble City for centuries.


    The individual strength of their respective race wasn''t strong enough to resist Rhachis Ancestor Light. So, they always cooperated, coming to the other''s rescue the moment Rhachis Ancestor Light made a move on any race. That was how they remained alive for so long.


    The four Frenzy Beast races didn''t have shared borders, so the conflict between them was minimal. The one sandwiched in the middle was Marble City, their collective foe. So, after cooperating on numerous occasions, they were able to trust one another.


    Besides, all of them were capable of looking at the big picture. The birth of another Ancestor would ease their lives more. Moreover, the Spindle Bees only had one Ancestor. So even if they gained a second Ancestor, they wouldn''t be stronger than the other races individually.


    Among them, the cooperation with the Lava Turtles was the lowest. Lava Turtles were a race that were willing to leave at a moment''s notice should the situation turn dire. Therefore, Rhachis Ancestor Earth had only cooperated with them occasionally.


    Leaving the defence of its territory and the being that had attempted a breakthrough to Tier 6, Rhachis Ancestor Spindle flew without worries. The entire race of Spindle Bees had taken flight, protecting their territory from the Swarm.


    Among them, a significant amount of Spindle Bees had attempted a breakthrough, with more than 10 Tier 5 beings attempting a shot at Tier 6. It was both a camouflage for the real candidate and to reinforce it in the Mental Realm.


    ''Hopefully, they can serve as the distraction and take the fall under Light''s attacks.'' Rhachis Ancestor Spindle increased its speed, barely avoiding a light eagle that flew its way. Rhachis Ancestor Warlord too dodged it, commenting, "Light is conserving most of his strength. If he had launched them at the speed of light, we wouldn''t have been able to dodge it."


    "Every attack on that level consumes a tremendous amount of energy. And, even if he launches them, the impact wouldn''t kill us immediately. And, he is saving his energy to defend against a possible attack from Lord Parasite. He also needs a contingency measure against the Swarm." Rhachis Ancestor Spindle commented, its body shielded by a layer of green. Dense energy radiated from it, something it had condensed for more than a decade.


    It was the source of its confidence to survive a full-powered attack from Rhachis Ancestor Light, "Because of this, I can recover from any kind of damage."


    Rhachis Ancestor Spindle poised its stinger forward, shooting forth hundreds of spindles every second. They formed a needle storm as they flew towards Marble City at blinding speeds, not inferior to the spear Rhachis Ancestor Light had thrown.


    Seeing the hail of spindles, Rhachis Ancestor Light frowned, "They are getting serious, Marble. What is the status of our south-east? Any sign of movement from them?"


    "Crash is coming over. It seems Parasite dispatched it first. On our west, Web is also making its way towards us. A battle is imminent, Light. I can''t extend myself beyond the city walls. But, try to keep the fight above our city. That place is still within my reach." Psychic Ancestor Marble said.


    "Now is not the time for a decisive fight. We need time for Strongest to mature." Psychic Ancestor Marble commented, "Besides, the situation in the waters is turning dangerous."


    "Alright, I myself am tired. If they try to attack us, we would need all our strength to defend against them. The Spindle Bees chose a rather perfect time to make their breakthrough." Rhachis Ancestor Light sighed, waving his hand to create a massive film of light, defending against the hail of spindles. The moment the spindles touched the film of light, sparks were emitted from it, shredding them into numerous pieces.


    Not one spindle managed to get through. Instead of Marble City, Rhachis Ancestor Spindle was actually aiming at the Swarm surrounding it. On seeing that Rhachis Ancestor Light managed to easily block it, Rhachis Ancestor Spindle gritted its forming human-like teeth.


    "Marble City won''t interfere with the birth of the Spindle Bee Ancestor." Rhachis Ancestor Light''s voice resounded, travelling east as the two Ancestors heard it.


    Rhachis Ancestor Warlord immediately stopped, no longer trying to fly forward. Rhachis Ancestor Spindle too stopped, the two of them gazing towards their west in confusion. After the statement, they saw a streak of light enter Marble City, signalling that Rhachis Ancestor Light had retreated.


    "It might be a trap. It''s for the best we wait." Rhachis Ancestor Warlord spoke, "Besides, our objective is to stall for time. As long as we can achieve it, everything would be fine."


    "This is the first time Marble City behaved like this. When the Floating Spiders were birthing their fourth Ancestor, Marble City brought out most of its strength to stop it." Rhachis Ancestor Spindle was at a loss, unwilling to believe Rhachis Ancestor Light retreated just like that.


    "Times are different," Rhachis Ancestor Warlord gazed towards the south, noticing many existences slowly exit the waters. They had been lured by the commotion earlier. Each of them were massive beings, possessing hundreds of mysterious abilities.


    Among them, quite a few had reached the realm of Tier 6 while the rest were on the cusp of achieving it. 100¡­200¡­300¡­seeing their numbers, Rhachis Ancestor Warlord''s body shook, trembling as the emotion of fear suffused it. "H-How are there so many Skeps?"


    Just at this time, a being silently made its arrival, coming to a stop beside Warlord, also noticing the situation. Its tiny body shuddered in fright, "How come there are so many Skeps. From where did they appear all of a sudden?"


    "We have no idea either," Rhachis Ancestor Warlord replied, "They are suddenly popping up one after another the moment they sensed the breakthrough aura."


    Rhachis Ancestor Spindle''s body shuddered as its feminine voice leaked out, "So, that''s why Marble City retreated."


    "I will alert my lord of their numbers and return," Saying its piece, Psychic Ancestor Crash disappeared.


    Rhachis Ancestor Warlord raised its hand, weaving a silk ball before throwing it west. The silk ball sped through the air, its path an upward curve due to its floating property. Marble City didn''t block it as the silk ball flew above it.


    Finally, the silk ball approached a massive silk sphere. It was the Web World, home of Rhachis Ancestor Web. A silk rope extended from it and grabbed hold of the silk ball, reading the contents within. The entire Web World trembled, its gigantic frame unleashing numerous twisters as a result.


    Without further ado, it flew west, returning to the Floating Spider territory. With the appearance of the third party, their battle came to a halt before it even started.


    Mount Nilgiris, Marble City; seated within a palace atop the artificial mountain was Rhachis Ancestor Light and Psychic Ancestor Marble. The two had noticed the situation in the south, conversing rapidly as they formulated a plan of action.


    "It is best we stay put for the time being. Fighting the Skeps might even cripple our foundation. Our scouts failed to sense their staggering numbers. It seems the Skeps are already capable of shielding themselves from our detection methods." Psychic Ancestor Marble''s tone was tinged with alarm.


    A table formed between them, creating the landscape of their subcontinent, including the large water mass below. The figures of all the Skeps that made their appearance now was outlined.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light looked at them, pointing at a few, "I remember seeing these in the Lace Wave. So they have already entered the realm of Tier 6."


    "Just barely but indeed, you''re right." Psychic Ancestor Marble focused on the remaining figures, "Most of them seem new, they hadn''t made their appearance even once. But¡­"


    His attention was focused on a certain Skep that was still hidden beneath the water, with only its eye peeking out. After a second, his expression was filled with shock as the marble figure formed 50 kilometres above Marble City, gazing towards the south.


    "That¡­damn thing is actually alive." The marble figure''s expression was full of shock and fear, soon overwhelmed by anger. The walls of Marble City resonated with his anger, shimmering with aura waves that he reined within, unwilling to unleash it for the time being.


    Followed by a streak of light, Rhachis Ancestor Light materialised beside the marble figure, following its line of sight. The moment he saw the entity hiding under the ocean, rage clouded his mind.


    "Skep Primogenitor!" The entire sky was filled with light, turning night into day. Rhachis Ancestor Light flashed through space, appearing above the ocean water, condensing a massive blade of light in his hands, slashing into the water.

 Chapter 319: Declaration of War

    The blade of light was two kilometres long, swung with all his might. The momentum its bladed tip carried was tremendous as it slashed towards its target.


    "It''s been awhile¡­Light." A tentacle rose from within the water, morphing into a human hand, but giant-sized. Faint bluish-white light converged on its surface as the blade came into contact with it. The sound of the explosion created a powerful sonic book that pushed away the surrounding Skeps, the water forming a wave as the area of contact was bereft of it.


    A massive tide was created as a result; the water gushed into the vacancy only after more than ten seconds had passed. Such was the power held within the blade''s swing. The hand that caught the blade though, was mostly unharmed, only sporting a cut that healed within a couple of seconds.


    The hands gripped the blade of light, exerting strength, cracking it with every passing second, shattering it after a dozen seconds had passed. Despite the clash, the figure was concealed beneath the water. Even though it was right before him, Rhachis Ancestor Light felt some difficulties in perceiving its strength.


    "Why¡­are you still alive? Didn''t Parasite and¡­he kill you two centuries ago?" Rhachis Ancestor Light spoke while gritting his teeth, his hands trembling under the rage while condensing another blade of light.


    "So, Wisdom is dead and Frenzy calls himself Parasite now." The voice echoed from within the water, filled with a derisive sneer, grasping the necessary details from that exchange. "I suppose it is to be expected. Things are bound to change in my absence. It is not yet the time for me to appear."


    The water swirled as the Skep within dissolved into it, its presence vanishing, leaving behind a statement, "When the Parasite path hits its end, and Parasite achieves his peak strength, I''ll make my appearance. We''ll decide once and for all on whose path is superior."


    "Don''t leave!" Rhachis Ancestor Light unleashed a massive beam of light into the water, parting it all the way to its seabed. But, there were no traces of the Skep. It had vanished through mysterious means.


    "There are no traces," Psychic Ancestor Marble spoke, appearing beside Rhachis Ancestor Light, his expression a scowl. He had left his post and exited Marble City, scouring the sea in search of clues.


    The other Skeps began to retreat one after another, vanishing with the same means as the Skep that fought with Rhachis Ancestor Light. The scene made the two Ancestors frown, their detection methods failing to figure out the cause.


    Followed by a streak of light, Atika Light arrived at the scene, looking at the disappearing scene of the Skeps. She silently recorded all the data while Psychic Ancestor Marble guarded her with his full strength.


    Except for the Skeps that were participants of the Lacquer Wave, the remaining had vanished, as if they had never existed, to begin with. When Atika Light recorded every possible clue she obtained, she turned around, gazing at Rhachis Ancestor Light, "Is that Skep¡­"


    "Yes," Rhachis Ancestor Light nodded, "It is the first Skep. It was an octopus, and one of the first Frenzy Beasts Parasite had created. At that time, Parasite was only at Tier 1. It didn''t have control over the Frenzy Parasites it had created back then. Eventually, when the octopus became Tier 5, it discovered the path of evolution."


    "It also discovered that Parasite was slowly gaining control over the Frenzy Parasites it had created as it developed in strength. When Parasite was at Tier 5, the octopus had already destroyed the Frenzy Parasite in it, survived, and embarked on the path of evolution." Rhachis Ancestor Light gritted his teeth, recalling memories buried deep in his mind, "When Parasite became Tier 6, the octopus became a Skep."


    "The two included were the cause that plunged the world into the dark ages. As every day passed, we were expending more of our military strength to guard our territories. We first lost the sea, followed by the air, and were losing our lands with every passing day." He sighed, "Leave it, let''s talk about it at another time. I thought it was killed, but to think that it was still alive. This marks the upcoming of turbulent times."


    "How strong is it?" Atika Light retracted the beam of light she cast on the ocean. She only used her Tier 4 Skill in conjunction with her Unranked Skill. She didn''t want to expose her Tier 5 Skill out in the open like this. Too many eyes were trained on them at present. Her Tier 5 Skill was a closely guarded secret. To the knowledge of the Frenzy Beast races, humanity only possessed one Tier 5 Skill, Warlord Transformation.


    "Most probably around Reef''s level. It cannot win against me in a frontal fight but its methods are most probably many times my own. The Skeps are not bound by logic or limitations." Rhachis Ancestor Light''s eyes spewed intense hatred.


    He controlled himself, preventing his aura from leaking out in fear that it would kill Atika Light. Psychic Ancestor Marble shielded her with two of his psychic arms in response, frowning as he looked at the ocean waves, "Something is approaching."


    The air was flowing strangely, guided by the aura in them. It swirled, forming intense gales while the ocean turned turbulent. The aura in the air cried out in strain, struggling as the presences in them were snuffed out one by one.


    The trio gazed southeast, their expressions turning solemn. Psychic Ancestor Marble hurriedly made a trip to Marble City, placing Atika Light under the security of the city walls. He then reappeared beside Rhachis Ancestor Light, his expression one of alarm, having already unleashed all six psychic arms.


    The psychic arms turned magenta, immediately entering his most optimal battle state. Rhachis Ancestor Light was no different. A formless energy gushed out of his body, severing everything it came into contact with.


    It was a storm, dense mist formed from the vaporisation of the ocean water while the kinetic energy induced lightning within. Fire formed on the periphery while the temperate differences caused the air to swirl. Running within was a figure, each of its steps exuding tremendous presence.


    It was making the aura of the environment scream in protest, unable to endure its presence. As the figure appeared on the horizon, Rhachis Ancestor Light and Psychic Ancestor Marble shuddered, their expression one of alarm, ready to wage a battle of life and death.


    "It''s here," Rhachis Ancestor Light muttered in a soft breath, sweat covered his forehead while his arms slightly trembled in fear. The formless energy gushing out of his body increased in intensity while white light condensed underneath him, forming a foothold, accumulating terrifying reserves of energy.


    Rhachis Ancestor Parasite!


    Its arrival caused the bodies of the Swarm to burst one after another. The Skeps retreated deep into their domain the moment they sensed the stir in the aura. Even though they were full of hatred, they swiftly vacated the scene.


    Mount Nilgiris, Circle Zero, Marble City; Atika Light flew within the palace, arriving before a massive altar. It was a Tier 6 Relic, a lifetime''s worth of Psychic Ancestor Marble''s accumulation. It was what manned Marble City''s barrier.


    Apart from the Ancestors, only Atika Light had the authority to use it. She immediately took charge, having long activated her Tier 5 Skill, controlling everything in Marble City. Thoughts clashed in her head, overwhelming her immediately.


    She persisted using the methods at her disposal, making an announcement to all the soldiers on the city walls, "Attention all soldiers, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite is in proximity to our city. I repeat, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite is in proximity to our city. Cease all fighting with the Swarm and infuse your aura into the walls. As for the Espers, overlay your psychic arms underneath the barrier. Every soldier of Marble city, follow the instructions!"


    She repeated the announcement a couple more times while controlling the city walls, absorbing all the aura the soldiers infused into it, creating an aura barrier to shield from Rhachis Ancestor Parasite''s aura attacks.


    All the Espers overlayed their psychic arms underneath the barrier covering their city. Every able-bodied soldier participated; their expressions solemn, but their collective strength reinforcing the city''s barrier to unprecedented levels.


    The bustling city paused all activity, parents accompanying their children suddenly disappeared, leaving the children in confused states. Standing on a footpath was an 8-year-old girl, confused and teary-eyed after her mother just disappeared. What was even stranger was the appearance of a baby in her hands. Before she knew it, she was holding the baby.


    A group of five children were playing a game, engaging in their merry when the power went off, plunging the room in darkness. The backup lamp, powered by a battery switched on, breathing some light into the room. But, it was still dull as compared to before, casting shadows in many places.


    The children were scared, unable to find their parents who had been discussing something in the hall just seconds ago. The surroundings had turned dead silent.


    In a hospital''s operating room, five Espers had been operating on a patient who had been critically injured in a mission. The Essence of Frenzy had completely corroded his spine, also seeping into his brain, putting him in a state of frenzy.


    He was bound by yellow chains, created by a Sky Controller from the Marble Family to restrain him. But, just when they were at a critical juncture, the announcement resounded. Immediately, the five Espers abandoned the patient without any hesitation, heading to reinforce the walls. The situation was urgent to the extent they couldn''t make any preparations, even though they knew of the disaster that would ensue upon their choice.


    The patient was placid for a couple of seconds before his body struggled to break free. Veins popped on his skin while bumps appeared on his head, oozing out blood. His ribcage broke, the bones piercing through the skin and peaking out as the Wisdom Parasite drilled out, absorbing the Essence of Frenzy, and slowly becoming a Frenzy Parasite as time passed.


    It slithered on the floor, exiting the hospital before locating an apartment complex. It could make out faint cries of children from within, slithering in the direction.

 Chapter 320: Mass Panic

    7:45 PM, walking through the corridor in the Head Office Building was Jyorta, barely containing the excitement in him. He tried to be as calm as possible but his heart didn''t stop thumping in excitement while he wore a wide smile on his face without even realising.


    His footsteps were a merry, his gait resounding confidence, the vibe similar to a farmer that was about to reap a bountiful harvest. ''I was told to come later since she was busy during the appointed time. Hope I could obtain it now.''


    The Unranked Skill, Regen; just thinking about it made Jyorta giddy. He barely controlled himself from humming in joy, his gait picking up pace as he approached the principal''s office. Standing at the door was the grumpy guard from before, his sole job to make people wait and relay their information to Madam Mary inside.


    Jyorta introduced himself, stating the reason for his arrival. The guard listened, sending his psychic arm through a portion of the wall that solely allowed his psychic arm to pass through. A couple of seconds later, he turned around, "You can enter now."


    "Thank you, sir." Jyorta made a light bow before he pushed the door open. Seated within was Madam Mary, busy with her work, going through a stack of papers. Just when he stepped foot inside, her figure disappeared.


    ''Is it another test?'' Just when Jyorta wondered, he heard thumping sounds resound in the corridor. He turned around and noticed the guard missing from his post. A second later, the lights went off.


    Only discrete flashes were emitted from the walls, from the battery-operated torches embedded inside. They barely lit up the corridor, enough for him to not stumble or bump into something.


    He immediately unleashed his domain, keeping the range around 1 metre. Despite the situation, he had to keep up appearances. Besides, he didn''t know if it was another of the military academy''s tests.


    ''I have to return.'' The thumping sounds all disappeared, replaced by silence. Soon, the sounds of students screaming reached his ears. Without a second''s hesitation, Jyorta sprinted towards the stairs, his expression morphing, unleashing his full domain without restraint.


    His blue soul was sending him warning signals, with a frequency surpassing when he saw Laila. Just that alone made him realise the severity of the situation. Soon, he exited the Head Office Building, noticing a stream of students run into the open.


    Most of them were panic-stricken, fear and paranoia seeping into them as crowd mentality took effect. The students were all rushing towards the White Building, with each of them shouting everything they heard.


    Rumours were built up, exaggerated to terrifying extents. Jyorta sprinted at full speed, soon noticing the cause of the panic. The screens on the White Building still displayed the scenes of battle. But, most of the Swarm near the city were exploding into blood and meat paste one after another, a sign of implosion under extreme aura levels.


    In the screens, people crowded on the city walls in staggering numbers, overcrowding it. Some of the screens displayed people standing beside the walls or hovering in the air while unleashing their psychic arms. Not one used any mode of concealments, unleashing the brunt of their raw strength.


    This allowed the students to witness everything, the emotion of fear etching in them as they noticed the lineup and the expressions on the faces of every soldier. Jyorta also noticed the figures of his grandfather and his sister in one of the screens. They were accompanied by all the Bone Family members he knew, their hands on the city walls as they seemed to be infusing their aura into it.


    War! Threat! Solemnity!


    His figure shuddered as he read the atmosphere, realising as to why the students were in such a state.


    "Look at that!"


    "Where¡­?"


    "What in the¡­"


    "No way¡­"


    The students spoke in dejectedness, welling on despair as they noticed the storm approaching from the horizon and at two large patches, one white, one magenta that stood in its way.


    "If the Ancestors are being like that¡­"


    "It can only mean¡­"


    "Oh god¡­!"


    The mental states of the students collapsed, with many breaking down into tears. Most were unable to cope up with such a situation. Only the ones who hailed from Aristocratic Families or those that maintained good ranks fared better, privy of more details that bolstered their hope.


    ''Not good, they might end up committing radical actions under such pressure.'' The blue soul used the face mask to forcefully stabilise his emotions for a couple of seconds before retracting it. Jyorta sprinted towards the front, turning back as he faced the crowd.


    ''I have to do something. There is a high chance that all the staff have headed to the walls.'' His heart thumped as he heard a loud thud echo from the Red Building, his eyes widening in shock, ''The Labyrinth of Frenzy! No one is managing it for the time being. This is not good. If they come out, we won''t be able to resist.''


    Jyorta closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as his body slightly thinned in response. He opened his eyes, exerting all his presence.


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    It was daytime; gentle winds blew, ruffling the grass. There was a mild drizzle, carrying with it a mild chill while the air was pleasantly warm. It wasn''t bright, but gentle like the morning rays of the sun.


    Gentle music began to play in the background. It was the simple sound of a waterfall, the sound of water as it moved in the stream, and the sound of a brook as its flowing water moved over smooth pebbles. The sounds were of nature, the ones closest to affecting an individual''s mind.


    A girl''s eyes were vacant, lifeless, drowning in despair. She had just completed her Induction Ceremony a couple of months ago and was still adjusting to her life after being exposed to many frightening things.


    But, even she knew the being that terrorised the world for centuries, a pinnacle being that could only be resisted against by the joint effort of all Ancestors. The appearance of such an individual meant disastrous consequences. Even natural disasters paled in comparison.


    Just when she was on the verge of losing consciousness, her surroundings changed, the weather healing her mind, the sounds of nature soothing her heart. She began to calm down, feeling a sense of optimism bud in her while her attention was fully focused on the sounds of nature.


    "Our Ancestors will definitely brave through and protect us," She pumped her fists, noticing her friend do the same beside her. The two gazed at the faces of one another, wiping their tears as they helped each other up, dusting their clothes before they started to help the others.


    Aura Personification¡ªCalm!


    Aura Personification¡ªOptimism!


    Aura Personification¡ªMental Recovery!


    Aura Personification¡­!


    Jyorta looked at his left, noticing a figure help him. He nodded at her, "Thank you, Laila."


    Others followed suit, quickly using aura personifications to overlap Jyorta''s. Most of them were from the August Batch, comprising around 30 individuals, all at Tier 2. They were followed by 15 from the September Batch and 8 from October Batch, including Jyorta.


    Jyorta looked at his friends who had come to support, nodding to each other as they maintained their aura personifications. "There is none to man the Labyrinth of Frenzy. We must vacate them all to the White Building. It has enough space to accommodate everyone while there only exist four entrances to guard."


    Everyone hurriedly nodded, expressing their approval while transmitting the contents to those stationed far away. Jyorta immediately manipulated the hallucination, making some changes.


    "Weren''t we on our academy ground just a couple of minutes ago? How come we ended up in this place?" After helping a couple more students, the girl from before expressed her doubts.


    "What do you mean? We are still in the same place." Her friend replied, pointing her finger to show most of the buildings veiled by thin mist, obscuring them. The mist was condensing as it swirled about, like a cloud.


    "Look at that." Another student exclaimed, pointing at the White Building that wasn''t obscured by the fog. A sentence was written in large fonts on it, shining with lustre akin to sunlight that reeled in their focus.


    "Head into the White Building immediately." A voice resounded, repeating the contents written on the wall. It was Madam Mary''s voice. The students felt confused but didn''t linger around as they hurried into the White Building. It was Jyorta making them hallucinate everything.


    Some students ran out from the fog, accompanying them. They were the students who were still within the other buildings. Once affected by the aura personification, they exited the buildings and followed the rest.


    Those that were at Tier 2 immediately understood the context of the situation. Those that reached Tier 2 while within the military academy weren''t pushovers, and possessed a great resistance to the sheep mentality. Even though they were afraid, enough to almost render them helpless after seeing the scenes on the screens, but seeing their fellow peers struggle to maintain the situation, they quickly joined, giving a helping hand.


    "They are coming out!" Dalna Doppler bellowed, watching the Frenzy Beasts exit the Red Building in the Rhachis Block first. She immediately rushed to the scene, raining down attacks on the exiting Frenzy Beasts, "Help me stall for time until everyone finished evacuating."


    Hearing her shout, many Amplifiers retracted their aura personifications and ran towards her support. As the number of students entering the White Building increased, the area their aura personification had to cover decreased. So, there was no problem when they retracted their aura.


    An Amplifier from the August Batch gazed at his back, trailing on the figures of Jyorta Bone and Laila, "Those two are exerting tremendous auras. Just the two of them alone should be enough to lead the rest into the White Building. As expected of record holders, they are amazing."

 Chapter 321: Growing Presence

    "They''re coming out from this side too." An Amplifier from the August Batch bellowed, leading his friends to form the first line of defence against the Frenzy Beasts. What flew out first from the Red Building of the Psychic Block were Tier 1 Floating Spiders, hundreds of them.


    "We can''t fight well without our weapons," An Amplifier shouted, sending a kick into a Floating Spider, turning its body into meat paste. The Amplifier then jumped high, spinning in the air as she delivered a flurry of kicks, with each kick killing a Floating Spider.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªSkin Burst!


    Her skin turned hard, resisting the attacks of the mandibles that tried to clamp her legs. Scratches formed on her skin as a result while the portion of her pant below her knees was shredded. Her flurry of attacks made the Floating Spiders target her, swarming her.


    Without losing her cool, she activated her Tier 1 Skill, sensing their positions while attacking them. Thanks to her Tier 2 Skill, the damage she suffered was minimal. Suddenly, she kicked the ground and leaped back, watching three Life Leeches burrow out from the ground.


    After they missed their targets, they wriggled above ground only for a second before burrowing into it. After landing on the ground, the girl cursed, unwilling to remain standing at a spot for more than a second, "Dammit, the Life Leeches are also here. Everyone! Don''t stay in one place for more than a second."


    "The Ring Worms are also attacking. Our footing is disrupted," Another Amplifier shouted. He then turned around, looking towards the White Building while using his strong physique to shout, "Hurry up, Jyorta!"


    "We''re almost done!" Standing guard beside Jyorta was Ashten Coorg, shouting back in response. "Jyorta said we need three minutes at most before everyone finishes evacuating."


    "Dammit, three minutes is too long in such unfavourable conditions." The Amplifier cursed, closing his eyes to not gaze at the scenes on the screen, afraid he would lose the will to fight. Every student that was fighting refrained from looking at the scenes on the screens, focusing on their survival. It was another reason they picked the White Building to evacuate into. That way, they wouldn''t have to witness the scenes on the screens. Even though they were curious, they refrained from seeing them.


    After all, there was nothing they could do to affect that situation. Everyone from Marble City was active. To the students, they had to stay on their toes in the most optimal mental state to survive. It was a tacit understanding they all reached unanimously.


    Jyorta''s body trembled, having lost some weight. His complexion paled while sweat drenched his clothes. His eyes were red as he was mentally strained, having to maintain the aura personification on such a large scale. The property of the grass decreased the potency of his aura personification. Thankfully, the others supplemented his through their aura personifications.


    Aura personifications with similar effects were stacked to achieve the desired result. But, as the one who shared the bulk of the load, Jyorta was physically strained. "Dammit, I didn''t even recover much after my labyrinth exploration."


    His psychic energy reserves were almost dry, only having half a day''s worth of accumulation. His aura reserves were slightly better, but it wasn''t far off. That''s why he burned his flesh to supplement his needs, bursting with enough power comparable to his peak.


    He was beginning to lose focus as he watched the students stream into the White Building. There were a lot of students, numbering between 800-900 per Batch, with a total of 12 Batches. They needed some time for everyone to enter the White Building through its four entrances.


    "Thank you," Followed by a soft voice, two pale blue psychic arms seeped into his body, "Your actions calmed me down. I''ll heal you in gratitude."


    Jyorta turned around, gazing at a tall girl from the August Batch. She was someone who had accumulated enough Credits to receive the Unranked Skill, Regen, using it to heal him. Jyorta felt energy return to his body, his aching muscles recovered while his mental state turned slightly better.


    He was still under a lot of strain, but it was bearable now, enough for him to last until everyone managed to evacuate. As the students entered the White Building, they broke out of the aura personifications, waking up to reality.


    Some students took charge to explain the situation, prompting them to move. Students from the August Batch that had a lot of experience as compared to the others took charge, laying down some plans to ease their situation.


    "Bring the tables and line them at the entrance. They will hinder the path of our flying enemies. We can also use them as the footholds to fight and won''t have to worry about the Ring Worms and the Life Leeches." A student bellowed, running across the place as he relayed the instructions.


    His batchmates followed, prompting the others to cooperate, soon erecting the necessary barriers. They broke the legs of many tables, laying the flat surface on the ground. Line Controllers from the August Batch took charge, seeping their psychic arms into it as a form of reinforcement. Their domains also scanned the ground constantly, alert against the two Frenzy Beast races that moved underground.


    Tables were laid perpendicularly on the ground, their top surface directed towards their foes. They stacked two tables atop one another, with each leg held by an Observer at the peak of Tier 1. They acted as the wall against the enemies that moved on the ground.


    Amplifiers held the legs of the tables they had broken, using them as weapons. Observers collected them, ready to throw them to the fighters the moment their makeshift weapons broke. The stronger fraction of the Observers also participated in the battle.


    Their only source of illumination was light emitted from the screen. It wasn''t enough for them to rely on their sight. Most of the Amplifiers relied on their Tier 1 Skills to fight. They were facing some difficulties but thanks to experiencing similar situations in the labyrinth, they were prepared.


    The area brightened as the Two-Faced Fireflies exited the Red Buildings from both the blocks. But, they were flying in panic, directing their lights everywhere, causing more hindrance than help.


    Jyorta looked at them, watching them fly further and further away, intending to fly beyond the academy. ''There is a chance they might harm the civilian population. Since the staff went to the city walls without so much as a word of warning, the situation must be dire enough. There isn''t an exception that the fighters beyond the academy would remain behind. So, the possibility isn''t slim that only helpless children might be left out there.''


    Jyorta looked at the petite figure beside him, "Laila, can you take charge of the rest. I''ll prevent the Two-Faced Fireflies from leaving the academy."


    "I understand," Laila nodded, her expression akin to one who had grasped the whole situation.


    "Thank you," Jyorta retracted his aura personification of hallucination from the students, changing his mindset as he redirected them towards the Two-Faced Fireflies. His mind whirred at great speeds amid tension, fuelled by the necessity of the situation, his mindset changing to the one necessary even without the blue soul''s help.


    He was quick to take action, his hallucination causing the Two-Faced Fireflies to hover in the air for a couple of seconds in confusion before scurrying back in panic. He manipulated them through the hallucination, directing the beams of light towards the approaching foes.


    He highlighted every enemy, the intensity of light causing them to squint. He separately manipulated the ones that could disperse their light, using them to light the area the students fought, helping them see better.


    "Nice," The Amplifier girl from August Batch laughed, increasing her speed as she weaved through the crowd of Frenzy Beasts, each of her attacks claiming the life of one.


    "Impressive," The Area Controller who was healing Jyorta exclaimed, gawking at his expertise at manipulating the Two-Faced Fireflies. She looked around, inspecting the state of the battlefield before speaking to Jyorta, "I''ll heal you until I run dry of psychic energy."


    "Thank you," Jyorta nodded, focused in his manipulation. Jyorta played a big part; as long as he was part of the battle, his contribution would be immense. Just the fact that he could control so many Frenzy Beasts was a helpful cause.


    The Area Controller girl immediately realised it. Even if she participated, she wouldn''t be able to affect the tides of battle as much as Jyorta. So, it was more efficient for her to heal him. Soon, another Area Controller arrived, beginning to heal Jyorta after comprehending the situation.


    As for the remaining Area Controllers that possessed the Unranked Skill, Regen, they were alert, standing right behind the barriers. The moment the lead fighters were injured or showed signs of exhaustion, they used their abilities to heal them and recover their expended energy.


    The Amplifiers formed the brunt of the fighting force. As long as they stood without falling, the students would remain safe.


    "Everyone has entered the White Building!" Ashten Coorg shouted, transmitting his voice across the large fighting space.


    "Great!" The Amplifiers quickly hopped their way towards the entrances, narrowing their line of defence.


    As the energy gushed into him in large volumes, Jyorta''s brain crystal was getting filled up quickly. All his fatigue was washed away while his mind even started to recover, the strain from using the aura personification no longer overtaxed him.


    Four psychic arms healed him, quickly filling up half his Brain Crystal in a couple of minutes. His cells drunk the healing energy, their presence recovering steadily. As they healed Jyorta, the two Area Controllers went from surprise to shock, seeing the presence in Jyorta continue to build up. There were no signs of stopping, his presence soon surpassing the peak of Tier 2 beings.

 Chapter 322: Are You with Me?

    Jyorta closed his eyes, sensing his aura levels continue to rise. After a second of surprise, he realised the reason, ''Now that my mind is no longer plagued by the Floating Spiders and the Crust-Mantles, I can unleash the full extent of my body''s presence. I see, when I am confident in myself and my sense of self is solid, I can erupt with all my strength. Otherwise, without my knowledge, my strength will be limited.''


    He continued to control the Two-Faced Fireflies, lighting up the entrances. He manipulated around twenty Two-Faced Fireflies into flying to a higher altitude before emitting a beam of light each. The light beams were like scanners that inspected the state of the entire ground.


    A breadth of 400 metres and a length of 1000 metres. It was too large an area to be aware of mid-battle. The students solely focused on guarding the four entrances, not caring about the rest. While he was scouring the area, Jyorta noticed some Floating Spiders fly to higher altitudes, intending to escape the military academy and head into the city.


    "There is probably no one to protect the children outside. Probably every adult is participating in the situation happening out there. Some of us have to head out." Jyorta shouted, looking around to find a way to exit the military academy.


    The only node of entry was the lift on the ground floor of the Head Office Building. The only other way to exit the academy was to fly out but, none of the students were capable of flight. Jyorta used his hallucination to create the figure of a massive human in the skies of their academy.


    The appearance of the figure stopped the Floating Spiders from flying out, retreating towards their crowd in alarm. But, Jyorta knew it was only a stopgap measure. He couldn''t maintain his aura personification for such long durations. Moreover, Tier 2 beings were largely capable of resisting his aura personification.


    And in such a situation where all sorts of auras were flying around, his aura personification was becoming less and less effective. Suddenly, Jyorta heard the sounds of flapping wings. He turned his head and noticed a familiar aura.


    It was a Two-Faced Firefly, hovering some distance away from him, its gaze trained on him. Moreover, there wasn''t any animosity of the sort emitting from it. "Ah, it is you."


    Jyorta was surprised for a moment before he extended his hand. The Two-Faced Firefly landed on his palm, flapping its wings a couple of times before it turned silent. Jyorta placed it on his right shoulder, seeing that it was behaving despite him not influencing it through his aura.


    ''Maybe it got used to it from the last session? I will have to look into it later. This seems like an interesting case.'' He thought, seeing Ashten Coorg, Esina Hawker, Haesha, Dalna Doppler, and Laila stand behind him.


    "I am worried about my sister," Laila said, her expression full of worry as she gazed at some Floating Spiders fly out of the academy. They were Tier 2 Floating Spiders and had chosen to exit from a spot near the Head Office Building. The distance of a kilometre was too far that his aura personification didn''t even make them bat an eye.


    With a simple observation, the Floating Spiders figured that the people near the battle area was strong, too strong even. It was difficult to kill them. But, they smelled the scents of other humans in the air, those that they were sure wouldn''t be able to resist. Without any hesitation, they began to escape in droves.


    "This is bad, they are all planning to escape. The Floating Spiders, the River Whales, and the Spindle Bees can fly. If they head into the city, they will slaughter all the helpless children." The Amplifier girl from the August Batch gritted her teeth, unable to conceal her anger.


    "There is no electricity. So, we can''t use the lift to exit. Moreover, the lift leads into the Lower Strata. We would have to take many winding paths before we can find an exit, but since there is no electricity, all lifts wouldn''t even function." Another Amplifier said.


    "Use the Floating Spiders," Laila whispered to Jyorta.


    "Right," Jyorta diverted his aura personification to the Tier 1 Floating Spiders, causing them to behave strangely. A couple of seconds later, thirty Floating Spiders arrived and began to spin their webs, creating a silk rope. Within a minute, they spun a rope that was 10 metres in length and had a diameter of 5 centimetres.


    It was made by coiling numerous strands around one another, using a technique of the Floating Spiders to make it sturdy. Each Floating Spider could only create a limited amount of web at a time, so Jyorta swapped them with others.


    There were plenty of Floating Spiders to use, and within 10 minutes, they had created a rope long enough to reach the top of the White Building. Once it was finished, Jyorta controlled the Floating Spiders to attach one end of the rope at the top of the White Building, adding more layers over the point of contact to prevent the rope from falling due to the weight.


    Jyorta noticed a River Whale fly out of the Red Building from the Rhachis Block, quickly turning around to look at Ashten Coorg, "Quick, bring me to the top of the walls."


    He looked at the two Area Controllers that had healed him back to full strength, bowing once, "Thank you."


    Without a second''s delay, Ashten Coorg piggybacked Jyorta as he pulled at the silk rope, beginning to climb it up. Any Frenzy Beasts that arrived in their proximity fell under the effects of Jyorta''s hallucination and failed to harm them.


    They swiftly made their way to the top, running along the terrace of the White Building as they chased after the River Whale. It was Tier 1, but was the biggest among all the Tier 1 River Whales. It was on the cusp of a breakthrough and was the perfect target to be used.


    Aura Personification¡ªInsignificance!


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    Jyorta activated the two simultaneously, directing them at the River Whale. The film of water surrounding the River Whale enabled it to resist for a couple of seconds before it fell under the effect of his aura personifications, flying towards him.


    Jyorta controlled it to lower its back of the water, jumping atop it. Ashten Coorg followed suit, having full trust in his abilities. With his command, the River Whale scaled up, allowing him to notice the Magenta Walls right behind the Rhachis Block. The walls were grand and majestic, suffused with imposing might.


    The River Whale flew even higher as Jyorta looked beyond the military academy, noticing Floating Spiders, Spindles Bees, and some River Whales fly through the city in search of something, acting like dogs as they sniffed around.


    Soon, they found their targets, entering some buildings. "Dammit, we need more people. Just the two of us cannot deal with events on such a large scale."


    "How many can you control? We can cramp up at least 12-15 people here. With every round, we can drop the students beyond the walls." Ashten Coorg said in a hurry, tensing up as he noticed the situation.


    Jyorta looked up, noticing numerous human figures flying in the air, each holding the city''s barrier as they did something. Faint mist circulated around, preventing him from seeing things clearly. "We can first grasp the situation. If no adult is available, we can only try our best. Otherwise, if there is a chance, their help might prove useful."


    Even a single Wave Controller would be able to turn the situation around. Using his superior speed, he would be able to locate and annihilate all the Frenzy Beasts that had escaped. Just when he planned to move the River Whale further up, a voice resounded in his ears.


    It was Madam Mary, her tone suffused with a hint of exhaustion, "Jyorta Bone, Marble City is under attack by Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. Only by using the collective strength of everyone can we resist the attacks it throws around. Otherwise, a single attack from it is enough to penetrate our barrier and obliterate an entire sector."


    "That is why we couldn''t even make some preparations for the children of everyone left behind. The situation was too urgent, and if we break formation for even an instant, the entire operation falls apart. Also, if the students had been taught the technique we are currently using now, even the lot of you would have been required to participate."


    "Unfortunately, the entire city is currently defenceless. Rally the students and protect all the children. I''ll assign this mission to you, Jyorta Bone. Will you accept it?"


    "Yes, I Jyorta Bone will protect the children." Jyorta''s voice resounded through the skies, amplified by his aura. Followed by his shout, a collective roar resounded from the barrier, deafening everything. It was the parents feeling some relief now that there was someone to protect their children.


    It seemed Madam Mary had overexerted herself just by transmitting that information. After that, no matter how many times he tried, there was no response. He controlled the River Whale, arriving in the academy and hovering 20 metres above the ground. The aura personification of hallucination swirled around him, causing the attacks of Frenzy Beasts to miss them.


    "Everyone," He bellowed while infusing his aura into the shout, "The situation is as we had feared. But, we will pull through. The adults are risking their lives for us. Now, it is our turn to protect their children, our brothers and sisters from the Frenzy Beasts."


    "Forget about the ones on land, they can''t do anything. The Floating Spiders, the Spindle Bees, and the River Whales, these are our targets. Thankfully, the Recrows haven''t emerged outside. I will transport everyone beyond the academy. Please climb up the rope to the terrace. Our time is running short. We''ll protect our brethren."


    His voice boomed, "Are you with me?"

 Chapter 323: Air Chase

    "Yeah, let''s get the bastards and protect our youngers." The Amplifier girl from the August Batch raised her hand and shouted in response. All Tier 1 and Tier 2 students who were fighting expressed their desire to volunteer.


    Most of them were from the August, September, and the October Batch, students that had explored the Labyrinth of Frenzy and had some battle experience. The remainder were students that were at the top of their respective batches, possessing enough strength to be willing to volunteer.


    "W-Wait, then who will protect us?" A girl from the April Batch stammered in fright, pointing at the doors of the Red Building that had been blown down, "The Frenzy Beasts will keep on coming out from them. We aren''t strong enough to last for long."


    "We''ll be staying behind to support everyone. Two of us per entrance will be enough. The rest can focus on supporting us." An Area Controller said. In response to his words, 7 students raised their hands, 3 Area Controllers and 4 Amplifiers, volunteering to protect the students.


    They swiftly ran and took up positions in their respective positions, one Area Controller and Amplifier per entrance. They shouted in unison, "We''ll hold them off. Please start climbing up now."


    "We don''t have enough time to bringing everyone beyond the academy. This is for the best," Ashten waved his hands, catching hold of a spindle shot at Jyorta. With a swipe, he threw the spindle back at the Spindle Bee, piercing its head.


    "Indeed," Jyorta looked at the doors of the Red Building that had been slammed down. It was no longer possible to hold the Frenzy Beasts off. "If only I had acted sooner."


    "You already did your best, let us hurry now." Ashten Coorg replied, pointing at the Red Building in the Rhachis Block. Jyorta caught wind of his thought, controlling the River Whale to head there. They watched a tall student walk out of the Orange Building, dragging across a large bag.


    "Sorry I was late," The boy smiled, concealing the surprise in his eyes as he saw Jyorta riding the River Whale.


    "George!" Jyorta shouted in surprise, seeing the bag George dragged. He hovered the River Whale closer to the ground, motioning for him to board it.


    "There are around 30 swords and 40 knives in it. I only grabbed the lightest ones. But, they should last fairly long enough against our foes, I think." George said, exerting strength in his hands as he lifted the bag, boarding the River Whale.


    The River Whale grunted in pain under the weight, struggling to move. Under Jyorta''s urging, it sped up, disregarding the pain it suffered as a result, swiftly arriving before an entrance of the White Building.


    George swiftly threw the weapons to the battling students, prioritising the Amplifiers with the Swords. Once all the people who were willing to exit the academy had been equipped with a weapon, he left the rest for the defending group.


    In the time they took to do this, everyone had already climbed up to the terrace. Holding a knife in his hands, Jyorta shouted, "12 per round. I''ll swiftly drop you below and return."


    Ashten and George jumped down, watching 12 students climb aboard. Jyorta controlled the River Whale, crossing the boundary before descending, soon stopping a couple of metres above the road. The students jumped down, pointing at the directions they were heading in.


    When they had been on the terrace, the noted down the directions the Frenzy Beasts were escaping towards, making their own plans of pursuit. Jyorta made almost 15 rounds, with each round consuming around a minute.


    Even though he had wasted 15 minutes transporting the students that had volunteered, he felt it was worth it. Just him alone was incapable of tracing down the Frenzy Beasts that had escaped. Now, the others were tracing and pursuing all the Frenzy Beasts in their vicinity before swiftly dispatching them.


    "We''ll head north. The Frenzy Beasts probably wouldn''t have crossed Sector 1. But if there are any, we''ll chase after them." Jyorta looked at his friends who stayed behind to be part of the last round, swiftly boarding as the River Whale took flight.


    The River Whale sped through the air, going past numerous buildings. Most of them were administrative-related buildings, places bereft of children. Soon, they saw numerous Spindle Bees flying north, heading towards the walls, intending to head into Sector 12, the residential sector.


    "There are barriers installed for each Ring that prevents travelling. Only certain channels allow travel between the Rings and they are in the Lower Strata. So, the escaped Frenzy Beasts will mostly head towards Sector 12." Laila spoke, offering her conjecture, "Sector 2 is full of research institutions and the residential sector there is scattered. So, it won''t be the primary target of the Frenzy Beasts."


    "My thoughts are the same," Esina replied, glaring at the Spindle Bees that were flying past. Two Spindle Bees turned around and shot their spindles at them. Dalna Doppler and George caught them, throwing them back.


    Ashten Coorg activated his Tier 2 Skill, using his aura to inhibit their movements. When their flight was stalled, the River Whale sped up while Jyorta made them hallucinate, causing them to spin in circles.


    The spindles they threw pierced the two Spindle Bees, heavily injuring them. When they neared, Dalna Doppler finished them off with a slash of her sword, gracefully landing back on the River Whale.


    They began to chase after the Spindle Bees, using their abilities in sync to kill their foes one after another. But, their efficiency wasn''t high, the speed of the River Whale was incomparable to the agile Floating Spiders and the Spindle Bees. Moreover, it had to carry them, further slowing it down.


    The Floating Spiders depended on their Trait for flight while the Spindle Bees relied on their wings. The River Whales manipulated the water and swam through them, consuming greater energy while reducing the speed.


    "Look there," Haesha suddenly pointed towards a hospital, shouting in alarm. Smoke billowed out of it while there were signs of fire here and there over it. A boy ran out from its entrance, his clothes covered in flames.


    The boy was around 15 years of age, possessing a fairly developed physique. Held in his hands was a first aid kit that he held securely, shouting in pain as he tried to put off the fire. The sound of something toppling within the building resounded, causing an expression of terror on his face.


    "Dammit!" The boy cursed and ran along the road, noticing something emerge from the tongues of fire within.


    Jyorta made the River Whale fly faster, watching a serpentine figure slither out of the hospital, its body partly covered by flames. Its speed was at least twice faster than the boy, quickly closing in on him.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªLeap Burst!


    Dalna Doppler jumped from the River Whale''s back, her body making a beeline towards the serpentine figure, craning her hand as she threw her sword. The sword flew towards the serpentine figure, accurately aiming for its head.


    The serpentine figure curved its body, only displacing its head, watching the sword strike the ground. Reflexively, it coiled its tail around the hilt of the sword, pulling it out of the ground in a single motion and threw it at Dalna Doppler.


    Tier 1 Skill¡ªMental Acuity!


    Dalna Doppler changed her centre of gravity, turning her body in the air as she dodged the flying sword. Her eyes widened as she understood the cunning nature of her opponent, watching the sword impale the River Whale behind her.


    It had a massive body and couldn''t evade on time. Jyorta inspected its wound through his domain, cursing in anger as the sword had cut through many nerves of the River Whale, messing up its sense of direction.


    Its senses went haywire while it became mad, thanks to its neural network suffering damage. Jyorta tried his best to control it but failed, watching it wriggle its body and curve in madness, tossing and turning.


    Ashten Coorg grabbed hold of Jyorta while the remaining Amplifiers grabbed the area Controllers, jumping from the River Whale''s back at the same time. The moment he landed on the ground, he absorbed most of the shock through his legs, rolling on the ground a few times while protecting Jyorta in his hold.


    "Run kid!" Dalna Doppler shouted as she landed on the ground and activated her Tier 2 Skill, flashing towards the serpentine figure. The serpentine figure coiled its body, lashing out with its tail. Dalna Doppler barely dodged it but found another impact slam into her, sending her flying.


    She flew for three metres and rolled on the ground for a good distance before stopping, coughing out blood. "It''s a Shifter''s Wisdom Parasite that has become a Frenzy Parasite."


    "A Shifter''s¡­" Jyorta sprang up in alarm, watching the serpentine figure chase after the running boy. Its depressed eyes expressed fury, patches of its skin peeling off as it slithered on the rough surface.


    "Help!" The boy carried the first aid kit and ran with all his might.


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    Jyorta unleashed all his aura, directing everything at the Frenzy Parasite, making it flinch for a moment. But, the effect wasn''t much as it soon resisted him. Concealed within it was a dense aura, resisting and negating his aura personification.


    Seeing Dalna Doppler get up, Jyorta threw his knife at her. Dalna Doppler caught hold of it and charged at the Frenzy Parasite once again, her eyes spewing fury. Ashten Coorg, George Eagle, and Esina Hawker followed suit, springing up to battle it, simultaneously activating their Skills.


    Haesha and Laekha Walta came to the boy''s rescue. Jyorta and Laila made eye contact, simultaneously raising their arms as they unleashed their auras.

 Chapter 324: Sever

    The air trembled, the earth screamed, while the ocean escaped. A flurry of attacks with devastating might were exchanged each second, the shockwaves alone rupturing the land.


    Rhachis Ancestor Parasite!


    Rhachis Ancestor Light!


    Psychic Ancestor Marble!


    Three beings at the peak of the world fought, using all their abilities. Rhachis Ancestor Parasite swatted its hand, hitting six layers of magenta barriers, cracking and shattering five. The force of the attack sent Psychic Ancestor Marble flying for a kilometre before he managed to reorient himself, instantaneously flashing back to battle.


    His psychic arms combined into one and turned into a fist, slamming into Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. Rhachis Ancestor Parasite punched using its left hand, ending up even in the exchange. A tinge of marble even crept up onto its fingers. It flicked its fingers once and dusted it off.


    Its right hand caught hold of a blade of light flying its way, slightly tugging its elbow to shatter it. It opened its mouth to shout, unleashing a roar. The sound waves blasted Rhachis Ancestor Light away, with some of the waves falling on Marble City.


    Ripples formed on the city''s barrier while the land around it quaked. The ripples were negated within a second before the damage could worsen. The soldiers within the walls were roaring, exerting all their strength to support the barrier from collapsing.


    A massive chakram, magenta in colour spun with blinding speeds, but it didn''t stir up the air. Covering its edges was a formless energy, the product of Rhachis Ancestor Light''s Tier 6 Skill.


    Tier 6 Skill¡ªSever!


    The chakram collided into Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, cutting into its flesh, drawing out blood. Rhachis Ancestor Parasite unleashed a kick on the face of the chakram, shattering it into countless pieces, creating a powerful beam in the air that sent Psychic Ancestor Marble flying back by a hundred metres.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light clenched his right hand into a fist, converging tremendous amounts of energy into it, "The Skep Primogenitor is still alive."


    "Haah," Followed by a shout, he unleashed a condensed beam of light, brightening hundreds of kilometres of the land. Rhachis Ancestor Parasite shielded with its hands, meeting the attack that sent it flying for two kilometres. The light seeped into the lacerations on its body, attacking it internally.


    Psychic Ancestor Marble flew alongside the beam of light, infusing his Unranked Skill into it, turning it magenta. The magenta seeped into Rhachis Ancestor Parasite''s wounds, turning its muscles magenta, weakening it.


    In the window of time his attack bought him, Rhachis Ancestor Light condensed a light eagle twice his size, facing it northeast, "Go!"


    Speed of Light!


    The light eagle vanished as a ray of light when Rhachis Ancestor Light''s senses rang numerous alarms. "Marble!"


    Psychic Ancestor Marble flashed to his side, shielding the two of them using his psychic arms. Rhachis Ancestor Light also condensed his light into the barrier, enlarging it while coming between Marble City and Rhachis Ancestor Parasite.


    "Where did it go?" Rhachis Ancestor Parasite craned its right hand to the back, exerting strength in it, its eyes finally turning serious. White and magenta smoke oozed out through its injuries while the flesh rapidly healed itself. The water in the ocean below receded while the air vacated the area.


    "Tier 6¡­" Rhachis Ancestor Parasite punched forth at the air, retracting its fist after an instant. A formless force exited its fists and travelled at the same speed as its punch, but the might it carried made the very land quake in protest.


    The force slammed into the barrier Psychic Ancestor Marble and Rhachis Ancestor Light had erected, cracking it continuously while sending them reeling backwards. Their bodies were continuously damaged as something corrosive ate away at their barrier and bodies, injuring them.


    Psychic Ancestor Marble turned his body magenta, resisting the effects of the attack, pouring in tremendous levels of psychic energy into his Unranked Skill to mend the barrier. Their bodies were like kites that had their strings cut as they slammed into the ground, the rebound making their bodies bounce.


    It was like they were stuck within a twister that had been formed by blades, constantly shredding them while the force within slamming them, crushing and shredding them simultaneously. Psychic Ancestor Marble extended his psychic arms, using their power to forcefully stabilise their situation.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light unleashed blinding light that offset the formless force, biting and tearing at each other to negate its influence on them. They continuously flew for a long distance, colliding and bouncing back from the earth while the force still attacked them.


    It didn''t seem like the punch from a solid entity. It was like a column of water was constantly flowing past, with each droplet in it mounting attacks at them.


    "Marble!" Rhachis Ancestor Light shouted, "Do something! We''ll crash into the city at this rate."


    Psychic Ancestor Marble went all out, creating a massive cushion that absorbed the force of the impact, also erecting numerous contraptions that ate away at the energy in it, turned it into marble and brought it under his control.


    Some of the contraptions formed into jets that propelled against the force while the magenta hue seeped into it, further weakening it. Psychic Ancestor Marble''s eyes widened, emitting a tremendous flux of psychic energy as the formless force was instantly turned magenta, cracking and dispersing into psychic energy that he later absorbed.


    "Ugh!" He grunted, a thin stream of magenta liquid flowed out from his mouth as he brought them to a halt, turning around to see they were just 100 metres away from Marble City. "The situation is bad; it has activated its Tier 6 Skill."


    A massive presence made an arc towards them, intent on landing on Marble City. Rhachis Ancestor Light''s eyes were solemn, his aura fully retracted, his figure dimming to the extent It was no longer perceivable, "Each punch and kick from it will contain this much power. If we fight here, Marble City would be completely destroyed."


    "Even if I die¡­" Psychic Ancestor Marble resolved himself. He was cut off by Rhachis Ancestor Light, "No, your existence is more valuable than mine. Without you, Marble City wouldn''t be able to develop and prosper like this. It will be annihilated within a decade."


    His figure completely disappeared as the area turned dark, there wasn''t even a spec of light, even the radiance of the stars failed to cast on the land. Rhachis Ancestor Light gazed at the approaching figure, taking in a deep breath as his Heart Crystal hummed, emitting a light wave that synchronised with his body, attuning to one.


    His palms touched each other, positioned before his heart, his breathing creating faint gusts before the sounds of a flute resounded from him. His eyes were closed as the air danced, the tune permeating a certain aura into it.


    He was in a position of prayer, his forehead pointed towards the moon, his breathing soon turning still. His beating heart stopped, all the activity in his body following suit.


    Tier 6 Skill¡ªSever!


    Unranked Skill¡ªLight Symphony!


    His hands moved forward, the palms facing the arriving opponent, unleashing a massive column of light, ten times his body size. Its tip was shaped into a cone, created by the formless energy of his Tier 6 Skill.


    The formless energy fully covered the beam of light, using the sturdiness of the latter to form itself into a myriad of structures. There was no way to avoid the beam of light. The instant he unleashed it, it landed on Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, the tip boring into its flesh, hitting its ribcage, cracking it.


    The beam of light curved like a snake, travelling at speeds of light, morphing into a blade that coiled around Rhachis Ancestor Parasite''s body, lacerating the flesh while cracking the bones. Rhachis Ancestor Light punched once, shattering a long column of the light. But, it hadn''t even finished its punch before the column of light grew and continued with its attacks.


    It was an overwhelming difference in speed, overwhelming the strength of his opponent. Situated far away, the Frenzy Beast Ancestors felt their hearts lurching, the devastating attack etched in their minds, making them shudder.


    "So, this is the real power of Light, the second strongest human." Rhachis Ancestor Warlord''s gaze was pensive, a fire burning in its mind, its desire igniting with a tremendous blaze once again.


    In the night sky, there was a winding column of light, like a mythical snake from the legends that connected heaven and earth.


    The attacks continued in a flurry, damaging Rhachis Ancestor Parasite at speeds beyond its recovery. The first to be shredded was its right arm, followed by its left leg. The next in the target was the spine that it guarded the most.


    Rhachis Ancestor Parasite emitted the formless force, pushing the beam of light backwards. The beam of light coiled around the sphere formed by the formless force, cracking and invading it. In the short second the formless force bought, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite already regrew its limbs.


    Parts of its limbs that had been shredded before disintegrated, vanishing without a trace. It folded its arms, facing the palms outwards, pushing in one swift motion. The formless force expanded in radius, straining the beam of light before cutting it into numerous parts.


    The beam of light recovered even before the cutting process completed, continuing with the attacks. Psychic Ancestor Marble was fully tensed, guarding Rhachis Ancestor Light with all his might in fear of any sneak attacks. He also noticed Rhachis Ancestor Light''s body began to lose mass, trembling as time passed. The attack already took everything he had, his entire being infused into it.


    Suddenly, the surroundings began to cool; the light eagle returned, half-melted. Two individuals were seated on it. One of them jumped, landing beside Rhachis Ancestor Light while the other directly jumped towards Rhachis Ancestor Parasite.


    The light turned into flames.

 Chapter 325: Tier 4 Frenzy Parasite

    "You returned, Strongest." Psychic Ancestor Marble sighed in relief.


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest nodded, placing his hand on the back of Rhachis Ancestor Light, emitting a pale blue light. Immediately, Rhachis Ancestor Light''s condition improved, now able to maintain the beam of light for longer durations.


    ''I still have a long way to go before I am qualified to participate in a fight of this level,'' Rhachis Ancestor Strongest sighed, gazing at the phenomenon in the sky.


    A miniature sun had appeared, emitting tongues of flames that seeped into the pillar of light, strengthening it while adding the property of heat into it. This raised its destructiveness to a higher level, pressuring Rhachis Ancestor Parasite.


    A voice echoed from within, almost a murmur, transmitting the contents to Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, "The Skep Primogenitor is nearby, watching us."


    Rhachis Ancestor Parasite snorted once, pushing its palms forward, expanding the forcefield, pushing away the miniature sun and the beam of light. It launched a kick towards the miniature sun, sending it reeling away towards the ocean.


    Water vaporised, forming mist. Faint explosions resounded amidst it, the sign a chain reaction had been induced. It then aimed a punch towards Rhachis Ancestor Light, annihilating most of the beam of light that came in the way.


    Freeing itself from all the attacks, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite snorted, sending a kick towards the ocean. Massive columns of water rose, as a result, splashing back only after a long time had passed, turning into something other than water when they fell. The power behind its punch even displaced the molecular structure of the affected water, changing its inherent nature.


    Its gaze bore into the ocean, failing to find the traces of the target it sought. It rained down a couple more punches before it kicked the air and moved south-east, heading towards its base. Along the way, Psychic Ancestor Crash arrived and picked it up, disappearing from the horizon.


    The beam of light reduced in intensity, dissipating after a couple of seconds as Rhachis Ancestor Light kneeled on the ground, wheezing in exhaustion. Blood oozed out from his orifices, pulled back a second later under his influence.


    Rhachis Ancestor Strongest increased the intensity of the pale blue light, healing his damage. But, the effect of his ability was only Tier 5, unable to swiftly heal him for the time being. Rhachis Ancestor Light waved his hand, prompting him to stop, "That''s enough. I can heal myself later."


    "Alright," Rhachis Ancestor Strongest didn''t question his decision, stopping his ability. He then noticed the miniature sun fly towards them, decreasing in size as it arrived, soon becoming a human that landed beside them, "It was a dangerous situation."


    "Indeed," Rhachis Ancestor Light looked at the shredded skin on his arm, "If you were a minute late, I probably would have had to go all out and self-destruct."


    "The crisis has been averted for the time being." Psychic Ancestor Marble looked at the broiling aura that was slowly dissipating, returning to normalcy, "Stay for a couple of days here, Dawn. The Swarm won''t resume its attacks for at least 2 more days."


    "Thanks," Rhachis Ancestor Dawn nodded, wincing in pain as he clenched his fist, "I need to rest too. Its final attack contained too much power than usual."


    "Parasite is getting stronger with the passing of each day," Rhachis Ancestor Light said, "As the Skep Primogenitor had implied, Parasite would soon achieve the peak of its path. When that time comes, our situation would worsen."


    ¡­


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªLeap Burst!


    Dalna Doppler flashed before the Frenzy Parasite, swiping with her knife, making a laceration, "It cannot use any Skills. Aim at its burn marks."


    The skin of the Frenzy Parasite was peeling off at many places, suffering from third-degree burns. Its power further reduced, as a result, making it susceptible to Dalna Doppler''s attacks. George, Ashten, and Esina took turns to attack it, diverting its attention continuously, only making small attacks.


    It was in fear that a stronger attack would cause the Frenzy Parasite to solely target the individual, ignoring the rest. The Espers only used their auras to hinder its movements, barely able to affect it.


    The first four segments of the Frenzy Parasite were different from the remaining, sporting numerous outgrowths. The base structure of the four varied, showcasing the Skills the Shifter had possessed before.


    Of them, only the fourth segment was tough, followed by the second. The third segment oozed out faint green liquid when cut by her knife, while the first slightly trembled, sensing stuff through the vibrations.


    The fifth and sixth segments were white, similar to the Wisdom Parasite in the Induction Ceremony. The two segments were morphing into their Frenzy Parasite counterpart but were the weakest in its body.


    "64," After some seconds of observation, Laila Commented. Everyone immediately nodded, erupting with stronger attacks, mostly targeting the first and third segments. Based on the damage the Frenzy Parasite had sustained, it meant its Sync Rate had been 64 percent when it was within the Shifter.


    Large parts of its body lacked substance, judging by the way it moved. Unless it had a 100 percent Sync Rate, the body of a Wisdom/Frenzy Parasite was incomplete, in an injured state.


    Jyorta targeted its fifth and sixth segments, converging his aura personification into it, making the Frenzy Parasite hallucinate a fiery pit underneath it. The fourth segment resisted his aura the most, easily negating it, followed by the third that could negate most of it.


    The second segment could only resist part of it while the first, fifth, and sixth segments were helpless. Jyorta selectively targeted them, making the Frenzy Parasite behave in response, the actions of three of its segments colliding with the rest.


    This broke its flow, preventing it from landing any attacks on the Amplifiers. He didn''t know how she achieved it but, Laila was able to reinforce his aura personifications, enriching its effects.


    "Humph, die!" George bellowed, bringing down his sword as he cleaved at the end of the third segment, cutting the Frenzy Parasite into two. The two halves still moved, trying to retaliate against him but Jyorta controlled the bigger half, manipulating it through the fifth and sixth segments.


    It prevented the fourth segment from retaliating, constricting itself. Seeing that it was hindering its attacks, the fourth segment tore off the fifth and sixth segments, coiling on the road as it reshaped itself.


    The fourth segment thinned, taking on a serpentine form optimal to attack. In the meantime, Dalna Doppler and Esina diced the other half, jumping back simultaneously as green fluid spewed forth.


    The fourth segment finished morphing its body, becoming a three-metre-long serpent. It targeted Dalna Doppler, intending to finish off the troublesome foe first. When it neared her, launching a whip attack using its tail, Laila arrived behind her, shielding the two with her psychic arms.


    Her psychic arms formed a contraption, its internal structure similar to a sponge, seemingly containing a lot of compressed air. When the tail landed on it, the air was gushed out with tremendous pressure, decreasing the momentum of the impact, and blowing the dust while confusing the Frenzy Parasite''s senses.


    The attack easily broke her barrier, causing a backlash to her as Laila kneeled on the ground, her eyes reddening. Dalna Doppler defended against the remainder of the attack, using her knife to lodge into its muscles, twisting it while she tugged, preventing it from retracting it.


    The serpent saw the situation as it constricted its body, moving its head towards Dalna Doppler to coil around her. A pair of hands timely clamped on it, infusing the aura generated from his Tier 2 Skill into it. It was Ashten Coorg.


    The aura flux caused it to involuntarily flinch; Dalna Doppler moved back, distancing herself from Ashten while pulling the serpent. George and Esina hacked with their swords, using all their strength. They barely managed to cut a quarter into its flesh before their swords were stuck.


    The serpent coiled its body, pulling forth Ashten and Dalna Doppler. Jyorta seeped his two psychic arms into its wounds, beginning to pull out its blood. Laila too followed suit, using the convenience of the psychic arms to make a move even while the serpent was resisting.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªStrength Burst!


    "Argh," George grunted, using his enhanced strength to pull the sword sideways, causing a long tear on the serpent, making it easy for the Espers to pull out its blood. Mixed within was Essence of Frenzy that spilled out on the others.


    Laila swiftly created a barrier that shielded them from the Essence of Frenzy while the remainder pulled, hacked, tore, and stomped on the serpent, killing it after a minute of struggle. To top it off, George and Dalna Doppler diced it into more than twenty pieces, ensuring that it would stay dead.


    "Phew," Dalna Doppler wiped her sweat, "Thankfully, it was turning into a Frenzy Parasite and wasn''t in the right state of mind to use the full extent of its physical powers. Otherwise, it would have been as strong as a Developer in his peak."


    "It is good that the Parasites can''t use their Skills while alone," George heaved a sigh of relief as he looked at the boy that had been running before, "What happened here?"


    The boy looked at the rest, feeling as if he was in a dream, witnessing the superhuman abilities they displayed. Seeing that he wasn''t replying, Haesha looked at the first aid kit he held dearly, "Is your friend injured?"


    The boy immediately remembered his goal, speaking in a hurry, pointing at an apartment nearby, "My friend was injured by one of these. Somehow, we managed to push it off the window. Since I was the fastest among us, I volunteered to bring a first aid kit from the hospital."


    His eyes turned dark, "Who knew, there would be more of them here."

 Chapter 326: Blood, Anger, and Tears

    The boy quickly explained his situation. A Frenzy Parasite had attacked him and his friends after the power went out. And during their struggle, one of his friends had been hurt while pushing the Frenzy Parasite out of the building.


    To help his friend, he ventured out to the nearby hospital, only to find many such Frenzy Parasites loitering about. He hid and inched his way through them, finally finding what he sought. But, when he picked it up, the Tier 4 Frenzy Parasite found him.


    While escaping, he set the hospital to fire and barely managed to exit it. After that, he was saved by Jyorta and company.


    "Those snakes might be trying to attack my friends again," The boy gritted his teeth as he said.


    "You did well," George patted his shoulder, making eye contact with Dalna Doppler, noting the other party''s intention. He looked at Jyorta, "We four will stay behind and annihilate all the Frenzy Parasites while the rest of you head to Sector 12. Once we finish here, we''ll find a way to head there."


    "Alright," Jyorta nodded, sprinting towards the River Whale to inspect its injuries. Blood oozed out through its injury while its mind was in a muddled state. Jyorta unleashed his aura personification of hallucination and insignificance, trying to control it.


    In its muddled state, the River Whale barely cooperated, but it was better than its previous state of disarray. Jyorta boarded it and Willed it to fly. The River Whale activated its Trait, pulling forth the nearby water, condensing a thin veil around it.


    Ashten Coorg, Esina Hawker, and Haesha boarded it, watching the River Whale struggle to get up. The water around it was barely enough, making its speed akin to a crawl.


    Thankfully, they were near the walls, scaling it up after a couple of minutes of flight. Once they crossed the wall and headed into Sector 12, Jyorta spotted many Frenzy Beasts flying around the nearby apartments, followed by wailing sounds of children.


    The River Whale became unsteady, its vitality beginning to drop. Jyorta controlled it and crash-landed on the road. The four on its back timely jumped over, landing on the road in safety. Ashten stepped forth and pulled out the sword lodged in it, throwing it to Jyorta after a swing, "Better than nothing."


    The area was filled with all sorts of sounds, making the quartet realise the severity of the situation. Ashten looked at Esina, pointing at a nearby building, "You and Haesha head there while I and Jyorta would head into this building. When you are done there, head in this direction."


    He then specified the direction he and Jyorta would take, sprinting to the first destination immediately. Jyorta looked at the two, "Stay safe."


    "You two be safe too," Haesha replied, sprinting with Esina.


    Ashten raised his sword, defending against two spindles launched by a couple of Spindle Bees.


    "Good timing," Jyorta commented, wrapping the two Spindle Bees in his hallucination, taking control of their actions. They were only Tier 1, quickly moving along as he Willed after a second.


    The two Spindle Bees hovered on either side of Jyorta as he nudged the creature sleeping on his right shoulder using his aura. The Two-Faced Firefly took to the air and lighted up the area before them, spreading the light over a wide area.


    "Good," Ashten praised, making a jump before he entered a residential building. The moment he entered, he noticed the aura fluctuation in the air. The presence of Frenzy Beasts lingered in it, implying that they had recently entered the building.


    The aura was waning in some places, the duo followed the route where the intensity of aura continued to grow. It displayed the route the Frenzy Beasts had taken. Over time, the aura would weaken before dissipating, so it was easy to determine their path.


    They hurriedly ran, reaching the first floor, their expressions paling as they smelled the hint of blood. Ashten used the full extent of his physique, quickly arriving before a door that was left ajar, noticing the pool of blood on the floor behind it.


    He pushed the door open and witnessing a scene of massacre. The Two-Faced Firefly lit up the living room. There were hardly any signs of struggle, only a couple of scratches on the sofa existed.


    Ashten Coorg looked at the family photo hanging on the wall, seeing the picture of three kids, determining their age based on the date stamped on it, gritting his teeth as his eyes turned bloodshot, "The oldest was barely 8 years old."


    The blood on the floor retreated to the sides, spurred by his aura. The chairs, lamps, and the sofa trembled, shaking or moving under the brunt of his aura. Ashten looked at Jyorta, "Jyorta¡­"


    Jyorta shook his head, his expression akin to a demon, failing to find anything through his domain after moving across the room. "We have to hurry."


    They exited and moved past each room, seeing the same situations over and over again, their expressions worsening each time, their killing intent rattling the corridor they ran across.


    Sensing their killing intent, the Frenzy Beasts moving about in the above floors stirred up, communicating with each other as they grouped up. When Jyorta and Ashten arrived on the second floor, they saw 10 Spindle Bees, their bodies bigger than usual, reeking with the scent of blood while struggling to carry their weights.


    They had stuffed themselves to the brim.


    "Kill!" Jyorta wrapped his hallucination over all the Spindle Bees, stopping their movements while Ashten sped through the corridor. His sword flashed around, reaping a life with every swing. Within five seconds, he killed all Spindle Bees.


    Just when he was about to move further, Jyorta stopped him, "Wait."


    Recalling back to the experience in maintaining the aura personification over thousands of students, Jyorta closed his eyes. The air around him swirled, the effect quickly covering 10 floors above them, "Come!"


    He made eye contact with Ashten, sprinting towards the upper floors. Along their way, Frenzy Beasts flew into the corridor one after another, swiftly killed by a swing of Ashten''s sword. When they were on the fourth floor, all the Frenzy Beasts above came down through the stairs, lured by Jyorta through his hallucinations.


    Without any inputs, Ashten jumped, swinging his sword, killing every Frenzy Beast that flew his way. They didn''t even realise the threat looming above their heads, under the effect of the hallucination, swiftly killed in a single strike.


    "There were more than thirty," Upon his comment, the expressions of both crumpled further. 30 Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts, the quantity was beyond what the defenceless children could endure.


    "Are they all¡­?" Ashten Coorg had slain the final Frenzy Beast and turned around when they heard the shrill screams of a girl, 10 years old judging by the pitch of her cry.


    Without any hesitation, Ashten Coorg sprinted through the flight of stairs, leaving Jyorta behind. Jyorta could only try to catch up using his maximum speed, feeling the difference between a Warrior and an Esper.


    He climbed four floors, hearing the screams turn shriller and shriller, followed by sounds of metal clashing. Jyorta jumped onto the floor, sliding on the ground around the corner as he turned, noticing Ashten Coorg fighting against three Tier 2 Floating Spiders.


    "Fire!" With his command, the two Spindle Bees beside him shot their spindles, impaling two Floating Spiders. The Two-Faced Firefly lit up the corridor, helping Ashten''s situation. Relying on his eyes, the speed of his movements increased, hacking at the Floating Spider near him.


    The Floating Spider clashed with its mandibles, falling back under the force of the impact, shrieking in pain as its mandibles were damaged. Jyorta made the two Spindle Bees continue to shoot, stalling the two Floating Spiders.


    In an aerial battle, the Spindle Bees barely managed to hold on. Ashten Coorg activated his Tier 2 Skill, unleashing a powerful aura that constrained the movements of the three Floating Spiders momentarily.


    Using the chance, he hacked his sword, cleaving the head of a Floating Spider. In a fluid motion, he swiped at another Floating Spider, watching it move in such a way that its head came in the way of his swing, getting beheaded.


    He quickly turned his head, seeing Jyorta nod in return. Followed by a jump, he reached the Floating Spider that flew near the ceiling, beheading it in the same way as the other two. The moment he landed on the floor, Ashten Coorg jumped and kicked open the nearby door, entering inside.


    Jyorta sent the Two-Faced Firefly first to light up the interior as he followed after, stunned into shock upon noticing a girl lying on the floor, her limbs constrained by spider webs. The part of her shirt above her stomach had been shredded, with patches on her skin covered by spider webs.


    "Jyorta!" Ashten shouted as he impaled his sword into the Floating Spider that was hovering above her stomach. Jyorta inspected her using his domain, also activating the vision of his blue soul, noticing a faint wisp lodged in her stomach, underneath every patch.


    "It laid eggs in her stomach," Jyorta muttered, his expression spewing venom. He kneeled on the floor beside the girl, watching her fearful expression, her throat sore from shouting all along, barely able to utter any words. He held her hands, "It will be alright."


    The girl immediately shook her head at his words, craning her head weekly to gazed at the room nearby. Following her gaze, Ashten opened the door; tears streamed out his eyes while nerves protruded on his face.


    He immediately entered the room and shut the door, followed by sounds of stomps. Hearing the sounds, the girl began to cry, her eyes losing their lustre, her hope shattering. Ashten opened the door and walked out, kneeling before the girl, "I''ll save you. Jyorta, can you protect her insides and pull out the eggs?"


    "Yes," Jyorta nodded, wiping his tears before seeping both his psychic arms into a patch respectively.

 Chapter 327: Revenge

    "Close your eyes, this will pain a bit," Jyorta said, holding her hands firmly. His psychic arms wound around two eggs respectively, seeping into them, to prevent their contents from spilling when he lifted them.


    Ashten Coorg looked around their kitchen, bringing a small but sharp knife with him. He pinched a patch of silk, slightly pulling it up, gazing at Jyorta to see him nod, implying that the eggs within were holding up under the pressure.


    He cut open a small hole in the centre. Jyorta''s psychic arm covered the egg within, applying force from the outside, crushing the egg into pulp. He then pulled out the pulp and eggshells in a steady stream, putting them in a vessel nearby. Ashten had brought that and a piece of cotton while searching for the knife.


    Once it was done, Jyorta stuffed a piece of cotton in the hole as Ashten touched the cut ends of the silk patch, watching them stick to each other. For the time being, that was all they could do. In the same manner, they took out all the eggs, numbering eight in total, mentally cursing the Floating Spiders every time.


    When they were finished, Ashten Coorg lifted her, about to exit the room when she lifted her hands, grabbing his shirt, "W-What¡­about my brothers?"


    "¡­sorry," Ashten shed tears as he exited the room, heading to the nearby flats. Jyorta followed suit, maintaining his aura personification, lighting up the path. They soon found intact doors, the interior bereft of any blood when he sensed through his domain.


    After making eye contact, Jyorta knocked on the door, "We are students from the military academy. We came to save you."


    "R-Really? Are we saved?" A voice immediately replied, as if waiting for the very words from a long time ago.


    "Yes," Jyorta nodded, watching a shadow flash past the peephole on the door. The door creaked open, revealing the figure of a 12-year-old girl. Hiding behind her in fear was her younger brother, 7 years old.


    The moment she saw the girl in Ashten''s arms, she trembled in fright, almost shrieking before she blocked her mouth using her hands, the nightmare from before etched in her mind.


    "She''s safe but has been injured. Can you keep her safe here while we exterminate the remaining monsters?" Jyorta spoke, seeing Ashten push open the door before entering the room. The girl seemed slightly hesitant but didn''t protest.


    Jyorta laid out a bedsheet on the floor as Ashten placed her on it, nodding at the children once before exiting. Jyorta patted her head once, flashing a fake smile, consoling her, "Everything will be fine. Lock the doors and windows, alright?"


    Seeing the siblings nod, Jyorta exited the room, "Good."


    As the door closed shut behind him, Ashten returned from the floor above, "There is no trace of the Frenzy Beasts'' aura above. This should be the last of them."


    "Then let''s hurry to the next building. we don''t know how many of them there are in total." Jyorta nodded, descending the stairs in hurry. The longer they delayed, the more the number of children that would die.


    "Dammit," Ashten cursed, exiting the building before running towards the next, gazing up to see some Floating Spiders enter through the windows. For the Tier 1 Floating Spiders, breaking through some glass windows wasn''t a difficult matter. They only needed to attack it using their speed and sharp mandibles; the glass would break within 5-6 hits. It was a piece of cake to the Tier 2 Floating Spiders.


    The Spindle Bees simply shot their spindles at the windows until they cracked and shattered. It was even easier for them. The River Whales refrained from barging through the windows due to their bigger frames. But instead, they proceeded towards the top of the building to take control of the water reservoir.


    After empowering themselves, they flushed the water in the homes of their targets, drowning them in water before pulling them out to gorge on. Every Frenzy Beast was crueller than the other, as if they had waged some competition to decide the cruellest candidate among them.


    Anger gushed in the minds of Jyorta and Ashten, exhibited through their auras, the air around them moving about as a result, creating mild gales while turning hotter.


    Jyorta unleashed his aura personification of hallucination, extending the range, encompassing the next two buildings¡ªthat they planned to enter¡ªwithin it. In the hallucination, he made a large target lay on the ground 10 metres ahead of him.


    It was a Tier 3 Crust-Mantle, oozing out blood, already dead. The stench of its blood filled the air, followed by a couple of chirps it let out before death. It was the bait he threw out in the hallucination, hoping they would fall for it while extending the range of his aura personification to the limits.


    100, 200¡­350 metres; his aura personification encompassed a large volume, like a massive dome. The drain was severe, his physique immediately feeling the strain. Jyorta signalled Ashten, closing his eyes as he concentrated further, enriching the hallucination.


    Screeee!


    Zeeeee!


    Followed by various sounds, Frenzy Beasts exited the buildings in a large stream, numbering more than a hundred. Among them, there were 43 Spindle Bees, 48 Floating Spiders, and 21 River Whales. Counting the Tier 2 beings alone, they numbered 14.


    "I''ll support you as much as I can, Ashten." Jyorta muttered, watching the Frenzy Beasts swipe down towards the ''carcass'' of the Tier 3 Crust-Mantle. He took in a deep breath, the cells in his body exerting their presence, modified through his thoughts, feelings, and state of mind, qualitatively changing into a substance that affected reality.


    Aura personification¡ªBetrayal!


    All the Tier 1 Floating Spiders immediately attacked the Spindle Bees, unwilling to share their prey with the other. The Spindle Bees retaliated, launching a hail of spindles at their attackers. The Tier 2 beings of both sides were comparatively less affected, but once they were attacked by the Tier 1 foes of the other party, they had no choice but to retaliate.


    As they fought, they breathed in the aura personifications lingering in the air, falling further and further into its effect. The River Whales grouped, pooling the water they carried to create a massive water sphere that encased them whole.


    They planned to watch from the sidelines and make a move at the end. Seeing their stance, Jyorta''s eyes spewed out venom, unwilling to leave them as is, making a small change in the hallucination.


    A River Whale arrived late, and before it could join their water sphere, it came under a hail of spindles, suffering numerous wounds. Before the River Whales could react, Floating Spiders flew around the lone River Whale, using their mandibles to lacerate numerous wounds.


    One of them hit its head, knocking it unconscious, causing the River Whale to lose balance and slam onto the ground. A pool of blood surrounded it as it died. Jyorta incorporated the dead River Whale he used to arrive at Sector 12 into the scene, making it seem as if the Floating Spiders and the Spindle Bees had jointly killed it.


    The River Whales could no longer watch from the sidelines, anger filling their minds after watching their brethren slaughtered cruelly before them. They moved as a collective unit, heading into the midst of the combat, stirring up the battle by attacking both sides.


    The two Spindle Bees beside Jyorta aimed into the chaotic mix, hitting the Tier 2 Floating Spiders, causing them to retaliate against the nearby Spindle Bees in rage. The Tier 2 Spindle Bees blocked them and battled in return, elevating the scale of the battle.


    Ashten Coorg lingered on the ground, using his sword to reap the lives of any Frenzy Beast that dared to fly lower. As the battle entered a fervour, the Frenzy Beasts gazed at the road below, noticing the carcasses of numerous of their brethren; their anger erupted. This further spiked the intensity of their battle.


    The actual cause was Ashten Coorg that killed them continuously, reaping a life every 3-4 seconds. Jyorta turned around to see Haesha and Esina exit their building, having noticed the situation at hand.


    When they ran towards him, intending to help, Jyorta said while gasping for breath, "We can manage this situation. The two of you head further and save the children there. I only managed to pull the Frenzy Beasts nearby."


    "Be safe," Haesha said before sprinting past the battle area, taking a path that treaded around the border. Esina looked at the rage-filled figure of Ashten, expressing worry for a second before taking the lead, running alongside Haesha while protecting her from any stray attacks.


    "Ugh," A stray spindle pierced his thigh, shaking his balance. Jyorta gritted his teeth, resisting the pain while keeping his mental state steady, chanting the keywords necessary to maintain the two aura personifications. His psychic arms fused into one and formed a barrier around him as he pulled out the spindle.


    A Tier 2 Spindle Bee and a Tier 2 Floating Spider flew around, with the former shooting Spindles while trying to retreat while the latter dodged the attacks and tried to close in. They flew through the battlefield, attacking the Tier 1 beings of their foes when a chance presented itself.


    The Tier 2 Floating Spider spun a silk ball using its legs, throwing it at the wing joints of a nearby Spindle Bee. The silk stuck, locking its joints, preventing the Spindle Bee from flying. The Tier 2 Floating Spider pulled at its body, continuing to fly while making helixes in the air, gaining angular momentum in the Spindle Bee''s body.


    It severed its string and sent the Spindle Bee flying towards the Tier 2 Spindle Bee, watching it evade in reflex before hesitating whether or not to save its brethren. Using the window of opportunity, the Tier 2 Floating Spider closed in, biting its wings.


    The Tier 2 Spindle Bee screeched, building up power in its abdomen before shooting out three spindles in a second. Two of them impaled the Tier 2 Floating Spider, wounding it. Both wounded each other, losing their balance in the air as they tore into each other while falling.


    The third Spindle flew towards Jyorta''s head with tremendous speeds. One of the two Spindle Bees around him moved forth, getting impaled by the spindle.


    The spindle passed through its body and hit Jyorta, piercing halfway into his barrier that increased in thickness by 10 times during impact. It lost all momentum and fell to the ground. Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief as he gazed at the battle, also increasing the number of Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees in the hallucination to prevent both sides from stopping their battle.


    The technique he used just now was what Laila had used against the Tier 4 Frenzy Parasite before. ''Her technique allows me to display power beyond my psychic arm''s limit. Impressive.''


    -------------------


    I am making a comic, "Arthropod Implant". Read it exclusively and support releases on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 328: Corrosive Aura

    The ground quaked while flashes of light went off, brightening the surroundings. Despite the flickers, the light allowed them to get a better grasp of their surroundings, even though their eyes ached in the process. Jyorta panted, feeling strained as his forehead turned hot, a sign of overexertion.


    Flying in the air were 12 Tier 2 beings: 5 Floating Spiders, 5 Spindle Bees, and 2 River Whales. The remaining two Tier 2 beings¡ªa Floating Spider and Spindle Bee¡ªwere killed by Ashten Coorg when they fell on the ground during their fight.


    Upon every Frenzy Beast that died, Jyorta''s mental state was further strained, having to creating the image of the dead Frenzy Beast in the air, fighting against other dead foes. It was to put a show so that the Frenzy Beasts would continue their battle. Finally, when only the Tier 2 beings were in the air, Jyorta was unable to hold on.


    "Ashten, be ready. I''ll weaken them with my aura attack and lower their altitude." Ashten looked back upon his shout, noticing his exhausted state, judging that Jyorta would no longer be able to maintain his aura personification.


    Jyorta gazed at the flying foes, modifying the hallucination to bring them closer. He lifted his right hand, facing the palm towards them, riling up all his presence. He burned a bit of his body mass, taking in a deep breath before recalling his encounter with the genius level Tier 2 Steel Porcupine, using the experience to better his action.


    It began from his toes, subtly thinning, the process inching its way up his legs, stomach, and shoulders before proceeding towards his right hand. His right hand bulged under the overload of aura, like a bump moving underneath his skin.


    "Die!" His gaze was full of hatred as he unleashed the aura beam. The air rumbled, a thunderclap resounded as the aura beam zoomed towards his foes, its power higher than the previous time. Moreover, unlike the previous time, the aura beam coiled along its path, like a screw while maintaining its streamlined flow, condensing itself in the process.


    The moment the aura beam neared the target area, its girth increased to encompass all the 12 Frenzy Beasts within it. Faint sparks were created as a result, the volatile substances in the air igniting for a few fractions of a second.


    Various forms of aura unleashed by the Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts during their battle were cleared out, snuffed under Jyorta''s aura beam. The Floating Spiders were the first to be hit, their bodies toppling under the power, the auras in their body becoming their undoing.


    When their auras resisted the aura beam, they were repulsed, affecting the cells they originated from in response, dealing internal injuries to the Frenzy Beasts whose bodies were smacked by the phenomenon.


    Like a stone colliding into a pile of cans, the bodies of the Floating Spiders flew, spinning in all directions as they lost control of their flight. The Spindle Bees that were affected next fared even worse, their wing joints breaking as a result.


    They began to melt, getting corroded under the property imbued in the aura beam, soon losing the structural integrity to maintain their lift. The final target of the aura beam was the large water sphere maintained by the River Whales.


    Ripples formed on its surface when the aura beam impacted it, drilling through the paltry aura circulating within the water before it hit the River Whales. The bodies of the River Whales turned overhead from the impact, their bellies facing the sky, the disorientation collapsing their hold over the water around them.


    The water spilled on the ground, the River Whales following suit, their speed of recalling the water inferior to their speed of descent. Their skin began to peel off, forming patches that were akin to having been burnt, the pain affecting their mental states, decreasing the power they could harness from their Trait.


    The River Whales fell on the road with a thud, causing small splashes on the collected water. The Floating Spiders crashed into either the nearby buildings or the road, depending on the path they spiralled out of control from.


    The Spindle Bees dropped on the road one by one, no longer able to take flight for the time being, with the wings of some even falling off.


    "Huff¡­puff," Jyorta fell on the road, gasping for breath, feeling his head spin. He couldn''t tell up from down for the moment or even differentiate the colours. He couldn''t even hear Ashten''s shouts, shaking his head to imply that he was fine and for him to continue with the plan.


    The blue soul overlaid the face mask, giving him the bare enough mental state to maintain his hallucination over the Spindle Bee¡ªhovering next to him. It was part of his plan. Otherwise, the Spindle Bee would turn on him the moment he retracted his aura personification.


    Ashten First targeted the Floating Spiders, taking three swings to kill the first, proceeding to deal with the second similarly. He then saw a Spindle Bee stand with its legs and crane its abdomen slowly, struggling to do so, aiming its stinger at Jyorta.


    "Humph," Ashten kicked the severed head of the Floating Spider near him, watching it collide into the Spindle Bee, preventing it from shooting the spindle. He then saw the other Spindle Bees begin to stand, all attempting the same.


    He picked up the body of the Floating Spider using its legs, throwing it at a Spindle Bee. Though, his aim was far off as the legs of the Floating Spider came off in his hands, causing its body to fly in a different direction.


    There were three more Floating Spiders to kill; Ashten used the severed parts of the Tier 1 Floating Spiders to knock out the Spindle Bees, using the time he earned to attack the Tier 2 Floating Spiders.


    The Tier 2 Floating Spider wriggled its body, about to move when his sword came slashing. The first hit slammed it to the ground, the second hit cleaved a large gash on its head, the third hit slashed its abdomen. Seeing that it was moving, preventing him from delivering a critical hit, Ashten pierced its head with his sword, injuring it beyond hope of recovery.


    The remaining two Floating Spiders took flight, intent to escape. Ashten threw his sword at the farther Floating Spider, impaling it, and causing it to fall. After slamming on the ground, it struggled to get up, the sword lodged in it weighing it down.


    It wriggled its legs, bleeding as they held the blade and steadily pushed it out.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªAura Burst!


    Ashten unleashed his aura, hindering the movements of every Frenzy Beast. His aura made it hard for their injured selves to breathe. The aura also worsened their injuries, as their internal aura resisted his, allowing Jyorta''s aura in them to wreak havoc. A faint burning smell wafted out from their bodies.


    Ashten jumped and slammed his hands on the last Floating Spider that had taken flight, sending it reeling to the ground. He landed on it, squishing its body using the weight of his body, elevated through the emission of his aura.


    The River Whales in the meantime condensed a thin film of water around their bodies, intent to take flight and escape. He sped on the ground, kicking at the River Whale closest to him, "Tch."


    The film of water absorbed most of the strength in his attack, allowing the River Whale to start flying. Ashten jumped and kicked at its top, the momentum pushing it towards the ground. He used the rebound to jump towards the other River Whale that had flown higher, attacking its top to decrease its altitude.


    "Dammit," The moment he had gone far from the ground, the Spindle Bees started to get up, aiming their stingers at Jyorta. He turned around and noticed Jyorta still hadn''t recovered.


    "Aaargh!" He joined his palms, crisscrossing the fingers between the two hands, slamming them onto the River Whale''s head. The impact caused a ripple on the film of water, spilling some of it.


    He raised them and slammed again, the power exceeding the previous attack, reducing the altitude of the River Whale by a metre. The River Whale wriggled its body, trying to topple him, but Ashten rained down attacks in the opposite direction to its turns, negating its manoeuvres.


    "Aaaahhhh!" He shouted as he rained down punch after punch on the River Whale''s head, spilling out most of the water in the film surrounding it. He leaped from its back, gaining height as he unleashed all his aura, increasing the weight of his body rapidly as he fell in a straight line, landing on the back of the other River Whale that stealthily tried to escape.


    The impact even sent the massive body of the River Whale descending down, the angle of his attack directing it towards the Spindle Bees, flattening them when it touched the ground. Just before it slammed down on them, a Spindle Bee exerted strength in its abdomen, shooting a spindle towards Jyorta.


    A blinding beam of light hit its eyes right at this moment, causing its body to jerk instinctively, wavering its aim. The spindle barely missed Jyorta''s neck, flying past before it fell on the road. The Spindle Bee screeched in anger as the River Whale flattened it, along with the others.


    Ashten sprinted on the ground, picking up the sword that the Floating Spider barely managed to pull out from its body. He sent a kick its way, slamming its body on the walls 10 metres away, turning around to throw the sword at the sole River Whale still in the air.


    "All of you will be dying here." He unleashed his aura, watching the River Whale spew blood from all over its body as large pieces of its flesh fell off, a sign they were corroded. The River Whale slammed on the ground, bleeding profusely.


    The Floating Spider¡ªthat crashed into the wall¡ªand the River Whale that had flattened the Spindle Bees also began to bleed as pieces of their flesh fell off.


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing two comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 329: Do You Still Wish to Obtain Regen?

    Bodies littered the ground, blood spewed everywhere. Followed by the sounds of metal hitting metal, Ashten''s sword slashed at the Floating Spider''s mandibles, curving his blade as he scraped its head, cutting its eyes, his next hit delivering the killing blow.


    He kicked its wriggling body and jumped atop the head of the River Whale, hacking at it with the sword. After three hits, the sword bent in an awkward shape, turning brittle under the influence of all the grime and Essence of Frenzy it had soaked upon.


    Ashten threw the hilt and picked up the mandible of a nearby Floating Spider, using it to form a long gash on the River Whale, causing its blood to spew out in large volumes. He retreated from the spray and proceeded to attack the other River Whale, alternating between the two until he finished off the two of them.


    Thanks to the corrosive property eating away at their flesh from within, Ashten''s job was easier. A second after he had killed the two River Whales did their Frenzy Parasites drill out from within.


    But, unlike the other Frenzy Parasites, they wriggled around, as if gasping for air before suffocating, quickly dying. Despite his mind clouded by rage, Ashten hadn''t lost his reasoning. The moment all the enemies had been killed, his mind cooled down to controllable limits.


    He frowned, looking at the behaviour of the Frenzy Parasites, ''Strange, now, and the Frenzy Parasites from before quickly died. Even though they would die soon after leaving the bodies of their hosts, it wouldn''t be this fast.''


    He looked at Jyorta, ''It is clear that Jyorta is the cause. Thankfully, it helped us greatly this time. Otherwise, we would have spent even more time fighting against their Frenzy Parasites. As expected, the heir of an Aristocratic Family has plenty of methods at their disposal, like Jyorta, and like Dalna Doppler.''


    He walked towards Jyorta, extending his hand, "Can you get up?"


    "Thanks," Jyorta shook his head, barely retaining enough clarity to make things out. He then felt something sticky, noticing Ashten''s hands fully covered by grime, retracting his hands in reflex, "That''s dangerous."


    He unleashed his psychic arms, cleaning the grime and other substance over them quickly, taking less than 10 seconds, "It is thanks to a contraption I learned from the Tier 3 Artifact, Wave Formation."


    "Espers sure have plentiful helpful methods," Ashten clenched his hand, wincing in pain, "I probably fractured some¡­many things."


    "We can''t relax yet," Jyorta frowned, pointing above. Ashten followed his gaze, cursing in reflex, "Dammit. Just how many of these bastards escaped from the academy?"


    Flying a fair distance away from them were River Whales, numbering around 20. There existed 4 Tier 2 beings in them, with one of them being an Esper. The duo also heard the buzzing of the Spindle Bees originating from somewhere else.


    "Let''s go," Jyorta urged, taking a step forward before he lost balance, his body not cooperating with his decisions. He calmed himself, taking a couple of seconds to gather his bearings before beginning to run. He used his weaker psychic arm to stop the bleeding in his thigh while coiling his stronger psychic arm around the Spindle Bee hovering beside him.


    Of the two Spindle bees he controlled, one took a spindle for him, dying in the process. The remaining one, though tired was still useful. To conserve and use the remaining aura he had, Jyorta coiled his psychic arm around the Spindle Bee''s head, transmitting his aura personification through it.


    This conserved and minimised the expenditure of his aura, allowing him to maintain it for longer durations. After a moment of calculating, Jyorta sprinted alongside Ashten, "I can manipulate it for 15 minutes at most. I won''t be able to support you in any other way, so we''ll have to rely on you to fight."


    "I can still hold on," Ashten gritted his teeth, his forehead filled with sweat, his eyes expressing his hatred as he looked at the actions of the River Whales. "I''ll kill all those bastards."


    Suddenly, the surroundings brightened to the extent they had to close their eyes and shield them with their hands. "What''s happening?"


    "No idea, but this is definitely not from our enemy."


    The blinding light continued for almost a minute before dying down. The ground tremored many times under its wake, their balance collapsed as a result. The duo fell down, wincing in pain as the wounds they had sustained ached, transmitting piercing pain through their receptors.


    "We have to hurry," Jyorta and Ashten shouted simultaneously as they stood up and began sprinting towards the River Whales, their faces distorting from the pain, beyond what they had expected.


    "Thank you," Followed by a whisper that echoed in their ears, the air cracked as a Ground Controller flew past them, heading towards the River Whales. His psychic arms flashed once before the 20 River Whales dropped down like flies, instantly dying.


    Vapour cones were created all over the sky as numerous Espers flashed to and fro, swiftly annihilating all the Frenzy Beasts, taking charge of the situation. Some of them protected the buildings from the vapour cones, some unleashed their domains to sense the situation, while the rest hurried towards the rescue of their children.


    "Aaaaarrrghhhh! Kill! I''ll kill you all!" A rage-filled shout, suffused with blinding killing intent radiated from the building they had first entered. The shout was followed by many other shouts, the screams of hatred and sorrow of the parents that had lost their children.


    The duo bowed their heads in shame, clenching their fists as sorrow washed over them, hearing the despair-induced shouts that echoed from many directions. "If only we were stronger."


    "I feel helpless. If I had Regen, I could have healed our injuries. We would have been able to move faster then."


    "Good job," A voice resounded in their ears before the two were lifted, soon hovering in the air beside Madam Mary. From the high vantage point, they saw smoke billowing out from many buildings, with most of them painted with a desolate feel. Jyorta was unable to spot the Two-Faced Firefly and the Spindle Bee he had controlled, his mind soon occupied with the scene before him.


    Another psychic arm brought Haesha and Esina to Madam Mary as she began to fly towards the military academy, "None of us had much hope, having left behind numerous dangers when pressed for time. You Cadets did well, a lot better than we had expected¡­"


    She turned silent for a second, "But not as everyone had hoped. The lives of children were lost, but we can''t blame you. When thrust into such a situation without any knowledge of it, your actions were deserving of praise. Because of you, thousands of children survived."


    "Ma''am, what was the reason everyone disappeared?" Haesha''s eyes were red, puffed after crying a lot, her expression ashen after seeing the state of things, witnessing the damage the Frenzy Beasts had caused in such a short duration.


    "Central Command will announce everything anyway, so I suppose I''ll tell you in advance." Madam Mary sighed, relieved that she had survived to talk about it, glancing at Jyorta, "Rhachis Ancestor Parasite attacked. While the Ancestors fought against it, we had to defend Marble City from the stray attacks. If we had let up for even an instant, we would have lost a few Rings at the very least, if not the entire Marble City."


    Haesha shuddered, trembling in fear. Jyorta patted her shoulder, his gaze solemn, his eyes bloodshot as he looked at the corpses of the Frenzy Beasts below. Ashten was silent, a thin stream of tears trailing out from his eyes while Esina stared at everything with a vacant gaze.


    "He¡­" Esina spoke, "He withstood pain as his limbs were tied up while a Floating Spider gnawed at his fingers¡­slowly, proceeding to the rest of his body. Even though we killed the Floating Spiders, we couldn''t heal his injuries. Until his final moments, he¡­never shouted, even while breathing his last. He was only 13 years old. Only after did we notice his younger brother hiding behind the cupboard he leaned on and was tied to. To protect his younger brother, he gave up his life, in hopes the smell of his blood would mask his brother''s presence."


    "¡­He was incredibly talented, to figure out the means the Floating Spiders used to track in the short moment he witnessed their actions. If he lived, I''m sure he would have become an amazing individual. If only¡­"


    "I¡­" Tears streamed out her eyes as Esina lost control of her emotions, bawling without restraint. Spurred by her cries, the remaining three also shed tears. Madam Mary sighed and increased her speed of flight, pulling up all the students scattered across on her way.


    The military academy was full of the stench of blood, with a large pile of Frenzy Beast carcasses stacked near the White Building. The lights had returned, highlighting the exhausted faces of the students that sat huddled in groups on the ground, only a short distance from the Frenzy Beasts they had slain.


    They didn''t even have the time to take care of their injuries, exhausted both physically and mentally to even lift a finger. Most looked at the sky with a blank stare, unsure of what was even going on anymore.


    Madam Rizenne and some Ground Controllers set up a temporary tent to heal the injured while the remaining staff began to take care of the mess. Though, they only performed the work half-heartedly, their senses pried beyond the academy.


    "They are safe," A staff sighed, shedding tears in gratitude. As they obtained the news, one by one, the staff expressed their relief. Though, some of them weren''t fortunate, their expressions desolate. Madam Mary consoled them, telling them to take some rest in the academy''s nursery.


    She sure couldn''t send them home, that was where the sea of carnage directed at their children lay bare. Some of the staff refused to listen, flying towards their homes, disregarding even her command.


    Madam Mary sighed, not having the energy to stop them for the time being. She had to heal the students first and then worry about the rest.


    Madam Mary displayed the powers of a Sky Controller, unleashing a pulse of psychic energy that inspected the conditions of everyone, emitting a flux after activating her Unranked Skill, swiftly healing everyone that only sported mild injuries.


    She then healed the grievously wounded using her psychic arms, performing surgery in the temporary tent when needed. When it was Jyorta''s turn, she looked at his expression, transmitting her voice through her psychic arm, "Do you still wish to obtain Regen?"


    Jyorta''s eyes widened, seething with rage, the nerves on his face popping as he nodded with difficulty, expressing his stance on the matter.


    "Yes."


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing two comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 330: Mritya Marble

    "Meet me at 5:30 PM tomorrow, I''ll implant the Unranked Skill, Regen in you, Cadet Jyorta Bone." Madam Mary said as she proceeded to heal the next student in line. Jyorta bowed and strode out of the tent; his body was now fully healed, no longer feeling any pricking pain when he moved.


    He walked on the ground, immersed in thought, noticing the tall pile of Frenzy Beast carcasses, ''They too have fought a tough battle, especially since everyone except those eight had zero practical experience.''


    He soon noticed Ashten, looking at the pile of carcasses in silence, his head bowed. Jyorta neared, watching a stream of tears slide down his friend''s face, "Ashten¡­"


    "I''m a scum¡­" Ashten muttered, turning around to face Jyorta, "The father of the girl we had saved was a staff here. He thanked me, expressing that he would repay this gratitude in the future. But, all the while, I was just glad that my family was safe."


    "Ashray wasn''t injured when she chased after the escaped Frenzy Beasts, even though this was her first time battling against them. I¡­am just glad she has enough power to protect herself and wouldn''t be like those children that had died. This is the only thought in my mind now, relief, even though I had been angry at the Frenzy Beasts until a couple of minutes ago." Ashten clenched his hand into a fist, punching the face of a Rigordile among the pile, "Why the hell am I like this? Scum!"


    "Then¡­" Jyorta stood beside him, "I too am a scum. My thoughts weren''t that different from you."


    "But, seeing the death of those children made you angry right?"


    "Yes," Ashten nodded.


    "It hurts here right," Jyorta pointed at his chest, "The fact that we weren''t there to save them. Even being a second early would have saved them, that fact hurts right?"


    "Yes,"


    "And, you don''t wish to see such a thing ever again, right? And you wish to become strong enough to prevent something like this from ever happening?"


    "Yes, let this be the first and the last time I feel like this."


    "Then that''s all that matters. We are humans, mortals with our own desires, egos, and attachments. We care about humanity through our own selfish desires." Jyorta looked at the blood spilling out of a Frenzy Beast carcass at the top, "I don''t like seeing the death of a human, irrespective of their age. So, I will strive to prevent such a thing from happening before me. That¡­is my selfishness."


    For a moment, the pile of Frenzy Beast carcasses before him morphed, turning into a smaller pile, with 29 people, the body of a child, the previous Jyorta lay at the top. Jyorta took a deep breath, closing his eyes as his heart thumped, his head spinning a little.


    Faint ringing sounds echoed in his ears, followed by the shouts, voices that had once been a part of his daily life. His breathing turned rough for a moment before stabilising as Jyorta opened his eyes, ''Enough, I''ll shoulder the weight of your lives for as long as I live. But, don''t plague my mind.''


    "What about you, Ashten?" Jyorta looked towards his side, seeing Ashten deep in thought. After a while, Ashten looked at the darkness looming above, "I desire peace alongside my family, and Marble City is the sole place where I possess that. I''ll¡­protect my peace."


    ¡­


    8:30 AM, the sun cast its morning rays on Marble City, highlighting most of the damage that had yet to heal. Designated personnel brought materials to the damaged buildings, cleaning and erasing the traces of battles while rebuilding the damaged parts. They sought to bring everything back to its pristine state from before.


    Though, the damage in the hearts of the parents that lost their children would never heal. They just gazed at the file of workers rebuilding their homes in a daze, holding a picture of their children in their hands, silently shedding tears.


    Among them, a man in his thirties held the hands of his wife, trembling in sadness after losing all three of their children. The workers came and asked them some questions, leaving after not obtaining any reply, intending to return later.


    An officer arrived at the scene, looking at the desolate expressions on the couple, "Mr. Warna and Ms. Yalika, I am Mritya Marble, from the department of Deceased Settlements. I came in regards to your children."


    "We no longer have any," Warna replied mechanically, looking at the incomer with annoyance, not having the mood or mental faculties to engage in a conversation.


    "If I say they aren''t fully dead, will you believe me?" Mritya Marble said, his expression placid, numb from all emotions or feelings.


    Two figures flashed, targeting Mritya Marble, raining down attacks on him. Mritya Marble defended against them, also taking care to neutralise the shockwaves, to prevent damage to the house.


    "Don''t mess with me. There is no way a person could be alive after that." Warna bellowed in anger. His wife, Yalika swiped at Mritya Marble with the intent to kill. Mritya Marble calmly defended against their attacks, not once retaliating, defending in such a manner each attack they launched consumed a tremendous quantity of stamina, hundreds of times the usual.


    Within a couple of minutes, the couple were kneeling on the floor, panting in exhaustion, tears streaming out of their eyes, "Why¡­"


    "I''m not joking, neither am I meant to do so. Please follow me," Mritya Marble said, holding three glass jars. Only then did the couple notice him holding them, failing to realise where he hid them before. Based on their exchange, they figured he wasn''t an Esper, so if anything, he had to have kept them on him. But, they failed to sense the presence of the three glass jars, for reasons unknown.


    Without another word, Mritya Marble exited their house, taking the lift to the ground floor. The couple followed him, their instincts urging them to do so. They stood behind him, only now noticing his wide and bulky frame, his muscles seething with tremendous power.


    But, he didn''t even emit a trace of aura, his presence almost non-existent. If not for his large figure being perceivable to the eyes, it wouldn''t have been possible to spot him. At least, that was what the couple felt when gazing at him.


    "We''ll be there soon," Mritya Marble said, exiting the lift and proceeding towards the road, his gait calm but steady. Moreover, even though he seemed to walk slowly, his pace was quick, covering large distances with every step, his actions concise, shielding the three glass jars in his hold from harm.


    They walked for a couple of blocks before entering a building, taking the flight of steps on its ground floor, heading underground. Seeing the location, the couple frowned, "This¡­"


    "Yes, it is the same place." Mritya Marble nodded.


    "Bastard, this is just a place to send the departed to the afterlife." Yalika gritted her teeth, her killing intent spewing out.


    "Yes," Mritya Marble looked around, "But, what do you think we meant by afterlife? After¡­life¡­understand?"


    "You mean¡­" Her eyes widened in shock, unwilling to believe the thought that sparked in her mind.


    "Though, it''s a one-time thing, and it''s not possible to witness now." Mritya Marble replied, "Central Command made an exception to give some hints to the parents that lost their children in this incident. But, we were only instructed this much. We aren''t privy of much either."


    "As for anything concise, you will have to wait for further instructions from Central Command. Though, I doubt there will be any for the time being." He arrived before a mural-inscribed stone wall, pulling the lever beside.


    The wall moved with a rumble, showcasing a murky brook flowing behind, ethereal in nature. It neither had a smell nor emitted any sound, looking like an entity that didn''t exist in reality, but was capable of affecting it.


    Mritya Marble kneeled on the stone platform, separated by an arm''s distance from the brook, his expression solemn, "Four Decades, that''s what we were informed. I neither know nor can I tell anything beyond that."


    He showed the three glass jars to the couple, "Contained in them is everything that remained of your children, segregated based on their origin to prevent any mishaps. Don''t lose hope."


    "Aaaah!" Yalika kneeled on the ground, tears streamed out her eyes, her outstretched arm lacking the strength to hold the three glass jars. Warna wrapped his arm around her shoulder, hugging as he nodded at Mritya Marble, "Please."


    "This is my job," Mritya Marble nodded, gently placing the three glass jars in the brook, watching them float on the water as they were rowed by its slow currents. As they flowed across it, they slowly turned transparent, eventually disappearing from existence. The murky water in the brook continued to flow past, eerily silent as always.


    "Four decades, it is a long time, but I''m sure you can wait till then." Mritya Marble turned around, his expression morphing, replaced by an innocent smile akin to a child, "Life is hard, but the perseverance of humanity can resonate with heaven and earth. For the sake of your children, live a life they can be proud and happy about."


    The couple sensed something amiss, becoming alert, only now realising the absence of any people in their vicinity, nor in the path they had taken to arrive.


    "Until next time, I bid you farewell." Mritya Marble waved his hand, turning transparent with every second that had passed, his body collapsing into a puddle on the stone platform, becoming the murky water. A second later, the murky water re-joined the brook, as if joining with its source. The place was filled with silence as the couple stared with gaped mouths.


    "S-So, he wasn''t alive?" Yalika stammered.


    "Mritya¡­mrityu¡­I see. 4 decades¡­I''ll be waiting." Warna gazed at the brook in silence before escorting his wife out. The mural-inscribed wall closed with a rumble after their exit. [1]


    [1] Mrityu in Sanskrit means death


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing two comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 331: We Two, Ours Six

    9:30 AM, the couple, Mr. Warna and Ms. Yalika returned to their home, giving the floorplan to the builders that swiftly proceeded with their work. They stood on their balcony, gazing at the flurry of activity outside, vigour returning to their eyes.


    "Will we see our children again?" Yalika could no longer control herself, asking with a muffled voice.


    "Yes, I believe so," Warna nodded, "But, from what he hinted, our interaction would be brief at most. Still, compared to this, I am satisfied with seeing them at least once more."


    "That''s not enough," Yalika gritted her teeth, crying, "I want to see them grow up, want to live with them, enjoy our time together, worry about their well-being..."


    "I understand," Warna hugged her, his body trembled as he shed tears, "But, there is nothing we can do for the time being but to live. Our children are dead. The fact that we can see them once again is a miracle, nothing else."


    "Then why are we waiting here?" Her voice turned hoarse, "If we jump into it, we would reunite with our kids. Isn''t that hundreds of times better than our present situation?"


    "He¡­wouldn''t have shown us that if our plan had been to commit suicide."


    "You¡­" Yalika looked at him in anger, her eyes widening in shock, "You''re a coward. Just admit that you''re not willing to die."


    "Am I?" Warna looked at Yalika, his gaze turning serious, "Four decades, wait until we can see them again. At that time, our family will reunite as one. Before that¡­"


    His gaze emitted killing intent, "To the Frenzy Beasts that killed our children, we''ll make them suffer a fate a hundred, no a thousand times worse. Only after I''ve avenged them will I have the guts to face them again. Until then, I will never rest and constantly kill."


    Warna gazed outside, looking at the people shuttling about on the road below, "A failed father is a thousand times worse than a coward. At least, let me avenge them first."


    Yalika closed her eyes, tears continued to stream out of them as she sorted her thoughts, her frame suffused with concealed killing intent, "Alright, we''ll do that."


    She joined her hands in prayer, "Yakra, Yaka, and Yila, please watch us from the other side. Mommy and daddy will return once we have avenged you."


    Dense psychic energy pulsed through the streets, proceeding towards the end of Marble City, grabbing the attention of every adult, including children that had completed the Induction Ceremony.


    Information was transmitted through the psychic energy, forming a face in their minds. It was the face of Rhachis Ancestor Light, his expression suffused with sadness.


    "My citizens," His hoarse voice resounded, his tone full of tiredness, but his demeanour emitting regal aura, full of pristine dignity.


    His eyes closed, pausing for a second before opening, "Yesterday, we faced a disaster. Parasite had attacked us. But, that wasn''t the only reason."


    The moods of everyone further worsened at his words; Rhachis Ancestor Parasite was a walking talking disaster, the very earth trembled at its presence. But based on his words, it seemed Rhachis Ancestor Parasite wasn''t the only reason.


    The couple trembled at his words, watching Rhachis Ancestor Light continue, "With great pain, I say this."


    His expression morphed, the eyebrows trembling minutely as he uttered every word with difficulty, "The Skep Primogenitor is alive."


    It was like a boulder was smashed on the hearts of everyone, their expression morphing from fear into despair, soon suffused by confusion and rage. The older the person, the greater his/her rage was.


    The Skep Primogenitor was a legendary being, a figure they only learned about but had never encountered. But, just its name alone ignited flames of hatred in the hearts of everyone that possessed a Wisdom Parasite. The feeling wasn''t conceived by their emotional self, but by the Wisdom Parasites in them.


    His eyes turned bloodshot as Rhachis Ancestor Light said, "Not only is it alive, but has also grown stronger. Its methods are mysterious, adding onto its unexpected survival from the battle two centuries ago. Its existence elevates the threat of the Skeps to a higher level. From today onwards, we would treat the Skeps on the same level as the Frenzy Beasts."


    His expression was solemn, "The Swarm the Skeps birth to is superior in quantity, tens of times the population of the Frenzy Beasts. The strength of each beast in the Swarm is on Tier 3 level, with some growing to be equal to Tier 4. Most of the Skeps and their guardians are equivalent to Tier 5. And, during the Skep Primogenitor''s appearance, we noticed many Skeps that had entered the realm of Tier 6."


    His voice turned a pitch lower, "Until now, humanity had survived through our sheer quality, despite our inferior population. We had enough advantages to guarantee our strength reigned at the top. But now, the Skeps can just send the Swarm at us until we exhaust ourselves. This is not to mention our enemies, the Frenzy Beasts."


    A sort of chill pervaded the air as every citizen was silent, their expressions pale while thinking of the bleak future. As if it wasn''t enough, Rhachis Ancestor Light dropped another bomb, "The intervals of the Cleansement Manoeuvre we conduct has been shortening. In four decades, we would be close to hitting the Saturation Point in the Mental Realm. This was the final information Rhachis Ancestor Space traded her life to obtain."


    "Parasite path will be coming to an end soon, meaning no new Warrior or Esper can be born after that. But, that is when Rhachis Ancestor Parasite will achieve its peak power. The Skep Primogenitor won''t stay by idly either. Moreover, the longer it delays, the greater its advantage becomes, as the Skeps are independent of the Parasite path." The Chill intensified.


    "Every race is rushing to accumulate strength until then, trying to expand as much as possible until then. After all, there won''t be any development after that. Now, humanity has no choice but to do the same, if we wish to survive the upcoming era of chaos."


    Rhachis Ancestor Light''s face brimmed with fighting spirit, "Time is ripe now. With the Swarm on our doorsteps, we have an abundance of resources to sustain our needs. The production of Frenzy Fruits will be doubled by next year and will be increased to ten times the current size within three years. Traits, Artifacts, Relics, Knowledge, Guidance, Monetary Support; Central Command will shoulder the costs to nurture every talented individual to their peak."


    "And, to nurture talented individuals, we need to birth them in the first place. Humanity always held the top spot in quality. Now, we also need to upgrade our quantity. For the next four decades, to every child that is born, Central Command will shoulder all their expenses until adulthood, and that also includes the Aristocratic Families."


    "And, if they show potential to become an Elite, they would receive bonuses and guidance from the experts in various families. And, if they show potential to become a Powerhouse, they will be personally guided by Rhachis Ancestor Strongest."


    "The only good news we have in these troubled times is that Rhachis Ancestor Strongest is close to completing his Tier 6 Skill. The day he does so will the strongest Ancestor on earth be born. He will be the spear that kills Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, and we will be the shaft that supports him."


    When he talked about Rhachis Ancestor Strongest, a rare smile emerged on his face, "Marble City needs more Elites and Powerhouses to survive in the future. So, I ask you, fathers and mothers of our city, to birth heroes that pay way to our future."


    "To aid this endeavour, Central Command has launched numerous support schemes. For the next couple of years, thanks to the Swarm, our external missions would be close to a minimum. So, the time is ripe for our heroes to be born. And, for every child that is born, Central Command will reward the respective family. The rewards even include Relics."


    "We Two, Ours Six; that is the goal."


    "Six?" Yalika shouted, "Even if a year of gap is given between childbirth, that still means 12 years of constant cycles of conceiving and births, considering no¡­Child of Wisdom is born."


    "That shows to prove the reality of our situation. We have been pushed back to that extent." Warna sighed, feeling pensive. "The recent disasters have caused our population to dwindle."


    Rhachis Ancestor Light continued, his speech persuasive, "But, I am not forcing you to experience such pain over and over. I too have been a husband, a father, a grandfather, and so on. I know the pain of losing our children, the pain of birthing a Child of Wisdom. But now, I stand before you, having lost all my descendants. I¡­have been orphaned, despite my strength. Such is the cruelty of war. We can only resist the tides of fate."


    "Yesterday, many parents lost their children, I am angry at our incompetence and saddened by our loss. To us, the survival of humanity matters the most. And to you, the survival of your respective families. Combined, we would resist, persevere and emerge victorious." His eyes turned watery as Rhachis Ancestor Light continued to speak, displaying the volume of emotions he had bottled in him.


    "Ancestor¡­" Yalika trembled, crying as she grit her teeth, clenching her hand into a fist. She wasn''t alone; Warna, the people who were repairing their homes, the people walking on the roads, the people in their respective homes or workplace, everyone teared up.


    Their emotions were affected by the emotions of their spiritual pillar. Rhachis Ancestor Light spoke after a second of silence, "Central Command will not force you, but can only reward you for your contribution. Let us join hands and fight together, for the survival of Marble City, for the survival of the human race."


    "For Marble City!"


    "For Humanity!"


    The shout resounded from every household, reverberating around the entire city. The ignorant children were startled by the shout and had to be pacified by their respective parents.


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing the comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 332: Lack of Time for Tier 6

    Rhachis Ancestor Light talked about a lot of topics after that, addressing many issues of concern. The funds allotted for research, the budget for the military, the creation of new regiments, the establishment of dedicated organisations, creation of production facilities, recruitment of the masses into various Aristocratic and Royal families, etc.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light addressed every topic that had been changed to suit the situation. The citizens listened to everything in silence, etching each word he uttered to their minds.


    The Swarm hadn''t made an appearance while the Frenzy Beasts dare not make a move for the time being after seeing that earth-shattering exchange between Rhachis Ancestor Parasite and Rhachis Ancestor Light. Currently, the aura beyond Marble City was extremely volatile, dangerous to the extent it would kill any beings below Tier 5.


    So, it was currently a state of peace. Therefore, the citizens could freely listen to his speech without feeling burdened or pressed for time.


    Rhachis Ancestor Light cleared his throat a bit before speaking, "By the end of this decade, Marble City will have 12 Rings. Thanks to the Swarm, we would obtain enough energy to finish it. Each Aristocratic family will take charge of laying down the groundwork before Psychic Ancestor Marble installs the base and the walls."


    "I''ll be assigning tasks to each Aristocratic Family now." Rhachis Ancestor Light paused for a second, allowing the citizens to garner their attention, "10th Ring Sector 2 will be jointly done managed by the Veera and the Spindle Family. 11th Ring Sector 2 and 12th Ring Sector 2 will be managed by the Veera Family. Of course, when completed, a large area in 12th Ring Sector 2 will belong to the Veera Family."


    He iterated for every Aristocratic Family in the descending order of their power, finally speaking for the Bone Family, "11th Ring Sector 9 and 12th Ring Sector 9 will be managed by the Bone Family. When they finish their task, a large area in the 12th Ring Sector 9 will belong to the Bone Family."


    He paused for a second, beginning his final point of addressal, "We currently have 12 Aristocratic Families. Now, Central Command will also support the establishment of 6 more Aristocratic Families. That is, the creation of 6 more Unranked Skills. But, the conditions for this are strict."


    "We have many criteria to fulfil. And, we would conduct an examination where established families can present the workings, development, etc. of their incomplete Unranked Skills. And, those that fit the criteria will receive support from Central Command and would be overseen by Atika Light. We will select one per assessment, conducted once every two years. The first assessment will be conducted next year, so for established families wishing to become an Aristocratic Family, this is your opportunity."


    "I have addressed everything. Citizens of Marble City, persevere and reign supreme." His figure disappeared from the minds of everyone. The entire Marble City was still under shock from the tremendous volume of information he had delivered.


    7th Ring, Sector 1, seated on his bed in the military academy''s dorm, Jyorta closed his mind as he digested the information.


    ''40 years; if I fail to reach Tier 6 by then, it means it would become impossible for me to ever reach it. Tier 3, Tier 4, and Tier 5, it would take me approximately 13 years per each to finish the Nurturing process, given I am at 100 percent Sync Rate. It would take 39 years in this case. Currently, I am only Tier 2. So, if I broke through to Tier 3 within a year, I would be cutting it close, too close to be life-threatening.''


    ''I need to get the Trait of Severability as soon as possible. And, to increase my Sync Rate, I would need tremendous amounts of energy. If I wait for the energy recovered through food consumption, I would need months to even raise my Sync Rate by a percent. I don''t have that much time, considering the state of things.''


    He frowned, his eyes glistening with a dangerous glint, ''I would have to target someone from the Bone Family. Through Bone Devour, they would be able to replenish energy the fastest. And, I can siphon them from their soul.''


    He then shook his head, ridding himself of the thought, ''Let me graduate first. I can take time to think about it until then.''


    He sighed, heading for class, "One step at a time."


    Seated in a room, situated in the Rhachis Block''s Indigo Building was George Eagle, his face flushed red from the final statement in the announcement. ''My Eagle Family''s development of our Unranked Skill should be one of the most advanced among the established families. So, we have a high chance to be selected by Central Command. That means, within a decade, we would either be selected or even manage to perfect our Unranked Skill.''


    "Haha, nice. This is wonderful!" He laughed, picking up his notebook as he headed for class.


    1:15 PM, seated in the cafeteria were Jyorta and Haesha, eating their lunch while engaged in a serious discussion.


    "The path of aura is hard but is cumulative. The effects aren''t as absolute as our Esper abilities but their usage isn''t limited. Moreover, from what I tried yesterday, I''m able to use a focused approach of my aura personification through my psychic arms." Jyorta swallowed the morsel in his mouth and spoke without a pause.


    "Yesterday¡­" Haesha''s eyes dimmed as her expression turned sad. Seeing her mood, Jyorta hurriedly changed the topic, "Haesha, what are you planning to exchange for next?"


    "Are you aiming for a Trait or something else?"


    "Hmm," The question sent her into thought as Haesha''s speed of eating slowed down. She thought for a minute before looking at Jyorta, "I took the Trait of Temperance and the Trait of Efficiency. For now, I am aiming for the Unranked Skill, Regen. Until I obtain it, I don''t have plans to aim for anything else."


    "Trait of Temperance and Efficiency added together cost 27,000 Credits. On the 10th of this month, you had around 88,000 Credits. So, you currently have 61,000 Credits and need 49,000 Credits to obtain Regen." Jyorta nodded, speaking his thoughts.


    He counted using his fingers, "There are probably not many theoretical tests you can appear for Credits anymore, right?"


    Seeing her nod, he continued, "Among the practical exams, even though we have a lot, it is not fixed as to how many Credits we can obtain. For a safe estimate, let us say you earn 10,000 Credits through the tests. That leaves you with 39,000 Credits to obtain. And, the only option to do so is the Labyrinth of Frenzy."


    Haesha nodded, "On a conservative estimate, I can attempt a dive once a week. That means I have 8 attempts at most. So, I have to get 5,000 Credits in every attempt. Means, I have to kill at least 70-80 Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts in every attempt."


    She sighed, hitting her head on the table, "That is impossible."


    "Indeed, it is doable for Warriors but impossible for us Espers." Jyorta nodded, "That is, if you base it on conventional theories."


    "You mean?" Haesha''s eyes widened, her expression distorting, "We shouldn''t expect anything from that. What we did yesterday was a necessity, not something we did out of choice or for rewards."


    "No, you are wrong about one thing," Jyorta shook his head, "From what Madam principal told me, whether it is a necessity or by choice, beneficial actions are rewarded and harmful actions are punished. So, there is a chance we might be rewarded accordingly."


    "But, just depending on it cannot bring my target closer." Haesha frowned, "And, it''s not given that they would reward us with Credits."


    ''No, they would definitely reward us with Credits. Credits are the best when we are in the military academy. Even for my contribution, they awarded me with Credits.'' Jyorta thought, letting out an awkward laugh in response, unable to answer her.


    "How is your aura training coming along?" He chose to divert the topic, trying to think of a way she could use to achieve her target.


    "I''m not proficient in them. I am still doing the test to see which aura personification is more suitable for me. But, it is consuming a lot of time. And, I don''t know if I would become proficient enough with them in time to use in battles." Haesha sighed, finishing her lunch as she stood up, heading to the section in the corner to drop her plate.


    Jyorta followed suit, washing his hands after dropping his plate. The duo then headed for class, conversing about the various ways to accumulate Credits in the limited time available to them.


    ¡­


    "Cadet Ashten Coorg, are you sure you wish to use 55,000 Credits to exchange for the Unranked Skill, Flight?" A staff inquired, inspecting the mental and emotional state of the student before her, trying to ascertain if the student in question''s decision was rational or spurred by an impulse.


    "After yesterday''s fight, I''ve come to understand my shortcomings. Therefore, the Unranked Skill, Flight would be perfect for me. In any battle, the advantage of aerial mobility is beneficial." Ashten Coorg slammed his fist on his chest as he replied.


    "Alright," The staff pointed at a corner, "Wait there for some time. When preparations are done, I''ll call you."


    "Thank you," Ashten Coorg bowed, his expression resolute as he stood in the spot he was pointed towards.


    ''Next time, I won''t be as helpless as yesterday.''


    ¡­


    5:30 PM, Jyorta arrived before the principal''s office, speaking to the guard standing beside the double door, "I''m Jyorta Bone, Area Controller from the October Batch. Madam principal had summoned me."


    "Alright," The guard communicated inside, nodding his head many times in the conversation, turning around after some time had passed, "You may now enter."


    Jyorta took in a deep breath as he pushed the door open, his heart thumping in tension, his gaze solemn. This would be the turning point in his life.


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing the comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 333: Obtaining Regen

    Jyorta stepped foot in the principal''s room, watching Madam Mary buried under a pile of work. Her five psychic arms were visible, continuously flashing to and fro as they performed five different tasks. Held in her hands was a book she leisurely read, upon a closer look, it was a storybook.


    The book had the picture of a fairy with transparent wings, wearing a yellow gown while sporting a stupid grin. Drooling from her mouth was honey while she hid the honey jar behind her, in an effort to hide it. Leaves danced about, each big enough to hide her face.


    ''The Gluttonous Fairy of Honeywood. It''s a fairy tale.'' Jyorta was confused for a second, the oddity of the situation and the sharp contrast making him speechless. Madam Mary''s psychic arms were working at such speeds that they were a blur, unable to be discerned by the naked eye. But she, on the other hand, was relaxedly reading a storybook.


    Jyorta only figured the presence of the psychic arms thanks to sensing five concentrated psychic energy fluxes around Madam Mary. Seeing his gaze, Madam Mary smiled, "I''ll become a great-grandmother soon. So, I thought of making some preparations beforehand."


    ''One of my cousins had a child?'' Jyorta thought of the children of his uncle Hubert, and aunt Havita that were of the potential age, unable to determine who the person was. His uncle Hubert had three children, the same for his aunt. Of them, two were of marriageable age. If one of them had married while he was in the academy, then there was a chance they might be expecting a kid soon.


    "Ma''am, who got married?" Jyorta inquired.


    Madam Mary smiled, motioning at the chair before her, "You''ll know when you graduate. Matters of the family will not be mentioned here, unless they are of the utmost urgency. Now, take a seat."


    Jyorta did as told, sensing one of the five dense fluxes of psychic energy disappear. A second later, a large rectangular apparatus lay in the principal''s room. Lights flashed all over it, highlighting the glass structure of its upper half.


    "There are two points you must take note of," Madam Mary said, "First, I''ll be weakening you to the utmost limit. Two, when you lay in the apparatus, unleash your Caterpillar and place it right under the hole in the middle. That is the only hole so you won''t mistake it for anything else."


    "I won''t interfere with the process, since the moment I do so means the process is a failure. So, everything will depend on you. Endure and never lose consciousness." She gazed at the rectangular apparatus, flashing beside it before clicking a button on it.


    With a clack, the glass-structured shaft opened, revealing a berth inside. The berth seemed perfect for his figure, as if made for him. On noticing his curiosity, Madam Mary said, "The berth will be custom made for every individual. As for the apparatus, there are many units of differing sizes. We''ll make do with the most fitting ones and perfect the rest using the berths."


    A glass flask appeared on her hand as she motioned for Jyorta to lay on the berth, "I will first be weakening your physique using my aura."


    Jyorta laid in a comfortable posture, facing up as he nodded at Madam Mary. Madam Mary unleashed her aura, controlling the intensity, perfectly outlining Jyorta''s body. Not even a tinge of it leaked out or affected the berth he lay on.


    Her aura gushed into his body, combating his aura. His aura resisted it with all its might, getting expended in the process. After the fight on the previous day, he had yet to accumulate much aura. So, everything he possessed was swiftly expended within a minute, making him feel weak.


    Madam Mary delicately controlled her aura output, expending Jyorta''s aura while ensuring not even a tinge of her presence remained in him. "You will feel suffocated now. Try to endure."


    Jyorta nodded as the shaft closed. The machines in the apparatus whirred to life, sucking away the air within. Jyorta''s breathing grew laboured, the reduction in air straining him. By his second breath, he was already exhausted, the air inside the apparatus had been fully sucked away.


    Even though fear crept up his being in such a situation, Jyorta mustered every ounce of his courage to completely exhale all the air in his lungs, noticing it too be sucked away. There was no more air for him to inhale or exhale.


    Jyorta adjusted his right hand, facing the palm towards a hole in the apparatus. His body trembled while the nerves protruded on his skin, turning blue. Piercing pain originated from his heart, forehead, temples, and neck as tendrils of blood seeped out through the pores on his face, forming a long line as they condensed into a sphere above his palm.


    The tendrils of blood wriggled like worms, each seemingly having a life of its own. Seeing their actions, Madam Mary''s eyes widened in surprise, ''Impressive, no wonder he was picked. His potential is boundless.''


    ''As someone fated to stand against Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, Regen is not suitable for him. His offensive power should be stronger. Thankfully, Atika made some arrangements within the Unranked Skill in regards to this. In the future, it can be swapped out for the Unranked Skill she has been preparing for him.'' She thought, inserting the glass flask in a cylindrical bore in the apparatus, twisting it clockwise.


    Contained within the glass flask was a viscous solution, radiating lustre that varied across all colours of VIBGYOR every second. Suspended in its centre was a neuron, pale blue in colour. The nerve endings were white while electricity flashed across it, alternating between blue and transparent.


    The nucleus was jet black, seemingly absorbing the light the viscous solution radiated like a bottomless hole. The neuron was alive, displaying sentient behaviour. The nucleus was like a face, staring straight at Jyorta.


    When Madam Mary twisted the glass flask clockwise, the viscous solution began to flow through a tube, heading towards the interior of the apparatus.


    A groove formed on the blood sphere, dividing it into two halves, with each hemisphere rotating in the opposite direction. Tendrils of blood wriggled, joining together to create segments, patterns, etc. on the hemispheres.


    The two hemispheres rotated to unravel a cylindrical column, segmented into six. A pair of arms popped out from the second segment while tendrils of blood wriggled to form a triangular-shaped hair patch on the first segment.


    A set of humanoid facial features formed on the front, partly resembling Jyorta. The face scowled upon forming, imitating a third-rate gangster, while a wine glass and a cigar manifested in its arms. It lifted its wine glass, enlarging as it hoisted it up, watching a drop of the viscous solution drip out of the hole and into it.


    It brought the wine glass near its nose, taking a sniff, intoxicated by the aroma of the viscous solution. It swerved its head, gazing Madam Mary as it threw its cigar into its mouth, clamping it perfectly to strike a cool smoking pose. It lifted the free hand, pointing at Madam Mary, flashing a thumbs-up as its other hand brought the wine glass to its mouth.


    The moment it sipped the viscous solution, it became less lively, its expressions dulling. It gulped the contents in the vine glass and dissolved the cigar into its body, taking up a comfortable position on Jyorta''s palm.


    It was Jyorta''s Caterpillar.


    The Caterpillar changed the structure of the wine glass, turning it into a funnel, with the smaller end placed into its mouth that it opened wide. The viscous solution began to drip faster, sending two drops every second.


    The drops slid down the funnel and ended up in the Caterpillar''s mouth, making some changes in its body. A stream of energy gushed into his body as Jyorta''s consciousness slipped away, the lack of oxygen making his head spin.


    He had been holding his breath for a considerable duration already. The vacuum also caused him pain as the internal pressure in his body sought to break past his frame and expand into the wider world.


    ''Its growth has already surpassed its peers. Six-seven months later, it would surpass all Tier 2 Wisdom Parasites. There is a good chance it would be capable of speaking the moment it evolves into Tier 3.'' Madam Mary thought, increasing the dripping speed of the viscous solution the moment the Caterpillar''s actions turned dull.


    The viscous solution dripped with increasing speeds, soon turning into a thin stream that entered the Caterpillar''s mouth. Contained within a drop was the pale blue neuron, falling in the funnel.


    The Caterpillar instinctively resisted upon sensing it but was unable to move, helplessly watching the pale blue neuron enter its mouth, head into its stomach, and initiate a chain reaction. A rush of energy entered Jyorta''s body, akin to an electric shock that brought back his fading consciousness.


    Jyorta mustered every ounce of his strength, directing it at the Caterpillar, Willing it the moment Madam Mary nodded at him. The Caterpillar dissolved into tendrils of blood as they flowed across the air, seeping into the pores on his face.


    For a moment, his suffocation became unbearable, knocking him out cold. The shaft opened as a gust of air gushed in, forming a mini vortex as they occupied the vacuum. Jyorta gasped for breath, greedily inhaling the air.


    Unable to endure or complete the process, he exhaled, inhaling again mid-way, instantly exhaling without finishing the cycle. He inhaled and exhaled haphazardly for a whole minute before his breathing stabilised.


    Clarity returned to his mind as Madam Mary''s smiling face came into his vision. "Congratulations, Jyorta Bone. You have successfully obtained the Unranked Skill, Regen."


    "You now have access to boundless strength."


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing the comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 334: Plans for Credit Usage

    "Thank you, ma''am." Jyorta weakly replied, his face jubilant, almost tearing up. He got up, stumbling in the process before a psychic arm caught him, lifting his body. The moment he stepped out, the rectangular apparatus disappeared.


    "The viscous solution is tremendously nutritious. When your body digests it, you will recover more than enough energy to fill up your Brain Crystal. The excess energy will be stored in your body that you can expend when necessary." Madam Mary disappeared and reappeared on her seat, picking up the storybook from before.


    "Head to the nursing room and talk to the nurse, Vaika. Once you say you obtained Regen, she will guide you through all the basics through her hallucination." She waved her hands, "That''s all, you may leave."


    "Thank you, ma''am." Jyorta bowed and exited the principal''s office, his body feeling strange, the sensation foreign as compared to before. Something was settling in his body, subtly affecting it, invading every nerve, and implanting something everywhere.


    ''Is this how the presence of an Unranked Skill feels like?'' There were many things he was clueless about it, deciding to first have a meal and some rest before consulting the nurse Vaika.


    ''I finally obtained it.'' Jyorta clenched his hand into a fist, excited. A wide smile covered his face as he hopped while walking, humming a tune, greeting every staff he passed by with thrice the enthusiasm.


    6:30 PM, finished with a round of snacks, Jyorta returned to his room, laying down on the bed. He sensed the changes in his body, noticing his presence subtly mix with the foreign presence, getting enriched in the process.


    The foreign presence was like a network of veins in his body, present everywhere in distinct forms, slowly mixing with the rest and turning unnoticeable. Thanks to the aura training he underwent every day, Jyorta could precisely sense it.


    "Regen," Jyorta smiled, unleashing his stronger psychic arm, sensing if there was anything different about it. His psychic arm was the same as before, unchanged. Jyorta retracted it and closed his eyes, allowing the changes in his body to finish before beginning his experimentation and practice.


    Theoretically speaking, after the Unranked Skill was imbued in the body, it needed some time, ranging from two hours to a day to finish its fusion process. Until then, it was advised to not exert oneself, which might prolong the fusion process or even damage the Unranked Skill in the process.


    Based on what he surfed in the Portal, there was a precedent where an Amplifier became too excited after receiving the Unranked Skill, Flight. Without waiting for the Unranked Skill to fully fuse with himself, he activated it and flew around crazily, performing acrobatics in the air until he felt pain all over his body, falling mid-way.


    Later, he was unable to fly, only able to activate the Unranked Skill occasionally. Upon research, they discovered that the Unranked Skill had been damaged, limiting its potential. It was no longer an Unranked Skill, its abilities capped at Tier 2. Moreover, it was like a broken faucet, activating and deactivating by itself without warning, its flight efficiency plummeting to rock bottom.


    That Amplifier regretted his actions for the rest of his life, the Unranked Skill he obtained had become his doom. He had to cripple himself and undergo surgery to remove the Unranked Skill, the side effects troubling him for life. His life as a Warrior had ended on that day.


    The blue soul severed a couple of connections, instantly putting Jyorta in a state of sleep. His body relaxed, allowing the fusion to continue without trouble.


    4:30 AM, Jyorta woke up, rubbing his eyes as he regained clarity, turning around to switch on the lights. He noticed the time displayed on his alarm clock, yawning once as he got up, placing the day''s clothes in a basket.


    After adding his toiletries to it, he picked up the basket and exited his room, returning after 40 minutes, refreshed, dressed in a tracksuit. Placing the basket in a corner, Jyorta exited the room and locked the door, pocketing his key as he strode through the corridor, pausing for a second before the room next to the flight of stairs.


    ''She''s probably sleeping.'' Jyorta descended the flight of stairs, humming a tune as he exited the dorm. The cold air and the lingering scent in the air refreshed him. The morning rays of the sun brightened up his mind, making him look forward to the rest of the day.


    Jyorta lightly jogged a lap around the ground, taking his sweet time, greeting a couple of students who were also jogging at this time.


    6:00 AM, Jyorta ate some snacks in the cafeteria, sensing the quantity of psychic energy in his Brain Crystal. ''It is around half the maximum capacity. Probably around evening, my Brain Crystal would be filled up.''


    He smiled, heading towards the Red Building, intending to check if the nurse Vaika had arrived. Until now, he had only visited her during the evening hours. There was a fair chance she wouldn''t be present at this time; he didn''t know her shift hours.


    ''No harm in visiting once.'' Jyorta continued with his jog, soon arriving before the Red Building, noticing its doors had been put back.


    He lightly pushed open the double doors, entering to find it vacant. He took a couple of steps inside and noticed the double door slam shut behind him, the loud sound echoed in the massive hall, startling him.


    Jyorta looked around, noticing empty cages everywhere, those that had housed a Frenzy Beast each before. The entire area was bereft of any living beings. Jyorta looked around in curiosity, walking towards the counter on the other end of the massive hall.


    He then spotted a lady in a nurse outfit sitting behind the counter, looking bored. The moment she noticed his approach, her eyes lit up, playfully beckoning for him, "There is pretty much nothing in the Labyrinth of Frenzy. The ones that had survived are wounded pretty badly and are recuperating."


    "Then, we can still explore the labyrinth now?" Jyorta asked in surprise.


    "Of course," The nurse replied, "Though, there probably won''t be anyone who would be willing to explore for the time being. The incidents from a day ago had affected them pretty badly. It would take some time before the students attempt an exploration."


    ''If they are wounded, it should be easier.'' Jyorta then showed an expression of inquiry, "Ma''am, when will nurse Vaika arrive?"


    "Hmm," The nurse gave him a knowing smile, chuckling once, "Her shift is from 4:00 PM to midnight. You can visit her then."


    Jyorta bowed and turned around, heading towards the exit. The nurse stared at his back for a couple of seconds before shouting in amusement, "She''ll probably be free today. Make use of the chance, brave Cadet."


    Jyorta looked back before choosing to speed up his pace, the sounds of the nurse chuckling resounded from behind. Soon, he exited the Red Building and walked on the ground, thinking up his plan.


    ''I have accumulated around 1,15,000 Credits in total. The Trait of Efficiency, Recovery, and Resistance in total amount to 25,000 Credits. And, I had paid 10,000 Credits for Regen, so I have around 80,000 Credits remaining. The Trait of Severability costs 90,000 Credits, so I only need 10,000 more Credits. I''m close to obtaining all my objectives.''


    Jyorta smiled, realising that he had obtained most of what he had sought to achieve in the first place. In his prior plans, he wasn''t even confident of obtaining the Trait of Severability. After all, the Credits needed for it were no joke, something impossible to achieve as an Esper. If he had been a Warrior, he would have had a fair fighting chance.


    "Once I obtain the Trait of Severability, I can focus on obtaining a suitable Tier 3 Relic. There is no disadvantage in having more Relics." Jyorta waved his hands at the jogging students that passed by, thinking further.


    It would have been better to use the remainder of his Credits on Frenzy Fruits and increase his Sync Rate. But, even a Tier 3 Frenzy Fruit cost 1000 Credits. The increase in Sync Rate wasn''t enough for him, considering the cost as he received nine Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits every month.


    In response, a Tier 3 Relic only cost 8,000 Credits, a massive bargain for the rate. A Tier 4 Relic cost 60,000 Credits so he didn''t even think about aiming for them. Thanks to the Trait of Severability, he would increase his Sync Rate over time. He had some plans to achieve it.


    Therefore, using his Credits to exchange for Frenzy Fruits wasn''t efficient. He could use them to exchange for a helpful Relic that might even save his life in the Wilds.


    "A Tier 3 Relic obtained from a Warrior would have an emission-based Skill, which is perfect for an Esper like me. That would give me a lot of advantage in my battles." Jyorta nodded, recalling the information listed in the pamphlet.


    ''Since there are only 20 Tier 3 Relics to be exchanged, I should hurry. There is a fair chance many had already exchange for them.''


    The scores of the top 10 in the October Batch were above 80,000 Credits. The scores further down the rank steadily reduced, with the person at the 100th rank barely crossing 10,000 Credits. For students at such a rank, their best bet at survival was to exchange for a Tier 3 Relic.


    Those who had around 40,000-60,000 Credits would aim for a Tier 4 Relic, or the Unranked Skill, Flight if they had been Warriors. But, the fraction who had Credits between 10,000 to 40,000 numbered at least 40, those that competed for the Tier 3 Relics or such. Jyorta''s only hope was that most of them were gunning for the Trait of Temperance and hadn''t opted for any Tier 3 Relics.


    After all, the advantage of the Trait of Temperance lasted for decades, and allowed them to be on duty for that much longer, possibly even giving them enough time to breakthrough to a Tier higher.


    ''Should I exchange for a Relic now? Will the expenditure risk my situation from obtaining the Trait of Severability? After all, if my hunt in the Labyrinth is lacklustre, even 10,000 Credits might be too far a goal.'' Jyorta frowned, heading towards the Head Office Building. He planned to first inquire the number of Tier 3 Relics that remained, planning to decide based on that.


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing the comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 335: Mental Frenzy: Common, But Terrifying

    "I am Jyorta Bone, Area Controller from the October Batch," Jyorta handed his ID card to the staff behind the counter, "I wish to check the availability of Tier 3 Relics to exchange for my Batch."


    The staff took his ID card and swiped it in a machine, pulling up his information on the monitor. She went through them, noticing the Credits he had accumulated, spent, and still retained. On seeing that he had more than enough Credits to exchange for a Tier 3 Relic, she nodded at him, returning his ID card.


    "There are still four Tier 3 Relics remaining to be exchanged for the October Batch. Based on our procedures, we don''t set aside any Relics per each Batch. All the Relics we receive are stored in our storage. You can exchange for any Relic from them, as long as your Batch hasn''t hit the limit."


    ''So, there are still 4 left.'' Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief, deciding after a couple of seconds, "Ma''am, I wish to exchange for one. Can I see the list of the Relics?"


    "Wait in a corner. I''ll call you when the related staff arrives. You''ll have to visit the storage to make your decision." The staff replied, motioning him towards an empty space in the room. Jyorta stood in the designated place, watching three other students present in the room.


    On noticing his stare, they gave a customary nod with a formal smile. Jyorta returned the greeting and looked around the room, observing the floor design. He came to this place at least 9 times every month to receive his Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits, so he was already familiar with the area.


    Now, he was bored, failing to find anything interesting to garner his attention. Even the students that were present stood quite far from each other, preventing any conversations from taking form.


    It seemed the staff didn''t want any noise early in the morning, hence the arrangement. Jyorta waited for more than 30 minutes, perfectly bored. There was nothing else for him to do except stand in his spot. The other students that had been waiting at the start had long since obtained what they sought and had left, leaving him as the sole student in the room.


    ''Maybe I''ll sit?'' Jyorta lightly moved, intending to crouch when the staff smiled his way. ''Ugh, guess I''ll continue to stand.''


    Jyorta looked at the nail on his index finger, tracing the pattern on it with his eye, his boredom making him lazy. He didn''t have much to think about, for the time being, the moment of peace making him wish to sleep.


    It was still early in the morning after all.


    7:15 AM, the staff from before beckoned him, saying, "Proceed through lift number 6. The staff had just arrived."


    "Thank you," Jyorta made a light bow before turning around, glancing around for the designated lift. He entered it, watching the doors close as the lift moved up, soon stopping after a dozen seconds. The lift doors opened to reveal a tiny room, 4 metres in breadth and 2 metres in length.


    To his right was a doorway, hidden by a curtain. Jyorta walked forward and lightly pushed the curtain, peaking through.


    "Come in," A voice resounded in his ears, gruff and tired. Jyorta pushed the curtain aside and stepped foot in a long corridor, with both sides covered by a row of shelves. Each shelf was a metre long and 50 centimetres high, covered by glass panels.


    Contained within were Relics of all shapes and sizes. A label was attached on the glass panel of each shelf, underneath it was a list of bullet points pertaining to the Relic inside.


    A bulky middle-aged man walked out from the other end of the corridor that spanned almost a hundred metres in length, "At any given time, we have at least 80 Tier 3 Relics here. The ones at the farther end are Tier 4 Relics, numbering around 10. I was informed that the October Batch can still claim four Tier 3 Relics. If you wish, you can select anywhere between one and four Tier 3 Relics, given you have enough Credits."


    "Can I stroll here and look through the details of every Relic?" Jyorta inquired, looking at the label of the first shelf.


    "Yes, you can." The middle-aged man nodded, "But you must never touch anything. When you have decided, point at it with your finger, I''ll take it out for you."


    Saying his piece, the middle-aged man disappeared. Jyorta looked at the label on the first shelf, reading its title, "Relic C071204."


    Listed below were the three Skills that had fused to result in the Skill within the Tier 3 Relic, "Tier 1: Zoom, Tier 2: Fist Burst, Tier 3: Flight."


    "A stands for Tier 1 Skill, B stands for Tier 2 Skill, and C stands for Tier 3 Skill. The alphabet denoted at the start means the base Skill that formed the fused Skill. In this Relic, the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Skills have fused into the Tier 3 Skill, altering it. Every two digits are the numbering of the respective Skills in our database, from Tier 3 to Tier 1." The middle-aged man''s gruff voice resounded in his ears.


    Jyorta nodded and looked further, reading the bullet points listed below, "The fused Skill is named Flight Burst. It condenses the ability of flight into it and releases it at once, allowing the user to accelerate from zero to maximum in an instant. The flight pattern is uneven, the Relic cannot be controlled to manoeuvre in the air. It can only give bursts for flight in one direction. Recommended: Hand."


    Jyorta noticed that the Relic was shaped into a glove. ''So, if I strap it on my hand, I can alter my direction in the air through moving my hand. But, I would need another similar glove to balance them out. Using one for flight is difficult. But, can I really use them? Aren''t Relics incredibly fragile?''


    The middle-aged man''s voice resounded again, as if sensing his doubts, "All the Relics here have been fused with Tier 3 Artifacts. We made them based on their effects into the most optimal form. So, they can be used without worry."


    Jyorta nodded, gazing at the Tier 3 Skill, Flight listed for the Relic. The Tier 3 Skill, Flight, and the Unranked Skill Flight were more or less the same at Tier 3.


    ''If both were pitted against the Floating Spider''s Trait, considering all three were at the same level, I wonder who would win?'' Jyorta then proceeded to the next shelf, looking at the Relic in it.


    "Relic C010901. Tier 3: Mental Frenzy, Tier 2: Amplified Aura, Tier 1: Aura Sense. Base Skill: Tier 3." Jyorta looked at the name of the fused Skill, "Amplified Mental Frenzy. The effect is an amplified version of the Tier 3 Skill, Mental Frenzy. In response, the energy consumed is accordingly higher."


    Mental Frenzy, the most common Tier 3 Skill Nurtured by human Developers. It caused the mind of the foe to become chaotic, its thoughts failing to form coherently. The user can also manipulate the Skill to direct the actions of the foe, making it one of the strongest Tier 3 Skills. Its prime advantage was the fact that it could be stacked.


    When two Developers activated the Skill, the resulting effect was more potent and widespread. 10, 20, 100... there was no limit to the quantity it could be stacked, becoming one of the prime reasons the Skill was heavily valued by humans and equally feared by Frenzy Beasts. As it was one of the most common Tier 3 Skills in humanity, it was further feared.


    There were precedents where one hundred Developers used the Skill in unison and killed four Transformer Frenzy Beasts.


    The Relic was shaped into a hemisphere, with a handle attached to the flat surface. Based on the details, the effect of the Skill was unleashed from the curved surface, with its effective range being 30 metres.


    ''I suppose the Skills in Relics cannot be as versatile as the Skills in a Warrior.'' Jyorta shook his head. The difference between a Skill in a Warrior and a Relic was that the Skills in Relics were fixed with their effect. Only their output quantity can be varied based on the energy input. Everything else apart from that couldn''t be controlled.


    It was a different concept when the Skill was in a Warrior. The same Skill, when used by a human or a Frenzy Beast would be at least 10 times more potent, the difference arrising from their control, varying the Skill''s effect according to the situation.


    Moreover, the Skills in the Relics only possessed base strength, i.e. the potency they possessed the moment they were Nurtured. The Skills in humans or Frenzy Beasts would grow based on their comprehension of it, the effect apparent especially from Tier 3.


    It was the same as how a Relic with the Skill Flight would only allow a person to move unidirectionally, like they had attached a thruster to them. They would have to vary the direction the Relic faced to change directions in air, which had a lot of difficulties in high speed and sharp manoeuvring. If they were even an instant late in their actions, they would lose balance and fall.


    The Skill, Flight when in a human, allowed them to dance freely in the air without any difficulties. Such was the degree of freedom available to a Skill when it was within a Warrior.


    ''I have to select a Relic with an emission-based Skill that doesn''t require any control.'' Jyorta made his decision, proceeding to the next shelf.


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing the comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 336: Tier 3 Skill—Healing Salve

    "Relic C120109. Base Skill: Tier 3. Fused Skill Name: Enhanced Healing Salve. Tier 1 Skill: Enhanced Smell, Tier 2 Skill: Speed Burst, Tier 3 Skill: Healing Salve." Jyorta looked at the description of the fused Skill, "The healing effect of the salve is more enhanced. The energy consumption is accordingly higher."


    "That''s it?" Jyorta saw the description about it end just like that. His gaze then hovered on the Tier 3 Skill, Healing Salve, "So, this is what we depended on before Regen came into being?"


    "Yes," The middle-aged man''s gruff voice replied, "When the Skill is activated, energy is consumed to produce a paste. This paste has medicinal properties. When applied on a wound, the salve assimilates into it, turning into the respective body part."


    "That''s impressive," Jyorta marvelled.


    "Not exactly," The gruff voice replied, "After applying the salve in the wound, we have to plaster it and give it time for it to take effect. Depending on the severity of the wound, it might take anywhere from a day to a week. And, for injuries of Shifters and above, the duration is even longer."


    His tone turned awkward, "And, it is not to mention the tedious process we have to take to ensure it heals the right part. Suppose a person had lost his arm; then we would have to spend many healing sessions by applying a small layer over his wound, and wait until the arm regrows step by step. And, if we don''t operate precisely, the nerves might not even grow while the flesh occupies the place it was supposed to exist."


    "But, with an Esper taking charge, it should be easy to do everything right?" Jyorta retorted, his statement originating from his knowledge of Wave Controllers and above.


    "Well, it is incredibly effective, depending on the mode of usage," The gruff voice acknowledged, "Its healing effect occurs by assimilating into the body. So, whether human or Frenzy Beast, it is effective on both. And, after it is produced, it can be stored."


    After a second of pause, the gruff voice continued, "From what I am told, healing salve has a shelf life of hundred years. So, in times of need, it can be used."


    "When Espers with Regen run out of psychic energy, we can make do with the healing salve." Jyorta nodded, looking at it in a new light. Even though its effect was largely inferior to Regen, just its shelf life alone outweighed its defects.


    It was a substance that could be accumulated and stored for a long period.


    "Well, it is still incomparable to Regen. To use the healing salve, you have to be knowledgeable about the human body and should also possess enough skills to operate on one without error. Even then, there is a chance for failure." The gruff voice said with a hint of mockery, "But, even a peerless idiot can use Regen and successfully heal the wounded without any problems. The two cannot even be compared."


    "One is instantaneous while the other is slow but can be accumulated. If they are used in conjunction, the results should be amazing." Jyorta nodded, watching the cup-shaped Relic. If he inserted his psychic arm into it and supplied it energy, then the Relic would produce the healing salve in the cup.


    He could scoop out the contents and produce it again and again until he ran out of energy. Jyorta thought about it, proceeding to the next shelf. He already possessed Regen, so obtaining a Relic for healing was unnecessary.


    And, unlike Regen, healing salve didn''t heal the wounds instantly. So, even in cases of emergencies, like when he was in the Wilds and had been injured, healing salve wouldn''t be able to save his life in time.


    Instead of that, he could just siphon the energy in his soul to fuel his Regen and heal himself. That was a better option. Just when he thought of that, a thought struck him as Jyorta inquired, "Sir, if we consume the healing salve, can our body digest it? If yes, will it replenish my psychic energy?"


    "Yes, it can. By the time its healing effects could kick in, your body would have digested it. When you are a Wave Controller, the effects are further pronounced as your digestive ability further improves." The gruff voice replied, catching his line of thought, "When you are on a mission in the Wilds, the ration you receive is the healing salve compressed into small pellets. Unless you are not pressed for time, eating them would recover your energy faster."


    "Sir, since they are used as ration, then the Developers that possess this Skill, what do they do usually?" Jyorta''s eyes glinted, his mind calculating the factors that went into play revolving it.


    The staff grasped the details from the minor movements in his facial muscles, sighing as he replied, "When Developers are not in missions and have abundant energy to spare, they produce this healing salve and sell it to Central Command or any organisation they are a part of. In exchange, they obtain money for their daily usage."


    ''Healing Salve is quite rare among the Tier 3 Skills. Less than one percent of the Developers Nurture this Skill. I can use this to increase my development speed. Also, since I possess the Trait of Efficiency, I should be able to digest this pretty quickly and efficiently, on the same level as Wave Controllers. And, the effect of this Relic should be good enough for my use. If I am low on cash, I can also sell the healing salve for money. Its worth is greater than most Tier 3 Relics that are only useful in one way.''


    ''Also,'' Jyorta slapped his head, feeling like an idiot, ''Can''t I siphon soul energy from others? If I siphon the soul energy from Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts, I should be able to replenish my reserves faster. Also, if I selectively alter my corrosion, I can corrode the murkiness and only absorb the soul energy. I have to try it in practice and see if it is efficient.''


    ''if it is possible, I can use the excess energy to produce more healing salve and store it for later consumption. This way, the time I can spend in the Labyrinth of Frenzy will increase, allowing me to harness more Credits.''


    Jyorta looked at the other end of the corridor, pointing at the cup-shaped Relic.


    The staff''s gruff voice resounded, "Alright, do you want to exchange for another Relic, or are you done?"


    "I still want to see the others. I am also planning to exchange for another Relic." Jyorta looked at the next shelf, thinking, ''I am primarily relying on my aura to fight now. I''m not making the best use of my psychic energy. I need a Relic that could unleash long-ranged attacks.''


    Jyorta frowned, thinking if he should obtain the Relic with the Amplified Mental Frenzy Skill in it. ''No, the reason Mental Frenzy is feared is because the user can actively control it according to the situation. Without that control, the Skill would be many times weaker.''


    Jyorta then muttered out loud, "Sir, is there a Tier 4 Relic where the base Skill is the Tier 3 Skill, Healing Salve?"


    "There is," The gruff voice replied, "But, it is not here. Such a Relic has strategic value and is in the possession of Central Command."


    "And¡­" Just when Jyorta was about to speak, the gruff voice interrupted him, "I know what you wish to ask. Any Relic, Tier 4, and Tier 5 that has a Tier 3 Skill as the base have strategic value. They are all owned by powerful organisations and never leave Marble City. The Relics that individuals can possess are only normal Relics."


    "I see," Jyorta nodded, slightly disappointed as he looked at the next Relic, solely focusing on the Tier 3 Skills. Espers were only capable of making use of Relics with either Tier 1 or Tier 3 Skills.


    There was a lot of information about Tier 3 Skills he was clueless about. Even in the Portal, there was only a one-liner about Skills Tier 3 and beyond.


    As for the Skills of the Frenzy Beasts, there was detailed information, spanning tens of pages per each. Even documentary videos of their practical application, simulated programs depicting their effects, etc. were also available.


    This showed Marble City''s stance. To learn more about themselves, they first should be qualified enough. The information they possessed should only be in accordance with their strength. Otherwise, when they were captured by their enemies, there is a higher risk of information leakage.


    The stronger one was, the greater their life-preserving methods, and the more resolute they were in killing themselves when captured, preventing the enemies from obtaining both information and their fused organs.


    But, to fight against the enemy better, one must be knowledgeable about them first. That was why information about their enemies was detailed and available to even the students.


    Now, it was a chance for Jyorta to know more about their Tier 3 Skills. The fact that the information was available in this place was Marble City''s way of saying, "You earned the right to look at the Relics and know more about them."


    The first check the staff had performed before was to see if he had enough Credits to exchange for a Tier 3 Relic. Only after was he given permission. If he hadn''t, then he would have been denied then and there.


    Jyorta looked at the Tier 3 Skill present in the next Relic, his eyes widening in surprise at the name. it was something he was quite familiar with, the Skill that had become part of his worst nightmares.


    Tier 3 Skill¡ªSensory Invisibility!


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing the comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 337: Not Inferior to a Nuke

    "Sensory Invisibility¡­" Jyorta muttered, frowning once. It was the Skill his sister possessed, something that she had once used to scare the living daylights out of him. Even after the incident had passed and she had come to accept his existence, the trauma from back then affected him to this day.


    For a moment, he wanted to obtain the Relic, almost pointing at it. He then controlled his urges, rationally thinking, ''Using my psychic arms, I can shield myself to a fair extent. I can also use my hallucination to create another layer of veil around me, swapping reality with illusion in the senses of my foes. Combined, the overall effect I could establish shouldn''t be inferior to this Relic. Even if it is inferior, obtaining this Relic doesn''t give me much of an advantage. Rather, I might increase my risk by spending my Credits on it. In the end, if I fail to obtain the Trait of Severability, then crying would be my only option.''


    He proceeded to look into the next shelf, looking at the Tier 3 Skill fused into the Relic, "Mental Calm."


    ''So, its effects are the opposite of Mental Frenzy. This Skill is incredibly useful to alleviate the strained mental states of soldiers that roam the Wilds. It can also reduce the chances of a person losing control and even helps greatly during a breakthrough. Most of the meditation rooms in the military academy are run by the Relics with Mental Calm.'' Jyorta finished reading the information, sighing in amazement.


    Each Tier 3 Skill had incredible value, its usage not limited to battles. And, a common point he noticed in them was a rather shocking fact, ''Mental Frenzy and Mental Calm affect the mind. Their effects tread in the domain of the mind.''


    Jyorta took in a sharp breath, ''Then, why was Deific Inference claimed as the sole Skill in the domain of the mind? No, that might not be true or I am confusing something here.''


    He frowned, ''What exactly is the domain of the mind? What factors or abilities fall under it?''


    He then thought about his abilities as a Psychic Parasite, ''I can invade the souls of others using my soul. The cause and effect are both related to the souls. All my abilities of the soul are only effective against souls.''


    Jyorta muttered aloud, putting on an expression of confusion, one that made him vexed, "Sir, how do these two Skills, Mental Frenzy and Mental Calm take effect?"


    He paid careful attention to not utter anything about the domain of the mind. He didn''t wish to showcase his knowledge that surpassed his peers or what people his age and at his strength ought to be privy of.


    Jyorta suddenly sensed something amiss. A psychic arm materialised beside him and slapped his hand, the pain making him retract the hand in reflex, "Aah!"


    Before he could try anything, the psychic arm appeared before his face, morphing into a transparent film that reflected his face. The staff''s gruff voice echoed, "Look at your expression. When I hit your hand, your emotions were affected."


    His eyes were slightly red while tears welled up within them, on the verge of falling off. His face was flushed, his eyebrows scrunched, his left eye almost closed, a sign that pain was transmitted from his right hand.


    On noticing that Jyorta had taken a good look at his expression, the gruff voice chuckled, "The attack on your right hand is transmitted as a signal to your brain, which then registers the stimulus as pain and sends the necessary signal back to the wounded area. That is how you feel the sensation of pain. And, this pain causes a faint hormonal disturbance in your body as the adrenaline kicks in. Fight, Fright, and Flight; your actions will vary accordingly."


    "And, in any of the three cases, you display certain emotions, and your mental states will be accordingly affected." The gruff voice lowered its tone, "Manipulating the stimulus, brain signals, and hormonal changes through physical contact, the basis for the two Tier 3 Skills is similar. But, unlike my example, they achieve this through the energy wave they emit."


    "So, they affect the mind through the chemical reactions in the body?" Jyorta nodded, hearing the gruff voice confirm it.


    ''I see, so they won''t fall in the domain of the mind. Even though they could affect the mind, they achieve it through the Parasite path. It''s the same as how I affect the emotions through my false personas.'' Jyorta nodded, losing interest in them for the time being.


    They weren''t the Skills he currently desired. His objective was to obtain a Relic that would better his situation in the Labyrinth of Frenzy and obtain more Credits. From what he was told, only the Relics or Artifacts¡ªthat he had brought with him to the military academy from outside¡ªcan not be used in any activities.


    But, the Artifacts or Relics he had exchanged using his Credits could be used in the Labyrinth of Frenzy. That was another reason he was willing to spend his Credits. Otherwise, there was no reason to exchange for them.


    He was the scion of the Bone Family, an Aristocratic Family. It wasn''t hard for him to obtain one or two Tier 3 Relics. Thought, he would have to contribute something of equal value should he wish to obtain them.


    Contribution and reward was a system deeply ingrained in the minds of everyone in Marble City. It was to prevent wastrels from popping up in powerful families due to the amount of wealth they had amassed over the years.


    As a wastrel, someone who hadn''t ever lifted a finger to obtain something wouldn''t know the value of the product or the time and effort that went into making it. Similarly, they would have egos spanning the high heavens without accomplishing anything of value ever, simply because of their birth status. And, should a person from a lower status ever achieve more than them, then their egos would be hurt.


    In such a situation, they would try their best to put that person down, even going to the extent of etching mental wounds in them. There might also be cases their toxic behaviour would affect their family members or the family members wishing to uphold face or even being forced to make a move due to their familial bonds.


    All such cases were the recipes for disaster, one that would hinder the growth of the city as a whole. Geniuses had to be nurtured while Wastrels had to be eradicated, this was a moto Marble City abided by.


    It was something Psychic Ancestor Marble had installed, and influenced the people over time. Thereby, the Reward and Contribution system came into effect. Even in an Aristocratic family, everyone competed against one another, progressing further and further, getting rewarded for their accomplishments.


    This created a beneficial cycle. Envy and grudges existed but none went overboard while within or beyond the city. After all, there were countless Skills in place to investigate any scene, not to mention every nook and cranny of Marble City fell under the domain of Psychic Ancestor Marble. So, none dared to go overboard, and eventually, the system was etched in the minds and subconscious of everyone.


    Previously, Jyorta had faced a lot of criticism in the Bone Family because of his low Sync Rate. As the grandson of Jyovic Bone, the head of the Bone Family, a Sync Rate of 71 percent was humiliating. Thankfully, Jyovic Bone''s prestige protected him, preventing others from causing any trouble to him.


    "Don''t shame us; even if you don''t fare as well as Heima, at least try to uphold the bare minimum so that you don''t end up as an embarrassment," Jyorta recalled the first sentence Hrita Bone had said to him. Just that alone showed the Bone Family''s attitude towards him.


    There was at least one student from the Bone Family in every Batch. So, information about him was constantly circulated with the Bone Family every month. In his first month in the military academy, Jyorta had received plenty of stares from his family members.


    But, ever since the announcement of his rank on the 10th of December, such stares disappeared. It meant that they had acknowledged him as someone worthy of his pedigree. Though, that was only from the students. The actual storm would only arrive when he graduates and mixes with the affairs of the Bone Family.


    ''When I interacted with them before, they were all cordial, behaving kindly. But, that was because I didn''t have a Wisdom Parasite back then. Those with and without a Wisdom Parasite belong in different worlds, so they didn''t care about me, to be honest. When I graduate and return to the Bone Family, I would probably witness their true faces.'' Jyorta sighed, looking at the next Tier 3 Skill.


    "Mental Sloth," Jyorta read the name aloud, thinking as he read its description, ''So, it is the same as the other two. It slows down the thoughts of foes, reducing the speed of their reflex. It even causes their complexity of thoughts to drop by a level, preventing them from concocting any complex strategies. This Skill too can be stacked.''


    He then realised that Mental Calm could be used in conjunction with Mental Sloth. Suppose an army of Frenzy Beasts charged at Marble City, then when many Warriors activate the two Skills, the vigour, bloodthirstiness, raging momentum, etc. of the Frenzy Beasts would be suppressed and even erased, turning them calm.


    Anyone, whether human or Frenzy Beasts wouldn''t be able to battle while in a state of calm. And the state of calm wasn''t limited to the mind, but was also related to the aura. While in battle, the aura in any being would broil and rage forth. When even the aura is calmed, the offensive strength of the target would plummet to rock bottom while their desire to fight might simply disappear.


    ''I see, possessing Skills that have strategic value; when thousands of Warriors activate them in unison, their potency is in no way inferior to even nuclear bombs. It is no wonder humanity is the strongest.''


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing the comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 338: Human Skills Are Scary

    "Tier 3 Skill, Poison Mettle," Jyorta looked at a sprinkler-shaped Relic, reading the description of the Tier 3 Skill that formed the base of the fused Skill in it, "Poison Mettle secretes poison according to the environment and the target, choosing the most potent poison. The created poison can exist in four states of matter, Solid, Liquid, Gas, and Plasma, according to the will of the user."


    ''Another Skill that can vary according to the situation and user''s will. Damn, depending on the person, this can become an overpower Skill. Also¡­'' Jyorta thought, recalling an incident from his memory. It was the time before the Flying Signature Raid had begun, and Laila was crying, unwilling to part way with her father.


    ''At that time, Laila''s father emitted smoke from his body that immobilised Laila. That should have been Poison Mettle. So, even the degree of harm can be varied. As expected, in the hands of a smart individual, this would turn into an overpowered ability.''


    "With such versatile Skills that are potent in their own right and have such a massive potential for growth, it would have been weird if humanity didn''t reign at the top." Jyorta expressed his opinion, looking around to listen to the insight of the staff. As a powerful figure, he must have experienced a lot in the Wilds. So, his opinion on the matter would be based on practical experience and would be insightful to Jyorta.


    "Any Tier 3 Skill of humanity, when developed to a fair extent would allow the Developer to go against Frenzy Beast Shifters. Even though Tier 3 Skills are also divided into Regular, Elite, and Peak depending on their effects, the lines are blurred when in practical usage. It is because the Skills in themselves don''t have any limits, so they all become powerful." The gruff voice resounded, suffused with a hint of pride.


    "Also," He continued, "From Tier 3 onwards, the growth of the Skills is dependent on your comprehension of them. So, there are no strong or weak Skills. The only difference is whether you have developed them sufficiently or not. This is especially pronounced in Tier 5, when everyone only possesses one Skill."


    Jyorta trained his ears, attentive, hoping to hear more about the Tier 5 Skill. But, seeing that the staff had turned silent, Jyorta was disappointed. Humanity''s Tier 5 Skill, Warlord Transformation was mysterious, a significant portion of it unknown even to Transformers.


    It was powerful and had a lot of scope for growth. Every Warlord was different from the rest and had his/her own unique path of progression. This made their abilities unable to be countered easily.


    It was the reason the Warlord Family in the Floating Spiders were feared. The base material of the Unranked Skill they possessed was humanity''s Tier 5 Skill. This imbued in them terrifying power and potential for battles, strategies, development, etc.


    It was akin to grasping a portion of humanity''s strengths. It was the reason the Warlord Family was the most despised by humans, and another reason Rhachis Ancestor Warlord could continue to develop without limits.


    ''Poison Mettle also relies on control.'' Jyorta proceeded to the next shelf, reading aloud the Tier 3 Skill in the Relic, "Directional Misalignment. It causes the foe''s sense of direction to become skewed. Their mind-to-body coordination becomes chaotic, preventing them from even walking. Most effective against Warriors. Takes times against Espers, but once affected, they are akin to punching bags that would crash into the ground repeatedly while their psychic arms flail everywhere. Significant cases were noted where their psychic arms swatted them dead while under the Skill''s influence."


    Jyorta took in a sharp breath, "This is one scary Skill."


    "It takes time to affect and is largely related to the individual''s skill in manipulation. But once it takes effect, the enemy is good as dead." The gruff voice chuckled, probably recalling some funny memories in the Wilds where they had toyed around with their foes using this Skill.


    ''One Skill after another, they get progressively scarier.'' Jyorta rubbed his hands to ease the goosebumps that had appeared, proceeding to look at the next shelf, "Fuel Fire?"


    The name of the Skill raised his curiosity, making him quickly read the description, "The Skill creates a fire that sticks to the opponent and uses the energy in their body to burn their flesh. Most effective against the psychic arm of Espers. It treats the psychic energy in their psychic arm as fuel to burn, growing in every direction of energy availability."


    "This Skill can raise disasters in wars," Jyorta concluded, thinking up of various ways in which he could use the Skill to his advantage. He was inclined to exchange for it when the staff spoke, "This Skill becomes terrifying in the hands of mobile opponents. After all, the speed of the fire''s emission is slow while its range is less than 20 metres. It is a close-ranged ability. Some Developers have comprehended the Skill and developed its range to even 300 plus metres, but those are rare exceptions. Relics cannot be improved."


    "Thank you, sir." Jyorta nodded in appreciation, concluding that the staff had learned of his desire through his facial expression and body language. ''If I don''t find anything better, I''ll exchange for this Relic.''


    Within a couple of seconds, he derived numerous ways to make use of the Skill while in conjunction with his aura personifications. The effect would be terrific, especially in the labyrinth of Frenzy where the width of each path was 10 metres, and the height of the ceiling was 30 metres. This implied the Relic can be put to ample use.


    He nodded, his choice leaning towards the Relic with the Tier 3 Skill, Fuel Fire as he looked at the next shelf, "Raging Momentum¡­"


    He frowned, noticing the lack of description for the Skill. Seeing his expression, the gruff voice sighed, "This is a new Skill that has popped in large quantities over the past few years. Not much of it is known except that it can create a collective aura wave when many Developers use it in unison. According to what I have witnessed, the aura wave they create is always different. Most of the times, the leading figure activates his/her aura personification and the aura wave turns into that."


    "Ahh," Jyorta exclaimed, "Is it like that cobra shown in the screens when the vice principal participated in the battle against the Swarm?"


    "Yes," The gruff voice answered, "Raging Momentum was also used at that time. For some reason, when it is activated, the resulting aura personification turns strangely¡­sentient."


    "Sentient?" Jyorta''s eyes widened, hearing the staff continue to speak further, "Yes, but it doesn''t happen often. There are various peculiarities in this Skill while the result of its effect is largely¡­inconsistent. It is a new Skill after all, and every Developer develops it into different paths. So, the compilation of its effects will take time."


    "I see," Jyorta was no longer inclined on selecting it, proceeding to the next shelf. He didn''t wish to take a Relic whose effects have yet to be established. Jyorta sighed, "Warriors have such a wide variety of Skills to use and develop. They seem¡­ interesting, unlike Espers where our abilities have been the same from start."


    "Do you know about the theory of evolution?" The gruff voice chuckled, as if he had heard Jyorta''s statement numerous times. Seeing him nod, the staff continued, "The simpler the organism, the greater its evolution in a time frame, as compared to a complex living being. In the Silicon era, humanity was considered to have evolved to their peak, or had been close to it as compared to other living beings."


    "With the appearance of the Wisdom and Frenzy Parasite, a whole new path of evolution appeared. In that, we can split the evolution into two: the body and the mind. Humans were the most sentient and intelligent species even before the parasites came into being. The product of the evolution in the mind resulted in Espers." The gruff voice turned silent.


    After a couple of seconds that felt like a minute of silence, the staff continued, "Our intelligence has been superior, at the peak of evolution. Back then, it was believed that we were only using 3-4 percent of our brain''s potential. Espers just tap into that potential and unleash it without any side effects. That is why the abilities of Espers has remained the same."


    "Warriors, on the other hand, tread through the evolution of the body. Human bodies are fragile, so it has a lot of potential for development, hence why so many Skills arise." His tone then turned solemn, "But, that doesn''t mean Espers cannot develop beyond the passive build-up through the Wisdom Parasites."


    "Wisdom is humanity''s greatest strength. Haven''t you heard this slogan numerous times?" Seeing Jyorta nod, the voice spoke through laughter, "Even when we were limited in the usage of our brains, humanity still reached the stars. Now, after tapping into its full potential, what we could accomplish has no limits."


    "The wisdom of humanity," Jyorta muttered, the slogan resonating with him. Even by simple comparison to his past and present life, what Jyorta was capable of inventing had widened. In the future, when he became a Wave Controller or higher, he would be able to accomplish even more.


    Human brains could only process limited information at a time. Even then, humanity came up with ground-breaking inventions one after another. Now, every Esper was a walking talking supercomputer, with the advantages of human thinking. Just the sheer thinking and planning they could process was something unimaginable during the silicon era.


    The gruff voice concluded, deciding that he had spoken enough, "On paper, the Esper abilities of humans and Frenzy Beasts is equal. But, that is only when comparing the brute strength they can erupt with through their psychic arms. In other areas, humanity trumps them by a large margin."


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing the comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 339: Strange and Lifelike

    "Aura Inhibition," Jyorta looked at the Tier 3 Skill in the next Relic, frowning again, "This doesn''t have any description either."


    "Yes," The gruff voice replied, "This Skill appeared even recently. It is the same as Raging Momentum in that its effect varies. But, from what I have observed a couple of times in the Wilds, the Skill made the aura in the Wilds turn chaotic but strangely stable. And¡­"


    His voice turned a tad lower in pitch, concealing mild fear, the feeling permeating in the air affecting Jyorta, making him involuntarily shudder as the staff said, "Once, I saw the aura congeal into a figure. It was¡­hazy and massless, but strangely lifelike. It was humanoid but possessed numerous pairs of arms shaped into claws, wings on its hips, and a shell on its back. It existed for only a second before it dissipated."


    "Sir," Jyorta expressed mild fear, not at the scene but at the information imparted to him, "Is it fine for me to know such sensitive information?"


    "Yes," The staff nodded, his tone reassuring, "If you have enough Credits to exchange for a Tier 3 Relic and express any interest in this Relic, it is my duty to inform you about it. But, other than this, I don''t know much about it either. Unlike Raging Momentum, only a rare few Developers nurtured Aura Inhibition."


    "It is best to not exchange for this Relic. If you are interested in it and wish to experiment with it, you can do so in the future after you had graduated. Most organisations should have at least one or two Relics with this Tier 3 Skill."


    "Thank you for your advice, sir." Jyorta bowed a little, proceeding towards the next shelf, reading the Tier 3 Skill in it aloud, "Material Maker. It is a Skill that allows one to create any mineral, as long as they understood its physical and chemical composition. Knowledge of atomic structure is unnecessary. As long as the aura layout of the material is available, the data is enough to use the Skill and create that particular material."


    "An inferior version to Marble Sonata?" Jyorta muttered, noticing that the staff didn''t comment on the matter, walking over to the next shelf without a second thought. If one was interested in chemistry, and wished to delve into its mysteries, this Skill would be a godsend. Unfortunately, Jyorta wasn''t inclined to choose it at this point. His priority was to accumulate more Credits.


    "Mist Glue," Jyorta read with interest, finding the Skill to his liking, "It creates a mist that has an adhesive nature. It is highly resistant to fire, ice, and corrosive attacks thanks to its property of material seepage. It can seep into any creature and stick any two surfaces."


    ''This is an amazing Skill. Just by seeping it into a creature, I can attach its bones to its muscles. To move, the muscles should contract and expand accordingly, but this Skill prevents that. To overcome it, the creature must exert strength surpassing the limits of the adhesiveness. Even if it overcomes, the end result is the tearing of its muscles and the breaking of its bones.''


    His eyes lit up in thought, ''And, it also works on psychic arms. If the psychic arms are constricted, the user has no choice but to sever the attached portion of his psychic arm, losing the energy that made up the portion in the process. It is a tricky ability in battles.''


    Seeing that its description continued, Jyorta proceeded to read further, his eyes widening in surprise as a feeling of excitement wrapped him, "It is named Mist Glue but the product of the Skill can exist in all four states of matter. Even its physical properties can be varied accordingly to suit the situation."


    "Bungee Gum!" Jyorta shouted, striking a pose in front of the Skill before he realised the place he was at, coughing once before calming down. On the other end of the corridor, seated within a room, the staff stared at a Relic before him, murmuring as his eyelids twitched, cringing, "Kids these days play too much video games."


    For an instant, memories of his childhood flashed by, making him chuckle awkwardly, rubbing his nose, "I guess I wasn''t that different either. Bungee Gum huh¡­I never thought I would hear that name after so many decades. It is surprising that kids these days still play that old game."


    ''Mist Glue is a good choice. But, it is still fairly dependant on control. Else, I can only use it like a spray that is effective on surfaces alone. Still, if I don''t find anything better, I''ll have to decide between either this or Fuel Fire.'' Jyorta nodded, looking at the next shelf.


    The Relic within was shaped into a convex plate, barely the size of his palm. It was lacklustre, looking no different from a ceramic plate. Jyorta looked at the Tier 3 Skill listed among the Skills in it, "Cage of Protection. It is a barrier-related Skill, can make all forms of energy barriers. Its speed of formation is equivalent to a Ground Controller''s and its defensive strength is directly proportional to the energy expended."


    "So, depending on the energy I infuse into it, the barrier is either super weak or unbelievably strong? Even this can be varied," Jyorta murmured, reading the bullet points listed further, "The shape, design, and form can be varied according to the user''s Will. It can exist in solid, liquid, and gaseous forms."


    "Then," Jyorta muttered, "Can''t it be used as an attack-based Skill? The barrier can be shaped into a sword or spear for attacking. Even whips can be made, and as long the energy infused into it is sufficient, it would never break. And¡­there shouldn''t be any theoretical limit to the size of the barrier. It is only energy-dependent."


    ''Amazing, he figured out all that within a couple of seconds. His logic, reasoning, and thoughts seem like from someone with a long period of experience. As expected of a pillar candidate. The Bone Family produced a monster this time.'' The staff sighed, gleaning a lot of precise information through Jyorta''s posture, body language, facial expressions, the flapping of his eyelids, his breathing, and the fluctuation in his scent and presence.


    All this data allowed the staff to grasp the true extent of Jyorta''s thoughts, the greater he knew, the more he was shocked. He closed his eyes, sighing once again as he looked at the ceiling, ''I am excited to see his growth.''


    The staff transmitted his voice, "It was supposed to be a defensive Skill but, most Developers in possession of it use it as their prime mode of attack. That is why Tier 3 Warriors are known as Developers. They develop their Skills into paths suitable for them. Versatile usage of any given abilities is a trait of humanity''s wisdom."


    "I see," Jyorta nodded, amazed as he walked towards the next shelf. The more he knew, the greater his astonishment. Each Tier 3 Skill had a lot of uses, and they covered a wide variety of bases, preventing humanity from lacking anything. These Skills made them self-sufficient in the fields of development, battles, wars, post-war, economy, etc.


    "Sphere of Amplification," He read the name of the Tier 3 Skill, looking at its description, "The Skill releases energy into the surroundings, similar to an Esper''s Domain. But, its effects are on the Skills. The Skills activated within this domain and classified as allies by the user are amplified. They achieve that by absorbing the energy in the domain. The energy unleashed by the Skill allows other Skills to absorb it and grow, becoming more potent."


    "Amazing," Jyorta looked at the Tier 3 Skill on the next shelf, "Sphere of Nullity. This Skill is similar to the Sphere of Amplification. But, it suppresses and nullifies the Skills of the targets activated in the domain. When unleashed, the energy in the domain absorbs the energy in the Skills, weakening their effect while strengthening the domain further, creating a beneficial cycle for the user and a vicious cycle for the target."


    Jyorta turned silent, feeling the chill in his back, ''This Skill is even scarier than the Sphere of Amplification.''


    He then noticed the word at the bottom, feeling his head spin, "This Skill can be stacked, both with itself and the effects of the Sphere of Amplification."


    "My God," Jyorta laughed, "Amazing, all of them are amazing. I just want to exchange for all of them."


    "You can exchange for three more Relics only. That is the limit for your Batch, Jyorta Bone." The gruff voice of the staff resounded.


    Jyorta hurriedly waved his hands, "No sir, I haven''t decided yet. I''ll make my decision in the end, please."


    "No worries, take your time." The staff turned silent.


    Jyorta fell into thought, ''The radius of the domain directly correlates to the energy expended. Even though the two Skills have terrific power, they are not offensive Skills. If I was exploring with a team, these Relics would have been perfect. Now, I must prioritise an offensive-based Skill first.''


    He reminded himself, mentally chiding his enthusiasm, ''This is like shopping, but all the items are terrifyingly alluring. I should control myself, lest I end up buying four Relics. That would be a wastage of Credits, and it would prevent me from obtaining the Trait of Severability. That would hinder my plans.''


    Jyorta then proceeded to the next shelf, still preoccupied with his thoughts. Though, the moment he saw the name of the Tier 3 Skill, he was shocked, rooted to the spot. It felt like he was electrocuted, goosebumps appearing on his skin. What lay before him was a Relic, shaped into a torch, only 10 centimetres in length.


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing the comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 340: Forged Line

    The torch-shaped Relic spanned 10 centimetres in length and 2 centimetres in diameter. It was tiny, coloured blue, emitting a mild lustre that glinted as his shadow was cast on it. Its aura wasn''t apparent, seemingly blocked by the glass walls, same as the rest, but Jyorta felt a chill the moment he looked at it.


    The chill didn''t originate from his bodily senses but his senses as an Esper. It originated from his Wisdom Parasite, sending warning signals to him. "W-What is this?"


    Jyorta stood agape for a couple of seconds, only breaking out of his stupefied state when the gruff voice of the staff resounded, "That is the reaction of everyone when they see it at first."


    Jyorta gazed at the name of the Tier 3 Skill that formed the base of the fused Skill in the Relic, his eyes widening in realisation, "Forged Line."


    "I see," He calmed himself, taking in a couple of deep breaths as he read its description, "The second most common Tier 3 Skill Nurtured by human Developers. It allows the Developer to shoot a laser beam from any part of his/her body. The beam can neither be shaped nor manoeuvred once emitted. But, the laser beam has a single property."


    It felt like he encountered a cliff hanger in a suspense novel, feeling frustrated but excited at the same time. Thankfully, the description continued, though it was a one-liner, "The laser varies its property according to the material it impacts, taking on a property most optimal to damage it."


    Jyorta fell into thought, the experience, knowledge, and insight of his previous life coming into play, the fields of material science and chemistry surfacing in their grandeur. ''Any material displays different properties that vary with time, temperature, stress, strain, environment, sound, and light. This is not exclusive to elements, even compounds and alloys vary similarly.''


    ''Steel is tremendously tough and rigid at room temperature. But, as the temperature increases, it becomes softer and softer until it reaches its melting point where its state of matter changes from solid to liquid. So, an attack at that temperature can melt steel. But, this is only when considering temperature variation.''


    ''Steel has a yield point with respect to stress, beyond which it begins to deform and even fracture. In response to the environment, it can be corroded by various substances, forming rust. When subjected to sounds, one that achieves its natural frequency, causing resonance, even the strongest bar of steel will vibrate at its maximum, eventually forming fractures before breaking.''


    He tapped his shoulder, realising the complexity of what had been conveyed in that one-liner, ''There are numerous ways to destroy a solid. Phase change, chemical reactions, radiation, there are various consequences. Now, the laser beam emitted by this Skill automatically morphs into an attribute perfect to damage the target.''


    "It seems you have guessed everything perfectly," The gruff voice of the staff said, his tone containing praise, having determined everything through Jyorta''s body language. "Forged Line is the perfect Skill to penetrate any matter of defence, irrespective of what it may be composed of. Infinite variability and automatic selection, that is what makes the Skill one of the most terrifying Tier 3 Skill. And, it is a laser, so even the speed at which it varies the property of its laser beam is at the speed of light, leaving the defenders no time to prepare any countermeasures."


    He then sighed, his tone full of sorrow, tinged with despair, "But, it is also what threatens us the most today."


    "What do you mean by that, sir?" Jyorta felt a bad feeling, goosebumps appeared on his skin, the hair on his skin standing up in a state of alarm, displaying the extent of chill he felt at that one moment from the staff.


    "Do you know about the Unranked Skill of the Floating Spiders, Greater Warlord?" The staff calmed himself, suppressing the killing intent he had involuntarily seeped out.


    "Yes," Jyorta nodded, hearing the staff sigh right after.


    "Only Transformer Floating Spiders possess this Unranked Skill. It only needs three anchors, so they only sacrifice their Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 Skills to obtain it. But, its catch is that the moment it is activated, it prevents the Floating Spiders from activating their Tier 4 and Tier 5 Skills. But, the trade-off is more than worthy enough."


    The air in the corridor turned a notch colder as his voice began to echo, "In return, they can transform into Warlords, the product of humanity''s Tier 5 Skill. Moreover, they also obtain another bonus in this state."


    Jyorta''s body shivered, seeing mist form when he exhaled, showcasing the rapid temperature drop. As if he hadn''t sensed it, the staff continued to speak, "They would be able to use the Tier 3 Skill of the human Transformer that had formed the base in their respective Unranked Skill, at Tier 5 level."


    "Y-You mean¡­?" Even though he shivered, Jyorta was drawn into the words, fear gripping his heart.


    "Yes," Followed by a sigh suffused with killing intent, the staff spoke, pronouncing each word with greater difficulty, "They can use our Developer Skills at the level of a Transformer. Through this Unranked Skill, they obtained one of humanity''s greatest strengths. Thankfully, the base material for the Unranked Skill is a human Transformer, so the number of Floating Spiders that possess Greater Warlord number less than twenty."


    "But," As a layer of ice crept on Jyorta''s skin, the voice said, his speed of speaking similarly dropping to a snail''s pace, "The despair-inducing fact is that Rhachis Ancestor Warlord possess this Unranked Skill at Tier 6 level, and¡­the Developer Skill it could use at Tier 6 level is¡­"


    "Forged Line!"


    "Forged Line¡­" Jyorta''s mood sunk, almost turning still under the low temperature. He then broke out of the conversation, emitting psychic energy from his skin, followed by a gust of aura that pushed out the chill, raising the temperature around him. Seemingly having noticed the situation, the staff immediately controlled himself, quickly bringing the temperature back to normal.


    Jyorta rubbed his hands, warming himself as he felt the heat return, asking in deep thought, "Then, is Rhachis Ancestor Warlord capable of breaching Marble City''s defence?"


    "Theoretically, yes." The staff nodded, "But, such an action is impossible in the presence of Psychic Ancestor Marble. Marble Sonata is not a simple Unranked Skill either. Whether in Tier 5 or Tier 6 level, in all the times they had confronted, Marble Sonata had always triumphed."


    "But, if Forged Line is capable of morphing into the most optimal form to give maximum damage to the target, then how is a material-based Unranked Skill the one that triumphs?" Jyorta felt confused, unable to think of an answer immediately.


    The staff chuckled once, having recovered his mood, "To melt a block of iron and copper, which consumes the most energy?"


    "Iron," Jyorta replied.


    "And why is that?" The staff chuckled again.


    "Because iron has a higher melting point than copper. So, it requires more heat to melt." Jyorta said without a pause.


    "Yes, and to create that level of heat, the energy required is proportional. Users of Marble Sonata precisely use that point to their advantage."


    "You mean," Jyorta''s eyes widened in realisation.


    "Heh," The staff snorted, his expression smug, "Forged Line is a Skill of humanity. So, we have plenty of experimental data. We have experimented with it against Marble Sonata numerous times and have documented physical states Marble Sonata users can create that would consume the greatest of energy to be damaged by Forged Line users."


    "Forged Line can damage any material using the most optimal attribute but, the energy consumption for every change differs. Against users of Forged Line, Espers with Marble Sonata adjust their material forms accordingly, leading to heavy energy consumption of their foes while their energy expenditure is the least."


    "We have the advantage of experimental data," The gruff voice sounded a bit happy, "Remember that¡­I think I have quoted it a couple of times already. But I feel I should emphasise it again. Wisdom is the strongest weapon of humanity."


    "Rhachis Ancestor Warlord is the highest form of threat among the Frenzy Beasts, other than Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, but the source of that threat is our Skills. Bear that in mind."


    Jyorta nodded, imprinting it in his mind, thinking, ''Forged Line has significant range. It is a laser, so the attack is concentrated and can damage swiftly. Unlike the other Skills, it doesn''t require any control from the user. This would complement me the most. Range and precision are what I lack at most right now.''


    He then looked at the description of the Skill, frowning, feeling a bit confused as he inquired, "Sir, does this Skill not stack?"


    "It does not," The gruff voice resounded, "Even with the slightest variation in the target material, the substance in the laser beam changes accordingly. So, even if you keep two beams close by, or even overlap them, the slightest changes in the environment cause different changes in them, making them impede each other. Also, when the beams intersect each other, they treat the other as targets, morphing accordingly, causing nothing but energy wastage as they constantly morph, counter, and destroy each other."


    "Unlike the other Skills, Forged Line cannot be controlled by the user in any way other than changing the intensity of the laser beam or emitting it from different spots on the body. It morphs accordingly to the first object it comes in contact with, including air. Since the particles in the air are far apart from each other, most of the laser passes through them."


    "I see," Jyorta nodded, ''It has its disadvantages. But, its advantages are superior.''


    Jyorta looked at the next shelves, noticing two more shelves with different Relics, ''So, there are only two more Tier 3 Skills left for me to see. If I fail to find anything better, I''ll pick Forged Line.''


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing the comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 341: The List

    "Energy Force," Jyorta read the name of the next Tier 3 Skill, looking at its description, "The Skill emits energy, imbuing in it mass. It doesn''t take any particle form, retaining its energy state while possessing a force of its own. Can be emitted in various forms."


    The description was short, but allowed him to grasp its workings. ''The energy can be moulded into specific shapes to selectively attack target areas with pinpoint accuracy. Depending on its usage, one can achieve attack, defence, movement, and even sense their surroundings using it. It basically births energy-based attacks like the ones in the novels I read in my previous life. It is versatile, just like all the other Tier 3 Skills.''


    ''But,'' Jyorta frowned, ''Though largely inferior, I can achieve something similar using my aura. So, it is not a helpful advantage I need at present. In comparison, Forged Line is better. I desire its range and accuracy more.''


    Jyorta looked at the Relic shaped into a glove, not inclined to exchange for it as he proceeded to the next shelf, looking at the last Tier 3 Skill, "Brethren Bait."


    The name soured his mood, the concept making a bad taste linger on his tongue. Unwilling to make preconceived bias, he quickly read its description, "It creates a sort of energy, a scent, a sound, a light, an aura, etc. that when lands on the target make it wish to attack its brethren. Greatly useful in wars to pit the Frenzy Beasts against each other. The effect is pronounced on Frenzy Beasts, the lower their intellect, the greater the effect."


    "Well¡­" Jyorta stared at the Skill for a minute, reorienting his thoughts as he commented at the end, "I like it. Sir, I''ll exchange for this Relic."


    "I thought you would choose the Relic with the Forged Line Skill." The gruff voice said in a tone of surprise. "Based on your emotional upheavals, you were completely inclined to select it. Even now, your presence is still inclined on Forged Line."


    ''Forged Line is really amazing but, I can mask the workings of the Hoberman Sphere using this Relic. This would amplify my advantages.'' Jyorta thought in a flash, saying with a smile, "Sir, in the confined space of the Labyrinth of Frenzy, this Skill is the most effective."


    He unleashed his psychic arms, turning invisible after a second, followed by even his presence disappearing. Jyorta took a couple of steps in such a state before he retracted his psychic arms.


    Through his superior senses, the staff saw him as clear as day all along, but he also noticed the level of Jyorta''s cloaking, nodding in understanding, ''Just in this matter alone, he is already the best among the students. I wonder to what heights he would reach by his last month here.''


    The staff then inquired with astonishment, "Are you getting this Relic solely for your Labyrinth exploration? Shouldn''t you think it through more, and plan for after your graduation? What if, in the Wilds, you face a single but powerful Frenzy Beast? This Relic would be useless in that case. You shouldn''t make a hasty decision. This is the only place you can obtain such Relics from. It would be numerous times harder to get your hands on a Relic after graduation, even from your Bone Family."


    "Sir," Jyorta smiled, "You are saying in the case I roam the Wilds and encounter a strong monster, right?"


    Hearing a reply from the staff, Jyorta continued, "If I have Forged Line with me, then I would be able to face against a stronger Frenzy Beast and even pave the way to survival. Brethren Bait is perfectly useless if the opponent is not two or more Frenzy Beasts from the same race."


    His smile widened, "But, Marble City is currently facing the Lacquer Wave. The Swarm will keep on coming for at least 2-3 years, right?"


    "Yes," The staff sighed.


    "During this time, I won''t be drafted for any missions in the Wild Zones, not to mention the Wilds. And, by the time the Lacquer Wave ends," Jyorta said with confidence, "I would have become a Wave Controller by then. And, due to the after-effects of the Swarm, any Frenzy Beasts we probably encounter in the future would definitely be in groups. So, Brethren Bait is a better choice."


    ''Besides, I have my corrosion to aid me against stronger foes. With the increased range as a Wave Controller, it would become tremendously powerful. Brethren Bait is the perfect recipe to brew chaos in group fights. And, I''ll be using the chakram gifted by Psychic Ancestor Marble as my prime mode of attack. Other Relics will only be used for support.''


    Seeing that he had made a solid point, the staff relented, "There are many Relics with the two Skills you want as the base. Look at the fused Skills in them all and pick out the ones you find as the most suitable."


    Followed by the sounds of footsteps, the staff walked out, carrying a sheet of paper. He pointed at numerous shelves, prompting Jyorta to make a decision.


    "Relic C120109. Enhanced Healing Salve. Base Skill: Tier 3. Tier 1: Enhanced Smell, Tier 2: Speed Burst, Tier 3: Healing Salve."


    "Relic C211008. Dynamic Brethren Bait. Base Skill: Tier 3. Tier 1: Dynamic Acuity, Tier 2: Aura Burst, Tier 3: Brethren Bait."


    The Relic, Enhanced Healing Salve was shaped into a cup, the base diameter being five centimetres, and the height spanning four centimetres. The cup walls were a centimetre thick, the material resembled porcelain. The design of a five-petaled flower was printed on its back while two lines intersected at perpendicular angles in the concave portion.


    The Relic, Dynamic Brethren Bait was shaped into a hollow tube, with one side closed, the corners tapered. The other side was open, the hollowness extending to half its length. It was 15 centimetres long and had a diameter of four centimetres. Its material resembled granite, the walls a centimetre thick.


    It looked and weighed no different from an actual granite carved into such, weighing around 500 grams approximately as he held it. The cup, on the other hand, weighed around 200 grams. Jyorta held the two Relics in his hands, feeling a rush of excitement, anticipating when he would use them.


    A small briefcase appeared before him, opening to reveal a cushioned interior, with two portions cut out, allowing the two Relics to fit perfectly. The staff handed him the briefcase, "Use this to store the Relics. This briefcase is a composite of the materials, Gulvana Forr and Stronea Forr. So, it will prevent any forms of energy Tier 4 and below from seeping into it, preventing the Relics from activating by mistake."


    "Thank you, sir." Jyorta bowed, placing the two Relics in their respective slots as he closed the lid, locking the briefcase. He held it carefully, afraid he might shake the contents inside.


    Seeing his actions, the staff chuckled, as if he had witnessed similar actions numerous times, "They aren''t fragile. And, once you keep them in the briefcase, they won''t be damaged unless a Shifter bombards attacks on it. So, you don''t have to worry that much."


    "Thank you, for your insightful guidance." Jyorta bowed, intending to exit now that he had obtained what he sought. Just when he turned around, something struck as odd, his mind immediately whirring in thought.


    He counted the shelves he had passed through in order, recalling the information Madam Rizenne had imparted in their class long ago, finding that it didn''t tally. He turned around, noticing a smiling face of the staff, "Sir, shouldn''t there have been 21 Tier 3 Skills? How come I only saw 19 here?"


    The staff handed him the sheet he was holding, his smile implying that he had been expecting the question since long ago, "This is the percentage distribution of the Tier 3 Skills in Marble City, collated based on all the Warriors that are active."


    Jyorta took the sheet, his eyes widening as the blue soul whirred into life, extracting the memory to tuck it away safely, fearing the staff might do something that would later make him forget this memory.


    1. Mental Frenzy [33.1%]


    2. Sensory Invisibility [1.3%]


    3. Foresight [0%]


    4. Mental Calm [18.8%]


    5. Forged Line [20.8%]


    6. Poison Mettle [6.4%]


    7. Flight [1%]


    8. Mental Sloth [4.5%]


    9. Directional Misalignment [3.8%]


    10. Fuel Fire [1.6%]


    11. Raging Momentum [1.4%]


    12. Healing Salve [0.8%]


    13. Aura Inhibition [0.1%]


    14. Material Maker [3.4%]


    15. Mist Glue [0.4%]


    16. Cage of Protection [1.2%]


    17. Sphere of Amplification [0.6%]


    18. Sphere of Nullity [0.1%]


    19. Bait [0%]


    20. Energy Force [0.6%]


    21. Brethren Bait [0.1%]


    "Sir, those Skills with zero percent are?" Jyorta inquired, confused but curious.


    "Those are Skills that haven''t appeared for at least the past five decades. Currently, no active Warrior has those Skills. The Skill Bait was last seen a century ago. Currently, Central Command possesses a couple of Relics with it. As for the Skill Foresight¡­" The staff sighed, "It had been lost during the dark ages. For some reason, Psychic Ancestor Marble put its detail in our database. If not for that, we wouldn''t even know such a Skill existed."


    "Alright," He waved his hand, prompting for Jyorta to leave, "If there is nothing else, you may leave. I have already informed the staff behind the counter. She will deduct the appropriate Credits from your total."


    Jyorta made a light bow as he exited the place, watching the lift doors close before proceeding downward. Upon its opening, he exited the lift, noticing the circular room occupied by a couple dozen students, forming groups as they chattered while waiting for their turns.


    Noticing his presence, the staff lady behind the counter¡ªthe one that had directed him at the start¡ªwaved her hands, signalling that she had finished the formalities, "Don''t forget to check your Credit balance in the Portal."


    Holding the briefcase in his right, Jyorta made a light bow in her direction as he proceeded to walk away, his back straight, unable to conceal the grin on his face.


    ''I am anticipating my next exploration.''


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing the comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 342: Go, Get That Regen

    10:15 AM, Jyorta looked at his watch, only now noticing the passage of time, immediately sprinting towards his dorm. He intended to safely put his briefcase with the Relics before picking up his notebook and rushing to the class.


    His next class was at 11:AM, situated in the White Building, so he didn''t have much time to waste. The Head Office Building and the White Building were situated a kilometre apart, the distance requiring him at least 10 minutes to traverse unless he sprinted, which he didn''t wish to do so for the time being. He didn''t want to appear for class while sweating buckets, even though that was the state he usually ended up at most of the times, unless Haesha was there to remind him in early.


    He had arrived at his room and just placed the briefcase on the table when a voice resounded in his ears. Jyorta''s expression turned serious, his body straightening up like a soldier. A couple of seconds later, after he had listened to the information, Jyorta sighed, "There goes my plan to eat."


    He exited the room, closing the door behind him, pocketing the key after locking the door. He sprinted through the corridor, timely noticing the exit of Haesha from her room, shouting in surprise, "You didn''t attend the first 2 periods today?"


    "I was exploring the Labyrinth," Haesha beamed in happiness, her voice cheerful, like the morning chirps of birds. "It was amazing."


    "Haha," Jyorta laughed, flashing her a thumbs up, "I was just planning to inform you about it in class."


    Neither did he iterate it further nor did Haesha continue, tacitly changing topics as they looked around, whispering to each other. Jyorta leaned closer, "How did it go?"


    "I earned around 16 thousand Credits." Haesha smiled, showing an expression that it was a waste, "Too bad, I ran out of psychic energy and had to exit early."


    Jyorta took in a sharp breath of air, "Amazing, I am kind of jealous now, haha."


    "As if," Haesha lightly punched him in the shoulder as the two exited the Indigo Building, heading towards the Head Office Building. She then noticed students from the August and September Batch head in the same direction as them, "Are they going to talk about that rescue operation?"


    "I told you right," Jyorta smiled, "They would reward us based on our contribution points."


    He then thought about something, speaking with curiosity, "But, how did you gain that many Credits? Even drilling through the body of a Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts uses up a fair amount of psychic energy. And, to get 16,000 Credits, you have to have killed around 180-200 Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts at the very least. Where did you get the energy for that?"


    Haesha looked around, lowering her voice as she covered her mouth with her hand, "I exchanged for a Tier 3 Relic."


    "I see," Jyorta nodded, not asking the details of the Relic she had obtained. It wasn''t courteous to inquire about the life-saving means of others, especially about sensitive topics such as Relics. But, just when he was thinking as such, Haesha continued to speak, as if not minding about it.


    "Initially, I wasn''t willing to spend my Credits on anything other than the most necessary. But, after talking with you," Haesha made eye contact, her expression serious, filled with gratitude, "I realised that if I build up my advantages with the rewards given, I would become stronger faster and can obtain what I seek."


    She made a light bow towards him, "That''s why, thank you, Jyorta. Because of your advice when I joined here, I obtained the Trait of Efficiency and became an Area Controller pretty soon. Now, exchanging for a Relic proved to be the right choice. It raised my battle strength and allowed me to better use my abilities and earn more Credits. Within an hour since obtaining it, I already accumulated as many Credits needed to exchange it."


    "Don''t mind, don''t mind," Jyorta waved his hands in a fluster, his heart thumping faster and faster, "I didn''t even do much. Friends are supposed to help and support each other."


    "Right," Haesha smiled as the two increased their pace, arriving at the entrance of the Head Office Building.


    She then looked at Jyorta, "Do you know about the Relics present in our academy?"


    "Yeah," Jyorta nodded, "I had exchanged for them just now, 10 minutes ago."


    "Then I can tell you about it," Haesha sighed in relief, controlling her voice to prevent anyone else from listening in, "I took the Relic that had the Tier 3 Skill, Energy Force."


    "You shouldn''t be¡­" Jyorta felt conflicted, not knowing what else to say. He then sighed, gazing at her eyes to realise the amount of trust she had in him, no longer hesitant, intending to reciprocate her trust. "I saw that Relic, it is quite useful. Since your control over psychic energy is exceptional, this Relic is the most suitable to you."


    "Yeah," Haesha nodded, "I was thinking about the areas where my advantage lay, and this Relic happened to be the perfect one to enhance that further. The moment I used it in the Labyrinth, I was assured that my decision was right. Even though the effect I could unleash using the Relic is only at Tier 2 level, exploration of the Labyrinth has become easier."


    "Indeed," Jyorta nodded, "But you must be careful. The terrain itself works against us there. So, we can never be careless. You''ve seen what I had experienced there, right?"


    "Yeah, I know." Haesha gazed at the flight of stairs before them, looking at the top as she scaled the first step, "I would never become careless, even if it seems easy. Moreover, even though I obtained a lot of Credits this time, it wasn''t easy killing the Frenzy Beasts that were on the edge of life and were willing to drag me down with them."


    Jyorta smiled, turning around to see a lot of familiar faces enter the Head Office Building, ''So, we are being rewarded for that operation.''


    He then spoke after a second of thought, "Just now, I exchanged for¡­"


    "Wait," Haesha interrupted him, excited as she jumped around a step, "Let me guess!"


    "Haha, fine," Jyorta laughed, curious to hear her answer.


    Haesha''s smile beamed further, staring at him straight without flinching, her eyes wide, unblinking. Her stare almost made his heart skip a beat, thumping faster and faster as his face flushed red; he averted his gaze after a couple of seconds, screaming in his mind, ''Damn teenager body, I can''t even maintain eye contact for more than a couple of seconds.''


    "Hmm, from what I can think¡­" She tapped her hand with her fingers, engrossed in her thought as she continued to climb, "You would have selected¡­Forged Line¡­Energy Force¡­Brethren Bait."


    She then murmured, "No, you won''t be able to use Energy Force properly. And, you can use aura beams, so it won''t be your best choice. Then¡­it is either Forged Line or Brethren Bait."


    "Hmm, your hallucination manipulates the senses of Frenzy Beasts. You wouldn''t want something that would disrupt your control over them. So, more than Brethren Bait, Forged Line would be advantageous." She clapped her hand once, finalising her thoughts, turning around to look at Jyorta, "You would have selected Forged Line."


    Jyorta shook his head, chuckling, "You were really close. I chose Brethren Bait instead."


    "Aw man," Haesha slapped her forehead, "I was close! I was sure you would have exchanged for Forged Line."


    "Still," Jyorta looked at her in wonder, "I am surprised you could make such accurate an accurate guess."


    "Hehe," Haesha laughed, looking at the ceiling with arrogance, "I am good with such deductions."


    "I also exchanged for Healing Salve," Jyorta said a second later, watching Haesha look at him with an incredulous gaze, implying why he was spending his Credits without any reason.


    Seeing her gaze, Jyorta chuckled, noticing that they had arrived before an auditorium, "It has its uses when used alongside Regen. That''s why I picked it. Besides, it is also to earn money."


    "Aren''t you rich? Why do you need money?" She felt her brain cells lacking to comprehend his choice, feeling a headache, "Aren''t people from the Aristocratic Families incredibly rich?"


    "Only those at Tier 4 and beyond are rich. Based on the rule from Central Command, monetary benefits are only shared from parent to children, until the child grows into an adult, which is when we graduate." The two entered the auditorium, seeing almost a hundred people seated inside, with more entering in a steady stream.


    They occupied the seats on the sixth row, positioned at the right extreme, seated right next to the wall. Haesha muttered, "Aristocrats have a lot of rules and restrictions to abide by huh."


    "Well, there is another advantage with Healing Salve that I thought of. That was one of the reasons I obtained it." Jyorta raised his hand, motioning for Haesha to show her ear. Seeing her comply, he leaned closer and whispered, "If I find any Tier 1 Espers, I can control them through my hallucination and make them create healing salve through the Relic."


    "Amazing," Haesha flashed him a thumbs up, "I never thought that far. So, you really thought it through."


    "Of course," Jyorta smiled, "And since the Frenzy Beasts are currently in a wounded state, I''ll use this chance to accumulate as much healing salve as I can while farming for Credits. If I get more than enough, I''ll share it with you."


    "You shouldn''t," Haesha waved her hands, resolute with her rejection, "That is the product of your hard work. I can''t infringe upon that."


    "Only the extra, extra," Jyorta emphasised the word, "Besides, you can repay me later."


    He smiled, his eyes serious, "Healers play a significant role. When I get injured from my missions to the Wilds, heal me then. This favour is nothing when compared to that."


    His voice turned softer, his attitude stubborn, the tone suffused with resolute conviction, "Go, get that Regen!"


    -------------------


    I''m exclusively releasing the comics, "Principled Jewellery" and "Arthropod Implant" on my Patreon. Check it out and support further releases. Prologue is free to read.


    https://www.patreon.com/overlord_venus


    -------------------

 Chapter 343: Medal of Honour

    Madam Mary entered the auditorium through the door near the back of the stage, silence ensuing upon her entry. She slowly climbed up the dais, sporting a mild hunchback. Seeing her arrival, Jyorta and Haesha straightened their backs, attentive while expressions of expectation flashed on their faces.


    Madam Mary faced everyone, looking around as she glanced at the expressions of every student, speaking with a tone of gratitude, "Marble City follows a system of merit where beneficial actions are rewarded while harmful actions are punished."


    "When Rhachis Ancestor Parasite attacked Marble City, as our Ancestors were busy defending against its attacks, every soldier, whether active or retired had to swiftly head towards the walls to reinforce it." Her expression was calm, her emotions placid.


    Madam Mary recalled the scenes she had witnessed, gazing at the young faces of the students before her, "We were pressed for time. Even a single instance of delay might weaken our defences, and if Rhachis Ancestor Parasite''s attacks were to impact Marble City in that interval¡­we would have lost tens of Sectors from the shockwaves alone. So, we had to immediately leave behind all our work and head to reinforce the walls."


    She continued while looking at the ashen expression of the students, "At any given time, numerous dangerous experiments are conducted throughout Marble City. Soldiers returning from the Wilds and undergoing treatment after the Essence of frenzy had seeped into their bodies in large amounts, and the Frenzy Beasts stored in the military academies for your training, everything was left unattended. It resulted in a disaster that caused too many human casualties, innocent children that were playing in their homes were exposed to such horrors."


    Many students silently shed their tears, the scenes they had witnessed making them clench their teeth in hatred, at their helplessness, at their late arrival, at the scenes of carnage the children had suffered.


    Haesha sobbed, the incident she and Esina had witnessed haunting her. Jyorta rubbed her back, consoling her as his eyes turned red, nerves popping on his neck in anger.


    ''Rewards,'' He closed his eyes, the eyelids trembling at his thoughts. He fished out his handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to Haesha. Haesha nodded and grabbed hold of it, not using it as she continued to sob. She barely craned her head, seeing Madam Mary continue to speak.


    "We knew of the horrors we had left behind, from our positions beneath the barrier in the sky, we saw them slowly permeate, helpless to intervene." She pointed at Jyorta, motioning for him to walk towards the dais, "On time, Jyorta Bone rode a River Whale and showed exceptional skill, giving us hope. The moment I entrusted him with the mission, he swiftly carried it out and rallied everyone."


    Jyorta climbed the dais with a sullen mood, his prior thoughts of the rewards no longer in his mind, fully occupied with the regret of the children he had been unable to save. As he walked on the dais under the guidance of Madam Mary, Madam Rizenne appeared, holding a medallion, presenting it to Jyorta.


    "To show appreciation for his efforts, Central Command has decided to offer him the Medal of Honour." Madam Mary said, watching Jyorta receive the medallion, his expression lacking any traces of joy.


    "You should be proud of your service to Marble City in times of need, Jyorta Bone," Madam Mary said, the words affecting his mood, clearing up his vexed feelings. She then faced everyone, "Central Command will honour everyone who had participated in the rescue efforts."


    Her voice boomed, followed by an inconspicuous wave of psychic energy, subtly affecting everyone, steadily bringing their emotional states back to normal, "Other than that, Central Command has given you a choice for a reward."


    Upon her words, two suits of armour appeared, geared for male and female respectively. It was a fully enclosed unit, covering from head to toe without any gaps. The base material seemed to have been made from a jelly-like fibre, flexible like rubber but tougher than steel.


    Covering it was an extra layer of protection, like exoskeletal muscles, looking tougher than the base material, only leaving the joints. On the chest part was a gelatinous circle, transparent in nature. Embedded within was a Quill, its feathers segmented into two.


    It was a Refined Relic, obtained when a Wave Controller had consumed a Cleansement Fruit. The Quill shone with a resplendent radiance, dimming after a couple of seconds as the radiance circulated through the armour, lighting up the ends of each exoskeletal muscle strand.


    The students sensed a dense aura condensed within the armour, enough to be on par with a Developer. It seemed strangely sentient, judging by the aura and energy circulating within it. The students gawked in astonishment, watching the armour in a daze. They hadn''t witnessed something of that calibre ever.


    Seeing their gazes, Madam Mary smiled, "Stingray Battle Armour; that''s their name. It is an Artifact at the peak of Tier 3, and every armour possesses two Relics: The Quill, a Refined Relic obtained when a Wave Controller consumes a Cleansement Fruit, and the Extracted Relic with the Unranked Skill, Flight at the level of Tier 3 in it."


    "The Unranked Skill, Flight allows the users of the Battle Armour to fly in the air. Though, their flight speed, aerial mobility, and flight efficiency would be largely inferior to those in possession of the Unranked Skill; it is still incredibly useful." She then unleashed her psychic arm, thinning its intensity before knocking on a Battle Armour.


    Mild sparks were produced, repelling part of the psychic energy in her psychic arm, "The Quill has been embedded in such a way that its first psychic arm works in actively defending against any energy. It forms a barrier around the Battle Armour and is even capable of shielding 20 percent of a Ground Controller''s psychic energy. The other psychic arm is wound around the inner surface of its limbs and help in movement. It increases your movement speeds to a fair extent, around 10 percent to a Developer at the peak of Tier 3."


    "And," She smiled, "This is the reward Central Command is giving to each of you. After your respective Graduation Ceremony, we will train you in using the Battle Armour for the remainder of your stay here. When you graduate, you will gain ownership of them. If you don''t wish to receive this Battle Armour, you can instead obtain 40,000 Credits unofficially. And that will be effective starting now."


    The students got incredibly excited, their prospects looking bright. Everyone seated in the auditorium was at Tier 2, guaranteed to reach Tier 3 in the future, with some of them having a shot at Tier 4. And, possessing the Battle Armour boosted their strengths beyond their Tier, allowing them to enter the realm of Tier 3. This would boost their growth speed, also raising their survivability.


    Even though the energy expenditure to use its power would be incredibly high, but as long as they possessed sufficient energy, they could burst with formidable power. The presence of the Relic with the Unranked Skill, Flight in it allowed them the power of aerial mobility, greatly helping them.


    Those among the students that were planning to exchange for the Unranked Skill, Flight decisively dropped the idea, no longer intending to do so. In exchange, they planned to use the saved-up Credits to exchange for items that would further boost their survivability.


    As for the students like Ashten Coorg¡ªspurred by the incident with the rescue¡ªwho had already obtained the Unranked Skill, Flight, they sighed, their desire for the Battle Armour lower than the others.


    Madam Mary looked at Jyorta, "The first choice is yours, Jyorta Bone. What will you choose?"


    Jyorta made eye contact with Madam Mary, speaking without hesitation, "I''ll choose the Credits."


    "Alright," Madam Mary nodded, "They will be credited to your balance within a minute but will not be reflected in the score displayed on the walls of the White Building every month."


    "Thank you," Jyorta bowed towards Madam Mary and Madam Rizenne and returned to his seat.


    Haesha spoke with curiosity, "Why did you choose the Credits?"


    "When we graduate and be drafted for missions in the Wilds, Central Command will give us all Battle Armours, though largely inferior to the Stingray Battle Armour." He sighed, "Even then, as long as we accumulate contribution points, we can one day obtain superior battle Armours. But, the rewards in our military academy are harder to obtain when we graduate."


    "I see," Haesha nodded.


    "What are you planning to choose?" Jyorta inquired, watching Madam Mary call forth another student to the dais, to present him with the medallion and the reward.


    "Credits," Haesha looked at the visage of Madam Mary, seemingly in thought as she said, "My decision is simple actually. With the 40,000 Credits, I''ll obtain Regen today. To me, that is the most important."


    She looked at Jyorta, "Regen has been my goal all along. I dare not obtain that Battle Armour and risk losing Regen."


    "Besides," She smiled, "Battle Armours are less useful for us as compared to Warriors. We can defend ourselves with our psychic arms. And, from Tier 3 onwards, we Espers would become truly strong."


    "Indeed," Jyorta nodded, "That was part of the reason that influenced my judgement. Also, 40,000 Credits is a big amount. We can exchange for items that would increase our overall strength."


    Soon, it was Haesha''s turn. She received her medallion and spoke of her choice of obtaining Credits, her body trembling with uncontrollable joy as Madam Mary nodded. What had once been an impossible goal had been achieved today, with ample time still left of her stay in the military academy.


    ''Thank you.'' She looked at the medallion, peace filling her mind.


    -------------------


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 Chapter 344: Obtaining the Trait of Severability

    "Shall we get going now?" Jyorta watched the figures of Madam Mary and Madam Rizenne disappear from the dais. He stood up along with the rest, looking at Haesha when he noticed her dazed state.


    Only after he called her a couple of times did Haesha regain her senses, looking at Jyorta as she expressed her complex feelings, "It feels unreal that I can obtain Regen."


    "It is the result of your hard work, nothing unusual." Jyorta smiled, accompanying her as the two exited the auditorium, taking the flight of stairs at the end of the corridor before they proceeded up. A large crowd was also doing the same, intending to make use of the Credits they had obtained.


    "Quick, the October Batch only has two Relics remaining," A couple of Amplifiers erupted with all their speed as they ran through the corridor. A couple others from the October Batch that had heard their shout too burst with speed, even going to the extent of activating their Tier 2 Skills to further boost themselves.


    "Do you want to exchange for any Relics?" Jyorta looked at the ensuing chaos, "There won''t be any left after this."


    "Even if I wanted to, I don''t have enough Credits anyway." Haesha spoke, unaffected by the chaos, "Moreover, I already have what I need. Having an extra Relic won''t help me in any way in the Wilds, since I would need a psychic arm per each."


    "Indeed," Jyorta nodded, "Having a single Relic that you are accustomed to is better than having two or more Relics that would constrain your base abilities."


    "Even in your case," Haesha made eye contact, "Your second Relic is only for support and not something you would use in battles."


    "True," Jyorta nodded.


    The students from August and September Batch were even worse than the October Batch, with some of them engaging in fights as they impeded each other, wishing to be the first to exchange for items of their choice.


    Not everyone had chosen the Stingray Battle Armour. Now, with the 40,000 Credits, their plans had changed. If they were able to set aside 8,000 Credits after using the rest for their goals, then obtaining a Tier 3 Relic would be the best. But, Tier 3 Relics were given on a first-come-first-served basis. Chances of any remaining were little.


    Jyorta looked at an Area Controller from the September Batch, waving his hand in greeting, "Gwansa, how many Relics remain in your Batch?"


    Gwansa turned in the direction of the shout, waving back as he spotted Jyorta, "Just one, that''s why they are fighting like this."


    He said with a laugh, "I knew something like this would happen, so I took a risk yesterday and already obtained a Relic. The situation of August Batch is somewhat better since they still have 3 Relics to obtain."


    Jyorta and Haesha walked along as they witnessed numerous fights take place in the corridors. The surprising fact was that the staff didn''t intervene, even choosing to not appear along the path. A couple of Espers among the staff only protected the walls when the attacks of the students impacted it.


    On seeing their stance on the matter, the attacks of the students increased in fervour. All forms of aura blasted around, followed by wind generated from the attacks. The Area Controllers were clearly at a disadvantage, getting suppressed soon before being kicked out of the race.


    It soon became the battle between the Amplifiers, entering a high-pitched scale as they pitted their Nurtured bodies against one another. The battle in the October Batch was only between four Amplifiers, contesting for the two remaining Relics, so it was relatively less intense.


    Jyorta and Haesha had already wrapped their psychic arms around, shielding themselves from the auras. A few minutes later, they had arrived at the circular room where four staff sat facing four directions.


    It was the place where they usually exchanged the Credits for their respective rewards. There was a long queue before each staff, the fighting had died by the moment they arrived. The staff calmed the fighting crowd, simply making the ones who entered first to join the queue earlier.


    Those who failed to join the queue grumbled, staring in anger at the ones who had joined before them. Some still didn''t give up, joining anyway in hopes that one of their batch mates before them would leave either by mistake or for some other reason.


    Jyorta and Haesha joined the queue, chatting along the way. He allowed Haesha to stand before him, unwilling to expose the fact that he hadn''t come for Regen. Officially, he didn''t have Regen. So, that was the lie he went with while conversing with Haesha. But in actuality, he was aiming for the Trait of Severability.


    If he stood before her, then Haesha would find out about his lie the moment he spoke to the staff. So, he played it safe. Moreover, Haesha was glad to stand in the front, wishing to obtain Regen even a second earlier. It worked in his favour.


    Jyorta calmly turned around, noticing no one else behind him, smiling as a result. It was currently class hours, so no student would come to exchange for treasures at this time. The only ones in the area were the ones who had been called to the auditorium.


    As Jyorta and Haesha took their time to arrive, everyone who wished to use their Credits had joined the queue before them.


    Soon, it was Haesha''s turn. Haesha handed her ID card, her hands trembling in excitement as she gazed at the staff with wide eyes, unwilling to miss any action.


    The staff smiled, used to such a treatment by now, calmly pulling up Haesha''s information window, looking at the Credits she had accumulated. "Cadet Haesha, what do you wish to exchange?"


    "U-Unranked Skill, Regen," Haesha stuttered, almost biting her tongue in the process. The staff laughed as she typed on the keyboard, motioning for Haesha to stand a fair distance away, "I''ll call you when it is ready."


    "Thank you," Haesha bowed and obediently stood in her spot, watching the back of Jyorta from far away. She then focused on the actions of the staff, tracing each of her activity, intending to respond the moment she signalled.


    "I wish to obtain the Trait of Severability," Jyorta muttered in a soft tone, unwilling to let anyone else hear. Thanks to her superior senses, the staff heard him loud and clear, nodding as she typed a couple of sentences, "I''ll call you when it is ready."


    The positions they were told to stand was near enough to converse as Jyorta looked at Haesha''s jittery state, nervous as she looked at the staff without budging her sight. Jyorta chuckled, "Just relax, a calm state is a must in these situations."


    "I won''t be able to relax until I get Regen," Haesha smiled wryly.


    ¡­


    Two hours later, Jyorta returned to the circular room, clenching his hand as his face was flushed red, ''I obtained everything I had planned to get here.''


    ''The Trait of Efficiency, the Trait of Recovery, the Trait of Resistance, the Unranked Skill Regen, and finally, the Trait of Severability. The two Relics are a bonus. I am especially excited about using healing salve.''


    Jyorta smiled, his thoughts churning at a faster rate, ''Even though I don''t require anything else, for the time being, I''ll spend the rest of my Credits on Frenzy Fruits. Raising my Sync Rate to 100 percent should be my next goal.''


    Jyorta looked around, failing to find Haesha. Most of the students had left by now, having already obtained what they sought. The only ones that were still waiting were the ones queuing to buy the Relics.


    It would take each individual significant time to go through all the Relics and finally select one. So, most of them were still waiting patiently, not daring to leave in fear their turn might be revoked.


    "Guess I''ll head to the cafeteria," Jyorta headed towards the flight of stairs, descending all the floors before exiting the Head Office Building.


    His body seethed with energy, his Brain Crystal filled to the brim. There was still plenty of the viscous solution accompanying the Trait of Severability circulating in his body, settling for later use. Even on a fair estimate, his body currently held enough energy to fill his Brain Crystal twice.


    ''That viscous solution contains a lot of energy that I can quickly make use of. I wonder why they don''t give it to the soldiers as energy rations when they head to the Wilds?'' He then thought it further, retorting his prior thoughts, ''Maybe the viscous solution contains the secret to the Traits and Unranked Skills? So, Marble City doesn''t wish for the Frenzy Beasts to reverse deduce the recipe.''


    He thought as he walked on the ground, ''Or maybe the energy in the viscous solution is a product of the item immersed in it? Maybe the source of whatever the Traits are made from mixes into the viscous solution, making it contain this much energy?''


    "Ugh, I don''t know," He shook his head, and arrived at the cafeteria, ordering some snacks to fill up his belly.


    ''The nurse, Vaika''s shift starts at 4:00 PM. I would probably be expending a lot of energy to grasp the mechanics of Regen. So, if I retain any more energy after that, I will head to the Labyrinth of Frenzy to harvest more Credits and healing salve.''


    Looking at the plate of snacks before him, Jyorta submerged himself in thoughts, ''It seemed like I had spent a long time in the military academy. But, I have less than 2 months before my Graduation Ceremony.''


    He sighed once, "Does this count as me having taken a couple of steps further?"


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 Chapter 345: Play of Illusionists

    11:00 PM, dressed in a tracksuit, Jyorta entered the Red Building, taking the flight of stairs hidden in the corner. He scaled the height equivalent to four storeys before arriving on the second floor, walking towards the nursing ward.


    The corridors were silent, the sounds of his footsteps resounding loud and clear, echoing after every step. The sounds were jarring to the senses, making him imagine scary scenarios he had witnessed in horror movies.


    It was late into the night, the corridors only lit with the bare minimum light. Jyorta swallowed his saliva in nervousness, hearing the sound clearly, realising the fear he was feeling.


    ''It is a normal corridor, nothing unusual, nothing frightening.'' He tried his best to calm himself, picking up pace without realising. Soon, the sounds of parlous laughter echoed in the corridor, originating from the nursing ward.


    Followed by the laughter was a flurry of discussions, the contents calming him down. If it was just the laughter alone that resounded in the corridor, then the only way for Jyorta to keep his cool was by using his false persona.


    He was still reliant on them, using them in many situations. Even though he was training to mentally firm himself, such a task wasn''t something easy or could be finished in the span of a few months. Still, he was making some progress, so he wasn''t averse to the notion of depending on his false personas.


    He arrived before the nursing ward and knocked on the door twice, waiting patiently as he noticed the sounds of laughter die down. It was followed by the faint sounds of wind before the door creaked open, the voice of a nurse resounded, "Come in, Jyorta Bone."


    ''They already figured out my identity. Even though they are only Wave Controllers, I couldn''t even sense their probing. I still have a lot to learn.'' Jyorta sighed as he entered the nursing ward, noticing three nurses seated next to each, facing the door.


    Jyorta cordially bowed towards them before facing the nurse lady, Vaika, "Ma''am, I obtained Regen."


    "Congratulations!" Vaika laughed as she clapped, "That was fast. I thought you would need at least another month to obtain it."


    "It was thanks to the rewards," Jyorta flashed a wry smile, relaying the reason across. The eyes of the three nurses flickered once as they understood what he implied. They didn''t continue on the matter as Vaika cleared her throat, "So, you got it this morning?"


    "Yes, ma''am." Jyorta nodded, "It has already fully assimilated into me."


    "You are fast indeed," Vaika nodded in praise, "Then, I''ll teach you the basics."


    Jyorta felt bad about lying, but he didn''t have a choice in the matter. The matter about him obtaining 1,00,000 Credits unofficially was only known to Madam Mary in the military academy. So, he couldn''t act like he obtained it before.


    From what he was informed, Madam Mary told him that she would make some arrangements in the records, tampering with some details. Thankfully, there were many departments in the military academy and information sharing between each was limited.


    The only individual who checked and passed the information available to each department was Madam Mary, so tampering with the data was easy. So, in the official records, he had obtained the Unranked Skill Regen today. As for the Trait of Severability, he hadn''t obtained it officially yet.


    The person in charge of implanting the Traits in the students was in charge of all the Traits. The number of students who came to obtain the Traits daily was quite high, and he was a character that didn''t mingle with any staff.


    So, the chances of him talking to other staff about the topic was none. It was also not advisable to leak the details of the student''s secrets, so there was no risk of any information leakage. On the other hand, Jyorta took precautionary measures himself. It was also thanks to Madam Mary''s inputs that he knew they would be rewarded for their rescue efforts.


    Regen needed anywhere between a couple of hours to 2 days to assimilate fully into an individual. The duration usually varied for all sorts of reasons. When he obtained Regen, it took him around 10-12 hours for the assimilation to complete.


    So, Jyorta took the same time before proceeding to visit the nurse Vaika. That was also why he didn''t visit her at 4:00 PM, the time when her shift began.


    ''Haesha probably didn''t finish the process yet.'' Jyorta looked at the nurse, Vaika, watching her communicate with the other two nurses. When they finished communicating, the other two nurses got up and occupied seats on the farther side of the nursing ward.


    Vaika stood up and picked the tray with medical tools situated near her, placing it within a shelf on the wall. Clanging sounds of metal echoed as she arranged the tools within the shelf, the intensity of the sounds becoming higher and higher.


    Jyorta felt confused, glancing at the other two nurses to notice their expression of amusement. He felt a chill in his heart as he spoke while stammering, "Do I have to lacerate myself?"


    "Why?" The nurse Vaika spoke without turning, her head buried in the shelf, busy with her task, "What made you think of that?"


    "I mean," Jyorta calmed himself before he spoke with hesitation, "Regen can heal. And, to practice its use, aren''t injuries required? So, I thought I would have to injure myself and use Regen to heal it later."


    "There won''t be any need for you to injure yourself," The nurse Vaika spoke, her tone calm. But for some reason, Jyorta''s heart began to thump faster, the pores on his skin prickling as sweat oozed out.


    "The best way to use Regen is to regrow your limbs?"


    "Regrow my limbs?" Jyorta felt something odd in the statement, becoming alert as he immediately stood up. But, the moment he tried to retreat, he noticed his legs fail to move. When he looked down, he noticed his feet had fused with the floor, the shoes he had worn had disappeared at some point in time.


    "Kekeke," A shrill laughter echoed, increasing in pitch without every utterance before turning into shrill screeches. The nurse Vaika turned around, pulling out something from the shelf, the appearance frightening Jyorta.


    Carried in her hands was a humongous scissors, the blade alone spanning her hand''s length. She cackled as she made clipping motions with the scissors, the metallic sounds reverberated threateningly, making the scissors seem heavy while the blade deadly sharp.


    In the place of her face was the head of a Floating Spider, its mandibles clicking ferociously, seemingly intent to sever Jyorta into pieces. A grating feminine voice resounded from the Floating Spider head, "Your only way to survive is to regrow your limbs while we sever them to feast upon."


    "kekeke," Followed by a loud screech, the nurse (?) walked closer and closer, "Every minute, we will sever a limb. You win if you can regenerate enough until we fill our bellies. Otherwise¡­guess our hunger won''t be satiated."


    "Kekeke," The other nurse landed beside Jyorta, "Sister, I feel this prey would survive. I''ll bet his left leg on that."


    "Argh," Jyorta shouted, unleashing his psychic arm before infusing it into the scissors, expending a great deal of psychic energy to make it his Refined Object. When the nurse tried to click it once again, Jyorta made it spin, slipping it out of her control. Before he could continue with the pace, the nurse calmly caught hold of the scissors, using her psychic arm to negate his refinement, turning it into her Refined Object instantaneously.


    "So that''s why you took out all medical tools from my vicinity," Jyorta growled, struggling to move but failing to do so. His legs refused to budge no matter what.


    "Smart as usual, Jyorta Bone." The nurse (?) screeched, "But this time, you weren''t smart enough."


    The nurse (?) cackled louder, bending to her back as her voice resounded exaggeratedly. She lifted the scissors, clamping it manically in her exaggerated pose when Vaika''s voice resounded, "Ouch, my back! I sprained it."


    Everything changed, the figure of the nurses with the head of the Floating Spiders disappeared, replaced with their actual figures in the place. The nurse Vaika winced in pain as she straightened her back, unleashing her psychic arm before healing the injury.


    She then looked at the figure of Jyorta Bone standing at the entrance in a dazed expression, "Come in, Jyorta Bone."


    Everything from before had been a hallucination, with him stopping at the entrance to the nursing room. On seeing that everything was normal, Jyorta patted his chest, calming his thumping heart. The sounds of his heartbeat were audible to the extraordinary senses of the three nurses.


    Jyorta noticed that the three nurses were seated in the same position as before, the same as when the door opened and he saw them. The only difference was the nurse Vaika standing a couple of steps forward, massaging her back.


    Jyorta sighed in relief as he took a step forward, slipping as a result before slamming face-first on the floor, screaming in pain. His scream was ear-piercing, like the siren of disaster announcements. His body wriggled while the thumping sounds of his heartbeat turned louder and louder, echoing in the ears of the three nurses.


    "I have been sealed in this pitiful body for a millennium. Now, thanks to your folly, the seal has been broken. Kekeke, now suffer my wrath, puny mortals."


    An earthworm drilled out of his body, taking a step forward as it became a snake, slithering a little as it grew horns and scales, evolving into a dragon. The size of the dragon continued to balloon, soon filling up the room as its scaly eyes looked at the three nurses, "As thanks to breaking my seal, I will graciously learn the methods to use Regen from you."


    "Pfft," The nurse Vaika began to laugh, gazing at the right of the entrance, "Can''t you think of a better line than that?"


    In the place she had directed her gaze, Jyorta''s figure appeared, letting out a wry chuckle as he scratched his cheek, "It was all of a sudden, so I couldn''t think of a batter scene."

 Chapter 346: Initiation Into a Healer (1)

    "It was a nice exchange nonetheless," One of the nurses watching everything from the sidelines clapped her hands, "Anyone beyond Tier 3 would have been fooled by that."


    The nurse Vaika gazed at Jyorta, making him flinch. She unleashed her psychic arm, curling it into a fist before lightly smacking his head. "You were too late to realise you had fallen into a hallucination. If this were the Wilds, you would have long been buried six feet under."


    "But ma''am," Jyorta rubbed his head, massaging the place he was smacked upon, "The hallucination you made looked no different from reality. If not for you deliberately informing me through the aura, I wouldn''t have realised it."


    Vaika stared at him, expressing mild anger, "You do realise that I am only a Wave Controller right. Frenzy Beasts with my strength are countless in the Wilds. You should train your perception more. Otherwise, even if you boast peerless strength in your Tier, you wouldn''t even know what hit you and would end up in the belly of some beast."


    "I''ll definitely reflect on that," Jyorta bowed. He then stealthily peeked at her, noticing that her anger had subsided, lifting his head as he spoke, "But ma''am, how can I sense them?"


    The nurse Vaika sighed, pointing at her chest with her thumb, "Through your heart. Any stimulus disturbs the balance in the body, changing the criteria for the requirement and production of nutrients, hormones, etc. But, the only mode of transportation for everything is the blood flowing in your body. And, the heart is the organ that pumps it."


    She took her seat between the two nurses, "Therefore, the first organ that reacts to any stimulus is the heart. You can''t really sense the workings of your spine through your current senses, but you can easily feel your heart rate."


    "Any physical and emotional states have a fixed heart rate." Her eyes narrowed, glaring at Jyorta, "It varies from person to person, but is consistent for every individual in theory. It does vary with age but since it is a gradual change, we don''t have to worry about that."


    She raised two fingers, "You missed out the first two clues when you were walking on the corridor."


    Seeing Jyorta stare in confusion, she resisted her urge to smack him, "The first was your heart rate. Normally walking in a dimly lit corridor in the middle of the night is a scary experience indeed. But, have you asked this question yourself? How scary is it to you?"


    "How scary is it to me?" Jyorta nodded, observing some insight through the train of thought.


    "Yes," The nurse Vaika nodded, "Your increase in heart rate was greater than usual. This means, it is not a regular walk in a dimly lit corridor in the middle of the night but possesses something scary in it. Your senses and intuition picked up on it and could feel, so your heart reacted as such. But, you failed to realise it since the changes were subtle."


    She then shook her second finger, "The second clue was the increase in your walking speed. You subconsciously increased your pace but were talking shorter strides than usual. So, even though you were walking faster, your speed remained the same."


    The nurse Vaika motioned for Jyorta to take a seat, "Any hallucination begins with subtle effects conforming to reality before slowly changing. Such hallucinations are the most difficult to break out from as the individual finds himself fully immersed into it without realising and begins to live with the rules of the established hallucination."


    "I''ve once experimented with a Lava Turtle using my hallucination. I slowly warped its senses and pulled it deeper and deeper into my hallucination until it had zero hope of escaping. The rules of the hallucination I made were that the air was polluted and only a high temperature would purify it. So, the Lava Turtle began emitting heat from its body."


    She twirled the ends of her braid, speaking with a hint of embarrassment, "I then changed the rules that energy didn''t exist."


    "Guess what it did next?" She smiled, "The Lava Turtle began to breakdance while scrapping its shell on the floor, using the friction to generate heat. It began to adapt to the rules I had laid out. The entire session only lasted 15 minutes. But even after I retracted my hallucination, it took an entire hour before the Lava Turtle broke out of the rules of the hallucination."


    The nurse said with all seriousness, pointing a finger at Jyorta, "Remember, there are numerous abilities, either generated from aura personifications or from Skills that can confuse your mind. So, you must always have a good grasp of yourself. If you find your body reacting differently than what it ought to do in a particular situation for your mental state at that period, then it means you are under the influence of some ability. Swiftly begin to resolve the issue before you are affected beyond rescue."


    "Can I sense them through my domain?" Jyorta inquired after a minute of thought, digesting everything Vaika had imparted.


    "Your domain is just the extension of your senses," Vaika said, "If I prick your skin, you would feel the pain. Similarly, the domain can be considered a sphere around you where every inch of it is covered by your skin. So, any disturbance in it will be felt by you."


    "As your Tier increases, your sensitivity increases," She unleashed her domain, curbing the radius to a metre around herself, "Even at Tier 3, you would be able to sense a fair spectrum of radiation and vibrations, thereby allowing you to even read everything in a closed book. At Tier 4, you are even able to decipher the data stored in a CD based on its magnetic lines and a USB based on the charge stored in it."


    "But," She shook her head, "At the end of the day, it is just an extension of your senses. Meaning, the feedback is similar to your skin getting pricked but would be more subtle. So, you won''t get anything different from your domain that would help distinguish reality from all the influences."


    "So," She sighed, "You must be knowledgeable about yourself, your character, your mental states, your physical state, your ability to cope up with a situation, your emotional state, and how all these states vary according to different situations. When you are well-versed with all of them, then you would swiftly be able to sense when something is amiss."


    "Wisdom is built upon experiences," She clapped her hand, "Alright, now we''ll begin training your Regen."


    "So," Jyorta spoke with hesitation, taking a glance at the shelf in the wall before gulping, "Do I really not have to lacerate myself?"


    "We can do that if that is what you wish for," Vaika laughed, "But like I said before, it is not necessary."


    "Then," Jyorta felt confused, "How will I learn its usage?"


    "Didn''t I say that too," Vaika smiled, her eyes glinting with cunning light. "It has already begun. Take a look around yourself."


    Jyorta''s eyes widened as he looked around, noticing his surroundings had changed before he realised it. It was a sandy terrain, the sun blazing hot, gales were created, blowing off the topsoil, displacing the dunes.


    He had been sitting on a chair in a fairly lit room, with the windows displaying the darkness of the night outside. But now, the sun was blazing hot while the room was nowhere to be seen. He didn''t even realise the transition that had taken place and had been conversing with the nurse.


    Now that he took another look, the other two nurses had disappeared. He and Vaika were seated on stones, facing each other. The stone surface was uneven, the bumps and grooves causing him discomfort.


    "Now, come with me." Vaika stood up and beckoned for him to follow, taking the lead as she began to walk. It seemed as if she had picked a random direction to traverse upon. The blue soul overlaid the face mask¡ªthe false persona of calm, optimism, and filled with focus¡ªon him, subtly affecting his emotions.


    But, what amazed Jyorta but at the same time scared him was that the situation hadn''t changed. There was a flicker for an instant before the scene continued, as if it was now his reality. The false persona had already fully influenced him. But, even this change in the mental state didn''t break him out of the hallucination.


    ''So, that flicker was the best I could affect using the face mask? It seems the level of this hallucination is higher than what a simple change in emotions could break.'' Jyorta thought, taking a step with hesitation before he felt his feet sink partly into the sand.


    The sand was loose and hot, the heat radiating into his legs through the shoes. The moment he stood up and took a step forward, the stone he had been sitting on had disappeared, same for the stone the nurse had been sitting upon. But, it was as if his eyes were on the sky, failing to see or realise their disappearance.


    The loose sand made it hard for him to walk, the heat radiating from it further troubling him. Jyorta felt it hard to balance his body on the uneven surface as the winds flew past, continuously changing the terrain.


    Vaika shouted from the front, "Cover your nose with the cloth from the turban, Shishya. Don''t breathe in the dust-filled air."


    "Yes, Guru." Jyorta did as told, pausing in action for a second as he felt something was odd. A second later, followed by the urging, he did as told, making a flurry of steps before joining the lady in the front."

 Chapter 347: Initiation into a Healer (2)

    With every step they took, their forms changed. Vaika was no longer in her nurse outfit, now covered by layers and layers of baggy clothes, made from cotton. They were a mixture of white and grey, covering her from top to bottom.


    Wound around her hand was cotton strips, leaving no skin exposed. They were soil-laden, dirty from a lack of washing. There were signs of tear on her clothes, with the bits flailing due to the wind. She caught hold of a long flying ribbon, tore it from her dress, and tied it around her hips, securing it.


    A turban fully covered her head, only baring her eyes. Hung on her back was a large bag, made from goatskin. Contained within were an array of materials, the top securely held by a rope. Every step she took caused her feet to sink into the sand, with some of it collecting in the folds on her shoe.


    Her shoe was made from tough leather, wound by a layer of cotton to reinforce it, furthering the insulation. "Watch your step, Shishya. Don''t take wide strides. We might come across sinkholes or the lair of monsters from this region onwards." [1]


    Her voice was hoarse, barely feminine. It could be said to be gender-neutral, or the voice of a boy in his teenage but more mature. Even the way the cloth was wound around her made her frame wider, like a man. There was zero resemblance to her slender figure from before.


    "Yes, Guru." Jyorta nodded, carrying a similarly-sized bag made from goatskin. He was similarly dressed, the way the clothes were wound around him widened his frame. His voice too was hoarse, having a resemblance to Vaika''s. He was currently short, his stature only reaching the shoulder of Vaika. [2]


    His appearance, height, body frame, walking posture, the weight of his body, and even his body odour had changed, as if he was inhabiting a foreign body. But Jyorta didn''t sense anything amiss, acting as if everything was normal.


    When they reached a dune, the Guru motioned with her hands; the two crouched immediately, peaking with their heads to gaze beyond. The Guru sighed, "Another battle had taken place. We''ll move after 60 breaths had passed."


    "Yes, Guru." The Shishya replied.


    "Also," The Guru turned around, her red eyes expressing caution and vigilance, underneath what lay care, "When we move and encounter anyone from the Clans, you know what to do right?"


    "Yes," The Shishya nodded, her eyes similarly red from enduring the sand and heat, "I''ll behave like a proper male."


    "Your voice is still not hoarse enough. Don''t talk unless necessary." The Guru said before facing forward, looking at the battle taking place a fair distance away.


    Men rode horses, emitting battle cries, slashing with their swords or scimitars, spilling blood along their wake. Two forces collided with one another, slashing and tearing into each other. One side wore the skull of a Goat on their heads, ones that were large enough to fit them. The one that led them wore a goat skull that had the biggest horns of the lot, their curves pointed towards the front, shining with a menacing hue under the sunlight.


    The other side sported the jawbone of a clawed beast on their lower jaw. It seemed to have been stitched into them as the jawbone moved in sync with their mouths. They possessed a small horn peaking out on their chin while their leader possessed two horns peaking out on his chin, slightly curved forward, their ends glinting under the sun.


    The leader from the jawbone side raised his scimitar to the air, shouting as he beheaded a warrior fighting him, "The Meka Clan have gone overboard today by aiming for our prey."


    The leader from goat skull side bellowed in return, parrying a sword blow to his head, "It was us who killed the Fire-Tailed Snail. It rightfully belongs to us. You Mosali clansmen have breached the rules of the Crimson Desert by trying to claim prey you hadn''t hunted."


    "Bullshit!" The leader from the Mosali Clan shouted in anger, pointing at the corpse of a massive beast that lay nearby, "The puncture wound on its shell was from our Chief when he attacked it yesterday. As we had wounded it first, it is ours to claim."


    "Our Chief had actually attacked it three days ago. Look at its eye for proof. That was a result of his attack. We were the first to injure it and we were the ones who dealt the final blow. According to the Crimson Desert rules, the Fire-Tailed Snail is the property of the Meka Clan."


    "Lies, our Chief tracked its home¡­"


    "Our Chief¡­"


    Looking at the scene of iron and blood, the Shishya shuddered, "Is there a need to kill each other for a beast?"


    "If it was a wild animal, they would have resolved it through talk or at worst, an unarmed fight between two representatives." The Guru shook her head, "But, it is a beast. The Clan that obtains it would gain a huge boost in strength."


    "How?" The Shishya was confused, gazing at the corpse of the Fire-Tailed Snail while trying to see if there was anything special about it.


    "There is nothing special about the beast itself. But, stored in its heart is a special type of blood, its essence. Every beast has that. After extracting this blood, the Clan Shaman would inscribe tattoos on the back of a warrior, allowing him to wield special powers."


    "Special power," The Shishya muttered, her gaze dimming, "Why am I unable to use them?"


    The Guru smiled, rubbing her head as she said, "Just inscribing the tattoos isn''t enough to wield the power in them. Specific conditions must be achieved before you can activate them. And, these conditions vary for each tattoo."


    "Then," The Shishya gritted her teeth, "What is the condition to activate mine?"


    "You''ll know when it happens. Unlike the tattoos of others, if we know the condition to activate ours, then it would never activate for the rest of our lives. That is why you have to be patient." The Guru coughed once, spitting out some sand in her mouth, "When it is time, you''ll know."


    "Then, are there others with this tattoo?" Seeing the fight entering a fervour, the Shishya hesitated for a moment before asking.


    The Guru sighed, "Usually, the size of the beast''s heart determines the essence it possesses in it. Usually, a beast only has enough essence for one tattoo. If it had more, then the contest for it would become even more of a bloodbath."


    She gazed at the battle, speaking in a solemn tone, "There was once where a beast had the essence enough for two tattoos. Three clans fought for it, causing a mutual annihilation of all three. The sole survivor, who also happened to be a Clan Shaman obtained the essence and inscribed a tattoo on her back and used the remaining essence¡­"


    She looked at the Shishya, "To inscribe a tattoo on her disciple."


    "Haap," At this time, the leader from the Meka Clan shouted, raising his scimitar, slashing at the leader from the Mosali Clan. When the leader from the Mosali Clan defended against the strike, the back of the leader from the Meka Clan shone with red light, flowing through his right arm before condensing into his scimitar.


    When he swung it next, the projection of a hooved beast with massive horns appeared, raising dust as its hooves dug into the sand, colliding into the leader from the Mosali Clan who couldn''t react in time.


    He barely managed to activate his tattoo, creating a claw before him that defended against the hooved beast. Since he had haphazardly summoned it, his claw wasn''t strong enough, swiftly breaking as the hooved beast crashed into him, puncturing his stomach.


    "Bastard," The leader from the Mosali Clan cursed, flying a fair distance before crashing into a dune, sliding on its slope weakly, blood covering his wake.


    "Leader," His Clansmen shouted before leaving their battles as they converged around him. One of them swiftly descended his horse and picked up the leader, checking his state before cursing, "Our leader can no longer fight. Let us retreat."


    He looked at the leader from the Meka Clan, "We will be back."


    They swiftly retreated from the scene.


    The leader from the Meka Clan shouted at his Clansmen, "Swiftly extract its heart. Leave behind the rest, for now, we''ll come for them later. If anything happens to the beast''s heart, our Clansmen would have died in vain."


    The Meka Clansmen began to extract the heart while the leader cut off the earrings of everyone dead, including his enemies. He put them in a leather bag and tied it up his waist, "May you reincarnate into our Crimson Desert as brave warriors once again."


    He offered the prayers to the deceased of both the allies and enemies, showing no discrimination, even though they fought a life and death battle just now. Soon, once they stored the heart of the beast, they kicked their horses and fled from the scene.


    Winds continued to blow, displacing the loose sand everywhere. Within a couple of breaths, a faint layer of sand had formed on the dead bodies, humans and horses alike.


    "We should get going now," The Guru spoke, covering her eyes with a thin cloth, using the bare minimum visibility to move forward. "We will reach the Harvest Oasis in seven days. We can replenish our supplies there."


    "Yes, Guru." The Shishya nodded, accompanying her as the two journeyed through the blistering heat, amid billowing winds.


    [1] Shishya: Disciple in Sanskrit


    [2] Guru: Master of a field in Sanskrit


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 Chapter 348: Initiation into a Healer (3)

    "First, we have to check if anyone is still alive. Both the clans had left in a hurry, so they wouldn''t have inspected properly." The Guru spoke, sliding on a dune as she descended into the lower sandpit, the battlefield where the two Clans had fought.


    "Even though the leader from Meka Clan had severed the earrings of everyone? Someone can still survive in this state without him detecting them?" The Shishya was unable to believe it.


    "We''ll know when we see one," The Guru smiled, her eyes lifeless, numb to death. She crouched before the person closest to her, checking his pulse, sighing as she gently placed his hand on the ground.


    She then looked around, not bothering to check the state of the people whose bodies had been largely mutilated. It was easy to determine that they were dead. She checked the bodies of everyone while the Shishya trailed right behind her, imitating her actions.


    She passed through one person after another, finally approaching the corpse of the Fire-Tailed Snail. The Shishya followed her, gazing at the Fire-Tailed Snail, "If we extract the valuable parts in it, we won''t have to worry about food and water for a couple of months."


    "Stealing is forbidden," The Guru shook her head, her eyes stern, glaring at the Shishya for the thought, "Even if you were to steal, you can''t sell it. Each monster lives in its respective habitat and is usually only hunted by the Clans in the area. So, unless the traders were the leaders from a Clan, no Clan would be willing to buy monster materials."


    "And, even if you steal some of its parts, the moment the Clans return to retrieve its corpse, they would discover it. Unless you possess the swiftest horse, you would easily be found by them." Her voice then turned solemn, "Even though blood is spilled every day in this desert, leading to its moniker, the Crimson Desert, our customs are valued above our lives. So, if you wish to survive in this place, never take anything that you haven''t rightfully earned."


    "But," The Shishya bowed her head, looking around at the corpses strewn around, "They just fought and killed so many people. Weren''t one side trying to reap the gains of the other here?"


    "No, both sides had a rightful claim to the Fire-Tailed Snail," The Guru pointed at the largest hole on its shell, and also at the injury to its eye, also pointing at other injuries on its body, "Both the sides were speaking the truth. This is why the dispute arose in the first place. If you cannot finish a task swiftly, it would eventually stretch and create such a dispute."


    "My Clan was exterminated in such a dispute," The Guru sighed.


    "What about the women and children? Were they also killed? Does the customs of the Crimson Desert allow that?" The Shishya retorted, unwilling to concede her point easily.


    "No, they were not killed." The Guru shook her head, "The Clan is said to be exterminated when all its warriors die. The women and children will be absorbed by the victor. This is to preserve the foundation of the Crimson Desert. After all, the people are its foundation."


    "Then Guru, why did you leave¡­" Noticing the Guru was unwilling to speak about it, the Shishya could only drop the matter. She then noticed the Guru crouch before the Fire-Tailed Snail as she scooped out the sand underneath its shell.


    "Quick, come help me. There is someone underneath it." The Guru shouted. The Shishya quickly helped her, scooping out the sand while trying to lift the Fire-Tailed Snail''s shell. It was heavy, the loose sand preventing her from garnering support in her legs.


    She pushed with all her might, failing to even budge the shell. The Guru picked out a tool from her backpack and used it to scoop out sand faster. Soon, they spotted the head of a man, the sand around him moist with his blood, turning similar to clay.


    The Guru quickly inspected his condition, speaking in surprise, "What unbelievable tenacity, he''s still alive."


    She then looked at the Shishya, motioning for her to stop pushing the shell, "Dig under him. Since the Fire-Tailed Snail''s shell is big, it won''t fall if we only dig a small part underneath it."


    "Yes, Guru." The Shishya nodded, grabbing a similar tool from her backpack. She began to dig into the sand, scooping it with every turn of her hand while the Guru inspected the condition of the man.


    "He''s bleeding in his lungs while the blood has filled his windpipe." The Guru muttered, picking up thin needles from a toolbox in her backpack. She inserted her hand into the dugout hole, carefully positioning them beside the man, motioning for the Shishya to stop digging for the time being.


    "If we delay, he would die." The Guru swiftly punctured a hole in the man''s neck, causing blood to spray out. She then made an incision, tugging at little at the flesh, allowing her to look at the injured organ within.


    A pale blue light radiated from her back, condensing into her needle, forming the projection of a baby''s arm as it entered the incision, colliding into the wounded organ. The organ began to swiftly heal, closing the gap, becoming new, as if it hadn''t suffered damage in the first place.


    "Amazing," Even though she had seen the scene many times in their journey, the Shishya gaped in fascination.


    The Guru swiftly closed the incision, suturing it while the pale blue hand within healed the flesh, healing it to normalcy. The Guru placed her index finger before the man''s nose, feeling a faint flow of air, "His breathing has stabilised. Once we pull him out, I''ll heal him fully."


    "But Guru," The Shishya spoke in worry, "You have already summoned your tattoo once. Shouldn''t you save the remaining two for emergencies?"


    "You''re right," The Guru nodded, "But I can''t leave an injured behind. That is the vow I had taken when I inscribed this tattoo on myself. That is the covenant that allows me to harness my tattoo''s power."


    "But," The Shishya felt troubled, "Once I awaken, what should I do if there were more injured than I could treat? I made the same vow as you, Guru."


    "That," The Guru smiled, "You will have to face it yourself."


    The Shishya nodded and continued to scoop out the sand when she noticed the neighs of horses, turning around to notice a faint dust cloud hovering above.


    "Don''t worry," The Guru held her hands, easing her sense of panic, "Just remember everything I had taught you."


    "Halt!" A shout reverberated around the area, deafening to the ears as a horse jumped over a dune, sliding along the slope a little before it hopped a couple of times, landing on the flatter sandy terrain of the battlefield.


    Hearing the shout, the Guru made eye contact with the Shishya, standing up in unison as they raised their hands. They didn''t move, staying still, unflinching as a man of large stature rode on his massive horse and arrived before them. It was the leader of the Meka Clan they had seen battle before.


    He then looked at the eyes of the Shishya before looking at the eyes of Guru, surprised for a moment before his posture turned respectful, "It is our honour to meet the Divya Vaidya." [1]


    "Lift this shell, there''s someone alive beneath it. I only managed to partially treat him." The Guru pointed at the shell of the Fire-Tailed Snail. The man atop the horse noticed the hole they had dug and at the face of a man inside, turning around to bellow, "There''s still someone alive here. Hurry and lift the monster first."


    The sounds of horses neighing resounded as the warriors rode them, making formations as they congregated around one side, throwing more than ten ropes towards the Fire-Tailed Snail in unison. Three warriors quickly tied up the rope around any protrusions they found on the Fire-Tailed Snail, signalling towards the others when they were done.


    Followed by a bellow, the warriors kicked their horses, causing them to pull the rope, moving the body of the Fire-Tailed Snail. The three warriors immediately dove into the gap and scooped out the sand, quickly dragging out the body of the unconscious man.


    The moment they pulled him out, the leader shouted, causing the warriors to halt their horses. They then descended and pulled out their blades, jumping over the dunes as they slid on the slopes before leaping to reach the Fire-Tailed Snail.


    They coordinated based on the leader''s instructions, hacking at the Fire-Tailed Snail, separating it into parts easy to carry around. In the meantime, the Guru treated the unconscious man, activating her tattoo two more times, stabilising his condition. "He will wake up after a day''s rest."


    "The Meka Clan owes you this favour," The leader jumped down from his horse and cupped his hands, "Please allow us to display our hospitality."


    "I have vowed to never set foot inside a Clan for as long as I breathe." The Guru shook her head, refusing the offer.


    "We will set up a tent outside our Clan. Please rest for the night there. We will provide you with food and water for your journey." The leader bowed, touching his forehead on the ground, expressing utmost respect after seeing the healthy condition of his injured Clansmen.


    "Alright," The Guru nodded, subtly glancing at the Shishya, motioning for her to comply with her plans. The Shishya didn''t speak anything, nodding to show she would follow her Guru.


    "Thank you," The leader stood up and ordered his Clansmen to bury the corpses in one place. Once they were done, they piled sand atop it as the leader pulled a horse along to the Guru, "Divya Vaidya, please use this."


    "Thank you," The Guru nodded and mounted it, motioning for the Shishya to be seated on her back. After everyone had finished their respective tasks, they began to travel towards the Meka Clan.


    [1] Sanskrit for "Divine Doctor".


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 Chapter 349: Initiation into a Healer (4)

    It was a sprawling desert, with the skeletal frames of animals peaking in the sands along the way. Some were fresh, with traces of blood and flesh as they were gnawed by vultures while others were mostly dull and brittle, eroded by exposure to the differing weather during day and night, breaking under the hooves of the horses that traversed past.


    At the lead was the leader of the Meka Clan, riding his horse with an indomitable posture. Following half-a-pace behind, on his right was the Guru and Shishya. The remainder followed in files of three, making a lengthy passage.


    The Guru adjusted her posture, struggling to keep pace with the others, displaying her lack of skill in riding the horse. She still maintained enough stability to not embarrass herself, controlling her horse. Seated behind her, the Shishya was finding it hard to remain seated, her body failing to be in sync with the horse''s movements.


    The leader noticed their struggle, slowing his horse as he aligned with them, making a light bow toward the Guru, "Is the horse not to your liking? We''ll change it to the one you desire."


    "No, we are fine," The Guru freed her right hand for a second, waving to show she was okay, "I have always travelled on foot, and have seldom ridden a horse. So, I can''t control it as well as your warriors at such speeds."


    The leader shouted towards the others, "We''ll be slowing down a little."


    "Thank you," The Guru nodded, finding it easy to control her horse at their current pace. Seeing that she was fine, the leader moved his horse to the front, taking the lead once again. They swiftly travelled through the desert, scaling past dunes of various sizes.


    When a fierce wind blew, they would take shelter behind a large dune, resting their horse while waiting for the winds to die down. While they were marching as such, the leader raised his hand, bellowing, "Stop!"


    Everyone immediately halted, looking at the leader with gazes of concern. The leader gazed afar, noticing a dust cloud moving about, dismounting his horse as he placed his ear on the sand, listening to something. He then turned around, looking at a Clansman as he made a couple of hand motions.


    The Clansmen immediately took off with his horse, sprinting forward, disappearing into the dust cloud after a couple of breaths had passed. He returned after a while, his face pale, covered by red clay, his turban missing.


    His body was fully covered by sand, the eyes of his horse red, bordering on the verge of insanity. It weakly arrived, stopping before the leader as it panted. The Clansman said without pause, "Sand-Weaving Scorpions are moving within the dust cloud, numbering more than 30."


    "More than 30?" The leader was stunned into silence, his face turning pale. He then gazed at his Clansmen, noticing the fear lingering in them. He sighed, motioning for everyone to rest.


    The Guru moved closer to the leader, whispering, "This is a sign of disaster. You would have to alert the other Clans too. Otherwise, the Sand-Weaving Scorpions would annihilate every Clan one by one."


    "Please stay with our Clan for the time being. Your presence will reassure us." The leader bowed in gratitude.


    "I can''t stay for more than 2 days. I''m on a mission myself." The Guru replied.


    "Thank you," The leader bowed even lower, his action bringing a smile to the faces of the Clansmen, reassured knowing the Guru would help them.


    When the dust cloud passed by, the leader signalled as they resumed their travel, sprinting forth at the maximum speeds their horses could on the sand. They didn''t wish to be spotted by the Sand-Weaving Scorpions and show them the way to their Clan.


    The Sand-Weaving Scorpion was a beast, similar to the Fire-Tailed Snail. Individually, they were weaker than the Fire-Tailed Snail, as they were often preyed on by it. But they became stronger through numbers, able to use their strengths collectively.


    In a group, they can manipulate the sands, creating a massive dust cloud that would give them a significant advantage in their hunts. The greater their number, the stronger the dust cloud they raised. This was why the Meka Clansmen were pale with fright upon spotting such a massive horde of them.


    "We are here," The leader sighed in relief, noticing the presence of rocks strewn across the sand, growing in numbers. Soon, they approached an area filled with rocks, noticing a wall of rock, spanning the height of a grown man before them. It was the Meka Clan.


    A tower, twice the height of a grown man stood behind the wall, upon which stood two warriors, keeping watch. Seeing the leader''s arrival, they motioned for the people below to allow entry.


    With a rumbling sound, a small section of the wall moved inside. The section was wide enough to allow a horse to pass through. After moving for a distance, it stopped moving, showcasing a gap on its two sides, wide enough for a horse to pass through either of them.


    The Guru looked around, noticing a flat piece of rock a fair distance away, dismounting the horse. The Shishya followed her as the two headed towards the rock, sitting on it to rest their aching backs.


    Seeing their actions, the leader could only smile wryly, "The Divya Vaidya stays true to his word."


    He then hurried inside to report everything to the Chief. After around 10 breaths had passed, the leader accompanied a man that was a head taller than the rest, his shoulders broad enough to seem like an immovable rock. He was a man of giant stature, the Chief of Meka Clan.


    The Clans of the Crimson Desert followed a simple hierarchy in their society. The Chief was the strongest warrior in their Clan, possessing the greatest authority. He was followed by the Clan''s Shaman, the lady in charge of inscribing the tattoos on the warriors, and also the Chief''s wife. She was also the advisor to the Chief in times of crisis.


    Her authority was second only to the Chief. Below them were the leaders, warriors who possessed tattoos. They were the pillar of strength of each Clan, their number dictated the Clan''s standing in the Crimson Desert.


    Finally, at the bottom were the warriors, forming most of their fighting force. Women did the tasks of rearing cattle, usually, sheep and goat, making dresses out of leather and wool, creating tools for daily use and weapons for battles, etc.


    As they were figures who nurtured the next generation, women were revered as the foundation of their Clans. Hence, it was an absolute rule in the Crimson Desert to never kill a woman. Since the Crimson Desert was fraught with dangers, it was also forbidden for a woman to step foot outside her clan, unless her Clan was annihilated and they had to relocate to the Clan of the victors.


    There was a famous saying in the Crimson Desert, "Blades of Men, and Urns of Women."


    The Chief directly arrived to pay respects to the Guru, "The Meka Clan Chief pays respect to the Divya Vaidya."


    The Guru reciprocated her respect, "The Divya Vaidya and his Shishya pay respects to the Meka Clan Chief."


    Seeing the Guru''s stance, the Shishya too made a respectful gesture. Since her Guru had already greeted on her behalf, she wasn''t required to do so. Moreover, she wasn''t even qualified to speak with a Chief, so it turned out better for her.


    "Even though you are bound by a vow, please don''t reject our hospitality," The Chief made a light bow, "We''ll set up a tent for you here along with all necessities. Please allow us to do at least this much."


    "I''ll have to trouble you then," The Guru reciprocated with a light bow. Seeing her understanding, the Chief smiled in happiness and beckoned for his Clansmen to hurry with the preparations.


    The Meka Clansmen hurriedly brought out stone pillars that they placed inside dug out holes, erecting them before hardening the sides with some tree sap. They then made the roof using many pieces of goatskin that were stitched together. They selected a flat piece of rock to act as the floor of the tent while layering it with a leather carpet. Another batch brought in food, water, and a change of clothes.


    The Chief looked at the Guru, "If you need anything else, please don''t hesitate to say it. I''ll do everything in my power to satisfy them."


    "I don''t plan on imposing you for free," The Guru looked at the entrance to the Meka Clan, "In my stay here, I''ll treat all your injured. It would also be helpful for you in defending against the Sand-Weaving Scorpions."


    "Thank you," The Chief''s eyes moistened as he made a deeper bow, despite his status. He then spoke with a solemn tone, "As for the Sand-Weaving Scorpions, we''ll rally the other Clans to resist them."


    Saying his piece, the Chief left the area, making the leader stay behind as protection. The Shishya made eye contact with the Guru, requesting to speak in private. The Guru nodded and moved to the side, creating some distance from the others so that their conversation would be inaudible to them.


    "Guru, you would be overtaxing yourself by treating more injured. You''ve already activated your tattoo thrice today." The Shishya expressed her dissatisfaction.


    "Once I eat my fill, I''ll be able to activate my tattoo another three times." The Guru smiled, "The Crimson Desert is laden with dangers, a day of peace is hard to come by. It is for the best if you relax yourself at this time. As for me, treating the injured is what I seek. So, I won''t be pushing myself."


    "I don''t know if I can become someone like you one day, Guru." The Shishya bowed her head in shame, "I feel like they are treating us this nicely only because you can treat their injured. Otherwise, they wouldn''t even bother helping us. When I think that way, I don''t feel like helping them, even if I have the ability to do so."


    "Everyone''s fate is set in store for them the moment they are born," The Guru looked into the horizon, "But, humans cannot determine their fate, for the heavens are vast. But, until we can grasp our fate, we have to abide by our duty, our duty to the people, and our duty to the world."


    "Duty," The Shishya murmured, feeling something resound in her mind. She closed her eyes, on the verge of attaining enlightenment.


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 Chapter 350: Initiation into a Healer (5)

    "Duty," The Shishya muttered, the voice of the Guru resounding in her mind, seemingly stirring up something from within her. She pondered, "What is duty? Is it something imposed on me by others? Is it something I wish to do? Is it something required from me for a greater cause? Is the land depending on me to perform it? What exactly defines my duty?"


    Hearing her mumbles, the Guru smiled. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed something stir up on the Shishya''s back, a pale blue hue visible under the shades made by the folds in her dress. It lasted for less than a breath before disappearing.


    The Guru''s eyes became filled with resolve, her breathing turning rough for a moment before relaxing. She clenched her fist, gently ruffling the sand near her feet, watching some of it fall on her shoe.


    ''I guess it is time.'' The Guru stood up, taking a couple of steps before turning around, watching that the Shishya remained unmoving, immersed in her thoughts. Followed by a smile, the Guru strode forward, beckoning for the leader stationed nearby.


    The leader was stationed there to protect the duo, after all, the Divya Vaidya was of the utmost significance to their Clan or any Clan for the matter. So, protecting their safety was a must. With a leader protecting them, there wasn''t any possibility of them suffering from an attack.


    It was easy to sense the presence of the Divya Vaidya, something that was etched in the minds of every warrior. No Clan had any enmity towards her, instead, they were happy to curry favour with her. So, the chances of them even attacking her through a misunderstanding was nil. Therefore, the only foes the leader had to guard against were the beasts and wild animals.


    Seeing the Divya Vaidya beckon for him, the leader took a flurry of steps, swiftly arriving before her, performing a mild bow, "Do you need something?"


    "Can you summon your Chief? I have something important to tell him." The Guru nodded, speaking with a tone of respect.


    "Of course," The leader nodded, turning around before shouting a couple of words. Immediately, a warrior setting up the tent left his position and arrived in a hurry. The leader relayed the instructions immediately as the warrior rushed into the Clan.


    Ten breaths later, the Chief walked out, his face mildly surprised at the sudden call. After all, they had just conversed. So, the chances for a topic of importance to arrive in the short time frame was negligible. Suppressing his surprise and confusion, the Chief looked at the Guru, "I heard you wished to convey something important?"


    "Yes, please come with me. It is something only a Chief should know." The Guru said.


    "But," The leader was slightly hesitant in sending their Chief alone.


    The Chief laughed in response, patting the shoulder of the leader, "It won''t take long."


    He then noticed the Guru looking at the pillars located a fair distance away, cueing the leader of the location he would proceed towards. The leader nodded solemnly, intending to take action should anything amiss occur.


    The Guru didn''t seem bothered by the delay, patiently waiting for the Chief to accompany her. "Also, please protect my Shishya and ensure he is not disturbed. He''s currently in a state of enlightenment that''s necessary to become my successor."


    The Chief and leader were pleasantly surprised by the news, their faces brimming with joy. The Chief made eye contact with the leader who bowed in response, "I''ll guard him with my life. The arrival of another Divya Vaidya is the fortune of our Crimson Desert."


    The Guru and the Chief began to walk, taking a glance at the Shishya as they passed by, soon traversing towards the pillars peaking out of the sand. They were uneven, their heights varying from the height of a grown man to thrice the height of a grown man. Their width was similar to a child, a reason they hadn''t been used as a fortification.


    The pillars were broken when needed to be used for housing purposes in the Meka Clan. There seemed to be an inexhaustible supply as the pillars stretched across the entire horizon. Seeing her gaze, the Meka Clan Chief couldn''t help but comment, "Even if we cut off a pillar, it grows back to its former height in the span of 4-5 years. It''s a mystery the Meka Clan has been unable to solve."


    The Guru nodded, not commenting on the matter, soon passing through the gap between two pillars. The floor was still composed of sand, the gaps between the pillars wide enough to comfortably pass through.


    The Guru continued to walk, heading deeper and deeper without pause, as if she was familiar with the terrain. The wind blowing past made faint drumming noises, accompanied by the sounds of a flute as they headed deeper. It was because of the shape and arrangement of the stone pillars, affecting the flowing wind to produce sounds.


    All manners of sound resounded, from the footsteps of a man to the wailing of a baby. The Chief walked right behind the Guru, his stance alert, his hands clenched, ready to retaliate at a moment''s notice.


    The gap between the rock pillars varied, from a wide passage to a narrow one where they had to squeeze through sideways. After squeezing through a narrow section, the Guru slowed down, taking a couple more steps before stopping.


    The moment the Chief entered, he noticed the solid ground under him, covered with a thick carpet of grass, lush green. He stared in shock, "There''s grass growing here?"


    "This is a special place in this rock pillar domain," The Guru smiled, "This is a place only us shamans are knowledgeable of. Even among the shamans, there are at most three who know this place apart from me."


    The area was an oval, with one side being the narrow entrance they had squeezed through, the other sporting a tiny brook. The walls were as high as three grown men while the brook flowed from the top, cascading over the walls before seeping into the holes at the bottom.


    Lush green grass covered the ground while the walls were fully covered by moss as a result of the flowing water. The air in the area was humid, uncharacteristic of any region in the Crimson Desert. Standing before the brook, the Guru smiled, "Whatever we speak here will never escape beyond these walls. This is the best location to exchange secrets that should never be divulged."


    "You have gone to such an extent, I''m curious as to what you wish to convey." The Chief said, frowning as he thought of something, "Wait, you said this place was only known to three other shamans apart from you?"


    "You''re right," The Guru tugged at her turban, removing it to reveal her face.


    The Chief was shocked, stunned into silence, "You''re not a man."


    He controlled himself from expressing rage, glaring at the Guru, "Speak."


    "Everything started with a Crimson Oath." The Guru sighed.


    "A Crimson Oath? The first time I''m hearing of it." The Chief was confused.


    "An oath is what we vow using our tattoos; breaking it would shatter our tattoos. Only leaders and Chiefs are bound by it. Normal warriors are only mentally bound by oaths because of our customs, but they don''t face any actual repercussions from breaking an oath, other than facing retaliation from the Clansmen." The Guru touched the moss-covered wall, her expression solemn.


    She gazed at the sky once, trailing her eyes across the flowing brook, "But, a Crimson Oath is not something we voluntarily take. It is something the Crimson Desert imposes on us."


    "The Crimson Desert? Impossible? How can a piece of land talk and impose laws on us?" The Chief retorted.


    "But it happened," The Guru shook her head, "We don''t know the reason, but it was what guided us that day. And, it was what led to the extermination of our three Clans."


    "Three Clans¡­" The Chief looked at the features of the Guru, recalling after a couple of seconds, "Y-You''re the Namali Clan''s Shaman."


    A middle-aged face with deep contours, wide facial features, and earrings pierced all over her ear. Her eyes were violet, a depth of black imbued within, seemingly capable of sucking a person''s consciousness should he gaze at them. The Chief was shocked, even the Meka Clan''s Shaman didn''t possess such a regal aura as the Guru.


    The presence of a shaman directly correlated to their ability and the knowledge they possessed. In any Clan, the shamans were their treasure trove, knowledge bearers of every generation. Usually, when the Chief had a son, he would train to become the next Chief while the daughter would train to become the next shaman.


    Only the shamans were knowledgeable of the method to imbue a tattoo on a warrior and turn them into a leader. If a shaman were to die without passing her knowledge to her daughter, then it would lead to an extinction of the Clan. They would have no other choice but to join the banner of another Clan.


    "Yes," The Guru nodded, "Two weeks before that disaster, us three shamans heard a voice in our heads. Having interacted with tattoos all our lives, we could immediately determine that it was the presence of the very land we lived upon. The content we heard was short and cryptic."


    She sighed, "We found out the others through our shared senses during the time we heard the Crimson Desert''s voice. We immediately informed the Chiefs of our respective Clans and convened a meeting between the three Clans. First, only us three shamans discussed, intending to collate the information before presenting it to the Chiefs."


    "It was then we found out the message," The Guru gazed at the sky with a forlorn expression, "Crimson Desert would face an unprecedented disaster in the upcoming decades. To help us tide through it, and to protect the foundation of the Crimson Desert, the presence had created three beasts: The Sword, the Shield, and the Hand."

 Chapter 351: Initiation into a Healer (6)

    "The Sword, the Shield, and the Hand?" The Chief frowned, gazing at the Guru as he recalled from his memories, "Your tattoo¡­"


    "Yes," The Guru nodded, "It was from the Beast denoted as the Hand."


    She slowly wore her turban back, speaking in a placid tone, "The Crimson Desert is a place fraught with danger. Only brave warriors can persevere here. The Hand Beast that arrived back then was powerful. Our three Clans rallied all our warriors, leaders, and the three Chiefs took the lead. And¡­"


    "We were annihilated," The Guru sighed, "Us three shamans broke our laws and joined the battle. My husband, the Namali Clan''s Chief used his life to deal the Hand Beast a vicious blow, plunging it towards death. But, it still retained a sliver of its life. It was when us shamans arrived at the scene."


    She watched the water in the brook flow past her finger, wetting the bandage on it. The dust in it was washed away as a thin stream of muddy water flowed past, "We picked up the swords from our fallen Clansmen and hacked at the Hand Beast, eventually killing it. But, I ended up as the sole survivor."


    She watched the stream turn clear again, retracting her finger, "When I killed it, the voice of the desert resounded in my mind once again, telling me the recipe to create the tattoo using the Hand Beast''s essence."


    "Only a shaman can inherit this tattoo. Never set foot into a Clan. Treat any injured you come across. Pass your experiences to your successor upon death. Never leak the recipe or the fact about the Crimson Desert''s presence to anyone." The Guru looked at the Chief, "These were the restrictions imposed on me by the Crimson Desert''s presence. Before vanishing, it told me the hidden conditions that I can use to evade the restrictions when in crisis."


    "And, that crisis is now? Is that how you can talk about it?" The Chief stared, expressing his doubt, unable to trust everything she had said without any proof.


    "I had talked about this to the Chief of Raga Clan before. But, he didn''t choose to deal with the crisis." The guru sighed in helplessness, seeing the behaviour of the Meka Clan Chief, "The Crimson Oath activated and he forgot everything after that."


    "So, I''ll forget this conversation had ever happened if I don''t deal with this so-called crisis?" The Chief said.


    "No," The Guru shook her head, "You''ve already chosen to deal with the crisis. So, you won''t forget this conversation."


    Seeing the Chief''s eyes widen in realisation, the Guru nodded, "The Shield Beast is actually a Sand-Weaving Scorpion. It should be the beast commanding all the other Sand-Weaving Scorpions."


    "The Hand Beast was only a single beast. It was the material for my tattoo with healing abilities that the Crimson Desert had prepared for us. But even that wiped out three Clans. The Shield Beast would be even more powerful. And finally, the Sword Beast would be the most threatening." The Guru said solemnly, "If we survive, we would obtain enough power to overcome the real disaster. But, if we fail to do so, then the Crimson Desert would be wholly annihilated. This is the Crimson Desert''s gamble on us, its trust in its capable warriors."


    "One way or the other, we would have to face against the Sand-Weaving Scorpions anyway. When the time comes, I''ll be able to verify your claims." The Chief said, turning around, intending to leave.


    "I''m afraid we don''t have the leisure for that." The Guru spoke, her words stopping him, "It seemed something had happened, so the Crimson Desert had preponed its plans. Tomorrow, the Shield Beast will attack the Meka Clan. A week later, the Sword Beast will make an appearance at the Harvest Oasis. If we don''t have a warrior with the Shield Beast''s tattoo, then it would be impossible to survive the onslaught of the Sword Beast."


    "Then, how many essences would the Shield and Sword Beast possess?" The Chief turned around, his expression serious, the air around him trembling under his stare.


    "The Hand Beast had two, the Shield Beast will have four, and the Sword Beast will have six." The Guru said, watching the Chief''s gaze become solemn, even suppressing his desire for the essences, "After seeing the dust fog while coming here, I feel that the number of Sand-Weaving Scorpions with more than one essence is high."


    "Alright, you''ve convinced me enough." The Chief loosened his shoulders, "Speak, what do you need. My previous statement holds true. The Meka Clan will satisfy your needs."


    "Currently, I and my Shishya possess the Hand Tattoo. Suppose we were to die, make sure you extract our hearts. The essence to remake the Hand Tattoos will be generated within. If you accept it, your Clan shaman would automatically know the tattoo recipe when the time comes." The Guru waved her hand, "If you refuse, you would forget this part of our conversation."


    "Fine, I''ll accept this." The Chief gazed into the Guru''s eyes, "So, the essences for the Hand Tattoos are maintained even after death?"


    "Yes," The Guru nodded, unflinching under his gaze, acting like she was just taking a walk, "It is the same for the Shield and Sword Tattoos too."


    "And, there is a condition you must know." Seeing the Chief stare in curiosity, the Guru spoke, her hoarse voice turning softer, "If the Meka Clan obtains the Shield Essence, only keep one portion and distribute the remaining three to other Clans. Also, suppose either me or my Shishya dies, promise me that the Meka Clan would extract our essences and bestow it to a shaman who would carry our fate of never belonging to any Clan."


    "Have you proposed this because I have two daughters¡­" The Chief muttered.


    "Yes," The Guru nodded, "Since the eldest will become the future shaman of your Clan, train the youngest for inheriting my legacy."


    "Fine," The Chief thought for a moment before deciding, "Anything else?"


    "There is," The Guru sighed, "In the future, don''t discuss anything related to this with me. I probably would forget everything thanks to the Crimson Oath. And by future, I mean the moment my Shishya awakens her tattoo."


    "So, she is a shaman too?" The Chief inquired.


    "She''s my daughter," The Guru smiled wryly, "But, once I inscribed the tattoo on her back, she forgot all memories related to the Namali Clan, including me. To be the Divya Vaidya, one must never have any attachment or bias to any Clan. Therefore, all related memories would be erased, only leaving the necessary memories and experiences behind. Such is the fate for everyone who would come to possess the Hand Tattoo."


    "Finally," The Guru let out a long breath, displaying her exhaustion, "Take my Shishya to your Clan shaman and make her watch the tattoo engraving process. It would rekindle her shaman-related memories. That is one of the conditions necessary to awaken her tattoo. Once her tattoo awakens, she would be bound by the Crimson Oath. Let her set foot into a Clan one last time."


    "Is it because my Meka Clan absorbed some of the Namali Clan''s foundation?" The Chief gazed at the sky, noticing that it was turning dim now.


    "Yes," The Guru nodded, "Once the battle against the Sand-Weaving Scorpions erupts, you have to¡­"


    After hearing everything the Guru had to say, the Chief gazed with a conflicted feeling, "Causing the death of the Divya Vaidya, no Crimson Desert warrior would be willing to witness that."


    "It''s because I know too much and am not fully bound by the Hand Tattoo''s restrictions." The Guru said, showing zero emotions towards her demise, "Once we leave this area, I''ll forget everything that had transpired till now. It should be easy to enact the plan."


    "Finally," The Guru patted the Chief''s shoulder, "As one of the strongest Chiefs in the Crimson Desert, I''ll leave its fate in your hands."


    "It''s my honour," The Chief knelt on the ground, watching the Guru''s eyes turn dim immediately. As the Guru mechanically exited the area and walked towards the Meka Clan, the Chief followed her, the proof before his eyes erasing all his doubts.


    He noticed faint red mist gush out from the sand and seep into the Guru, with her failing to detect its presence. There was a subtle change in her demeanour once the red mist disappeared, her presence falling below that of the Meka Clan''s shaman.


    "The Crimson Oath¡­" The Chief murmured, his gaze hardening. "The weight the Divya Vaidya had to carry with her all along."


    When the two returned, the Shishya was sitting on a rock and making circles on the sand, silent. Seeing the Guru, she relaxed, her tension moving past like the drifting dust cloud.


    "Guru, I saw the back of a figure made from white sand." Once the Chief left, the Shishya muttered, expressing her delight.


    "Good job," The Guru patted her head, "Now, head to the Meka Clan and watch their shaman in action. She would be inscribing the tattoo using the Fire-Tailed Snail''s essence on a warrior."


    "But¡­the¡­oath¡­" The Shishya was shocked, confused by the strange instruction.


    "It is only valid once you activate your tattoo. Besides, this is one of the conditions necessary to activate your tattoo. Now go." The Guru patted her back, watching the leader arrive with a warrior, the one that would guide the Shishya in the Meka Clan.


    "Alright," The Shishya muttered in excitement, nodding with respect at the warrior before accompanying him to the Meka Clan. The entrance rumbled as it opened, allowing their entry.


    The Guru slumped on the rock, looking at the billowing sand in the desert, heaving a long sigh, "I shouldn''t drown in the world I have created. 100 percent realism is dangerous indeed."

 Chapter 352: Initiation into a Healer (7)

    The entrance rumbled, moving to the back, creating a dust cloud along its wake. It created a wide enough gap along its sides for them to walk through. Following the warrior''s lead, the Shishya stepped foot into the Meka Clan, gawking in surprise at the picturesque scenery inside.


    A high ground made from rocks, as if cut from a hill; rows and rows of houses on both sides, rock pillars with roofs of sheep and goatskin. A path of sand lay between them, wide enough for ten people to walk side by side.


    A wide area of land lay vacant before them, adorned with rock pillars, made into towers over which two warriors stood each, keeping watch. Such towers were placed at various locations, to keep watch of the Clan''s safety.


    "We kept this area vacant because this is where we assemble our troops while planning to head for an expedition." The warrior said, "This is also because we need enough attack range in the off chance our defences are breached. These towers will help us defend in such times."


    The warrior explained in detail, leaving nothing hidden. It was because of his Chief''s orders. He was first confused as to why his Chief would order something strange like this. After all, leaking the layout of their Clan would leave them vulnerable to future attacks.


    But, the moment the Chief said it was a condition to create another Divya Vaidya, the warrior became enthusiastic. He was more than happy to take the lead, almost tearing up at the honour of being the cause that would awaken the future Divya Vaidya.


    The warrior patted a nearby tower, "All of this is obtained from the rock pillar domain to the north of our Clan. For some reason, even if we cut off a rock pillar, it regrows back within 4-5 years. So, we use it for everything here. It is also our prime export to the other Clans."


    "Depending on the size and shape, the price of the rock pillar varies." He retracted his hand from the tower, "This one, in particular, would cost 70 sheep had we sold it to other Clans."


    They then arrived before a circular building that spanned a height of two grown men and occupied a large area. The building was fully made from stone, with rock pillars carved into symmetrical pieces and lined next to one another. The warrior pointed from the entrance, "This is where we rear our sheep. To avoid such a large structure from moving due to the wind or usage, we had to lay large rock structures in the ground and make holes through which these rock pillars were slid into."


    "This way, they would have a solid foundation and wouldn''t move and damage each other," The warrior said with a proud tone, "It was our shaman who created such an ingenious method to use this. After this, we used the same method to upgrade most of the buildings in the inner Clan area."


    "As for the outer Clan area, we are still upgrading them." The warrior said as they passed by an area similar to an arena. It was a concave area filled with sand, the edges surrounded by stones high enough to act as chairs. Wrestling within were two warriors, engaging in unarmed combat.


    They were primarily practicing grappling techniques, trying to throw their opponents to the ground. The warriors were both strong and flexible, their fights looking like a dance. Two torches blazed on either end of the arena, standing around were a couple of onlookers, cheering and commenting for their respecting friends.


    Once they were satisfied with their brawl, the warriors each arrived before the torches, clapping their hands into the fire blazing above, repeating it thrice. They then rubbed their hands into the sand before picking up the torch.


    It was a short spear, its end tied up with a cloth, shaped into a bun, dipped into oil, and set on fire. The two warriors moved their spears, the flames sparking while specks shaped like leaves danced along their wake, disappearing after a second.


    It was a beautiful scene as the warriors clashed with the spears next. Each strike created a flurry of flame specks that danged around. The human bodies danced accordingly, their actions stirring up the wind and affecting the flame specks, creating many formations in the air.


    "Amazing," The Shishya commented, gently clapping, unwilling to disturb their fight with her clap but still wished to show her appreciation. The warrior who guided her was slightly stunned upon hearing a voice that was borderline feminine. But after a second, he didn''t seem bothered, assuming the other party''s voice was like that.


    ''Maybe that''s why he rarely speaks.''


    The two then proceeded to different locations in the Clan, with the warrior explaining everything enthusiastically. Some Clansmen were curious of his actions, immediately inquiring the warrior. To them, the warrior repeated the same line over and over again with a prideful tone, easily convincing them.


    "The Chief ordered me. It is to help awaken the next Divya Vaidya." He also ensured his voice wouldn''t be heard by the Shishya when he spoke of this line. After all, the Chief also informed him to be careful about the matter.


    When they passed by a narrow entrance, they heard the sounds of hammer striking metal. The warrior smiled, "This is where our weapons are forged. We have to trade twenty sheep to obtain a person''s worth of metal."


    He then pointed through the entrance, "It would be dangerous to head inside since work is proceeding at full swing. But you can take a look from here."


    The Shishya looked through the entrance, noticing women wearing half-sleeved shirts pick up giant hammers and slam them repeatedly on a sword. Their arms were toned, looking no inferior to the warriors battling outside, each of their strikes resounding like thunder.


    They tied a piece of leather stuffed with sand around their ears to guard against the sound. Even when sparks flew from the hitting of their hammer against the sword and fell on them, they didn''t seem to mind, continuing to hammer away at it.


    After they finished hammering it, they put it in the oven, heating the metal. The ones that had been hammering took a small break until the metal turned hot once again. Having seen enough, the Shishya felt it a bit difficult to bear the heat wafting out from the forge, taking a step back, intending to proceed to another place.


    But, after taking a step back, she turned around and noticed that the warrior was looking at the forge in a trance, his face flushed, seemingly admiring their working figures. The Shishya poked his shoulder a couple of times before he gathered his bearings, letting out a wry laugh as he led the way to the next place.


    A warrior was wielding a blunt weapon, teaching the kids the ways to fight. He stood in a stance, making the students draw his figure on the sand. After remaining in the same pose for ten breaths, he changed to its successive stance, allowing them to draw it again.


    The children only drew a stick figure of him. But, it was easy to memorise his stances in such a way. After finishing three stances, the warrior made the students assume the first stance themselves. They were boys who had only been able to walk for more than a year.


    Adjacent to them were slightly older boys, the warrior in charge of them taught slightly stronger stances. They proceeded towards the left progressively in age.


    Towards the right along the path they took was a lady, teaching the students about washing clothes. They were all girls. The class next to them consisted of pottery, the one after that was forging, so on and so forth. They consisted of various fields, a stark contrast to the boys who only studied about fighting.


    As they passed the school, the warrior looked at the kids that were working hard, his tone turning gentle, "Thanks to the blessings of the Crimson Desert, we had a lot of successful births this year, causing our Clansmen to cross 8,000."


    "My Guru said that very few Clans have more than 5,000 Clansmen. Even the great Pakshi Clan from the Harvest Oasis only has around 12,000 Clansmen." The Shishya said.


    "Haha," The warrior laughed, "Under the leadership of our Chief, the Meka Clan too would become as great as the Pakshi Clan."


    He then pointed to the front, "We have arrived at the inner Clan area."


    There was an elevated platform, stretching over a wide area, spanning half the height of a grown man. It was fully uniform, the surface carefully carved and smoothened to prevent any non-uniformity.


    There was no sand from that point onwards. Rock houses were built upon that, arranged circularly, with only four entrances, positioned along the four directions. The houses themselves acted as another wall.


    The Shishya followed the warrior''s lead, scaling the few steps before entering the inner Clan area, walking amidst the walls of two houses. The path was only wide enough for four men to walk side by side.


    The houses were duplexes, each larger than ten houses from the outer Clan area combined. Once they crossed the house, they noticed that the houses formed a ring, acting as the wall of the inner Clan area. Moreover, they were the only houses there.


    "Most of the children between 8 and 15 years of age live in these houses. They would be playing in this area most of the day, apart from studying." The warrior pointed at the large vacant area that lay in the ring formed by the houses. "There are none here, at the moment, since they are still in school."


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 Chapter 353: Initiation into a Healer (8)

    At the centre stood a massive tower, a dozen times the height of a grown man. It was tall, overlooking everything within and beyond the Meka Clan. The warrior pointed at it with a smile, "This is our destination. Our Clan shaman is waiting for you inside."


    The tower had arms on it, positioned around half its height, like bridges that extended to the houses around it, casting a net. They were arched in such a way that their weight would be fully borne by the pillars that formed the houses. Moreover, it created a path for people to traverse, from the central tower to the terrace of the houses.


    As the terraces of all the houses were connected, it created a cohesive ring that acted as a fortress of sorts, easy to defend but hard to conquer. And, the height of the houses wasn''t impossible for the warriors to jump from, since the landing area outside was made from sand, cushioning their fall.


    So, it allowed them the advantage of terrain and mobility, able to be deployed anywhere at the fastest pace. More than that was the design of the paths from the central tower to the houses, they were thick rocks, the numerous segments in them connected to their successive counterparts like pieces of puzzles.


    Seeing them, the heart of the Shishya began to thump, the desire to learn the mechanics behind their structure enveloping her. She wished to know how they were balanced as such without any pillars to support their weight in the long path. She was curious as to how the heavy segments of the rocks in the bridges were connected and prevented from collapsing despite there being no traces of adhesive units added into them.


    "Indeed, engineering is the most awesome." The Shishya marvelled.


    "Engineering? What''s that?" The Warrior was confused, hearing a foreign term.


    "Engineering? What is it? Did I say that?" The Shishya stuttered, feeling confused. She felt a mild pain in her head as she tried to recall the reason, her mind turning vacant immediately. She then shook her head, "I guess I was just blabbering from being tired."


    "Uh," The warrior let out a couple of awkward laughs before leading her towards the central tower. The central tower wasn''t just tall, it was also wide. Moreover, it was cylindrically structured, with parts of its being vacant, only sporting support pillars.


    They passed through the entrance, greeting the scene of a cave. Boulders were scattered around it, similar to the rock pillars in the rock pillar domain. The Shishya gazed up, able to see the ceiling of the tower.


    Stairs were laid along the inner edges of the tower, forming a helical structure that traversed from the ground to the top. One half of the tower was vacant, the only thing running through it was the stairs. The other half was segmented into floors, their entrances open.


    Just when they were planning to head to the stairs, followed by clacking sounds, a massive hooved beast jumped from an upper floor, landing on the ground. It looked at the warrior, gushing out a misty breath from its nose. It reached a height twice a grown man''s, its bulky frame imbuing in it an imposing presence.


    Its horns curved atop its head, the tips pointing horizontally forward, shielding the face from all sides while also allowing it a means of attack. The hooved beast looked at the Shishya, staring at her in alarm, refusing to budge from its spot. Its eyes darted to the warrior, questioning him through its gaze the reason for the arrival of a third party in the central tower.


    The warrior made a respectful bow, "This person is the Shishya of the Divya Vaidya. The Chief asked me to bring him to our shaman."


    The hooved beast looked at the Shishya in turn, the gust of air it released from its breath ruffling her clothes. It turned around and headed into the cave, no longer bothered about the Shishya''s presence.


    The warrior looked at the cave, watching the hooved beast''s horn peak out the cave''s entrance, letting out a wry smile as sweat covered his forehead. He then motioned for the Shishya to follow him as he scaled the steps.


    The warrior spoke in a hushed tone, "That is the Helical-Horned Goat, our Clan''s guardian beast. Once every 8 years, it would give birth to two babies, one male, and one female, dying soon after that. The babies would grow and mature after 6 years, mating soon after."


    He controlled his voice while gazing at the cave below, ensuring his echoing voice wouldn''t be audible to the hooved beast, "After mating, once the mother conceives, the father transfers his lifeforce into it and dies. Two years later, the mother gives birth to two babies and dies, repeating the cycle."


    "After they die, we retrieve the essence in their heart to make our Clan''s signature tattoo." The Warrior smiled, "They are the reason behind our Clan''s name. Every 8 years, we produce two leaders."


    "Are all guardian beasts like this?" The Shishya felt a mild headache, feeling that she was on the cusp of remembering something. But no matter how much she tried, she couldn''t recall any information, hence posing the question.


    "Yes," The warrior nodded, "But their cycle differs. Our guardian beast has one of the fastest cycles. Only the Pakshi Clan''s guardian beast has a shorter cycle, only needing 6 years."


    "Can''t you capture some beasts from the deserts and rear them for the same? Wouldn''t more guardian beasts significantly boost the strength of your Clan?" The Shishya inquired.


    Having heard from the Chief that the Shishya was suffering from memory issues due to an attack from a beast, the warrior wasn''t troubled, patiently explaining, "Beasts are aggressive and can be never tamed. As for the guardian beasts, they are territorial, guarding a territory since ages. While basing our Clans around them, we come into a mutual oath to respect and protect each other. We provide all the guardian beast''s needs while they provide their essence after death. We also collectively protect our territory from harm."


    "The guardian beast is a clan''s primary foundation." The warrior continued to climb up the stairs. The helical staircase proceeded from the open half of the tower into the closed half, continuing past a corridor that led into a room.


    There was a distinct feature about the tower. The open half was fully enclosed by the tower walls, while the solid half only retained pillars, lacking any walls. It made all the rooms open to the elements. The Shishya was unable to determine the reason for their arrangement, inquiring the warrior about it.


    "I''m unsure myself," The warrior shook his head, "It was what our shaman had planned. Other than her, only the Chief knows the reason for this tower''s unique design."


    They soon arrived at the floor below the topmost floor as the Shishya gazed at the body parts of the Fire-Tailed Snail segregated into many containers. Many ladies worked about in the area, processing the useful parts, making weapons, medicines, etc.


    "The corpse of a beast has many uses," The warrior explained as they proceeded towards the topmost floor, "The shell of the Fire-Tailed Snail can be made into the toughest of shields. Its eyeballs become gems that glitter in the night. Just one is enough to light up this entire tower. Its bones purify the water they are immersed in. We are planning to soon put them in our oasis. Once we do that, we won''t have to fear about diseases for at least the next 20 years."


    He arrived at the topmost floor, immediately putting on the most respectful posture, "Its blood is resistant to fires. So, we plan on diluting it before coating it on the inner Clan area. Finally, each of its internal organs has a variety of medicinal properties, with some of them even capable of permanently improving our constitution."


    "Are there any famous warriors who became tremendously powerful like that?" The Shishya inquired, stepping foot on the topmost floor.


    "Our Chief is the best example. Everyone in the Crimson Desert knows this," The warrior said with pride, "When he was young, our Chief had hunted a Conch-Bellied Turtle and consumed all its internal organs. They imbued diving strength and defence in him. Normal weapons can barely scratch his skin while his fists can easily make dents on the rock pillars."


    The warrior boasted, "That, and the reason he could activate his tattoo 6 times made him one of the four strongest Chiefs in the Crimson Desert. Each of them is revered with a direction; our Chief is revered with the nickname, Southern Blade."


    The warrior then stood before an entrance, lacking any door, gazing at large vats arranged around the edges. Many women walked to and fro, picking up items from each vat before placing them on a stone table.


    Placed at the centre was a stone slab, raised to the height of their hip. Lying on it was a warrior, his back facing up. Standing next to him was a lady, her face adorned with ring-shaped tattoos, glistening with the same radiance as the ambient light, varying accordingly with time.


    Her eyes were purple, suffused with a black hue that sucked a person''s focus. Two large bangle-shaped earrings hung from her earlobes, almost reaching her shoulder while the ring pierced in her nose bordered her lips. The nose ring was aerodynamically shaped, moving up and down with respect to her breathing, gently touching her lips at the end of each breathing cycle.


    Worn on her hands were bangles, made from the ribcage of a mysterious beast, dangling while it produced a sonorous sound every time she moved her hand. She was the Chief''s wife, the Meka Clan''s shaman.


    The shaman looked at the warrior, gazing at the Shishya behind him, waving her hand once. The warrior bowed and left the area, quickly descending the stairs now that his job had been completed. The Shishya audibly gulped and took a step in, looking at everything around her, feeling they were strangely familiar but unfamiliar at the same time.


    A ringing sound echoed in her ears while a strange presence condensed in her.


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 Chapter 354: Initiation into a Healer (9)

    The ringing sound increased in intensity, echoing in the Shishya''s mind, causing her vision to spin. She took a step into the room when the ringing sound disappeared, the scent of herbs giving her mental clarity.


    The Shishya then heard the sounds of bangles jingling as she saw the shaman beckon for her to come closer. Each action of the shaman was suffused with grace and authority, something only birthed in beings who stood in power for decades since birth.


    All the women moving about in the room finished their tasks, placing many ingredients in a vat that they placed next to the shaman. They then bored holes into its lid, placing another smaller vat above, the lids of the two facing each other. Once they were done, the shaman waved her hand, motioning for them to leave. The women bowed and left.


    The ingredients had been mashed into a pulp, their extract floating at the top. Placed within the smaller vat was the heart of the Fire-Tailed Snail, soaked in its blood, filled to the brim.


    "Shamans don''t possess a tattoo of their own, but they are imbued with a certain spiritual power that allows them to manipulate the essence in nature. Using this spiritual power, we extract the essence from many materials and form a recipe while mixing it with a beast''s essence." The shaman moved her hand, picking up a needle that she measured the rigidity of.


    She flicked its end once, piercing it into the smaller vat, watching a thin stream of blood gush out. She moved her hand upward, causing the spurting blood to trail along her action, curving upwards before forming into a lump.


    The lump condensed into a sphere, shrinking in size before entering the bigger vat through one of the holes on its lid, sinking into the contents within. The moment it entered, the contents dissolved it, absorbing it into them, turning hotter before shimmering.


    Bubbles escaped from the sudden heat while all the gravy and crushed remains began to break down under the heat, either evaporating or dissolving into the fluid. The vapour that exited from the holes on the vat were condensed into a sphere under the shaman''s manipulation, forming a needle that pierced through the smaller vat, mixing with the blood inside.


    The sounds of a beating heart immediately resounded, loud enough to overwhelm their hearing. The Shishya''s heart thumped in response to the sound, synchronising with every passing beat, soon thumping in unison.


    A faint link seemed to have been established, causing the Shishya to feel something from within. The image of a beating heart appeared in her mind, thumping while releasing a faint mist into the surroundings, one that was similar to steam.


    The Shishya fell into a daze when the shaman snapped her finger, the sound breaking the flow, pulling the Shishya out of it. She then noticed that their heartbeats were no longer in sync. "The essence of the beast is its lifeforce, will, emotions, power, and the experience it had accumulated through life. If left alone, the essence will birth another Fire-Tailed Snail after a couple of days."


    As condensed spheres of blood entered the bigger vat, the temperature in it began to steadily increase, turning all the contents into vapour. When the vapour escaped from the holes on the lid, the shaman condensed them into needles, drilling them through the smaller vat before piercing the heart within.


    The heart began to melt under the heat, condensing into a membrane under the shaman''s manipulation, trapping the heat within. The heart swiftly melted, displaying the blood-red essence inside. It was alive, looking like a creature that existed in a liquid state, formless, like water.


    Soon, the bigger vat was emptied of its contents, the resultant heat cracking its surface, causing it to shatter after a couple of breaths. The moment it shattered, the smaller vat fell, crashing on the ground before breaking into pieces under the impact.


    What bounced out from within was a jelly-like ball, the size of her head. As she willed, the ball bounced once before landing upon her palm. The shaman handed it to the Shishya, "Touch it and see what you can feel."


    The Shishya held the ball, feeling that it was squishy under the touch, seeming fragile. She closed her eyes, an instinct of sorts guiding her actions as she tried to perceive it by blocking her five senses.


    "What do you see?" The shaman said, dipping a needle in a solution before poking the back of the warrior lying on the stone slab, her actions swift. She poked him more than 20 times in a single breath, watching the warrior leak out a couple of grunts before falling unconscious.


    "¡­A Flame¡­" The Shishya muttered, witnessing her surroundings turn dark, devoid of anything. A faint wisp appeared before her, burning like a candle flame, looking easy to be extinguished. Hidden within the candle flame was a tiny presence, of a shelled beast curling up on the sand, shrivelling in fear.


    Every time the candle flame flickered, it shuddered in fright, its tear-struck voice unable to obtain any help. The shelled beast''s tail was connected to the candle wick, thinning as time passed, losing its substance. Suddenly, pale blue light filled the surroundings as a pair of hands manifested.


    They belonged to a newborn baby''s, gently shielding the candle flame from being snuffed out. Under its protection, the candle flame regained stability, burning a notch brighter. The shelled beast within let out cheerful sounds, slightly growing inside, the pattern on its shell increasing from a single circle to two concentric circles.


    The hands then retreated and touched the cheeks of the Shishya, transferring the warmth before disappearing.


    "¡­Warm," The Shishya muttered, realising that she was back to reality. She then noticed that the ball in her hand contained a tiny wisp, a candle flame inside it, and sleeping peacefully within it was the same shelled beast.


    "Its essence was condensed to possess a spirituality of its own," The shaman stared in surprise, "Even the Chief''s didn''t contain such spirituality. Only after he had developed his tattoo to be activatable six times did he develop its spirituality to this extent."


    She patted the shoulder of the unconscious warrior, "You have lucked out, child."


    She curled her index finger, recalling the ball, placing it on the stone slab beside the warrior. She picked up a needle and said to the Shishya in seriousness, "Now, stay at the side and don''t disturb me. Like you had sensed the essence before, try to sense this process in the same manner."


    Something instinctively compelled the Shishya to nod and move to the side. She then watched the shaman poke the ball with her needle before pulling it out, the contact minimal. Faintly coated on its tip was the essence in the ball.


    The shaman poked the needle on the warrior''s nape, the contact minimal to the extent of not drawing any blood. She inserted the needle into the ball again before poking the warrior, at a spot left to the previous one, the miniature holes created by the two actions touching each other''s ends.


    One after another, the shaman repeated the process, careful in her actions, showing expert dexterity, a result of decades worth of repeat. She was fully focused, unaware of everything else aside from her task.


    The Shishya closed her eyes, trying to sense like before. Her surroundings turned dark; she noticed three presences before her. One was shaped into a man, one was a ball, and the other was a needle.


    The needle seemed to extend into infinity, her senses unable to grasp its full extent. The ball burned; it was the candle flame she had seen before. It was the same as before, but more condensed, a solid fire that was also plasma at the same time. It churned something concerning the aspect of life within it.


    The man, on the other hand, was like a solid block of rock, with flowing water circulating within, an expansion and contraction at the chest area that pulled in and out the ether in the air. The ether was the darkness she had sensed around her before.


    The needle was like water, capable of dissolving everything it came into contact with. It was solid, retaining part of the flames on its tip when poked into the ball. When the needle poked at the back of the man, the flamed were infused into the pierced point, along with part of the water making up the needle tip.


    ''The presence of the ball is taken, shaped by the presence in the needle, and carried by it before infusing it into the man.'' The Shishya felt the thought resound in her mind, watching the scene as something was on the verge of sparking within her.


    The needle continued to poke into the man''s back in fixed intervals, quick to prevent any delays or rejections, but slow enough to allow the imbued presence to adapt and grow. Sparks of the flames were present in each of the poked places, joining with each other as they guided the flames, creating a path in the man, influencing his composition, his very presence.


    "With gradual addition, using a formation while understanding the layout of the target, the individual, and the land, a qualitative effect is achieved, birthing evolution." The voice of a youth, seemingly in his teens echoed in her mind, resounding with her psyche.


    The ringing sounds resounded in her mind once again as something churned within her, causing a subtle change in her presence, absorbing all the knowledge she had perceived, storing them as a trove in her muscle memory.


    "Aura¡­Induce¡­Evolution." The Shishya''s eyes regained clarity, waking up to see the shaman had finished engraving the tattoo.


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 Chapter 355: Initiation into a Healer (10)

    The scene of a hand poking a needle into a small ball before poking it into the back of a man, the scene of a pair of hands kneading some herbs to make a salve, the scene of a goatskin hung on the walls, containing some tattoo designs, etc. rushed into her head. The Shishya grunted in pain, her eyes turning red while her legs lost their balance.


    What she had just witnessed, the scene of the presence in the ball being imbued in the man by the shaman step by step, before using up all the contents in it while greatly changing the presence of the man; this scene surfaced, forming the dominant portion of the scenes, acting as a conductor for the remainder to drill into her mind.


    Knowledge, experiences, insights that she hadn''t come across, all drilled into her mind, settling within her subconscious, as if they were memories she had honed through all her life. The voice of the teenager echoed in her mind once again, disjointed, like a being separated from reality.


    "Imbuing the presence of a foreign entity in another being, making it carry it its whole life. The presence of the world, in the presence of an individual, such in this art. Aura Induction!"


    The Shishya fainted, sprawled on the floor as her body shook, spasming from the information influx. The shaman looked at the scene with a frown, watching red mist gush out of the floor before seeping into the Shishya''s head.


    "The presence of the Crimson Desert." She crouched before the Shishya, muttering the term that popped up in her head. The process spanned for 30 breaths before disappearing. Until then, the shaman watched everything without interrupting.


    She then picked up the Shishya, watching her turban fall off, revealing her feminine features. The shaman frowned, placing the Shishya on a nearby table as she touched a couple of areas, "I see, so only a shaman can be the Divya Vaidya. Everything makes sense now."


    She picked up a needle and pierced it into the neck of the warrior on the stone slab, extending the duration of his unconsciousness. She picked up the turban from the ground and carefully covered the Shishya''s head with it, in the same manner, she had worn before.


    She patted the Shishya''s head a couple of times, sighing once before looking into the open section of the wall, gazing at the vastness beyond. Beyond the tower was an empty area, bordering which were the houses. They were slightly bigger than the ones on the front side of the inner Clan area.


    Beyond the houses was a vast pasture, an odd scene in the desert. The pasture was the same size as their Clan area, covered by cactus of various size. Some had grown large enough to resemble buildings, forming roofing structures underneath which grew leafed plants.


    These plants were precious herbs, those that were valued beyond their weight. They grew in the shade, the protected environment created by the cactuses maintaining their moisture levels in the dry desert land.


    The cactuses seemed to have been naturally shaped in such a way to foster the growth of the herbs. But on a careful look, the faeces of the hooved beast would be apparent, a sign that the Meka Clan''s guardian beast was the one responsible for growing them.


    At the centre of the pasture was a massive pond, its water sparkling clear. Cactuses had grown to roof the entire pond, with some of them forming pillars of support along the wide area. They fully housed the pond, only leaving a narrow entrance for entry and exit.


    A small grassland existed in the pond, with a pathway connecting to the entrance; it was fully roofed by the cactuses. The hooved beast from before arrived at the area before sleeping peacefully, enjoying the silent atmosphere. Currently roaming in the pasture were sheep and goats, manned by some Meka Clansmen.


    Beyond that was a massive wall, taller than the height of five grown men combined. Situated next to it were towers surpassing its height, two Clansmen stood atop each, surveying the area in alertness. Beyond the walls was the rock pillar domain, extending beyond the eyes could see.


    "Our Meka Clan exists in an advantageous location. As long as we preserve our foundation, we would grow to surpass the Pakshi Clan soon." The shaman muttered, turning around before gazing at a massive goatskin hanging on a pillar.


    The goatskin was framed into the rock pillar, its surface covered by a certain oil to prevent damage from the elements. It was longer than the shaman, extending to twice her height. Inscribed in it were various tattoos, shaped into the heads of various beasts. Inscribed into the centre was a tattoo of the hooved beast''s head, their Clan''s guardian beast.


    The shaman gazed at in a daze, murmuring after a while, "I have passed on your life''s research to him, mother. I hope he''ll become someone worthy of using it."


    "He will, Ancestor Strongest said it personally. That is one of the reasons I am imparting it to him." Red mist seeped out of the ground and condensed into the figure of Vaika.


    The shaman nodded, turning silent for a couple of seconds before saying, "Mom, I''m bored. Send me to the Pakshi Clan, I want to play with brother. I''ve already finished fine-tuning this area."


    "Alright," Vaika waved her hand, separating a presence from the shaman before sending it flying north. She then crumbled into red mist and seeped into the floor. The shaman''s body staggered for a couple of steps before regaining stability, her eyes clearing up as she looked at the goatskin before her, "Strange, I seemed to have been thinking something just now. What was it?"


    She then looked at the Shishya, "Only a shaman can become a Divya Vaidya. So, that was why the Chief asked me to train our youngest daughter too in the shamanic ways."


    She arrived before the stone slab, massaging a couple of back muscles on the man, tapping his neck once to see he had gained consciousness. The warrior shook his head and oriented himself into a seated pose, sensing the changes in his body.


    "Go, the other leaders will help you get used to your tattoo," The shaman said, pointing at the Shishya, "Thanks to the Divya Vaidya''s Shishya, your tattoo has its own spirituality now. You have to express this gratitude for as long as you live."


    The warrior''s face beamed in uncontrollable happiness, tearing up as he bowed towards the unconscious Shishya, crouching as his head touched the floor, "As long as I live, I would be grateful to the Divya Vaidya''s Shishya."


    "Alright, you may leave now." The shaman waved her hands as the warrior bowed towards her and left the place. The moment he left, a stream of women filled the area, cleaning up the place. Just in time, the Shishya''s eyes flickered as she regained clarity of mind, becoming conscious of herself.


    ¡­


    A full moon shone brightly in the night sky. A crescent moon was situated on either side, their curved ends facing away from the full moon. The light they emitted brightened the Crimson Desert, slightly warming up the chillness of the desert night.


    The sands absorbed the moonlight and radiated with a faint red hue, causing a traveller in the night to experience a surge in bloodlust. As the various beasts and animals exited the sands in the night, the red hue made them engage in slaughter.


    A large caravan was proceeding forth through the sands, the sounds of their marching scaring away all the wild animals. Even the couple of beasts fighting far away turned tail and burrowed into the sand, watching in fear as the caravan passed by.


    Horses marched at the front, seated on their backs were warriors, each containing a powerful presence. In the middle of the caravan was a massive carriage, its bottom sporting smooth slides that allowed it to glide on the sand. Pulling them were animals that were a mixture of a camel and a horse, possessing the gifts of both in their massive bodies.


    They pulled the carriage and kept pace with the horses at the front. The interior of the carriage was laden with goatskin, carpeted to provide comfortable cushioning. The scent of milk filled the air as a man of massive stature sat cross-legged on one end, drinking a vat of milk.


    He was bald, his upper body bare, wearing only short trousers made from beast skin on his lower half. Worn on his lower jaw, as if stitched into them was the jawbone of a clawed beast. He was the Mosali Clan''s Chief. Placed before him was a tiny table, only spanning half a hand''s height. Laid above it was a map, marking the various territories in their area.


    "There are only five Clans of prominence in our southern part of the Crimson Desert. For the Meka Clan''s Chief to summon all of us in such short notice, there should be something serious going on." The Mosali Clan Chief looked at his front, "What are your thoughts on it, Raga Clan Chief?"


    The Raga Clan Chief peered outside the carriage, gazing at the rocks strewn about in the desert, their numbers increasing as time passed, "The Meka Clan Chief is not one to overestimate any situation. There must be a definite reason for his summons."


    He then frowned, "Besides, I have a gut feeling¡­"


    "A gut feeling?" The Mosali Clan Chief frowned.


    "Yes," The Raga Clan Chief sighed, "I feel like I had once come to know something important but forgot it due to a rash decision. I can''t point it, but I feel the reason is tied to the Meka Clan Chief''s summons."


    "The Divya Vaidya is also at the Meka Clan now." The Mosali Clan Chief muttered, "The timing doesn''t feel like a coincidence."


    ------------------------


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    ------------------------

 Chapter 356: Initiation into a Healer (11)

    Warriors clamoured, shouting in groups as they dragged large rock pillars across the sand, erecting it in various spots. Some were placed next to the rocks that already adorned the area while the others were scattered all over the place.


    Preparations were being conducted in the area to the front of the Meka Clan. Warriors focused on their battle positions, setting up camp, erecting defensive structures, etc. It was bustling with activity.


    A small tent was set up on a massive rock pillar that was fixed thirty paces from the Meka Clan''s entrance. The rock pillar was the tallest in the region, spanning a height of 10 grown men. It was something the Meka Clan had been saving up for emergencies and had brought to use. Thanks to the loose soil that covered the desert, it was easy for them to drag the heavy rock pillars and erect them wherever necessary.


    The tent was hoisted by a central pillar, the roof made from goatskin, hungover like an umbrella. It was open on all sides, presenting a clear view of the surroundings from the high vantage point. Laid around in a circle were five stones, acting as a stool.


    Seated on them were five people of massive statures, each as imposing as the other. Seated among them, the one with the largest stature and possessing imposing might exceeding everyone, and wearing the skull of a goat on his head, with its horns aligning with his jawline was the Meka Clan Chief.


    He looked at the other four seated before him, starting from his left, "The Mosali Clan Chief, the Raga Clan Chief, the Odatha Clan Chief, and the Kaki Clan Chief, thank you for coming at such short notice."


    As everyone nodded, the Meka Clan Chief looked below, gazing at the figure of the Divya Vaidya standing on a rock platform, her hands in a position of prayer, having not moved an inch all night. Flickers of pale blue light flashed next to her from time to time while she seemed to have thinned considerably. The Shishya stood near the rock platform, gazing at the Divya Vaidya in concern.


    Just when the Meka Clan Chief was thinking about his conversation with the Divya Vaidya, a leader from the Meka Clan arrived before the tent, making a prompt bow before relaying the news, "The Sand-Weaving Scorpions have been sighted approaching our land. A team of warriors on horseback are leading them through the planned route. Nothing unusual has happened for now."


    "Good, proceed as planned." The Meka Clan Chief nodded, sending the leader away as he stood up, feeling a bit relieved. He was afraid the Sand-Weaving Scorpions would attack their clan through the rock pillar domain or through an area where their defences were the minimum. It would render all their preparations useless.


    That was why he had dispatched a team of warriors that would lead the group of Sand-Weaving Scorpions towards their front, to the place where they had erected many means of defence. On hearing that they were successfully lured towards their battlefield, he felt half of his concerns were lifted.


    Having an advantageous battlefield meant they had already won half the battle. The rest depended on their performance. The Meka Clan Chief looked at the other Chiefs, "Kaki Clan Chief, please stay here and target the Shield Beast when it appears."


    The Kaki Clan Chief nodded, curling his index and thumb fingers, inserting them into his mouth before blowing hard, creating a whistling sound. Immediately, a couple of leaders from the Kaki Clan ran up the rock pillar, kneeling once they arrived before the tent.


    "They are both leaders who could activate their tattoo four times. They would be supporting me here." The Kaki Clan Chief said. "As for the remaining warriors and leaders from my clan, I''ll leave them in your hands, Meka Clan Chief."


    "Thank you," The Meka Clan Chief said and began to descend, accompanied by the remaining three Chiefs. They spotted a massive dust storm approaching them from far away, the size greater than what the leader from the Meka Clan had witnessed the day before.


    "There should be at least 40 of them inside," The Mosali Clan Chief cursed, his expression a scowl. He carried a massive hammer, the head of which was shaped into a spike, with its other side shaped into an axe. He slowly walked, each of his steps causing the sand around him to spill, "This will be a tough fight."


    "Indeed," The Raga Clan Chief nodded, carrying a spear thrice his height, his footsteps light, hardly leaving any traces behind. He looked at the dust cloud that was drawing near, "I wonder how strong the Shield Beast would be."


    "I''ll face it head-on while the rest of you support me," The Meka Clan Chief said, resting the blunt edge of a scimitar on his shoulder, the blade of which spanned his height. It was as wide as his head, a hulking weapon of iron. The handle was made from bone, and coiled by leather straps, increasing his grip. Embedded at the centre of the handle was the miniature skull of their Clan''s guardian beast¡ªthe Helical-Horned Goat.


    "We have to disrupt their collective strength first," The Odatha Clan Chief said, carrying a sword in each hand, worn on his back was an array of swords, ranging from daggers to long swords.


    Seeing the figures of the warriors on horseback¡ªriding before the dust cloud¡ªbecome clear, the Meka Clan Chief took in a deep breath, "All warriors, enter battle positions."


    The clamour of activity behind them immediately died down, the warriors from the five clans took up positions. Each of them held a weapon of their own, while some teams were huddled behind the rock pillars they had erected around, holding nets weaved from beast tendons.


    Each Clan had brought out all of their accumulations, going all-out in this battle. Barring the few left behind to defend their territories, all the remaining warriors and leaders from the four Clans had arrived at the Meka Clan.


    The warriors held their breath, calming their thumping hearts as they peeked from behind the rock pillars, peering to watch the dust cloud approach them. They gulped at the scene, watching the dust cloud seem akin to a monster of sand that devoured everything in its path. At the front of their battle positions stood the four Chiefs, their valiant backs reassuring the warriors.


    Each Chief was able to activate his tattoo five times, while the Meka Clan Chief had pinnacle battle strength and could activate his tattoo six times. Moreover, his tattoo had a spirituality of its own, further increasing his strength.


    The Meka Clan Chief whistled; the sound travelled everywhere, reaching the ears of the warriors on horsebacks. Immediately, the group of horses split in two directions, allowing a clear line of sight of the dust cloud behind.


    The horses made a wide arc before turning towards their encampment, intending to return after the dust cloud. The dust cloud passed through in the middle, speeding up towards the Meka Clan now that it was in sight. It was like a horizontal tornado, the winds circulating from bottom to top as they sped forward.


    It generated a lot of momentum, the beasts that were the cause unable to be determined from the intensity of the generated dust cloud. The sand underneath the warriors faintly trembled, displaying the power of the approaching sand storm.


    When they entered the Meka Clan''s area, moving past the rocks scattered on the sand, the Meka Clan Chief pointed his scimitar towards the front, gazing at the dust cloud, "Leaders from the Kaki Clan and the Meka Clan, unleash the first wave."


    Among the warriors hidden, the leaders jumped out on their respective rock pillars, activating their tattoos. A sharp screech resounded from the Kaki Clan leaders as black radiance shone on their backs, travelling through their blades before manifesting in front of them.


    It was shaped like a crow, its wingspan four times a human height, its body alone equivalent to a grown man. Hardened scale-like feathers adorned its jet-black body as it took flight, its wings sharp like blades, unleashing gales along its wake as it flapped its wings.


    A total of 28 winged beasts were unleashed by the leaders of the Kaki Clan that flew towards the dust cloud, flapping their wings while generating gales that moved counter to the wind within it. The dust cloud''s momentum was slightly hindered as the winged beasts entered it, breaking its flow while wrecking chaos within.


    The leaders from the Kaki Clan controlled the actions of their respective winged beasts, unleashing many gales, trying their best to disrupt the dust cloud. But, the moment they disrupted a part, the dust cloud would move to reinforce the area, negating their efforts.


    Just in time, the leaders from the Meka Clan shouted upon landing on their respective rock pillars, activating their tattoos. The radiance coursed through their blades before morphing into the galloping figure of a hooved beast, numbering 41, displaying the power the Meka Clan had amassed.


    The hooved beasts neighed, running on the sand with imposing momentum, crouching their heads to point their horns forward, accelerating as they closed in on the dust cloud. The dust cloud wasn''t affected much as all the hooved beasts entered it, the effect non-existent as it continued to move forward.


    "Get that, beasts." Meka Clan Chief smirked, seeing the dust cloud collapse, the gales within disappearing, causing the sand to lose their support and fall to the ground. It was followed by shrill screeches, revealing the figures of the Sand-Weaving Scorpions that bled blood, fighting with the hooved beasts.


    The winged beasts flapped their wings, pushing away the remainder of the dust cloud, fully revealing their enemies. The moment they witnessed the sight, the faces of all the Chiefs turned sombre, gripping their weapons tighter.


    "Just as the Divya Vaidya said¡­" The Meka Clan Chief sighed, firming himself as he lifted his scimitar, bellowing, "Leaders from the Raga Clan and the Mosali Clan, unleash the second wave."

 Chapter 357: Initiation into a Healer (12)

    There was a total of 30 Sand-Weaving Scorpions, their massive numbers casting a hulking presence over the land. Each Sand-Weaving Scorpion was five times the length of a grown man, their bodies covered by tough shells that resisted all forms of attacks.


    The hooved beasts were currently fighting against them, using their sharp horns against the opponent''s pincers and stingers. There was mild injury and bleeding on most of the Sand-Weaving Scorpion''s faces, thanks to the charged-up attacks by the hooved beasts.


    But, the hooved beasts were only specialised in charging-based attacks, their close-quarters combat ability paling in comparison. They used their superior agility to dodge the pincer and stinger attacks but failed to close in for another speared attack.


    The Meka Clan Chief was solemn, gazing at the figure of a Sand-Weaving Scorpion that was thrice the size of the rest, the armour covering it was enormous, tough to the extent withstanding the hooved beast''s attacks with hardly a scratch. It was the Shield Beast, exactly as what the Divya Vaidya had informed him.


    It had its right pincer poised at the front, blocking the charged-up attack of two hooved beasts, only sporting a mild scratch at the point of impact. It moved forward its pincer, sending the two hooved beasts flying.


    A shadow flashed before a gaping hole appeared in one of the hooved beast''s head, large enough to swallow up its whole. The hooved beast twitched in the air once before dissipating into specks of starlight, disappearing soon after. The leader who had unleashed it became pale with fright, kneeling on the rock pillar in severe exhaustion.


    He was someone who had become a leader quite recently, able to activate his tattoo only once. Now that his strength had been completely expended, he was exhausted, experiencing a state of momentary unconsciousness.


    A warrior supported him from the back as he wheezed, gasping for breath. A breath later, he began to consume his ration, wishing to recover his strength as soon as possible. He looked at the horde of beasts, his voice stammering, "¡­Chief."


    The second hooved beast that had been sent flying slammed into the sand, making a large trail as it crashed into a rock, cracking it before stopping. The hooved beast quickly shook its head and reoriented itself, leaping from its position as a pincer struck the place.


    A Sand-Weaving Scorpion spammed attacks at it with its stinger, trying to corner it when a winged beast flashed past its stinger, making a deep cut that drew out blood. The winged beast stumbled along its flight from the impact, its attack failing to result in the desired damage.


    The winged beast hurriedly flapped its wings, barely dodging a pincer strike from another Sand-Weaving Scorpion, getting a gash on its stomach that leaked out starlight. It crashed into the head of a Sand-Weaving Scorpion fighting ahead, unable to evade due to the lack of space.


    It swiftly aimed itself, pecking at the Sand-Weaving Scorpion''s eyes, blinding it when a pair of pincers tore its body into pieces. All beasts possessed tremendous vitality, having survived in the treacherous desert conditions. So, it wasn''t easy to wound them.


    Even though the tattoo could unleash the beasts they were sourced from, they weren''t as powerful as the beasts themselves. After all, they lacked a fleshly body while their energy density wasn''t high enough to make up for the difference.


    Even the Fire-Tailed Snail from before had been wounded by multiple tattoo-based attacks, with two of them being attacks from the Meka Clan Chief and the Mosali Clan Chief. After suffering from those attacks, it still managed to escape and was only killed from a long pursuit battle. Even though a Fire-Tailed Snail was a lot stronger than a Sand-Weaving Scorpion, it still displayed how strong each beast was.


    The Meka Clan Chief shouted, "Leaders from the Raga Clan and the Mosali Clan, unleash the second wave."


    Each rock pillar had been erected to provide a foothold for a leader respectively, allowing them a place to activate their tattoos and obtain a clear line of sight to attack. The rock pillars were also placed to hinder the momentum of the Sand-Weaving Scorpions, allowing the warriors a high vantage point to attack from.


    Everything had been planned based on their experience surviving in the desert for ages. It was the Meka Clan''s shaman that had created their battle plan. Upon the Meka Clan Chief''s shout, the leaders from the Raga Clan and the Mosali Clan jumped on their respective rock pillars, activating their tattoos.


    A beast twice the height of a grown man, possessing thick stumps in place of legs, numbering in the dozens, a completely armoured creature was manifested by the leaders from the Raga Clan, numbering 16.


    They were hulking monsters resembling trains due to their body length surpassing the height of 10 grown men combined. They were slow to move but made up for their deficiencies with their staggering defences. Also growing on their sides were blade-like projections, acting as the weapons to counterattack while defending.


    Seeing their pitiful numbers as compared to the remaining Clans, the Raga Clan Chief sighed, "If only our shaman knew to change the essences of various beasts into our Clan''s guardian beast."


    The essences usually had two modes of usage: engraving a tattoo while using the essence as is, or changing its inherent nature using another essence as reference.


    To achieve the former, one had to know the tattoo to inscribe using the respective beast''s essence. If they didn''t have the knowledge, then it was impossible to use the essence. If the tattoo was incorrect, it was simply wastage of essence, neither would it activate nor was it recyclable.


    So, in such cases, the Clan shaman would slowly change the nature of the retrieved essence using the Clan''s guardian beast to turn it into its essence. This way, it prevented the essence from being wasted; after all, every shaman had the tattoo recipe for their Clan''s guardian beast''s essence.


    But, the method to change the essence into their Clan''s guardian beast could only be found out through decades of research, something the Raga Clan had yet to achieve. That''s why they had such a pitiful number of leaders. Thankfully, the cycle of their Clan''s guardian beast was almost the same as the Meka Clan''s guardian beast, the only reason they could amass 16 leaders.


    As the hulled beasts unleashed by the Raga Clan leaders arrived at the front and began to act as barricades of sorts, numerous clawed beasts sprang forth from the gaps, numbering 40. They were swift, agile, also possessing immense strength hidden within their forms, and their skins were covered by tough armour.


    They were all-rounded, raising a cloud of dust along their wake as they sped towards the Sand-Weaving Scorpions. The moment they joined the fray, the pressure faced by the hooved and winged beasts decreased. At least three tattoo beasts fought against a Sand-Weaving Scorpion, engaging in a chaotic battle.


    The Sand-Weaving Scorpions tried their best to raise a sand storm once again but were repeatedly hindered by the hooved and clawed beasts while anything that formed was dissipated by the winged beast.


    The hulled beasts were slowly closing in on the battlefield, trying to prevent the Sand-Weaving Scorpions from coming any closer to the Meka Clan. The Meka Clan Chief shouted, "Leaders from the Odatha Clan, unleash the third wave."


    Unlike the other leaders, the Odatha Clan leaders jumped down from their rock pillars after looking at their targets, plunging their blades into the sand as they activated their tattoos. The wriggling sound of flesh resounded as something condensed from the radiance emitted on their backs, swiftly drilling into the sand before anyone could witness their appearance.


    At the forefront, a Sand-Weaving Scorpion clamped its right pincer on a hooved beast''s head while using its left to aim at the winged beast, defending against its attacks. Its stinger flashed repeatedly, keeping the clawed beast at a distance.


    Just when it tried to clamp its right pincer and crush the hooved beast''s head, the hooved beast used its spring-like legs to jump, using the momentum to move away, straining the Sand-Weaving Scorpion''s muscles while dragging its body forward.


    The Sand-Weaving Scorpion screeched in anger. Just when it planned to retaliate, a serpentine beast drilled out from the ground and rushed into its mouth. The Sand-Weaving Scorpion swiftly clamped its mandibles, severing the serpentine beast''s body halfway while the remainder entered its mouth.


    Even though its body was severed in half, the serpentine beast possessed tremendous vitality, swiftly moving past the Sand-Weaving Scorpion''s internal defences and wreaked havoc in its body. The Sand-Weaving Scorpion thrashed in pain, stomping on the sand while manipulating it, trying to raise a sand storm.


    The other half of the serpentine beast coiled around its right arm, constricting it greatly, causing the pincer to loosen its hold, allowing the hooved beast to break free. The hooved beast immediately leapt into the air and kicked at the Sand-Weaving Scorpion''s face, creating a small dent.


    The clawed beast used the chance to close in and afflict large gashes on its shell, even drawing blood from some weaker spots. Using the chance when it wasn''t clear-headed due to the pain, the winged beast swiftly flashed by, grabbing the stinger with its claw.


    It flapped its wings, pulling at the stinger, preventing the Sand-Weaving Scorpion from using it again. The force the winged beast generated even lifted the Sand-Weaving Scorpion''s back to the air, decreasing the hold its legs had on the ground.


    As the four beasts stacked damage on the Sand-Weaving Scorpion, gravely injuring it, the clawed beast flashed beside its head, seeking to deliver the killing blow when it dropped dead, its head had vanished. It dissipated into starlight instantly.


    The hooved beast swiftly jumped up, trying to dodge the attack using its superior speed, but found its legs had disappeared while mid-air. Before it could reach the ground, a shadow flashed by as its head disappeared. It crumbled into starlight and vanished.


    A pincer grabbed hold of the winged beast at speeds beyond its reaction, crushing it into starlight specks as the shadow of a massive beast loomed over the area. The Meka Clan Chief witnessed its dominating might, slowly lifting his scimitar as his back radiated with blinding light.


    The Shield Beast had made its move!

 Chapter 358: Initiation into a Healer (13)

    The Meka Clan Chief pointed his scimitar forward; the radiance he unleashed coursed through it, condensing into the hooved beast thrice the size of others. The hooved beast stood in its place, its eyes glistening with wisdom, the intelligence surpassing that of a beast. Its body was also significantly more condensed, the weight it possessed caused the sand to spill out from under as it landed.


    The hooved beast gazed at the Shield Beast, snorting as it exhaled a powerful gust of air. The Meka Clan Chief boarded its back, watching the Odatha Clan chief land behind him. The Mosali Clan Chief boarded a massive clawed beast he had created while the Raga Clan Chief accompanied him on its back.


    The two beasts immediately began to sprint towards the Shield Beast as the Meka Clan Chief bellowed, "Warriors, charge!"


    All the warriors stationed behind geared themselves, bellowing in return as they charged like the tidal wave. They brandished their weapons that ranged from swords and spears to nets and spikes.


    The Meka Clan Chief looked at the Mosali Clan Chief, "I''ll lead the charge."


    Saying so, he grunted, causing his hooved beast to accelerate further, building up momentum at an exponential pace. Its spring-like legs caused it to traverse the length of four grown men with each stomp, its massive figure brimming with power.


    A Sand-Weaving Scorpion that came in its way was rammed, sent flying for quite the distance as the hooved beast continued with unabated momentum, making up for the reduction in speed with a single stomp. It possessed tremendous acceleration, the perfect spear to drill out a path in war.


    The Meka Clan Chief''s imposing momentum alerted the Shield Beast as it turned around, looking alert as it gazed his approach. It poised its stinger high up in the air, aiming forward as it spewed out a sand cloud, the force skin to an erupting geyser.


    The sand cloud swiftly blanketed the area around it, creating a domain advantageous to the Sand-Weaving Scorpions. At the next instant, the screech of a bird resounded as a massive shadow was cast on the sand cloud before the sounds of flapping wings resounded.


    Power gusts of wind were unleashed that parted the dust cloud, clearing the area. The Shield Beast looked at the clawed beast flying high above, beyond its reach. It screeched, aiming its stinger at the air before unleashing another torrent of dust.


    The winged beast flapped its wings faster, creating stronger gales that pushed back the dust cloud. In the confrontation, the winged beast was slowly losing its ground, the gales it unleashed were getting drowned by the sand cloud that was increasing in density as time passed.


    Followed by a smoky trail, the hooved beast arrived, crouching its head as Meka Clan Chief and the Odatha Clan Chief jumped off its back. Immediately, the hooved beast further accelerated, raising its speeds until it was a blur.


    The dust cloud moved aside as it penetrated through them, accelerating further and further, treading beyond its limits, causing starlight specks to radiate from its body as it slammed into the Shield Beast, pushing it a long distance over the sand.


    A wide gaping wound was left on the pincer it had used to defend against the charge attack, leaking out blood, the armour plates around it were broken, falling off with the slightest movement. The Shield Beast pierced the hooved beast with its stinger, attacking repeatedly to kill it off.


    The Meka Clan Chief arrived before its face, brandishing his scimitar, emitting deadly killing intent. The Shield Beast used its right pincer to defend against his hit, watching a massive gash appear on its shell, even causing a trace of blood to seep out. The force of the attack even caused shockwaves to course through its arm, rattling its insides.


    The Shield Beast stomped with its legs, transferring the power behind moving its body into its right pincer, hitting the Meka Clan Chief. The Meka Clan Chief attacked with all his might, making contact with the brandished right pincer, staying in the stalemate for only an instant before he was overpowered, the resultant force sending him flying away.


    The shockwave rattled his internals, causing him to spew out blood. He saw the Shield Beast finish off his hooved beast while he was in the air when a pale blue hand seeped into him from behind, swiftly rejuvenating him while healing his injuries. The pale blue hand restored his condition to the peak.


    The Chief laughed, summoning his hooved beast under him, landing on its back. The moment the hooved beast landed on the ground, it kicked with its hooves as it sped forward, accelerating to its peak within 10 steps as it slammed into the Shield Beast, toppling it.


    A massive serpentine beast drilled out from the sand, targeting its stinger while the clawed beast had arrived by now, joining in the attacks. The Raga Clan Chief used the help of the winged beast to drop down from above, unleashing the hulled beast while mid-air, using its massive stature to drop down on the Shield Beast.


    The power behind the impact slammed it deep into the sand, constricting its movements. The bladed sides caused screeching sounds as they scratched the Shield Beast''s shell, trying to cut it open. The serpentine beast coiled around the stinger, pulling it into the sand.


    The Shield Beast clamped with its mandibles, severing the blades on the hulled beast near its face. Its legs drilled kicked at the sand as it drilled into the ground instantly, as if it were a worm. The Odatha Clan Chief cursed, "Dammit, it killed my tattoo beast with a single hit."


    He was just about to move when a stinger emerged from the sand and pierced through his left thigh, severing the leg. The Shield Beast drilled out from under him, clamping with its pincer on his head. The clawed beast grabbed him just in time and evaded the attack while the hooved beast grabbed hold of his severed leg, jumping away immediately.


    The two beasts dropped the Odatha Clan Chief and his severed leg a fair distance away before joining the battle. Three pale blue hands arrived at the scene; two of them grabbed hold of the Odatha Clan Chief''s severed leg and attached them back while the remainder seeped into it.


    Pale blue light shone on his leg for three breaths before the Odatha Clan Chief could feel his leg once again. He grunted and stood up, feeling that he could use his left leg, albeit with difficulty. Of the remaining two pale blue hands, one more seeped into his leg, swiftly healing him to his peak condition.


    The Odatha Clan Chief laughed as he sprinted, as if his left leg hadn''t been severed in the first place. He unleashed the serpentine beast and joined in on the attacks.


    The Shield Beast had witnessed everything that had transpired, its eyes darting to the source of the pale blue hands, noticing a human figure standing at the periphery of the battlefield, emitting pale blue radiance like a tidal wave.


    The clawed beast slammed its head with its claws, redirecting the Shield Beast''s line of sight. It growled in anger and shook its body, pushing away the attacker.


    Followed by a large bellow, all the warriors joined in the battlefield. They ganged up on the Sand-Weaving Scorpions, taking turns to attack while keeping evasion as their priority. A team of warriors threw a net made from beast tendons, constricting a Sand-Weaving Scorpion''s movement.


    They attacked it through the gaps in the net, using their spears to stack up damage over time. A leader from the Meka Clan arrived, heaving a deep breath as he calmed his beating heart. Red radiance shone from his back as it coursed through his sword, condensing into a Fire-Tailed Snail.


    He was the one who had recently become a leader. The Fire-Tailed Snail he unleashed possessed an intelligence of its own, jumping on a nearby Sand-Weaving Scorpion as it began to attack it.


    Fire-Tailed Snails were the natural predators of the Sand-Weaving Scorpions, so it quickly gained the upper hand, deftly attacking the weaknesses of the Sand-Weaving Scorpion. Its advantages were geared for such, as it burned off the joints in the Sand-Weaving Scorpion, severing its limbs one by one.


    The other leaders possessing tattoos of beasts other than their Clan''s guardian beast took action, engaging in a melee against the Sand-Weaving Scorpions. The Shield Beast witnessed everything, swiping its pincer to draw a gash on the clawed beast as it emitted sound in a frequency the humans couldn''t hear.


    ¡­


    Standing on the rock platform, the Divya Vaidya was panting, the number of pale blue hands around her had decreased by half. Through the entire night, she had rested, replenished her energy, and condensed her tattoo''s beast one after another. But, if she had chosen to condense it whole, then three was her limit, irrespective of how long she rested.


    Moreover, it wasn''t possible to summon it a second time while the first tattoo beast still existed. So, instead of that, she summoned only the pale blue hands, accumulating them around her. Whenever someone was injured¡ªshe primarily focused on healing the Chiefs, followed by the leaders¡ªshe sent a pale blue hand towards them, recovering their battle strength to the peak.


    At the start of the battle, she had condensed 30 pale blue hands. Just partway into the battle, and she had already used up 15 of them, even though all she did was heal the Chiefs. This showed the intensity of battle they were waging.


    Four leaders stood around her as protection while the Shishya stood behind her, slightly positioned to the right. Suddenly, she sensed something amiss as her heart thumped faster. But, before she could react, a stinger emerged from the sand behind her, flashing past as it severed her left hand and pierced into the back of the Divya Vaidya.


    "Guh," The Divya Vaidya gazed at the stinger peaking out of her stomach, turning her head with difficulty to gaze at her Shishya, moving her mouth to utter something. But, her voice failed to form, the strength in her body abating.


    The leaders had only now reacted, trying to swiftly summon their tattoo beasts while they rushed towards the Divya Vaidya. The scene seemed to have slowed down in time as the Shishya looked at the face of the Divya Vaidya, watching the stinger sever her body into two, retracting in a fluid motion before piercing into her forehead.


    Everything happened before the Shishya had taken two steps, her right hand just on the verge of grabbing hold of the tail connected to the stinger. The stinger immediately unleashed a dust cloud, blanketing their vision.


    The changes at the back terrified the warriors battling on the battlefield. The Meka Clan Chief looked at the formation of the dust cloud as he sent his hooved beast running towards it, "Please make it on time."

 Chapter 359: Initiation into a Healer (14)

    "Guru!" The Shishya shouted, losing her balance as the dust cloud filled her vision. She plummeted to the floor, clutching the stump of what remained of her left arm. She dragged herself, tears streaming from her eyes as she endured her pain, arriving at the centre of the stone platform to see two severed halves of the Divya Vaidya, the head missing in them.


    "Ahh¡­ahhh¡­ahhhhhhh!" The Shishya screamed, unable to believe the scene in front of her. The scenes of the Divya Vaidya''s kindness flashed in her memory, the mangled flesh before her eyes shattering everything.


    "No, this can''t happen. This shouldn''t happen! I''ll save you!" The Shishya screamed, her presence boiling as it condensed on her back, the sound of something being fulfilled resounded around her as her back emitted pale blue radiance.


    The pale blue radiance erupted with enough force to push the dust cloud a couple of paces away from her. It condensed into a ball, elongating vertically while numerous stumps grew along the sides, numbering three on each side.


    They formed into arms, the muscles ripped, seething with boundless strength. The elongated section morphed into a humanoid beast, possessing three heads akin to a demon, with each partly resembling a lion, sporting massive tusks while their mane burned. Its height spanned four times a grown man, a hulking figure with its three pairs of arms.


    It was the Hand Beast, symbolised through the activation of her tattoo. The moment it was activated, the pale blue hands that had been hovering on the stone platform were influenced, arriving before the Divya Vaidya as they connected the severed body parts.


    A vast sea of memories and experiences surged in her mind, stuff that she had learnt before but had forgotten for some reason, allowing her to control the pale blue hands deftly. A pale blue hand seeped into the Divya Vaidya''s stomach, reconnecting the parts.


    Five hands brought in pieces of the head, connecting them into a whole before attaching it to the neck. Two of them seeped into it, healing it fully. The figure of the Divya Vaidya looked pristine, without any damage except for the signs of blood covering her skin and clothes. But no matter what, she no longer possessed any signs of life.


    "No, noo, nooo!" The Shishya cried, seeing the Divya Vaidya show no signs of life even though she had fully healed her. Suddenly, she felt a sensation on her left as a couple of pale blue hands attached her severed arm. Another pale blue hand wiped her tears and patted her head once.


    The Shishya cried even more, watching her arm be reattached, soon able to move it like normal. There were still nine pale blue hands hovering above the platform; eight of them seeped into the Hand Beast behind her, temporarily increasing its pair of arms from three to seven.


    The final pale blue hand poked the Shishya''s cheek, pointing at the scene around her before seeping into her. A voice resounded in her ears, "Live, and protect everyone."


    The Shishya nodded and wiped her tears, watching many shadows flicker around her within the dust cloud. Only now did she realise the sounds of fighting between the four leaders and the Sand-Weaving Scorpion that had drilled out from the ground.


    The Shishya looked at the Hand Beast behind her, nodding in understanding, ''Thanks to the Guru''s teachings, I am already able to activate my tattoo thrice. In each activation, the Hand Beast possesses 6 arms, meaning, I can heal people six times. It seems that this is how the actual Hand Beast looks. The Guru, for some reason, was unable to exert its full potential.''


    ''After absorbing the Guru''s hands, my Hand Beast has seven pairs of arms in this activation,'' The Shishya stood up, her eyes shone with determination, "I''ll carry my Guru''s legacy as the next Divya Vaidya."


    The Hand Beast extended one of its arms, grabbing hold of an injured leader, swiftly healing him. The arm broke into pieces and seeped into him, regenerating the long gash wound on his stomach. The leader was surprised as he stood up, hoping that the Divya Vaidya had managed to survive.


    He was shocked to see the Shishya arrive behind him, blood covering her clothes. Seeing him, the Shishya spoke in sadness, "Even though I fully healed the Divya Vaidya''s body, I was too late. He was already dead by then."


    Noticing the massive figure of the Hand beast behind the Shishya, the leader bowed, "I greet the emergence of the Crimson Desert''s new Divya Vaidya."


    Three leaders fought against the Sand-Weaving Scorpion that killed the Divya Vaidya, their eyes spewing forth tremendous hatred. It had killed the only existence in the Crimson Desert capable of saving lives. Moreover, the Divya Vaidya had saved a lot of their Clansmen before, so their gratitude towards her was insurmountable.


    But now, they were angry, angry at their delayed reaction and angry at the beast that had killed their benefactor. Without care for their lives, they threw themselves at the Sand-Weaving Scorpion, controlling their tattoo beasts to bite and tear it apart.


    Suddenly, the hooved beast of the Meka Clan Chief arrived and rammed into the Sand-Weaving Scorpion, piercing a massive hole on its sides. It swiftly attacked the head with its horns, dealing damage, working in tandem with the other leaders.


    The fourth leader joined the battle, eliciting cries of surprise from the others. They had assumed he was on the verge of death after suffering from such a massive injury. Now, seeing that he was fine and even battled, they had a faint glimmer of hope that the Divya Vaidya had survived.


    The leader knew what went on their minds, shouting, "The Shishya is the new Divya Vaidya. He was the one who healed me. Don''t leave this Sand-Weaving Scorpion alive."


    "Dammit!"


    "No!"


    "Damn you!"


    The leaders bellowed in fury¡ªone realising that their hope was shattered¡ªand further increased the flurry of their attacks, stacking damage on the Sand-Weaving Scorpion when the Meka Clan Chief''s hooved beast pierced its horns into a chink in its head armour, peeling it off. It then pierced them into the soft flesh underneath, puncturing the brain, killing the Sand-Weaving Scorpion.


    No sooner had it killed it did the Meka Clan Chief''s hooved beast rush towards the battle against the Shield Beast. Without the presence of the hooved beast, the four Chiefs were in a precarious state, with most of them suffering from grave injuries.


    They barely held on, trying their best to no longer get hit, after all, that would be the end of their lives. The Shishya felt her sight becoming clear, able to easily focus on the battle far away. Four hands left the Hand Beast behind her and swiftly flew towards the battlefield, entering the bodies of each Chief respectively, healing their injuries.


    The Shield Beast gazed in confusion at how they were able to recover again, glancing towards the spot from before to see the Shishya stare at it with hatred. In the instant it was distracted, the Meka Clan Chief¡ªhis strength renewed¡ªslid underneath its head, pointing his scimitar towards it as the radiance of his tattoo condensed within.


    "Take this!" A long horn condensed and swiftly moved forward, piercing its shell. He had aimed at a spot that had been weakened after repeated attacks. The moment he activated his tattoo, the horn pierced its head, impaling it.


    The Mosali Clan Chief condensed a massive claw and slashed it at an arm joint, severing it. The Odatha Clan Chief unleashed his serpentine beast to coil around the Shield Beast, tying up its legs. The Raga Clan Chief slashed his spear while condensing the radiance from his tattoo into the blade, creating many overlapping blades, cutting off the Shield Beast''s tail.


    Finally, the winged beast used its claws to clamp the eyes of the Shield Beast, exerting strength to break the cracked shell. It flapped its wings and peeled off its shell, leaving the soft muscles underneath bare.


    It then pecked with its beak, ripping out the flesh from within, mauling the brain with a flurry of attacks. The Shield Beast thrashed a couple of times before letting out its last breath. No sooner had it died did the four Chiefs collapse from exhaustion.


    The Meka Clan Chief muttered weakly, "That was my last tattoo activation. Thankfully, we managed to kill it."


    Seeing the death of their leader, the Sand-Weaving Scorpions tried to flee. But, after such a long battle, they were significantly damaged, lacking the strength to flee. They were ganged up by the warriors and eventually killed. If not for the assistance of the Divya Vaidya and the Shishya¡ªwho had now become the Divya Vaidya¡ªthrough their healing powers, it would have been a pyrrhic victory.


    "Huff¡­puff¡­finally, it is over." The Shishya gasped for breath, plopping on the sand, her legs lacking the strength to stand. She had already activated her tattoo thrice and even used up the last of the pale blue hands, no longer possessing any more energy.


    "Guru¡­" She heaved ragged breaths, looking at the battlefield full of death and destruction before her, "I tried to save as many as I can. But, I only focused on the Chiefs and the leaders to heal, so that they could conclude the war faster. Did I fare according to your expectations?"


    As she gazed at the scene, red mist gushed out of the sand, looking like vapours of blood as it formed a tornado, drowning out everything before her vision blanked out.


    It was a meadow, the chirping of birds resounded, the sound of a brook flowing, its waves crashing into rocks along its path, the warm sunlight complementing the floral scent, and a gentle wind that brushed past, causing the grass to tickle the skin as they danced.


    It was a paradise when compared to the previous scene of war. A tree branch swayed, dropping a fruit on a hand that caught it and presented it before the individual. "Congratulations, you can now wield your boundless strength."


    -----------------------


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 Chapter 360: Aura Induction!

    A clear oval face, bright eyes that had a hint of playful demeanour, long eyelashes that magnified the beauty of every eye movement, and a cheerful smile. The face of Vaika was what he noticed the first thing he became aware.


    "Ugh," Jyorta grunted, feeling a lot of memories, as if he had experienced a long but vivid dream. But, when he tried to recall the contents, he felt he was unable to do so, feeling surprised since it was the first after he had become an Esper. Through habit, the blue soul searched through the memory fragments in the brain, shocked to find that there was none in the past few hours.


    It was a surprising discovery. It was as if he had been sleeping through the time while his brain was in a state of rest, only proceeding with the biological functions a brain did during sleep. There weren''t even any signs of him experiencing a dream.


    "Ma''am," Jyorta massaged his forehead, feeling pain all over his body as he stood up, stumbling along the way, "What happened?"


    Vaika caught hold of him, patting his head, "Congratulations on completing your initiation ceremony. You should be able to use the Unranked Skill Regen without any problems now."


    "I can''t remember anything," Jyorta muttered, inhaling the aromatic scent of the nurse that somehow calmed him.


    "That is only natural," Vaika said, gently making him sit on a stone chain that had appeared as she snapped her finger. Immediately, Jyorta could recall everything that had transpired. Every action, the heat he felt, the emotions he experienced, the pain he had endured, it was as if they were something he had lived through.


    Jyorta teared up, the emotion from the final scene affecting him. He then wiped his tears, "Shouldn''t it be a simple training to use Regen? Was there a need for such an elaborate setup?"


    "Yes, there is a need indeed." Vaika smiled, taking a seat on a stone chair that appeared. "Every Unranked Skill is a product of many Skills extracted from Frenzy Beasts and created into a whole. Therefore, there is a fair amount of their psyche still remaining within the Unranked Skill."


    Jyorta sniffed once, rubbing his eyes to clear his view as he heard Vaika continue, "This psyche residue will interfere with your usage of the Unranked Skill. Through prolonged use, it might slightly skew your own psyche. We cannot fully destroy this psyche residue, after all, eliminating it would damage the Unranked Skill."


    Vaika threw the fruit in her hands to Jyorta, smiling as he fumbled to catch it, "To prevent it from interfering with your activation of the Unranked Skill and to give you some expertise with it, we conduct an initiation ceremony."


    She chuckled, "But, it is not easy. Normally, it would take anywhere from a week to even a month before the individual can activate his/her Unranked Skill instantly without any disturbances. It is a long and arduous process. But, through my hallucination, I created a scene at the end of which a mental input would be planted in you that would override the residue psyche."


    "I see," Jyorta nodded, "Through this hallucination, I obtained what would have usually taken weeks."


    "But," Jyorta gazed at her in confusion, "If it is like this, then why can''t the same be used for everyone else too?"


    "Because only I can use the aura personification of hallucination to such a level necessary for it," Vaika smiled, "Besides, since I possess Regen, I know the steps needed to negate the residue psychic in it. I can''t help in the cases of other Unranked Skill since I don''t know much about them."


    Jyorta nodded, deep in thought as he recalled everything he had witnessed in the Crimson Desert, thinking of the scene with the Meka Clan''s shaman, "Ma''am, about the tattoos, I feel they¡­"


    "Yes?" Vaika smiled, prompting him to continue further.


    Jyorta worded his thoughts in his mind, speaking after careful consideration, "I feel they are not substances of fiction, but exist in reality. Like, I feel they follow some rules that our power system is based on. Ma''am, is the Crimson Desert something that exists or had existed?"


    "The Crimson Desert itself is a product of fiction," Vaika nodded, "But, its history was derived from historical data. As for its power structure¡­"


    Vaika smiled, her expression oozing out waves of pride, "It is all real. They are a product of my family''s century worth of research that I have completed."


    "Which is where I want to ask you something," Her expression became solemn, "What is your true opinion of the tattoos? Do you wish to pursue the peak of the Aura path with them?"


    "There are four paths of power: Parasite, Aura, Mind, and the Soul. I started to train in the path of Aura because one, it would complement my lacking strength now, and two, because it would raise my battle strength in the future as I am a healer concerning the Parasite path. My base Esper battle strength could be countered by a similar Tiered Esper foe. To emerge victorious, I should possess more means at my disposal." Jyorta nodded.


    "The tattoos are powerful, and they function similar to Skills. From what I witnessed, they can either be partially activated to produce weapon-based effects or fully activated to unleash the beasts within." Jyorta praised, "If mastered, they would become significant battle strength."


    "And¡­" His gaze shuddered when he wished to continue his opinion, only realising the latter statement of Vaika, "¡­Peak of the Aura path?"


    "Yes," Vaika smiled, "A century ago, when other families were intent on investing their manpower into the creation of Unranked Skills, my great-grandfather predicted the development of the Aura path and instead invested in it. He developed many things based on aura and passed them through our family. But, unlike others, we didn''t establish any official family, instead passed on the research results from parent to children. As we carried that, I inherited them and finally conceptualised it."


    The air around her shimmered as her voice turned serene, "If we are talking about talent in aura, there are a few who are on par with me in the 7th Ring, but they are all retired Tier 5 powerhouses. When I spoke about it before to you, I wasn''t speaking the truth. If we consider the accomplishments in the Aura path, I am third in the entire Marble City, following Rhachis Ancestor Strongest, and Madam Atika Light."


    Jyorta shuddered, looking at her in a new light. He knew Vaika was different from the rest, but he never knew she was this amazing.


    "When your understanding of the Aura path progresses to its peak, you can create an ability that is similar to a Skill. In the entire Marble City, there are only two such abilities. One is in the hands of Rhachis Ancestor Strongest that was jointly created by him and his mother, Madam Atika Light. The other ability is with me."


    The shimmering on her back morphed; lines spun from the centre, forming rings as they created contours, zagged shapes, overlapping lines, etc. becoming a tattoo, derived from the head of the Helical-Horned Goat, the tattoo of the Meka Clansmen.


    Having experienced the events in the Crimson Desert, Jyorta could easily recognise the tattoo. He then saw the tattoo change from the Meka Clan''s to the Mosali Clan''s tattoo, taking the shape of the clawed beast''s head. It then changed to the Raga Clan''s, followed by the Kaki Clan''s and the Odatha Clan''s.


    Finally, the tattoo of a human, a boy in his teens, a familiar face appeared. It was his own. As Jyorta stared at it in shock, Vaika said, her tone suffused with dominating might, full of regal aura, "Aura Induction, that''s the name of this ability. Through my aura, I would induce a tattoo on my opponents, shaping their aura. Just like you, unless the target''s comprehension of aura exceeds mine, they would never know it. After that, I just have to activate an aura personification¡­"


    The stare of her eyes scared him as Vaika spoke, "And, the aura of the target itself will shape accordingly and plunge the individual under the effects of my aura personification. As long as their body contains aura, the effect would persist."


    "Now," She gazed into Jyorta''s eyes, "Do you wish to learn this? You already know everything necessary to use Aura Induction. I have imparted the inheritance to you in the Crimson Desert. But, there are some conditions before you realise the details pertaining to it."


    The shimmering air died down as the tattoos disappeared, "Once you graduate, you will have to pay me a royalty of 15 percent of your income every month. If you don''t wish to use Aura Induction, you can say so."


    Vaika pointed at her surroundings, at the peaceful meadow, "We are still in the world I made. Everything that happens here is only recorded in your aura. So, if you don''t wish to use Aura Induction, I would pull out all the related memories of it here. All I need to do is retract some of the aura I induced in you."


    ''So, that was why I couldn''t find any memories of the Crimson Desert in my brain. Everything I sense and experience here is only perceived and stored in my aura.'' Jyorta nodded, standing up as he bowed, "It would be my honour to use Aura Induction. 15 percent royalty is nothing as compared to that."


    Vaika chuckled," I knew you would say this. That''s why I sent a letter to Ancestor Strongest to request permission to impart it to you. There is a procedure to follow before abilities with strategic value like this could be imparted."


    She sighed in helplessness, "After all, you are the only individual I found apart from me who can learn and wield Aura Induction. I''m not including Madam Atika Light and Ancestor Strongest in this list though, since they also know it."


    She then waved her hands, "It is good that you have expressed your willingness. Otherwise, it would have been embarrassing for me."


    "Ma''am," Jyorta chuckled, "I would have to be a peerless idiot to not learn Aura Induction after witnessing its magnificence."


    "Ah, about that¡­" Vaika coughed awkwardly, "What you saw is not even the tip of what Aura Induction can do."


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 Chapter 361: The World Within

    "Let me explain how it works," Vaika waved her hand on noticing Jyorta''s confusion, "Aura Induction is basically something you induce in an individual using aura, as simple as that. But, once we induce a change, the target''s aura will morph as we wish."


    "It is what you witnessed in the Crimson Desert when the Meka Clan Shaman engraved the tattoo," Vaika said, "The essence of the Fire-Tailed Snail was a condensation of its presence in liquid form. The shaman used it to engrave on the warrior''s back, subtly affecting his presence with the presence in it. Eventually, she created the tattoo, using which the warrior was able to summon the Fire-Tailed Snail to battle."


    "That is the principle behind Aura Induction," Vaika smiled, "We induce the desired effect in the aura of the target, and determine when we want to activate it. Until then, it is like a tattoo within the target''s aura, something he/she cannot sense."


    Vaika pointed at Jyorta, "Hallucination, Betrayal, and Insignificance; those are the three aura personifications you are developing."


    Seeing Jyorta nod, she continued, "Suppose you induced insignificance into a Frenzy Beast. Then, its entire presence would be¡­"


    "¡­Insignificant." Jyorta''s heart thumped as cold sweat covered his limbs. Vaika nodded on seeing his reaction, "Yes, the Frenzy Beast might have had a dominant and confident character before. But now, whatever it does, it would always feel a sense of insignificance, since the feeling originates from its aura, its presence in the truest sense. As a result, it would begin to lose confidence in itself and fall prey to a vicious cycle. And, as long as its body contains aura, this effect would continue to affect it."


    "This is overpowered," Jyorta sighed, gazing at his hands to see them shiver, partly from excitement but mostly from fear. It was the same feeling as when a normal person held a gun. They would feel excitement at possessing a powerful weapon to save themselves or defend against any attackers.


    But at the same time, they would feel fear when holding it. After all, only when a person held a gun would they realise, the moment the trigger was pressed, a life would be reaped. Jyorta''s fear was the same.


    "This is similar to Skills, but there is a stark difference between the two," Vaika nodded at his words, "Even Observers have Skills; Skills range from Tier 1 to Tier 6. Meaning, even those who only ventured into the Parasite path possess Skills. But, Aura Induction is different from them."


    Her expression was serious, "Aura Induction is a product of development resulted from the peak of the Aura Path. Unless the opponent''s understanding of aura exceeds you, they wouldn''t be able to defend against it."


    Jyorta was able to understand, but at the same time was a bit confused. Vaika sighed, "It is like a Tier 1 being confronting the effect of a Tier 6 Skill. Tier 6 Skills are at the peak of the Parasite path; only a Tier 6 Skill can contend against another Tier 6 Skill. In the Aura path, Aura Induction is equivalent to a Tier 6 Skill."


    She shook her head, seeing Jyorta''s face of exclamation, "But, it would be wrong to call Aura Induction equivalent to a Tier 6 Skill. Any Skill''s power is based on the magnitude of energy behind it and the potency of its effect. As for Aura Induction, its potency is on Tier 6 level, but its magnitude depends on the caster."


    She looked at Jyorta, "When you activate it, Aura Induction''s magnitude would only be at Tier 3 level. When your aura becomes stronger, its strength would also raise. When you are at Tier 6¡­"


    Her eyes shimmered, "¡­Aura Induction would become equivalent to a Tier 6 Skill."


    "Suppose I were to use it on a Shifter, how will my success rate be?" Jyorta inquired.


    "Hmm," Vaika thought, "Your understanding is based on what I imparted to you. Potency-wise alone, it is quasi-Tier 6. But, it is also dependent on the tattoo you create to use on the Shifter. So, if you were to use it on him, to break free from its effects, the Shifter would have to rile up his aura to such an extent the tattoo you engraved on him breaks. If you use the aura personification of Insignificance, he would break it the moment he activates a Tier 2 Skill. After all, any powerful being possesses an arrogance and confidence in their ability."


    "As for the aura personification of betrayal," She frowned, "It varies from person to person. If the Shifter had a personality untrusting of others, then he wouldn''t ever be able to break free from it."


    "And," She pointed at her forehead, smiling, "If the scene of the induced hallucination is something they wish to experience, then they would forever be trapped in it. That is why aura personifications are so scary. They tread on the domain on the mind through their effects."


    "So, as long as I can get them, I can even defeat Tier 4 Frenzy Beasts in my present condition?" Jyorta muttered.


    "It''s not that easy as I make it seem." Vaika shook her head, "Remember the tattoo of your face I showed just now?"


    Seeing Jyorta nod, she spoke, "I have unleashed my aura on you many times when you visited me. When I healed your injuries, I got a good grasp of the makeup of your aura. Through these encounters, I understood your presence completely."


    "I am not overwhelming you through the sheer force of my aura but am subtly influencing you using your own aura. So, that means I have to first understand your aura enough." Vaika said, "Then, I have to think up a tattoo form that complements your aura makeup with respect to the aura personification or effect I wish to induce into you."


    She raised her index finger, "Only then can I act. To engrave the tattoo on you, I have to unleash my aura and weave parts of your aura that my aura comes into contact with, and then seep it into you. I should also ensure the areas I weave the aura conform to the tattoo design. Only then would the effect be potent enough."


    "It is complicated," Jyorta muttered, looking at Vaika, "Ma''am, how can I make such a tattoo? I know next to nothing about tattoos or how they conform to various aura effects."


    "Haha," Vaika laughed, "That is only true for now. Remember that you experienced a headache in the Crimson Desert twice? Didn''t a surge of memories gush into you that felt familiar but at the same time unfamiliar?"


    Jyorta''s eyes widened in realisation as Vaika nodded, "All the basics, everything that you need to create tattoos, the various process to engrave them, what each stroke meant, the effect they conform to, etc. everything is with you. Once you return to reality, you''ll know what to do."


    Seeing Jyorta bow in gratitude, Vaika smiled, patting his head, "Through Aura Induction, I can impart life experiences, knowledge, insights, etc. into people using the aura personification of hallucination. And¡­"


    She laughed, "Aura Induction and hallucination go hand in hand. Through imagination, I created a scene, adding bits and pieces of details in it over time before making it stable enough to become a dream-like world. When I unleash my hallucination, I pull my targets into this world. And, because of its realism, they wouldn''t be able to differentiate it from reality. They would think I used some effect or ability or Skill to transport them to another world."


    Her smile became frightening, "Like Rhachis Ancestor Space. In her journey to the top, she teleported anyone she faced into the most dangerous of environments, easily killing them."


    "Even the Ancestors pale in comparison to the might of mother nature," Vaika said as the meadow morphed into rocky land, the backdrop containing a volcano gushing out lava. "Beneath the crust is the mantle. When her teleporting range became sufficient, she just teleported her enemies into the mantle and melted them. As simple as that. Buried that deep under the earth, and surrounded by lava, you are guaranteed death."


    "So, when I pull my targets into my realistic hallucination, they would recall such examples from Rhachis Ancestor Space''s time," Vaika said as the air behind her shimmered. Fire, water, earth, wind, and lightning, all five elements converged and created a massive landscape, of a sprawling desert.


    The projection of a vast desert from a bird''s point of view hovered behind her as Vaika smiled, "I took such a hallucination, created a tattoo for it, and engraved it on me. It became a stable world, possessing a passage of time in accordance with the flow of my aura. As the characters of the hallucinations deepened through my inputs, they began to act sentient. Over time, the world gained its autonomy. And, I named it¡­"


    Vaika''s voice resounded in the area, "The Crimson Desert."


    "No wonder," Jyorta shuddered, thinking of how he was pulled into it and had lost himself within a couple of seconds, even after the blue soul had taken action. The identities of Jyorta and Kaushik had been erased, and he truly thought, behaved, and lived as the Shishya, a denizen of the Crimson Desert.


    This was considering he was a Psychic Parasite, possessing the advantages of the Soul path with him. Just this fact alone displayed how frightening Crimson Desert was. There, his strength as an Esper and his abilities as a Psychic Parasite mattered naught. Any being, irrespective of their strength, when swallowed by the Crimson Desert would have to follow the laws governing it.


    "Aura Induction is not just a means of an attack," Vaika said, "I hope you remember my example."


    Jyorta bowed again, touching Vaika''s feet as a show of respect, "Everything that you have imparted me, I vow to never forget it. As long as I, Jyorta Bone live, I would respect and revere you as my¡­"


    "Guru!"


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 Chapter 362: My World is My Personal Research Facility

    The scene had returned to the meadow, the atmosphere serene. The sounds of birds chirped as two people sat on stone chairs, facing each other. A table was in-between them, atop which two teacups were placed.


    Vaika sipped her tea as she said, "The purpose behind my Crimson Desert is two factors: one, to trap my enemies in my world while I swiftly kill them in reality, and two, using their trapped presences for my agenda."


    "Agenda?" Jyorta placed his teacup on the table, repeating her statement.


    "What do you think is happening in the Crimson Desert? Why do you think I created the world as is?" Vaika responded with a question.


    Jyorta thought but was unable to come up with an answer. Too many things happened in the Crimson Desert for him to think up an answer on the spot. Maybe after he pondered it for a while, he would be able to conclude. But, seeing that Vaika didn''t have the thoughts of giving him that much time to think, he shook his head, implying he didn''t have an answer.


    "Do you know about the concept of reincarnation?" Vaika''s question suddenly jolted his mind awake. Before he could give a response, Vaika spoke, gazing deeply into his eyes, "In simple terms, we can say it as a concept of the soul shedding its shell and taking house in another."


    The teacup magically refilled before her as she lifted it for another sip, "Stories of reincarnation were pretty popular in the silicon era. Through my access, I managed to read through some of them. They had fairly interesting ideas."


    "The things people can come up with to curb their boredom is pretty impressive," She chuckled. "Through that, I devised the prime means of what I needed."


    "I''ll pull the presence of a being into Crimson Desert while I would kill it in reality, trapping it there permanently. Then, I would infuse the presence in a newborn within one of the Clans while allowing it to retain all its life''s memories and experiences." Vaika noticed that the teacup was empty again, swiftly refilling it.


    It showed that she has an acquired taste for tea. Vaika drank as she continued to speak, "Using its life''s memories and experiences, it would live as the baby, slowly adapting to the Crimson Desert. Over time, when it realises some similarities between the tattoos and the aura it was used to in its previous life, it would try to use that knowledge to its advantage."


    Jyorta could sense a puzzle of sorts be filled piece by piece as he listened. Vaika smiled, "In this manner, it would develop the tattoos and other aspects of life in the Crimson Desert, which enriches it. This makes my world more complete. And also,"


    Her smiled deepened, causing a chill in Jyorta, "When they develop the tattoos, it enriches my comprehension of Aura Induction. When they think of something impressive, it gets added to my repertoire of knowledge."


    Jyorta shuddered as he heard Vaika conclude, "The Crimson Desert is a weapon I use, a shield to save myself, a trove of knowledge I possess, and my personal research facility."


    "Basically, the development of a world is yours and yours alone." Jyorta nodded, awestruck. The more he heard, the more he realised the nurse before him was a formidable character in the truest sense.


    Just the fact that she had a world¡ªeven though it wasn''t large¡ªresearching aura for her made her an individual of strategic value. Moreover, she didn''t think them up based on her convenience but had pulled their presence from reality. So, it created a constant influx of ideas and changes, the product of which developed her own understanding of the Aura path, and deepened her skill with Aura Induction.


    ''A strong ability that will help in battles, but can also aid personal development. I see, she developed this into a top-tier ability.'' Jyorta marvelled, experiencing a chill the more he thought. The foresight, planning, determination, and most of all, the intelligence required to conceptualise, create, use, and develop something into an ability of strategic value; even extraordinary individuals paled in comparison.


    "So, that is the true use of Aura Induction." Jyorta nodded, his eyes widening with expectation.


    "Yes," Vaika nodded, "And, what I said were only stuff that I have explored. They are not the limits of Aura Induction. Aura path itself is still under development after all."


    "Ma''am," Jyorta nodded in thought, "If we take the value of 100 as a path being complete, then what scores will the four paths have?"


    "Good question," Vaika nodded in thought, becoming silent. After more than 20 minutes had passed in silence, she spoke, "If we are talking about the parasite path, it will get a score of 90. After all, it is close to being complete. Moreover, not just becoming complete, it will also end."


    "The saturation point in the Mental Realm." Jyorta nodded.


    "Yes," Vaika sighed, "The Mental Realm was something created as a result of our progression in the Parasite path. But, the Mental Realm itself will become the cause that will end this path."


    "The day we attain the saturation point in the Mental Realm is when the Parasite path will achieve completion," Vaika frowned, "But, we can also say it is because the Parasite path cannot develop beyond that point."


    She tapped her index finger on the teacup, thinking for a couple of minutes before speaking, "As for the Aura path, it is somewhat developed. Moreover, its development has accelerated in recent years as some Tier 3 Warrior Skills have emerged in this path. So, I can say it gets a score of around 38."


    "Now," She closed her eyes, feeling some difficulties in deciding, "I can''t give an accurate number for the Soul path, since everything of value in this path was in the hands of Rhachis Ancestor Space. After her death, everything was lost."


    "But," She sighed, "If we are talking about the progression of the world in this path, it is at most 1-2 percent. There are neither any abilities nor any research being conducted in this field. After all, just the soul alone is something we cannot detect. This factor alone has hindered the development of this path."


    "Finally," Her eyes lit up in interest, "The Mind path is better developed in that regard. After all, many abilities can affect the mind, like the Tier 3 Skills, Mental Calm, and Mental Frenzy. And, from what I heard, Central Command is in possession of an Unranked Skill related to this path. So, I can give it a score of say around 8-10?"


    ''That Unranked Skill should be Deific Inference. So, either she doesn''t know about it or she doesn''t wish to divulge such sensitive information.'' Jyorta nodded in gratitude, "So, apart from the Parasite path, the most beneficial is to delve into the Aura path."


    "Indeed," Vaika nodded, "At least, in Aura path, you can get some references, help, research materials, train of thought of our predecessors, etc. These can help your development. Treading in a less developed path like the Mind path or the Soul path, though advantageous as it gives you an edge, but would be harsh. After all, to gain anything of value or substance in a path, research worth decades to a century is needed. It wasn''t as if Aura Induction was created in a day. It took almost a century."


    Vaika massaged her brows, standing up as she felt it was time to end it, "I guess we''ll call it a day now. We have spent a lot of time here. When we return to reality, you''ll demonstrate Regen once to show that you have grasped everything. Do you have anything else you wish to ask here?"


    "Yes," Jyorta nodded, intending to ask a question plaguing his mind ever since he exited the Crimson Desert. Since everything that happened in this meadow would stay with them, it was better to ask it here than in reality where others were subject to hearing it.


    Jyorta expressed his confusion and curiosity, making eye contact with Vaika, "Ma''am, why is someone as talented and important as you working as a nurse here? Shouldn''t any position you seek be available to you?"


    "Being a nurse is my secondary occupation," Vaika coughed, obviously embarrassed at the genuine praise, "And, my primary occupation is that of a soldier, nothing more nothing less. Though, I am no longer drafted for any missions that would risk my life. Central Command does value my life."


    "Now, to answer your question," Vaika gazed at Jyorta, "It is simple actually. We are here to find worthy successors of our knowledge, techniques, accomplishments, etc. Only here, where students are tested on all fronts can we find worthy candidates. And¡­"


    She smiled, "Every staff here is an expert in a field of their own. That is one of the prerequisites to become a staff here. Also, when we find a successor, Central Command will heavily reward us. We would also receive royalties from our inheritor. These reasons allow us to impart our life''s accomplishments without regret. Only by nurturing the young can Marble City develop and prosper."


    "So yes," Vaika laughed, "I''m not the only awesome individual here. Sure, if we are comparing everyone, then I''m probably the most awesome in this military academy¡­ahh, there is Madam Principal. So, I''m the second awesome, hehe."


    Jyorta laughed, "Ma''am, you are the most awesome."


    "I''m glad that you think of me as such," Vaika laughed as she snapped her finger. The scene changed as Jyorta found himself seated on a chair. Opposite him were three chairs, at the centre of which sat Vaika, looking slightly tired.


    Just when he was about to thank her and leave, Jyorta stared in shock, for a moment assuming he was in another hallucination. For through the windows at the back, gentle sunlight shone.


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 Chapter 363: It is Peerless

    "How long have I been in there?" Jyorta muttered, glancing around to see a couple other nurses place some items in their respective shelves, prepare the tools, etc.


    "Around 6 hours in reality. You can assume time flows thrice faster in there." Vaika''s voice resounded in his ear.


    "So, it is morning now," Jyorta nodded, feeling embarrassed, bowing in apology, "Ma''am, your shift was supposed to end by midnight. I''m sorry to have taken up so much of your time and extend your shift hours."


    "It''s fine," Vaika waved her hands, "Initiating the Cadets who have obtained Regen is one of my duties. So, if there is a candidate who will appear for one, I am bound to finish it. And, whether you arrived then or not, I would have had to stay all today here anyway."


    Seeing Jyorta''s confusion, Vaika smiled, "Didn''t your friend also obtain Regen? She would probably arrive around 9-10 AM, judging by what I heard. So, I cannot go home until I finish her initiation too."


    "Wouldn''t your health be affected by working overtime like this?" Jyorta said, concerned. After all, the physique of Espers was no different from normal humans. So, staying awake through the whole night after one''s shift ended and even continuing to work the subsequent day would put a severe toll on her body.


    Moreover, she wasn''t just sitting and passing time during her work but was maintaining a powerful hallucination. Jyorta knew how much strain his mind bore when he used a hallucination. It wasn''t something he could maintain for more than 10 minutes. And, most of his hallucinations were simple, only changing his actual position by a metre.


    But Vaika maintained Crimson Desert for the whole night. Jyorta didn''t realise how much her mind was strained because of it. Faint memories were starting to resound in his mind while the aura in his body churned, circulating as it passed through all sensory organs, using the stimulus to transmit information to his brain.


    Vaika smiled, not intending to continue on the topic, "Once I finish Haesha''s initiation, I''ll be allowed to rest for a day. So, all''s fine in the end."


    "Would Haesha experience the same as me?" Jyorta looked around, keeping his voice to a minimum, unwilling to allow the other nurses to listen.


    Vaika chuckled, gently emitting psychic energy to create a barrier around themselves, "Yes, but she won''t be witnessing the tattoo engraving process. Her initiation is only concerning the Unranked Skill, Regen. I have no plans to show her anything beyond necessary. After all, details of the Crimson Desert are my closely guarded secrets. I imparted them to you because I chose you as my successor."


    Jyorta felt proud that someone as incredible as Vaika chose him as her successor. He then thought for a moment before saying, "Ma''am, there should have been other Cadets who train the aura personification of hallucination too right? How come I''m the only one who became your successor?"


    "Well," Vaika tapped her chin, closing her eyes in thought for a couple of seconds, "Consider your friend Haesha, for example. Suppose she is suitable to use the aura personification of hallucination. As for Warriors, the mental strain from using the aura personification of hallucination would be too much for them to bear."


    As Jyorta nodded, she continued, "Haesha''s prime advantage as an Esper lies in how she can wield her psychic energy and the delicate methods she could employ. If we pit her hallucination against yours¡­"


    "She would lose horribly," Seeing his confusion, Vaika detailed further, "Haesha''s hallucination would excel in changing climate. As for the rest, they would be inferior. But in your case, you excel in modelling and creating constructs with your psychic energy, which is exactly what you need for a hallucination. There is not much difference in the way you manipulate aura and psychic energy."


    She raised the index and middle finger of her right, creating a swirl of psychic energy on the index finger and a swirl of aura on the middle finger. The psychic energy swirl was incredibly fast, creating gales instantly. It showed the speeds a Wave Controller''s psychic energy could take, approaching a speed of 100 metres per second.


    As for the aura swirl, it was many times slower. Its motion was also sluggish, and it wasn''t as closely packed as the psychic energy. Instead of creating a gale, the aura swirl began to pull in the aura lingering in the air.


    "In your hallucinations, you can create any constructs without trouble. You are weaker relatively in terms of the climatic factors, but you excel in every other field. And, for a hallucination, a prime factor is necessary, something I only noticed in you." Vaika stared at him, making eye contact, her expression serious.


    As Jyorta stared back with curiosity, Vaika stated, "Your understanding of the human psyche is beyond what anyone else I saw possess. And, from the examples I witnessed, you are swiftly able to understand Frenzy Beasts too. This way, your hallucinations can easily pull in and affect your targets."


    "The potency of a hallucination is not its realism but its ability to affect the target''s mind." Vaika''s voice resounded in his mind, resonating with his thoughts.


    ''My previous life''s experiences gave me an accurate interpretation of the human heart. I have interacted and mingled with humans from all walks of life, witnessed the white, grey, and black parts of human society. I see, so that experience makes my hallucinations dangerous to my targets. Also, by digesting the memories of others, I can understand humans and Frenzy Beasts of various races at a deeper, comprehensive level. All that further enhances the potency of my hallucinations.''


    Jyorta nodded, understanding his strengths better. He then gazed in surprise as Vaika continue to speak, "Moreover, in the aspect of enhancing your brain, most of the Nurturing effect is concentrated on your ability to think. And, this makes you the best candidate for becoming my successor, because my development as an Esper is the same as you. Haesha''s development is skewed towards the actuation part, so she is not suitable. Every Esper that could wield hallucination didn''t possess the necessary faculty to become my successor."


    "Maybe I am a bit awesome myself?" Jyorta chuckled, scratching his cheek.


    Vaika raised her index finger, placing her thumb right beneath the tip, smiling, "A little."


    She then snapped her finger, retracting her psychic energy. She unleashed a psychic arm, pulling out a scalpel from a nearby tray. "Now, show me your Regen."


    Without any warning, she made an incision on his palm, causing blood to ooze out. Jyorta yelped at the sudden attack, watching blood ooze out of the incision on his left palm. His mind whirred in thought as his eyesight turned blurry. Some foreign instinct guided him as he unleashed his psychic arm.


    He kept the length only at 60 centimetres, way below what he was officially capable of, showing incredible fortitude of the mental restraints he had put on himself¡ªto never unleash his actual power while in public.


    His psychic arm curled in the air, slowly approaching the incision as he gazed at the dripping blood. A faint ringing sound echoed in his mind as something seemed to have been stirred up within him. His heart thumped faster while he felt electricity course through his body, shocking and numbing the path it traversed through.


    Thump! Thump!


    His five senses expanded their sensitivity, tuning to incredible precision. Jyorta could even feel the sweat oozing out of the pores on his temples, the flow of blood in his body, and the faint convulsions of his internals.


    In such a highly attuned state, a signal seemed to resound through his central nervous system, actuating a mysterious effect from the substance that had fused into it.


    Activate!


    His psychic arm turned pale blue, possessing a transparent nature while the surface had faint lustre, reflecting his clear, brown eyes suffused with wisdom. The pale blue psychic arm looked like a condensation of clear water; faint ripples were generated on its surface as the moisture content in the air spiked all of a sudden.


    Jyorta''s mind felt fresh, as if he had washed away all the fatigue in his body. The tip of the psychic arm touched the incision on his left palm, seeping into it a little. The energy in it fused with the ends of the cut, generating cells by consuming the pale blue psychic energy.


    An instinct was transmitted back to his nervous system, guiding him the way he had to move his psychic energy, the amount he had to fuse in a certain spot, the spot he had to start with, the order he had to proceed in order to heal it fully, etc.


    It wasn''t an influx of memories burdening him, but an instinct that guided him through his nervous system. He didn''t even need to act upon it, the message transmissions through his nervous system actuated all necessary motions of both his body and his unleashed psychic arm. So, even if he slept for this duration, the area was bound to heal up without any problems.


    The edges of the incision closed up, the cells reconnecting with each other, expanding along the cut area as the wound closed up. Even the loss of blood was replenished by the infused pale blue psychic energy.


    His pain disappeared as Jyorta retracted his psychic arm, looking at his palm that was fully healed. He then wiped off the blood with his kerchief, noticing the pristine state of his palm, as if he wasn''t wounded in the first place.


    "Good, you are able to use it without problems," At some point in time, a register appeared in Vaika''s hands as she scribbled many details on it while watching Jyorta''s actions. Finally, when she was done, Vaika looked at the dazed Jyorta before her, smiling as she asked, "So, how is the fabled Regen?"


    Jyorta sighed in amazement, commenting his honest thoughts, "It is peerless."


    -----------------------


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 Chapter 364: Taking Action

    7:40 AM, Jyorta exited the Red Building, walking on the grass covering the ground as he took in a deep breath, the aroma lingering in the air invigorated him. His mind cleared up, allowing him to sense faint changes in his body.


    The walking posture he took was slightly odd, as if he was a person of a thinner but taller stature. Moreover, he leaned to the back a bit more than necessary while walking, something that didn''t conform to his style.


    ''Is it because of the Crimson Desert''s influence on me?'' Jyorta thought in worry for a second. But, the moment he thought about his gains from it, a sense of excitement crept up, making him wish he could breakdance then and there.


    There wasn''t any massive surge of memories that burdened him; it was like the memories existed in his brain already, as if he had learnt and experienced them long ago.


    The moment he thought concerning it, the related memories would pop up instantly, just like recalling any other memory.


    It wasn''t like the memories of the Floating Spiders and Crust-Mantles he stored in his soul. Those memories didn''t belong to him. Moreover, he had yet to comprehend them. So, even if he tried to recall anything from them, he could at most achieve a feat similar to looking up some information on the internet. But, he wouldn''t be able to make heads or tails of it, since he hadn''t studied/comprehended them.


    The memories related to the Crimson Desert weren''t like this. He could recall everything he had experienced in it, even the memories his character, the ''Shishya'' had experienced, as if they were his own experiences.


    At present, even if he was stranded in a desert, he had the necessary experience to survive. Moreover, the concepts, the logic involved, the method of application, the engraving of the tattoos, etc. Jyorta could swiftly replicate them with the same expertise as the Shishya.


    It was as if the experience there had become part of his muscle memory. It was such a discovery that he couldn''t help but constantly marvel about. ''Aura path is incredible. I became proficient in something I hadn''t ever done just by becoming one with a character in a scene.''


    He sighed, ''Now, how will I proceed with my path? What tattoo should I create? What intention should I modify it accordingly for? And, what type of world do I seek to create? Hah, there is a lot to think about.''


    He then shook his head, smiling, ''These are pleasant things to worry about. Every factor will upgrade my strength to a higher level.''


    Just when Jyorta was relishing in his bright future, his stomach grumbled. He patted his stomach, only now noticing his intense hunger, "I guess I''ll find something to eat in the cafeteria."


    Just when he was about to head towards the cafeteria, Jyorta noticed a seated figure through the corner of his sight. It was apparent because there wasn''t anyone else seated on the ground in the range of his vision.


    There was still fog present in the air, so he couldn''t see too far away. The figure was seated in the abrupt centre of the ground''s breadth, with it spanning 200 metres on the figure''s either side. The figure was seated only 50 metres away from the walls of the White Building, intently gazing at the various scenes displayed on its screens.


    The battle between Marble City and the Swarm had resumed, the intensity of which was a notch higher than before. Warriors constantly stacked their Tier 3 Skills and unleashed unimaginable might with their attacks, reaping the lives of the Swarm monsters.


    The Espers constantly tore off parts of the dead monsters and transported them through the barrier above the walls. Ripples were generated on the barrier, at spots where the psychic arms brought in the monster parts.


    A hail of spikes landed on the barrier, failing to damage it. The soldiers immediately retaliated, targeting the Armadillo-type monsters, raining down attacks on it as they blasted it to smithereens.


    "An Area Controller has no job being there," Jyorta sighed, gazing at the sole individual seated on the ground¡ªwatching the scenes being played like an immovable rock. For a moment, Jyorta thought the other person was just a statue the military academy had placed there.


    "Whatever, it''s probably someone looking at the various Tier 3 Skills for reference." Jyorta shook his head as he proceeded to walk towards the cafeteria. He had a lot to work to do during the remainder of his stay in the military academy: extract memories from the Crust-Mantles, siphon energy from the Frenzy Beasts to create more healing salve, and create his own world using Aura Induction while understanding its uses.


    It was not to forget he had to comprehend the memories still stored in his soul, enrich his ego as a human, develop the abilities of his blue soul, etc. He had a lot on his mind so he wasn''t curious about a person seated in the middle of the ground so early in the morning.


    When Jyorta had walked a fair distance away, the seated figure turned her head, looking at his disappearing back. Her eyes danced with unseekable wisdom, suffused with a charm that was both elixir and poison.


    She seemed deep in thought as she looked at Jyorta, slowly turning around after a while, gazing at the screen once again. She focused on the monsters appearing on the screen, noticing the shape, size, mass, ferocity, vitality, the change in features from monster to monster, etc.


    The Armadillo-type, the Stingray-type, and the Frog-type, she didn''t leave even a single of their variations behind, frowning as she seemed to be searching for something within them. She looked at their evolutions, making a mental note of every fin and claw they grew, watching the various methods the soldiers used to deal with them.


    "As expected, the foresight, strength, planning, and execution of humanity trump all." She nodded, weakly standing up as she massaged her sore muscles. The cold air caused her to sneeze, almost making her stumble at the force.


    She let out a wry smile, shaking her head as she chuckled once, walking towards her dorm situated in the Indigo Building of the Psychic Block. As she walked towards her destination, she gazed at the students running along the edges of the ground, warming up. They were mostly Amplifiers, their bodies containing great strength and vigour.


    She looked at their smiles, their expression of determination, and their mental fortitude when they passed by the White Building and looked at the scene of war.


    "To tread the path I had once traversed to the peak, such is life." She sighed, gazing at the sky as her eyes turned blue. Her body emitted blue radiance, blinding to the extent of dwarfing the sunlight. But, no student seemed to have sensed it, paying no mind to the individual walking on the ground.


    They continued about with their running, and when she neared the edges, the students passing by her greeted her friendly, "Morning!"


    "Morning, keep up with the hard work." The girl waved back as she passed by, chuckling as she began to jog. The blinding blue radiance around her went unnoticed, as if it didn''t exist in the first place.


    "Eh?" Jyorta turned around, sensing something amiss. His blue soul faintly shuddered. He looked behind him, noticing the stairs be empty. He then peered into the corridor, only spotting a couple of students who were walking towards the restroom.


    ''Is Laila jogging around?'' The blue soul overlaid the face mask¡ªone of calm, optimism, and filled with focus¡ªas he thought, shaking his head as he opened the door to his room. He had first planned to grab some food but decided otherwise on noticing the time. He would be running late for class if he ate in the cafeteria and returned to freshen up.


    Instead of that, he decided to freshen up first and head to the cafeteria when breakfast would be served. That was more nourishing and allowed his Nurturing process to generate more psychic energy.


    The radiance emitting from her soon reached a certain threshold, enveloping the entire military academy within it, forming a cocoon. She inspected it for a moment, nodding in thought as faint black radiance gushed out from her body, forming a layer over her skin.


    The process took an instant; the girl gazed around her one last time before disappearing from the scene. The moment she disappeared, the blinding radiance she emitted disappeared, but the cocoon she had formed remained. But, it was slowly being consumed, looking like it would disappear after some hours.


    Situated on a mountain was an oriental-styled house, placed next to a pond whose edges were covered by bamboo. Swimming within the pond was some koi, in peace, unthreatened by anything from the harsh world outside.


    The walls of the house were only made from paper mats, allowing a transparent view of the inside. Lanterns were hung all around the ceiling, forming the symbol of yin-yang.


    A bamboo table existed in the centre of the hall, behind which sat an old man, pouring tea in his cup. He was the only existence in the area. He didn''t seem bored by the signs of inactivity, rather seemed pleased by the peace, calmly pouring the tea as he watched it slowly fill the cup.


    Suddenly, his hands holding the tea jar shook, dropping it. A slender hand caught hold of it, tilting it to pour the tea, filling the cup to its brim. The newcomer took the teacup and sipped the tea, acting as if she owned the place.


    The old man''s face was one of shock for a couple of seconds before he heaved a sigh, his emotions turning calm once again, "I knew you wouldn''t die that easily."


    "Of course," The petite girl finished her tea and placed the cup with a light thud, "You''re one of the people who made me immortal, father."


    -----------------------


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 Chapter 365: Schemes of the Predecessor

    The old man sighed, "Why did you come here, Gajara?"


    "I go by the name Laila now." The petite girl said, looking detached, the gaze she looked at with the other party was one of numbness.


    "Fine, Laila." The old man acquiesced, "Why are you here?"


    Laila gazed towards her right, watching the massive fiery dome that extended from the ground, spanning an area that went beyond the range of her vision. Situated within the burning dome was a sprawling metropolis, the strongest base of humanity, otherwise known as Dawn City.


    "Protect me while I make a breakthrough," Laila gazed at the old man, glaring halfway, "As humanity''s strongest Ancestor, can''t you do it?"


    "What are you planning that you need me to protect you? Is it that dangerous?" The old man cleaned the splotches of tea on the table as he spoke. He didn''t seem fussed about her matter, looking more intent to clean the table of the spilled tea.


    "Yes," Laila nodded, "If something goes wrong and I turn berserk, defend everyone else from my attacks and prevent my identity from leaking out. Gajara Rahi and all her subsouls had died that day, that news shouldn''t change for the world."


    "If you fully attack through your soul, even I wouldn''t be able to defend against it while preventing your identity from leaking out. I don''t have enough methods for that." The old man said. The air faintly shimmered around, the flames tinged with mild blue radiance. But, it wasn''t stable, lacking enough quality to affect reality.


    "This would help you," Laila threw a Relic towards him. The old man caught hold of it, frowning the moment he noticed it was magenta in colour, "So, Marble already knows your identity."


    The Relic was shaped into a pencil, sporting an eraser on its head, all magenta. The old man faintly probed it using his aura, noticing the signatures of three different auras fused into a whole by an overbearing but solid aura. He couldn''t determine the types of Relics fused into the Relic in his hand, gazing at Laila, implying her to explain about it further.


    "Yes, he''s helping and protecting me now." Laila nodded, gazing at the pencil-shaped Relic, "The three Relics are all at Tier 5 level. The first is a Refined Relic from a Sky Controller, the second is an Extracted Relic containing the Unranked Skill Light Symphony, and the final Extracted Relic contains the Unranked Skill Deific Inference."


    "Deific Inference?" The old man blurted out in shock, "How did you get your hands on one? Deific Inference is the most guarded Unranked Skill of Marble City. Each wielder is closely kept watch by Marble himself¡­did Marble get it for you?"


    "Gajara Rahi orchestrated the death of a Wave Controller with Deific Inference when he roamed the wilds and interfered with the memories of the soldiers accompanying him. It was a scene where a Sky Controller Frenzy Beast had ambushed them and brutally shredded him into pieces. But in actuality, Gajara Rahi captured him and made him into her subsoul. After all, he was talented enough to obtain Deific Inference at Tier 3. And once he became a Sky Controller, she obtained the Relic by killing him."


    "Wait¡­" The old man''s breathing grew ragged, "So, you had possessed Deific Inference in your hands since long ago?"


    He massaged his forehead, sighing after a couple of seconds, "Then what was the point of your death?"


    "¡­I see." He turned silent, realising the significance behind her actions. "It seems I am becoming dumb due to age."


    A Psychic Parasite was a counter to Rhachis Ancestor Parasite. This was the established notion. With the death of Gajara Rahi, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite was less guarded against humanity. Moreover, Gajara Rahi had made use of Rhachis Ancestor Light and Rhachis Ancestor Dawn to orchestrate her death while still retaining all her preparations.


    Moreover, through their decisive battle, she had shed off all the dead weight shackling her, both body and soul, retaining her strengths while eradicating her weaknesses. Also, the old man could sense her schemes ran deep and what he had realised now was merely scratching the surface.


    "Indeed, you are," Laila nodded, "Just focus on becoming stronger for now. Leave the schemes to me and my successor."


    "Alright, I''ll guard you," The old man grabbed hold of the pencil-shaped Relic, his expression turning serious as he nodded at her, "Do what you wish."


    Laila nodded and closed her eyes, regulating her breathing. Energy rumbled in her body, siphoned from the reserves in her soul. It was a massive surge in energy, gushing into her Brain Crystal. The moment it entered her Brain Crystal, the energy was swiftly absorbed by a Trait in her.


    The Trait of Severability!


    The energy was absorbed by the Trait of Severability, morphing it into a substance akin to a paste. The paste dissolved in her blood, circulating through her body as the flow naturally headed to her brain. The substance in it was absorbed by the brain, initiating a mild reaction from the fused region.


    The fused region began to grow, enveloping more of the brain into it, steadily increasing her Sync Rate.


    85¡­86¡­87¡­Laila''s Sync Rate continued to increase steadily, the energy consumed equivalent to a Transformer¡ªat a Sync Rate of 100 percent¡ªfor every percentage rise. Two hours later, the energy gushing into her Brain Crystal stopped, the Trait of Severability also stopped operating.


    100 percent Sync Rate!


    Laila let out a breath of relief, commenting after a while, "Even for me, this would be risky if my Sync Rate is not at a hundred percent. After all, I haven''t even reached the peak of Tier 2."


    Seeing the old man, Rhachis Ancestor Dawn remain silent, she closed her eyes, regulating her breath once again. She took deep breaths, relaxing her body muscles while attuning herself to her surroundings, cleansing her mind of all distractions.


    She maintained such a state for more than three hours, her presence fully synchronising with the surroundings. Any normal person wouldn''t be able to detect her presence even if he stood right before her.


    Finally, a faint aroma exited the pores on her skin, coagulating into a cocoon around her. It looked incredibly fragile, needing only a mild breeze¡ªor even the force from a normal person''s breath¡ªto dissipate.


    Breakthrough to Tier 3!


    Laila had decisively initiated her breakthrough to Tier 3, having zero hesitation. The time she spent at Tier 2 was clearly not enough for a guaranteed breakthrough. But, as if she was pressured by something, Laila began her attempt.


    ''She had already reached Tier 6 once. And, considering her accumulations, even if we reach the Saturation Point in the Mental Realm, she should still be able to make a clean breakthrough to Tier 6. I wonder what spurred her to make such a rash decision.'' Rhachis Ancestor Dawn looked at the visage of Laila, showing a lot of hesitation.


    Only now that her attention was fully occupied by her breakthrough did he dare show his real emotions. He had a gaze of worry as he looked at the changes around her. He sat still, like a celestial body, as if he was the very nature itself.


    The mountain they were on didn''t display any changes, but was suddenly covered by fog, preventing any detection method from peering through. Its defence was already robust enough that only Rhachis Ancestor Warlord and Rhachis Ancestor Parasite could penetrate.


    But now, its defence was further amplified, also layered by a veil of disruption, a kind of hallucination that made any detection abilities relay back the fake information he wished to convey. It was better to be prepared against any contingencies.


    Though, he wasn''t pressured. No Frenzy Beast Ancestor dared to poke into his abode; after all, such an action would result in their annihilation.


    Only when they were personally backed by Rhachis Ancestor Parasite would they dare bare their fangs against him or Dawn City. After all, the situation of Dawn City was different from the other human cities. They had four Ancestors guarding it, two of which were Espers.


    This created a powerful defence structure, and also allowed them enough manpower to dispatch individuals for any mission. Marble City''s situation wasn''t as good where the surrounding Frenzy Beasts still dared to attack.


    They only had three Ancestors, one of which was a fledgling Ancestor who hadn''t even Nurtured his Tier 6 Skill. That''s why the surrounding Frenzy Beast Ancestors could still make situations difficult for Marble City from time to time.


    Reef City, which had a power similar to Marble City also faced a similar situation. But, Rhachis Ancestor Reef''s abilities prevented any Frenzy Beast Ancestor from making a move individually. So, when they moved, they moved as a collective unit.


    Moreover, the terrain advantage gave Reef City a breather. For, Reef City was situated on an island cluster, preventing any terrain-based Frenzy Beasts from approaching. Rhachis Ancestor Reef also had some Frenzy Beast Ancestors under him who manned the periphery of Reef City against any attackers.


    Rhachis Ancestor Dawn gazed at Laila, pouring tea in his teacup, gently lifting it to drink the contents. His other hand though, grabbed hold of the pencil-shaped Relic the moment a change enveloped Laila.


    ''She''s heading to the Mental Realm now. That''s where her preparations exist. Judging by her behaviour, her preparation poses a fair degree of risk to her.'' Rhachis Ancestor Dawn stood up, lifting the table, putting it at the edge of the room.


    His shadow loomed before her as he became alert, gently inserting energy into the pencil-shaped Relic, ready to activate it at a moment''s notice. Faint blue radiance covered his body, ready to defend against any of Laila''s soul-based attacks.


    Seated before him, Laila finally completed phase 1 of her breakthrough. The air rumbled as something heavy seemed to press on her, the power behind it unable to separate her psyche from her body. It was as if her psyche weighed as much as a mountain, unable to be pulled up like everyone else that finished phase 1 of their breakthrough.


    The air rumbled as energy that couldn''t be perceived condensed, forming chains that wrapped around Laila. Her immediate surroundings blurred, morphing between illusion and reality.


    The Mental Realm descended!

 Chapter 366: A Century’s Worth

    The Mental Realm had actually descended to reality to pull her psyche. Rhachis Ancestor Dawn gazed with shock at the projection of the Mental Realm, watching it struggle to pull her in. ''Just how frightening did her accumulation transcend to warrant such a scene?''


    Unlike the other Ancestors, Gajara Rahi had reached the peak of both the Parasite path and the Soul path, also treading quite the distance in the other two paths. Moreover, the development in the Soul path was only through one manner, and it was what Jyorta did to elevate himself from Tier 1 to Tier 2 Psychic Parasite¡ªby consuming the memory fragments of other beings.


    As a Tier 6 Psychic Parasite, Laila''s accumulations¡ªmemories and experiences¡ªwere unimaginable. The Mental Realm creaked, struggling to affect her as it manifested more and more into reality. Rhachis Ancestor Dawn shielded himself using his methods from the Mind path, watching the Mental Realm coagulate around Laila, fully manifesting into reality.


    A pair of eyes appeared on her back, bloodthirsty. The ravings of pain, anger, bloodlust, of happiness, sadness, desires, the sounds of chuckles, roars, chatters, etc. blasted from them, jolting his mind.


    Rhachis Ancestor Dawn defended himself against all mental inflictions, keeping his emotional state under firm control, watching the Mental Realm condense, twist and twirl around Laila, fully wrapping around her body.


    It then moved up, pulling something from within her. A massive serpent, with the body of a human, possessing hundreds of thousands of heads littering above its shoulders, of hands that were like tendrils, numbering like the grains of sand on a beach; it flashed from Laila''s body, warping the illusory reality as it disappeared from view.


    The projection of the Mental Realm vanished right after, the surroundings returning to normalcy. Rhachis Ancestor Dawn wiped the sweat from his forehead, sighing as he sensed the presence of the area around him, swiftly healing the damage it had suffered. If the situation had persisted any longer, the entire mountain would have crumbled.


    "So, this is the true you. You have concealed well, Gajara. Can''t exist in reality my arse," He grumbled, massaging his forehead as he sighed again. He looked at the visage of Laila while he created an environment optimal for her breakthrough, "I hope you succeed."


    The Mental Realm creaked, sagging at the spot where Laila sat in reality. Around the illusory projection of the mountain in the Mental Realm, a massive humanoid-serpent coiled around, its every movement causing the Mental Realm to creak in protest.


    "Come!" The serpentine-humanoid shouted, transmitting the sound everywhere, despite the Realm being a place where the concept of sound didn''t exist. The humanoid-serpent coiled its body tighter, causing cracks to form on the illusory mountain.


    The space in the Mental Realm began to stretch at places, even affected by the mere presence it generated, showing signs of rupture. The Mental Realm trembled, expending the energy it had stored to mend the damage.


    Faint sounds reverberated as a giant appeared beyond the horizon, each of its steps denting the Mental Realm as it moved forward, slow but steady. It was as big as a mountain, possessing a humanoid body.


    It lacked all facial features, only spotting a pair of horns in the pace of ears. Growing from its head were hundreds of thousands of tendrils, their ends shaped into a suction pod, also sporting two needles on one side, acting as the eyes.


    Spikes grew all over the body, sometimes inanimate, other times acting like serpents. They hissed but failed to produce any sound. Its two legs were a product of numerous serpent-like tendrils that had coiled together, acting as a collective unit propping up its giant body.


    The giant moved slowly, its destination the humanoid-serpent. Its massive body took a long step, followed by another, longer one, craning its serpentine legs to expand and take an even longer step, continuing successively before it began to sprint at blinding speeds.


    The bumps it caused on the Mental Realm were swiftly healed while its form burned, expending the massive reserve of Will in it to move.


    Thump! Thump!


    It was a prehistoric beast that continued to accelerate the closer it was to the humanoid-serpent. Finally, when it was in range, it leaped into the air, coiling its hands into one to unleash a massive hit.


    Thousands of heads shot out from the humanoid-serpent, poking holes in the giant, displaying the superiority of their Wills in the condensation of their forms. The heads poked holes all over the giant''s body, emerging on the other side before turning around for a second volley.


    The humanoid-serpent''s tail coiled around the giant''s hip, slamming it down on the other side. The giant crashed and paused, its body wriggling before collapsing into serpents, restructuring it into a standing position.


    The moment its hands began to form, the humanoid-serpent swiped with its tail, using the massive blade in it to sever them into two. The severed hands continued to float away, spurred by the inertia.


    The humanoid-serpent roared, unleashing a formless attraction that pulled the severed hands back to the scene of battle, including all the experience fragments that had splashed out from their collisions.


    The two severed hands broke down into serpents that drilled back into the giant''s body. It swiftly regrew another pair of hands that the humanoid-serpent severed. The spikes on its body grew in length before piercing the humanoid-serpent, causing a tiny splash of experience fragments.


    The humanoid-serpent kept the formless attraction ongoing, pulling back all the experience fragments that flew away from their fight.


    The giant''s right leg doubled in girth, the serpents forming it protruding out as they wriggled and coiled around, firming its structure as it sent a kick at the humanoid-serpent.


    Of the innumerous hands it possessed, ten thousand hands clubbed together to form a massive hand, the side of which was formed into a blade, defending against the kick.


    The sharpness of the blade and the sturdiness of its structure allowed it to withstand the attack, only spilling forth experience fragments worth a Tier 3 Cogent Phrenics. The giant though, suffered a large wound on its legs, as if it was hacked by an axe. A wave of experience fragments tided out of the wounded area.


    The humanoid-serpent''s formless attraction pulled the spilled experience fragments towards itself, fusing them into its form. It expended a bit of its Will to relocate them to an appropriate location, becoming a tad bigger.


    After a round of attacks, the giant had become smaller than before. Still, its flurry of attacks didn''t decrease in intensity, but instead, become fiercer. Initially, its body was larger than what its stored Will could condense and support. Now that the excess had been shed, its Will could orient its form better.


    The giant dispersed into tens of massive serpents that coiled towards the humanoid-serpent, intending to burrow into its body. But, the moment it acted on its intention, hundreds of thousands of heads flew around, riddling them with holes, stopping their march.


    The heads opened their mouths, biting off chunks of experience fragments from the serpents. The humanoid-serpent gazed afar, noticing the outlines of more giants beyond the horizon. It immediately condensed ten pairs of massive arms, slamming the serpents with a flurry of attacks.


    Its tail multiplied into ten, their bladed ends dicing the pummelled serpents. Finally, its mouth chomped on the diced parts, blowing once to expel the Will contained within them while it absorbed the experience fragments.


    The blown-out Will flew away, attracted by something as it seeped into the remaining serpents, enriching them. The serpents became stronger, tougher, faster, and could take up many forms. The Will replenished their reserves, making each serpent more dangerous than before.


    The humanoid-serpent slithered forward, moving a bit away from the mountain, only keeping a part of its tail coiled around the peak. Shielded within was a thin connection between it and the heart of Laila in reality. Also hovering next to it was a tiny serpent, possessing a core in its body, the key to leaving the Mental Realm.


    Though, the serpent couldn''t move, constricted by a pair of tendrils. Even when it struggled, it lost experience fragments, unable to even damage or relocate a single experience fragment of its foe.


    Three pairs of hands combined to form an enormous hand that slammed down on a serpent, splashing out all the experience fragments in it. The abrupt motion¡ªof being scattered¡ªconsumed most of its Will, preventing the serpent from recondensing ever again.


    The humanoid-serpent absorbed all the splashed-out experience fragments, crushing the remainder of the serpent. It then delivered critical hits to each and every serpent, destroying their forms, fully expending the Will in them, and absorbing the freed experience fragments.


    "Ugh," The moment it gobbled up the last of the serpent, the humanoid-serpent shivered, trembling as many changes erupted in its form. The numerous tendrils on its body in the form of hands now turned into serpents, having assimilated the essence of the giant.


    It expended a lot of Will to assimilate the gains, "Phew, I finished absorbing all the experience fragments related to Rhachis Ancestor Parasite."


    It then looked at the numerous giants that were beginning to arrive one after another, slowly walking in calm, their gazes fully focused on it, as if wishing to devour it completely.


    The humanoid-serpent gazed at the giant that was the nearest, noticing that it was an incarnation of flames. It was a solid human, possessing well-defined features, the composition of the experience fragments in its make wholly focused on one aspect.


    Power!


    "Father''s form, huh." The humanoid-serpent became solemn, the hands it possessed had become smaller but more numerous.

 Chapter 367: Experience Fragments of all Legends

    "That''s father''s form," The humanoid-serpent frowned, taking a stance of caution on watching the flaming giant come closer. Unlike the form of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, the form of Rhachis Ancestor Dawn was slow and steady, treading with calm.


    But, this in fact increased the pressure Laila faced. After all, any delay meant the arrival of more giants that she would have to face at a time. And, her form was confined to a spot, unable to move due to the limited length of the thread that connected her form to reality. So, she didn''t have the option to advance or retreat to gain favourable conditions.


    The moment it was severed meant all her plans would become useless. For, she would be trapped in the Mental Realm for all eternity until she was slowly assimilated by it. The giants before her were all like that.


    A century''s worth of planning and accumulation. When Gajara Rahi broke through from Tier 5 to Tier 6, she absorbed some special experience fragments during her stay in the Mental Realm. When she returned to reality, she realised that the special experience fragments conformed to the being that brought her to this world, the one Jyorta called the creepy-haired man and the one she called the tubed-freak.


    Those experience fragments helped her a lot. Even though she had already come to know the worth of the Mental Realm, the experience fragments of peak beings further changed her opinion of it. It was then she created a plan to absorb the experience fragments of all beings of importance.


    She made numerous subsouls breakthrough and sever their connections to reality while in the Mental Realm. In their souls, she placed memories thrice their life experiences, placing a mental cue in them that formed their very existence.


    It was like their very lives were lived to attain only one thing. When they severed their connections to reality while in the Mental Realm, they were guided by the mental cue and began searching for the experience fragments of the Ancestors.


    Any being, when they arrive in the Mental Realm would battle the Cogent Phrenics. A result of the clash would allow both parties to gain or lose experience fragments. And, a significant portion of those experience fragments would splash forth from the attacks, travelling without pause until they hit another Cogent Phrenics.


    Any Ancestor would have had arrived five times at the Mental Realm, losing a lot of their experience fragments¡ªgenerated from all points of their life¡ªin their battles. Gajara Rahi planned to collect them all. It was to support her in the grand scheme she had been concocting all along.


    Each subsoul she sent to the Mental Realm had a target, either an Ancestor or a being of significant value. They would continue to search for the related experience fragments even as their egos would be gradually eroded by the Mental Realm and they fully turn into a Cogent Phrenics.


    Since the essence conforming to their experience fragments, their existence, was for a single fact, even as Cogent Phrenics, they would continue to search and absorb the related experience fragments.


    But, the splashed experience fragments of the Ancestors would have been absorbed by the Cogent Phrenics who were in the way. Moreover, all Cogent Phrenics desired higher quality experience fragments. So, the experience fragments of the Ancestors would have been with strong Cogent Phrenics.


    The Cogent Phrenics created by Gajara Rahi slowly battled their way to the top in the Mental Realm, collecting the experience fragments of their desired targets. They would roam in search of them, stay still to allow the recovery of their expended Will, engage in a battle the moment they find one, rest, and recover after one. And, once they digest the experience fragment, they would move on to find another.


    They rinse and repeated the same process for a century, also absorbing similar experience fragments of what they sought¡ªeven if the source wasn''t from the Ancestors¡ªand built up their strength. The quality of their experience fragments was at the peak of Tier 5.


    After all, one became an Ancestor only after they left the Mental Realm. So, there weren''t any experience fragments in the Mental Realm of the Tier 6 level. Even then, their forms were tremendously powerful, giving Laila''s form trouble, even if a portion of her form was composed of Tier 6 experience fragments.


    The flaming giant arrived, facing its palm forward, making a motion of pulling. Immediately, the Will within an area on the humanoid-serpent destabilised, the experience fragments from the part spilling out.


    The flaming giant pulled them towards it, intending to absorb it when the humanoid-serpent pulled them back. The formless force it exerted trumped the flaming giant''s, recovering the experience fragments it had lost.


    But, just this action alone showed the danger the flaming giant possessed. The humanoid-serpent swerved its head, noticing another giant begin to fly towards it. This giant was like a yarn, composed of numerous threads that made up its structure.


    The moment it arrived, it threw out thousands of threads, wrapping them around the mountain, constricting the humanoid-serpent. It swiftly made use of the humanoid-serpent''s inability to dodge, primarily aiming at its tail area.


    A hundred heads from its shoulder shot forth and snapped the threads, before ganging up on the yarn, biting through its experience fragments. Without any hesitation, the humanoid-serpent unleashed more than ten thousand heads to attack the yarn while its front condensed a pair of blades.


    The blades flashed once, severing the hip of the flaming giant. But, unlike the other forms, the flaming giant seemed to have a fluid form. So, all its bladed attacks caused was the spillage of some experience fragments, a scarce amount considering its massive size and the number of experience fragments it had amassed in total.


    "Hah," The humanoid-serpent shouted, creating a massive shield to defend against another giant. The force behind the attack was minimal, but it caused the shield to slam into its face. The humanoid-serpent grunted, thinking, ''Dawn, Web, and now Crash.''


    It then swerved its head, its mood plummeting as it noticed a humanoid giant approach slowly. It was fully magenta; its form was the most condensed of all the forms the humanoid-serpent had witnessed. It was to the extent it thought the opponent was composed of Tier 6 experience fragments.


    ''No, that is not possible. I see, its essence is fully on the aspect of defence. So, that essence also condensed the Will and created such a sturdy result. Once Marble''s form too joins the battle, my efficacy would drop to the minimum, and there is a good chance I might expend my Will and be defeated.''


    "Hah!" The humanoid-serpent shouted, increasing the girth of its body to twice the amount, the cord connecting it to reality swelled to a hundred times its original size, gushing in experience fragments without limit.


    The humanoid-serpent became even more imposing, its head hitting the barrier of the Mental Realm, almost poking a hole through it. The Mental Realm screamed in protest, unable to bear the intensity of the battle.


    Energy gushed into the region, trying to reinforce it, preventing the Mental Realm from collapsing. That was why Laila had chosen this spot to make a breakthrough. The stability and toughness of the Mental Realm depended on the beings that had made a breakthrough there.


    During the dark ages, the Mental Realm was just an illusory manifestation that could exist temporarily during a breakthrough. When Rhachis Ancestor Parasite broke through to Tier 6, the place it made a breakthrough had stabilised, using the Will, experience fragments, and essence it had generated to create a stable fragment of the Mental Realm.


    When other beings, Tier 1 to Tier 5 broke through in the region, the Mental Realm fragment expanded. When many Ancestors began to breakthrough, numerous Mental Realm fragments were created all over the world.


    As the number of breakthroughs increased, it further stabilised their respective regions, also increasing its area. Soon, the fragments expanded until connecting with one another, eventually creating the Mental Realm.


    But, even though it had already been created, the stability of the Mental Realm varied from place to place. The greater the breakthroughs and the higher the Tier of breakthrough, the more the Mental Realm developed in the region.


    So, in response to that, the Mental Realm around Dawn City was one of the sturdiest, second only to the place where Rhachis Ancestor Parasite lived. Dawn City had birthed four Ancestors; moreover, Gajara Rahi had also broken through to Tier 6 in the same place. So, it made the optimal location for her battle.


    Only in such a sturdy place would the Mental Realm endure their grand battle.


    The humanoid-serpent condensed a massive hammer and slammed it into the flaming giant, causing a wave of experience fragments to spill out. But, before it could travel far, the flaming giant absorbed them back into its body.


    The formless force the humanoid-serpent generated only managed to pull away a small fraction of the spilled experience fragments.


    The yarn could no longer attack it, busy defending itself from the numerous heads.


    ''Father''s form is the most troublesome after all.'' The humanoid-serpent expanded in size as experience fragments gushed into its form, bulking it up. A head among the head cluster on its shoulder absorbed a massive volume of experience fragments, exiting like a fission being, taking the form of a four-legged beast.


    It possessed ten tails, the ends of which possessed suction-pod-like mouths, while on its back was a massive chakram. Its entire body was aerodynamically constructed in accordance with the chakram and the ten tails. It reached the flaming giant''s knee in height, not a threat size-wise.


    The humanoid-serpent grunted, creating two more of such beings, ordering them to gang up on the flaming giant while it defended against another attack from Crash''s form. The moment it defended, its guard slammed into its body, toppling its balance.


    Crash''s form¡ªshaped into a perfect sphere with a pair of whiskers¡ªappeared, swishing around as it attacked the humanoid-serpent.


    -----------------------


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    ----------------------

 Chapter 368: The Mind Hound’s Arrival

    The three tailed beasts jumped around while the chakram on their back spun. The chakram''s ends weren''t like a blade, but sported numerous inclined plates. So, when the tailed beasts attacked the flaming giant, the rotating chakram pulled out experience fragments from it, creating a geyser of experience fragments.


    When the flaming giant focused on pulling in the experience fragments, the three beasts would slam with their tails to splash them and expend its Will faster. When the flaming giant focused on defending against their attacks, they would return to attacking with their chakrams. This way, they tied down the flaming giant.


    The yarn, on the other hand, was soon devoured by the thousands of heads after all its Will was expended. They spun around the humanoid-serpent, not settling for the time being. For that would necessitate it to spend some time to digest the experience fragments they had consumed, time it didn''t have.


    The humanoid-serpent created a tuning fork, slamming it on the whisker sphere, generating sound from the clash. The sound countered the essence of the whisker sphere, preventing the humanoid-serpent''s contact surfaces from crashing into it.


    It was as if it had already devised all the necessary countermeasures beforehand, the humanoid-serpent created twenty tuning forks and repeatedly slammed it on the whisker sphere. The sound disrupted its form, causing it to expend greater Will to stabilise itself.


    The humanoid-serpent used this cost-effective way to weaken the will in it, doubling the number of tuning forks to put an end to the fight. It focused on attacking it while creating another tailed beast to attack the flaming giant.


    Even though it was besieged by the four tailed beasts, the flaming giant held on, only losing a few experience fragments in every clash. Moreover, the Will it possessed seemed to regenerate by itself, refilling the amount it had expended.


    ''Even that ability of father has manifested.'' On one side, the humanoid-serpent was excited, but on the other side, it felt immense pressure. At the rate it could damage the flaming giant, it would need at least a decade to destroy it. Even that wasn''t guaranteed. Moreover, its Will wouldn''t last for such an extended duration.


    ''If I don''t do something, I would be defeated.'' The humanoid-serpent thought, gazing at the magenta giant that had walked closer to the battlefield. It decisively shrunk its body a little, expending a significant quantity of Will to create a massive tuning fork half its body size.


    It slammed it on the whisker sphere, flattening it under the impact. The moment it lifted it, the whisker sphere reformed, flashing past in an attempt to hit its head. The other hands carrying tuning forks impeded its movements, attacking it with a flurry of attacks.


    Using the time they gained, the humanoid-serpent lifted the giant tuning fork and slammed it once again. The whisker sphere collapsed; its experience fragments spilled out like the tide. But, it still retained a significant portion of its Will in every experience fragment.


    Under their joint action, the experience fragments flowed and formed into the whisker sphere. But this time, instead of attacking the humanoid-serpent, it flew towards the tailed beasts, colliding into one.


    The force behind its impact didn''t even cause the tailed beast to flinch, but the next moment, it saw its tails slam into its body, the lash attack spilling forth copious amount of its experience fragments.


    Just the excess, imbalanced motion destabilised its form, expending a greater deal of its Will. The humanoid-serpent didn''t wish to see them fall so easily, extending its form to reach the whisker sphere, attacking it with the giant tuning fork.


    This time, it slammed it like a ball, sending it reeling towards itself. It morphed the massive tuning fork into a hundred smaller tuning forks, spamming attacks on the whisker sphere from all sides, preventing it from retaliating.


    Without giving it any break, the humanoid-serpent attacked non-stop, expending its Will at a furious rate. Unable to defend, and placed on the receiving end without being able to move, the whisker sphere soon collapsed after its Will was expended.


    The humanoid-serpent immediately gobbled it up, grunting as its form staggered, flickering once before turning normal. At the next moment, all the heads landed on its shoulder, seeping the experience fragments of the yarn into it.


    "Gah," The humanoid-serpent lost balance, crashing into the mountain, crumbling it into pieces. Thankfully, it took greater precautions on its tail segment, preventing it from moving away, lest its connection to reality got severed.


    The serpents on its body became more flexible, their binding prowess becoming enhanced. As a result of the essence of the yarn, the humanoid-serpent''s body stabilised further, the connection between each of its experience fragments had become tougher.


    Its Will experienced an upgrade, now able to bind the experience fragments better. This change swiftly condensed its form into a stronger version. The humanoid-serpent heaved a sigh of relief and was just about to attack the flaming giant when three giants appeared.


    One was the magenta giant, one was a spear, and the last was a light sword.


    ''Marble, Warlord, and Light.'' It thought, creating three enhanced versions of the tailed beasts, commanding them to attack the flaming giant.


    It condensed a massive ball of rope and threw it towards the magenta giant while a hundred thousand heads on its shoulder flew towards the sword and spear.


    The rope ball collided with the magenta giant, failing to damage it. But, in the next instant, it collapsed into thousands of serpents that crawled all over the magenta giant, connecting to create ropes that bound it.


    Despite the magenta giant''s struggles, the rope didn''t snap. It was thanks to the yarn''s essence it had absorbed. The humanoid-serpent frowned at the expenditure of its Will as the heads bombarded the spear and the sword.


    The sword and the spear were fast, each of their attacks collapsing a head, the Will in it fully expended. The humanoid-serpent used the formless force to pull back the experience fragments splashing forth from the destroyed heads, expending some Will in the process. Thankfully, the effect it desired took place.


    After the sword slashed through tens of heads with a single swing, something caused it to fly towards the spear, crashing into it. The spear similarly flew due to an unknown cause, crashing into the sword. The sword slashed apart a piece of the spear while the spear bore a hole through the sword.


    The process repeated every time they destroyed some heads. The cause was the essence of the whisker sphere within them.


    In the meantime, the humanoid-serpent''s innumerous hands extended in length, latching onto the flaming giant. The flaming giant already had its hands full against the beasts. So, it couldn''t even retaliate against the hands that latched onto its body.


    The hands had sharp nails that dug into it, scooping out a handful of experience fragments each. The hands pressed and relaxed their hold on the clump of experience fragments they held, shaping them into different shapes until they collapsed.


    Once the Will in them were expended through this action, the hands returned. Its innumerous hands had pulled out almost half the experience fragments in the flaming giant''s form. This massive reduction made it easier for the beasts to bite and tear through it.


    Even though the flaming giant was still going strong, ready to recover at a moment''s notice by absorbing the experience fragments from the beasts, the humanoid-serpent didn''t give it the window of opportunity to do so. Another batch of hands arrived and repeated the same process, finishing off the flaming giant after expending all its Will.


    The humanoid-serpent swiftly absorbed the experience fragments of the flaming giant, thrashing in pain the moment it did so. The boulders that were the result of the mountain were ground to dust from its trashing.


    Its form destabilised as a tremendous reserve of its Will was expended to rearrange the flaming giant''s experience fragments. It caused its form to before unstable, looking on the verge of dissipating. The humanoid-serpent slammed on the ground, looking weak, its form barely condensed as compared to before.


    It looked like it was about to shatter. Despite that, the humanoid-serpent expended more of its will to reorient the flaming giant''s experience fragments, almost collapsing into a sea of experience fragments when the rearrangement was done.


    "Phew, I almost died now." It muttered with a weak breath, slowly lifting its head as its expended Will was getting replenished. The energy in the Mental Realm gushed into its form, morphing into its Will, solidifying it, slowly recovering its state to its peak.


    The Mental Realm showed signs of protest, unwilling to see its energy be absorbed by the entrant. Followed by the sounds of laughter, Laila''s voice echoed in the Mental Realm, "From Tier 3 onwards, to finish a breakthrough, the Mental Realm imposes certain conditions on the entrant, like the number of experience fragments they had to absorb, the type of experience fragments they have to obtain, etc."


    "Only the breakthrough from Tier 1 to Tier 2, and Tier 2 to Tier 3 lack such restrictions." Laila''s laughter resounded, "So, that makes this the only time I can do this without having to face off against your laws. Even you cannot break the laws that form your core being."


    The creaking sounds from the Mental Realm intensified, but no action was taken against the humanoid-serpent. With a constant influx of Will, the humanoid-serpent battled without any worries. It had already tided past the prime hurdles: Rhachis Ancestor Parasite''s form, and Rhachis Ancestor Dawn''s form.


    Giants belonging to almost all the Ancestors that had appeared on earth arrived and were killed one after another by the humanoid-serpent and devoured. Even though it felt tremendous difficulty in digesting each giant, with an unceasing supply of Will from the Mental Realm, it could continue to do so without issues.


    "Woof!" Just when the humanoid-serpent devoured the final giant, the bark of a dog resounded. Flying from the horizon was a being that even it dared not confront, despite possessing all the advantages it had accumulated now.


    The Mind Hound!


    -----------------------


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    -----------------------

 Chapter 369: Truth Behind the Mind Hound

    Seated in an auditorium, Jyorta looked at the ongoing lecture with attentiveness, scribbling notes in his notebook. He tapped the pen on his chin while in thought or lightly drummed it on the notebook when the lecturer took a break. It was his usual in a lecture.


    Suddenly, blue radiance exited from his blue soul, taking a corporeal form, turning into the figure of the creepy-haired man. Jyorta didn''t seem able to detect his existence, continuing with taking his notes.


    When the lecturer took a break, after having taught for an hour without rest, Haesha leaned closer to his ear, whispering, "I heard some people on the back talk about Laila leaving the academy for the same reason as you today."


    "Really?" Jyorta was surprised, unable to comprehend the reason before he thought of their identities, realising that Psychic Ancestor Marble might have something to do with it, "Did they say anything else?"


    "No," Haesha shook her head, "What they said might very well be rumours. Still, they claimed a couple of staff had been conversing about it this morning. It does seem surprising since she''s not from an Aristocratic Family. So, there doesn''t seem any possibility of her undertaking a dangerous experiment that might have incited trouble in her body right at this time."


    "No, the possibility is not slim," Jyorta shook his head, "Her father is a Transformer. And from what I know, he has a powerful administrative position in our 7th Ring."


    "I see," Haesha nodded, "Still, it is surprising that this is the second time someone has left the military academy."


    ¡­


    "Ancestor Marble, if you really cannot say, just say so. Please don''t lie to me. I feel my intelligence as a Sky Controller is insulted every time you do so." Madam Mary frowned, gazing at a corner of the principal room where the marble figure had appeared.


    "Fine," The marble figure sighed, "It is just to curb my worries. On the off chance, Jyorta goes ballistic, and none of us are around, we need someone to keep him in check. And, the only candidate perfect for this is the sole individual who had outperformed him every month in this military academy."


    The marble figure folded its hands, "So, I am just implanting a method of Mind path in her body that would activate in times of necessity."


    "Why a Mind path?" Madam Mary frowned, still expressing her doubt.


    "It is to prevent anyone from finding it out," The magenta figure laughed, "Also, the Mind path is the only path that can significantly affect the Soul path. And, we have Deific Inference to achieve it."


    "Fine," Madam Mary massaged her brows, sighing, "A Cadet leaving the military academy has been unprecedented ever since its establishment. But last year, Jyorta was the first to break it, and now Laila does it again."


    "Unprecedented only means no one has done it before, not something no one could accomplish." The magenta figure said its final sentence before disappearing, "In the silicon era, superhumans were unprecedented."


    ¡­


    The creepy-haired man glanced at Jyorta for a moment, heaving a sigh after sensing that he hadn''t noticed his existence. He then gazed towards the north-east, frowning, ''You really have an endless appetite, Gajara. But, I hope you don''t interfere with my plans any longer.''


    He then looked at Jyorta, sighing, ''But, the moment I take action, it means I would have to expend most of the arrangements I placed in him, save for the final arrangement. Nonetheless, Gajara is targeting my final, most important arrangement. So, I have to take action or my plans would fall short.''


    He inspected Jyorta''s state, heaving a sigh of relief, ''Thankfully, Jyorta''s development exceeds my expectation time and again. Even without my arrangements guiding him, he would still grow to surpass my expectations. Jyovic Bone, Mary Veera, Atika Light, Strongest, Marble, and even Light; with such individuals taking care of him, I don''t need to fret. He''ll definitely grow up to become a force that would stand against Parasite.''


    ''What else have I missed?'' He tapped his chin, ''I already destroyed Gajara''s arrangement in Heima, and Jyorta defeated Ehara Gobi in the Mental Realm. Alright, there doesn''t seem to be anything else that needs my intervention.''


    His figure broke down into specks of light, turning corporeal as they vanished, appearing in the same place but in the Mental Realm. It travelled at the speed of light, seeping into a giant that was walking through a corner of the Mental Realm, its destination being the humanoid-serpent.


    The moment the radiance entered its form, the giant stopped moving, turning around as it headed towards one corner of the Mental Realm, away from being detected by any beings that would arrive during their breakthrough. It then lay around the edge, assimilating with the landscape to avoid showcasing its existence.


    This giant was a condensation of all the creepy-haired man''s experience fragments. Of course, Gajara Rahi would never forget about them. So, she had also sent a subsoul to collect it. Moreover, it was her first target.


    After a century, all his experience fragments in the Mental Realm had been collected and condensed into the giant. The creepy-haired man came to know of her plans and used it to make an arrangement to help Jyorta.


    Though, he didn''t try to affect any of the other giants, only stopping his giant from facing off against the humanoid-serpent.


    In the battlefield, the place in the Mental Realm next to Dawn City, the humanoid-serpent panted, having just finished devouring the experience fragments of the final giant¡ªthat belonged to an Ancestor.


    It frowned, thinking, ''The tubed freak''s form, and Strongest''s form hasn''t arrived. Or maybe something happened to their forms.''


    It then looked at the smaller giants that looked no different from a Tier 5 Cogent Phrenics, frowning again, ''Atika Light''s form is absent too. Just what is happening?''


    It was worried, unable to obtain the experience fragments of three individuals it had looked forward to the most. It then slammed with its tail, flattening all the Tier 5 Cogent Phrenics that had arrived, destroying their Will before starting to absorb their experience fragments.


    "Woof!" Followed by a dog''s bark, the Mind Hound appeared at the scene. Even though it was far away, the humanoid-serpent panicked. Without any hesitation, it stopped absorbing the experience fragments of the Tier 5 Cogent Phrenics, only taking the ones she had obtained till now, not showing even a fragment of greed or pity.


    Near its tail, there existed a tiny serpentine form, possessing a core in its centre. The tendrils constricting its form moved, destroying it completely. The tail moved a little and swallowed its experience fragments, including the core.


    The moment the core touched its form, it disappeared from the Mental Realm, returning to reality. Before disappearing, the humanoid-serpent gazed at the Mind Hound, watching it teleport before its face from beyond the horizon.


    Before its canine mouth could clamp on it, the humanoid-serpent disappeared, sporting a smile while hearing the resounding barks from the attacker.


    Of the subsouls Gajara Rahi had released into the Mental Realm, targeting the experience fragments of the Ancestors, one of them was allotted to her own¡ªthe experience fragments she had lost in the Mental Realm during her five breakthroughs.


    But, unlike the others, her experience fragments contained the essence of her¡ªa Psychic Parasite¡ªthat subtly changed it. It didn''t build up strength and bulk up in size like the others but slowly enriched its own existence, turning sentient over the decades.


    It had become the first sentient creature of the Mental Realm. Moreover, the ego of the subsoul forming it had long been assimilated by the Mental Realm. And, when it gained sentience, it established a connection with the Mental Realm, inheriting its ego.


    It was the Mental Realm''s consciousness, a manifestation of the entire Realm. That was why the humanoid-serpent didn''t hesitate to retreat, unwilling to encounter the Mind Hound. A battle would mean its defeat. After all, its opponent was the entire Mental Realm.


    If Laila had the confidence to go against the Mental Realm, she would have attempted this process during her breakthrough to Tier 6. At that time, she would have developed to even greater heights. But, since she made use of the loophole in the Mental Realm laws, it showed she didn''t have the confidence in going against them.


    The Mind Hound barked a couple of times, turning around to see a large stream of experience fragments floating around, the Will in them having been extinguished. It was what Laila''s humanoid-serpent form had left behind and escaped without absorbing.


    It sniffed through the stream, uninterested in the Tier 5 experience fragments. It continued to sniff for a while, finally barking in joy as it dug through a pile, pulling out an experience fragment that it swallowed. It seemed to have originated from Laila''s form.


    Even though she tried to prevent losing any of her experience fragments, the battle was insanely tough where she almost lost her life numerous times. So, there were situations where some of her experience fragments flew away before she could pull them back.


    The Mind Hound scoured through the pile and barked in joy every time it found one of Laila''s experience fragments. Once it swallowed a certain quantity of them, a change enveloped, subtly affecting it.


    The Mind Hound barked, causing the sound to be transmitted throughout the Mental Realm. It was the same technique the humanoid-serpent had used the moment it entered the Mental Realm. It was how it could summon all the giants towards it. It was a summoning call of sorts, one that would make the target approach it.


    Now, after absorbing enough of Laila''s experience fragments, it gained this ability. The Mind Hound barked in joy, wagging the serpentine tail attached to its head, in place of the neck. It then barked again, watching some Cogent Phrenics slowly move towards its location.


    It meant some of Laila''s, or to be precise, Gajara Rahi''s experience fragments were in them, no matter how little. The Mind Hound barked once before jumping onto the nearest Cogent Phrenics, attacking it with its lick attacks. It corroded their Wills, destroyed their forms, sniffed out Gajara Rahi''s experience fragments in them, and devoured them happily.

 Chapter 370: Foresight, Planning, and Ambition

    Rhachis Ancestor Dawn kept watch on Laila''s state, ready to act at a moment''s notice. Suddenly, he noticed the reality around Laila warp before the humanoid-serpent entered her body, struggling itself to condense within the small ''frame.''


    "Aah!" Laila screamed in pain, rolling on the floor as numerous soul tendrils exited her, thrashing around. They attacked in all sorts of ingenious ways, methods unthinkable by one person. Each action contained tremendous insight, creating new means even during the course of a motion.


    Rhachis Ancestor Dawn readily activated the Tier 5 Relic, unleashing blinding light, first creating a dome to contain all the damage. The thrashing of the soul tendrils tried to destroy the house but were repelled by the light coating the walls.


    Rhachis Ancestor Dawn maintained its activation, solely maintaining an effect to suppress the mind. It was similar to the Tier 3 Skill, Mental Calm but was more focused on suppressing the creation of thoughts.


    Laila''s mind relaxed, no longer thinking of complex stuff, allowing all the experiences she had gained from the Mental Realm to settle within her. The moment she tried to think or act according to them, they would be riled up, shattering her mind instantly.


    Even though the experiences gained from the Mental Realm became one with the individual the moment they returned to reality, there existed a limit for that. A runner will have the experience of running, something he had accumulated over years.


    They would be his insight into his running form, the actuation of his muscles for the process, the thought process generated while on the run, and the muscle memory that he had trained to run, they were all part of his experiences. It took time to obtain that muscle memory and coordinate both the mind and the body to the experience.


    If the experience fragments they obtained in the Mental Realm exceeded the limit their mind and body could withstand, the overload would just shatter their vessel. Laila possessed a powerful soul, an amalgamation of countless souls.


    So, the experience she possessed was already at a tremendous level. To prevent her body from shattering because of them, she kept most of them hidden, only pulling them forth when necessary, slowly planning to digest them while she grew.


    Now, her actions in the Mental Realm netted her way too many experience fragments, a quantity beyond what she could store in her vessel.


    Blue radiance erupted from her body, using the experience fragments as the fuel. Laila''s soul form appeared in reality, a blurry figure that spanned beyond what the eyes could see. Rhachis Ancestor Dawn wasn''t versed in the domain of the Soul, his perception only witnessing a blue, flat wall.


    There were faint spots all across the wall, condensed into specks devoid of light. The blue radiance used the experience fragments to bombard the spots, destroying them. Black smoke wafted out from her body as Laila sat cross-legged, continuing with the process.


    An hour later, when she could divert enough attention to speak, she opened her eyes, "Prevent anyone in Dawn City from trying to attempt a breakthrough now. The Mind Hound is still here. Based on my guess, it would leave after two days. So, after two days, try to send the geniuses from your city into the Mental Realm. Most of the Cogent Phrenics in the area had been destroyed from my fight. They are just a sea of experience fragments now. And, a significant quantity of them are Tier 5 experience fragments, of exceptional beings who were only inferior to the Ancestors."


    She gazed in all seriousness for a moment before closing her eyes, "This is my payment for your help. Use this opportunity to train your successors. Also, protect me from harm when I am stabilising myself."


    "For how long?" Rhachis Ancestor Dawn inquired.


    "No idea; it might take me a decade or two at the very least." Laila sighed, "I have to digest everything I have now. Only then would I be able to contend against our enemies in the future."


    "You don''t have that much time," Rhachis Ancestor Dawn frowned, "The Mental Realm would hit its saturation point in four decades, it was you who predicted this number. If you lose a decade or two now, you won''t have enough time to attain Tier 6. Even for you, that far into the future after the saturation point would be a death sentence."


    "I will no longer attempt a breakthrough on earth," Laila turned silent, focusing on her task, fully immersed in it. She no longer had the attention span to speak.


    "I see, so that is your plan." Rhachis Ancestor Dawn nodded, finding it only natural that the entity before her dared to utter this matter. After all, she was once known as Rhachis Ancestor Space.


    Colonising other planets!


    They would be lying if they said they never considered this possibility. Humanity had already built spacecrafts capable of travelling to other planets during the silicon era. Now, with their improved technology, not to mention the countless abilities they possessed, it was easy to travel to other planets.


    But, doing so posed numerous risks. There didn''t exist a planet apart from earth capable of sustaining life. And, they didn''t dare risk a journey into space without a destination.


    Moreover, suppose they wished to colonise a planet, they had to terraform it first to suit their needs. This was doable, considering the abilities each Ancestor among humanity possessed.


    The energy needed to terraform a planet was tremendous, but as long as they planned accordingly, they could achieve it, even if it took decades to a century. After all, they had the resources on earth to help sustain their energy needs.


    But, there existed just one reason for them to not focus on this plan. Because they couldn''t afford it.


    Earth was the place where humanity was created and had lived for eons. There was that sentimental and emotional pillar in the hearts of all humans.


    People tend to get sentimental and miss their homes, even when they just travel to a nearby city for a week. This was apparent even during the silicon era, a period where humanity faced no external threats, and most of the world was a safe place. And, humans possessed the means of transportation to travel to any part of the world within a day.


    Even then, they missed their hometowns when they visited foreign lands. And, it wasn''t a surprise when it was the earth in question. It was where their entire species had been living since creation. To humans, or any other living being, the earth was an emotional pillar deeply entrenched in their minds, their hearts, and their very genetic material.


    Leaving it behind to head to a foreign plant was a difficult thing to do, not impossible, but insanely difficult. But, such a flimsy reason wasn''t what stopped them during the threat humanity constantly faced.


    They couldn''t afford to leave earth, not because of their emotional attachment, but because of the earth''s development itself. Earth was prosperous, not just in natural resources but in the development of numerous paths of power.


    The Parasite path solely depended on the Wisdom and Frenzy Parasites. So, the Parasite path could be established anywhere they existed and had a host to survive. But, the other paths weren''t like that. They depended on the Parasite path for development.


    On earth, the Mental Realm had already fully formed, now possessing a treasure trove of experiences. It allowed the conditions for the development of the Mind path. Also, through his comprehension of the various paths to significant levels, Dawn noticed a subtle relation.


    ''When the Mental Realm had developed to a certain extent, new Skills have emerged among both humanity and Frenzy Beasts that possess a hint of the Mind path''s essence. It is like the world is helping nurture and develop us along with the various paths.''


    If they were to head to another planet, suppose mars, then they would have to terraform it first and then develop it, starting with numerous breakthroughs to produce Ancestors and create a nascent form of the Mental Realm.


    Because of the aura, the presence of the earth itself was growing. It was a feat encompassing the entire world, the results furthering their development at skyrocketing speeds. New Skills related to aura emerged while the path became comprehensive in all aspects.


    The presence of the land itself showed signs of sentience, something Rhachis Ancestor Dawn had sensed after reaching the peak of Aura path.


    Every living being had a soul during birth that disappeared after death. Whether a system of reincarnation existed or not, even he had no clue. But, if an answer to it existed, it was only present in earth, the only planet he knew that contained life since millions of years ago.


    If they went to a new planet, they would basically lose access to everything of value on earth. They would have to toil very hard to develop their new planet and face greater hardships for meagre results. But in the meantime, their foes on earth would digest all the new resources and gains the earth created and would become numerous times stronger than humans, both individually, and as a collective whole.


    When that happened, they could just launch a campaign against the planet humanity had migrated to, swiftly annihilating them. It would be like humanity had wantonly made such a stupid decision and wished to be annihilated.


    It was why they couldn''t afford to leave earth. Instead of leaving earth, they would rather fight for survival on it. After all, despite the threat they faced, they possessed the means to protect themselves and were the race that was developing the fastest out of all.


    "But, you''re different. Anywhere you wish to go, be it in this world or to a different planet, you can head there in an instant." He then nodded in realisation, "I see, so that is why he imbued the ability of space in you, Gajara."


    "So, you were also thinking that far, huh." Rhachis Ancestor Dawn muttered to himself, shaking his head with a chuckle before he gazed at Laila with hope; concern and affection soon became the most dominant emotions in his gaze.


    He set up the table, took a seat, and poured himself some tea, watching Laila''s meditation, hoping for the day when she would open her eyes once again. Silence ensued in the area.

 Chapter 371: Sky City

    Two figures floated in the air, watching the sprawling landmass below, with two sides of it bordered by the ocean. They stared at it in silence, gazing at the Frenzy Beasts roaming on the surface, noting down all the Frenzy Beast habitats.


    A man with a chiselled face, sporting curly armour on his shoulders, and a wing carapace-styled cloth on his hip smiled, nodding in favour, "This place is incredible. There are no habitats of any Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts in and around 1000 kilometres from here. The strongest Frenzy Beast races here only have Tier 5 beings in the single digits."


    "We can''t decide just based on those advantages alone," The other figure that seemed like a woman in her thirties said. But, she sported facial features that made her look even younger. She was draped in a cloak, only showing her face. She frowned, "This land is bordered by the ocean on two sides. If we occupy this place, then this entire region will fall under our control. Suppose the Skeps attack us, we won''t have any Frenzy Beasts to cushion the impact."


    "Look at the advantages," The man with the chiselled face said, pointing at the two directions the landmass extended towards, "This is the only region connecting the two American continents. In the future, when the ocean is fully dominated by the Skeps, this position will allow us to invade and control the Frenzy Beasts on both the continents."


    "Hmm, I''m not fully convinced," The woman still expressed her frown, not satisfied with the conditions of the land. "The land alone is exceptional. With some support from Marble City, we can install enough resource foundation using the Wisdom Plants. But, we would have to travel long distances to hunt Frenzy Beasts. That would put a damper on our savings."


    "Yes, I considered that." The man with the chiselled face nodded, "The amount of Frenzy Beasts that live on this stretch of land is insufficient for our needs. To travel more than 500 kilometres every time to hunt for resources would spread us too thin. The costs outweigh the returns and the chances of a mishap rise."


    "Yes," The lady nodded, "I fear that if our people have to travel such large distances every time to hunt for resources, our development might further stagnate. It would be impossible for our development to match the three princely cities even after joining forces."


    "Yes, that''s why this place is the most suited to us." The man with a chiselled face smiled. Seeing the lady stare at him in confusion, he pointed at the ocean surrounding the landmass, "The Residents of Floating City are the most comfortable in a water-based environment. If you were to hunt on the land, then as you said, it would be a fool''s endeavour. But, hunting in the water should be your speciality. The Swarm is practically free food considering the skill of your people."


    "And," He smiled, pointing at himself, "We, from the Desert City, are the most comfortable moving above and through the land. We will focus on hunting the Frenzy Beasts. We''ll divide and conquer based on our specialities. Also, this place doesn''t have any beings that can counter most of our Unranked Skills. And¡­"


    He laughed, "I received some news from Marble City yesterday. That''s why I thought of this place for our new city. There exists a Frenzy Beast race called Crust-Mantles. Their flesh is immensely beneficial to the Frenzy Beasts. They were something that old turtle Earth created."


    His eyes shone with cunning radiance, "I have already signed a trade deal with Marble City. I don''t know how, but it seems they figured out a method to subdue them. Marble City will transport 30,000 Tier 1 Crust-Mantles to us when they dispatch Heima Bone here."


    "So, you plan to attract the Frenzy Beasts using the Crust-Mantles and force them to surround us for the benefits? And in this way, they would relocate and change their habitats accordingly?" The lady nodded as her eyes shone with interest, having figured out the plan.


    "Yes," The man with a chiselled face laughed with amusement, "After all, isn''t terraforming changing the land to suit our needs? We''ll just install the methods and use our enemy''s power to our advantage."


    "Alright, we''ll have to plan the city''s establishment, design, structure, social and societal norms, etc. to cater to all our needs." The lady nodded. "We''ll also have to plan and bring in the Frenzy Beast races that the creation of our Unranked Skills are dependent on."


    "I''ll leave that to our Espers. They''ll be able to come up with everything we need and desire." The man with the chiselled face extended his hand, "Here''s to our future cooperation."


    "I never knew the day would come where our two cities would join hands and become one," The lady sighed, shaking hands with the other party, "I guess this is the only way we can compete against Parasite."


    "We have yet to recover from the loss when Parasite infiltrated Desert City. Though, our lacking defences are to be blamed. If not for that¡­" The man with a chiselled face sighed.


    "Even Marble City was infiltrated," The lady shook her head, "Our Floating City too face a lot of losses. Most of our research has regressed by a decade after we lost a lot of research personnel."


    "Dawn City has four Ancestors; Reef City has three Ancestors while Reef has subordinated some Tier 6 Frenzy Beasts; Marble City only has three Ancestors but they have made repeated boasts about Strongest, even dubbing him with such a title. His mother is also a character who can become an Ancestor whenever she needs, so we can say that they too have four Ancestors." The man with a chiselled face sighed in embarrassment, "In comparison, our two cities are lacking."


    "Our new city will have four Ancestors too after its establishment," The lady gazed at the land, feeling that she was liking it the more she looked at it, "This will become our foundation, Whirl. And the good news is that this place is on the opposite side of the planet, far away from Parasite''s reach. So, we won''t be actively interfered with like the three princely cities."


    Rhachis Ancestor Whirl!


    The man with a chiselled face was the leader of Desert City, a peak powerhouse of humanity. He was someone who had shouldered the fate of Desert City alone for almost a century before Desert City birthed an Esper Ancestor. He had always been tied down by the precarious state of his city, so his involvement in any battles against the Frenzy Beasts was minimal.


    Though, as an Ancestor of humanity, he was a force to be reckoned with.


    Rhachis Ancestor Whirl smiled, feeling the pressure on his shoulder subside a little, "With two Espers guarding our new city, the pressure on us will fall by a lot. We will obtain the same foundation Dawn City used to prosper into the strongest stronghold of humanity. At that time, you can focus more on developing your personal strength, Sky."


    Rhachis Ancestor Sky!


    She was the leader of Floating City and the first female to emerge as an Ancestor. She was the one who was knowledgeable about every incident that happened on earth, her eyes being the very skies itself, hence her title. She never pried into deeply guarded secrets, unless she wished to alert the other party and trigger a war. But if she so desired, she was very well capable of breaking through any manner of concealment.


    Floating City was plagued with troubles constantly, preventing her from allotting enough time on herself, so her growth had stagnated over the years. Her situation was the same as Rhachis Ancestor Whirl.


    "Yes, similarly, you can finally spend more time on yourself and become stronger." Rhachis Ancestor Sky smiled, recalling their previous conversation as she spoke, "How is Heima Bone''s development? After the death of Gajara Rahi, she''s the only one we can rely on for transportation. What did Marble City say in regards to that when they contacted you?"


    "Light will transport her and Jyorta Bone to Desert City after 2 years. They plan to breakthrough there. It is a measure against the Mind Hound. When Heima Bone becomes a Shifter, she would be capable enough to transport the Crust-Mantles Marble City has prepared. She would also transport us to the new city from Desert City. Light said that she would already possess Bone Devour by the time she arrives, so she won''t be hard-pressed by the energy expenditure while supporting us. Though, we only have two months before they would leave."


    "Jyorta Bone, huh." She murmured, "I am curious to see the current him. I last saw Kaushik when he was a teenager. He was such an innocent lad back then. I hope this world didn''t take too much of a toll on him."


    "He''s a Psychic Parasite. I''m sure he can persevere." Rhachis Ancestor Whirl frowned, "I don''t know if two months is enough for us, considering the threats we constantly face."


    "It should be enough for both cities to fully migrate if we start preparing from now. Also, with Light around, we don''t have to fear even if Parasite personally arrives. He would be able to bring Dawn in a second." Rhachis Ancestor Sky smiled, "In two years, I''ll bring Floating City to Desert City''s location."


    "So, we have to complete our new city''s construction within two years. Sounds interesting," Rhachis Ancestor Whirl commented, gazing at the lady as he smiled cheerfully, "What shall we name it?"


    "Doesn''t Sky City sound amazing?" Rhachis Ancestor Sky smiled.


    "Haha, surely you jest." Rhachis Ancestor Whirl laughed it off.


    "I''m not kidding though, since I''m the strongest of us four." She smiled cheerfully like a teenager that obtained her first birthday gift.


    "But the city will be on land and underground, so the name doesn''t feel right."


    "Wouldn''t I be its leader upon completion? Isn''t naming it after me fair enough?"


    "I was thinking Whirl City would be a better name¡­"


    "That sounds lame; let''s go with Sky City; I''ll bribe you handsomely for that."


    "¡­fine, hurray to Sky City."


    And hence, a new stronghold of humanity was named.

 Chapter 372: Pressure

    9th November, the year 334 of the Dawn era; Jyorta descended the flight of stairs through the narrow dungeon, hearing the sounds of his footsteps echo around. Even though he had gone through this region many times, his heart always began to thump faster whenever he stepped foot in it.


    He was donned in a black suit of armour, its surface covered with hexagon shaped patterns, the material light and flexible. The armour was only three millimetres thick, paper-thin in considerations of armours.


    The material also wasn''t something to boast about, looking like it could be torn to shreds by the cumulating attacks of Tier 1 Frenzy Beats. But to Jyorta, this level of base defence was enough. After all, he wasn''t a tank but an Esper.


    His arm guards had blades running on their midframe, curved aerodynamically according to his body''s structure. The soles of his shoe contained numerous holes in it, bored partway through its material. Everything was charcoal black, dull, lacking any lustre.


    His visor was only two gelatinous membranes over the eyes, inserted into the armour. They were faintly layered with a substance to prevent reflecting any light. Worn on his back was a contraption through which half the body of a chakram peaked out.


    Strapped on his thighs were two spindles respectively, spanning a length of 10 centimetres. Type 1 Spindle: weighing 250 grams, 10 centimetres in length, and a curvature of 50 centimetres. They were the most basic of spindles.


    It was like Jyorta had given up on using them as weapons. He carried a total of four such spindles. Hung on his back, strapped to his belt were two chakrams, their centres empty, and one side of them sporting a soft edge.


    The soft edge portion was meant for the palm to be rested on while the fingers curled through the gap in the centre. The other half was sharp-edged and the portion used to attack. Jyorta carried the two bladed chakrams, intending to wield them using his hands. They were his focus in close combats.


    Strapped to his belt on the left was a bag, shaped into a cuboid, supposed to house basic first aid. But, Jyorta had swapped out its contents, only keeping a spatula and a tiny blade inside. He also placed his two Relics in their designated sockets. There was also a socket to place the Heart/Brain Crystal he would be harvesting.


    This bag was a miscellaneous item not listed in the pamphlet the military academy had given. Only important items like Traits, Relics and such were listed in the pamphlet. But, after roaming through most of the departments in the military academy, Jyorta had found many other items that could only be bought with Credits but were normally hidden. They weren''t displayed unless one asked about them. It was the military academy testing the student''s investigation prowess.


    This bag was one of them. It wasn''t overly expensive, but it still cost him 1000 Credits. Still, he was content for having bought it. After all, the cuboidal bag was made from a mixture of Gulvana and Stronea, the materials capable of blocking out all energy.


    Though, the materials used in the bag could only keep out energy until Tier 2 levels. It would have been more expensive otherwise. Still, for his exploration in the labyrinth, this was enough. The bag could be customised for use, so Jyorta gave the details for its inner compartments according to his expectation.


    Two compartments for holding his two Relics respectively, a strap along the sides meant to hold the two tools, while the remainder was a closed unit in which he could dump the Heart/Brain Crystals. Jyorta inspected its contents, also checking if he had everything in place.


    He clenched his hand into a fist, inspecting his preparations, having arrived before a door. He gazed at the plaque displaying the number ''11'', muttering, "This will be my last exploration. It will be my only opportunity to test the limits of my strength without danger to my life."


    Jyorta''s gaze was solemn, feeling immense pressure. Laila hadn''t returned to the military academy after that day, as if she had disappeared. After the first round of shock and surprise, there was no more news about her.


    Jyorta didn''t know what she was planning, or why she attended the military academy in the first place. He didn''t know her objectives, nor the plans she had set in motion. This only meant one thing, his predecessor was actively making a move. And, considering her strength, she was bound to set off waves.


    Rhachis Ancestor Space!


    Tier 6 Psychic Parasite!


    Just one identity would have made her a peerless expert, but she had two such identities. Now, she was starting her journey from scratch, using all her knowledge to her advantage.


    ''After reaching the top, reincarnate into an individual at the bottom. Then, using your experiences of having reached the top, become an expert surpassing your previous life. Laila is very likely trying something like this.'' This was Jyorta''s premonition. Though, he didn''t know why Laila had even joined the military academy.


    She possessed the ability of space, capable of teleporting anytime and anywhere she deemed necessary. To her, any item she wished could be obtained with a snap of her finger. Even his sister, a Tier 3 being with a limited understanding of space could achieve a similar feat, though the range and intricacy were drastically inferior.


    But just this fact alone meant one thing: if Laila so desired, there was nothing in this world stopping her from obtaining it.


    And, the action of Laila disappearing all of a sudden, without any warning cast a formless pressure on him. When even an old monster like her had begun to move, as the only other Psychic Parasite, he couldn''t be slacking behind.


    He wasn''t slacking at all until now, rather he was working very hard using all the time at his disposal. But now, this sense of urgency further pressured him. After Laila had left the military academy, despite him having clenched rank 1, not once was there a grand ceremony on the day of results.


    After all, in the results of the final three months, one student had surpassed all scores and set a resounding record. Even by the pace Laila increased her score, she wouldn''t be able to surpass his total, that is if she didn''t use her real ability.


    Rakh Veera!


    His total Credit accumulation was still deeply etched in Jyorta''s mind. It displayed the dominance a Warrior had at Tier 2 level. There was just one day left before his score on the final month would be displayed, but Jyorta''s score wasn''t even close to Rakh Veera''s.


    Jyorta unleashed his weaker psychic arm, morphing it to layer his body¡ªover his armour. He slowly modified its abilities, creating the contraptions he had learnt to turn invisible, prevent his smell from leaking, shield himself from the ambient aura, etc.


    Finished with his preparations, Jyorta slammed his hand on a rectangular slab of yellow near the double doors, watching them open with a rumble. The doors had only opened a little when he slid through the gaps, slamming on the rectangular yellow slab inside, watching them close.


    His surroundings immediately turned pitch black; he was unable to see anything. Jyorta took in a deep breath, noticing his psychic arm barrier was functioning alright, filtering out the surrounding aura.


    He opened the cuboidal box on his left, gazing at the cup-shaped Relic inside. It was the Tier 3 Relic, Enhanced Healing Salve. Currently, the healing salve half-filled the cup. Using his stronger psychic arm, Jyorta scooped out a tiny amount and swallowed it.


    It tasted bland as usual, like ice cream mixed with cotton that had weathered out overnight. Jyorta didn''t mind the taste and closed the bag. He wasn''t worried about the aura affecting the healing salve or the other contents, for his psychic arm barrier layered them too. So, even when he moved his hand, the layer shielded both his body and the objects he carried on him.


    He had been training to maintain it without any fluctuation¡ªeven under the most intense body movement while in a strained mental state. After achieving it once, for even the tiniest fraction, the blue soul extracted the memory and made him experience it over and over again. Eventually, something that he achieved once through fluke was now fully mastered by him.


    The layer of his psychic arm under his shoes thickened, seeping into the holes in the soles. When he took a step forward, they cushioned his step, also absorbing the normal reaction of the rubble he set foot upon.


    This way, his walking didn''t produce any footsteps. Now, he was hidden in the truest sense. Jyorta sensed the aura broil around without any semblance of coordination, a product of the aura unleashed by the Frenzy Beasts wantonly.


    Jyorta unleashed his domain, closing his eyes to sense the range. Since it was dark, he couldn''t see with his eyes anyways. So, instead of straining them without use, he might as well close them. Just this fact alone took him over a week to get used to. After all, people feared taking a step with their eyes closed. This was a psychological fear that had to be overcome through sheer effort and practice. Using the false personas, Jyorta could achieve it without any side effects.


    Jyorta carefully trod forward, sensing everything through his domain. A Spiked Lizard slept right before him, half-awake, in response against any danger that might befall it. Jyorta carefully stepped past, going around many Spiked Lizards on his way.


    From his numerous fights with them, he judged them as inefficient for Credit accumulation. They were harder to kill while their Tier 1 Heart Crystals barely netted 6 Credits each. They also expended a lot of his energy reserves to be killed, so Jyorta wished to just tread past them.


    Soon, he approached a boulder along the path, drawing closer as he sensed numerous aura signatures through his domain. He extended his stronger psychic arm, seeping it into the boulder before unleashing a tinge of his aura through it.


    "Come out!"

 Chapter 373: Dynamic Brethren Bait

    "Come Out!" Jyorta transmitted the shout through his aura, seeping it through the boulder using his psychic energy as the medium. The aura was very weak, unable to alert any Frenzy Beast due to the swathes of auras swirling around in the air.


    But, no sooner did he shout did a Two-Faced Firefly fly out from a crevice and land on his shoulder. It was a Tier 2 Two-Faced Firefly. The moment it landed on his shoulder, it flapped its wings in a frenzy for a second before turning still.


    It acted as if his shoulder was the same as the crevice it used to sleep at. Jyorta looked at it, noticing a familiar aura waft out of its back.


    Aura Induction!


    Jyorta had used this peerless technique originating from the Aura path to create a tattoo and engrave it into the aura of the Tier 2 Two-Faced Firefly. Now, he didn''t need to maintain a constant hallucination to control it.


    He had already inlaid everything necessary in its tattoo. Now, if he wished to manipulate it into flying in a certain direction, all he needed to do was send a trace of aura into its tattoo, actuating the necessary hallucination.


    This saved a lot of Jyorta''s brainpower, decreasing the effort he had to use to maintain his hallucination. Now, even if he wished to activate a different aura personification on it, all he needed was a thought and a bit of aura to act as the signal. The Two-Faced Firefly''s aura would morph to suit his needs and plunge it into the desired effect.


    ''It is amazing but scary at the same time. I shouldn''t become drunk on this sense of power.'' Jyorta mentally reminded himself, always ensuring his mental state was firm and un-skewed. After he had digested all the knowledge pertaining to Aura Induction, he tried it on a couple of Frenzy Beasts.


    And the results proved to be a surprise. Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts were incapable of using their aura, so creating a tattoo for them was pretty much easy. As for the Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts, the difficulty rose exponentially.


    Just the creation process of the Tier 2 Two-Faced Firefly took him an hour while the time it took to think and derive its tattoo took two days. This made Jyorta glean that though Aura Induction was amazing, it required a lot of preparations before it could be used.


    ''That is why Madam Vaika said only Espers can use it.'' Jyorta nodded, taking a step forward as he nudged the Two-Faced Firefly with his aura. It immediately took off to the sky and unleashed light radially, lighting up an entire section of the path.


    To use Aura Induction, one needed to understand the properties of the target''s aura and create a tattoo accordingly to the effect he wished to afflict. The amount of thought, planning, and brainpower required were harder to compensate for Warriors.


    Jyorta already possessed an advantage because he was an Esper. Moreover, his advantages would further increase as he obtains the memory fragments of various Frenzy Beasts and understands them more. That comprehensive first-person point of experience would allow him to create tattoos easily.


    This was an advantage exclusive to him alone. Moreover, Aura Induction could also be used against first-time opponents as a temporary measure. He could unleash a tattoo on it and induce its aura accordingly.


    This would render its aura useless in battle while also hindering its Parasite path abilities. In regards to this, Jyorta already stored a couple of tattoos on his body. He was already used to creating and storing the false personas. And since the tattoos weren''t that different, he could come up with this method of use.


    Jyorta stared at the Two-Faced Firefly flying up in the air, wondering in thought, ''Did that Two-Faced Firefly from before survive? I still don''t know why it voluntarily acted to save me, even after breaking out of my hallucination.''


    It happened when Rhachis Ancestor Parasite had attacked Marble City and the residents were busy reinforcing the City barrier. To rescue the children from the Frenzy Beasts that had escaped the military academy, the students had formed groups and set off in pursuit.


    During their battle, Jyorta was in a defenceless state after using his aura beam. At that time, a Spindle Bee had aimed a stinger at him and fired it. But, just before it had fired, the beam of light unleashed by the Two-Faced Firefly caused it to flinch, throwing its mark off a little. If not for that, the stinger would have landed on his head, critically injuring him.


    When Madam Mary had arrived at the scene, she only brought the students back to the academy. As for the Tier 1 Two-Faced Firefly that had saved him at the nick of time, either she didn''t notice it or didn''t seem to care.


    As he was emotionally affected, Jyorta had forgotten about it, only remembering it once he reached the military academy.


    It might very well have died later under the rage-filled attacks of the various residents. After all, Jyorta couldn''t sense its aura signature in the Labyrinth of Frenzy in the past month.


    ''There''s nothing I can do about it.'' Jyorta sighed, gazing around at the path he had to traverse, frowning a little. The entire path was littered with the Spiked Lizards. They were startled awake by the sudden flash of light, looking around in panic.


    They gazed around, soon focusing on the source of the light. Before they could attack it with their tongues, Jyorta pulled it back, commanding it to switch off the lights. He wasn''t afraid of the Spiked Lizards. They could be easily sensed through his domain.


    388 centimetres!


    That was the current radius of his domain. It spanned a significant volume within which he could sense the presence of every Frenzy Beast. As the Spiked Lizards weren''t specialised in concealment, he could calmly avoid them.


    What he was afraid of was stepping foot into a Floating Spider''s trap. The flash of light was to scout their positions.


    ''They are farther away.'' Jyorta sighed in relief, watching the Two-Faced Firefly land on his shoulder as he stepped forward. Through his domain, he avoided encountering any Spiked Lizards while scouting for their Esper counterparts.


    Espers were rarer among them but they appeared occasionally. When he had treaded 80 metres through the path, he came across the first Esper among the Spiked Lizards.


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    The Esper hadn''t even managed to detect the psychic energy in his domain before it fell under the effects of his hallucination. It growled, slowly walking towards Jyorta with its head hung low, unleashing its psychic arm.


    Jyorta smiled, fishing out the cup-shaped Relic. He held it in his hand, watching the Spiked Lizard seep its psychic arm into it, activating the Skill in it.


    Tier 3 Skill¡ªEnhanced Healing Salve!


    The fused Skill within the Tier 3 Relic was activated, producing the healing salve in the cup. From its half-filled height, it rose by a margin before the psychic energy in the Spiked Lizard was fully expended.


    ''Nice!'' Jyorta smiled, retracting his aura personification of hallucination as he trod past. The Spiked Lizard blinked its degraded eyes in confusion, alarmed at its change in position, unable to remember how it had arrived at a different spot. Then, when it noticed its empty Brain Crystal, it screamed in fright, jumping in panic as it scaled up the walls.


    "Ugh," Jyorta immediately modified his psychic arm barrier to shield from the sound, crouching in place until the ringing sensation in his head calmed down. The screech of the Spiked Lizard made his head spin for a second.


    ''I shouldn''t underestimate them just because I have become stronger. If I had been in battle now and heard this shout, the situation would have become grave for me.'' He berated himself, correcting his mistakes. With the increase in power came a feeling of arrogance. And before he realised, he had become slightly arrogant. That shout just now served as a good warning to him, a wake-up call at his mistakes.


    Jyorta slapped his cheeks, clearing his mind as he trod forward in caution, silent, without alerting anyone. He kept the Tier 3 Relic back in the cuboidal bag.


    ''When the cup becomes full, the healing salve would possess as much energy as a Developer.'' Jyorta sensed for any other traces of psychic energy, trying to find any and every Esper he could come across.


    Using their psychic arms, he could easily generate more healing salve. Suddenly, Jyorta stopped, hearing a thud echo behind him. His expression morphed, turning cautious. He motioned for the Two-Faced Firefly to light up the region without flying beyond an arm''s reach from him.


    The moment it lit up the area, a black shadow loomed above it, grabbing it as it flashed past. It was faster than Jyorta could react, also resisting his aura attack as it flashed past. Instantly, the brightened region become pitch black.


    ''As expected of the Floating Spiders. After seeing it a few times, they have prepared a countermeasure.'' Jyorta frowned, now lacking a source of light. It instantly put him in a difficult situation.


    The silk the Floating Spiders weaved couldn''t be sensed through his domain. They seemed to have a property to prevent any psychic energy-based detections, rendering his domain useless against them. Since the silk didn''t possess a soul, the vision of his blue soul also failed to spot it.


    "Fine, it leaves me only one way," Jyorta muttered, fishing out the tube-shaped Relic from the cuboidal bag. He poured energy into it using his psychic arm, activating its Tier 3 Skill.


    Tier 3 Skill¡ªDynamic Brethren Bait!

 Chapter 374: Dance Baby~

    Through the open section of the hollow tube, transparent mist seeped out. The mist dispersed like the wind, spreading in the direction Jyorta pointed the open section towards. He aimed it at the ceiling of the path, having noticed the nests of the Floating Spiders when the Two-Faced Firefly lit up the area.


    The mist spread towards the ceiling, getting inhaled by the residents within the nests. Jyorta calmly stood in patience, using his stronger psychic arm to create a sphere around it. The two-layered defensive front was to resist the ensuing chaos.


    ''Five¡­four¡­three¡­two¡­one¡­and bam!'' Jyorta immediately crouched to the ground, filling the volume under his domain with his aura personification of hallucination, creating a scene where a large rock existed in the area. This was to prevent the Floating Spiders from bumping into him.


    Screech!


    Numerous screeches resounded from the ceiling, alerting every other Frenzy Beast in the path. The Two-Faced Fireflies were startled awake, escaping from their hiding spots as they unleashed their light in a flurry. The entire path was immediately brightened up as Jyorta adjusted his barriers to remain invisible under the changing ambience.


    He gazed above, watching numerous bumps form on the silk layer above him, a sign of infighting. Some Floating Spiders drilled out of their homes, trying to escape as numerous mandibles clamped on their abdomens, dragging them inside.


    Helpless screeches resounded from all directions; the ensuing scuttling sounds made his skin crawl. Jyorta craned his head upward, noticing that the Floating Spiders battled only within their nests. Without any hesitation, he dashed forward with all his might, trying his best to minimise the sounds of his sprint.


    The Two-Faced Fireflies lit up the entire path as they flew around in panic, allowing him to dodge all the webbed traps the Floating Spiders had laid. When he came across places where the entire breadth of the path was covered by the traps, his stronger psychic arm turned jet black as he corroded a way through. Thanks to their infighting, they were unable to react to the breach.


    The scuttling sounds and the vivacious screeches were starting to die down. After all, Jyorta had only activated the Tier 3 Relic for less than a second. Moreover, his objective was only to create some disturbance to pass through layer 1. And, activating it even once consumed more than twenty percent of his psychic energy. The drain was so massive he dared not use it unless necessary.


    "Huff¡­puff¡­the gap between Tier 2 and Tier 3 is even wider than between Tier 1 and Tier 2." Jyorta panted, gasping for breath as he arrived at the end of layer 1. Running for almost 300 metres in an uneven terrain with a strained mental condition¡ªtrying his best to avoid bumping into any Frenzy Beast¡ªwas exhausting.


    He used his psychic arm to push forth a triangular corner of the web wall, sliding through the gap. It was what he had been using all along to exit layer 1. After the first time he corroded their ends, the Floating Spiders had patched it up.


    But, in his successive explorations, he opened up the place again, ensuring the dimensions were the same as the first time. The Floating Spiders mended the gap four times before they gave up on fixing it. After all, the gap didn''t pose them any troubles or weakened the web wall''s structural integrity.


    Moreover, any Frenzy Beast that tried to pass through would have to first touch it, which would cause it to get stuck. On seeing that it too served as a fairly effective trap, the Floating Spiders left it as is. That was brought about by Jyorta''s understanding of them.


    As Jyorta had a sound knowledge of them and was careful in passing through, he managed to use the route each time without alerting them. Once he stepped foot on the flight of stairs, Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief.


    Layer 1 was the most mentally straining as he couldn''t use his eyes while the traps of the Floating Spiders couldn''t be perceived through his Esper senses. Now that he was past it, he was a bit relieved.


    ''Now, I''ll head to the third layer as soon as possible.'' Jyorta placed a hand on his stomach, sensing the healing salve he had ingested slowly digest, creating an influx of psychic energy that filled his Brain Crystal.


    It slowly, but steadily replenished his expended reserves. Jyorta scooped out another tiny portion using his psychic arm and gulped it. That was a method he thought up to have a consistent replenishment of psychic energy.


    After all, this was his last exploration. He didn''t wish to encounter a situation where his psychic energy reserves would run dry. Jyorta descended the flight of stairs, soon noticing the last couple of steps covered by sand.


    Hot air blew past while the entire layer was bright, as if the sun shone directly on them. ''How much energy and resources are they expending to maintain this elaborate setup?''


    Jyorta wondered as he crouched before the sand, gazing at it while inspecting it through his domain. With his increased range, he could scout farther. With a radius of 388 centimetres, almost bordering 4 metres, the range and depth he could perceive allowed him to notice all the traps in the sand before him.


    Very few traps were laid below that point. After all, the large layer of sand over them prevented them from collapsing when a prey moved above. Jyorta looked at the various dunes, gazing at the wind that made wave patterns over them, ''I guess this is a necessary expenditure. Only through this would we become strong enough to face the actual Wilds.''


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    Jyorta aimed it through a fair area, hoping for a Frenzy Beast to take the bait. Traversing the sand on foot was an idiotic venture that was bound to physically exhaust him. Maybe if he were an Amplifier, he could grit through it. But as an Esper, he would be exhausted beyond the point of moving¡ªhalfway through the layer.


    Jyorta sat on the steps, transmitting his hallucination through various areas. He waited patiently, finding no Frenzy Beast surface. The sand contained its own aura, resisting his aura. Based on his previous trial and errors, he judged that even his strongest aura beam would lose its effect within a metre through the sand.


    So, Jyorta was put in a passive spot. His only option was to seep his aura personification through the gaps in the sand structures, possibly trying to seep it into the traps, at the bottom of which the Frenzy Beasts lay in wait.


    He failed to spot any One-Horned Rhino in the vicinity, possibly hidden by the dunes farther away. If there was even one, his job would have been easier. One-Horned Rhinos usually lived above the surface, so his aura could reach them through the air which had lower resistance.


    But, it wasn''t an easy feat thanks to the auras lingering in the air¡ªthat were unleashed by the beasts in and from the layers further below. So, to overwhelm them and still transmit the effects of his aura personifications, Jyorta would need to expend a greater deal of his aura, which he didn''t wish to do so at such an early point.


    ''It would be a bit risky, but if it''s like this, then I''m only left with one choice.'' Jyorta climbed the flight of stairs once again, coming face to face with the wall of web. He gently opened the triangular corner of it once again, noticing the other side was still fairly lit. A couple of Two-Faced Fireflies were flying rather near, lighting up the area.


    Jyorta gazed at a Spiked Lizard that was about to sleep, having had its fill using the earlier chaos. A couple of Floating Spider legs were laid around the rock it slept upon. Jyorta aimed his finger towards it, unleashing a weaker aura beam, inlaying the aura personification of hallucination into it.


    It was the targeted attack he had trained after seeing the advantages his aura beam possessed. The aura beam fell on the Spiked Lizard, swiftly encapsulating it within its effect. The Spiked Lizard stood up, sliding down its rock as it began to crawl towards the exit.


    It moved slowly, like a rock, in the same manner lizards travelled before hunting their prey. This manner of movement made it aligned with the ambient aura, preventing the other creatures from noticing it easily.


    The Spiked Lizards weren''t well versed in the aspect of concealment, but they were still hunters, possessing their means to remain undetected by their prey. The Spiked Lizard soon passed through the hole that Jyorta had kept propped up using his psychic arm.


    After it passed through, he gently returned it to normal, heaving a sigh of relief after noticing the Floating Spiders hadn''t been stirred up. It seemed they were still wary from the previous indiscriminate attacks and were unable to work together for the time being.


    Using his hallucination, Jyorta manipulated the Spiked Lizard to descend the flight of stairs, watching it step foot on the sand in the second layer.


    "Alright, go!" Followed by his shout, the Spiked Lizard made a jump and landed on a nearby sand dune. It felt a bit weak under the sun, having evolved into a denizen of the night. Still, it wasn''t adversely affected, its movements one of normalcy.


    Jyorta modified his barrier to shield out all the sounds, watching it in anticipation. The Spiked Lizard sniffed at the sand for a couple of minutes, seemingly searching for something. The next moment, it let out a shrill screech.


    The screech was louder than before, echoing all across the second layer. It also rattled the wall of web in layer 1, alerting all the Floating Spiders in the area into action.


    The Spiked Lizard put the entirety of its long tongue outside its mouth while it lifted its front, carefully balancing its weight on its hind legs. It rose its forelegs horizontally to the ground as it wagged its tail, creating small dust clouds.


    Followed by intermittent sounds it screeched, it flailed its forelimbs, spinning its tongue above its head. The Spiked Lizard had begun to breakdance.

 Chapter 375: I Want to Reach the End of This Place

    The Spiked Lizard danced in a merry, without a single care about the world. Its screeches resounded a fair distance away, faintly rattling the sand granules on the dunes, creating tiny avalanches of sand.


    Jyorta stood on the steps, alert, keeping watch through his eyes and his domain. The Spiked Lizard spun its head along with its spinning tongue, making an echoing sound similar to an ambulance. It was a comical sight to see, almost breaking Jyorta''s seriousness numerous times.


    Even though he was the one directing it to behave in such a manner, the result still made him laugh. The Spiked Lizard shook its hips, tapping its tail on the sand dune, raising a dust cloud. Suddenly, spikes flew out from under it, lodging themselves into its body.


    Jyorta timely removed his hallucination, watching the Spiked Lizard scream in pain. It growled, pulling out the spikes with its tail. Though its injuries were numerous, the wounds weren''t severe. Its skin was tough, the scales and its exoskeletal outgrowth shielding most of the attacks.


    The Spiked Lizard sniffed the sand, making a sudden leap to the side, watching three spikes fly out from its previous spot. It continued to sniff and dodge the attacks, showing its capabilities as a hunter.


    It sported exceptional defence and agility, also possessing the quick wit and cunning of a hunter. If it didn''t possess such qualities, it wouldn''t have been able to hunt the Floating Spiders daily for its meals. It was only injured by the first attack because Jyorta was controlling its actions.


    Blood dripped out from its injuries, causing the scent to spread through the area. The blood acted as the catalyst that sought to lure out the Frenzy Beasts from within. Jyorta crouched a bit, storing power in his legs, ready to jump at a moment''s notice.


    More than twenty Steel Porcupines drilled out of the sand, surrounding the Spiked Lizard. They were in a standoff for less than a second before the Spiked Lizard sprang forth towards the nearest Steel Porcupine, dodging a couple of launched spikes at point-blank range before it bit its neck.


    It clamped with its sharp teeth, injecting its poison into the bloodstream of its opponent while shaking its head like a dog, swatting the body of the Steel Porcupine on the nearby opponents. It used it like a whip, defending against the incoming spikes while dodging the remainder.


    The Spiked Lizard was constantly on the move, keeping the fight one-on-one while avoiding being surrounded. It always ensured to keep a Steel Porcupine in its mouth to defend against the spike attacks, deftly evading critical blows.


    It munched on its prey, taking quick bites before throwing the rest at its foes, always staying on its toes. It suddenly drilled into the sand, emerging below a Steel Porcupine to grab its tail before shaking its head, using the tremendous power it generated to throw it a fair distance away.


    The Steel Porcupine crashed into a dune and hissed in pain, trembling at the clobbered mess its tail had become. It aimed its spikes at the Spike Lizard, shooting forth all of them. The Spiked Lizard burrowed into the sand, disappearing from the scene.


    The Steel Porcupine sensed its arrival through its Tier 1 Skill, moving from the spot as the back of the Spiked Lizard peaked out, severing its tail. The back of the Spiked Lizard was full of sharp blades, forming an aerodynamic curve.


    Because of them, it could move through the sand easily. Twenty Steel Porcupines fought against the Spiked Lizard, with six of them already dying in the process. Not even a minute had transpired since the start of the battle.


    Seeing the ensuing battle, Jyorta sighed, ''That''s why Spiked Lizards are inefficient for Credit accumulation. They don''t die easily and put up a tough fight. The worst part is that they would try their best to pull their enemy down with them while on the verge of death.''


    This was one of the reasons he refused to fight them. Another fact was the location of their Heart Crystals, which took a lot of effort to fish out. It expended a lot of psychic energy. And, if he tried to hack using his hands, it would take longer and he would exhaust himself by the time he was done with three Spiked Lizards.


    Moreover, the Essence of Frenzy in them would corrode his weapons, rendering them useless after a couple of attempts. And in the end, their Heart Crystals would only net around 6-7 Credits. Fishing their Brain Crystals was even more difficult. The process needed him to invest more than twenty minutes for each. They were just not worth the effort.


    He was weak in the subject of dismantling the corpses, a subject he didn''t have the mind to study seriously. Even though he knew the importance of it, he just didn''t feel like learning about it. It was a sense of revulsion brought about by his personal preference.


    ''As a soldier, I would move in teams. I''ll leave the dismantling to someone with greater expertise.'' He thought, watching the fight between the Steel Porcupines and the Spiked Lizard continue, with both sides unrelenting.


    Even though it was overpowering its foes, the Spike Lizard''s injuries accumulated. Three spikes were lodged in its left foreleg, hindering its movement, causing its evasive manoeuvres to slow down. It was now clumsily avoiding the attacks, at most barely managing to dodge them.


    A long spike flew out from the sand, piercing the underside of its jaw, penetrating all the way to its brain. Blood gushed out of its orifices as its degenerated eyes popped out from the pressure. The Spiked Lizard that was hunting expertly died from a single attack.


    A Tier 2 Steel Porcupine drilled out of the ground, the spikes on its back trembling as it hissed in anger at the Spiked Lizard, noticing its fallen brethren. It crawled towards the Spiked Lizard, slamming its head with its tail, smashing it into pulp.


    Jyorta immediately sprunt into action, facing his palm towards it, unleashing an aura beam while infusing his aura personification of hallucination into it. He also sent a tattoo of hallucination through it, slamming the whole into its body.


    Aura Induction!


    The tattoo fused into its aura, synchronising instantly, inducing the desired effect from within itself. The hallucination affected it after that, pulling it swiftly into his hallucination. The Tier 2 Steel Porcupine hissed once, motioning for the Tier 1 Steel Porcupines to take the carcass of the Spiked Lizard and their fallen brethren and return.


    When they did as commanded and burrowed into the sand, it slithered towards the entrance, hissing once as it gazed at Jyorta. It swiped with its tail towards the other side, launching the spikes on its tail end.


    Once the part was bereft of any spikes, it extended it towards Jyorta, motioning for him to hold it. Jyorta held the extended tail, feeling its soft texture, similar to a snake''s. He gazed at its three body-length spikes, the fourth it had launched at the Spiked Lizard.


    It was a fairly powerful Tier 2 Frenzy Beast among the Steel Porcupines. Jyorta lay flat on the sand, his two psychic arms fusing into one to form a barrier around him, making the external surface as smooth as possible while keeping him invisible.


    As his hands held the Steel Porcupine''s tail, it began to slither forward, dragging him like a sled. After a second, Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief upon finding his psychic arm barrier remain intact. It was thanks to him making its friction with the sand zero. It took him a lot of time during his previous explorations to find the right texture that would cancel its grainy arrangement and annihilate the friction.


    He would have preferred to ride on the back of a Crust-Mantle or even a One-Horned Rhino would have been better. But, he didn''t have a choice on the matter. After all, he could only make do with what was available.


    Still, he was thankful for spotting a Tier 2 Steel Porcupine. A Tier 1 Steel Porcupine wasn''t strong enough to drag his body all the way to the other side of the path. It was bound to get tired mid-journey. Moreover, it lacked enough muscular energy to pull him over any traps, should they emerge.


    Jyorta sensed his surroundings through his domain, keeping watch for anything odd or dangerous. The hallucination he induced into the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine was simple. It was a simple mental cue, igniting a false desire of sorts into it.


    The Tier 2 Steel Porcupine gazed at the sand dunes before it, its expression serious. The mounds of the sand looked like hurdles that it wished to conquer. ''I want to reach the end of this place.''


    This was the thought resounding in its mind, a simple desire that fuelled its will to move. Its surroundings weren''t modified in the hallucination, except for this one desire that clouded all its other desires and wants.


    The Tier 2 Steel Porcupine continued to slither forward, evading all the traps it knew in memory and experience, taking safe routes along the journey. Jyorta watched himself be dragged across the sand, moving up and down the dunes along the way, spotting a couple of Tier 1 One-Horned Rhinos along the way.


    He waved with his hand at them, as if he was on a sightseeing trip. Though, he didn''t receive any greetings in return. After all, he was invisible, their senses unable to perceive him. The trail created by his body being dragged on the sand was covered in a couple of seconds by the low winds flowing across the surface.


    Jyorta had a poker face, getting dragged across layer 2.

 Chapter 376: Shoe Fish

    Along the way, Jyorta noticed numerous outgrowths in the walls of the path. They were shaped into hexagons, with one side attached to the walls, situated at heights at least five metres above the ground.


    Each hexagon was at least 10 metres long, poking out by a metre into the path. Nested above each was the Frenzy Beast, Recrow. The Recrows had a smaller stature, with the Tier 1 beings barely reaching a metre in height. Their Tier 2 counterpart was similar in size, only sporting a greater quantity of feathers, making them seem more ballooned.


    A Tier 2 Recrow flapped its wings and took off to the sky, reaching the ceiling that it tapped once with its claw. Using the rebound, it made a reverse dive towards a sand dune, retracting its wings. When it neared the sand, it made a single, instantaneous flap with its wings, unleashing a powerful gust of wind that blew off all the sand grains in the dune.


    It revealed the Steel Porcupine lying within in wait, flustered at its protective base getting obliterated. Without losing any momentum from its attack, the Recrow made a beeline, forming a steep arc as it flew past.


    The severed body of the Steel Porcupine was left behind while a couple of gashes were created on its body, drawing out some blood. The Tier 2 Recrow changed directions and made another beeline towards the Steel Porcupine, its speeds accelerating further when it was nearer, having activated its Tier 2 Skill.


    The Steel Porcupine was unable to retaliate, getting shredded into numerous pieces. There were tiny parts of its body that wriggled even after that, the final death throes of its Frenzy Parasite. The Tier 2 Recrow scooped all the shredded bits with a dextrous swipe of its wings and landed on its nest, feeding some hatchlings.


    Jyorta had observed the entire scene, taking a second glance at the shredded bits containing the Frenzy Parasite, ''I have to research them further if I wish to live in this world longer.''


    He then thought about the hatchlings, ''So, after they give birth, will the hatchlings be left to live here? Or will the staff pick them up to nurture in a different location, give them Frenzy Parasites when they have reached maturity, and put the Tier 1 beings back in the labyrinth? Seems like it would consume a lot of time and resources.''


    He then thought about the Floating Spiders, recalling their population that surpassed even humanity. Just the number of Warriors and Espers they possessed numbered thrice Marble City''s. And, as an insect race possessing every advantageous trait of insects, their birth rate was staggeringly high.


    With such a massive population, controlling them was harder. They all couldn''t be placed in the domain of Rhachis Ancestor Puppet, their sole Esper Ancestor. So, they usually lived in the various Web Worlds that littered the Floating Spider territory.


    This lack of defensive means made them vulnerable against attacks, especially against the strategy and means of Marble City''s soldiers. This was why Marble City kept something like the Labyrinth of Frenzy in every military academy. Because it was easy to capture Frenzy Beasts.


    And, in societies like the Frenzy Beasts that had a tremendous number of lower Tiered beings, the disappearance of a couple thousand every month made zero difference. Only the Elites at Tier 4 and Tier 5 mattered in their societies. Below that, the loss of any number of Warriors and Espers wouldn''t damage them in the least.


    After all, as long as they had enough food, they could replenish half their population within a decade. And, the oceans were the territory of the Swarm, creating an unending stream of food for Frenzy Beast races like the Floating Spiders and the Spindle Bees that had a majority of their territory on water.


    Jyorta recalled every information he had learned, linking them to the conjectures he had thought now, ''It is more efficient to just capture them. If we want to nurture them, then we need to shoulder their food costs, create a breeding and growing environment for them within the city, etc. Even then, as they hadn''t been exposed to the Wilds, they would be no different from strong pets. And that is something unnecessary for our training and other needs.''


    Jyorta watched the sand cover half the vision of his right eye. After being dragged for a while, he had turned to his right as he gazed at the hunts of the other Frenzy Beasts. In the meantime, his face was dragged partway into the sand.


    Whenever a Frenzy Beast moved closer to hunt the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine pulling him, Jyorta would create a hallucination and make a blind target for them in a different location, diverting their attention. This way, he prevented a battle from ensuing.


    In the sand, he couldn''t move well. So, unless he was left with no choice, Jyorta didn''t wish to fight here. Soon, Jyorta adjusted his body posture and gazed at the end of the second layer. The sand had spilled through the flight of stairs, burying it completely under. The sand continued down and spilled into the third layer where it was partially hardened, preventing more sand from leaking through.


    Layer 3!


    Jyorta heaved a sigh, finding one layer after another whose habitats prevented him from displaying any of his advantages. Layer 1 was bereft of any light while the atmosphere was the same as outside. The land was covered with sharp rocks that created crunching sounds in the silent area, alerting their foes.


    Layer 2 was covered in sand where the temperature was hot, creating an atmosphere that would quickly tire one out. Both the layers also had their exclusive traps waiting for unsuspecting prey. If he didn''t have the aura personification of hallucination, he would have expended all his methods by the time he was halfway through layer 2 and would have to be pulled out by a staff.


    "There are no strongest attacks, only the most optimal methods for the situation," Jyorta muttered the nurse, Vaika''s second most favourite phrase, standing atop the hardened sand. Layer 3 was an area of shallow water, the depth ranging from knee-deep to a couple of metres.


    Some places had underwater channels that reached a depth of 10 metres. Jyorta had explored this layer only twice before this, and not once did he manage to reach its end. After all, from this layer onwards, Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts were common. And even the Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts here were at peak Tier 1, about to attempt a breakthrough any time. Each step was riskier now.


    "Of course, I cannot forget them." Jyorta gazed at the shallow waters with a frown, even though he didn''t spot any Frenzy Beasts in his vicinity. The danger of the third layer was the water itself, or rather the creature living in it and dominating the region.


    Frenzy Beast¡ªShoe Fish!


    Its body was transparent like glass and similar to jelly in form. But, it had a vicious nature that made it the most dangerous of all the Frenzy Beasts Jyorta had ever encountered in the labyrinth.


    The sole objective of this Frenzy Beast race, as defined by their name is to become the shoes of any living creature they come across. And, by the name of shoe, it wasn''t that they became an accessory that could be worn and discarded upon use.


    Once they attach to the feet, they would form a connection with the nervous system. After all, the feet was where all the nerves in the body ended. And, forming a connection at that place was akin to connecting with all the nerves in the body.


    Their attack substance was similar to the Life Leech in that they would never cause pain to the target while attacking. The toxin they secrete was an anaesthetic powerful enough to make the target not even notice their limb getting ground up into juice.


    The danger of the Shoe Fish lay in the fact that after they attach themselves to the feet of a being, they would compress their bodies until becoming a thin layer. This thin layer had a rigid defence, even surpassing the shells of Lava Turtles. But, this simple benefit mattered not.


    For the Shoe Fishes were a parasitic Frenzy Beast race. After forming a connection, they would send impulses into the target using the nervous system, deepening the control until eventually dominating the actions of the whole body.


    Once that had been established, the victim was beyond the hope of saving. Even if he hadn''t progressed to such a stage, the only solution was to amputate the legs and regenerate them back. But, this would cause a massive decrease in his Sync Rate, after all, the Shoe Fish had invaded and become a significant part of the fused organ.


    Moreover, this Frenzy Beast had little to no presence. So, most detection methods grandly failed against spotting their existence. This was why they were feared. They were a parasitic race that had improved its parasitic properties to the maximum using the Frenzy Parasites.


    There were cases where soldiers in the Wilds had been attacked by one and failed to treat themselves on time. They either lost control or fell under its control. Moreover, even after losing control, and after the Wisdom Parasite had gained control over their body, the motion of the body was still controlled by the Shoe Fish. Such was the frightening extent to its parasitism.


    If not for their practically negligent intelligence and cognition, leading to their automatic instinctual response to prey, they would have become the most feared Frenzy Beast race in the world. Because of their lack of intelligence, the highest they had reached was Tier 3, and even that numbered in the single digits, considering the entire world.


    Jyorta stood on the hardened sand, making double sure that his feet were safe before fishing out the tube-shaped Relic. It was time he took action.


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    Don''t forget to check out my second novel, "Murim Recurve".


    -----------------------------------

 Chapter 377: Inducing the Presence of Nature

    Jyorta took in the vision of his blue soul, watching his surroundings turn dark. There weren''t any souls within his range, making him heave a sigh of relief. He was slightly paranoid about coming into contact with a Shoe Fish that would end his final exploration.


    Jyorta took in a deep breath, keeping watch on his surroundings as he controlled the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine to gently head into the water. He made it move as slow as possible, unwilling to alert any Frenzy Beast of its entrance. His lips curled up into a smile as his eyes radiated with cunningness.


    Aura Induction¡ªHallucination!


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    He unleashed both the effects into the water, converging them on the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine. But this time, the affected party wasn''t it, but the water itself. The presence in the water was induced by him using his aura induction, creating an atmosphere suitable for a hallucination.


    He then sent his aura personification of hallucination into it, shaping the presence in the water into a place the effect of his hallucination existed.


    Affecting the presence of nature!


    This was a peak concept brought into fruition by Aura Induction. It was such a scary concept with strategic value based on use. Jyorta directly used this ability, inducing the presence of the water with his hallucination.


    As the water wasn''t a rigid body but was continuously flowing, he had to constantly expend his aura reserves to maintain the effect. Otherwise, the effect would subside as the aura fuelling his Aura Induction would get consumed. But, the plus side was that as long as he maintained a steady supply of aura, the effect of his aura personification would spread through the water.


    That was what he was gunning for.


    The Tier 2 Steel Porcupine floated in place, having never thought about its eventful fate. Through his soul domain, Jyorta noticed tiny murky wisps float across, like paper floating on the water.


    Their movements were slow, too slow in fact. It was similar to leaving a piece of paper on a stagnant lake and blowing atop it with the mouth to move it. It was that slow. But, Jyorta became tense the moment he noticed their approach.


    In reality, the water was calm, without any beings moving amidst it. Similarly, in his domain, he found nothing. There was only the presence of the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine in the water within his range.


    Jyorta inhaled a sharp breath of air, feeling fear at the creepy approach of the Shoe Fishes. His vision, domain, and the feedback of his aura, none were able to spot their arrival. Only his soul domain could spot them. Just this fact alone proved that the beings before him were masters in the art of concealment.


    The hallucination he had induced was simple. He never had the intention or desire to change the landscape. He always used reality as the basis to construct his hallucinations. This way, his aura expenditure was lower while he could concentrate more of his mind on the realism of the hallucination.


    What he had induced was to change the appearance of the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine. He kept its body structure the same as reality, but placed a dense overgrowth of human legs over it, fully covering its surface. Also, he made its presence the same as a Tier 3 being.


    After all, his aura was already in the realm of Tier 3. So, he had just modified his aura according to the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine''s aura signature and imbued it in the hallucination of the human legs. This made the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine the perfect target for the Shoe Fishes.


    Normally for legged creatures, when they are sighted, a Shoe Fish would attack itself to a leg. There would never be an overlap or any extra Shoe Fish attaching itself to any other part of the body. For serpentine creatures without any legs, they would attach themselves at the part of the body where the leg ought to grow if it developed one.


    After all, serpents were reptiles that hadn''t grown their legs. And if evolution proved anything, they can grow limbs through evolution when needed. After all, they possess the necessary genetic material, nerve structure, cells, etc.


    So, depending on its biological makeup and number of legs, the number of Shoe Fishes attaching to it varied. Moreover, as beings with negligible intelligence, even if they control the host, the most they do would be using it to hunt for food to sustain themselves.


    And, if the host dies, they would break free and lie in wait for another one to show itself. But, they didn''t have a mechanism to break free voluntarily. Even after the host dies, only after its body starts to decompose and the cells in it die do they come off.


    Therefore, in the off chance one of them attaches to him, Jyorta wouldn''t be able to use his aura personification to manipulate them into letting their hold off. That was one of the reasons he was afraid of the Shoe Fishes.


    The Shoe Fishes approached the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine and gently attached themselves to a foot each. When they grabbed hold of the foot, they failed to catch anything. After all, the aforementioned foot didn''t exist in reality.


    Due to their lack of intelligence, they didn''t even realise it and moved further forward, attaching themselves to the skin of the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine behind. There were many nerve endings under the skin that they connected themselves with.


    They came to realise that they didn''t attach themselves to their desired locations. Unfortunately, it was too late. Unless the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine died, they were bound to it for life. Jyorta smiled, watching every Shoe Fish in the vicinity attach themselves onto the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine.


    Their bodies shrunk, becoming thin like paper, forming a layer over its skin. Now, the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine''s defence was elevated to a whole new level. Unless a Tier 3 being targeted it, it couldn''t be killed easily.


    Through his soul domain, Jyorta noticed Shoe Fishes numbering in the double digits linger in the waters. And, thanks to his aura personification, even more seemed to be lured over. Jyorta gazed forward, noticing a couple of Frenzy Beasts engage in a fight.


    It was a Rigordile and a River Whale, both at Tier 2. The River Whale was wrapped by a thick layer of water that shielded it from the Rigordile''s attacks. The Rigordile leaped from the water and used its massive body weight to slam its tail on its opponent.


    The River Whale lost some altitude from the impact, the water around it splashed forth. It made a dive and brushed its body along the water surface, recovering the volume of water around it. Jyorta became happy, sensing traces of psychic energy mixed into the water around it.


    He faced his palm towards it, unleashing an aura beam imbued with a tattoo of hallucination. The aura beam struck the water around it, facing some resistance before it hit the opponent. Its aura was only on the level of a normal Tier 2 being, so it couldn''t resist the power of his aura attacks bordering Tier 3.


    If Jyorta had gone all out with the attack, then it wouldn''t have even been able to resist. The River Whale struggled for a moment as the tattoo settled within its aura, inducing the effect of hallucination.


    Such tattoos wouldn''t last long and would eventually be destroyed. After all, they weren''t tattoos he had customised for the target. But, they were enough for the time being. Based on his experiments, such tattoos existed for at least a day before being destroyed. For Jyorta, that was more than enough.


    The duration was brought about by the difference in their aura quality. If it was a being on the same level as him in terms of aura, then the tattoo''s life would be in the seconds.


    The River Whale increased its altitude, causing the Rigordile to stare at it in anger. It glared for a couple of seconds before retreating into the water, watching the River Whale fly towards Jyorta. It couldn''t see Jyorta, only gazing at the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine floating in the water nearby.


    After a moment of thought, it lay in wait, unwilling to make a hasty move for the time being. Jyorta controlled the River Whale, feeling a bit tired from the aura expenditure. He used his psychic arm to pop another small bit of the healing salve into his mouth.


    He then turned his smaller psychic arm pale blue, seeping it into his body before healing his exhaustion. After Vaika had imparted all the information about the Unranked Skill Regen, he gradually came to understand why she delved into the field of aura while possessing this Unranked Skill.


    It was because Regen not only grew back the lost parts but was also capable of replenishing the expended aura. With this, as long as the individual possessed enough psychic energy, he/she could replenish their aura reserves easily.


    So, as an individual whose development in the path of aura surpassed everything else, Regen was a valuable tool to sustain their advantage longer. Jyorta smiled upon sensing his aura reserves recover to their peak in a couple of seconds.


    He had consumed around thirty percent of his psychic energy. But he wasn''t concerned. For, a steady stream of energy continued to refill his Brain Crystal. As the River Whale approached him, he directed the hallucination in the water, making the River Whale the target.


    Now, in the eyes of the Shoe Fish, the entire body of the River Whale was covered by human legs. The Rive Whale entered the water and dissipated the film of water around it. Through his soul domain, Jyorta witnessed the scary scene play before him. The Shoe Fishes gently approached the River Whale, attaching themselves to its body.


    "Before heading into war, one must armour their steed."

 Chapter 378: Manipulating the Souls

    The River Whale didn''t even notice the hell it was subjected to, unable to appreciate the final moments of its individuality. It lay on the ground; the shallow water barely reached a tenth of its height.


    The water level became deeper further deeper into the layer, but at the entrance, it wasn''t much to comment about. Even a five-year-old child could move through it without any danger to his life. Using the hallucination, Jyorta controlled the River Whale to gently manipulate the water around it, carrying the Shoe Fishes to make a layer around it.


    This allowed the Shoe Fishes to reach all corners of its body. Through the soul domain, Jyorta gazed at the Shoe Fishes, trying to attach them all to the River Whale. It was a simple plan he had devised; it was to raise the defence of the River Whale to the maximum and use it as his steed.


    The River Whales were capable of flying and could manipulate the water to a fair extent using their Traits. So, they were his best bet in tiding through layer 3. Moreover, he wished to fight in the layer and obtain more benefits. So, getting a strong ally on his side was a must.


    The Steel Porcupine was a being adept at long-ranged attacks and possessed high agility. Now, with the Shoe Fishes attached to its body, its defence became its stronger suit. Jyorta used a spindle to prod along its skin, feeling a smooth texture akin to glass.


    "The Shoe Fishes have expanded until they touched each other. And, they have created a cohesive structure without any gaps so that the entire surface remains smooth." Jyorta muttered. As the Shoe Fishes possessed a transparent body, he couldn''t even notice any difference with the Steel Porcupine.


    The Rive Whale, on the other hand, possessed a massive body. The one before him spanned almost five metres in length. It was a hulking creature. And, it was still a youngling. Even without a Frenzy Parasite, whales were capable of growing to about 10-25 metres depending on their species.


    Through evolution, an adult River Whale grew to a length of 30 metres. Adding on the Frenzy Parasite, and their lengths were blown out of proportion. At Tier 5, River Whales surpassed a hundred metres in length. Adding onto the density of their mass, they were behemoths.


    Just the sheer density of their muscle mass made each of their attacks possess earth-shattering power. Moreover, their tough muscles and heavy muscle mass absorbed most of the power behind physical attacks. At times, just sheer size alone gave a tremendous advantage.


    And thanks to their Trait, the River Whales were never constrained by their large bodies. They could move freely thanks to the Trait that functioned the same whether they were small or massive.


    "Traits," Jyorta sighed, expressing a bit of envy. The ability of the Traits possessed by the Frenzy Beasts were dependent on their bodies. So, if they possessed a large stature, the Traits were similarly developed. As it was their inherent quality, it grew not just with their strength, but also with the development of their body.


    The Traits humanity created were strictly restricted to their Tiers and were largely dependent on pre-established factors. They had zero possibility of growth or adaptability according to the changes in the body.


    In the vision of his blue soul, the entire body of the River Whale was covered by murky wisps. And, situated in the centre were two souls, one larger wisp while the other was the River Whale''s soul. It was as developed as a twenty-year-old human.


    Maybe it was coincidence or luck, but all the Shoe Fishes in the area were used up while every inch of the River Whale was covered by them. Jyorta smiled, knocking its surface with his spindle, hearing a dull thud. It was like hitting against a block of granite.


    After a moment of hesitation, Jyorta carefully touched the surface with his index finger. His other hand held the bladed chakram, intending to sever his finger the moment something strange happened.


    His armour wholly covered him, so he wasn''t making direct contact. Still, he didn''t wish to make a hasty move. The last time he did so, he was severely injured. Jyorta touched the surface with his finger, keeping note of everything through all his senses. Once nothing happened, he heaved a sigh of relief, "Thankfully, everything is just like what had been recorded in the Portal. Nothing unusual happened."


    Jyorta unleashed his Soul Cornea, seeping it into the River Whale''s soul. The fact that it was an Area Controller raised its value in his eyes. There was a lot he could achieve with it. So, he planned to prepare accordingly.


    The River Whale''s soul was a murky mass, like a boulder covered in a moss overgrowth. It was fairly sturdy, displaying its essence about the intention to congregate. The murky mist it released was very little; it faintly revolved around the murky mass.


    The Soul Cornea wrapped around it, unleashing its influence. The murkiness was corroded at a fast rate. The blue soul connected ten soul tendrils to his Brain Crystal, siphoning his psychic energy. It converted the psychic energy into soul energy to be used as fuel for the Soul Cornea.


    Thankfully, the energy required to unleash the Soul Cornea''s influence wasn''t high. His second Soul Cornea formed a cocoon around the blue soul, vaporising any murkiness that came near.


    One for defence and one for offence.


    Jyorta spent less than a couple of minutes to fully vaporise its murkiness, leaving behind a condensed soul. It was fully crystalline now; the blue soul could also see its soul core. If he wished to make it his subsoul, it wouldn''t even take him a minute to do so.


    But, Jyorta didn''t do that, wishing to train his aura abilities for now. He also didn''t have any intention of sacrificing this River Whale. He planned to see if it had any research material value through their ensuing battle.


    And, if it proved to be so, it would provide him with a direction of research once he graduated. After all, the Shoe Fishes lacked any intelligence. So, with proper research and planning, their abilities could be abused to the full extent.


    ''If I can devise a method to raise their intelligence without making them my subsouls and elevate them to Tier 3, I wonder what Tier 3 Skills they would Nurture.'' Relics, that was what echoed in his mind. All Warrior Skills were close combat based, save for their Tier 3 Skills.


    Only the Tier 3 Skills were emission-based and could be used by Espers easily. This gave them greater value. And, there existed Tier 3 Shoe Fishes in the Wilds in the single digits. Even that was a conjecture.


    Their lacking intelligence made them suffer defeat in the Mental Realm¡ªby their Frenzy Parasites. So, a breakthrough to Tier 2 usually meant the Frenzy Parasite was the one that had initiated it. And, it resulted in the Frenzy Parasite gaining control of the body.


    But, that also put an end to its development. After all, two entities were necessary to be pulled into the Mental Realm. And, that would no longer be possible after the Frenzy Parasite had taken control of the body. Without heading into the Mental Realm, the breakthrough would be a failure and the Heart Crystal would just explode while its cells would die immediately.


    So, any Tier 2 Shoe Fish were beings that had lost control. And, in the extreme cases where a Shoe Fish had won against the Frenzy Parasite, then the Shoe Fish might have a possibility of reaching Tier 3.


    Neither the Tier 3 Skills of the Shoe Fishes had been documented nor did anyone have an idea of the Skills they would Nurture. The first step to achieve that was what Jyorta was doing now.


    After the River Whale''s soul was purified of its murkiness, the blue soul vaporised the murkiness in its Frenzy Parasite''s soul. Followed by that were the Souls of the Shoe Fishes and their respective Frenzy Parasites.


    It took him around three hours, with his psychic energy reserves dropping to half when Jyorta finished it. As a steady stream of psychic energy gushed into his Brain Crystal, his reserves were at half now. Otherwise, it would have reached rock bottom.


    ''Now to start the actual plan.'' He smiled, barely able to control his excitement.


    The blue soul extended its Soul Cornea, tapping on the soul of a Shoe Fish''s Frenzy Parasite. It nudged one end of it, pulling out part of the soul before kneading it, producing a soul tendril. It continued to pull at the soul and knead it, extending the soul tendril until it reached the respective Shoe Fish''s soul. The Soul Cornea attached the soul tendril to it, infusing a bit of soul energy to mend the gaps, making the link rigid.


    It similarly made a connection between all the souls of the Shoe Fishes with the souls of their respective Frenzy Parasites. Once it was done, the Soul Cornea tugged at a Shoe Fish''s soul, kneading the tugged part into a soul tendril before attaching it with its Heart Crystal.


    Immediately, a bit of energy from the Heart Crystal seeped into it, bulging the size of its soul by a little. The Soul Cornea repeated the same with the souls of all the Shoe Fishes. Once it was done, it extended a soul tendril from a Shoe Fish''s soul and connected it with the River Whale''s soul.


    The foundation of a Shoe Fish''s soul was insufficient to make such a long soul tendril. But, as the Soul cornea extended it, and when its foundation proved insufficient, memory fragments flowed out from its Frenzy Parasite''s soul and spread through the extended soul tendril.


    With the increased foundation, energy was siphoned from its Heart Crystal, bulging up the size of its soul, allowing the soul tendril to be extended.

 Chapter 379: First Blood

    The Blue Soul used the Soul Cornea and created soul tendrils one after another, attaching the souls of the Shoe Fishes to the River Whale''s soul. It soon made a circuit of sorts, one where all their souls were connected in one way or another.


    Once it was done, the Soul Cornea tugged the soul of a Shoe Fish''s Frenzy Parasite, shaping a thin soul tendril. It lacked the foundation for the soul tendril to extend any longer. Jyorta thought for a moment, pulling up the memory of a movie from his previous life.


    Finding Nemo!


    He pulled up all the memory fragments related to the movie and dumped them into the soul of the Shoe Fish''s frenzy Parasite, forcibly increasing its foundation. There was a bit of his ego on them, forming a white layer over the memory fragments.


    Jyorta didn''t take any measures to destroy his ego on the memory fragments, watching them interact with the local memory fragments. There was a lot of friction, with the egos of both sides getting damaged.


    As the Frenzy Parasite developed based on the host, its ego was undeveloped as compared to its peers parasitising bodies of other races. So, his ego soon won the battle, dominating the soul. The soul soon stabilised, allowing the soul tendril to be extended further.


    The Soul Cornea connected the soul tendril to the soul of the River Whale''s Frenzy Parasite. Using the same process as before, it connected the souls of the Shoe Fishes'' Frenzy Parasites to the soul of the River Whale''s Frenzy Parasite.


    Now, an entire circuit had been created. The souls of the Shoe Fishes were connected to their respective Frenzy Parasite''s souls. Their souls were also connected to the River Whale''s soul while the souls of their Frenzy Parasites were connected to the soul of the River Whale''s Frenzy Parasite.


    The Soul Cornea arrived at the soul of the River Whale; its form bulged as something resembling a sphere moved through it. A hole appeared on its from that opened like a snake''s as the Hoberman Sphere was ejected.


    This was the second Hoberman Sphere the blue soul had made over the month. And, unlike the previous one, the souls forming it weren''t subsouls, but rather normal souls that he had obtained from his explorations.


    This was his cautious nature coming into play. He dared not leave any subsoul beyond his control in fear that it would attempt a breakthrough and head to the Mental Realm. There, all it would ever do is feed the Mind Hound and make it stronger.


    Every time he thought about it, Jyorta felt fear. It was an instinctual feeling, originating from both his mind and soul. The fact that he felt a response from two paths instead of just one further scared him. So, he dared not take any risks.


    ''There is still the threat of Wenina Marble. How should I even deal with her? Hope she doesn''t attempt to breakthrough in the meantime.'' Jyorta shuddered at the thought. Wenina Marble was the nurse taking care of him during the end of his coma. He had converted her Wisdom Parasite''s soul into his subsoul and used it to clinch victory in his fight against the previous Jyorta''s soul.


    Once that was done, he immediately returned the subsoul to its owner. After all, he couldn''t extract it out of her Wisdom Parasite, for that would kill it. Now, this was a threat looming over him, weighing on his mind ever since.


    She was an Area Controller back then. And, more than two years had passed since then. There was no guarantee that she hadn''t attempted a breakthrough to Tier 3.


    Before he came to the military academy, he was still in hiding. From his point of view, only Rhachis Ancestor Light, his sister, and his grandfather knew of his identity. And, he didn''t have any guarantee that they would support him, except his sister. Even then, his sister didn''t have much power or sway in the grand scheme of things.


    But now, he knew that wasn''t the case. Psychic Ancestor Marble, Rhachis Ancestor Strongest, Atika Light, and Mary Veera; they would all lend him a hand as long as he contributed enough for them to make a move. His mindset was different from back then, same for the confidence to make a move now that he had a sort of backing, though flimsy.


    ''I can only be optimistic.'' Jyorta shook his head, focusing on the task at hand. The Soul Cornea ejected the Hoberman Sphere into the River Whale''s subsoul. He had modified it a little now. It was the false persona¡ªof absolute servitude, resolution, and compassion.


    The Hoberman Sphere looked no different from a regular sphere as it approached the soul core. Then, like a fisherman''s net, the Hoberman Sphere expanded, enlarging its jaw as it swallowed the soul core whole.


    It then contracted, fully enclosing the soul core within it, unleashing its influence. The soul of the River Whale''s Frenzy Parasite trembled for a second before stabilising, the effect of the influence pervaded it.


    The goal of the false persona was to prevent the Frenzy Parasite from trying to take control of the host or attempt a breakthrough. Jyorta knew that its effect wouldn''t be permanent. After all, as time passed, generated from the desires of the body, murkiness would seep into the soul once again. And, it would start to eat away at the makeup of the Hoberman Sphere, hacking away at its influence before finally destroying it.


    The only way to prevent such a scenario was to vaporise the murkiness constantly as and when they emerged. And, Jyorta didn''t know for how long he would stay with it. But, since this was his first experiment, he wasn''t overly concerned.


    The Soul Cornea tugged one side of the soul of the River Whale''s Frenzy Parasite, creating a soul tendril before attaching it to the River Whale''s soul. The circuit he had been planning was now complete.


    The goal of this was to allow the sharing of the memory fragments between all the parties, developing them in unison. As the body digests them, there was a tiny chance that the intelligence of the Shoe Fishes would improve.


    Jyorta didn''t know for sure, that''s why he was experimenting. It was a long-term goal. But for the short-term goal, it was his energy battery. Jyorta jumped on its back, seating himself cross-legged. He controlled the River Whale through his hallucination, making it create the film of water.


    Through his soul domain, he noticed the absence of free Shoe Fishes in his vicinity, heaving a sigh of relief. The film of water fully submerged his body underneath as the River Whale took off to the air. Jyorta wasn''t concerned about being drowned, shaping the psychic arm barrier over him, extending a part from his nose.


    He created a thin pipe that extended out of the film of water, allowing him to breathe without trouble. Moreover, it still retained all its functions: filtering the aura in the air, preventing his heat, smell, and presence from leaking, and keeping him invisible.


    The water in the film moved around him, creating a cage of sorts to hold him in place. This way, he wouldn''t be floating all over the place as the River Whale moved. The Steel Porcupine curled itself into a ball and jumped, landing atop the River Whale.


    It swam in the film of water around its body, making a couple of rotations to see that it wouldn''t fall. Jyorta experimented with all forms he would have to use in battles, taking necessary measures before noting the ones he could exploit.


    "I now have a battleship." Jyorta laughed, looking forward to see the figure of the Rigordile gaze his way from within the water. It didn''t have any muscles to display facial features, but just from the posture of its body and the variation in the presence it exhibited, Jyorta determined that it was puzzled, curious, and also slightly apprehensive.


    It too was a Tier 2 being, so Jyorta dared not be careless around it. He chose it as his first target to test his preparations. The Rigordile was alarmed, watching the River Whale fly towards it. When it neared, the Steel Porcupine slithered within the film of water, arriving at its underside, gazing at the Rigordile.


    Without any abstruse movement, it launched three spikes at the Rigordile, having activated its Tier 2 Skill. The spikes began to spin at a faster speed, increasing its penetrative power while it faced almost zero air resistance, zooming towards the Rigordile with increased might.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªShoot Burst!


    It was the signature Tier 2 Skill of the Steel Porcupines. It amplified the attacks of their steel spikes that they unleashed. The Rigordile tried to dodge when its eyes glazed over as Jyorta''s hallucination struck it.


    In the instant it was under the effects of the hallucination, it failed to dodge. The three spikes lodged into its head, spilling out three tiny fountains of blood. Two pierced through its eyes respectively, heading deep inside before poking its brain.


    The third one flew into its snout, piercing into the breathing tract deep inside, hindering its breathing. The Rigordile''s attention was focused on the three life-threatening attacks it faced, trying to pull them out when a massive shadow loomed over it.


    The River Whale crashed into it from high up, the slam creating a wave as high as ten metres. The Rigordile was almost flattened from the attack, numerous bones of it had broken. As for the River Whale, it hadn''t taken any damage.


    After all, the film of water around it had absorbed all the shock from the impact.


    "The Traits of Frenzy Beasts are incredible!" Jyorta exclaimed, controlling the River Whale to fly up before slamming onto the Rigordile once again. The second attack flattened it as the water in the area turned red, with shades of black mixed into it.


    A Tier 2 Frenzy Beast had been killed as easily as that.

 Chapter 380: The Steel Porcupine’s Feast

    Even Jyorta was surprised by the speed at which they killed a Tier 2 Frenzy Beast. It was a Rigordile, a Frenzy Beast specialised in the aspect of defence. To counter it, they directly swatted it using the River Whale''s weight.


    The Steel Porcupine would harm it and force it to focus its attention on the injured area. He would use his hallucination to daze it for a moment while the River Whale slammed onto it. It was a simple but effective tactic.


    The Steel Porcupine jumped out from the film of water, falling into the shallow waters as it slithered towards the flattened body of the Rigordile. It hissed once, using its spikes to poke a hole. It retracted its spikes, aligning them along its body, enacting a streamlined appearance.


    Followed by a hiss, it drilled through the hole it made, entering the Rigordile as it flailed around. Seeing that it was still following his orders, Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief. Had he controlled it solely through his hallucination, it would have broken free of his control the moment it entered the Rigordile''s body.


    Thankfully, he was only giving it inputs through his aura. The source of the hallucination was its own aura, thanks to the tattoo he had induced in it.


    Ten seconds later, the Steel Porcupine drilled out of the Rigordile, holding a Heart Crystal in its mouth. It then curled its body into a sphere and released its hold, springing forth like a spring as it entered the film of water.


    As the River Whale didn''t forbid its entry, it could swim freely through the film of water before arriving beside Jyorta. Jyorta used his weaker psychic arm to grab hold of the Heart Crystal and remove the layer of flesh and blood on it.


    The River Whale ejected the contents¡ªthe flesh and blood he removed¡ªout of the film of water, and sent it falling to the ground as Jyorta stored the Tier 2 Heart Crystal in his cuboidal bag. He smiled, controlling the River Whale to proceed forward.


    On layer 3, there only existed three races: The River Whales, the Rigordiles, and the Shoe Fishes. So, of the three layers he had been in, it was the least populated, followed by later 2 and finally layer 1.


    In layer 1, the Frenzy Beasts were small, so they were more in number. In layer 3, two of the three races had large statures. So, the limited space meant only a few lived in here.


    Jyorta noticed two River Whales flying further ahead, harassing a Rigordile as they used their water films to bump into it constantly. They danced through the air, with each flap of their tails pulling and pushing water from the ground. They displayed their prowess in manipulating the water.


    The Rigordile was a species that didn''t have any Traits, so it could only rely on its two Skills to fight back. It used its Tier 2 Skill to make long leaps and evade their attacks, trying to retaliate when spotting a chance.


    But, it was clearly losing its ground. Its enemy had a greater territorial advantage than it. Jyorta and team arrived right at this instant, targeting a River Whale. Without any hesitation, he unleashed an aura beam towards it, also infusing his aura personification into it.


    Aura Personification¡ªBetrayal!


    The River Whale behaved like a tremendous impact had blasted its side as it toppled over, the place of impact sporting a large indentation. The skin in the area came off in patches while blood oozed out without stopping.


    The River Whale spun in the air twice from the impact, even confusing Jyorta as he looked at his hand while panting. "Was my aura beam really that strong?"


    He then noticed that his target had only recently become Tier 2, judging based on its presence. He then understood the reason, it was thanks to the sheer difference in their auras. The aura he unleashed in his aura beam was twice its total, so the effect was obvious.


    The River Whale stumbled in the air a couple more times before falling on the ground with a thud. It struggled to get up once again, emitting powerful screams due to the pain. Its scream caused the water to ripple outward, with the waves reaching as high as two centimetres. Such was the intensity behind its scream.


    The film of water protected him against most of the scream while his psychic arm barrier shielded out the remainder. Jyorta wiped the sweat on his forehead as his heart thumped faster and faster. Noticing the Rigordile jump in to finish off the fallen River Whale, he set his sights on the other one, controlling his River Whale to slam into it.


    The slam between two massive beings splashed out a lot of water from the films surrounding them. The resulting sound was akin to the sound of waves in the sea during a low tide. The two used the films to absorb and negate the impact, coming out unscathed as they brushed off against each other.


    "Again!" Jyorta shouted, turning his River Whale to slam into the other party once again. Through his soul domain, he noticed a couple of wisps slowly float towards him. He sent a mental cue to the River Whale, making it eject the portion of water the wisps were in.


    ''Dammit, so there are some shoe fishes in the film of water surrounding it. In our clash, they were transferred over.'' Jyorta thought, not daring to retract his soul domain for the time being.


    The two River Whales crashed into each other, spilling forth a lot of water from the impact. It was a scene of two celestial bodies colliding into one another, the resulting exchange of water making it more so.


    Two lakes collided in the air, eating away at one another to end up as the winner. When their water reservoir reduced, they pulled in more from the water flowing below.


    When the two River Whales clashed once again, the Steel Porcupine swam through the film of water, arriving at the front before poising its back towards the foe.


    Activating its Tier 2 Skill, it shot forth a body-length spike straight at the River Whale''s head. The spike contained tremendous power, puncturing through the film of water that had weakened from the clash. It pierced the River Whale''s head, burrowing a massive hole as it got lodged deep in its head.


    Just when it seemed like the attack was over, the body-length spike exploded like a piece of dry wood that had dried out too much and had faced some sudden external force. Pieces of the spike flew as shrapnel and pierced everywhere in the River Whale''s head.


    The River Whale lost its senses one after another, found its organs failing while it began to fall towards the ground. It slammed on the ground with a massive thud, the shock from the impact causing blood to spurt out of its injury like a geyser.


    The Rigordile had managed to kill the other River Whale by now and was just about to feast on it when Jyorta''s hallucination sent it into a daze. Before it could come to its senses, the River Whale slammed on it. Jyorta then controlled the River Whale to slam on it once again, killing it.


    The Steel Porcupine jumped to the ground and drilled into their bodies one after another, fishing out their Heart Crystals before bringing them to Jyorta. Jyorta used his psychic arm to remove the layer of blood and flesh coating them before storing the pure Heart Crystals in his bag.


    Through the faint fluctuations in its aura, he judged that the Steel Porcupine was feeling hungry. It wished to regrow the spikes it had used up. After all, it had already used two of the four body-length spikes it had. So, unless it ate its fill, it wouldn''t be able to grow them again.


    Jyorta had no qualms about the matter, watching it freely drill into the Rigordile''s body. He wondered about the body part it would feast on first, even if the scene turned out to be gruesome. When he noticed what the Steel Porcupine did, Jyorta was stupefied before breaking into a laugh.


    The Steel Porcupine had drilled into the Rigordile through its mouth and severed through numerous muscles along the way, grabbing hold of something. Jyorta first saw its tail peak out as it flailed out, failing to find any grip. It used the viscosity of the water to crane itself, pulling out bit by bit.


    Finally, when more than half its body emerged out, it coiled itself around the Rigordile''s head, using the grip to pull out the upper portion of its body. Held in its mouth, and dragged ruggedly was the Rigordile''s spine, or rather its Frenzy Parasite.


    The Frenzy Parasite struggled to survive but failed to escape from the clutches of the Steel Porcupine. The Steel Porcupine pulled out the entirety of the Frenzy Parasite, shaking its head as it slammed the Frenzy Parasite on the hard scales of the Rigordile. Each attack weakened it further and further before it could no longer persist, losing all signs of life.


    The Steel Porcupine swallowed it whole. It then burrowed into the River Whale, pulling out a massive spine. But, this Frenzy Parasite could hardly move due to its large form. Unlike its host, it seemed to be weighed down by its size, unable to move.


    After pulling it out, the Steel Porcupine left it out in the open as is, doing the same to the other River Whale. After that, it swam in the water and burrowed into the first Rigordile they had killed, swallowing its Frenzy Parasite. Done with that, it arrived back to the area, enlarging the girth of its body to ten times the previous, displaying insane elasticity.


    It then swallowed both the remaining Frenzy Parasites; its body bulged like a balloon because of it. But, the Steel Porcupine didn''t seem bothered, letting out a cute cry as it rolled on the floor once.

 Chapter 381: Trait

    Jyorta observed the Steel Porcupine''s reaction, trying to sense its changes through the fluctuations in its aura. Its presence was churning within, seemingly experiencing an evolution of sorts. Its bulging body began to visibly shrink in size.


    Jyorta stared at it in wonder, extending his domain over it. He noticed large spots in it that resisted his psychic energy, almost like Gulvana. They were the congregation of the Essence of Frenzy it had swallowed just now.


    The Essence of Frenzy damaged it internally, causing the Steel Porcupine to writhe in pain. But, its own Essence of Frenzy counteracted the foreign counterpart, negating its effects to a certain extent before seeking to swallow it up whole.


    As they were all Frenzy Parasites, the Essence of Frenzy stored in them was the most potent. The Essence of Frenzy in its body acted as a digestive fluid that rapidly ate away at the mass it had ingested, converting it into a substance that could develop its body.


    It was like watching the effects of the healing salve. As the contents were being digested, the spikes on its back began to grow at a noticeable rate. Jyorta didn''t move forward to attack any other Frenzy Beasts, for the time being, swallowing a portion of the healing salve as he observed the changes in the Steel Porcupine.


    His primary objective wasn''t Credits but his development. And, he was inclined to believe the process before him would help in his development. He had too much curiosity vested in the process before him to leave it all behind and hunt Frenzy Beasts.


    The Steel Porcupine''s presence continued to evolve. And, spurred by the substance in the Frenzy Parasites it had swallowed, its entire being was slightly changing. The process seemed slow, needing more time to complete.


    After a moment of thought, Jyorta unleashed his Soul Cornea into it and repeated the same process he did in the River Whale. He made a circuit using all the souls in the Steel Porcupine. After a momentary hesitation, he dumped in it all the memory fragments he had obtained from the four Frenzy Parasites it had swallowed.


    He had swiped them up while they were dying, a reason they died so quickly. On seeing that something different was happening, Jyorta decisively dumped all the related memory fragments into the Steel Porcupine''s soul.


    Thoughts clashed in his mind, deducing based on the fluctuation in the Steel Porcupine''s aura. He was trying to create a tattoo for it using this situation. As its presence was constantly changing, he wished to make use of the situation and create a variable beneficial to him.


    Jyorta felt pain in his head as he summoned all his Esper power to continuously think through all the variables. He unleashed his aura, forcing the Steel Porcupine to soak it up using the tattoo imbued in it.


    He was subtly affecting its presence while deducing a tattoo accordingly, halving the effort required. Still, he dared not do anything too drastic, only following along with the changes that occurred in its body naturally.


    The Shoe Fishes began absorbing nutrients from the Steel Porcupine. They had been doing so from the start, but the quantity was negligible. Still, they were the reason it was getting hungry in the first place. After all, there were more than 40 Shoe Fishes stuck to its body.


    Now, they had finished invading its nervous system completely. The Steel Porcupine no longer had its individuality. They started to absorb the substance produced by the changes in its body, experiencing a change themselves.


    "The ability to cause evolution, a reason new races pop up from time to time," Jyorta recalled the basic traits of the Frenzy Parasite, observing everything in interest. He had been fascinated by the evolution process even in his previous life.


    But, a natural evolution spanned centuries even for simple organisms. Moreover, the conditions had to be drastic to force them to evolve for a chance at survival. Simples celled organisms evolved faster but that was a field he couldn''t delve into. After all, he had only been a university student. That was his plan for the future before he died.


    Now, the presence of Frenzy Parasites accelerated the evolution process, giving him such a valuable opportunity. The Steel Porcupine was no longer an individual but was also a congregation of Shoe Fishes.


    And, a reaction of sorts had been triggered in them, brought about by the exchange they continued about with the Essence of Frenzy and other substances. The prime catalyst were the four Frenzy Parasite corpses the Steel Porcupine had swallowed.


    Aura Induction!


    Jyorta maintained it constantly while activating his Unranked Skill to replenish his aura expenditure. He started to engrave the portion of the tattoo that was related to the core of its presence, imbuing the property of hallucination on it.


    As for the rest, as they were constantly changing, he was continuously deducing the formula for it. The concept wasn''t hard, but the process was strenuous, especially after the presences of the Shoe Fishes began to mix into the Steel Porcupine. They were fusing into a single entity of sorts.


    The moment he discovered the direction of evolution, Jyorta became excited. What he had just started as research for some reason showed a result, even if the direction was different from what he pursued.


    Any result of sorts in a research was a cause for happiness. Because through such results, a formula could be derived that would determine the essence of the process, allowing one to determine the formula necessary to achieve the goal.


    Through the soul domain, Jyorta noticed faint changes in the Steel Porcupine''s soul. It became a hub of sorts, rapidly exchanging information between the other wisps through the memory fragments.


    As to what they hoped to achieve through the constant information transfer, Jyorta was unsure. But, it meant there was an aspect of the soul that he hadn''t discovered yet. The Steel Porcupine seemed to be doing it as a result of its evolution, brought about by the changes he had imbued in it. It had become something natural like breathing to it.


    The ball-shaped Steel Porcupine had halved in size now, continuing to shrink. The spikes on its back turned thin and slender like hair, increasing in number slowly. The hair seemed to be covered by a thin transparent layer.


    Jyorta perceived it through his sight, watching a phenomenon similar to a cylindrical lens in each hair. The hair continued to thin until becoming as thin as the hair on his head. He could no longer notice the transparent membrane around it, that is unless he looked at it from up close.


    Jyorta didn''t wish to take any risks without grasping the situation first hand, so he continued observing from afar. But through the clues he obtained till now, he could get the basic idea, "The hair is growing from within the skin and through the Shoe Fish''s body. So, they are layered with a portion of their body. This would make them sturdier."


    Jyorta''s mind whirred in thought, watching the changes in the Steel Porcupine begin to slow down. Its evolution continued, but the changes had begun to reduce. A direction of its evolution had already been established.


    Using the direction perceived through its presence, Jyorta thought through, soon coming up with a tattoo.


    Aura Induction¡ªHallucination!


    He began to use his aura like a string and stitch his with the Steel Porcupine''s, engraving a tattoo on its aura. The process was smooth, the other party unable to even detect his work. Soon, he finished engraving the tattoo in it, one personalised to it.


    Unless its presence exceeds his by a large amount, and it was placed in an environment where the surrounding aura damaged its body continuously, it would never be able to destroy his tattoo. That was the frightening aspect of Aura Induction.


    The moment he finished engraving the tattoo, the Steel Porcupine''s presence spiked, morphing into a whole new presence. Now, it was no longer a cluster of presences, but a unified whole, a single entity.


    All the Shoe Fishes seemed to have fused with its body while still retaining their minds, operating within the Steel Porcupine''s mind as a collective whole. It was like a team of sailors rowing a ship.


    The Steel Porcupine''s appearance had drastically changed. Now, it looked no different from a serpent, spanning a length of 60 centimetres and a radius of 2 centimetres. It had become tiny now. Its body was overgrown by hair that wrapped around it, leaving no space empty. They fully coiled around its skin, save for the eyes, nostrils, and the thin line representing its mouth.


    Its spikes had disappeared. It seemed to have degraded from its menacing form into a being that wasn''t the least bit threatening. But, as Jyorta sensed its presence, he was shocked. For, its presence was almost on par with his, having entered the realm of Tier 3 in aura.


    Thankfully, it was now completely subservient to him, thanks to the tattoo he had imbued in it during evolution. Now, Jyorta had an inkling that no matter what happened, the being before him would stay loyal to him, or his aura to be frank. It was a surprising but frightening result.


    "Now, I need to test its strength. Only through a battle can I find out. Is this evolution beneficial or degrading?" Jyorta sent a cue through his aura, motioning for it to return to the River Whale. The Steel Porcupine curled its body and made a light jump, entering the film of water surrounding the River Whale, creating a fluctuation in it as it slithered towards Jyorta.


    Jyorta shuddered as his emotions exploded. For, he could sense a familiar presence in the Steel Porcupine just like in the River Whale. It was the one aspect that gave the Frenzy Beasts tremendous power at their disposal.


    Trait!

 Chapter 382: One Versus Three: New Trait in Action

    "Whatever happens, try your best to not get it killed. I''ll be keeping a watch on it too." Just when Jyorta planned to move forward, a staff''s voice resounded in his ear. It seemed to be from a male in his thirties, judging by the tone of the voice.


    "Yes sir, I plan to experiment with its power further." Jyorta nodded, commanding the River Whale to move. The River Whale swayed its tail from top to bottom as it started to move. On seeing that the staff didn''t comment on the matter further, Jyorta continued with his task.


    Seated in the principal''s office, Madam Mary was sipping some tea when the staff stationed at the entrance seeped his psychic arm through the hole in the door, relaying her a message. The teacup shattered as she gripped it with more strength than usual.


    Just when the tea was about to spill on her, a tiny wave of psychic energy vaporised the contents, same for the teacup. Madam Mary stood up, her lips curled up into a smile, "This guy¡­"


    She chuckled, relaxing on the chair, "The moment we hinted of our support on him, he surprises us like this."


    She tried to control herself but felt her lips curling up into a smile, her mood brightening up. Through her domain, she focused on Jyorta, watching the evolved Steel Porcupine swimming beside him, "Nice."


    The River Whale soon approached an area where three Rigordiles were lying in wait within the water. It moved closer to the ceiling, far beyond the range of their attacks. It was just Jyorta exercising caution, unwilling to be attacked by his foes.


    After all, layer 3 was dangerous enough for him to exercise caution. And, as he planned to proceed to layer 4 and beyond, he didn''t wish to be injured so early.


    Jyorta looked at the Steel Porcupine, seeing the other party tilt its head while looking at him. After evolution, its limbs had disappeared, making it look no different from a serpent. But, it still retained larger eyes than what a serpent possessed, ones suffused with intelligence and a child-like curiosity.


    It made circles in place, occasionally revolving around Jyorta as it let out squeals of laughter. Even its voice had changed, only sporting little resemblance to a Steel Porcupine. It was almost like a new species.


    "I can no longer address it as a Steel Porcupine. It should have a new name." Jyorta watched its antics, feeling amused as he gazed at the three Rigordiles on the ground. "Now, shall we test your strength?"


    Jyorta gazed at the evolved Steel Porcupine, watching it nod in return and swim to the underside of the River Whale. ''So, it could understand me through my aura.''


    The River Whale steadily reduced its altitude, watching the three Rigordiles look ready to retaliate. The moment it had closed the distance to a fair extent, the evolved Steel Porcupine made a jump, exiting the film of water as it made a beeline towards the foes.


    It aimed at the space between the three Rigordiles, curling itself into a ball to reduce its surface area. The Rigordiles stood on their hind legs, brandishing their claws to hack it. The evolved Steel Porcupine shifted its body weight by expanding, curling its body into various shapes to dodge the first wave of attacks.


    When a Rigordile''s claw neared it, about to slam head-on into it, the hair coiled around its body stood up, coiling into a whip that slammed the claw away. The force behind the attack was to such an extent it scraped the scales and drew blood from the flesh underneath. It also stopped the claw, negating the momentum behind its motion.


    The evolved Steel Porcupine spun its body, coiling the hair on its body into three whips, lashing them on the three Rigordiles. The attacks caused them to lose their balance, splashing water as they crashed into it.


    The evolved Steel Porcupine entered the water with a plop and swam towards the nearest Rigordile, afflicting it with a lot of lash marks. It targeted its right arm, solely focusing the attacks on the area.


    The Rigordile on the back got up and leaped onto the evolved Steel Porcupine, wishing to slam it into a pulp when a sturdy arm slammed into its face, the momentum collapsing its balance and sending it tumbling to the ground.


    The attacker was a Rigordile, gawking in shock as it gazed at the hand that punched its brethren. It noticed faint hair lodged into the muscles using the places where the tough skin had been peeled off from the last attacks. The hair seemed to course through its muscles before forming a connection with the nerves in the arm, sending false signals through it.


    The signals override the ones sent by its brain, causing it to punch its brethren in the face. The Rigordile brandished the claws on its left, using their sharpness to sever the thin hair. Once the connection was severed, it could move its right arm freely once again.


    The evolved Steel Porcupine lashed out on its legs this time, with the ends of the whip breaking the sound barrier, producing thunderous claps each time. The impact increased the wounds sustained by the Rigordile.


    The Rigordile tried to attack it, but the evolved Steel Porcupine used its whips like rope arms to dodge all attacks, scuttling to and fro between the three foes. It didn''t seem disadvantaged one bit, fighting on par with three Frenzy Beasts its level.


    But, every time it took control of a limb to confuse its enemy and the connection was severed, the power behind its attacks fell by a level. It didn''t seem to possess an inexhaustible amount of hair, and also didn''t seem capable of growing them instantaneously.


    ''So, the hair on its body grows like normal hair that it wounds around itself. The amount of hair it had grown correlates to the strength it could exhibit. It can freely control the hair, making various forms using them to attack. Also, when the hair burrows into the muscles and makes a connection with the nerves, it could override the brain''s signal in the area and temporarily control the body part as it desires. Based on its fighting methods, this seems to be the extent of its Trait.'' Jyorta thought, gleaning data from each action the evolved Steel Porcupine had taken.


    Traits were passive Skills, so they were something that was accumulated over time in the body or generated a certain effect at a constant pace. The Trait of the Floating Spiders fell on the latter while the evolved Steel Porcupine seemed to fall on the former.


    ''Now, I wonder if its Skills had experienced any changes.'' Jyorta thought, recalling the Tier 2 Skill the Steel Porcupine had displayed before. It was the Tier 2 Skill the Steel Porcupines commonly Nurtured¡ªShoot Burst. It added a spin to their spikes while launching it at speeds greater than normal.


    The Skill increased the lethality of their regular attacks. But now, the evolved Steel Porcupine no longer possessed any spikes on its back, so the Tier 2 Skill had become useless. So, Jyorta wondered if it experienced any changes during its evolution.


    He kept a close watch on its aura, wishing to be alert when it spiked. For, when Skills were activated, the being''s aura spiked accordingly. That was the clue he was waiting for to see the effects of the evolved Steel Porcupine''s Skills.


    Tier 1 Skills barely caused any fluctuation in the presence, so it was impossible to know when a Tier 1 Skill was activated. But as for the Tier 2 Skill, it would be pretty obvious, for the aura would experience a spike. Tier 2 Warriors weren''t known as Amplifiers for no reason.


    The evolved Steel Porcupine condensed numerous strands into one, making the tip sharp as it pierced the throat of a Rigordile, drawing out copious amounts of blood. The attack was unable to mortally wound it as the Rigordile still retaliated with a lunge.


    The evolved Steel Porcupine curled itself into a ball and dodged the attack, targeting the same area. The Rigordile missed its target during its lunge, the momentum carrying it forward as it crashed into the water. It landed before another Rigordile, getting up swiftly to attack its foe once again.


    But without any warnings, it opened its jaws wide and clamped on the shoulder of the Rigordile before it, breaking past its defences, crushing bones while drawing out blood. The Rigordile roared in pain as it brandished its claws on its attacker, smashing its head repeatedly.


    Rigordiles were famous for the power behind their jaw that could easily break past any hard shell, including the Lava Turtle''s. So, the attacked Rigordile had no hope of escaping from the jaws of its brethren.


    It slammed the attacker''s head with its free arm, attacking until the attacker''s head bled from the shock, its eyes bursting from the repeated attacks. Only then did it notice the hair extending from the hole in its throat and connecting to the evolved Steel Porcupine that had positioned itself between the legs of the two.


    The Rigordile roared in anger when the evolved Steel Porcupine shaped its hair into a pair of hands and tripped it to its back. The Rigordile, including its brethren whose jaws clamped on its shoulder, crashed into the water.


    The Rigordile was constricted, unable to move a couple of seconds until it freed itself from the hold of its dead brethren. Before it could do so, the shadow of the evolved Steel Porcupine loomed above its head as its hair formed two spikes, drilling into its eyes, reaching its brain, and branching out into individual strands, cutting the soft flesh innumerous times. The two Rigordiles had died as the evolved Steel Porcupine set its sights on the last one standing.


    It leaped from the water, making an arc towards its target when the hair on its body expanded like a fan, forming a net as it crashed into the Rigordile.


    Bloodcurdling screams followed suit.

 Chapter 383: Bundle Flea

    Jyorta thought long and hard, gazing at the serpentine being before him that spat three Tier 2 Heart Crystals, coughing once. He looked at its posture, actions, recalling its battle with the three Rigordiles, finally deciding on a name.


    "From today onwards, you will be called¡­" Jyorta pointed at the serpentine being, transmitting the content using his aura, imbuing it in its presence using the tattoo, "Bundle Flea."


    The evolved Steel Porcupine curled itself into a ball as the hair on its body moved, bundling itself, even going to the extent of making a gift wrap knot at the top. Jyorta chuckled, watching it return to normal and tilt its head to the side.


    Its body was smooth as if sculpted from carbon fibre thanks to the hair fully covering it. Its eyes too weren''t the scaly ones serpents possessed, making it look harmless. The Bundle Flea looked the least threatening out of every Frenzy Beast he had witnessed.


    Moreover, its tiny body, smooth texture, unthreatening features, and the innocence it displayed with every movement made it seem¡­cute. The more he thought about it, the more he realised the predator before him took the word ''unassuming'' to the next level.


    Moreover, unlike the Steel Porcupines, the Bundle Flea possessed a habit of cleaning itself. The moment it killed off the three Rigordiles, it burrowed into their bodies, took their Heart Crystal while having a gulp of their spines, and washed itself of the blood upon exit.


    It also seemed to exude an odour that dissipated the scent of blood on it, making it seem like a being that lived on grass and drank water, a perfectly harmless being.


    ''If I influence its subconsciousness further, will its future generations become unable to harm humans? Can that be made a reality? I should ask Madam Vaika later.'' Jyorta thought things through, watching the area before him.


    Thanks to the frequent roars and the dense scent of blood, the Frenzy Beasts in the layer were lured over their way. Jyorta spotted 17 River Whales and 48 Rigordiles coming towards him. They formed the total number of Frenzy Beasts¡ªof their respective races¡ªin the layer.


    Layer 3 only possessed shallow waters, with seldom few spots that had deep trenches¡ªaround 10 metres deep. But, it was insufficient for the large statured beings to seclude themselves. Therefore, everything that happened in the layer could be sensed from anywhere in it.


    It was no wonder they were lured over to the potential targets. Jyorta frowned, closing his eyes as he sensed his reserves. ''Can I do it?''


    His psychic arm turned blue, healing his condition to the peak, recovering his presence to its maximum. He kept it activated, intending to up its healing ability to the limit when needed. The blue soul extended both its Soul Corneas, inserting them into the soul of the River Whale.


    They exerted their influence, vaporising the trace murkiness that had formed. With the hindrance removed, they began to siphon the soul energy from the River Whale''s soul. As its soul was connected to all the souls on it, which were further connected to their respective body''s Heart Crystals, a steady stream of energy gushed into them.


    The energy in the Heart Crystals flowed into the souls, replenishing their expenditure while the Soul Corneas siphoned energy in large volumes. If it was just the River Whale''s soul, it would have been expended within 10 seconds.


    But after his arrangements, the River Whale had become a giant battery, his trove of energy. There were more than 200 Shoe Fishes attached to its body. After all, it was a being of large stature. And to cover its entire surface, such a large number of Shoe Fishes were required.


    That meant he had an energy source consisting of more than 200 Tier 1 Heart Crystals to derive from. It was not to mention the Tier 2 Heart Crystal of the River Whale itself. Based on his estimate, more than half of the Shoe Fishes in layer 2 had been lured over to the River Whale.


    ''The Rigordiles cannot fly, so I have to target the 17 River Whales first.'' Jyorta looked at the flying River Whales, noticing that 5 among them were at the peak of Tier 1 while the rest were at Tier 2. There were two River Whales around the mid of Tier 2 while the one at the lead was a powerful River Whale at the peak of Tier 2.


    "Huff¡­" Jyorta took in a deep breath and forcefully exhaled, repeating the process as he felt his Brain Crystal be replenished with psychic energy at a tremendous pace. Both his psychic arms turned pale blue, shielding him on one hand while healing him on the other.


    Unranked Skill¡ªRegen!


    Jyorta activated it to the max as he faced his palm forward. The River Whale bent its head, lifting its tail higher, creating an inclined slope that allowed him a clear view of his target. He directed his palm at the strongest River Whale, his eyes turning serious, his breathing stabilised while his presence completely vanished.


    The Bundle Flea tilted its head in confusion, unable to notice the presence of the owner that directed it. It shook its tail while swaying its head from one side over to another, trying to grasp the situation.


    The hair on its head bulged, creating a wave that coursed throughout its body, ending at the tail the hair of which lashed out like a whip from the effect. The hair trembled, furling and unfurling rhythmically like a static projection of an image.


    The film of water surrounding him slowly parted way, unable to endure the formless suppression he exuded. Jyorta''s hair trembled, dancing like the wave as it slowly moved up, moving as if he was submerged in water and was proceeding deeper into it.


    Ripples formed on his skin, his muscles bulging a little as his hand trembled, facing the direction of the approaching foes. His presence flowed like the wave, thinking of the scene where Vaika had spun her aura around her fingertips, using the references from his practice sessions with her.


    His hand trembled further and further as his presence condensed into his palm, bulging it to twice the size. His eyes turned sharp, igniting with fighting spirit as his lips parted, the vocal cords moving to produce the most primal of force exertion, "Hah!"


    Aura Beam!


    The simplest of aura, without any variation, solely using the brunt of its force. A thunderclap resounded in the area as the air paused, as if it was a puppet whose strings had been severed. A wave, a stream, a flow, a beam, his aura was shaped like a corkscrew, rapidly spinning as it pierced through all.


    It was his surging presence, unleashed in all its might. The various aura lingering in the air were annihilated without resistance as an overbearing force passed through. The aura beam spun like a drill, heading towards its targets at a pace faster than the speed of sound. Jyorta had unleashed all his aura in the attack.


    Tier 3!


    Its might had treaded into the domain of Tier 3, the tremendous force slamming into the River Whales that had been flying towards him. The first to bear the brunt of the impact was the River Whale at the peak of Tier 2.


    The attack was too fast that it was unable to react. Its muscles instinctively tried to tighten the film of water around it, but before the water moved to do so, the aura beam struck home. The water vaporised as the aura beam passed through, slamming onto the River Whale''s face.


    The presence in its body tried to push the aura in the aura beam away, a resultant of the clash sending it back. The cells the presence originated from moved accordingly, soon elevating to the macroscopic level as its flesh, blood, bones, etc. moved back, the abrupt force of movement severing everything the area was attached to.


    The area the aura beam slammed into was severed from the rest of the body, creating a perfectly circular hole in the River Whale''s head through which the scene on its back could be witnessed. The aura beam branched out into 16 after piercing through the strongest River Whale, slamming into every River Whale.


    The thickness of the aura beam varied accordingly to the strength of the River Whale. The stronger it was, the thicker the aura beam it faced. All the River Whales were hit by the aura beam, their defences getting shredded under the process as they were overwhelmed by the force behind it.


    The aura beam was expended, its entirety settling within the River Whales it had attacked. The River Whales gazed at Jyorta''s direction, their expression aghast, their eyes suffused with the greatest fear they had ever experienced.


    There was no other reaction from them, their eyes having lost their lustre. Their skin peeled off as the flesh within melted, falling off as blocks of meat, the binding substance corroded by his attack. The River Whales slowly lost their altitude while all the flesh on their bodies melted and fell off first.


    There were only bones, some tendons, and a beating heart left behind, falling to the ground the last. The Rigordiles stood rooted to the spot in shock, watching large pieces of meat fall on them. Fear gripped their hearts, preventing them from moving.


    They craned their heads, watching the River Whale hovering a fair distance away in the air, its face gazing at the ground. Air rumbled above it, the volatile substance in it combusting to create a cloud of flames. A lightning bolt fell from the skies, the resounding thunder making the entire shallow water shudder, not just from the sound but also from the exuding presence.


    The Rigordiles witnessed a scene beyond what they were qualified to gaze upon, their minds blank, their presence curling in fear. The skeletal frames of the 17 River Whales crashed in on them.

 Chapter 384: Annihilation

    There were 48 Rigordiles in total, fear struck, unable to budge, watching the skeletal frames of the River Whales crash on them. They didn''t dodge, facing the brunt of the impact, with most of them pinned to the ground.


    Only one Rigordile stood unscathed, its trembling limbs rooted to the spot like sturdy pillars. The tailbone of a River Whale slammed on its head, unable to damage it much. Even though it wasn''t much damaged, fear overwhelmed its mind, freezing its thoughts. It stood with a vacant gaze, the fear it experienced going beyond what it could handle, short-circuiting its adrenaline.


    Jyorta felt his head spin, the thumping of his heart had visibly become feeble while parts of his skin cracked and formed blisters. It was a consequence of overexerting himself. Thankfully, he had destroyed all the aura in the air in his surroundings, saving himself from the trouble. Otherwise, it would seep in through his weakened defences and wreak havoc internally.


    The pale blue psychic energy flowed through his body, recovering his presence gradually. Guided by the feedback inbuilt in the Unranked Skill, the healing effect swiftly healed his injuries, returning him to his peak state.


    It took less than a couple of minutes for Jyorta to become normal. But, he still needed some time to recover his presence to its peak. A steady stream of psychic energy gushed into his Brain Crystal. Through his domain, he sensed that the energy of Heart Crystals in the River Whale wasn''t expended much.


    To expend their reservoir, he had to consume a lot more. Jyorta smiled, feeling that his gamble had paid off, gazing at the carcass of the River Whales. ''So, when I unleash my aura in its purest form, it has a mild attribute of corrosion in it. Is it brought about by my identity as a Psychic Parasite? Can that also affect the physical body in some form or the other?''


    After thinking for a while, he judged that there was a faint possibility of it being true. His soul was also part of him. So, through some connection shared between them, there was a possibility his corrosion became a part of his presence. He had fired off his Aura Beam thrice till one, and each time, the victim''s body showed signs of getting corroded.


    ''I can disguise this as the effect of the Trait of Corrosion.'' Jyorta was thankful for Psychic Ancestor Marble''s lie. It saved him a lot of effort and schemes to hide them.


    ''Though, I am expending and recovering my psychic energy at such a rapid rate now. Why haven''t the staff expressed anything? Or did Madam Mary do something about that?'' He frowned, unable to conclude.


    To probe if such a thing was possible, he tried a similar method in his previous explorations, recovering a bit of psychic energy from the souls of his slain foes. And once he exited the Labyrinth of Frenzy and returned to the counter to give the Heart/Brain Crystals he had harvested, he closely observed the reactions of the staff there.


    But, all he noticed was the usual behaviour. It either seemed the staff didn''t bother investigating the difference or the staff were only bothered about saving the students in times of need and didn''t care about anything else.


    After that, he tried a similar probing whenever the staff at the counter changed to a different person. But every time, it was the same. After that, he was no longer bothered about being subtle in his actions.


    ''Maybe she is affecting the senses of the Espers maintaining the labyrinth to prevent them from finding anything amiss in my actions.'' Jyorta thought, shaking his head as he noticed his presence had recovered to half the level.


    He gazed at the Rigordiles that showed signs of recovering, immediately facing them as he unleashed his aura personification. He noticed their expressions through the fluctuation in their aura, noting it down to act accordingly.


    Aura Personification¡ªInsignificance!


    The Rigordiles lost even the tiniest semblance of fighting spirit they had recovered, feeling a sense of insignificance. They gazed at the River Whale before them that looked like a deity in their eyes, every action they did was seen through, their entire lives insignificant. They lost the will to live, plopping to the ground in a dazed state.


    Jyorta panted in exhaustion, having expended the aura he had just recovered. He couldn''t hold back against 48 Rigordiles, a significant portion of which were at Tier 2. After he unleashed a tremendous level of aura personification, he added fuel to it through a constant stream of aura, expending everything he recovered every second.


    He gazed at the Bundle Flea, giving it an input through his aura. The Bundle Flea jumped into the shallow water and swam towards the Rigordiles, attacking them during their defenceless state. In the meantime, Jyorta gazed at the Rigordile that stood at the front.


    Even though its expression was similar to the rest, its body was the least injured. It was at the peak of Tier 2. It was just strong and didn''t possess any special features. If it was something like the Steel Porcupine¡ªthat had 12 body-length spikes on its back¡ªhe had fought before, it wouldn''t have been this helpless and would have put up a tough fight.


    ''It might prove helpful in layer 4.'' Jyorta thought, sending a tattoo into its aura. He had prepared five tattoos for emergency purpose. Now, he used the third tattoo. But, he wasn''t pressured or felt it was a waste to use it this early. After all, every use granted him a powerful ally, so he wasn''t concerned over their expenditure.


    The Rigordile instantly fell under his control, turning around as it began killing its brethren. Within a minute, the Rigordile and the Bundle Flea killed all the Rigordiles. The Bundle Flea then used its hair to fish out all the Heart and Brain Crystals from the fallen River Whales and Rigordiles, giving them to Jyorta.


    Jyorta cleaned them using his psychic arm, using both hands to hold them. 48 Rigordiles and 17 River Whales, most of which were at Tier 2. Altogether, he had obtained 72 Heart/Brain Crystals from layer 3.


    Jyorta placed them all in the cuboidal bag, smiling in return. This was the first time he had such a massive harvest. He had basically wiped out two of the three races in layer 3. He had amassed somewhere between 4000-5000 Credits till now. And, his condition would soon return to its peak once he had rested.


    ''Rakh Veera must have possessed similar abilities to have amassed almost 6,000 Credits on the last day.'' He let out a wry smile, ''It probably wasn''t during his last day but the last moment run he did to get a higher score.''


    Jyorta shook his head, having zero intention to surpass Rakh Veera''s score. First, it was really difficult, and almost impossible, even with his current abilities. Second, even if he did, there wasn''t much benefit. He had already obtained the two most important things in the military academy: The Trait of Severability, and the Unranked Skill, Regen.


    He had also obtained the other Trait and Relics he needed. He no longer needed anything else for the time being. His only objective was to raise his Sync Rate to 100 percent as soon as possible. And, Frenzy Fruits were too expensive for his use. Since he already possessed the Trait of Severability, Jyorta had other plans.


    "But first," Jyorta gazed at the Rigordile, using his Aura Induction on the shallow waters, creating a hallucination to cover its skin with feet all over. He then made the Rigordile lie flat on the floor, fully immersing itself in the water.


    ''There should be plenty of Shoe Fishes still left in this layer.'' Jyorta made the Bundle Flea coil its hair around his hip and lower him from the Rigordile. It swam to the underside of the River Whale while the River Whale lowered itself.


    Using the hair like a swing, Jyorta lowered himself until he hovered a metre above the Rigordile. This was to scan the scene and judge everything through his soul domain. Through his soul domain, he noticed many wisps slowly swim towards the Rigordile and attach to its skin, compressing themselves before forming a layer over it.


    Jyorta extended the hallucination until it covered the entire layer 3, watching the Shoe Fishes attach on the Rigordile. As he had unleashed his aura beam before, his aura annihilated the aura in the region and replaced it temporarily. So, it was easy to use his aura personification.


    ''I have the home ground advantage in this layer now.'' Jyorta sighed, recalling his previous explorations. He had a hard time before he grasped the aura personification of hallucination. Once he had learnt it, his time became a bit easier. Still, he faced a lot of threats.


    But now, possessing Aura Induction, storing some tattoos on him, and having equipped two Relics, his time in the labyrinth was a lot easier. He had a lot of useful methods at his disposal that created the situation to his advantage.


    Once the Rigordile was fully covered by the Shoe Fishes, he noticed less than 20 Shoe Fishes linger in the surrounding waters. Jyorta commanded the Bundle Flea while relaying the positions of each Shoe Fish, watching them get killed one by one as time passed.


    The Shoe Fishes were passive creatures that were unable to retaliate. So, the Bundle Flea took its time in killing them one by one. Jyorta took in all the experience fragments in their souls and stored them within a soul husk.


    After storing their Heart Crystals, Jyorta made the River Whale fly all over layer 3 as he inspected for the presence of any other Shoe Fish. After a full sweep, Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief, looking at the red coloured water in the layer.


    He had annihilated all the Frenzy Beasts in layer 3!

 Chapter 385: Rising Sync Rate

    The River Whale opened its mouth, sucking the water into it. The water formed a vortex while moving in a stream, grinding all the flesh into bits and pieces. It swallowed them whole, its body bulging to more than twice the size.


    A couple of minutes later, it ejected all the water before beginning to swallow up another stream of the flesh piled up in the shallow waters. Jyorta sat on its back, observing the River whale''s digestion process.


    Its digestion rate was many times faster than a human Warrior at the same Tier. Frenzy Beasts digested their food while making use of their Essence of Frenzy, so irrespective of the food consumed, they quickly broke them down into nutrients.


    The food was converted into psychic energy at a steady stream that gushed into its Brain Crystal. It was at a pace at least ten times his. The River Whale possessed a humongous body, containing a tremendous density of muscle mass.


    So, the quantity of Essence of Frenzy it contained was a significant sum. Upon ingestion of the flesh, all its Essence of Frenzy was summoned to its stomach, rapidly eating the flesh, consuming the Essence of Frenzy in them while evolving itself further.


    If the Frenzy Beasts didn''t possess such a humongous body, and a massive Quantity of the Essence of Frenzy, its digestion speed wouldn''t exceed a human''s by that much. Jyorta thought, ''Then, how high would a Lava Turtle''s digestion rate be? After all, it is a race with one of the biggest bodies.''


    The River Whale and the Bundle Flea munched on the flesh and blood, not even leaving the bones behind. In the meantime, Jyorta finished making the same circuit of souls in the Rigordile, vaporising all its murkiness.


    With a command, it too began to gobble up the flesh and blood. Jyorta seeped a Soul Cornea into the River Whale''s soul, siphoning energy at a steady stream. He matched the siphoning rate to its replenishment.


    Trait of Severability!


    Jyorta felt a mild headache as he activated the Trait, feeling something change in himself. It was a slow process, due to the slow energy supply. But still, he could sense the change. It was a feeling of upgrading himself slowly, but steadily to the peak.


    In the intervals of every hour, he would extend his second Soul Cornea into the soul of the Rigordile, siphoning energy from it. Once the reserves in all the Heart Crystals in it were expended, he left it to begin eating once again.


    As for the Bundle Flea, the Heart Crystals of the Shoe Fishes had disappeared after the evolution. They seemed to have been consumed by its Essence of Frenzy that had achieved a qualitative change as a result. So, it only possessed a Tier 2 Heart Crystal now. Jyorta occasionally siphoned energy from its soul before leaving it to its devices.


    The Rigordile consumed food in large quantities until its stomach visibly bulged. But, the bulge continued to decrease at a visible rate. It wasn''t being digested by it alone. The Shoe Fishes absorbed nutrients from it and digested them on their own.


    This way, the quantity of food digested at every moment was significant. After digesting the nutrients, each Shoe Fish replenished a trace quantity of energy in their Heart Crystals. Thanks to the circuit, Jyorta could siphon them as a collective whole.


    It was the same in the case of the River Whale.


    Energy flowed into the blue soul through the two Soul Corneas. Ten soul tendrils extended from it and connected with his Brain Crystal, sending a steady stream of psychic energy into it.


    The effect of the Trait of Severability made his blood absorb psychic energy from his Brain Crystal, carrying it as it coursed through his body. While making its circulations, it came upon the Trait of Severability, the psychic energy in it getting absorbed.


    Jyorta''s Sync Rate began to steadily increase. In the meantime, he closed his eyes, working on his tattoos. He didn''t create the sixth tattoo, judging that it would only be a waste of time. Once he used all five tattoos, he would have five Tier 2 beings fighting for him.


    Adding onto his own battle strength, he wouldn''t be hard-pressed for survival in any situation. Thanks to the River Whale, he had an advantage in mobility and defence. So, in the off-chance something turned amiss, he could just command it to run away.


    Even if there was a chase, he could launch aura beams at his foes while using the tremendous energy stored in it. What he was currently working on was the core use of Aura Induction: creating a tattoo to be inscribed on himself.


    The nurse Vaika used that to create her Crimson Desert. Jyorta wished to at least conceptualise it by the time of his graduation. It was a complex subject where he had to consider a lot to establish the groundwork. After all, once he created it, he would be spending tremendous energy and resources on developing it.


    Changing it to something else after that would be a waste of all the time and resources he had spent on it. That''s why Jyorta didn''t wish to rush it.


    "Parasite, Aura, Mind, and Soul; I have to create a scenario where the development of the four would be the highest." He then thought through every consideration he had over the past month.


    ''The Crimson Desert fully focused on pushing development in the Aura path. Madam Vaika didn''t seem interested in the other paths much, or rather, sought to focus on one aspect first and reach its peak.''


    He tapped his chin, ''But, I have my advantages in this aspect. Using the memory fragments I obtain, I can create realistic beings without much trouble. All I need to do is comprehend them before creating their characters in the world. But, how will I best make use of my advantages?''


    He had one goal, which was to surpass his predecessor. ''Laila has more than a century''s worth of accumulation as an Ancestor. She must have numerous schemes at play. Once the Saturation Point appears in the Mental Realm, it would signify the war between all the races. The world itself will trigger this war, so I don''t have time like Laila to accumulate my advantages to the peak. I should obtain everything possible during the available time.''


    Jyorta spent a day in thought, using his Unranked Skill to heal himself from time to time to replenish his body''s needs. After all, he had a consistent stream of psychic energy to rely on. The three Frenzy Beasts had consumed all the Frenzy Beast carcasses in the layer.


    Brought about by the severe deficit in energy, their bodies became hungrier as time passed, spurring them to gobble more and more. Their bodies ravenously digested everything they ingested while the Soul Cornea siphoned the energy at an equal pace, always keeping them in a state of hunger.


    Jyorta also modified the tattoos he had imbued in the Rigordile and the River Whale into one suitable for them. Now, they were completely under his control. After they finished eating the last piece of flesh, he stopped siphoning energy from their souls, allowing them to stave off their hunger.


    Jyorta opened the cuboidal bag, seating himself atop the River Whale''s head, motioning for it to act. The River Whale landed on the shallow water and removed the film of water around it. Tendrils of blood seeped out of the pores on its head and coagulated into a tiny sphere.


    The sphere developed into its Caterpillar. Of its six segments, the sixth segment was shaped like a tail while from its third segment grew a pair of arms, shaped like its flippers. The first segment sported three pairs of eyes that were covered by a coral outgrowth¡ªall made from its blood.


    Its eyes darted to and fro, fixated on Jyorta as it made a whooshing bow. Jyorta threw it a Tier 1 Heart Crystal, watching it beam in joy. It opened its mouth and shouted, expressing its joy. But no sounds were produced.


    The Caterpillar used its flippers to hold the Heart Crystal, taking a deep sniff of it while making an expression of drowning in pleasure. It then opened its mouth and hesitantly licked the Heart Crystal, unwilling to finish it up quickly.


    Jyorta put his hand into the cuboidal bag, holding a dozen Heart Crystals as he allowed the Caterpillar to see. The Caterpillar was stupefied for two seconds before it gulped the Heart Crystal held in its flippers.


    It drooled, barely controlling itself as it raised its flippers, requesting for more. Jyorta chuckled, giving it another Tier 1 Heart Crystal. He noticed a dense stream of psychic energy surge into the River Whale''s Heart Crystal.


    At the same pace it arrived, he siphoned it out, consuming it by using his Trait of Severability. This was his prime objective. Instead of using the Credits to obtain Frenzy Fruits, this was a better alternative. After all, among Frenzy Fruits, a Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit only increased his Sync Rate by 0.1 percent, and he couldn''t consume more than one per day.


    But, the Trait of Severability had no such limits. As long as he fed it a constant stream of energy and could endure the resulting pain, he could maintain it for as long as needed. Moreover, as the stream of energy was in the domain of Tier 1 and Tier 2, the pain he felt was only a mild headache.


    ''I''m about to reach a Sync Rate of 76 percent.'' Jyorta was ecstatic, giving Heart Crystals to the Caterpillar one after another. As layer 3 was devoid of enemies, he could relax and develop himself, making use of all his accumulations.


    He didn''t know about the crowd of students that had converged before the White Building, anticipating the final scores of the October Batch.

 Chapter 386: October Batch’s Dedicated Credit Ranking System

    A large crowd formed before the White Building. Practically every student had converged upon the place, intently staring at the wall, wishing to gaze upon the scores of the oldest Batch in their military academy now.


    10th November, the year 334 of Dawn Era. It was the day when the scores of the October Batch would be displayed. They still had two more days to accumulate credits, after which their total score wouldn''t change. But, as they were part of the October Batch, their scores would be displayed on the 10th of every month.


    As this was the October Batch''s last month in the military academy, students from the other Batches wished to see their scores to create a goal for them to strive forward.


    "What''s the time?" Ashten Coorg brushed through the crowd, arriving at a distance that allowed him to gaze at the score with ease.


    "Still two minutes left for noon." Esina nudged him, "Why? Do you feel like you''ll score first now?"


    "I''m not that confident," Ashten let out a wry smile, scratching his cheek as he gazed at the anticipation of the other students, some of which were from the September Batch that had just arrived at the military academy 10 days ago. "How time flies."


    "Indeed," Haesha nodded, "I remember witnessing the January Batch''s score with Jyorta on the day we arrived at the military academy."


    Her eyes twinkled as she looked around, inquiring the other two, "Speaking of Jyorta, have you seen him? I haven''t seen him for the past two days."


    "He''s still in the Labyrinth." Ashten sighed, "Recently, that guy has been exploring continuously without rest. He''s abusing the abilities of Regen to develop himself further."


    "I''m curious as to how strong he has become now," Esina laughed, slapping the back of Ashten, "He can probably defeat you with ease now."


    "Espers cannot defeat Warriors at Tier 1 and Tier 2." Ashten retorted, darting his eyes to the side as he said that. Even he didn''t have the confidence of winning against Jyorta. After all, Jyorta didn''t rely on his psychic arms to fight.


    Noon, without any fanfare, the rankings were displayed. After seeing the score, most, if not all the students were disappointed. The scores weren''t to their expectations, nor did any celebration follow suit the scores.


    "Well, that was to be expected." Ashten chuckled helplessly, "Laila never returned while Jyorta hasn''t been focusing on getting Credits recently. Even if they actively farmed for Credits, exceeding Rakh Veera''s score would have been close to impossible. After all, despite their strengths, they are still Espers."


    "What you said is the truth," Esina heaved a sigh of disappointment, turning around as she began to leave, "I have something to exchange using my Credits. I''ll take my leave now."


    "I''ll be asking for some pointers from the staff," Haesha bode her farewell, weaving through the disappointed crowd. The October Batch created a fanfare right from their first month in the military academy, breaking the records every month. So, many were expectant of the Batch''s results.


    "Unfortunately, this is it." Ashten Coorg remained standing, observing the disappointed expressions of the students while hearing their conversations.


    "It is unfortunate that Laila left the academy."


    "Even then, what the hell is Jyorta Bone doing? They were neck and neck with each other every month. But the moment Laila left the academy, he stopped caring about the Credits?"


    "I heard they were childhood friends. Maybe he knows something we don''t know and has been negatively affected as a result?"


    "I saw him last week during my morning jogging. He looked like a madman while murmuring about stuff I couldn''t make out."


    ''Those two are different from the rest.'' Ashten shook his head, hearing the remarks from the students. He recalled their fighting methods when the Frenzy Beasts broke out of the Labyrinth of Frenzy. Both Jyorta and Laila stood out from the rest, they were a cut above the others.


    He also recalled their fights outside the military academy and at the expert prowess Jyorta displayed in his aura personifications. And finally, the aura beam he unleashed that severely damaged a group of Frenzy Beasts.


    ''If I don''t wish to be left in the dust by them, I would have to work harder.'' Ashten sighed, ''Also, once he graduates, he would receive support from the Bone Family. His growth would accelerate further, same for Laila whose father is a Transformer.''


    "I thought Jyorta would score higher," A feminine voice disrupted his thoughts. Ashten Coorg turned around, gazing at a girl who shared a resemblance with him, "Ashray, aren''t you supposed to be exploring the labyrinth now?"


    "I returned to see the score," Ashray gazed at the ranking displayed on the White Building''s wall, "Well, you did well, brother. Though, I''ll exceed your score by tomorrow."


    "Haha, I''ll be rooting for you. Make sure you stay at the top of the November Batch." Ashten patted her shoulder and took one last glance at the rankings, ''This is anticlimactic indeed.''


    [October Batch: Dedicated Credit Ranking System]


    [Rank 1: Dalna Doppler- 1,68,439 Credits]


    [Rank 2: George Eagle- 1,49,567 Credits]


    [Rank 3: Haesha- 1,42,321 Credits]


    [Rank 4: Esina Hawker- 1,42,308 Credits]


    [Rank 5: Ashten Coorg- 1,41, 964 Credits]


    [Rank 6: Jyorta Bone- 1,41, 100 Credits]


    [Rank 7: Laekha Walta- 1,24,560 Credits]


    [Rank 8: Laila-1,14,112 Credits]


    "Want me to tell you about the Tier 2 Frenzy Beast I recently killed?" Ashray spoke after seeing his sullen mood, "It was a pretty huge River Whale."


    "Another time¡­" Ashten was just about to refuse when he sighed, relenting after his sister''s teary-eyed expression, "Was it strong?"


    "It was powerful!" Ashray motioned with her hands, making a series of punching actions, "It could manipulate the water and create many layers around it. No matter how I attacked it, I failed to damage it. And¡­it was fast. It used its tail to create waves and send me flying every time I tried to jump on it."


    "Oh, tell me more," Ashten felt interested after hearing her encounter, "How did you kill it in the end?"


    "That, uh¡­" Ashray chuckled, whispering in his ear, "That''s¡­a secret."


    "¡­"


    ¡­


    Standing at the entrance of the Red Building, Vaika looked at the score, sighing once, "You should focus on obtaining more Credits, Jyorta Bone. There are a lot of useful things available here."


    ''Though, I suppose he obtained everything he desired thanks to the unofficial rewards.'' She thought, shaking her head as she returned to the nursing ward, noticing two nurses rush about in a hurry.


    "How were the scores?" One of the nurses noticed her approach, speaking in a hurry. Despite being busy, she still spared a second to inquire. Otherwise, her curiosity wouldn''t be satiated.


    "Well, as you can hear, there is no fanfare," Vaika replied, noticing three students be brought on a stretcher by a psychic arm. Without further due, they began operating the injured.


    ¡­


    Hovering in the air were the three Sky Controllers of the military academy: Madam Mila, Madam Rizenne, and Madam Mary. One of Madam Mary''s psychic arms carried Sir Cosmi, the Vice-Principal of the academy, and its sole Transformer.


    Cosmi Tumbler shook his head, "I thought Jyorta Bone would do better, considering he was in the lead every month. Many organisations are watching his actions. This doesn''t put us in a favourable spot. His score makes it seem like we hindered his growth."


    "Whether we hindered his growth or not would be apparent in the Graduation Ceremony." Madam Mary retorted, "If you are that worried about the academy''s reputation, look at his exploits in the Labyrinth of Frenzy."


    "I can''t do that without interrupting him," Cosmi frowned, "I''ll take your word for it now. As for Laila, any idea of what happened to her? It is as if she has vanished from Marble City. No matter what channel I used, I couldn''t dig up any information on her."


    "Unless you are Ancestor Marble himself, you won''t be able to know what happened to her." Madam Mary retorted.


    ''Damn this crazy woman.'' Cosmi Tumbler cursed in his mind but dared not show it on his face. All he could do was try to probe through words, "I was hoping they would surprise me like Rakh Veera."


    "They are talented indeed," Madam Rizenne spoke, "But Rakh Veera is an exception. He''s a genius among geniuses."


    "The students look dispirited. This doesn''t look good; we have to do something about it." Cosmi Tumbler expressed his worry, gazing at the expressions of the students. It was like what they had been expecting all along had been shattered.


    Most of the newer Batches, after joining, had definitely heard about Jyorta and Laila, the dual rankers that broke records every month starting from their first month. And, during their stay, they obtained even more information of their exploits, getting hyped.


    Finally, on the day when everything they had listened to was about to be displayed, reality proved otherwise. None of the two even managed to get into the top 5 of the October Batch. It was such a disappointment.


    "That''s simple." Madam Mary smiled, arriving above the White Building. Psychic energy coursed through the academy as her voice echoed, "The scores on the Dedicated Credit Ranking System aren''t absolute. Every student is as strong as their scores dictate. But, that isn''t final. Growth is a continuous process, so, as something that had been displayed at noon, every student in the October Batch is now stronger than what their Credits dictate."


    "Keep that in mind," Saying her piece, Madam Mary disappeared. Hearing her words, the students weren''t as disappointed as before. They were still disappointed, but it wasn''t to the extent hindering their daily activities.


    "Growth is a continuous process," Many students muttered this sentence like a slogan as they proceeded with their activities of the day.

 Chapter 387: Layer 4

    Jyorta was ignorant of the disappointment people directed at him. Even if he came to face them, he wouldn''t be affected much. If it was still the him that had arrived at the military academy, he would have moped about it.


    But now, having fully comprehended both his past and present life, his character was firm, unshakable. His resolve was solid while his ego acted as a pillar for his choices, making him leave no regrets behind.


    76 percent Sync Rate¡­76.1 percent Sync Rate¡­76.2 percent Sync Rate, Jyorta tossed in the final Tier 2 Heart Crystal to the River Whale''s Caterpillar, retracting his Soul Cornea. He wished to leave enough energy in it to siphon out during times of necessity. After all, he was about to head into battle next.


    "It is really difficult to increase one''s Sync Rate, even with this method. Thankfully, my plans also made use of the Frenzy Beasts'' bodies. I got a lot of energy as a result." Jyorta lay flat on the River Whale''s back, feeling tired. He had been exerting himself a lot, both mentally and physically.


    He was just sitting on the River Whale''s back, but as he was constantly using his presence, the exhaustion seeped into his cells. After all, that is where his aura originated from. So, him using the aura to fight was the same as jumping around everywhere with his body to fight.


    His psychic arms turned pale blue as they healed both his physical and mental exhaustion. It was the advantage of possessing Regen. Regen worked on both the body and the mind. Moreover, thanks to the instinct and guidance imbued in it, Jyorta didn''t even need to think while using them. It was so convenient that he praised its creator¡ªMadam Mary¡ªevery time he used it.


    "Unranked Skills are realistic cheats," He laughed, gazing at the scene in layer three. The shallow waters were crystalline now, with every tinge of blood and flesh in it absorbed by the Rover Whale.


    River Whales were capable of controlling water. So, while devouring the Frenzy Beast carcasses, it filtered out the water content it had swallowed and expelled it out as purified water. If the one performing the same was a being at Tier 4, then the water would be suitable for drinking. Moreover, the minerals in it would be beneficial for growth.


    The River Whale was resting on the floor, the shallow waters only reaching a small portion of its height. To its left was the Rigordile, still like a log of wood, floating in the water. The Bundle Flea, for some reason, was breakdancing on its back, having the time of its life.


    When Jyorta gazed its way, it immediately curled up into a ball. Jyorta''s eyelids twitched, ''It has quite the¡­character. Was it a change brought about by my aura personifications?''


    "Come up now, we''ll head to the next layer." Jyorta waved his hand, sending them a mental input using his aura. The Bundle Fish leaped onto the River Whale and slithered quickly before curling around Jyorta. It extended its head and rested on his shoulder, facing forward.


    When Jyorta looked at it, it gazed it return, tilting its head to the side. After a second, Jyorta relented, "Fine, you look cute. Do whatever you want."


    The Bundle Flea cackled like a baby, alarming him for a moment before he calmed himself down. Jyorta sighed, watching the Rigordile stand on the floor, helplessly staring at the River Whale''s body before looking at its claws.


    Jyorta commanded the River Whale, watching it created a film of water around itself. It thickened it to the limit it could manipulate using its Trait. Now, even if he stood up, Jyorta would still be immersed within the film of water.


    The Rigordile made a jump and swam through the film of water, soon arriving beside Jyorta. The River Whale took off to the air, feeling mild difficulty in moving due to the Rigordile''s weight. Its flight speed was slow, akin to Jyorta''s walking pace. Still, Jyorta didn''t seem bothered. There wasn''t much distance to traverse to the end of the layer, and he wasn''t in too much of a rush.


    A minute of travel wasn''t much, considering all the advantages he reaped. ''If I consumed a Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit, I could only increase my Sync Rate by 0.1 percent per day. But now, my pace is many times faster.''


    The River Whale approached the end of layer 3, adjusting itself to squeeze through the gap. Thankfully, the flight of stairs was replaced with a slope now and the path was wide enough for the River Whale to move forth. Otherwise, he would have to part with the River Whale, losing a massive advantage.  Jyorta heaved a sigh of relief, watching the River Whale pass through, albeit with difficulty. That was why he chose this River Whale in the first place.


    It was an Esper, so its body was smaller than its Warrior counterpart. Moreover, it wasn''t at the peak of Tier 2, so it hadn''t overgrown itself to become beyond the size of the path between the layers. His considerations paid off.


    Jyorta''s mood turned solemn, his stance alert. They were about to arrive at the fourth layer. The Labyrinth of Frenzy had distinct power differences between each level. Layer 1 only had Frenzy Beasts at the early and mid-stages of Tier 1. Layer 2 had Frenzy Beasts at the mid and peak stages of Tier 1.


    Layer 3 had Frenzy Beasts at the peak of Tier 1 and the initial stages of Tier 2. There were numerous exceptions, even in his experiences. In his first exploration, he encountered a Tier 2 Crust-Mantle on layer 1.


    In his second exploration, he encountered a Steel Porcupine at the peak of Tier 2 in layer 2. Moreover, it wasn''t a normal Steel Porcupine, but one that would qualify as a genius in its race. Relics were installed in the Labyrinth of Frenzy that would constantly urge the Frenzy Beasts to move based on their strength.


    But, this urge could be resisted to a fair extent for a while. After living in the labyrinth for long enough, they had figured it out and used it to their advantage. They would move through the layers and take refuge in the upper layers whenever possible. It was something the military academy had left in place so that the students wouldn''t be accustomed to the difficulty of the labyrinth.


    A constant threat would force them to think and always be on alert. It was an imitation of the uncertainty in the Wilds. After all, even if one were at Tier 2, there was a non-zero possibility of a Tier 5 being sneaking upon them. So, it was the academy''s way of training the students.


    Finally, layer 4 was filled with Frenzy Beasts at the mid and peak of Tier 2. So, every Frenzy Beast would be a tough opponent to them. Jyorta dared not think of entering layer 5 unless he felt confident enough. He planned to see his performance in layer 4 and decide accordingly.


    After all, in layer 5 existed Frenzy Beasts at the peak of Tier 2. Moreover, unlike the other layers, numerous Frenzy Beast races lived in layer 5. Every layer only spanned a height of 30 metres, but layer 5 spanned a height of 60 metres.


    There was also one other fact that made it increasingly dangerous. Until now, Jyorta was walking in a path that was only 10 metres wide. So, he only had to guard against two directions¡ªfront and back. But, layer 5 was a maze that spanned the entire area of the military academy.


    Adding on the traps and habitats created by numerous Frenzy Beast races, and the rare explorations by the students, it was mostly an uncharted region. The Frenzy Beasts in layer 5 had been living in it for a long duration.


    Moreover, there was even a chance for a Frenzy Beast that had broken through to Tier 3 to appear there. So, Jyorta first wished to see his performance in layer 4 and judge if he was ready for the life-threatening exploration.


    ''I need the energy anyway, so I have no choice but to go.'' Jyorta clenched his hand into a fist, ''This is the only place I could farm for energy with relatively less risk. The Wilds I would explore in the future would possess too much uncertainty and risks.''


    The River Whale bent its body a bit before squeezing out of the connect way, arriving at layer 4. The moment he saw the place, Jyorta scowled, commanding the River Whale to tighten its defences.


    Layer 4 had a water environment similar to layer 3. But, it wasn''t as shallow. A constant depth surpassing 15 metres was maintained throughout. Moreover, bubbles formed on the surface, popping continuously, releasing a pungent gas into the air.


    The air itself was dyed a dull shade of yellow as the mist swirled about. The air carried a tremendous presence in it that Jyorta was stunned, feeling his psychic energy drain at a rapid pace as his psychic arms filtered the air for breathing.


    Even the River Whale felt some difficulty, firming the film of water around it, preventing the polluted gas from mixing into its pure water. Boulders were segregated all across the path, forming a foothold for one to traverse, spanning from one end to the other. But in actuality, they weren''t boulders.


    "This terrain, dammit. I should have expected the academy to pull out something like this." Jyorta cursed, slamming his fist on the River Whale''s back. The very air itself was toxic, not to mention the dangerous aura imbued in it. He would probably die within three breaths if he inhaled them.


    The poison would rupture his blood vessels while the aura would burn his internals. Moreover, the temperature in the place itself was boiling hot. For, layer 4 was dominated by the Lava Turtles¡ªall at the mid and peak of Tier 2.

 Chapter 388: Heat and Geysers

    "Dodge!" Jyorta bellowed, constantly sending mental inputs to the River Whale to steer it. Hot geysers slammed into it, their pollution seeping into the film of water surrounding it. The River Whale tried its best to filter out the pollution, but the rate of pollution surpassed its filtering speed.


    Jyorta felt the film of water become hotter as time passed while a faint tinge of yellow suffused it, thickening as time passed. He gritted his teeth, watching more than five Lava Turtles peak out of the water and attack.


    The Lava Turtles placed their tails well within the water, siphoning the water into their bodies. Then, the water absorbed the tremendous heat their body contained¡ªgenerated by their Trait¡ªand was ejected from their mouths. Each geyser contained a lot of force behind it, adding onto the heat and aura carried within it, the attacks became deadly.


    The River Whale had reached the ceiling now, rolling about in the air to dodge the geysers. Even if it dodged the incident attacks, once the geysers hit the ceiling, they spread out and fell as rain, falling onto the film of water anyway.


    The Lava Turtles also knew of this fact, spamming their attacks without rest. They weren''t even expending much energy to launch an attack. After all, they were just using whatever was already available plenty in the area, using their terrain advantage to the max.


    These five Lava Turtles had been slacking at the entrance of Layer 4. The moment they spotted the River Whale, they began attacking it immediately. Jyorta couldn''t even adapt to the environment when he was attacked, left with no other choice but to evade.


    ''The Rigordile is a burden to carry.'' Jyorta looked at the difficulty the River Whale was facing. The Rigordile was a heavy being, its flesh density being one of the highest at Tier 2. Jyorta looked at the situation, noticing his psychic energy expenditure become greater than before.


    The aura in the air was already trying to eat away at him. He not only had to guard himself, but also the Rigordile and the Bundle Flea. Even they weren''t exempt from being damaged by the aura. Thanks to the Essence of Frenzy in them, they would be able to manage surviving in the area for a short while, but any longer, and they would be severely damaged.


    The aura in the layer was a boon to the Lava Turtles but a bane to every other Frenzy Beasts. It seemed they had completely morphed the terrain to their advantage. While attacking the River Whale, the Lava Turtles sometimes seemed to be playing, judging by their disorderly attacks. Clearly, they hadn''t perceived the River Whale as a threat yet.


    ''If I am put in this passive situation any longer, then the energy expenditure would be too much and I would have to retreat.'' Jyorta gazed at the Rigordile, nodding at it once, "Don''t breathe too much of this air, don''t drink the water, and don''t try to bite the Lava Turtles. Even you won''t be able to endure the heat and poison."


    The Rigordile slapped its tail on the River Whale''s back once, brandishing its claws to show that it had understood. With a minor leap, it slithered through the water like a fish and arrived at the River Whale''s underside.


    It watched the geysers flying in the air, with some of them slamming onto the film of water. Timing its position right, the Rigordile exited the film of water with a plop. It fell, accelerating during its fall as it watched the geysers with caution.


    One of the Lava Turtles aimed its way, unleashing a geyser. The Rigordile slammed its hands together, defending against the geyser. The force behind the geyser slowed its fall to a minimum but failed to break past its defences.


    The Rigordile was a Frenzy Beast boasting strength and defence. Now, its skin was fully covered by the Shoe Fishes, elevating its defence to a higher level. Moreover, the Shoe Fishes seemed to have a property of insulation as they prevented the heat from affecting it.


    The Rigordile had cleverly used the geyser to negate the momentum of its fall, arriving at the bottom without any damage. When it had approached closer, the Lava Turtle realised its plan, slightly tilting its head to vary the angle of the geyser while it moved its body accordingly.


    It pushed the Rigordile away from it while creating enough distance to keep itself safe. The Rigordile fell into the water with a plop and swam through it, showing its dexterity underwater. It activated its Tier 2 Skill, rapidly raising its speed as it leaped out of the water.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªLunge Burst!


    Recalling Jyorta''s reminder, it didn''t try to clamp using its jaws, but instead brandished its claws, using the momentum behind its weight to attack. The Lava Turtle turned its head and unleashed the geyser once again, negating most of the momentum behind its lunge.


    The Rigordile swayed its body using the clash between the forces, varying its centre of mass to tide through the geyser while expending as little momentum as possible. It soon arrived before the Lava Turtle, slashing with its claws.


    A jelly-like tentacle appeared, lashing out like a whip on its hand, stopping its attack. Numerous jelly-like tentacles followed suit, slamming attacks onto it that sent it crashing into the water beside.


    "Hunter Clams," Jyorta frowned, making the River Whale evade a couple more attacks. "As expected, they are here too. That means, this layer has been monopolised by the Lava Turtles."


    Hunter Clams were Frenzy Beasts that lived on the backs of the Lava Turtles, creating a symbiotic relationship. As the Lava Turtle was a being lacking flexibility and speed, they were prone to attacks and deaths. But, the existence of the Hunter Clams prevented this from happening.


    The Hunter Clams defended the Lava Turtle against any harm, even going to the extent of sacrificing their lives to protect it. Most Hunter Clams treated the Lava Turtle they lived on as their homes, and as territorial creatures, they defended their homes to their last.


    The Rigordile wasn''t disappointed, swimming underwater as it tried to attack the limbs of the Lava Turtle. But, when it neared its target, the Lava Turtle craned its neck within the water and unleashed the geyser once again. Underwater, it became a stream that served to push it back.


    The Rigordile increased its speed, trying to beat against the flow. It was slowly moving towards the Lava Turtle when three other streams appeared, joining together into a powerful stream. From high up in the air, Jyorta noticed a tremendously powerful geyser erupt from the water, sending the Rigordile flying.


    "Faster!" Jyorta shouted, making the River Whale fly forward, intercepting the Rigordile''s momentum, cushioning its impact using the film of water. The River Whale then moved forward, going past the range of the powerful geyser.


    If not for its swift action, the Rigordile would have slammed into the ceiling and become fairly injured. Moreover, the force of the impact would cause it to rebound, and crash into the walls on the side, further injuring it.


    And if left as it, it would fall helplessly into the water and be ganged upon by the Lava Turtles. Just when Jyorta was thinking, the Lava Turtles made use of the situation when the River Whale''s speed was impeded by the weight of the Rigordile, directing the combined geyser towards it.


    The geyser slammed onto its underside, the force toppling it. Ripples formed along the film of water, ejecting the water in it from the River Whale''s control. The hot water slammed onto its body while the water in the film of water fell off as rain.


    With the decrease in its water levels, the River Whale''s difficulty in maintaining flight increased. Jyorta was almost thrown out if not for the Bundle Flea''s help that coiled its hair around the River Whale''s horn and pulled him back.


    When it toppled, Jyorta was subjected to the surface. There was still a thin layer of water in his place, so he didn''t have to face the brunt of the attack, taking the chance to direct his palm towards the attackers.


    Aura Beam!


    Jyorta watched his presence form a drill with the spirals rotating at rapid speeds as it slammed into the Lava Turtles. The Lava Turtles lost their balance, the force of the impact pushing them into the water. The attacks stopped as the River Whale used the chance to reorient itself.


    But, as it had lost too much water, it was unable to maintain its flight, steadily descending towards the surface.


    "Swat them away!" Jyorta shouted, watching the River Whale turn its body mid-air, waving its tail over the water surface, rotating from the entrance towards the other end. It activated its Trait, manipulating the water, creating a tide.


    The tide was two metres high, and was driven by strong undercurrents. The Lava Turtles had no other choice but to be swept away. The Hunter Clams on their backs used their jelly-like tentacles as a paddle to orient their respective Lava Turtles, trying to keep them in balance.


    Even then, the River Whale vertically spun in the air, with every time its tail moved over the water creating a tide that washed away the Lava Turtles further. Also, while in the loop, it pulled out some water from the surface, filtering it while adding it to the film of water around it, reinforcing itself.


    The Rigordile jumped into the water and rode the tides, zooming in towards the Lava Turtles. The Bundle Flea made a jump and landed on its back, hissing once as it gazed at the Lava Turtles. They had probed each other enough by now, their actual fight had just begun.

 Chapter 389: High-Paced Battle

    The Rigordile rode the waves, using its streamlined form to its advantage. The Steel Porcupine sat on its back, hissing as they neared the Lava Turtles. The Lava Turtles were busy resisting the waves, preventing themselves from tumbling and rolling over like a piece of log.


    The Hunter Clams shaped their jelly-like tentacles into paddles of all shapes to row the water and balance the Lava Turtles. Even then, the River Whale''s repeated churning of the waves disrupted them each time.


    Now, without any extra burden to carry, the River Whale could move at its usual speed, revolving faster and faster as the height of the tides increased, reaching as high as four metres. The currents in them grew stronger while faint wind accompanied them.


    The rumbling sound they produced soon become as loud as the sea waves on a beach, making it resemble nature''s might slowly but steadily. Jyorta felt his vision spin due to the motions, using his psychic energy to maintain his inertia and keep his senses wired in order.


    The commotion garnered the attention of the other Lava Turtles that gazed at the River Whale and shot geysers at it. The geysers travelled more than 40 metres before slamming into the River Whale, disrupting it, preventing it from affecting the water on the surface any longer.


    If it still persisted in continuing with its efforts, then it would be swatted to the ground. Jyorta controlled its actions, making it fly towards the attackers. He watched three geysers fly his way; the River Whale consumed a greater portion of its psychic energy, activating its Trait to the limit.


    The geysers bent in the air, curving away from it. The River Whale was unaffected, moving forth as the attacks were slightly redirected.


    Kuoong!


    The River Whale let out a long, powerful shout as it arrived above a Lava Turtle was still trying to regain its balance. Without any delays, it moved over the Lava Turtle''s head, making its film of water overlap it.


    It allowed the Lava Turtle''s head to move into the film of water before constricting around it. The water held the Lava Turtle, moving down its neck as it seeped into the gaps in its shell. Everything happened in the short window the River Whale passed above it.


    The water pulled the Lava Turtle along s the River Whale groaned in pain, feeling a lot of strain throughout its body. Lava Turtles were heavier than the Rigordiles. Adding onto the additional weight they carried on their backs, they were bulky targets to pick up.


    Jyorta was controlling the River Whale''s actions, making it thing and use something it hadn''t ever tried. the Lava Turtle let out a thin roar, most of its shout absorbed by the film of water; ripples formed as a result, showing the intensity of the shout.


    The Hunter Clams on its back tried their best to hack and slash at the water to rip it off thew River Whale''s control. But for some reason, the water behaved like a live body part, moving and coiling around the Lava Turtle, retaining its connection through numerous coils and windings.


    The Lava Turtle felt a lot of strain in its neck, for it was all the River Whale was trying to lift. The Hunter Clams coiled their tentacles around its neck and held the shell, reducing the strain it felt.


    The River Whale struggled, hiccupping in its flight as it pulled up the Lava Turtle, steadily increasing in altitude. The Lava Turtle tried to break free, slamming its legs onto the film of water, unable to enter it.


    The Hunter Clams slammed at the film of water, spilling out parts of it while causing its entirety to ripple. The ripples were becoming bigger and bigger. Jyorta felt the currents within the ripples slam into his psychic arm barrier, cracking it under the pressure.


    He expended more psychic energy to mend it while commanding the River Whale to take action. The River Whale took curved manoeuvres in the air, beginning to spin, adding the centrifugal force into the Lava Turtle.


    Its psychic energy was expended at a massive rate while the film of water surrounding it began to thin out. The Hunter Clams tried their best to keep the Lava Turtle''s neck attached to its body while the Lava Turtle could only shout in pain.


    The River Whale moved forward while revolving; Jyorta calculated based on the spin and their forward motion, calculating all the forces into play before deriving a point of target based on his instinctual reasoning.


    He gazed at the Lava Turtles there were beginning to get up as the waves died down, making the River Whale continue with its motion before aligning with his calculations, bellowing, "Release it!"


    The River Whale let go of the portion of the film of water, watching the Lava Turtle catapult towards the ground. The Hunter Clams on its back extended their jelly-like tentacles, trying to grab hold of the film of water. But, it was just water, and under the River Whale''s control, it was a fluid substance that the Hunter Clams couldn''t grab hold off.


    The Lava Turtle shouted as it flew like a canon ball, accelerating to a tremendous speed thanks to its bulky mass. The momentum it carried continued to increase alarmingly. The target of its impact was a group of four Lava Turtles there were flustered at its appearance.


    The they opened their mouths to unleash the geysers when the Lava Turtle slammed into them, its hard shell making the contact in the impact. A thunderous sound reverberated as the water was spilled high, creating a large tide that proceeded towards both the ends of the path.


    The impact, the hardness of the shell, and its body weight made it a powerful slam that shattered the defences of the victim Lava Turtles. Their shells shattered while their broke, piercing their internal organs. The Hunter Clams had their shells broken into tiny fragments while their soft bodies were squished between the giants.


    The Rigordile jumped on them in this situation, aiming at their necks with its claws. Even after such a powerful impact, not one Lava Turtle had died. But, they couldn''t move for the time being, suffering from critical injuries. The Hunter Clams were still recovering from the impact when the Rigordile and the Bundle Flea jumped on them.


    The Rigordile brandished its claws and severed the head of a Lava Turtle. The Bundle Flea bound its hair around a Lava Turtle''s neck and tightened it, using the sharpness of its hair to dig into it and sever. Its hair began to burn the moment the Lava Turtle''s blood spilled on it.


    The Bundle Flea hissed in pain as it finished severing the Lava Turtle, shedding the damaged hair before jumping towards another. The Rigordile shuddered, watching blood leak out from the roots of its nails.


    Despite the Shoe Fish covering the part, it too was affected by the heat. The bodies of the Lava Turtles were just too hot that it suffered damaged every time it attacked.


    The River Whale oriented itself, looking a bit exhausted as it dodged numerous geysers flying its way. It was acting as the bait while the Rigordile and Bundle Flea killed the injured Lava Turtles. Whenever it dodged an attack, Jyorta retaliated with an aura beam of his own.


    Unfortunately, the aura in the air resisted his aura, decreasing its potency greatly. The greater the distance it had to travel, the more the aura in it was helplessly expended, decreasing the power behind his attacks. As the enemies were numerous and also possessed powerful strength, Jyorta dared not unleash a full powered aura beam.


    It was in fear that he wouldn''t be able to timely reach to their retaliation. The River Whale scuttled all over the air, mostly sticking to the ceiling to obtain more reaction time. many boulders began to float on the water, approaching their area.


    Jyorta noticed the severity of the situation, fishing out the Tier 3 Artifact¡ªDynamic Brethren Bait. If he didn''t use it, then the situation would progress beyond his capability. He made the River Whale fly closer to the Lava Turtles, using most of the power in its Trait to bend the geysers away from it.


    As the number of geysers increased, the distance and angle it could bend them reduced. Soon, even when it tried to bend them, a portion of them still struck its film of water. The high-paced battle prevented it from filtering them out.


    His psychic energy expenditure further increased as the water around him turned yellow. The pollution in it was getting concentrated as the River Whale was attacked from all sides. His two Soul Corneas siphoned energy from the River Whale''s soul, replenishing his reserves as he activated the Tier 3 Relic.


    A colourless mist seeped out from hollow end of the tube, heading towards the Lava Turtles as the River Whale neared them. Thanks to the proximity, it was unable to dodge the attacks, its film of water getting shaved with every attack. Soon, it bore the brunt of the attacks with its body.


    A portion of the water fell on Jyorta, eating away at his psychic arm. As he was seated atop the River Whale, and positioned right behind its horn, he didn''t face the brunt of the impact. Otherwise, his psychic arm barrier wouldn''t last for an instant.


    Still, his barrier cracked at many places as the water fell on his armour, damaging it. It looked like it wouldn''t last long. Jyorta could feel the heat and aura trying to seep into him as he watched at the colourless mist with anticipation. The colourless mist slowly spread through the region. He had expended almost 80 percent of his psychic energy reserves in activating the Relic.

 Chapter 390: The True Brethren Bait

    The Tier 3 Relic finished spewing out all the mist generated by the energy he inserted. Jyorta immediately commanded the River Whale to fly back, nudging the Rigordile and the Bundle Flea through his aura.


    The Bundle Flea wrapped its hair around a couple of Lava Turtles it had killed and dragged them while moving towards the exit. The Rigordile used its tremendous strength to pull three Lava Turtles using their tails.


    The party swiftly moved towards the exit as the mist spread through the region. The Hunter Clams on the killed Lava Turtles barely managed to get up when the Bundle Flea swatted them into the mist.


    The mist condensed through the region, getting inhaled by the Lava Turtles and the Hunter Clams living on their backs. The aura in the air interfered with it, eating away it slowly, decreasing its potency.


    Jyorta sensed his Brain Crystal be half refilled with psychic energy in the short duration, activating the Relic once again, creating another batch of mist that flew forward like a cloud. As he had calculated the path and direction of emission, he managed to ensure the mist wasn''t inhaled by his allies.


    The mist was inhaled by the Lava Turtles, with part of it directly seeping into their bodies through the skin, with some of them attaching to the surface, etc. The effect wasn''t something solely relying on consumption¡ªthrough breathing¡ªto take effect. It used a myriad of senses, stacking the effect through each, amplifying the potency to a terrifying level.


    A Lava Turtle at the front was just about to shoot a geyser towards the River Whale when it felt something amiss. It turned its head, gazing at its brethren floating on the water beside. For some reason, it looked¡­delicious.


    More than delicious, it wished to spend time with the other party, internally. The Lava Turtle moved towards its brethren, coiling its neck on the other party. Its brethren also seemed to feel the same, nudging the necks of each other, expressing their companionship through touch.


    Simultaneously, both the Lava Turtles opened their mouths and bit on the other party''s neck, tearing off a piece of flesh. The pain from the action alerted them back to their senses, entering a state of frenzy as they glared at their brethren with hatred.


    The two Lava Turtles slammed their heads into each other like whips, attacking relentlessly. They hit, swatted, bit, and pushed each other, inflicting harm as time passed. The Hunter Clams on their backs were engaged in a war.


    The Hunter Clams on the first Lava Turtle began attacking the Hunter Clams of the second, creating a war where two troops fought to the death. Even in such a situation, the Hunter Clams fought to protect their homes. It seemed it was an instinct that made their genetic makeup, unable to be altered by temporary effective abilities.


    The Lava Turtle collided, absorbing water from its tail before spewing forth from its mouth. It increased the temperature using its Trait, the water gushing out turning into high pressured steam.


    The force and the heat created a powerful thrust that pushed the attacked Lava Turtle. The resultant force from its ejection created a thrust that propelled it backward. The Lava Turtle seethed with rage, feeling pain all over its body. Large parts of its neck had been torn off, the structure barely holding its head in place.


    If it was any more injured, it wouldn''t be able to stay alive. Steam leaked out through the gaps in the neck as the Lava Turtle controlled itself, wriggling its muscles to constrict the areas, blocking the steam from escaping. Warriors had immense control over each muscle in their bodies. The Lava Turtle used this advantage to prevent its injuries from worsening.


    Its Trait was pushed to the limit as the water it absorbed churned within its body. Numerous acids mixed into it as it travelled through its neck before ejected from the mouth. The steam was compressed, containing tremendous heat that created a powerful thrust. The Lava Turtle''s aura spiked as it wished to make the attack more deadly.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªHeat Burst!


    It was a skill that amplified the effects of its Trait. The moment it was activated, sparks were generated within the mist, causing the acidic substances to turn volatile before combusting. The steam instantly turned into a flaming vortex of thrust that slammed into the opponent Lava Turtle, the heat causing its skin to burn.


    The attacked Lava Turtle plunged into the water and avoided facing the brunt of the flame while unleashing a geyser from within. The geyser collided into the fire stream, causing numerous explosions as the substances in it combusted one after another.


    Bubble explosion, steam explosion, chemical explosion, etc. all sorts of explosions were created that blasted the water in the area everywhere. The mist was affected, pushed back and forth as a result. When its concentration was beginning to decrease, Jyorta activated the Relic once again, causing the situation of the Lava Turtles to take a turn for the worse.


    The Lava Turtles battled with greater intensities, unleashing attacks one after the other. Jyorta gazed at the Rigordile and the Bundle Flea, giving them a command. The two Frenzy Beasts dragged the carcasses of the Lava Turtles and Hunter Clams they had killed towards the connecting pathway before proceeding to layer 3.


    They piled up everything in the shallow waters there before returning to drag the remainder. The Bundle Flea fished out their Heart Crystals along its way back and gave them to Jyorta. Jyorta cleaned them before storing, activating the Relic at regular intervals.


    He was expending a tremendous reserve of psychic energy. If not for the River Whale and Rigordile acting as his energy reserve, he wouldn''t have even been able to activate the Relic the first time. Whenever two Lava Turtles were on the verge of death, he sent the mist flying their way, aggravating the situation.


    The Lava Turtles then tore into each other, mostly resulting in mutual deaths. The Rigordile and the Bundle Flea would then drag their corpses towards layer 3. As some time had passed, Jyorta pocketed his Relic and commanded the River Whale to retreat.


    The Rigordile and Bundle Flea followed suit. While retreating, he gazed at the mist still swirling about in the area, with a significant portion of it flying high up in the air, proceeding beyond the reach of the Lava Turtles, "If this had been my Skill, I would have been able to manipulate the mist into targeting the Lava Turtles. Now, a significant portion of it has been wasted."


    Jyorta sighed, such was the flaw in using Relics. Relics were objects, the Skills in which couldn''t be controlled by the user. So, it wasn''t possible to display the same expertise as a Warrior possessing the Skill could do.


    "Still, this is a good outcome indeed. As long as the mist hasn''t disappeared, I can use it." Jyorta thought of a way as he retreated, watching the fight between the Lava Turtles slowly come to a halt. Most of them had been significantly injured, so it would be easier for him in the second round.


    Jyorta returned to layer 3, watching steam rise from the carcass of the Lava Turtles as their blood mixed into the water. Their bodies were maintained at very high temperatures, just the touch of which generated steam in the water.


    As steam rose from all over, the temperature of the Lava Turtle carcasses steadily dropped. The shallow waters turned warm, becoming slightly hotter as time passed. Eventually, it no longer increased further, achieving an equilibrium of sorts.


    "Eat and recover." Jyorta motioned at the three Frenzy Beasts, pointing at the pile of carcasses. The Bundle Flea had already fished out all their Heart Crystals and had handed them over to Jyorta. The Hunter Clams were a race that couldn''t produce any Espers while Espers were incredibly rare among the Lava Turtles. So, Jyorta only obtained Heart Crystals from this batch.


    Just when the three Frenzy Beast were about to pounce on the carcasses, a Frenzy Parasite drilled out, wriggling weakly.


    "Hmm," Jyorta frowned, thinking for a couple of seconds as he unleashed his aura personification of hallucination on it, controlling its actions. The Frenzy Parasite moved its dying body and burrowed into the nearby Lava Turtle, pulling out the Frenzy Parasite within.


    The two fought each other, biting and tearing apart until one of them remained. The victor swallowed the defeated party, swiftly healing its injuries before facing another Frenzy Parasite that had drilled out. Jyorta observed the changes in their auras, collecting the data as he tried to perceive their functionality.


    He wished to understand the Frenzy Parasites more. After all, he was brought into this world to face the being that created the Frenzy Parasites. The Frenzy Parasites slithered out the carcasses one after another and fought against the Frenzy Parasite under Jyorta''s control.


    Every time it killed and devoured one of its own, its injuries healed while its strength faintly increased. But, Jyorta could see its vanning presence. It was just prolonging its life through the battle. And, the duration it bought using it was less than a couple of minutes.


    But, Jyorta was curious as to why it did something like that. As it kept fighting, Jyorta created the embryonic form of a tattoo on his back, focusing his Aura Induction on the Frenzy Parasite. The moment the Frenzy Parasite devoured the last of its kind in the area, it slumped on the floor, no longer having the strength to move.


    Its presence began to fall at an alarming pace when the effect of Aura Induction enveloped it. The Frenzy Parasite''s presence was linked with Jyorta''s, pulled into his hallucination, and stored within the embryonic tattoo he had created.


    The hallucination wasn''t much, the Frenzy Parasite found itself within a blank space. At this time, its body died, allowing Jyorta to extract all its presence into the tattoo he made. This was the prime usage of Aura Induction; he could induce the presence of a foreign being into his tattoo. And when the body of the owner died, the presence had nowhere to return to.


    But, if he took the presence out of the tattoo, it would instantly dissipate. Jyorta thought, ''I think I got some idea as to the direction I should progress towards.''


    -------------------------


    I made a website to host all my novels, comics, and other projects I would be doing in the future.


    www.overlordtales.com


    ------------------------

 Chapter 391: Tower of God

    "Hmm," Jyorta frowned, sensing a limitation of sorts. He closed his eyes, comprehending the source while the three Frenzy Beasts feasted on the Lava Turtle carcasses. Jyorta inspected his presence, the embryonic tattoo he had created, and his aura reserves, using all the accumulated data to find the source of the limitation.


    "I get it now," After a long time had passed, his eyes shot open, muttering, "Even though I took the presence of the Frenzy Parasite into me, only its presence remains now while the aura accompanying it has vanished."


    Aura was classified as the exertion of a being''s presence. But, a presence also contained the nature of the being, i.e. its personification. At present, only the Frenzy Parasite''s presence remained. As its aura wasn''t Jyorta''s, it left his body. His aura expelled it on its own.


    "Now, if I wish to do anything with its presence, I would have to supply it my aura. Since it is in my tattoo, my aura would act as a steady stream of energy fuelling it. I see¡­so that is the limitation. My aura is the factor that limits the development of Aura Induction." Jyorta''s eyes widened in realisation.


    ''If I calculate based on the theoretical concept, Aurons.'' As he was supplying his aura to the Frenzy Parasite''s presence, it could only function when it was wholly supported. Suppose the Frenzy Parasite''s presence required 60 Aurons to function, he would have to expend that much to support its actions.


    And, suppose his total aura reserve conformed to 400 Aurons, he could maintain the functioning of 6 Frenzy Parasites in his tattoo. As such, he would only be able to use 40 Aurons to battle. And, judging by the needs, the expenditure increased.


    As the tattoos were created from aura, they acted as condensed platforms built using it. The greater the aura he used to make it, the sturdier and grander it became. Normally, if he created a castle in his tattoo using his aura, he would only have the creation expenditure in his aura.


    After all, in the hallucination, the castle was a rigid object. Once created, it would experience zero changes. But, if he added the element of air to it, then he would have to constantly supply aura into the tattoo to maintain the dynamics of the air. That was a continuous expenditure.


    And, if he added more dynamics in the elements, such as air, water, sunlight, etc. he would have to maintain it continuously, which would increase the quantity of aura he would have to infuse into the tattoo every second. The limitation was the amount of aura he could send.


    Moreover, the condensation of the aura in the tattoo couldn''t exceed the aura in his body. If it exceeded, the tattoo would destabilise. After all, change can only be induced. If the change was greater than the target of influence, it was simply overriding it. That wasn''t the essence of Aura Induction.


    That''s why, even the tattoos he induced in Frenzy Beasts only conformed to their levels. The only difference was the quality and its intrinsic structure surpassing theirs. But, their quantity was always lower than the targeted Frenzy Beasts. This was one of the factors he had to consider while designing the tattoos.


    "The size of the world I could create is limited to my aura. So, the size of the hallucination would be the maximum I can exhibit in reality." Jyorta looked around, recalling his usage of hallucination in his stay at the military academy.


    If he went all out and focused solely on the aura personification of hallucination, he could maintain it within a sphere of a 100-metre radius. Anything beyond and his hallucination wouldn''t be a cohesive structure. It would still be as effective, but any beings encountering the forming gaps would have a possibility of breaking out from the hallucination.


    The range further increased if he limited himself to one direction, and reduced the volume. Using the formula for the volume of a sphere, his control amounted to 41,90,476 cubic metres or 0.00419 cubic kilometres.


    So, if he just focused on one direction, with the breadth and height limited to 10 metres each, then his range would be almost 42 kilometres, theoretically. Though in reality, the air would just absorb his aura, and reduce its potency fairly early. And, if there was any aura in it, then the range would fall even shorter.


    The reason the aura beam was so powerful was because he condensed such a volume into a cylindrical beam with a radius of a metre and below.


    "The volume I could use my hallucination is how big the world I create would be. That''s my limit. It looks big, but a sphere with a radius of 100 metres is not that big, geographically speaking. Just the Meka Clan alone I witnessed in the Crimson Desert covers an area surpassing 10,000 square metres. And, the sky there felt vast. It might not be as big as the sky in reality, but it still looked vast."


    "If I add any terrain dynamics, like wind and water, I would have to constantly use the required brainpower. And, if I add thermodynamics into the mix, the situation becomes incredibly complex. There are also physical and chemical laws to be taken into account. I wouldn''t be able to maintain it for long before I tire out. Indeed, creating a world is not easy, even if it is a smaller one."


    Jyorta sighed, once again experiencing how awesome Vaika was. Her Crimson Desert was huge and was realistic. It seemed she had incorporated every law in existence into it while overlaying her own laws to create her world. "I wonder how she manages something of that scale? I should ask her when I leave the labyrinth."


    As for the concept his world would be based upon, Jyorta had been thinking about it all along. He was still clueless about the dynamics he had to put in place so that the development of all fields would take place, but he got the basic gist of it already.


    He referenced a popular trope he had come across in his previous life. It was so good that readers consumed it like crazy and were never bored of it. And, the first of its kind was something even he loved very much.


    Tower of God!


    "With a tower concept, I can segment the world into numerous pieces. And, each segment would have its own rules and would focus on development in a certain path." Jyorta smiled, this was the plan he had thought of to use his advantage to the maximum.


    "Once I learn how Madam Vaika manages her world to reduce the consumption of her brainpower, I should be able to pull it off." He gazed at the Frenzy Beasts resting after stuffing themselves full of the Lava Turtle carcasses.


    The River Whale had managed to recover most of its expended energy that Jyorta had used to activate the Tier 3 Relic, Dynamic Brethren Bait.


    "As for its progression¡­" Jyorta thought about the core concept of Aura Induction. It was able to induce a certain effect within the presence of another being. The same was also possible in the reverse. That was how Jyorta was able to induce the presence of the Frenzy Parasite in himself.


    Since the presence of a being conformed to their entirety, it also contained records of the Skills or other abilities the individual possessed. As it was a world of hallucination, the presence could even activate those abilities and display the same strength it had in reality.


    But, it wasn''t an easy feat to achieve. After all, to achieve that, Jyorta had to have enough understanding of the abilities the Frenzy Beast had possessed. Otherwise, even if the Frenzy Beast tried to activate the ability, its effect would be different as the world didn''t possess such information.


    Moreover, if it was based on imagination, then any Frenzy Beast would be able to activate its abilities at many times its original power level. If the power system depended on imagination or the individual''s perspective, then it would lose all balance.


    To avoid that, Jyorta must have a solid grasp of their power schemes. That way, he could make the situation conform to reality. As he was a Psychic Parasite, Jyorta was capable of that. All he needed to do was comprehend the individual''s memories.


    He didn''t possess a method to place the soul of the individual into the hallucinated world and attach it to the respective individual''s presence. After all, the two of them conformed to different paths. Only when his comprehension of the paths achieved the required level would he be able to achieve something like that.


    At present, once he comprehends the memories, he would grasp the complete working of all the respective individual''s abilities. That way, his world would have the knowledge and the presence living within would be able to activate it to the same level as it did in reality.


    Moreover, here was his true goal. He wished to imbue the concept of Aura Induction in the hallucinated world. That was the plan he had concocted to generate the world''s progression.

 Chapter 392: Theory of Evolution

    Jyorta wished to imbue the concept of Aura Induction as the core fundamental law governing his hallucinated world. That way, every presence within it would be considered as a tattoo. There were still some complexities regarding this issue, but he wasn''t without solutions. All he needed was time to make the deductions. After all, he already possessed the necessary information.


    When every presence in his world was treated as a tattoo, he could activate his plans; that was, for every tattoo to make use of the core fundamental law of their world, Aura Induction. When a tattoo kills and devours another tattoo, it would activate Aura Induction, inducing the presence of the slain party into itself.


    It would be a process similar to digestion as its form tries to digest and incorporate the foreign presence into its own. This way, either the tattoo would also gain the ability of the tattoo it had devoured or create a new ability by fusing the respective two''s abilities.


    Since the process was fuelled by the world, as his comprehension of Aura Induction increased, the functions within the world would increase accordingly. Each tattoo would improve and create new results by ''digesting'' better.


    If the tattoo rejects the presence of the tattoo it had devoured, it wouldn''t be able to obtain any new ability. He planned to put every rule of Aura Induction within the world.


    "This way, there is a good chance something ground-breaking might be achieved. After all, evolution is not heading into uncharted territory. Something entirely new can be created by combining the existing stuff in various combinations. That too is a form of evolution." Jyorta smiled, feeling that he had obtained some clarity to his progression.


    At every level, he would create a type of being conforming to a certain path that dominates the place. Challengers would appear to kill them and gain the qualifications to reach a higher floor. And, he would make them incredibly difficult to prevent any presence from climbing up too fast. That way, he''ll have enough time to build new floors.


    Moreover, death would reset a presence to its initial version¡ªthe one when it was sent into the hallucinated world¡ªand send it to the bottom-most floor. It would have to accumulate everything from scratch and scale up the floors.


    And, suppose it was unable to endure the repeated deaths, its ego would shatter and it would die in the truest sense. Jyorta didn''t have any plans to make use of them beyond that point. They would have served their use by then. So, he thought of just erasing such presences from the world.


    "Now, I would be needing a lot of raw material to create everything. For the world, I need to use my aura. I can recover it using Regen. As for the presences¡­" Jyorta stared at his surroundings, "I would have to pull in the presences of the Frenzy Beasts."


    ''First, I would have to create a world to store them. I''ll keep the presences in a state of inactivity until I develop the world further. That would have to wait until I ask Madam Vaika of the means to manage it without expending too much brainpower.'' Jyorta thought, gazing at the Lava Turtle carcasses, sighing once, ''I wanted to increase my Sync Rate using this. But it seems I would have to concentrate on my world first.''


    It was because of the raw materials¡ªFrenzy Beast presences. There existed a lot of Frenzy Beasts in the Labyrinth of Frenzy, especially ones weaker than him. It was a safe place to farm them. In the Wilds, it was risky. He wouldn''t have the time or energy to focus on every Frenzy Beast and pull them in while battling for his survival.


    Moreover, Marble City was currently facing the Lacquer Wave. The Swarm prevented anyone from leaving the city walls. Moreover, as they swarmed the walls from all sides, the soldiers on the walls barely even had the time to pull up the corpses they had slain.


    All sorts of auras and aura personifications would be flying everywhere, brought about the activation of various Skills and abilities. His Aura Induction''s potency would drastically fall. After all, his aura levels were only in the realm of Tier 3. And, every soldier atop the walls was at Tier 3.


    In such a situation, Jyorta wouldn''t be able to pull in the presences of the Swarm for his use. As the Lacquer Wave would continue for at least 2 years, his plans would be pushed behind by that much time.


    As for the energy needed to raise his Sync Rate, it would be abundant once he graduated. At least, he could make use of a Bone Family member. So, the only way to obtain enough presences was within the Labyrinth of Frenzy.


    ''Today is the 10th of November. I can stay within the labyrinth until 12th November ends. Beyond that, students cannot accumulate Credits, so I would be asked to leave. I only have until then to finish my setup.''


    His Soul Corneas entered the River Whale''s soul, vaporising the trace murkiness that had seeped into it. They then began siphoning the energy into his blue soul that was then converted into psychic energy to be fed into his Brain Crystal.


    His psychic arms turned blue, healing him, recovering his presence as it was being consumed. He kept the flow at an equilibrium, matching the usage of psychic energy be the same as the River Whale''s refilling capacity. He also kept his aura expenditure at the same level the incoming psychic energy using Regen could refill.


    With this, he could continue the process without any interruptions. The River Whale munched on the Lava Turtle carcasses while the Rigordile and Bundle Flea rested for some time before proceeding towards layer 4. He had commanded them to hunt more Lava Turtles.


    The Bundle Flea landed on the Rigordile''s back, curling itself into a ball. Suddenly, ripples appeared on the shallow waters, with the Bundle Flea being the epicentre. Its aura spiked all of a sudden, entering the realm of Tier 3.


    Sensing the change, Jyorta''s eyes widened in anticipation, "Is it finally activating its Tier 2 Skill?"


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªHair Burst!


    The Bundle Flea''s hair began to grow at an alarming pace, apparent to the naked eye. It grew a centimetre every second, expending the energy stored in its Heart Crystal. Two minutes later, the Bundle Flea retracted its aura, taking a bite out of a Lava Turtle before curling itself into a ball.


    It didn''t seem to have expended a great deal of energy in the process, still looking brisk. The Rigordile''s body faintly shuddered as it swam through the water, still reeling from the brunt of the Bundle Flea''s aura.


    Based on everything he witnessed, Jyorta judged the Bundle Flea was intelligent enough to save itself, even in a dangerous region like layer 4. Moreover, thanks to the effect of Brethren Bait, most of the Lava Turtles and the Hunter Clams on their backs¡ªpositioned at the entrance of layer 4¡ªwere injured.


    So, the risk they would pose to it wouldn''t be as much as before. Just to be on the safer side, Jyorta transmitted a command to the Bundle Flea, "If the situation looks life-threatening, use the Rigordile as a shield to save yourself. Swiftly return after that. Don''t care about its well-being."


    The Bundle Flea gazed his way, tilting its head to the side once before letting out cheerful cackles like a human baby. Jyorta''s skin crawled as he watched the two Frenzy Beasts move towards the path leading into layer 4.


    The River Whale still maintained the film of water around itself. Jyorta unleashed both his domains, keeping vigilant against any oddity that might arise. With the layers of protection, he was confident of surviving against any sneak attack.


    Now that his worries had abated, he focused his aura on the embryonic tattoo he had created, activating Aura Induction while using the aura personification of hallucination. He didn''t change the environment within the tattoo, still keeping it a blank space.


    The presence of the Frenzy Parasite was floating within, present in an inactive state. Before it died, he had siphoned its soul and stored it within a soul husk, intending to use it later. As it was sealed within the soul husk, there wasn''t any danger of it damaging the blue soul.


    Jyorta used his aura to enlarge the embryonic tattoo. It had only been the size of his nail when he had created it. Now, as he fed it his aura, it slowly became bigger and bigger. He had placed it on his back, positioned under the nape. Like the roots of a tree growing within the soil, the tattoo extended downward.


    He was laying the groundwork for the world, engraving all the concepts he had planned to install in place. He left the parts with the environmental factors empty, save for a couple of other elements. He just focused on firming the space where he could store more presences. That was his objective for now.


    He only planned to build it further at a later date, once he had stored enough presences and his aura had grown enough to create a bigger world. He didn''t wish to create anything that would use up a significant portion of his brainpower, reducing his battle strength.


    As it was a continuous process, a portion of his mental strength could be considered completely engaged. He didn''t wish to see that, so he limited himself to the storage capacity for now. "The volume of 41,90,476 cubic metres, I should consider filling it up entirely with the presences."


    The tattoo steadily grew in size, its design looking similar to a fibrous root.

 Chapter 393: The Tattoo World

    As it was just creating the basic setup, Jyorta didn''t have to think too much. He just used the base knowledge of his tattoos while inscribing it all over his body, imbuing it in his aura. Its stability was all he pursued. After all, a good foundation was a must to build anything of importance.


    In regular intervals, the Rigordile and Bundle Flea dragged in a Lava Turtle carcass, having killed it. Each carcass was covered in numerous injuries, showing that the battle was hard-fought. The injuries sustained by the Rigordile and the Bundle Flea too continued to pile up.


    If not for the existence of the Shoe Fishes covering its skin, the Rigordile would have long died from the high-pitched battles. Even with them protecting it, it was still wounded all over. The Shoe Fishes, despite possessing powerful defensive abilities, were still Tier 1 Frenzy Beats.


    So, over time, their defences were worn down by the attacks of the Lava Turtles and the Hunter Clams. When the Rigordile neared him and entered the range of his soul domain, Jyorta noticed almost half of the souls of the Shoe Fishes on it had disappeared. Just this alone showed the danger it faced every time it ventured forth to battle.


    "Alright, you can stop now," Jyorta commanded them to rest and recuperate. One or two more Lava Turtle carcasses would matter much in the grand scheme of things. But, a loss in the Rigordile would hinder him too much.


    It was a lot useful and could serve as the party''s tank, so Jyorta didn''t wish to throw it away without a solid reason. The Rigordile gobbled some Lava Turtle flesh and slammed into the shallow waters, opening its mouth wide as it entered a state of rest. It swiftly fell asleep in a matter of seconds.


    The Bundle Flea''s aura spiked again as it began to regrow the hair it had lost. The fight with the Lava Turtles almost made it bald. When its hair seeped into their flesh, it caught fire and just melted. Even if it stuck to just lash attacks, every contact still snapped and burned its hairs.


    Moreover, the Hunter Clams used their jelly-like tentacles to lash out in return, sometimes coiling around its hair to pull it towards the wounds of the Lava Turtles, using the heat in their blood to burn the hair.


    It faced a lot of difficulties. Time passed as its hair regrew to full capacity. The Bundle Flea consumed a large piece of a Lava Turtle, curled itself into a ball, and floated on the shallow waters. It had bulged thanks to its rapid eating.


    After swallowing a large portion of the Lava Turtles, the River Whale had closed its eyes to rest, only opening them again when it began to feel hunger. The constant fights had tired them out completely, so they were resting whenever possible.


    As Jyorta was constantly healing himself using Regen, he wasn''t tired. Regen was able to negate both physical and mental fatigue. If he had enough energy to sustain the expenditure, then Jyorta could continue to work without rest. Such was the might of this Unranked Skill.


    Madam Mary had put in a lot of consideration before creating this Unranked Skill. ''Automatic guidance to heal, recovery of physical and mental states, replenishing the expended presence, and regenerating any substance in the body back to its Nurtured state, Regen is amazing.''


    Jyorta got distracted as he began to admire the workings of Regen. Soon, he reverted to his task, focusing on enlarging the space within the tattoo world. It was basically the cohesive volume his aura personification of hallucination could function within, so he had a lot of space to build.


    Jyorta gazed at an intact shell of a Lava Turtle, motioning the Rigordile to set it aside. As for the rest, he allowed the Frenzy Beasts to consume them. On the Rigordile''s body, the Frenzy Parasites of the dead Shoe Fishes tried to drill out, as patches¡ªformed by their bodies¡ªfell off.


    Once they had died, their connection with the Rigordile''s nerves was cut off, and their hold automatically relaxed. As they fell, they created plopping sounds in the water. Jyorta pointed at the places based on the sound, watching the Rigordile pick up something from within and munch them.


    Even after their deaths, the Shoe Fishes were transparent, unable to be detected using normal means. Their smooth surfaces prevented any substance from attaching itself to them, be it blood, fat, grease, Essence of Frenzy, etc.


    The Rigordile ate them and began digesting their respective Heart Crystals. It wasn''t as efficient as swallowing a Heart Crystal using the Caterpillar or Centipede, but since they couldn''t spot the Heart Crystals, swallowing them whole was the only option.


    The Rigordile replenished its energy reserves in such a manner as Jyorta returned to his task, noticing the tattoo reach his hips. It continued to grow, soon reaching his ankle. The tattoo on his back was just a manifestation while he was imbuing it using Aura Induction.


    Once completed, it would fuse with his aura and disappear from view. After that, even if he loses a limb or two, the tattoo wouldn''t ever be affected. As he continued to expend energy, the River Whale ate at regular intervals before heading back to sleep.


    It would have taken him at least 2-3 years if Jyorta just used the energy he could replenish on his own. But now, he used the three Frenzy Beasts¡ªand the numerous Shoe Fishes attached to them¡ªas a collective whole to obtain the equivalent energy within a day.


    Jyorta remembered the time in Grapple Force when he used his Caterpillar to consume Heart Crystals. After consuming a lot of them, a white substance seeped out of his pores while his psychic energy became sluggish. He also suffered a drop in his Sync Rate as a result.


    But now, the River Whale was unaffected despite swallowing almost a hundred Heart Crystals. It was because it was no longer a single entity. The base substance making up the Heart Crystals wasn''t stored in its body alone but was also distributed between the numerous Shoe Fishes attached to it, sharing the load. Moreover, it was a Tier 2 Frenzy Beast and possessed a tremendous reserve of Essence of Frenzy that could break down the white substance¡ªthat made up the Heart Crystals.


    Everything combined made it possible for the River Whale to consume Heart Crystals without any side effects. Jyorta stored two Tier 2 Heart Crystals in his cuboidal pouch for emergencies, feeding the rest to the River Whale.


    The energy generated from it was siphoned using his Soul Corneas and used to bolster his tattoo. A day had passed during this time; Jyorta judged through his body clock that it was already the 11th of November. He had less than two days left within the labyrinth. When 12th November ends, he would be asked to leave the labyrinth immediately.


    "Finally, it''s done." Jyorta smiled, watching the tattoo span all his body, covering every inch of his skin. To not hinder it, Jyorta had to expend the remaining two tattoos he had prepared before. He used it on a Tier 2 Lava Turtle and a Tier 2 Hunter Clam respectively.


    The two Frenzy Beasts were currently standing beside the River Whale, obedient. The space within the tattoo now conformed to the volume of his hallucination''s effective usage¡ªa sphere with a radius of 100 metres.


    Floating within the space was the Frenzy Parasite''s presence. ''Now, I have to fill it up.''


    "Let''s go," Jyorta waved his hand, watching the River Whale take off to the air. The Bundle Flea landed beside him, resting its head on his shoulder. The Rigordile and the Lava Turtle slowly swam through the shallow waters while the Hunter Clam rode on the Lava Turtle''s back, accompanying other Hunter Clams.


    There were altogether five Tier 2 Hunter Clams on its back and 10 Tier 1 Hunter Clams. That was the sole reason he had selected this Lava Turtle to use his tattoo on. A Lava Turtle and a Hunter Clam were basically one package. By controlling it, he got extra help.


    As they would defend the Lava Turtle through any means necessary, all Jyorta had to do was send the Lava Turtle on the front lines. That would be his best bet. "Now, I can make the Rigordile survive longer."


    The group headed towards the entrance of layer 3, soon entering layer 2. The moment they entered layer 2, the Bundle Flea began stirring up the sand using its hair, creating a major commotion. It splashed forth the sands while raising a large dust cloud, also cackling with a loud voice.


    It did everything to disrupt the atmosphere in the layer, trying to grab the attention of all the Frenzy Beasts residing in the area. Soon, a couple of One-Horned Rhinos charged towards them, trying to impale the foes that disturbed their sleep.


    The Lava Turtle took in a deep breath before exhaling a jet of hot air, with sparks flashing amidst. The jet of hot air slammed into the One-Horned Rhinos, causing them to scream in pain. They tumbled to the sand, sliding along it as the skin on their faces melted, showing the bones beneath.


    The Hunter Clams on the Lava Turtle''s back sprang forth, using their jelly-like tentacles to wrap around the necks of the One-Horned Rhinos, tightening the hold continuously. Jyorta used the chance to activate his Aura Induction, pulling their presences into his tattoo world.


    He then watched the Hunter Clams slowly kill off the struggling One-Horned Rhinos. As they were only at Tier 1, they were unable to retaliate. When they were killed, Jyorta completely pulled in their presences using Aura Induction.


    He also took in their souls and stored them in their respective soul husks. He had been preparing a lot of soul husks for this occasion, accumulating them for the past month ever since he obtained Aura Induction. Now, he put them to use.

 Chapter 394: Mass Murder

    Once the two One-Horned Rhinos were killed, the Bundle Flea fished out their Heart Crystals. It then took a bite out of them, munching a tiny part of their legs. The Rigordile was fully satiated but still took another bite, in preparation for the upcoming fights. The River Whale didn''t even glance at them, for it was brimming with energy.


    Jyorta pocketed the Heart Crystals and gazed at the Bundle Flea, giving it a command. The Bundle Flea dragged the corpses to layer 3 and swiftly returned. It had used its hair to drag them while paddling through the way.


    The Lava Turtle began to shout, causing the sound to echo all over the layer. As it was silent, with a gentle wind flowing over the dunes, its shout didn''t lose much intensity when it reached the other end of the path.


    It then inhaled a deep breath and breathed out a hot gust of air on the dunes, raising a dust cloud, generating winds that disrupted the flow in the layer. It raised the temperature in its body, causing the air it exhaled to become a powerful wind flow, similar to the thrust generated from aircraft propellers.


    But, as it had to constantly inhale the air before exhaling the powerful breath, its disruptions were only intermittent. Still, it served to collapse the dunes, causing many traps inlaid in the area to be destroyed, alerting the Frenzy Beasts hidden under.


    Crust-Mantles, One-Horned Rhinos, and Steel Porcupines, Frenzy Beasts from the three races burrowed out one after another in droves. As usual, the Recrows were unfazed, not participating in the chaos after taking a glance at Jyorta.


    ''Are they something domesticated by Marble City?'' Jyorta had his doubts as he observed the actions of the Recrows every time he had explored layer 2. He then shook his head, intending to investigate at a later date, ''I have to focus on my development now.''


    More than a hundred Frenzy Beasts had burrowed out from the sands, mostly at Tier 1. With a swift inspection, Jyorta sensed the presences of eight Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts among the mix. Among them, only one was at the mid-stage of Tier 2, rest were all at the early stages of Tier 2.


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    Jyorta began his attack, making all the Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts fall under his hallucination. They just stared blankly into space, unsure as to what they had to do. The Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts resisted for 3-4 seconds before falling under his control. Finally, the Frenzy Beast at the mid-stage of Tier 2, a Steel Porcupine resisted for almost 10 seconds.


    Aura Induction!


    Jyorta felt the mental strain, experiencing a headache after exerting himself to such extents. His psychic arm turned pale blue and healed him, reducing the strain he felt by a large margin. As it continuously healed him, Jyorta felt somewhat relaxed.


    But, the psychic energy expenditure increased drastically. His psychic arms also had to shield the aura in the air and the heat the Lava Turtle was spewing out nonstop. They all increased his expenditure. Thankfully, he had the River Whale to bank on. His Soul Corneas supplied him with a steady stream of psychic energy and kept his energy levels at maximum.


    Once all the Frenzy Beasts that had appeared fell under his control, Jyorta gazed at his party, motioning for them to start working. The River Whale stayed silent, unmoving. Jyorta treated it as his mobile fortress, unwilling to make it fight unless the situation was dire enough.


    The other Frenzy Beasts were more than capable of doing the manual work, especially the Bundle Flea that was perfect for multitasking. Even the time it took to kill a Frenzy Beast varied greatly with respect to the others.


    In the time the Lava Turtle killed a Frenzy Beast, the Rigordile killed two, the Hunter Clam killed three, and the Bundle Flea killed three while also fishing out their Heart Crystals. Less than ten minutes had passed before they had killed all the Frenzy Beasts.


    The River Whale moved in conjunction with them, floating in the air. Jyorta moved to its underside, sitting upon its flipper that it had curved to hold him in place. Now, he was closer to the scene of carnage, the souls of the slain Frenzy Beasts within his range. He used it to safely pull in their souls and store them in their respective soul husks.


    ''Though, it would take me immense time to comprehend all their memory fragments. And, I can only proceed with that after I have vaporised their murkiness and corroded their ego. Everything would need a lot of energy.'' Jyorta sighed, ''Do I have no other choice but to target a Bone Family Shifter?''


    Only a Shifter and a Transformer in his Bone Family possessed the Unranked Skill, Bone Devour. With that, they could devour Frenzy Beasts and instantly replenish their energy reserves. With one of them under him, Jyorta wouldn''t have to be concerned about a lack of energy ever again.


    But, it wasn''t morally sound to do something like that. Even if he wished, Jyorta couldn''t hope to do it and be guilt-free. He would be plagued by it for the rest of his life, just like his memory of killing his classmates in school.


    Jyorta stored the souls in their respective soul husks while placing the presences within his tattoo world. The moment a presence appeared within it, it instantly entered a state of inactivity while its aura seeped out of the tattoo and escaped into the air. Only its presence¡ªits personification¡ªremained within the tattoo world now.


    The smell of the blood condensed, spreading throughout layer 2, luring in more Frenzy Beasts. The moment they appeared above ground, they fell under Jyorta''s hallucination, slithering on the sand as they appeared near him, getting killed by the Frenzy Beasts he controlled.


    Using Aura Induction, Jyorta spread his aura personification of hallucination throughout the layer, slowly eradicating the ambient aura in the region and replacing it with his. He also blasted a couple of weaker aura beams into the air to swiftly destroy the ambient aura.


    This way, his aura personification of hallucination travelled spread faster, getting increasingly potent. Three hours passed in such a manner before no more Frenzy Beasts drilled out of the ground. All the Frenzy Beasts in the layer had been killed, including the Recrows.


    Whether they were domesticated by Marble City or not, Jyorta wasn''t sure, so instead of wasting the chance due to doubt, he placed them under his hallucination and killed them using the Frenzy Beasts under him. "I have become a mass murderer."


    He sighed, noticing that he wasn''t perturbed with killing the Frenzy Beasts, even if the reason was just a desire to grow stronger. At his current level and foundation, they neither were a threat to him nor had they tried to kill him. Still, he killed them like mowing a lawn of all its grass.


    As someone who had once frowned upon the notion of killing to have become an individual that reaped lives like nothing; everything had changed within one year. Jyorta dared not think about how much more he would change after he was thrust into the real world after graduation. That time, he would come to face the real society dominated by the parasites.


    Once every Frenzy Beast in the layer was killed, the Frenzy Beasts under him dragged their corpses to layer 3 and piled it up there. The corpses created a hill range, touching the ceiling that was at a height of 30 metres.


    As layer 2 had loose sand while a gentle wind blew continuously, there was a good chance everything would be buried in a matter of hours. To prevent that, Jyorta made the Frenzy Beasts dump all the carcasses in layer 3.


    After that, they began feasting on them while Jyorta pocketed all the Heart and Brain Crystals the Bundle Flea handed over. Once they had recovered a fair extent of their energy reserves, Jyorta made the Rigordile carry the intact Lava Turtle shell while they headed towards layer 1.


    Arriving at the end, Jyorta faced the wall of web. With a command, the Rigordile smashed the Lava Turtle''s shell into it, using it to force its way through and tear it down. A large blanket of web fell on it, a resultant of its violence.


    The Rigordile used the Lava Turtle''s shell to shield itself and make a retreat. The shell remained stuck in the wall of web that had now been torn down. The Floating Spiders were stirred up from the commotion, their screeches following suit.


    The Spiked Lizards woke up and gazed at the end of layer 1, noticing the figure of the Rigordile that had been the source of the commotion. The Rigordile leaped and crossed the part of the floor covered by the web, making crunching sounds as its landing shattered some rocks.


    The Lava Turtle followed suit, unleashing hot air upon the web, slowly melting them until their adhesiveness disappeared. It then stomped on them and walked forward. The Bundle Flea followed suit, curling itself into a ball before crossing the area with a jump.


    Finally, the River Whale sauntered in, its hulking body blocking the retreat path. The Lava Turtle''s back shone with red radiance, faintly brightening up the area. Jyorta gave a mental cue to the River Whale, causing it to open its mouth and unleash a powerful roar.


    The rocks on the floor rattled, the sound coursed through the webs, vibrating them, causing unrest to both the Spiked Lizards and the Floating Spiders respectively. The Spiked Lizards hooted, jumping onto the walls or any large boulders they found. The Floating Spiders screeched, taking off to the air, swirling about as they proceeded to fly towards the source of chaos.


    The commotion frightened the Two-Faced Fireflies, causing them to take to the air and unleash light from their backs. The entire layer was instantly brightened, allowing Jyorta to watch the droves of Frenzy Beasts flying his way. He smiled, poising his hand towards the approaching foes.


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!

 Chapter 395: True Horrors Stem from Child-Like Curiosity

    Warning: The following scenes may be nauseating. Reader discretion advised.


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    The approaching Frenzy Beasts abruptly stopped, landing on the ground before prostrating. Just their subservient poses and his position high up in the air made him feel like royalty, a being with power that could dictate the lives of all under him.


    "This is not good," Jyorta muttered; the blue soul took action, extracting the related memories from the recent incident, corroding the ego and emotions he felt before sending them back to his brain, making it experience it numerous times until the feeling of royalty subsided.


    He also experienced a couple of other memories until he felt he was back on the right track. He then gazed at the Frenzy Beasts on the floor, silent, unmoving, forming a long line that spanned more than 40 metres. Something seemed to bud within him once again, making him feel like one that could dominate all lives.


    Aura Personification¡ªInsignificance!


    The memories of when Rhachis Ancestor Light interrogated him played as a loop in his mind, followed by the time he peeked into Laila''s soul. The sense of insignificance he felt in the two incidents attacked the emotion he felt while gazing at the Frenzy Beasts on the ground, annihilating the thought into oblivion.


    The blue soul switched the effect on and off, with Jyorta gazing at the Frenzy Beasts every time the effect was in an off state. Finally, only when the emotion completely disappeared did he sigh in relief and stop.


    Now, when he gazed at the Frenzy Beasts, he was in awe of the power and control he possessed but at the same time also feared it. This fear kept him in control, unwilling to see his powers go ablaze without control and harm his friends and family.


    "One must exercise self-control in his quest to power. Only then would he have no regrets when he looks back at the path he had trodden." Jyorta made the statement resound in his mind in a loop, wishing to hear it until he was fed up with it, but his body would instinctively recall it.


    As a Psychic Parasite, he knew that all it took was a single misstep for him to become crazy and enslave every living being he encountered, becoming a hive mind that acted based on instinct with a desire of slaughter to sustain itself.


    He was basically a one-man Swarm. If he didn''t exercise caution and indulge in self-control, he would become someone worse than Gajara Rahi. For, the world was developing every day while a fixed deadline existed, the day when Parasite path would come to an end.


    So, every living being, whether human or Frenzy Beast would strive to ensure their race''s survival. It would lead to an era of chaos, the perfect environment for a Psychic Parasite''s growth to accelerate.


    Jyorta gazed at the Bundle Flea and the others, commanding them to kill all the prostrating Frenzy Beasts. The scene that followed later made him throw up.


    Wiping his mouth clean with some water the River Whale had purified using its Trait, Jyorta heaved a sigh, using his psychic arms to clean the Heart/Brain Crystals before pocketing them. Even more Frenzy Beasts rushed towards them, lured in by the thick scent of blood.


    Jyorta raised an arm towards them, unleashing his aura personification of hallucination, instantly putting them under his control. The Frenzy Beasts saw the environment around them change, with all the accompanying Frenzy Beasts disappearing from view.


    A Floating Spider was startled, afraid as to why such a change occurred. But all of a sudden, it felt intense hunger, but there was nothing to feed on in its surroundings. Just when it was rattling its mandibles in hunger, a deep aroma of food wafted over to it.


    The Floating Spider immediately flew in the direction, noticing a large piece of meat on the ground. Moreover, it seemed to be the meat of a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast, judging by its sheer quality. The Floating Spider glanced around, also using its Tier 1 Skill to inspect the place for any traps, only making a move after confirming the situation numerous times.


    It landed on the floor, beginning to dig into the Frenzy Beast meat. In reality, it made the eating actions, but nothing went into its mouth. It was eating the air. Similar to it, every Frenzy Beast did the same action, creating synchronous clattering sounds that served to unnerve Jyorta.


    ''Why does everything I make them do turn me nauseous?'' Jyorta shook his head, giving the Frenzy Beasts under him the command to take action. Like before, he was seated on the River Whale''s flipper that it extended below its body, coming close to the ground.


    Now, the Frenzy Beasts that were slaughtered were within the range of his soul domain. As he was in such proximity, looking at the scene of carnage, he threw up before thanks to the Bundle Flea''s utterly charming actions.


    When a Floating Spider ate the air, the Bundle Flea inserted its hair through its mouth, piercing its brain as the hair spiked out radially, instantly killing it. Moreover, the hair extended all the way until they peaked out of the Floating Spider''s head, having pierced through its shell.


    Jyorta didn''t know why it did that, for piercing its brain alone killed it. But the Bundle Flea went overboard and pierced through the skulls of its prey. After that, it pierced through the Floating Spider''s body, ripping out its spine from the mouth, along with the heart before digging out the Heart Crystal from it.


    It smashed the spine on the floor a couple of times like a whip, killing the Frenzy Parasite before stuffing it back into the Floating Spider''s mouth. The indentations of the spine, the abrash stuffing, the folds it made, and the incessant clattering of the mandibles of the surrounding Floating Spiders, everything made his stomach churn.


    ''I will fast for a week after this and forget about food for the time being.'' Jyorta made up his mind. But since he had to pull in their souls, he had to keep his soul domain active. And since he had to pull in their presences, he had to keep his domain active and fill it with his aura.


    So, all the details were sensed by him through aura, which magnified the effect, making him throw up once again.


    If the Floating Spider was an Esper, the scene was dastardly. The Bundle Flea would first coil its hair around a Floating Spider, increasing the strength in them as it bound tighter and tighter, breaking the exoskeleton before turning the entire body into a pulp.


    It then wrung them dry until all their blood and flesh matter spilled out before pulling put the head, severing it from the body. Most of the time, the spine attached to the brain would be ripped out. At times, the brain would follow suit, twitching to survive.


    The Frenzy Parasites of Espers were unable to survive for long as they couldn''t slither like the Frenzy Parasites of Warriors. But, they could make use of the remainder of psychic energy in them to stay afloat for a certain duration, during which they could fly anywhere they wished to survive.


    Though, they crashed to the ground soon after. The Bundle Flea seemed to have a fetish revolving around that. The moment the brain of Espers took to the air, it used a strand of hair to pierce the brain and fish out its Brain Crystal.


    With its energy supply cut shot, the brain fell to the ground with a plop, turning into mush. It then twitched, with the brain muscles expanding to take on a serpentine form so that it could slither away.


    The Bundle Flea would then actually help it take on such a form by pulling at the brain muscles, kneading them, and coiling them accordingly, even going to the extent of severing the ones that hindered the process. It would even waste a hair strand to stitch the severed pieces to prevent any loss in blood.


    It carefully pierced through the brain tissues while stitching, making the result perfect without any leaks. Though, by the time this was done, the twitching brain¡ªthe Frenzy Parasite¡ªwould have died. The Bundle Flea would then sew it back into a brain, dump it within its respective body and leave it as is.


    It basically wasted time by doing all this nonsense. But, even then, it was still the fastest among all the Frenzy Beasts under him. The Bundle Flea killed four Frenzy Beasts at a time, so the time it consumed to play with them was minimised when looking at the overall process.


    "Why do you do that?" Jyorta questioned it using his aura, watching the Bundle Flea clean its body and turn around, tilting its head as it looked at him. It then cackled like a baby, its head coiling like a rope as it danced in the air.


    Jyorta frowned, ''What the heck is this Frenzy Beast? It likes to play around with its food?''


    That was basically what he made out from that weird gesture of the Bundle Flea. It was bored from the manual labour and wanted to play. And by play, it wanted to see what happened when it did certain things to the prey it killed. It was curious, its curiosity like a baby, but it didn''t have the mental blocks of one, even the mental blocks of a Steel Porcupine.


    Jyorta recalled that its soul was a cluster of the Steel Porcupine and the Shoe Fishes, while its body was a fusion of the two races, with the Shoe Fishes forming a large group. So, it was no wonder the Bundle Flea had become as messed up as it had, even considering how messed up Frenzy Beasts were.


    For, he knew that it was just the Bundle Flea''s curiosity at play now. The moment when its curiosity was sated, its true horrors would begin. It was what Jyorta could sense, as the one that had been the cause for its evolution.

 Chapter 54: Prequel to the Ceremony

    1st November, year 333 of the Dawn Era; the sun rose up, casting its gentle light on the cityscape, dissipating the mist that had formed, and generating a sense of warmth in the chilly air.


    7th Ring, Sector 12, Baker Street, 3rd Residential Complex; a certain house on the 28th floor had its silence disrupted by the shrill screams of an alarm clock, its monotonous sound reverberating through the air, echoing across the halls.


    7:00 AM, the sonorous buzzing of the alarm made the boy sleeping next to it feel irritated, tossing and turning around on the bed, clenching the bedsheet and wrapping it tighter around the ears.


    The alarm buzzed nonstop for 5 minutes, the body getting used to the sound, falling asleep once again. Despite the shrill noise, the sonorous sound that had the same repeating rhythm was soon glossed over by his senses, his slumber undisturbed.


    7:15 AM, another alarm buzzed, the sound arriving from a different location, its buzzing different. Like a chain reaction, the previous alarm too buzzed, its shrill sounds intermixing in the air, creating a distortion of noise, polluting the once peaceful surroundings.


    Irritated, the boy could no longer sleep. He got up, his eyes wide awake, gazing at the two alarm clocks that felt like they were competing against one another¡ªthe prize being his awakening.


    The boy looked at the time, feeling his eyes droop. "I can sleep for five more minutes."


    Making the two alarm clocks shut up, he draped the bedsheet over him, seething with bliss. With a relaxed expression, he slept. No sooner had he closed his eyes did the alarm buzz, its sonorous noise ear piercing.


    7:30 AM, the boy noticed the time, feeling tired. "I took a shit just before sleeping. My bowels are almost empty. So, I only need to brush my teeth and take a bath. I still have plenty of time."


    No sooner had he closed his eyes did the alarm ring once again, the two sounds of different pitch, frequency, and rhythm intermixing with each other, generating an astounding racket of noise.


    7:45 AM, the boy raised his eyebrow, slightly craning open his left eye, noticing the time. "Today is the Induction Day. I will probably swallow a disgusting parasite. What use is in brushing? Also, sister said everything will become messy at the end; so, do I even need to take a bath?"


    "Five more minutes," The boy murmured, covering his head with the bedsheet. Followed by the sound of a door being opened, Heima entered, dressed in a set of baggy clothes, covering the battle gear worn underneath.


    She walked towards the sleeping boy, her steps silent. She sent a kick to his stomach, giving him a slap on the head when he got up in protest. "Get ready!"


    She dragged him to the bathroom, pushed him inside, and locked the door. With a grumble, the boy began to freshen up, taking his sweet time emptying his bowels. Heima slammed against the door, urging him to hurry. Letting out an exhausted grunt, she went towards the kitchen, making her a cup of coffee.


    Holding a piping hot cup of coffee on her right, she flipped through the newspaper using her left, reading the headlines aloud, "A Shifter was jailed, heavily penalised for fleeing from the battlefield. Transformer Cosmi Tumbler has retired from duty, solely focusing on his Academic duties."


    "What? It''s already 8:30? Sister!" A voice trailed as a boy rushed out, a towel draped over his lower half. "We were asked to assemble at school by 8:30 AM. Sister, why didn''t you wake me up sooner?"


    "Take a look at the time," Heima pointed at the wall clock in the living room, her voice disinterested. The boy gazed at the time, his expression morphing into one of shock.


    7:30 AM, Heima gazed at him, noticing his developing muscles, adding a bit of masculinity to his lean frame. "I changed the time in your alarm clock to an hour early. Otherwise, you would never get ready on time."


    "So, I still have an hour?" The boy laughed, expressing his delight, heaving out a breath of relief. Humming a tune, he turned around, heading to his room to get dressed up.


    Donning a well-ironed white cotton shirt over his cotton vest, he calmly buttoned them, noticing an extra button at the end. Seeing that he had buttoned it wrong, he unbuttoned everything, beginning from the top.


    The black cotton pants were loose at the thighs but tighter at the legs, giving him the feeling of a jester. He then wore a half blazer atop his shirt, grunting. "Despite it being winter, it is still hot enough. This uniform is a pain to wear and has a stupid design."


    The belt had a logo of 4 inscribed on it, affixed within seven concentric circles, showcasing his affiliation to the 4th Academy in the 7th Ring.


    7:45 AM, he sat on the sofa in the living room, gazing at the clock. He then swerved his head to the right, gazing at his sister reading the newspaper with gusto, a second cup of coffee in her hands.


    "Sister¡­" He hesitated, swallowing his saliva, his eyes darting to and fro.


    "No games, just sit tight. We still have 15 minutes before the metro train heading towards your school will arrive." Heima replied, turning a page and gazing at a large banner of a man wearing a pair of shades, showcasing an array of spectacles at the bottom¡ªan advertisement.


    Her interest piqued, she looked through the spectacles, noting the address of the shop, planning to make a stop later. She then noticed Jyorta gazing at the wall clock, hands folded before him, his chin resting over them. His leg tapped on the floor, its rhythm rapid.


    ''He''s getting nervous,'' Heima sighed, planning to distract him when he abruptly stood up, rushing towards the restroom.


    "What happened?" She shouted, her eyes widening.


    "Loose motion!" Jyorta screamed, his figure dashing past her, in a fluster.


    7:58 AM, Jyorta returned, hand above his stomach, looking distressed. He looked uncomfortable, seemingly as if he would rush to the restroom any moment.


    "Let us depart," Heima placed her newspaper¡ªfolded perfectly along its folds¡ªon the glass table before her. Carrying a handbag, she fetched out her ID card and Jyorta''s, placing them both in a front zip.


    Wearing a school bag that looked heavy, Jyorta accompanied Heima, hurrying towards the metro station. The train had arrived by the time they reached, prompting them to break into a sprint to enter a compartment before the doors closed.


    "There''s a vacant spot at the end, sit there." Heima pushed Jyorta, making him occupy a vacant seat. A lady who had eyed the seat and was surfing through the crowd cussed in anger. Hearing her cuss, Heima laughed, sending a glare in her direction, shutting her up.


    She inched through the crowd, standing beside his seat, placing her handbag atop his school bag, all shifted to over his lap.


    "You know," She began, "They are launching a new game today. The one you had been anticipating for the past 3 months. What was its name again? ¡­Doragun Sash?"


    "Dragon Slash!" Jyorta shouted in excitement, covering his face immediately, hiding his embarrassment. "The launch is today? Great!"


    "I saw it in the news when you were taking a bath. The graphics were quite stunning. It also said it has a feature where you can control the movements of your characters using just voice input. How do you even use that?" Heima said, showing a look of curiosity.


    "It is quite simple," Jyorta spoke, his tone calm and steady. "You enter an interface where you can customise many actions to a single keyword. Suppose you want to move the character 5 steps diagonally to your right, you can set it to ''Jumbo''. So, whenever you say jumbo, the character moves five steps diagonally to the right. You can specify many things in this manner, and use whatever words you want to invoke them. Once you get the hang of it, it is quite fun."


    "The way you speak¡­" Heima laughed, "Is no different from a brat that just became a teenager."


    "It is good to be young," Jyorta sent a provocative stare at her, "Unlike a certain someone who gets called aunty by children. How many times was it in just this week?"


    "Brat," Heima tickled him, making his jerk violently. The middle-aged man seated next to him sent a glare his way, adjusting his overcoat whose ends were a bit crumpled due to his jump.


    "Hehe," Heima laughed, staring at him, disdain in her eyes, "You are 100 years too early to retort me."


    Jyorta let out a sigh, looking at the ceiling of the train, his expression etched with arrogance. "It is not my fault for being eternally young."


    Seeing his facial expression, Heima''s eyebrows twitched, resisting her urges to beat him up; a smile crept upon her face, ''He''s finally become calm.''


    8:20 AM, the metro train arrived at their stop; the two alighted, hurrying towards the inspection counter, waving their IDs through a machine that allowed them passage. Security personnel stood on the sides of the machine, their expression bored as they watched the flurry of people walking to and fro.


    Passing through numerous hallways, the duo began to sprint. They had less than 10 minutes to arrive at the designated location.


    8:29 AM, the duo arrived before a classroom labelled, ''11B'', Jyorta panting. Heima handed his school bag over, making him enter the classroom, "I''ll be waiting here. Don''t worry, you''ll be fine."


    "Okay," There was slight nervousness in his voice but, Jyorta entered the classroom, occupying his seat. Heima stood in the corridor, gazing at the students that entered. Either parents or legal guardians of the students stood in the corridor, creating a hushed silence, their face depicted with nervousness.


    ''He''ll be fine¡­'' Heima thought, noticing her lack of confidence. She then shook her head, opting for an optimistic mentality. Seeing that none of the people near her were familiar, she chose to remain silent, standing at her spot like an erect statue.


    There were hushed voices from some people, from the ones who apparently had an inkling of her identity. She could hear voices spouting ''Bone Family this¡­'' and ''Bone Family that¡­'' from them, making her shake her head.


    ''He can display his overwhelming advantage once the ceremony ends but, the ceremony itself is a big risk factor for him. Gajara too suffered from it, almost failing. I hope everything ends well.'' She thought, silently praying.


    A teacher entered the class, prompting the students to get up and greet her. She looked at the nervous faces of the students, her booming voice striking the eardrums of everyone present, "Everyone, follow after me. We will be moving to the topmost floor. Your parents or guardians will wait here."


    Without any noise, the students stood up, following after the teacher. Once they exited the class, they emerged into the corridor, forming a long line. As Jyorta entered the hallway, Heima approached him, whispering into his ears.


    "All the best!" With a nod, Jyorta walked away, following the line heading towards a lift that took them to floor 32, the topmost floor in the 4th Academy.

 Chapter 396: Dont Waste My Time

    Jyorta closed his eyes, panting as he felt a mild headache. The blue soul was on the verge of bursting, having expanded to the limits beyond which the memory fragments in it could sustain.


    In the domain of the soul, a soul could only grow based on the number of memory fragments in it. After all, the memory fragments acted as the foundation to sustain the soul''s energy, creating a functioning soul.


    In Jyorta''s soul, all the memory fragments of his previous life had condensed into a figure looking similar to his previous life''s self¡ªpossessing the face and body but lacking the limbs. When the blue soul was a Tier 1 Psychic Parasite, it only had the face. When the blue soul became a Tier 2 Psychic Parasite, it grew a body. Based on his guesses, it would next grow a limb every time he broke through to a higher Tier.


    Other than that, the memory fragments in the blue soul contained the previous Jyorta''s memories, his current memories, the memories of Floating Spiders and Crust-Mantles. They totalled to a worth surpassing a century.


    As he had yet to fully comprehend the memories of the Floating Spiders, the foundation they gave his blue soul was unstable. Thankfully, he had already comprehended the memories of the Crust-Mantle, allowing his blue soul to grow more.


    Thanks to this, the number of memory fragments he could house in the blue soul had increased. The Frenzy Beasts under him had completely annihilated all the Frenzy Beasts in layer 1, save for five Two-Faced Fireflies that were at Tier 2.


    Jyorta just left them alive, for they were always helpful to him in layer 1. He had obtained enough for the time being. His tattoo world was almost full, filled with the Frenzy Beast presences. He could still stuff in some more presences, but refrained from doing so.


    For, his soul could no longer contain any more Frenzy Beast souls. He had been storing them in soul husks as is, having not even vaporised their murkiness. So, they occupied a lot of volume. In the current vision of his blue soul, his soul was littered with soul husks used as sacks to store other souls.


    It had bulged to the extent it covered his body; the size had ballooned, with many places sporting cracks, showing signs of instability. Still, Jyorta had an inkling that the moment he comprehended a part of them, his breakthrough to Tier 3 would begin. He would become a Tier 3 Psychic Parasite.


    Moreover, he knew that if he comprehended all the memory fragments he had accumulated, even achieving Tier 4 Psychic Parasite wouldn''t be a dream. ''But, that is in the case I have enough energy to sustain the breakthrough.''


    His soul domain was a little less than 5 metres. He still had half the distance to reach the peak of Tier 2 after which his blue soul would automatically attempt a breakthrough to Tier 3. To achieve that, all he needed was to make the memory fragments his by comprehending them. Once the blue soul siphoned enough psychic energy to increase its size accordingly to the increased foundation, all preparations for a breakthrough would be complete.


    Jyorta commanded the Frenzy Beasts under him to pile up all the Frenzy Beast carcasses in one pile. The Bundle Flea gave him all the harvested Heart/Brain Crystals. Jyorta commanded them to rest and eat at regular intervals as he sent one Soul Cornea into the River Whale''s soul.


    His other Soul Cornea coiled around soul husks one after another, using the entirety of its length to its advantage. As the energy was supplied to the blue soul, the Soul Cornea exerted its influence, vaporising all the murkiness within the soul husks; the efficiency had increased as compared to before.


    The blue soul created one hundred soul tendrils, activating its corrosion, turning them all jet black. Another two hundred soul tendrils were created; they opened a soul husk¡ªafter the murkiness within had been vaporised. They began to work on the memory fragments, corroding the white layer on each. It was the ego of the individual coated on its respective memory fragments.


    As the jet-black soul tendrils corroded the white layer, the other soul tendrils worked in arranging them in order within the blue soul, creating a foundation for when he finished comprehending them. The process continued with unprecedented speed thanks to the unending supply of psychic energy.


    It took him almost half a day before Jyorta finished vaporising all the murkiness and corroded the ego attached to the memory fragments. His psychic arm had been healing him all along, ensuring his mind wasn''t overtaxed. If he didn''t possess Regen, he would have had to stop within the first hour.


    After all, the amount of attention he had invested in controlling 300 soul tendrils was strenuous. It would have ripped his mind apart if he attempted something like that three months ago. Jyorta looked at the massive structure created in his blue soul; the blue soul now possessed a radius of 30 centimetres.


    Its previous size was due to the murkiness that occupied a lot of space and exerted pressure due to its constant movement. Now, if he needed, Jyorta could store some more souls; it was precisely what he wished to do.


    Jyorta planned to store all the resources he needed in his plans for the next two years, except energy. The moment it was done, he noticed that there was still a pile of Frenzy Beast carcasses left in layer 1. After all, it had the greatest number of Frenzy beasts. Moreover, only the River Whale had been eating them to replenish its energy reserves.


    As the Lava Turtle and the Hunter Clam under his control hadn''t had their souls purified of the murkiness, Jyorta swiftly focused on that, commanding the others to begin eating. Even though they were feeling satiated, they still began to eat the Frenzy Beast carcasses.


    The moment he was done, Jyorta connected the souls¡ªof the Lava Turtle and the Hunter Clam¡ªto their respective Heart Crystals, siphoning energy immediately. The two Frenzy Beasts were stirred up, feeling an intense sense of hunger as their body burned their muscle mass to replenish the exhausted reserves.


    The two Frenzy Beast jumped onto the pile of carcasses and began gorging without any restraints. Jyorta then siphoned all the energy from the Bundle Flea next, followed by the Rigordile, and finally focused on the River Whale.


    The energy reserves in the River Whale were tremendous. And thanks to its size and the quantity of Essence of Frenzy it possessed, its replenishment rate was the highest of the lot. The rate of replenishment was one-tenth of the maximum rate his two Soul Corneas combined could siphon.


    Trait of Severability!


    Jyorta poured all the energy into the Trait, steadily increasing his Sync Rate. He had to expend as much energy as in a Transformer''s Heart Crystal to raise his Sync Rate by one percent. So, the growth was tremendously slow.


    Still, Jyorta continued with it, after all, the steady influx of energy¡ªadding everything contributed by the five Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts¡ªconformed to a quantity equivalent to a Tier 3 being every hour. It was a tremendous supply, with more than 65 percent supplied by the River Whale, and with the Rigordile supplying the other 34 percent. The remaining fraction was contributed by the other three Frenzy Beasts.


    As he was constantly making use of it as a battery, faint changes occurred within it. Jyorta noticed that the rate at which it generated energy had become twice as compared to the start. And, it continued to rise, surprising him at the evolutionary aspects the Frenzy Parasites imbued in the Frenzy Beasts.


    "No wonder a new race emerges every Decade." Jyorta nodded, feeling that the changes in the River Whale were beneficial to him. He needed to spend all the energy resources in the labyrinth to increase his Sync Rate as much as possible.


    Once all the Frenzy Beast carcasses on layer 1 had been consumed, the River Whale unleashed its Caterpillar, grabbing the Heart Crystals Jyorta gave it one by one. The Caterpillar consumed the Heart Crystals, starting with those at Tier 1.


    Generally speaking, the efficiency was greater when an Esper consumed a Brain Crystal and a Warrior consumed a Heart Crystal. But, after making use of the Rigordile once, Jyorta decided to stick with the River Whale.


    The Rigordile was slow, a lot slowed as compared to the River Whale. Moreover, thanks to the changes in it, the River Whale generated energy at greater levels than the Rigordile after consuming a Heart Crystal.


    Somehow, the essence of Frenzy in its body was even digesting the substance that made up the Heart Crystals. Once it was done, Jyorta made a mental note of the time left, "There''s not much time left. I have to hurry."


    The party proceeded towards layer 3, intending to finish the Frenzy Beast carcasses there. Though, the moment they arrived, they noticed the temperature had increased to a tremendous extent.


    The River Whale immediately increased the strength of the water film around it, entering a battle-ready state. Jyorta gazed at the Lava Turtles before him, frowning as he glanced at the pile of carcasses. A significant portion of them had been consumed.


    The dense smell emanating from the carcasses lured in the Lava Turtles from layer 4. By resisting the mental cue to proceed¡ªdepending on their strength¡ªdownward, the Lava Turtles used the time they gained to make a trip to layer 3 and gorge on the abundant flesh and blood, using it to heal their injuries at a steady pace.


    The moment Jyorta''s party arrived at the scene, they all glared his way, remembering the damage they suffered because of him. His two Soul Corneas siphoned energy from the River Whale while his two psychic arms activated Regen, healing him continuously. All were functioning at their maximum capacity.


    Jyorta raised his arms towards the Lava Turtles, "Don''t waste my time, damn turtles."


    Aura Beam!

 Chapter 397: Wave Controller

    Jyorta unleashed an aura beam by expending half his presence, creating a powerful spiralling vortex that blasted towards his foes. As the Lava Turtles were spread out, he couldn''t concentrate the beam enough, intending to suppress them with the first attack before focusing on each.


    But, as if they had expected it, the Lava Turtles unleashed more than twenty geysers, meeting the aura beam in the air, the collision of which resulted in the victory of the Lava Turtles. The geysers then slammed into the River Whale, sending it reeling back until it crashed into the wall at the entrance.


    The force spilled all the water from its film of water; the River Whale suffered from the impact. It hadn''t been able to divert all the geysers, for the quantity and momentum surpassed what its Trait could control. The slam into the walls sent Jyorta flying; just when he was about to crash into the walls, the Bundle Flea grabbed hold of him, creating a cushion using its hairs.


    "Ugh," Jyorta infused psychic energy into his body to negate the inertia, grunting as he felt pain all over. His capabilities as an Esper only allowed him to negate a fraction of the inertia. The River Whale slid over the walls, falling to the ground.


    The Bundle Flea landed on it, carrying Jyorta. On seeing three geysers fly their way, the Bundle Flea used the wall as a foothold while making its hair act as springs, springing forth in another direction to evade the attacks.


    Unfortunately, the River Whale was unable to evade, taking the brunt of the impact. Jyorta commanded the other three Frenzy Beasts to move as the Bundle Flea crashed into the boiling waters. He continued to expend psychic energy to shield himself from the boiling water while healing his internal injuries.


    The Rigordile swam through the shallow waters, activating its Tier 2 Skill as it lunged towards the nearest Lava Turtle, meeting the jelly-like tentacles of a Hunter Clam on its back. It was soon engaged in a deadlock, unable to swiftly defeat the other party.


    The Hunter Clams possessed an advantage, retreating into the Lava Turtle''s shell to dodge attacks while emerging from the numerous holes on it to retaliate. One Tier 2 Hunter Clam and twenty Tier 1 Hunter Clams retaliated against the Rigordile, preventing it from damaging the Lava Turtle.


    In the meantime, the Lava Turtle stored enough heat in its body, breathing out a hot breath of air that ignited into a stream of flames, slamming onto the Rigordile. The Rigordile screamed before retreating into the water.


    Transparent patches fell off from its body, making plopping sounds as they broke like glass. The Lava Turtle and Hunter Clam under Jyorta''s control arrived at the scene, unleashing flames all over the place.


    The flames were met by geysers that swiftly extinguished it, with the remainder slamming into the Lava Turtle. The Hunter Clams on its back formed a shield to defend against the geysers, getting damaged in the process.


    There were more than thirty Tier 2 Lava Turtles at the scene, with all of them focusing on Jyorta''s party the moment they entered. They spammed their long-ranged attacks, combining them into a whole to negate Jyorta''s attacks before pinning the River Whale down.


    The River Whale crashed into the shallow water, raising to a tide. Numerous geysers followed suit, slamming into it, not giving it a breather. Patches of the transparent layer on its body cracked and shattered like glass before falling to the shallow water.


    The River Whale had been knocked unconscious. Jyorta had fallen a fair distance away from it when he was carried by the Bundle Flea, so he couldn''t attempt to rescue it. The River Whale''s massive stature painted it as a big target for the Lava Turtles. So, the place surrounding it was filled with slamming geysers.


    ''At this rate, it would die.'' Jyorta noticed the Rigordile, the Lava Turtle, and the Hunter Clam he controlled struggle to fight, facing attacks from all sides. They were close to getting overwhelmed. After all, they were just regular Frenzy Beasts at Tier 2.


    The Rigordile swiped its claws, shredding the neck of a Lava Turtle while shrieking, for when its claws came in contact with the Lava Turtle''s blood, they began to melt. The Rigordile looked at both its claws, watching that they had become blunt, with more than half of it had melted. Patches on its skin peeled off, with even the muscles falling off at places, showing the bones beneath.


    The Bundle Flea paddled through the shallow waters, arriving before the River Whale as it created a shield using its hairs, preventing any boiling water in the geysers from leaking through. Jyorta inserted his two Soul Corneas into the River Whale''s soul, giving it a mental cue using a couple of memory fragments, sending it to its brain.


    The River Whale jolted awake, unleashing a torrential scream as the water around it was riled up, forming a vortex before converging towards it. Absorbing energy from its soul, Jyorta recovered his presence as he unleashed concentrated aura beams upon every Lava Turtle, starting from the ones at the front.


    The oddity he noticed was that the moment he faced his palm towards a Lava Turtle, a couple of Hunter Clams on its back would jump forth, coming in the way. They were the first to tank his aura beams, with the remainder born by the jelly-like tentacles the remaining Hunter Clams unleashed.


    The aura of the Hunter Clams and the Lava Turtle then eradicated all the presence in his aura beam, rendering his attack useless. His attack only managed to kill two Tier 1 Hunter Clams. To unleash a flurry of attacks, Jyorta had resorted to using Aura beams. For, unleashing them was simple and instantaneous. All he had to do was unleash his presence while focusing it upon an area.


    But, to unleash an Aura Personification, he had to erect certain preparations. Even though the blue soul could shorten it to almost an instant by making use of an existing template¡ªcreated by condensing all memory fragments needed to activate the respective aura personification¡ªto activate, it still needed some time. Moreover, without any rest, his mind wouldn''t be able to keep up with the overload of switching aura personifications quickly.


    The Rigordile, the Lava Turtle, and the Hunter Clam took the front lines, tanking the attacks of the Lava Turtles while trying to kill them. The Lava Turtle and the Hunter Clam fared the worst, for their enemies were the same as them.


    Even when the Lava Turtle under Jyorta''s control unleashed a flame breath, its opponents weren''t damaged much. After all, their bodies too were similar and could endure the heat. The Rigordile, on the other hand, managed to kill two Lava Turtles. But, it had already sustained grievous injuries as a result.


    Most of its skin had peeled off, melted by the Lava Turtles it fought against. It was panting, its body turning dry, losing moisture as it moved. Its claws had completely melted by now, leaving it to resort to punches and bites.


    Every time it bit the enemy, its mouth burned. It lost its tongue with the first bite, now its throat had been damaged to the extent even swallowing water proved to be difficult. Due to Jyorta''s orders, it had to continue the fight.


    Finally, a jelly-like tentacle coiled around its arm as the Rigordile lunged at a Lava Turtle and ripped out its neck. Blood leaked out of its throat that had melted; the same happened in its stomach.


    A group of angry Hunter Clams grabbed hold of its limbs, preventing it from moving as they coiled with greater strength, pulling it from all sides. The Rigordile shouted, its shouts soon decreased in strength as it had resigned itself to its fate.


    It glanced at the scene of the River Whale converging the water around it as its vision split into two. The Rigordile had died. The moment it died, the pressure on the Lava Turtle and hunter Clam under his control further intensified.


    The Lava Turtle was blasted by geysers from all sides, preventing it from even turning its head. The Tier 2 Hunter Clams on its back barely managed to hold themselves within its shell. The Tier 1 Hunter Clams had already been washed away, soon ganged up by the Hunter Clams on the back of other Lava Turtles they came across.


    The Lava Turtles floated on the water, encircling the two Frenzy Beasts under Jyorta''s control. They attacked it from all sides, making the Lava Turtle passively defend itself while taking damage continuously.


    Jyorta had been attacking all along while the Bundle Flea shielded him from the attacks, but he too was tied down, unable to rescue his Frenzy Beasts. He felt pain when the Rigordile died, for he had invested a lot of effort and energy in it.


    His expression morphed into one of anger, soon turning pale as the Lava Turtle and Hunter Clam too met their end. "Dammit."


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    In the hallucination, Jyorta didn''t change anything among those they perceived, be it the environment, aura, and the foes. All he did was mask the presence of him, the Bundle Flea, and the River Whale.


    The attacks slowed for a moment before Jyorta noticed his hallucination was disrupted. Moreover, a powerful presence slammed into him, making him shudder for a moment. The River Whale was knocked unconscious once again while the Bundle Flea unleashed its own aura, creating a blanket that protected it and Jyorta.


    The encirclement of Lava Turtles parted way at the centre as a Lava Turtle swam forth, its expression brimming with fighting spirit as it gazed at Jyorta, treating him as a worthy opponent. Jyorta turned serious, muttering, "No wonder it was this organised. So, you were the one leading them."


    It was a Wave Controller!

 Chapter 398: Probing and the First Exchange

    "A Wave Controller," Jyorta muttered, "Finally, I''m up against one."


    He was angry at it for disrupting his plans, for he was pressed for time. But, he also wished to know how he would fare against a Tier 3 Esper. After all, within the next two years, he would break through to Tier 3 and become the same as the being before him.


    Jyorta wished to know the strength of a Wave Controller; for, from Tier 3 onwards, the strength of Espers would trump Warriors and begin to display their true might. Still, the Lava Turtle before him wouldn''t have been a genuine Tier 3, for that would make the labyrinth incredibly dangerous for the students.


    After all, most of the staff monitoring the Labyrinth of Frenzy were Wave Controllers too. They were manned by some Ground Controllers, while everything was under the charge of Madam Mila, a Sky Controller.


    If the staff were careless for even a moment, then a student would lose his life from the Wave Controller''s attack. After all, psychic arms could phase through objects as long as they could move past the resistance offered. So, they could move through the floors without trouble.


    ''This Lava Turtle shouldn''t have been long at the Tier 3 realm, otherwise, the staff would have taken it out already.'' Jyorta thought, standing closer to the unconscious River Whale. He commanded the Bundle Flea to coil around him and defend him against any attacks.


    The Bundle Flea jumped over him and coiled around his hip, acting as his belt while spreading its hair, enveloping Jyorta. Soon, it created a hair armour, layering it over Jyorta''s armour, raising his defence to staggering levels.


    The Wave Controller Lava Turtle stared in silence as he completed his preparations. It exuded a powerful presence, possessing a lot of weight in the feedback his aura transmitted. The other Lava Turtles moved a bit to the back, occupying all the space in a 60-metre length behind the Wave Controller Lava Turtle.


    Jyorta fully healed himself of the internal damage and recovered his presence to its maximum. Protected by the Bundle Flea''s hair, he wasn''t afraid of snapping like a thread under an attack. The Bundle Flea was intelligent enough to cushion the damage before withstanding the rest, keeping the shock he felt to the minimum.


    ''This is also for the better. The quality of energy in a Wave Controller''s Brain Crystal should give me a greater boost than consuming all the Frenzy Beast carcasses here.'' Jyorta thought. If it was just absorbing the energy in a Heart/Brain Crystal, he wouldn''t be getting enough energy to accumulate an advantage.


    After all, the substance that made up the Heart/Brain Crystal couldn''t be digested by the Caterpillar or Centipede and would just accumulate within the body before getting expelled slowly. But for some reason, or thanks to Jyorta''s actions on it, the Essence of Frenzy in the River Whale had evolved to digest it, obtaining twice the energy contained within the substance that made up the Heart/Brain Crystal.


    Because of it, Jyorta was reaping thrice the benefit. So, consuming a Wave Controller''s Brain Crystal should produce even greater results. Jyorta took in a deep breath, "Let''s do this."


    He glared at the Wave Controller Lava Turtle, unleashing an aura beam, compressing until its breath was only as thick as his arm. The aura beam was like a rod that spun before slamming into the Wave Controller Lava Turtle.


    The aura beam travelled through the air, shredding the presence in it apart while it passed through, compressing before hitting like a javelin throw. But, at the moment of impact, it dispersed like a wave, the presence within scattering towards the sides before it was consumed by the ambient aura.


    Jyorta frowned, sensing a thin plate appear before the Wave Controller Lava Turtle''s face. He noticed three psychic arms emerge from its head before condensing into the plate. The plate was undamaged by the attack, or even if were, it had recovered before Jyorta could sense it.


    Moreover, instead of withstanding it head-on, the Lava Turtle dispersed his aura beam, its expenditure being negligible. On the other hand, he had wasted a tenth of his aura in the attack. If not for the River Whale, just the first exchange alone would prove he was in a losing battle.


    The Wave Controller Lava Turtle opened its mouth, condensing a ball of flame within. Psychic energy converged into it, adding a spin to it, firming its structure as its Trait increased the intensity of the flame.


    It launched the flame bullet towards him that shot forth like a cannot ball, containing tremendous heat. The hair forming his armour elongated, coiling together to form a hammer that lashed out like a whip, swatting the flaming bullet sideways.


    The power it could deliver was lacking, only diverting the attack until it barely avoided scraping Jyorta. Moreover, the hair forming the hammer burned, sporting a massive hole in the centre.


    It could sense the pressure of the upcoming battle, so the Bundle Flea activated its Tier 2 Skill and started to regrow its hair. Jyorta seeped a Soul Cornea into its soul and poured in some energy, replenishing its reserves. He was depending on it for defence, so he didn''t wish to see it run out of energy during the time of necessity.


    Jyorta and the Wave Controller Lava Turtle were separated by a distance of 25 metres. To the back of his right lay the River Whale; its head was positioned near him, with its tail end trailing towards the back before reaching the flight of stairs.


    The Wave Controller Lava Turtle hadn''t been long in Tier 3 yet, so its psychic arms hadn''t grown to the extent of reaching up to 25 metres. At most, its range would be 15 metres. Any more and it would become dangerous for the students.


    At its current range, it was almost four times Jyorta''s. Moreover, it had three psychic arms and as a Wave Controller, it could actuate its psychic energy in three directions simultaneously. This fact alone gave it a tremendous advantage, a reason Espers became stronger than Warriors from Tier 3 onwards.


    Line Controllers could only move their psychic arms in one direction. To change direction, they had to retract their psychic arms into their brain before unleashing it in the direction they needed. Line Controller psychic arms moved in one dimension.


    Area Controllers could move their psychic arms in two directions simultaneously. While moving it, they could expand in one direction, or add a spin to the carried object. Area Controller psychic arms moved in two dimensions.


    Finally, Wave Controller psychic arms moved in three dimensions. So, they could enact everything that happened in a three-dimensional world. At Tier 3, an Esper unlocked his/her true power.


    Seeing that Jyorta stood beyond its range, the Wave Controller Lava Turtle didn''t try to close in but instead chose to infuse its psychic energy in its regular attacks. This way, it could manipulate the attack to greater precision and control.


    Though once emitted, it could no longer control the attack, for its connection with the psychic energy in the attack was severed. But, it could design and modify everything until that point. Just this fact alone made a probing attack of it possess tremendous power.


    After all, the Wave Controller Lava Turtle looked no bigger than an Amplifier Lava Turtle. Espers possessed smaller bodies than their Warrior counterpart. It had been shielding itself using its psychic arms all along. Only when it revealed itself did Jyorta sense its existence.


    The two sides finished round one of their probing. Jyorta was slightly disadvantaged in the exchange. He still had the River Whale''s energy to rely on, but similarly, the Lava Turtle had the territorial advantage to rely on.


    The boiling water ensured it didn''t have to consume much energy to heat it to launch the attack. The Lava Turtle opened its mouth to launch a second attack when Jyorta unleashed his aura personification of hallucination upon it.


    The hallucination disrupted its concentration for a moment. But, it seemed like the Lava Turtle possessed many brains to function, for the attack generating within its mouth experienced no obstruction, soon launching at Jyorta.


    This time, it was concentrated steam, possessing as much momentum as a geyser. The steam slammed into him as the Bundle Flea blocked everything, preventing the steam from seeping inside. But steadily, its hair was heating up. It was only a matter of time before it became hot enough to catch fire.


    Jyorta increased the output of the hallucination, the first time making territorial changes since his exploration had begun. Slowly but steadily, the Lava Turtle watched the water level surrounding it decrease before the floor was devoid of moisture.


    Soon, the floor started to crack up as patches came off and floated to the air before disintegrating. Slowly, but steadily, the floor started disappearing. Underneath it wasn''t the ground but the blackness of space.


    A sense of vertigo enveloped it as the Lava Turtle felt it moving upwards when it fired an attack. The attack acted as a thrust that propelled its body, moving it accordingly while adding a spin to it. It was in the space, lacking air to breathe and a footing to anchor itself.


    As it spun in space, it saw a greyish-white celestial body come into view in regular intervals, sporting thousands of craters on its surface. In every mid-point of the intervals, a blue celestial body came into view, giving it a feeling of warmth, peace, and happiness. The celestial body induced a sense of longingness in it.


    The Lava Turtle erupted with psychic energy that wafted out of its head like a torrent, noticing patches of the space fall off, replaced with the familiar surroundings. But, it immediately started to heal, the damaged patches reappearing in their original positions.


    Just this fact alone alarmed the Lava Turtle, causing it to erupt with greater intensities of psychic energy, watching the space fully collapse as it found itself back within the shallow water.

 Chapter 399: All-Out Clash

    "Again!" Jyorta shouted, using his aura personification of hallucination at maximum capacity. The Wave Controller Lava Turtle unleashed its aura in a torrent, amplifying it using its psychic energy, continuously breaking out of his hallucinations.


    It then launched flame attacks of all shapes and forms at him. The Bundle Flea protected him against the attacks while continuously regrowing its hair. One of his Soul Cornea poured energy into its soul while the other siphoned energy from the River Whale''s soul.


    The replenishment was unable to keep up with the expenditure as Jyorta found himself getting steadily cornered. He was using his Regen to recover his aura while maintaining the aura personification of hallucination.


    From the start of the exchange, both the parties hadn''t moved even once. For, they both were held back because of their comrades and requirements. To prevent Jyorta''s attacks from affecting the other Lava Turtles, the Wave Controller Lava Turtle focused his attacks on itself.


    And, to prevent the Wave Controller Lava Turtle from attacking the River Whale, Jyorta had to face all its attacks head-on. They both tied up each other using the other''s weaknesses. This way, both the parties remained unmoving and attacked each other.


    Aura Induction!


    Jyorta used his trump card, slowly inducing the effect of the hallucination into the Wave Controller Lava Turtle. His first hallucination was instantly broken by the Lava Turtle. But, after using Aura Induction, as he steadily induced a tattoo in it, the duration it existed under the effects of his hallucination steadily increased.


    Aura Personification¡ªInsignificance!


    Jyorta felt some mental strain as he activated a second aura personification, aiming it at the Wave Controller Lava Turtle. The Wave Controller Lava Turtle gazed at the figure of Jyorta, watching it steadily increase in size.


    It swiftly infused a psychic arm into its body, unleashing a wave of psychic energy that acted on its muscles, changing the secretion of hormones, actuating a minor change in its nervous response. It controlled its mental state by actuating its body''s response index, exhibiting a feeling of superiority.


    This feeling of superiority clashed with the insignificance Jyorta inflicted upon it, suppressing and destroying one another. When Jyorta increased the output, it retaliated similarly by using a greater quantity of psychic energy.


    ''Dammit! This is why Espers from Tier 3 onwards are troublesome.'' Jyorta mentally cursed. Using their psychic arms, Espers were able to affect the emotions and mental states of themselves and others. To them, it was an easy feat.


    They were able to achieve this from Tier 3, with the effect becoming pronounced in potency as the Tiers increased. A Ground Controller was able to make the manipulated emotions and mental state seem perfectly natural. Such was the reason they were hard to defeat.


    Warrior Skills such as Mental Calm and Mental Frenzy acted on the body and affected the mind. For Espers from Tier 3 onwards, they could similarly affect the related glands and secrete hormones to counter the effects of the Tier 3 Skills. And, considering their superior brainpower, they could manipulate the emotions more intricately and overwhelm the Skills.


    So, the only way to win against Espers was to brute force through their psychic arms and destroy them until they run out of psychic energy, finally dealing the finishing blow. This was the only way to kill them. Now that he was against a Wave Controller, Jyorta felt it was all the more true.


    His aura personifications were getting countered as swiftly as he unleashed them. Moreover, as time passed, the Wave Controller Lava Turtle compiled data against the intricacies of his aura personifications, developing the formula to instantly negate them.


    Upon the third try, his aura personification of betrayal and insignificance were rendered useless. As the aura personification of hallucination was limitless and could be varied into any form, it was unable to be countered. Jyorta continuously changed it, preventing the Wave Controller Lava Turtle from devising a countermeasure.


    ''I hope this works.'' Jyorta muttered, using his Soul Cornea to send numerous memory fragments to the River Whale''s brain, forcefully making it conscious. Based on his inputs, the River Whale pretended to be asleep while gathering water under it, to retaliate upon a moment''s notice.


    ''I can only hope the remaining 70% of my aura is effective.'' Jyorta muttered, using a psychic arm to fish out the Tier 3 Relic, Dynamic Brethren Bait from the cuboidal bag. Even after the two psychic arms healed him, his aura expenditure surpassed them.


    Now that he used a psychic arm to control the Tier 3 Relic, his aura replenishment rate fell by almost 40 percent. It was because he had used his weaker psychic arm to control the Relic. If he had used his stronger psychic arm, the replenishment rate would have decreased by 60 percent.


    Jyorta focused, tolerating the intense headache as he converged all the aura in his body towards the palm on his right, condensing it into a spot while compressing it to the limit.


    While he was preparing his strongest attack, the Wave Controller Lava Turtle too was doing the same. The Hunter Clams on its back stirred up, using their jelly-like tentacles to form a protective cover on the Lava Turtle, with some using their shells as shields.


    The Wave Controller Lava Turtle''s body bulged as it absorbed a lot of water through its tail. It converted the water into steam and compressed it, shrinking its volume to less than what it occupied while in a liquid state.


    Its psychic energy helped compress it, pressuring it while its Trait increased the temperatures within, soon arriving at a point where its own body was unable to endure the built-up power. The Hunter Clams on its back activated their Skills, defending its body to their utmost ability.


    Its aura shot to the peak, causing waves to form on the shallow waters, alarming the other Lava Turtles that began to retreat in fear. They gazed at the entrance of the path in unison, seeing the air there shudder, forming gales, turning still at moments before resembling a volcano in the other.


    Two beings, a human, and a serpentine Frenzy Beast had also erupted with their aura, both in the realm of Tier 3. The Bundle Flea directed its aura on the Wave Controller Lava Turtle, keeping its aura in check while Jyorta prepared his attack.


    Within the blue soul, the blue face shot its eyes open, opening its mouth as it breathed out a jet-black smoke. The smoke seeped out of the blue soul and travelled through the connection it shared with the body, slowly entering Jyorta''s aura.


    His presence generated the effect of corrosion, suffusing it in the aura attack he was preparing. The Bundle Flea covering his body shuddered in fright for a moment; all its hairs trembled in fright, like a baby abandoned within the snow mountains.


    As the Soul Corneas seeped energy into him, his stronger psychic arm consumed it while using Regen to continuously recover his aura levels. Jyorta sent the recovered aura into the palm on his right, trying to accumulate strength in it while the Lava Turtle prepared its attack.


    Both were biding time, unwilling to launch the attack early, seeing the defensive preparations the other party erected. They wished to use their strongest attacks to break through the opponent''s defence.


    Jyorta''s weaker psychic arm placed the Tier 3 Relic within the water, activating it. The mist turned transparent upon mixing with the water, moving towards the Lava Turtles.


    Based on the angle he had aimed it towards, the moment it crossed the Wave Controller Lava Turtle, the mist gushed out of the water and moved towards the Lava Turtles, alarming them for they knew what it signified.


    Through its domain, the Wave Controller Lava Turtle realised his plan but didn''t do anything, for the time being, opening its mouth the moment it finished its preparations. It was dark inside, its throat unable to be seen.


    But immediately, light that was a mixture of red-and-yellow radiated from within as a stream of plasma ejected out. The Wave Controller Lava Turtle had gone all out with the attack, unleashing a plasma wave that beamed towards Jyorta.


    "Hah!" Jyorta bellowed, unleashing his aura beam. Unlike before, it was visible to the naked eye now, a jet-black stream that moved forth, corroding everything in its path. The blackness stemmed from the air it had corroded, the resultant absorbed all the light in its path.


    The black and red beams collided with one another, annihilating their counterparts in the opposing forces. The Lava Turtle''s psychic energy destroyed Jyorta''s trace psychic energy contained in the aura beam. On the contrary, his aura destroyed the Wave Controller Lava Turtle''s aura in the plasma beam.


    The heat in the plasma beam burned through his aura while his corrosion corroded it in return, turning it into a substance that possessed a higher melting point. The River Whale shot its eyes open, pulling out all the water it had collected, turning it into a vortex sphere that revolved around Jyorta, acting as the first line of defence.


    It had a pointed end, facing the plasma beam that slammed into it, giving rise to steam as it swiftly penetrated through the film of water. The water swirled about, expending all its reserves as it vaporised, expending as much of the heat in the plasma beam as possible.


    On the other side, the Hunter Clams used their shells to first come into contact with the aura beam, combusting their flesh to generate aura that mixed into the aura beam, hindering its progression. They then formed layers and layers of defence using their jelly-like tentacles to defend against the aura beam, trying to negate it as much as possible.


    In Jyorta''s side, the water was fully expended as the plasma beam slammed into a dense overgrowth of hair the Bundle Flea had created, swiftly burning through it as more and more hair came in its way.


    Steam rose as the air cracked, causing sparks of lightning to flash amidst.


    --------------------


    If you wish to see this poor author get an Adaptation (Movie/serial/animation), please read my second novel, "Murim Recurve" and show it support. The greater the support it receives (Votes, Gifts, Coins, Reviews, Comments), the greater the chance for it to get an adaptation. If that book wins an Adaptation Reward, I promise I''ll use my own funds to release the comic version of Psychic Parasite (Free to read, of course) for you, my beloved readers~


    --------------------

 Chapter 400: Battle Monger

    Mist billowed, blanketing the entire layer. Hot gusts of air streamed about as sparks flickered through it intermittently. Bolts of lightning flashed past while the sounds of thunder resounded. The Lava Turtles had retreated far away; half of them had even descended to layer 4 to avoid the resulting chaos.


    The Wave Controller Lava Turtle stood in a daze, its body still. The Hunter Clams that had defended it had their arms hung over its neck, with their shells floating on the water. They were motionless; their shells sported numerous cracks while their bodies had turned into jelly, oozing out as goo.


    Positioned before its face was a transparent film, made by combining all three of its psychic arms. Currently, it sported a 15-centimetre-wide hole, looking similar to a glass that had been shattered. Positioned right behind the hole was the Wave Controller Lava Turtle''s head, its eyes blank, unfocused.


    Steam rose from its body, turning heavy as it fell on its shell, forming a layer of ice. The Lava Turtle was absorbing heat rapidly, without control to curb its deficit, freezing the air around it. The skull on its head had caved in; a thin stream of blood leaked out of its eyes; the eyeballs had cracked.


    At the start, it had almost 15 Hunter Clams on its back defending it. Now, none of them was alive, their bodies melting out of their shells that had cracked. Their respective Frenzy Parasites had died without even putting up an ounce of resistance. They had melted along with their hosts.


    A cold breath of air exited the Wave Controller Lava Turtle''s nostrils, blowing away the hot air surrounding it. The temperature in the area dropped down rapidly as the Wave Controller Lava Turtle''s shell began to glow red.


    Just when it seemed like its body would regain the lost heat, a loud cracking resounded as a line formed on the Wave Controller Lava Turtle''s shell. The line grew deeper and deeper as it branched out from the middle like a fibrous root, creaking towards the entirety of the shell.


    Followed by crunching sounds, the shell cracked into numerous pieces, falling off as it displayed a mound beneath. The bare muscles twitched and thumped as blood spurted out from many junctions. The colour of the skin turned increasingly pale as the Wave Controller Lava Turtle panted, feeling a sluggish sensation all over its body.


    Lying 40 metres away from it, sprawled in the water was a humanoid figure, motionless. It was Jyorta, his skin had completely melted, including parts of his facial muscles. The skin had melted over his eyes and nose, preventing him from seeing and breathing.


    His mouth was slightly opened, the melted lips had leaked from the sides. A muffled coughing sound resounded from his mouth as his adam''s apple throbbed up and down. He was weak, unable to even move. His presence was almost negligible, like a rock strewn at the side of the road.


    The blue soul looked at his state, connecting to the brain with ten soul tendrils, manually actuating all neural responses using its memory fragments. A thin psychic arm exited his head, seeping into the body as it expanded slowly until it overlapped him completely. It then turned pale blue, slowly mending his injuries.


    Floating on the water next to him was the Bundle Flea, now bald. The longest hair it possessed only spanned a couple of millilitres in length, while the total number of hairs it retained now numbered in the double digits. It stared at Jyorta weakly while swerving its head, imprinting the figure of the Wave Controller Lava Turtle in its mind.


    It slowly slithered, inserting its tail through a hole in Jyorta''s armour, dragging his body towards the exit. In the place of his arms were now stumps while a melted goo floated on the water, trailing from the stumps. The pain had long since overwhelmed his nervous system that the brain had cut off the connection to the areas.


    When defending against the plasma beam, despite all the erected defences, it still reached him. Jyorta had to shield himself using his hands, which then led to the current situation. Thankfully, his attack too did damage on the other side, so the plasma beam was fully expended by the time it melted through his hands.


    "I¡­am¡­fine¡­" Jyorta''s weak voice resounded as he slowly got up. The skin on his face peeled off and fell as patches to the water, revealing the squirming muscles beneath. A new layer of skin grew over it slowly, similar to the rest of his body.


    His presence too began to recover, albeit at a slow pace while Jyorta slowly turned his head, gazing at the River Whale, watching it bleeding profusely. To defend him once its water defence had been expended, it used its flippers to bear the brunt of the plasma beam, giving the Bundle Flea some more time to regrow the hairs that had been burnt. It even went to the extent of using its coral horns to block the plasma beam.


    The River Whale was bleeding all over; more than half of its flippers had been melted under the attack while its coral horn had disappeared. It fell unconscious once again. Based on the position of its eyes, it had last glanced at Jyorta while retaining the last vestiges of its consciousness.


    Patches on its skin peeled off as the Bundle Flea cried out in pain, its voice similar to a human baby''s. Jyorta floated on the water as he used a tiny fragment of his recovered aura to give a command to the Bundle Flea.


    The Bundle Flea activated its Tier 2 Skill, slowly growing its hair while it shuddered in pain. It too knew that it was completely defenceless now and had to grow it swiftly to prepare against threats. Receiving Jyorta''s command, it swerved its head, staring at him in confusion.


    On seeing Jyorta reassure it through his aura once again, it joined the hair that had grown into two paddles and rowed through the water, using its tail to pull him across. His head was positioned towards the Wave Controller Lava Turtle while his feet faced the opposite direction.


    The eyes of the Wave Controller Lava Turtle trailed over his figure that came closer and closer before stopping a metre before it. It then watched the skin on his face finish forming as the hair on his eyelids grew back; his eyes shot open.


    The iris recovered, imbuing in him sight once again as Jyorta stared at the Wave Controller Lava Turtle''s face. His mouth finished healing before curling up into a devilish smile, "You almost killed me, bastard."


    "But," Jyorta laughed, followed by a couple of coughs, "If you cannot kill a healer, you will die next. Remember it in your second life."


    The Wave Controller Lava Turtle stared at him in silence, breathing out a cold breath. Its nostrils started to freeze as ice formed on its head. Its skin started to peel off, making splashes as it fell in the water.


    Its muscles broke into individual strands, uncoiling as they bloomed like a flower before snapping at numerous segments, causing a hail of strands that fell to the water. They dissolved into the water immediately.


    The muscles in its legs fell off similarly as the nerves flailed about like suspension cables that had been cut. They then snapped and fell along with the tendons and ligaments, leaving the bare bones behind.


    The bone joints crashed into each other, getting stuck as their ends melted, joining together into a unity. Every bone in its body behaved the same as its muscles fell off as pieces, with the muscle strands opening up.


    Every hydrocarbon chain in its body reacted and broke down into simpler compounds, breaking up all the structures. The organs fell to the water, breaking into numerous strands immediately upon the impact that dissolved within a couple of seconds.


    "See, I told you so." Even though he was still floating on the water and gazing at the Wave Controller Lava Turtle in reverse, Jyorta didn''t seem bothered, his eyes flashing with a desire for slaughter, "You failed to kill me, so you die as a result. Your body has soaked my corrosion, so your chances for survival is pretty much zero."


    "Don''t be an idiot in your second life."


    Aura Induction¡ªTattoo World!


    With most of its aura expended from the exchange, the resistance it could offer wasn''t much. Moreover, its body was failing, dying bit by bit, so it was soon pulled into the effect of his Aura Induction.


    The Wave Controller Lava Turtle found itself within a blank space as its eyes felt heavy, slowly closing shut. The words of Jyorta and his devilish face was the last thing that resounded in its mind.


    The Soul Corneas wrapped around its soul, pulling everything into the blue soul before storing it in numerous soul husks that had been emptied now. As it wasn''t long in the Tier 3 realm, it hadn''t formed that natural barrier around its soul. So, it was easy to pull out its soul.


    The blue soul also pulled in the soul of its Frenzy Parasite. After all, the presence of the being and its respective Frenzy Parasite was a unity. There was no practical difference. That was what fusion meant, which was what the Parasites¡ªwhether Wisdom or Frenzy¡ªachieved. So, to understand its presence better, he had to siphon both the souls.


    "Do the honours, Bundle Flea." Jyorta smiled, watching the Bundle Flea extend a rope¡ªmade by coiling one hundred hair strands¡ªinto the Wave Controller Lava Turtle''s open brain before fishing out its Brain Crystal.


    Halfway along its retrieval, the brain melted into mush. Grabbing its Brain Crystal, the Bundle Flea pulled Jyorta towards the River Whale.


    Jyorta sent his Soul Cornea into the River Whale''s brain, forcefully summoning its Caterpillar by actuating the brain''s commands. The Caterpillar swallowed the Brain Crystal, looking scared at it gazed at Jyorta''s expression. The River Whale continued to bleed without stopping.

 Chapter 401: Producing Essence of Frenzy

    The influx in energy was too much for the River Whale to handle. The tendrils of blood making up the Caterpillar burst one after another as new tendrils emerged, coiling into its form to reinforce it. The body of the River Whale faintly shuddered every time it happened.


    When the energy poured into the River Whale''s Brain Crystal, it was swiftly siphoned into its soul that bulged. The bulge soon disappeared as the energy was distributed between all the souls and their respective Heart Crystals.


    This way, it avoided suffering from an overload. The two Soul Corneas siphoned the energy at the maximum possible rate, sending it into the blue soul that then poured into his Brain Crystal.


    His psychic arms first healed his injuries, stopping the bleeding before covering up the wounds. He didn''t focus on regenerating his arms. For, that would consume most of the Tier 3 Brain Crystal''s energy. Jyorta wasn''t sure of the exact specifics, as he hadn''t ever had to regenerate his limbs before, nor other''s.


    So, he didn''t know the exact energy requirements to perform the task. All he knew was that it consumed a lot of energy that he wasn''t willing to part, ''Once I return, the nurses would heal me back to full health anyway.''


    That was what he thought, calculating everything based on his requirements. The blue soul suppressed any pain he felt, only transmitting pure information to his brain.


    A moment later, Jyorta shuddered, fearing his thoughts. He then sensed his aura, noticing that a lot of foreign aura had settled within his body. It was affecting him, influencing his thoughts while damaging him internally.


    It was the reason his behaviour was slipping away from his usual self. Jyorta inspected himself, muttering, "It''s not important, I''ll treat myself later. I''m running out of time now."


    If he sat down to treat himself, his time within the labyrinth would be finished. Jyorta didn''t wish to see it happen, so he only healed himself enough to stop him from bleeding. Since his fighting style didn''t involve moving his body around much, he could maintain his battle strength. As for his changing emotions, he suppressed them using the face mask¡ªthe false persona.


    "This is a problem now," Jyorta frowned, looking at the bleeding River Whale. It had suffered numerous injuries continuously and was repeatedly knocked out. Now, it didn''t even have the strength to get up once again.


    Jyorta seeped a psychic arm through its wounds, turning it pale blue to see most of the infused psychic energy be wasted. The healing effect was barely minimal. The River Whale''s Essence of Frenzy counteracted his psychic energy and resisted the healing effect. The River Whale''s abundant Essence of Frenzy acted against it now.


    Jyorta gazed behind the dead Wave Controller Lava Turtle, watching the other Lava Turtles escape from the layer as they headed to layer 4. As the area was covered by the mist, they didn''t even bother to check the result of the clash.


    "I guess this is what their characters are," Jyorta muttered, recalling his comprehension sessions where the Lava Turtles appeared. "No wonder they have a symbiotic relationship with the Hunter Clams on their back. The Lava Turtles would defend their homes against outsiders, but if the strength of the outsiders surpasses the level they could handle, they would swiftly escape. So in times of need, they could only depend on the Hunter Clams residing in their backs."


    He then thought about Ingrained Earth, the Unranked Skill of the Lava Turtles. It was capable of terraforming an area into the wielder''s desire. So, the Lava Turtles were capable of establishing their home anywhere they pleased.


    This further showcased their mindset of fleeing when things went south. The strength displayed from Jyorta''s and the Wave Controller Lava Turtle''s clash proved dangerous, so they vacated. "The Lava Turtles live in a group but prioritise individual survival. They depend on the Hunter Clams because the Hunter Clams are territorial creatures and would even die to protect their homes. In this case, their home is the back of the Lava Turtles. I see, so that''s their nature."


    Once he saw the lacking efficiency of the healing effect, Jyorta retracted his psychic arm. He made a cruel calculation, noting that the energy he would spend to heal the River Whale would be greater than what he could gain through it later.


    "Hmm," Jyorta focused; the blue soul sent a flurry of memory fragments into the River Whale''s soul, causing it to groan and wake up. It activated its Trait, filtering some water before lifting it, using the water to cover its wounds. It applied pressure in this manner, preventing more blood from leaking out.


    It then lifted some more water, covering its body as it slowly took flight. The River Whale landed beside the Wave Controller Lava Turtle''s corpse, opening its mouth to suck in the water, pulling its corpse along with it.


    The corrosion he had seeped into it had already done its effect and expended itself. So, the River Whale wasn''t affected when it swallowed the Lava Turtle''s corpse. Once it had swallowed the corpse, the River Whale rested for a moment as its body began to digest it.


    The Bundle Flea dragged Jyorta as they floated underneath it. Using his Soul Corneas, he continued to siphon energy from its soul. ''My Sync Rate crossed 76 percent now.''


    Jyorta was giddy with joy now, having increased his Sync Rate to such staggering levels. The number of Frenzy Beasts he had killed numbered in the thousands; just the Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts alone numbered in the hundreds. The total energy he reaped from them already surpassed a Transformer''s in quantity alone.


    The energy possessed by Warriors and Espers differed, with Espers possessing a greater deal of energy. The Nurturing process built up the physique of Warriors, allowing them to fight for long durations without using any energy. They would only expend a little bit of energy to move around.


    Similarly, the Nurturing process built up the psychic arms of Espers. So, while using their psychic arms, the Espers only expended a little psychic energy required to move them. The physical strength of the Warriors was permanent. But, the advantage Espers had was the fact that their psychic arms were made from psychic energy.


    So, when needed, the Espers could break down their psychic arms into psychic energy. Therefore, the total energy Espers possessed was greater than Warriors.


    After the psychic arms were nurtured, they stayed within the brain while their roots were attached to the Brain Crystal. So, when the Esper died, they would retreat into the Brain Crystal. Therefore, consuming a Brain Crystal was more profitable than a Heart Crystal.


    Moreover, the difference in energy quantity between the Tiers wasn''t too much. The activation of Skills by Warriors at higher Tiers was stronger because their energy quality was also superior to Warriors at lower Tiers.


    By consuming the Heart/Brain Crystals of even Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts, the one that digested them and generated energy was a Tier 2 River Whale. So, it compressed the energy and generated it at Tier 2 level in terms of quality. This way, absorbing energy from it was more beneficial for Jyorta.


    It was a simple cause brought by the efficiency of the energy used. Suppose Tier 1 energy was like mist; it possessed a lot of kinetic energy. Suppose Will was a force similar to gravity that tried to move the mist towards a tap¡ªrelated to a Skill¡ªto unleash the Skill, then the kinetic energy in the mist would resist the Will.


    This way, a greater quantity of Will had to be expended to force enough amount of the mist to move into the tap. This counted as a wastage that reduced the efficiency of the energy.


    Now, suppose the mist now existed in a water state. This could be considered as the energy at Tier 2 level. When the Will tried to move the water towards the tap, the resistance it faced would be many times lower than with the mist. Moreover, the amount of water in a unit volume was multiple times the amount of mist in the same unit volume.


    This led to a stark contrast in efficiency. So, when the tap¡ªa Skill is activated¡ªis opened, the mist flows out of it slowly. But in contrast, the quantity of the gushing water is higher.


    While using the Trait of Severability, the efficiency is the greatest when one is either a Transformer or a Sky Controller and is the lowest when one is an Observer or a Line Controller. As all the energy obtained from the Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts was converted to Tier 2 level, despite there being no increase in its quantity, its quality had increased. So, it led to a greater increase in Sync Rate when consumed by the Trait of Severability.


    Jyorta took out the Tier 3 Relic, Enhanced Healing Salve, and commanded the River Whale to unleash its psychic arm. The blue soul also sent some memory fragments to further reinforce the order.


    Its psychic arm passed through the Relic and activated it, producing the healing salve in it. Its psychic energy fell at a steady rate when the blue soul made it believe its Brain Crystal had already run out of psychic energy.


    It then willed for more energy, combusting its body to generate the psychic energy. Its body slowly thinned while the deficiency caused the Essence of Frenzy in it to devour the flesh of the consumed Frenzy Beast carcasses at a faster rate.


    The River Whale harmed itself to produce a staggering volume of psychic energy while devouring the Frenzy Beast carcasses in a frenzy. The hill-like carcasses were consumed one after another as the River Whale''s body ballooned and shrunk like a rhythm.


    Soon, its muscles failed to maintain themselves under the stress, sporting fracture in its strands while its organs started to fail one after another. Spurred by the false information the blue soul fed it and the mental command Jyorta gave it, the River Whale fell under the impression that it was starving and had to eat a lot to recover its energy. And, the only method to do so was to generate a lot of Essence of Frenzy.


    Without its knowledge, its body continued to produce the Essence of Frenzy without pause.

 Chapter 402: A Prodigy? Or an Attention Seeker?

    Layer 3 was devoid of Frenzy Beast carcasses now. A weakened River Whale lay on the water, its body shrunk until only skin and bones remained. Its eyes were hazy, its final expression of a man who had been stabbed in the back by his mother. It expressed the betrayal it felt as it closed its eyes¡ªdevoid of life.


    Standing beside it, Jyorta closed his eyes, relishing the mild pain that showed the growth in his Sync Rate. The Bundle Flea floated on the water, coiled around his legs, gazing at his face as it trembled in fear.


    All he did was stand in the place and gaze around. He exerted a formless presence, brought about by the previous actions he committed. It wasn''t because he was still unleashing his aura, it was a mental pressure brought about by fame or rather the power he wielded. It was the power of words and information at play.


    As he noticed the Bundle Flea''s state, Jyorta''s eyes widened in surprise before glistening with intelligence. ''I didn''t take any action but was still able to affect its mind. This was brought about by its memory of me and my actions. I see, through something related to the mind, I affected the mind of others.''


    "This is probably the base of Mind Path," Jyorta muttered, letting out a devilish smile that automatically morphed into a wry smile. His false persona was continuously suppressing the effects on his behaviour and personality brought about by the foreign aura.


    "There''s not much time left. Do you want me to pull you out?" The voice of a staff resounded, calm and collected, as if the owner wasn''t surprised at the feats Jyorta achieved.


    "Sir, exactly how much time do I have now?" Jyorta shook his head, retaining clarity of thought, sensing his final Sync Rate once he expended most of the psychic energy, only retaining a quarter in his Brain Crystal.


    "Eight minutes, 34 seconds." The voice replied.


    "I''ll return on my own then, sir." Jyorta slowly sat on the water, struggling as he lacked the hands to balance himself. The Bundle Flea helped him in the process, making his body float on the water as it dragged him.


    The staff''s voice disappeared, no longer uttering anything. The Bundle Flea dragged him to the entrance of layer three, proceeded through the flight of stairs before dragging his body across the sandy dunes of layer 2.


    Jyorta shielded himself using his psychic arms, creating a barrier that reduced his friction with the sand, allowing him to be dragged faster. He mentally counted the time left as he commanded the Bundle flea to move accordingly.


    Even though it was injured, the Bundle Flea manipulated its hair accordingly, making it perform most of the grunt work while it rested on his stomach, curling into a ball. After a glance, Jyorta didn''t try to move it somewhere else.


    As it rested on his stomach, its reach extended to both his sides almost equally, so it made moving and balancing him less strenuous. As the Bundle Flea was also exhausted, Jyorta didn''t disturb it, watching it do its thing while he kept count of the time.


    Sand flew as dust clouds were raised by the Bundle Flea''s actions. It used its hair to paddle through the sand, moving slowly but steadily. Finally, when they reached the start of layer 2, Jyorta counted down to three minutes. ''We can barely make it there.''


    The Bundle Flea helped him stand up as Jyorta stretched his legs for a moment, motioning for the Bundle Flea to act as his belt once again. But this time, it didn''t form an armour, for it hadn''t recovered enough to go through such strenuous activity.


    Its hair coiled into two tentacles that swiftly shaped themselves into his arms, attaching themselves onto the stumps. Through his aura inputs, Jyorta made the Bundle Flea move them, indirectly controlling them.


    This way, he balanced himself as he began to run, starting with a light jog. Soon, he got accustomed to it to the extent he wouldn''t trip awkwardly. Jyorta ran through layer 1, careful in his steps, stepping foot on the rocks that tried to break his balance with every step.


    "Soon, almost there. I''ll make it on time."


    ¡­


    "Madam principal, how''s my student?" Vaika smiled, sporting a smug expression, unable to conceal her wide smile that was becoming wider and wider. "He''s using everything I taught him splendidly. Just see how he cleared almost four layers in one exploration."


    "You did make it as if he had already lived through and trained those abilities for years using your aura powers," Madam Mary sported a trace smile, "It''s to be expected that his performance would be this good."


    "I worked a lot this time," Vaika winked, "Please give me a raise."


    "Won''t you earn 15 percent of his income every month after a couple of months?" Madam Mary didn''t comment much about the matter, "I''ll send an application. Let''s see what the higherups say."


    ''What higherups? The only one who is higher than you is Ancestor Marble.'' Vaika mentally rolled her eyes, for she knew the old lady beside her was a lunatic, a crazy lady that went nuclear whenever agitated. There were instances where she had wiped out an entire Frenzy Beast race because of that.


    Though, she dared not show anything on her face, not even internally, for Madam Mary would be able to read even her thoughts like a book through the information of her body activity she perceived. So, the moment the thought appeared, Vaika instantly erased it.


    "I knew he was a promising candidate, but I never knew he was this exemplary." Madam Mila spoke. She was positioned next to the wall, looking as if she had become one with it. Even while speaking, she just transmitted the voice by causing undulations in her psychic energy.


    Even normally, Madam Mila made the least body movements possible. But now, after recovering from the injury she sustained from Rhachis Ancestor Warlord, she had changed further. Now, she didn''t move her body, including most of the organs.


    Her lungs were in a semi-inhaled state as she pulled in the air through the nostrils using her psychic energy, sent it into the lungs until it filled the current lung capacity. Her heart was still beating normally while her other body functions too proceeded the same.


    But, judging by her plans, she planned to completely change them. It was easy to notice, considering the direction she was proceeding towards. Without a change in tone, Madam Mila spoke, "After seeing his actions, I can safely say that he''s a pillar candidate."


    "That''s obvious," Madam Mary nodded, looking at the figure of Madam Rizenne that flashed into existence before her, "What do you think, Rizenne? Does he have the potential to surpass a pillar?"


    "Hmm, considering everything he had shown us, he''s on the same level as Rakh Veera, if not slightly weaker. At Tier 3, the two of them might be evenly matched. But¡­" Madam Rizenne frowned, "I haven''t seen anything striking about him that gives me the guarantee that he has a non-zero shot at Tier 6."


    "In comparison to that," Madam Rizenne observed Jyorta''s running figure, commenting her thoughts, "Laila is by far the perfect candidate I have chanced upon. While seeing her, I am reminded of Ancestor Strongest."


    "Indeed," Madam Mary, "As someone involved with his growth personally, I have seen numerous instances where Laila showed similarities to Angrushen Light. Considering the limitless talent she showed on numerous occasions, and especially her mental state, they made me confident that she would become an Ancestor one day."


    "Her chances are that high?" Madam Mila''s hand moved in surprise before returning to its initial position as her voice resounded, "What makes you say that with such assurance? Even for Ancestor Strongest, you weren''t this sure even once."


    "I could just feel it," Madam Mary sighed, "Ancestor Marble seemed like he had known of this in advance. The moment her character development reached a certain level, he took her away."


    The three Sky Controllers were huddled in one corner of the Red Building while Vaika floated an arm''s distance away from them. As a Wave Controller, she didn''t have the qualification to speak on par with three Sky Controllers, that too old veterans among them that were at peak Tier 5.


    As they didn''t exclude her from the conversation, she listened to everything, feeling happy when they addressed Jyorta on the same level as Rakh Veera. ''One way or another, Jyorta would become a pillar at the very least. And, based on what he plans for his tattoo world, his growth would sprout further.''


    "I am excited to see the height he would reach in the future and the progression he would give to the aura path." Vaika gazed at the crowd below. They were all students that had come to know after the news. They were part of the October, November, and December Batches, those that were allowed to enter the Red Building.


    Most were curious about the individual that was neck-and-neck with Laila and had broken the records of most of the months only to fare with subpar scores in the final results. They wondered what he was doing, still huddled within the Labyrinth after more than three days had passed since his entry.


    "He has already surpassed the records of the longest stay in the Labyrinth of Frenzy?"


    "How can he stay in such an aura-infested region full of Frenzy Beasts for so long?"


    "Isn''t he just an Esper? How can he survive for so long?"


    "Maybe he was just hiding near the entrance and used his Esper powers to remain invisible from the weak Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts?"


    "That is possible. Maybe he is just desperate for attention so planned to break a record through any means possible."


    "Yeah, whenever I saw him, he looked deranged."


    "We''ll know the truth once we see him."


    "Shh¡­He''s coming!" The crowd instantly turned silent, hearing the sounds of boots clacking on the hard steps.

 Chapter 403: A Record of His Own

    It was midnight, with the beginning of the 13th of November. There wasn''t anyone exploring the Labyrinth at this hour. So, all the students from the October, November, and December Batches were in the Red Building¡ªof the Psychic Block.


    Everything was spurred from the conversation between Haesha, Ashten and Esina. When they were conversing about Jyorta, another student had overheard them. He immediately clarified his doubts by barging in on their conversation, "Are you telling me Jyorta Bone has stayed in the Labyrinth of Frenzy for more than 2 days already?"


    "Yes," The moment Haesha nodded, the student excitedly ran away. A second after seeing his reaction did Haesha''s eyes widen in realisation. She looked at Esina, "What has been the record of the highest duration a student stayed within the Labyrinth?"


    "Hmm," Esina thought for a couple of seconds, finally recalling the information, "It was around 42 hours or something. It was achieved 6 years ago, but the student only ventured in layer 1 to set the record."


    "How did Rakh Veera fare?" Ashten Coorg thought.


    "His explorations were quick. Most of the times, he finished within 2-3 hours, returned to eat, rest for 10-15 minutes before he dove into the labyrinth. If we are considering the total time he spent in the labyrinth, it is almost 3 months. Rakh Veera practically lived in the labyrinth, but none of his explorations exceeded 12 hours." Esina replied, having memorised all the details pertaining to the individual.


    "So, Jyorta broke the record of the longest exploration." Haesha gazed in the direction the student ran, sighing, "I think this is bound to make a commotion."


    Just as she had suspected, the boy shared the details to everyone in his Batch that spread like wildfire throughout the academy. The names of Jyorta and Laila were famous in the academy for being record breakers, that too by eight times. So, details concerning Jyorta spread without stopping.


    Some of the curious students even approached the staff only to be met with a reply like, "Head to the labyrinth''s entrance and find out for yourself."


    That was what sparked everyone, causing the students to rush towards the Red Building in anticipation. As the students from early Batches weren''t allowed to step foot within the Red Building, they could only wait at the entrance and ask for details from the one who could enter.


    Now, students from the final 3 Batches, comprising almost 2600 students stood within the Red Building, gazing at the flight of stairs with bated breaths. The staff had intervened from the start, being the cause that spread the news quickly. They didn''t have any hesitation to blow up a matter that would ignite the fighting spirits of the students and cause them to work harder to strengthen themselves.


    Now that they got the perfect excuse, they hyped it to the maximum. Except for the select few students busy with their training, the remainder of the students had already converged on the ground in anticipation.


    Madam Mary smirked, stealthily spreading her psychic energy that caused the sounds of Jyorta''s footsteps to be audible loud and clear everywhere within the building. The moment the sounds of the footsteps resounded, the Espers among the students turned around, trying to look at the traces of the staff. Unfortunately, they were unable to sense the ones hovering near the ceiling.


    The students at the front involuntarily swallowed their saliva, for the suspense caused them tension. As the sounds of the footsteps resounded closer and closer, they spotted the silhouette of Jyorta, watching his hair come into vision first.


    It was wet, followed by his face on which patches of skin were still stuck due to the water. The moment his upper body came into view, the students at the front involuntarily took a step back in fear. For, Jyorta''s appearance was different from their memories.


    Jet-black ripped arms, concealing tremendous power, a body mostly covered by hair that was akin to steel, covered by an armour that was tattered, only possessing thin strips on the verge of snapping. His body was a bulky presence.


    Jyorta was confused when he exited the labyrinth and saw the crowd huddled at the entrance. For a moment, he wondered if an event of sorts was happening and he had interrupted them. He then noticed their eyes gazing at him and showing a myriad of expressions, getting the intention that they were there to see him.


    Before he could wonder about the reason, his view changed as Jyorta noticed he was within the nursing room, seated on a bed. Vaika stood before him, staring at him with praise as she slammed a pale blue fist on his head.


    "Ouch!"


    "You deserved it for losing your arms. That was reckless of you. You could have dodged the Lava turtle''s attack before retaliating against it." Vaika''s voice was tinged with anger as she slammed another pale blue fist at him the moment he tried to speak in his defence. It didn''t hurt him though, but rather healed him.


    "Alright, alright, your choices weren''t the best in some situations, but overall, you did fairly well." One of her psychic arms grabbed hold of the Bundle Flea that acted like his belt, pulling it out as its hair flowed over Jyorta before returning to cover its body.


    She used a hallucination to control it easily. Jyorta then saw the figure of Anruk Light standing beside him, taking control of the Bundle Flea using a psychic arm. Anruk Light smiled, "It''s been a while, Jyorta Bone. You''ve grown stronger since then."


    "Thank you, sir." Jyorta tried to get up but felt difficulty since he lacked the arms for support. Anruk Light patted his shoulder, motioning for him to remain seated.


    He nodded at Vaika once before continuing, "The Frenzy Beast race you created, Bundle Flea, will be protected and monitored by Grapple Force until the time you join us. In the meantime, we''ll try to breed it with other Steel Porcupines and see if we can birth more of the Bundle Fleas."


    "When you join Grapple Force in the future, you can take command of the project related to them." Anruk Light smiled.


    "Does that mean Grapple Force considers I am qualified to join them?" Jyorta felt happy, for joining there meant he was considered as a talent Marble City will focus on nurturing into a powerhouse.


    "You misunderstood me," Anruk Light smiled, "You had the qualification the moment Madam Light brought you there. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have been brought there in the first place."


    He then gazed at the time on his watch, looking at Vaika, "I''ll take my leave now. I''m not on duty today."


    "We''ll meet again once you become a Wave Controller. Until then, Jyorta Bone." Anruk Light vanished from the scene as Vaika started to heal him. "A lot of foreign aura has settled within your body. When you are in the wilds, refrain from shooting your aura beams unless you are left with no other choice. It places a burden on your body and leaves you defenceless against foreign aura."


    "I thought I could just heal my presence using Regen and expel them out." Jyorta watched the stump that was his arms begin to grow, slowly but steadily. It grew a centimetre every second, the healed part looking similar to his arm from before the exploration.


    "Yes, that can be done easily. But, if the foreign presence surpasses more than half your total capacity, it would create a lot of problems. In such a situation, you would have to be assisted by others to successfully treat yourself. In the worst-case scenario, your Wisdom Parasite would become a Frenzy Parasite." Vaika said, "And, that is the most fearsome part."


    "Once it becomes a Frenzy Parasite, you could be influenced by Rhachis Ancestor Parasite any moment once you leave the defences of Marble City," She sighed, "It''s not without reason that we fear it as the Mother Parasite."


    "I''ll remember it, ma''am," Jyorta nodded, "In the Wilds, even if I were to shoot an aura beam, I should swiftly recover my presence to the peak while preventing the ambient aura from touching my body. Is that right?"


    "As long as you maintain that state, you won''t have anything to worry about." Vaika nodded, "The River Whales are of ample use in such a case. Make it or a Floating Spider as your vehicle when you venture out in the future. And¡­"


    She smiled, knocking his head, "Even I never thought of using the Shoe Fishes like that. That was ingenuous of you. Accumulate enough resources later and create one like that when you explore the Wilds in the future. You have my Aura Induction to help you after all."


    "Yes, ma''am," Jyorta nodded as he recalled what he wished to ask her before, "Speaking of Aura Induction, ma''am, how do you manage your tattoo world? Wouldn''t such a massive world with so many elemental dynamics need all the mental power you can get?"


    ¡­


    The moment Jyorta disappeared from the scene, Madam Mary appeared, floating in the air before everyone, "It seems all you Cadets are curious about Jyorta Bone''s exploits. I also see that some of you have doubts and are wondering if he hid at the entrance and waited for such a duration."


    Seeing their facial expressions, Madam Mary smiled, "I can tell you this, he didn''t do that. Rather, he was constantly hunting the Frenzy Beasts without rest. I''ll show you some scenes to act as your inspiration. Jyorta Bone''s exemplary behaviour is what every Cadet must strive to possess."


    "Mila Marble, please begin." Upon her shout, a marble slab appeared behind her, occupying the entire width of the Red Building, spanning 40 metres. It was positioned 10 metres from the ground, spanning a height of 20 metres.


    A couple of seconds later, the screen came to life as the roar of a Frenzy Beast thundered across the area.

 Chapter 404: One Step at a Time

    The thunderous roar of the Frenzy Beast startled the students, causing them to enter a battle-ready state. More than 90 percent of the Warriors activated their Tier 1 Skill, trying to sense for the presence of any Frenzy Beasts in their midst. They knew that the military academy could surprise them in any manner possible. They had no restrictions in their thoughts.


    Seeing their reactions, Madam Mary smiled involuntarily, ''The students this time are more battle-hardened than all the other Batches. I see, it is thanks to that incident when the Frenzy Beasts exited the Labyrinth of Frenzy.''


    Followed by the roar, a blurry image of a Frenzy Beast flashed on the screen, but it was hard to make out its identity, for it just looked like three colours were splashed on it. A heading flashed into existence at the top, blurring out the background even further.


    [Time duration of Jyorta Bone on every layer in the Labyrinth of Frenzy]


    On seeing the heading, the students calmed down, realising the sound originated from the screen. Thanks to it being transmitted through Madam Mila''s psychic energy, it looked like the sound originated from everywhere, perfectly real. That''s why the students were startled.


    "So, this will show the truth." A student commented, gazing at the one that mentioned how Jyorta Bone had probably hidden at the entrance of the Labyrinth.


    "He probably focused solely on developing the ability to hide himself all this time. Each Esper specialises in different domains after all." Unwilling to see himself be made an embarrassment, the targeted student changed his tone immediately.


    "Since his score hadn''t changed during the time it was displayed in the Credit rankings, Jyorta Bone wasn''t hunting any Frenzy Beasts during his stay in the labyrinth."


    "Then what was he even doing? Meditating?" There was a spark in laughter followed by this statement, as the students in the clique of the commenter laughed. On seeing that it failed to latch on to the others, they stopped in embarrassment.


    The students focused on the screen, mentally cursing at the time it took for the next set of words to materialise. It seemed like the staff wished to drag their curiosity to the maximum.


    Unable to take it anymore, a student cursed after a minute, "Maybe Jyorta Bone was swallowed by a Frenzy Beast and carried everywhere?"


    "You saw his appearance right, he looked like he was half frenzy Beast."


    As the discussions became more random and disorganised, Madam Mary cleared her throat once, the action causing everyone to turn silent as they heard her loud and clear. On noting the silence, she smiled, as if she had enjoyed their confused conversations, "He was neither swallowed by a Frenzy Beast nor did he hide in one corner. He actively hunted Frenzy Beasts. The following is the duration he spent in each layer."


    Followed by her words, a line flashed into existence at the bottom of the screen, causing the students to move their line of sight towards it involuntarily. Their eyelids twitched as they saw it, wishing to curse the staff again.


    [Layer 5: 0 Hours, 0 Minutes, and 0 Seconds.]


    On seeing their reactions, Madam Mary chuckled, feeling that she had trolled them enough. She then made the remaining four lines appear, watching the students take in sharp breaths, shocked, surprised, full of wonder and curiosity as to how he achieved it.


    [Layer 1: 13 Hours, 48 Minutes, and 58 Seconds.]


    [Layer 2: 9 Hours, 31 Minutes, and 14 Seconds.]


    [Layer 3: 53 Hours, 48 Minutes, and 17 Seconds.]


    [Layer 4: 2 Hours, 12 Minutes, and 3 Seconds.]


    "Jyorta Bone stayed in the Labyrinth of Frenzy for almost 80 hours in a single exploration. This is the highest through Marble City. And, he was fighting non-stop during it." Madam Mary waved her hand, pointing at the screen that flashed three images one after another, "And, these are the scenes after he passed through the layers 1, 2, and 3 respectively."


    The first image displayed a wide-angled shot of layer 1, showing a scene of carnage. All the rocks strewn about on the floor sported cracks, a sign of something heavy moving over it. A large section was burning, while the rocks within had melted.


    Poisonous fumes billowed about, polluting the air while fierce gales blew. The dark layer was completely brightened because of the flames. Five Two-Faced Fireflies huddled in one corner, trembling in fear all along.


    The ceiling that had been covered by spider web was in tatters now, with large portions having been pulled down. Blood of the Frenzy Beasts covered the floor, forming a thin layer on it. The Essence of Frenzy in them seeped into the rocks, turning them into mush.


    There was barely any part of a Frenzy Beast in the scene; it was as if the perpetrator had devoured through them all, only leaving behind the blood that had spilled. The students shuddered in fright, for they knew how dangerous layer 1 was, even though it only had Tier 1 Frenzy Beasts that were the weakest of the bunch.


    It was because of the traps and the total lack of sight, not to mention the terrain advantage the Floating Spiders possessed thanks to their speed of flight. Those that had used a torch to explore had paid a heavy price when they were swarmed from all sides like locusts.


    "The sole survivors of layer 1 are five Tier 2 Two-Faced Fireflies that Jyorta Bone left alone for reasons unknown." Madam Mary said, watching the scene on the screen change to the one in layer 2.


    Just based on the vigorous dancing of the air, the students realised the intensity of heat in the region, finding it beyond what they had experienced. There were traces of red on the sands, but other than that there was nothing amiss.


    "It was a total annihilation in layer 2." Madam Mary''s announcement was like a hammer striking their heads. Just traversing the layer took a lot of time and energy, and most of the students had become tired after fighting 2-3 Frenzy beasts in such a condition. This was for Warriors. Espers fared even worse, with most of them failing to even reach layer 2.


    In a place where the terrain worked against them, achieving total annihilation was an impossible feat. But now, that impossibility was a reality before their eyes. Before they could fully think it through, Madam Mary changed the scene to the one in layer 3.


    It showed blood-red shallow water, filled with the Essence of Frenzy and blood of the Frenzy Beasts. Thanks to the incredible heat, a dense mist had formed in the place, making the visibility zero. The withered carcass of a River Whale floated on one side, its expression making the students feel sad for some reason.


    "Layer 3, total wipe-out," Madam Mary watched the students gaze at the scene, for most of them hadn''t ever set foot in layer 3. They had been exhausted within layer 2 itself, and unwilling to lose the Credits they had accumulated through the Heart/Brain crystals they had harvested, they usually retreated.


    Only a select few students that were confident in their strength dared to venture into layer 3. After all, Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts were common from that point onwards. The River Whales were also defensive creatures that wouldn''t die thanks to the film of water protecting them.


    Even if the water layer was shaved off from their attacks, the River Whales easily replenished them from the water flowing below, making it a continuous cycle until the student exhausted himself. Even killing a Tier 2 River Whale in layer 3 would have been a feat worthy to brag about within the academy. But presented before their eyes was a total wipe-out of the layer, containing dozens of Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts.


    "And now, for the final layer he explored," The students became alert; their hearts thumped as they saw layer 4 for the first time. The students that had explored this layer only amounted to one person at a maximum per Batch, for only Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts lived there. And, the terrain was too terrible for the students. It wasn''t something they could live within for more than a couple of minutes, for it was toxic, not to mention the tremendous heat they had to endure.


    No Esper had even made it to this point, so they weren''t even considered into the picture. The Warriors didn''t possess a psychic arm to filter out the air perfectly.


    The damage wasn''t significant as compared to the other layers, but the students saw many injured Lava Turtles.


    Quite a few Hunter Clams floated on the water as corpses. The damage was severe at the entrance of layer 4 that slowly decreased until the part beyond 200 metres looked unaffected by foreign interference.


    "The territorial advantage in layer 4 is too much for the Lava Turtles to rely on. So, Jyorta struggled a lot against them and couldn''t even get a proper footing. He was constantly on the run before he retreated to layer 3." Madam Mary then smiled, "I''ll show you one scene of when he fought against a Wave Controller Lava Turtle. We had specifically released it to test the full extent of his strength."


    The scene showed the Wave Controller Lava Turtle on one side, gearing up its final attack. Standing 25 metres from it was Jyorta, exuding a tremendous presence. Madam Mary used her psychic energy to enact the scene in reality, making the broiling aura waft from the screen, causing the students to shudder.


    Some of them foamed in their mouths as a pale blue psychic energy entered their bodies, swiftly healing them and keeping them awake. Thanks to the psychic energy, the students were able to witness the scene without falling unconscious or suffering from damage.


    They watched with bated breaths as the two powerhouses clashed with one another. The plasma beam and the aura beam collided, resulting in a storm as the air cracked while lightning flashed. The scene was fully covered by the mist as the students felt the intensity of the exchange.


    "Damn, he''s a monster!" A student exclaimed. It wasn''t unknown as to who muttered it out aloud, but Madam Mary sneakily amplified the student''s voice, causing the others to hear it as if the one who muttered it was someone standing near them.


    "Yeah!" A collective comment echoed before all the students gazed at each other in surprise, wondering why everyone spoke the same word. But, it echoed in their mind, Jyorta Bone was on a league of his own.


    The two Bone Family members among them stood blankly, their faces agape, muttering in shock to each other, "This is that guy, right? The very same guy who was in a coma for 5 years right?"


    "He is."


    The scene changed, showing Jyorta''s body being dragged by the Bundle Flea towards the Wave Controller Lava Turtle.


    "Why''s he heading towards it?"


    "It''s not dead yet. It''s perfectly healthy."


    All sorts of shouts resounded before the place turned deathly still, seeing the devilish grin on Jyorta''s face. Haesha clenched her hand into a fish, her face pale, trembling as she noticed his expression, "He''s never showed such an expression. That''s not in his character."


    "Yes, after firing off his aura attacks, he is affected by the ambient aura." Madam Mary explained to everyone. Even then, the students felt a sense of terror, watching him float on the water, lacking both arms, but expressing unsurpassable confidence.


    He stopped a metre before the Wave Controller Lava Turtle, "You almost killed me, bastard."


    "But," Jyorta laughed, followed by a couple of coughs, "If you cannot kill a healer, you will die next."


    The students saw the air exhaled by the Wave Controller Lava Turtle freeze its nostrils before creeping over its body. Soon, its body began to melt and fall off. Jyorta saw everything as he got up, meditating for a moment as he started to control his mind. His expression returned to normal, a student that was calm, collected, and focused on his goals.


    "And that," Madam Mary''s voice echoed, "Is the personification of an exemplary student. Since day 1, he strived to better himself without rest and achieved his current strength. Set him as the example you wish to become. In Tier 2, when Espers were weaker than Warriors, Jyorta Bone achieved this strength. Make him your target to strive towards."


    She then turned to her left, gazing at the figure of Jyorta that descended through the flight of stairs, "Do you have a motto that you followed in your journey here?"


    "Just one," Jyorta smiled, fully healed, grasping Madam Mary''s intention, "One step at a time."


    Volume 2: Military Academy¡ªThe End!

 Chapter 405: Thanks, Alarm Clock Guy

    "Haah," Jyorta sighed, standing before his room. It felt like a lot of time had passed since he last slept in his room. Previously in the Red Building, the moment Jyorta spoke, Madam Mary smiled, echoing his words in the ears of all the students.


    "Heed those words, take them to your hearts, and follow it religiously to become experts yourself." She then waved her hands at Jyorta, "You''ve worked hard for the past 3 plus days. Get some rest now."


    To prevent any chaos and a barrage of questions, Madam Mary directly sent Jyorta to his room''s entrance using her psychic arm. In the eyes of the students, the figure of Jyorta vanished in an instant. They immediately realised that Madam Mary was the cause, watching her speak, "It''s the middle of the night now. Get back to your sleep or whatever you were doing about before. As for the students of the October Batch, assemble at the grounds sharp 8 AM."


    She waved her hands, motioning for them to disperse. The students blinked, not reacting. Countless questions plagued their minds. They wanted to know how Jyorta trained, why he killed the Frenzy Beasts while his Credit score remained unchanged. And finally, where did their carcasses disappear to? Their questions were increasing while their answers were unclear.


    They still wished to know more, for the feat before them was legendary. It hadn''t been achieved by anyone else in their academy''s history. So, they wished to know more. Unfortunately, the staff didn''t wish to divulge Jyorta''s secrets. So, they didn''t show his actual fighting scenes.


    Even if it was to ignite the fighting spirits of the students, they didn''t wish to lay a student''s secrets bare to achieve that. That didn''t conform to their thoughts. Even the ones they displayed were what Jyorta had displayed in public before: his ability to control Frenzy Beasts through his hallucination and his aura beam.


    The students slowly began to exit the Red Building, witnessing the students standing beyond rush towards them with a flurry of questions.


    "What happened inside?"


    "What happened to Jyorta Bone?"


    "We felt a tremendous presence just now. What was it?"


    The students were bogged down by the flurry of questions. Students from the 9 early Batches relentlessly questioned the students from the final 3 Batches. And, since they had surrounded the Red Building, the students from within didn''t have any hope of escaping without answering first.


    The staff in the area smiled upon seeing the crowd, vanishing with amused expressions. The only ones sporting a scowl were the staff who had to stay behind and control the crowd from enacting a stampede. They didn''t like to work overtime, and this was the middle of the night, way beyond their overtime duties. They too had families to return to.


    "Dare make a scene, just see what I do to you." A staff opened his eyes wide, scanning the crowd like a hawk, seeing that everyone was well-behaved even if their questions were a barrage. As time passed, he relaxed, seeing the students behave in line, returning to their dorms once they obtained what they wished to know.


    Haesha weaved through the crowd, slipping out somehow as she sprinted towards the dorm, soon climbing to the third floor as she saw Jyorta standing before his room with a helpless smile. Haesha panted as she shouted, "Give me a moment, I''ll fetch your keys."


    "It''s fine, I never thought Madam Mary would send me here directly." Jyorta waved his hand, motioning that it was fine.


    Haesha opened her room''s door, entered, and brought out his room key. As he was exploring the labyrinth, to prevent the keys from getting damaged, he left it to Haesha. He always did that whenever he was exploring. Haesha too left her keys in his safekeeping when she explored the labyrinth. They had enough trust in each other to give their room keys.


    "You are strong," Haesha said in admiration, "I never saw an Area Controller be that powerful."


    "As an Area Controller, I am not even as strong as you," Jyorta smiled wryly, "I was just making use of my aura to fight."


    "Fine," Haesha rolled her eyes, giving him the key as she said, "Get some rest once you take a bath. We have to assemble at 8 AM. It probably has something to do with our graduation."


    "Don''t worry, I''m pretty fresh thanks to Regen." Jyorta flexed his barely developing arms and entered the room, waving towards Haesha as he closed the door. Haesha returned to her room, taking a seat on her bed as she felt her cheek using the back of her hand, feeling it was hot.


    She then shook her head and slept, tossing and turning as she felt difficulty in sleeping, recalling Jyorta''s face. "Tomorrow is an important day, Haesha. You must sleep now, and get rid of all the distracting thoughts."


    She then muttered, "Though, his fighting figure was charming¡­sleep now!"


    1:40 AM, Jyorta returned to his room, having taken a long bath. He felt fresh, having washed away all the soot and grime on his body. Changing into a pair of soft cotton clothes, Jyorta slept on the bed, grunting as he felt a sense of relaxation.


    He no longer had to worry about the Frenzy Beasts, feeling all the tension in him wash away. Irrespective of how Regen healed both his body and mind, since the cause of the tension existed throughout, it meant he was continuously getting exhausted too. But now, there was nothing he had to worry about, heaving a sigh of relief as he felt peaceful.


    "So, there is a method to control the tattoo world," He muttered, recalling his conversation with Vaika when she healed him.


    "Ma''am, how do you maintain the elemental dynamics of your tattoo world? Based on how the hallucination works, even a Wave Controller lacks enough mental power to maintain Crimson Desert."


    "Oh, that''s simple." Vaika said, "The clues to achieving that are already in your mind. I have taught you everything you need to know about Aura Induction. Lying dormant in you is a plethora of my experiences in using it. All you have to do is trigger them using the right mode of thought and you''ll realise everything."


    She smiled mischievously, "As for how you wish to trigger them, I''ll leave it in your hands. Let me see how long you need to find them."


    "It won''t be long; I assure you that." Jyorta smiled confidently, "My teacher taught me well."


    "I didn''t just teach you well," Vaika chuckled, using a pale blue fist to smack his head, "I taught you amazingly amazing. Remember it well, amazingly amazing."


    "Amazingly amazing," Jyorta rubbed his head with his hand that had finished healing, feeling it function the same as before he lost them. He then looked at Vaika, "Ma''am, why do you always hit my head?"


    "You know how Regen can heal anything right? Anything!" Seeing her exaggerated actions, Jyorta nodded. Vaika stared at him, trying her best to rein her laughter, "So, whenever I feel you have brain damage, I heal you like this. I''m a nurse after all."


    ''So, I will get smacked for every mistake I make.'' Jyorta laughed helplessly, raising his hands in surrender.


    At present, staring at the ceiling of his room, Jyorta wondered, ''What is that trigger?''


    After some time passed, he was still without any clues. Thinking that his train of thought was wrong, Jyorta closed his eyes, intending to sleep, planning to think during the morning. He then got up, picked up both his alarm clocks, and set the time in them. Only then did he sleep. The blue soul severed some connections, instantly putting his body in a state of sleep.


    7:30 AM, the sounds of alarm made a cacophony that disturbed the morning''s peaceful atmosphere. The sounds of the door getting slammed repeatedly resounded throughout the room. The room was slightly colder while casting through the window was the warm rays of the morning sun.


    It created the perfect warmth under the blanket for pleasant slumber. Jyorta''s face sported an expression of bliss and comfort as he slowly turned, adjusting his body in a different pose according to his needs, relishing the luxury.


    It seemed the sounds of the alarm fell on deaf ears, for Jyorta showed no reaction to their blazing sirens. The thumping on the door though, disturbed him, for it was a series of sounds that his mind wasn''t accustomed to filtering out completely yet.


    His brows furrowed as the eyelids twitched. Jyorta pulled the blanket closer to his ears, trying to block out the sounds. But, the vibrations coursing thanks to the slamming on the door was clear to his enhanced senses, disturbing him.


    "What is it?" Jyorta jumped on the floor and took wide strides to the door, opening it with one full swing, seeing a familiar buff guy standing at the door. The moment Jyorta saw him, his eyes widened, "Is it morning already? Thanks, alarm clock guy."


    He then slammed the door shut, hearing the curse from beyond the door, "I have a name. Damn, blithering knucklehead. Can''t even get some sleep these days."


    Jyorta stopped the alarm clocks from ringing, seeing the time displayed in them, capturing the scene of his bed through the corner of his eyes. It was cosy, the gentle sunlight inviting him to take a pleasant nap once again. Jyorta was almost seduced into a shut-eye once again.


    Summoning the greatest stream of willpower he could muster, Jyorta turned his head to the side, unwilling to gaze at the bed in fear he would come up with an excuse to sleep further. He then looked at the time, seeing the dials, taking a couple of seconds to register them in his mind.


    7:47 AM!


    Jyorta rubbed his eyes, taking a second glance at the time as sweat dribbled down his forehead. He was running late. It was supposed to be an important meeting. Jyorta picked up the basket with his uniform and dashed to the restroom, "Aah! I''m running late!"

 Chapter 406: Team 6

    "Almost there!" After locking the room, Jyorta pocketed the key and sprinted through the corridor, descending the flight of stairs by making large jumps. He even used Regen to heal the damage he suffered due to his risky untrained jumps.


    His shirt was unbuttoned and wasn''t tucked in. His belt was only strapped at the start. His socks were inside his shoes in which he placed his feet, pushed to the end. The only thing in its usual place was his pen that he always carried with him.


    Held in his shirt pocket was a piece of paper, blank, the canvas he planned to use to take any notes. If he brought his notebook with him, he wouldn''t be able to tidy his dress. So, he had left it in his room. Only when he had paced 10 steps from the room did he realise he was an Esper and could use his psychic arms to carry the notebook.


    But alas, he was running short on time. Just the act of unlocking the door, picking up the notebook, and locking it again would consume enough time to make him late. And, punctuality was heavily emphasised in the military academy. A second late meant he lost the opportunity to attend the class.


    If it was a normal class whose contents he had already studied, then skipping it was fine in his opinion. He had skipped a lot of classes during his labyrinth explorations. When he returned, he either bugged his friends or found a doubt to inquire with the staff, sneakily using the opportunity to clarify the rest of the topic.


    He somehow managed to keep up with everything taught in the academy in such a manner. He sure did lose a lot of brownie points with the staff because of his sneaky acts, but he didn''t have a choice in the matter. Sometimes, brownie points had to be sacrificed for the greater cause.


    There was less than a minute before he had to assemble, so Jyorta went full-throttle. His two psychic arms shot out, beginning to button his shirt while he used his hands to pass the belt through his pant. Once they finished buttoning his shirt, he began to tuck them into his pant, all the while hopping like a frog to cover some distance while finishing his task.


    Some of the girls that were walking towards their classes gazed at his messy appearance, turning their heads the other way, feeling embarrassed on his behalf. Jyorta didn''t have time to care about shame, arriving on the ground to see the students standing in assembly.


    "Shit¡­shit¡­goat¡­shiet." Jyorta seeped his psychic arms into each shoe respectively, creating a layer over his legs. He sprinted at his greatest speed, mentally counting the time needed to reach the place and the time available.


    ''I will make it on time!'' He bellowed in his mind, running forth like a raging bull. His psychic arms fully covered his running legs now, extending further to seep into the socks he had stuffed at the end. They were almost stuck, compressed by his foot that hit deep into the shoe''s interior.


    By expending the psychic energy he recovered during the night, Jyorta turned the socks into his Refined Object, manipulating them using his psychic arms. They began to rotate until aligning accordingly to his foot, soon expanding longitudinally.


    The socks steadily moved over his foot, reaching his ankle before extending up until its limit. He wore both the socks now, with the second sock taking a second longer than the first due to the weaker abilities of his second¡ªweaker¡ªpsychic arm.


    Jyorta leaped, landing on the corner of the assembly, the final spot available at the final moment.


    ''Safe!''


    Jyorta gazed at the sky, smiling arrogantly, ''Thankfully, I only used Regen to sustain myself for the past three days. If I had eaten something, I would have had to finish my morning duties now and would have been 100 percent late. Thank you, Regen.''


    His arrogant expression was akin to a newbie player that had scored a lucky win in a game against his friends. It was the needless arrogance stemming from baseless confidence boosted by infallible ego.


    Jyorta sported a wide smile, grinning as he saw the figure of Madam Mary flash into existence on the dot. She looked at the students assembled prim and proper below her; her senses involuntarily caught hold of the psychic energy stemming from Jyorta''s socks. Her eyelids twitched as she ignored his stupid grin, announcing, "Alright, except Laila, all 877 students from the October Batch have gathered here."


    The October Batch had 878 students in total, divided into 131 Espers and 747 Warriors. Madam Mary glanced over the mental states of every student, mentally praising their readiness as she spoke, "Out of the 130 Espers present here, 8 have broken through to Tier 2. And out of 747 Warriors, 35 have broken through to Tier 2."


    "Your stay as a Cadet in the military academy was officially complete by the end of yesterday. Now, you will be facing the Graduation Ceremony on the 20th of this month. This week is a preparation for that." Madam Mary cleared her throat, transmitting her message through her psychic energy.


    It looked like she was speaking, but she was doing everything through her psychic energy and just made it seem like she did the talking.


    "Upon graduation, you will be scouted by numerous organisations. That will be your secondary job, the one that pays you money. It would also decide the position, group, and the type of missions you would receive in your primary job, that is being a soldier."


    "So, your secondary profession is super important. That is what you would be doing for the rest of your life, unless you are drafted for missions. And, one won''t always be drafted for missions. It would only arise when there is a need. Currently, the Lacquer Wave is ongoing, so fledgelings like you cannot participate in it much. Therefore, you have to depend on your secondary jobs to accumulate higher quality experiences." Madam Mary glared, "I''m sure I don''t need to explain to you why."


    All the students nodded. Jyorta thought, ''The higher the quality of the experience, the greater the person''s mind matures. And, this makes it harder for the Wisdom Parasite to grasp their mind, reducing the chances of losing control. If one stays holed up within his room, even a Line Controller would lose control within 5-6 years.''


    "The quality of experiences you''ve accumulated is your saving grace against the viciousness of this world. You haven''t seen this yet but," Madam Mary''s gaze hardened, "Once you graduate, you would come across a lot of cases of people losing control. It is especially among the soldiers returning from a mission. They are sensitive and lose control over the slightest of stimulus."


    "As part of the workforce, you are paid money for the work you do. Your secondary job basically gives you all necessities of life and luxury if you wish to obtain it." Madam Mary gazed at the faces of the students, focusing on ones who had little to no hope of reaching Tier 3, "But, you are awarded contribution points when you complete a mission as a soldier."


    "After all, what you are doing as a soldier is a service to Marble City, and to the greater development of humanity." Her gaze made the weak-willed ones shudder, "And, the contribution points you have obtained can be primarily used to purchase: Frenzy Fruits, Traits, Research Data, Artifacts, Relics, and even an Unranked Skill. Everything comes with the respective clauses and conditions; you will learn about them more in the upcoming days."


    "Now," Her voice boomed, "We''ll talk about the Graduation Ceremony. The Graduation Ceremony is our final test of your skills and everything you have learned in the military academy. You will be given a mission and would have to complete it as a team of five. I''m sure you''ve seen enough of them to understand what I am speaking about, right?"


    Seeing the students nod, Madam Mary continued, "Now, I''ll be calling out the teams and their respective members."


    "Team 1," Her voice rose up a notch further, "Cadet number 1 is its team leader. The team members are Cadet 756, Cadet 794, Cadet 877, and Cadet 878."


    Upon mention of Cadet 1, Dalna Doppler walked forth, standing 20 metres opposite to the assembly. A boy at the back shouted in joy, his face flushed red, "Heck yeah!"


    Seeing the stares his friends gave him, he flashed them a mocking look, "I''m on the same team as the beautiful princess. Maybe this is my chance to ascend to the heaven."


    "Go die loser."


    "May you fart before her."


    "Hope your piss turns green."


    "I know, I know. I''m lucky. You don''t have to be jealous of me. Let this gracious brother of yours recount his glory upon returning." With a smug expression, he patted the shoulders of his friends, one after another, his smug expression becoming more pronounced upon each pat. The gazes of jealousy directed at him further deepened.


    As the top scorer, a genius, being one of the strongest in the Batch, in line of succession to an Aristocratic Family, and being the most beautiful girl in the academy to boot, she had no shortage of admirers. So, the boy''s reaction was justified, and received gazes of envy from the others. They too wished to be on the same team as her, for that would give them an opportunity to talk to her.


    As the four team members assembled behind her in a file, Madam Mary turned around, "Team 2 will be led by Cadet number 2. His teammates are¡­"


    Their Cadet numbers were based on their ranking in their Batch''s Dedicated Credit Ranking System. Very soon, it was his turn as Madam Mary spoke, "Team 6 will be led by Cadet number 6. His teammates are¡­"

 Chapter 407: Apocalypse?

    "Team 6 will be led by Cadet number 6, and his teammates are Cadet 641, Cadet 683, Cadet 771, and Cadet 772."


    Jyorta stood at the front, opposite the assembly, forming a row with Dalna Doppler and the other four students. Making a file behind them were their respective team members, four per each. They stood silently, for Madam Mary was still forming the groups. Only after that would they be permitted to socialise with their team members and plan accordingly.


    Standing left to him was Laekha Walta, the student that ranked seventh. The place left to her was left vacant, for that was Laila''s. As she wasn''t present in the academy now, her spot was left empty while a team hadn''t been assigned to her. The line continued after that.


    It took an hour, at the end of which Madam Mary finished forming the teams, looking at the long line at the front, "Alright, all 175 teams have been formed. Two teams have 6 people while the rest have five members each. Get sorted with your team members, and prepare. That''s all you will be doing today. You can head to wherever you want to train, but only as a team."


    Saying her piece, Madam Mary vanished from the scene. The students began to disperse, getting to know their team members as they moved in groups. Most planned to head to the White Building to talk and prepare first.


    Jyorta saw the figures of Ashten, Haesha, and Esina head towards the White Building with their respective teams. He then saw George glance at Dalna Doppler, seeing her stand in the same spot as before while gazing at her team members. Curious, Jyorta too focused on her actions.


    "I don''t know the extent of your capabilities. Let''s test it out first." Dalna Doppler raised her hand forward, widening her footing as she entered into a stance, "All of you, come at me. Try to touch my hand."


    Her team members consisted of three boys and one girl. They looked at each other, hesitating, unwilling to step up first and be made an embarrassment of. Noticing their thoughts based on their actions, Dalna Doppler craned strength in her legs, making a short movement to the front, the speed scaring the team members, "I told you to come at me. If you hesitate any longer, then I might retaliate."


    Seeing her aggressive stance, the four students were startled before they threw themselves at her. Dalna Doppler didn''t retaliate. All she did was dodge them in such a manner their attacks hit each other. She didn''t even touch them once.


    One of the boys stomped on the ground and sent a high kick, watching Dalna Doppler stand right outside the range of his attack, as if she had predicted it first. To hit her, he leaned forward, losing balance in the process as the¡ªhis teammate¡ªgirl''s attack landed on his raised leg.


    The boy that had boasted at the start to his friends was lying on the ground now, facing the sky with a blank expression. He had started with a straight right, but Dalna Doppler had moved back but was still within his reach if he moved his hand.


    So, to reach her, he turned the direction of his hand mid-attack, curving in the air that leaned his weight to his side. He then saw Dalna Doppler move further to the side. As his eyes followed her, his head turned accordingly to keep her figure in sight. This shifted the weight of his head further to his side, collapsing his balance and caused him to fall.


    The boy fell with a thud, feeling embarrassed at his action as he gazed at the sky with a blank stare. He tried to show off but ended up making an embarrassment of himself. ''I wanted to use this chance to touch her hand.''


    He then saw another student fall to the ground in a manner not less embarrassing to his, feeling somewhat better now that he wasn''t alone. The two stared at the faces of each, realising the shattered intentions both had concocted.


    The remaining two that were standing looked at each other, planning through eye contact. The girl rushed straight at Dalna Doppler while the boy approached her, planning to catch her when she moved. They didn''t wish to rush into each other when Dalna Doppler evaded.


    Noticing their plan, Dalna Doppler smiled, moving a step towards the girl, startling her. As the girl leaned closer to grab her, she bent backward, curved to the side as her legs gracefully let go of the ground. It was like a ring looping around a pole, Dalna Doppler evaded the girl''s rush in close quarters without any difficulties.


    Her failed lunge caused the girl to tumble to the ground. The only one standing now was the boy who had planned to catch her from behind, now staring with a blank gaze as the distance between him and Dalna Doppler had widened beyond his reach.


    Unwilling to give up at this point, the boy rushed straight at her, pausing upon every step to rein in his balance. He then saw Dalna Doppler stomp the ground between his legs, seeing her smirk as she sent a fist straight at his face.


    In his hurry, the boy bent backward to avoid the fist, watching the fist turn into a chop. He bent backward further until he lost his balance and fell flat on the ground, staring at Dalna Doppler''s hand that paused mid-way. Indignant about his loss, the boy kicked with his leg, seeing it kick the air.


    He then noticed Dalna Doppler having lifted one leg prior to his attack, as if she had expected his actions before he moved. Seeing her stance, the boy grunted, resting his back on the grass, "I give up."


    "I got an idea of the fighting styles of all your four," Dalna Doppler motioned for them to get up, speaking slowly, "As Madam Mary has announced, I, Dalna Doppler, am the leader of our Team 1. Do introduce yourselves."


    Her four team members introduced themselves as they began to head toward the White Building, preparing to plan their fighting style as a team before heading into practical practice. All this time, Jyorta, George, and their respective teams were watching her actions.


    Once she began to walk away, George turned around to gaze at his team members, "Well, shall we do the same?"


    "We give up!" He was met with a collective response from the disinterested team. George''s eyelids twitched, ''Well, this won''t be easy.''


    The military academy took into account the strength, talent, and character of every student while coming up with the teams. They planned to ensure the overall strength of every team remained the same. As they were at the top of their Batch, having the greatest determination to grow strong while already possessing strength beyond their peers, their teammates were on the opposite side of the spectrum to make up for the advantage.


    They were those that were the worst of the Batch and were hand-picked to ensure they would hinder the top scorers, in both ability and character. George turned around, motioning his team to follow him to the White Building as his eyes glimmered with a cunning gaze.


    Standing behind Jyorta were three girls and a boy, staring at his figure. The boy had a downcast gaze, lacking the slightest drive to better himself. He was a bundle of negative emotions, lacking any confidence in himself.


    ''This is a pain, I would just drag him down. It would be better if I give up and sit this one out.'' The boy thought, sitting on the grass with a gaze of disinterest. When he saw Dalna Doppler test her teammates, he didn''t even understand her motive behind the action, ''Why did she fight and embarrass them? Did she want to feel good about her power?''


    The three girls on the other hand gazed at Jyorta with lovestruck expressions, muttering with each other under their breaths, "Kyaa! He''s so handsome."


    "Look at his side view. His eyes are so focused."


    "Ahh, I want to cuddle him."


    "Maybe we can; we are in his team. So we¡­"


    "Oh my, we can ask him for help and use the opportunity to¡­"


    "Kyaaa! Don''t make me imagine it. It''s too much!"


    "Hehe, and then we can¡­eh? What is this?" One of the girls shouted in shock, shaking the other two. The three seemed to be friends or at least acquaintances that were close enough to engage in chatter.


    But suddenly, they saw Jyorta''s expression turn dazed as he began to walk forward, like he was sleepwalking. Suddenly, a hole appeared underneath him, causing him to fall through. The gruntle of a Frenzy Beast resounded as a wall of spikes emerged from around the hole that clamped at the centre before retreating into the ground.


    "What? What was that?" The girl that noticed first screamed in fright, turning around to look at the ground bereft of people, except for their team.


    "This is within Marble City. How can a Frenzy Beast appear here?" The boy shouted in fright, scrambling to stand up as he hollered, "Save us!"


    Thunderous sounds flashed in the air as they saw the sunlight be dyed with a dull shade of yellow. They saw the figure of their principal fighting in the air with a Frenzy Beast, ripping it apart as she speared through it.


    "Help us! Madam principal!" The boy screamed at the top of his lungs, becoming happy once Madam Mary noticed his presence. Before the three girls could shout for help too, their hearts lurched as they heard Madam Mary''s ignited shout that seemed like the last vestiges of a powerhouse, "Cadets, I told you to run. What are you doing here? Head towards the 6th Ring. All the outer Rings have been breached."


    "What?"


    "How?"


    "When did that happen?" The four students were confused as they gazed at the ground, seeing the grass wilt away while the ground underneath started to crack.


    ---------------------------


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    ---------------------------

 Chapter 408: It Was Him All Along

    "I told you to ru¡­" Madam Mary''s voice was cut short as something heavy slammed into her, sending her flying. Her body crashed into the Head Office Building, making a hole as she flew straight out of bounds.


    A couple of seconds later, the four students heard a ringing sound resound, a fact that said something had crashed into the city walls. The three girls were scared shitless, trembling as they fell to the ground.


    Fear had overwhelmed them, preventing them from running. They wanted to live, but their bodies failed to obey their command. The boy landed flat on the ground, beginning to cry as his face turned pale, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry for being useless¡­"


    The grass completely wilted and turned into dust that scattered with the heavy winds that broiled around. The yellow light in the surrounding made it seem like their city had long crossed its prime and was now on the path of ruin.


    The ground turned barren as it began to heat up, making the four students instinctively get up to avoid the heat as much as possible. It cracked, with the sounds of cracking resounding everywhere, loud and tremendous.


    Every crack seemed to possess a lot of weight, judging by how it sounded. A crack grew under them, causing the three girls to scream in fright and jump about. The sounds paused as the girls stopped crying, hiccupping as they looked around while trembling.


    The wind carried the dust from the barren ground, flowing around as it veiled their surroundings. Suddenly, they heard the gruntle of a Frenzy Beast they were familiar with.


    "No¡­don''t come here!" One of the three girls shouted before the others covered her mouth, cursing her foolishness mentally. The boy was foaming in his mouth at the side, muttering excuses to someone unknown.


    Outlined within the dust were four-legged silhouettes that ran helter-skelter. They also noticed some humanoid figures that tussled with the creatures, sometimes killing them, something getting killed.


    Among them, one of the four-legged silhouettes exited the dust cloud and sprinted towards them. It was a Spiked Lizard, a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast. Judging by its weak physique, it was an Esper, the weakest of the bunch.


    It sprinted at a fast pace but was injured all over. It seemed it had planned to escape the fight to save its skin. But now, it encountered four people that seemed like easy targets. Its regressed eyes spun as it hooted, leaking saliva as it raised its speed, intending to lunge at its prey.


    "Stop, don''t come here." The girl that was crying before wailed, helpless as she plopped to the ground. The other two girls looked ready to abandon her but were scared to move. They looked around and saw the dust cloud covering them on all sides.


    One of them saw the boy that had fainted beside them, foaming at the mouth. The Spiked Lizard made a beeline towards them, arriving before the hole¡ªthat had appeared at the start¡ªas it jumped over it.


    But suddenly, a hand moved up, grabbed it by the neck, and pulled it into the hole, followed by a welp that was abruptly severed. A second later, a bloody hand slammed on the ground, pulling its body. It was Jyorta, wearing what seemed to be a vine around his shoulders.


    He climbed up the hole and dragged himself on the ground, seating as he grunted, pulling out a spiked tooth embedded on his back, "Argh, damn Frenzy Beasts."


    He then turned around to see the four people, his eyes widening as he remarked, "What are you idiots doing here? You should run if you wish to survive. Didn''t Madam Principal announce it before?"


    "But you were with us just now?" One of the girls trembled as she pointed a finger at him.


    "What nonsense, that Frenzy Beast swallowed me 10 minutes ago." Jyorta scowled, slowly getting up as he looked around, noticing the numerous silhouettes prancing about with the dust cloud, "Anyway, I have plans to survive. If you wish to live, keep up with me."


    "Help us," The crying girl shouted, wailing as she moved forward to grab his legs. Jyorta stepped back, evading her as he said, "Every person for himself. I will only help you if you help yourself in the first place."


    "We won''t hold you back," The other girl stood up, slapping the head of the wailing girl as she pulled her up. Noticing Jyorta look at the unconscious boy, the remaining girl walked towards him and kicked him as hard as she could.


    Air left his lungs as the boy gasped, regaining consciousness as he looked around, soon staring at the bloodied figure of Jyorta, hearing his cold voice, "If you don''t wish to become food to them, lift your sorry self and survive."


    Jyorta''s voice intimidated him, causing him to spring up to his legs. He wasn''t even able to think anything, for Jyorta''s killing intent caused his mind to turn blank. He automatically followed what Jyorta said without questioning.


    "Make sure you follow me. I''ll make a path through the dust cloud," Holding the spiked teeth in his hands, Jyorta grunted. Blood dripped from his back, shoulder, and other wounds all over his body. The blood loss caused him to trip, but he still pressed forward.


    "Yes," The four barely willed themselves to answer, controlling their hazardous emotions as they followed Jyorta. They had just taken a couple of steps when the grass grew back while the yellowness in the light vanished, replaced by regular sunlight.


    The dust cloud and heat disappeared as the scent of the grass wafted to their nostrils. The four students stared at Jyorta''s back that was in a pose of carrying the spiked teeth from before, but there wasn''t anything in his hands.


    Noticing the change in his surroundings, Jyorta relaxed his hands and heaved a sigh of relief, "Thankfully, that was only a hallucination."


    "Your performance was alright, not the best considering the conditions, but you expressed your survival instincts." Madam Mary''s voice resounded as her figure appeared beside the students, positioned 20 metres away.


    When the four students turned to look at her, a pale blue psychic arm seeped into Jyorta¡ªoriginating from his head. The pale expression, sweat, and fatigue in him disappeared as he expended some psychic energy. Then, like the others, he too looked at Madam Mary, acting none the wiser.


    "As for the four of you," Madam Mary gazed at them, shaking her head, "You may be lacking in a lot of areas, but that doesn''t mean you shouldn''t fight for your survival. What you witnessed now may have been an illusion I created, but that doesn''t mean such a situation cannot become reality in the future. The least you could do is fight to survive, right?"


    "Yes, ma''am!" The four shouted, saluting as they controlled themselves from showing their weakness.


    "That''s the spirit." Madam Mary smiled, "I''ll be giving surprise tests to you from time to time. I hope you fare better next time. As Cadets about to graduate, your treatment would be different from the other Cadets."


    Saying her piece, Madam Mary vanished. The four students wiped off their tears and looked around to see students moving about on the ground as usual. Some of them shot confused gazes their way, wondering why they were behaving as such.


    "It wasn''t real!" The crying girl broke down in tears while the remaining two too followed suit. The boy kneeled on the ground, muttering, "I didn''t do anything. I''m weak."


    "It was real," Jyorta''s voice resounded, causing them to turn his way, watching him come to a stop before them, "It was an illusion you say? Nope."


    His expression was serious, "If such a situation happened in reality, all you would have done is die a pointless death. And, it wasn''t as if the cause of death was some Tier 5 powerhouse we cannot hope to match up to. It was a Spiked Lizard, a wounded Line Controller. Even a 12-year-old can kill such a wounded creature."


    "But, we are weak. Our Sync Rates are less than 55 percent. How can we even fight?" The crying girl said, "And, weak people like us will only work within the City. Marble City is defended by Ancestor Marble. It will never be breached."


    ''Right, these types do exist.'' Jyorta sighed, speaking with a calm tone, "Do you recall a certain statement Madam Rizenne has quoted many times during our lecture?"


    "W-What is it?" The boy stammered, finally raising his head for the first time.


    "In the Wilds exist as many Shifters as the population of humanity." Jyorta smiled, "Remember this? It may or may not be your fault for your lower Sync Rates. My Sync Rate isn''t all that high either. Your weak strength may or may not be your fault. But¡­"


    His gaze turned stern, "Not willing to fight against an opponent that tries to kill you is plain cowardice. And, I don''t like that."


    "If you wish to grow stronger, I''ll help you. The same as what I said before, I will only help you if you wish to help yourself." Jyorta''s voice turned bolder, echoing in their ears, "I can''t promise you''ll become experts. But in a week, I''ll make you capable of protecting yourselves. Are you with me?"


    "Yes," The girl at the front involuntarily grabbed hold of his outstretched hand, getting up. Jyorta then stretched his hand to the other two, watching them grab him and get up. He then arrived before the boy, extending his hand towards him, "What about you? Are you onboard?"


    "I hope I don''t drag you down." The boy grabbed his hand and got up, rubbing his stomach that hurt for some reason.


    Jyorta stood before everyone, "Let''s head to the White Building and create a plan for our team, alright?"


    "Yes!" They nodded and followed him. Turning around, Jyorta controlled a smile from forming on his face. Madam Mary hadn''t done anything to test them.


    It was him all along!

 Chapter 409: There are no Useless Skills

    "I''m Bilena, Cadet number 772." The crying girl introduced herself, having wiped her tears now as she sat on a chair.


    "I''m Sreshta, Cadet number 771." The girl seated next to her said. She was the one who had helped Bilena before.


    "I''m Duvic, Cadet number 683." The boy said, letting out a sigh with his sombre mood.


    "I''m Rishana, Cadet number 641." The girl that had kicked Duvic in the stomach before said with a smile. She seemed the type to not linger on a matter for long, quickly cheering up as she gazed at Jyorta with interest.


    "Nice to meet you all," Jyorta said, seated at the leftmost position in the room, "I''m Jyorta Bone, Cadet number 6."


    It was a regular room within the White Building meant for group study. Their room had a seating capacity of 6, having a rectangular table, six chairs, and a monitor attached on the other end. The students sat on either side of the table''s breadth. The room too was similarly rectangle.


    One side of the room''s breadth had the monitor while the other side had the room''s entrance. It was small but compact enough for them to study. Any bigger, and it might hinder them from focusing. If it was smaller, then the compactness of the room might imbue a narrowmindedness in the students.


    A lot had been put into consideration by the military academy, even in the minor details. The minor details weren''t helpful if it was in a single field, but when added in every field, they accumulated to produce a qualitative effect.


    Everything was done to nurture the students into better personnel that would become the city''s future. Not everyone was talented or had the means to become strong. If one''s Sync Rate was in the 50s, then their future was pretty dim, unless they proved themselves repeatedly and survived dangerous missions to obtain enough Frenzy Fruits to raise their Sync Rates.


    But, such characters were far and few between. The academy tested a student''s ability in various fields, scoring them accordingly. So, in every field Marble City required to function as a whole, the military academy tested the student accordingly.


    Therefore, they knew which student was suited to which field the best. In that way, the functioning of their society would be efficient and improve as a whole. That was why job offers weren''t something the students searched for but were given by the authorities from the organisations.


    And, there wasn''t a concept of a person being jobless. Marble City didn''t have such compassion to feed an individual who couldn''t contribute to it. Therefore, a person either worked in a job or rested within the Memoir Brook.


    So, the students were tested in every field and rewarded accordingly. Therefore, the higher a person''s rank in the Dedicated Credit Ranking System, the greater the value attached to them. The value here didn''t conform to the combat abilities of the person, rather the contribution he/she can give to Marble City.


    So, the higher one was ranked, the favourable their treatment conditions would be. So, their secondary jobs would be more profitable to work at. It would also give them better connections and land them in a better unit within the army.


    Though, danger accompanied a soldier everywhere in the Wilds, irrespective of their unit. But at least, depending on the unit, their survivability increased. After all, a unit of elites was a force to be reckoned with in comparison with a unit filled with less impressive soldiers.


    Moreover, irrespective of a person''s strength, they were always given dangerous missions. Only in such a way the quality of their experiences would be higher. Everything worked from a relative perspective. Marble City never left a person idle, unless they retired.


    People who had retired lived free from worries. They assumed management positions according to their contribution to Marble City. Thereby, they made use of their plethora of experiences and wisdom gained from such experiences to give better orders.


    The one that dictated everything was their rank. That was why it was titled, ''Dedicated Credit Ranking System.''


    Generally, based on their rank, the battle strength a Cadet would achieve at his/her peak can be estimated. Even a Cadet having a Sync Rate of 51 percent would reach Tier 2 by the end of their lives.


    ''The longest a person stayed at Tier 1 was around 40 years.'' Jyorta recalled a rather surprising fact. People broke through to higher Tiers not just to gain more strength, but also because a breakthrough significantly weakened their Wisdom Parasite for a considerable duration.


    In this time, they could increase their life experiences and further the lead between them and their Wisdom Parasite, thereby getting a greater duration of stay in their Tier without having to consume a Cleansement Fruit. Moreover, as the Nurturing effect was a passive, continuous process, most would reach the peak of their Tier sooner or later.


    But, the fact that a person remained at Tier 1 for 40 years was shocking. And, the fact that he broke through to Tier 2 after that was even more surprising. He had to consume a Cleansement fruit a couple of years later though. It was all because his Sync Rate was 50.1 percent, so his Nurturing Rate was almost negligible.


    He only increased his Sync Rate before his breakthrough to Tier 2 by accumulating all his contributions over the years. But, just his example alone proved that even the individual with the lowest Sync Rate could reach Tier 2 and even attain Tier 3 if he was patient and worked hard enough.


    The ranking allowed one to picture the height they would reach, unless nothing drastic changes about them. Those ranked beyond 300 were able to reach Tier 2. But, unless they put some serious effort into bettering themselves, that would be the endpoint in their lives.


    Anyone above rank 300 had a shot at Tier 3. And, if they worked a bit harder, then they could even reach the peak of Tier 3 before they had to consume a Cleansement Fruit. This was why the average population in Marble City was Tier 2 but their average fighting strength was Tier 3. A third of their population was at Tier 3.


    The students ranked in the top 10 had a shot at Tier 4. The Wisdom Parasite would experience a major evolution in its breakthrough from Tier 3 to Tier 4, so that was the most difficult step. That was why everyone at Tier 4 was addressed as an Elite in their society.


    Whether it was in the human society or Frenzy Beast society, Tier 3 formed their base fighting force while the number of Tier 4 they had indicated their dominance. The fact that there were 10 students in every Batch that had the potential to become Tier 4 indicated the effectiveness of Marble City''s methods in nurturing the students.


    Finally, the top scorer of every Batch had a non-zero chance at attaining Tier 5. But, it wasn''t guaranteed. In most cases, even after breaking through to Tier 5, they would soon be unable to endure and consume a Cleansement Fruit.


    The Tier 5 beings a race possessed dictated their rise and fall, for they represented the cream of the crop. It was why Tier 5 beings were hailed as pillars of their society. As for the chance to attain Tier 6, there was no guarantee. Even the strictest of assessment was unable to display that. For, attaining Tier 6 was the most difficult of them all. That was why the number of Ancestors could be counted on one hand.


    Jyorta looked at everyone in his team, "Your Sync Rates are in the 50s and your battle strength is as little as possible. But, you all are Warriors. And as Warriors, you possess your Tier 1 Skills, right?"


    Seeing them nod, Jyorta smiled, "Let''s start with that. We have four sensory means. We can develop our team''s fighting style accordingly. Let''s start with Rishana."


    Seeing him point at her all of a sudden, Rishana was caught off-guard for a moment before blushing a little, "My Tier 1 Skill is Altitude Perception."


    "That''s a good Skill," Jyorta said with a hint of praise, "Using it, we can check whether there are any pitfalls under us or not. It would prove useful for us."


    "Wait, we can do that?" Rishana blurted out in shock.


    "Indeed," Jyorta nodded, "Perceiving altitude is not limited to heights. The Skill works based on gravity, so you can perceive a numerical value for your height accordingly. But, if there is a hole under the ground, it would cause a disturbance in your perception. Normally, you wouldn''t know it. Only through repeated training would you be able to sense any holes underground using the Skill."


    "We should barely be able to do it within a week," Jyorta reassured her, thinking, ''I''ll put her in enough hallucinations so that she keeps it activated even while asleep.''


    He then looked at Duvic, "Tell us about your Tier 1 Skill."


    "Mine is pretty useless," Duvic sighed, "It would be better to learn about the Skills of the other two."


    "Duvic," Jyorta smiled, his eyes turning serious, "How long have you used your Tier 1 Skill for? How many times have you activated it?"


    "I¡­" Duvic bowed his head, "I only used it during training exercises. It gave me zero help, so I stopped using it after that."


    "Basically, you stopped practicing it, right?" Jyorta said with a hint of anger, "How dare you claim a Skill to be useless then? The Skills of humanity are the strongest as compared to every other Frenzy Beast race. If you feel your Skill is useless, it only means you haven''t figured out a method to use it."


    "And," His voice rose a pitch, "There isn''t even much to research about Tier 1 Skills. Hundreds of methods to use every Tier 1 Skill is available in the portal. All you have to do is read them. What''s your Tier 1 Skill, tell that first."


    "It''s¡­" Duvic trailed, bowing his head in shame further.


    --------------------


    If you wish to see this poor author get an Adaptation (Movie/serial/animation), please read my second novel, "Murim Recurve" and show it support. The greater the support it receives (Votes, Gifts, Coins, Reviews, Comments), the greater the chance for it to get an adaptation. If that book wins an Adaptation Reward, I promise I''ll use my own funds to release the comic version of Psychic Parasite (Free to read, of course) for you, my beloved readers~


    --------------------

 Chapter 410: Im Well-Versed in Hallucinations

    "It''s actually Thermal Vision." Duvic bowed his head in shame, his voice a whisper. "It''s pretty useless during the day and I cannot even see anything much at night."


    ''Any Skill is trash if you don''t even know how to use it in the first place.'' Jyorta sighed, speaking with a calm tone, "Look¡­Duvic, what do you think Thermal Vision does?"


    "It perceives heat signatures," Duvic nodded, "Even I know that. But when I used it, even when a person ran, I only saw some red and blue."


    "That''s what the Skill does," Jyorta muttered, thinking what Duvic did during his stay in the military academy for him to not even bother researching about the sole Skill he had. He then realised not everyone had the drive to improve. Some were content with just watching the days pass without putting any tangible efforts into bettering themselves.


    All sorts of characters existed among humanity. And, it wasn''t as if everyone were striving to become stronger and reach the top. Only the ones who obtained a higher Sync Rate from the start had such goals, for it was realistic to them. As for the rest, they reduced the margin of improvement accordingly.


    As he possessed a Sync Rate barely above 50 percent, Duvic had close to zero drive to improve himself. It wasn''t because of his inborn character, but rather he had almost no hope of becoming stronger. So, he chose to sit it out.


    The only ones who became powerhouses despite starting with a Sync Rate in the early 50s were those determined to succeed no matter what, having the persistence and perseverance to never give up. It was only normal such characters had their life journey made into books. They were heroes, legends of their generation who started from the bottom of the valley and arrived on the highest crest.


    Everyone among the first generation of Ancestors was more or less similar. They were the first of mankind to insert a Wisdom Parasite in their bodies. So, their starting Sync Rates was only to the extent they hadn''t died. Their journey was starting from scratch on an unbeaten road filled with jagged rocks until they reached the peak of a rocky cliff.


    "Thermal Vision allows you to perceive all heat signatures. And, depending on how you train, this heat signature isn''t absolute but becomes relative. So, even if a Frenzy Beast is made of ice, if blood moves in its body, it is in a relatively warmer state than the rest of the body, even if it looks no different to the naked eye. Thermal Vision is capable of capturing this difference too. This is an incredible Skill that allows us to detect the presence of Frenzy Beasts that remain in hiding to ambush us by assimilating into the surroundings." Hearing Jyorta''s answer, Duvic felt his head hurt.


    Jyorta smiled, "Don''t worry. I''ll beat everything about the Skill into your body. You don''t have an option for refusal."


    Seeing Duvic sulk at the corner, Jyorta smiled as he gazed at Sreshta, "Tell me more about your Skill."


    "My Tier 1 Skill is Focus Vision. But, the maximum I''ve been able to see using this Skill is not that different from my normal self." Sreshta said, hoping for Jyorta to give her a long lecture too. Unlike her anticipation, Jyorta nodded, "You just lack training, that''s all. We can work on it this week."


    As if he hadn''t seen her pouting expression, Jyorta looked at Bilena, the one who had loose control over her emotions, "Let''s talk about your Tier 1 Skill now."


    "It''s Enhanced Hearing," Bilena replied, her eyes darting away as she was unable to maintain eye contact with Jyorta. Her face flushed red as she tried to speak further but decided to remain silent after her voice refused to come out.


    "It''s ample helpful during our Graduation Ceremony," Jyorta smiled, "It would allow us to keep track of everything in our surroundings."


    "Altitude Perception to keep track of our position with respect to the ground and detect any traps underground, Thermal Vision to detect any foes in hiding, Focus Vision to observe a scene from far away, and finally, Enhanced Hearing to keep track of everything that happens in our immediate surroundings." Jyorta smiled, feeling that he was lucky to get such Skills, "Our detection means are a cohesive unit."


    After a moment of thought, he crossed out the luck part, for he knew the military academy had purposely set the teams as is. So, they would have at least put people with non-overlapping Skills in each team.


    The moods of the four lit up upon his words, feeling like they might be able to improve something through this ordeal. In actuality, Jyorta was releasing a trace of psychic energy after activating his Regen. It was a minute quantity to the extent they were unable to detect it.


    This psychic energy was subtly affecting them, improving their moods while making them listen to his words with a better concentration. Jyorta thought about his actions, mentally sighing, ''I''m becoming more and more a manipulator.''


    He was left with no other choice. He didn''t wish to pull any punches now that he was this far into the game. Moreover, he barely had enough time to reach Tier 6 ideally. But realistically speaking, time was insufficient. If he was injured in a mission and had to recuperate and recover from his injuries, the time wasted would make all his plans pretty much useless.


    He was pressed for time, and he had a lot on his plate that he had to consider and implement to become a powerhouse capable of saving and protecting his loved ones in the future. These days, the number of times his mind generated the thoughts of making a Bone family member into a subsoul was in the double digits. His waning morality was what was keeping it suppressed.


    ''If it is this bad for me, then what about those at Tier 4 and Tier 5? Are they just imitating morality based on the norms?'' Jyorta thought. It was a simple conjecture he had known for since long. When the Wisdom Parasite had developed to a certain extent in Tier 3, it would begin to speak with the host.


    It was from that point did the truest horrors of the parasites manifested. The Wisdom Parasite would constantly play with words and affect the host''s mind, using his weakness, influencing him through words. It would screw up the mind of the host in real-time and continue to do so without rest.


    And, it didn''t just resort to that alone. When it was bored, just to prevent the host from having a momentary peace, it played an orchestra in his mind. This orchestra consisted of every sound the host disliked or hated. As it would have developed to the extent it had absorbed most of the host''s memories, its mental attacks would be the most potent.


    ''I guess, that can also be termed as belonging to the domain of the mind.'' Jyorta thought, which was precisely the reason he questioned the morality of higher Tiered beings. At least, in his case, his change in morality was due to his horizons widening after comprehending the memories of the Frenzy Beasts too.


    He wasn''t influenced by their memories, thanks to the method he obtained from Atika Light through his previous stunt. But that didn''t mean he remained unchanged. A person''s mindset changed depending on what he experienced.


    As Jyorta''s experience continued to increase at a multiple every day, his thoughts about things were changing too. What he had considered morally questionable a year ago didn''t feel that much alien to him now, and this was just considering a year''s worth of development.


    The guilt he felt from making the language teacher lose control and cause the death of his classmates wasn''t as sharp as before. It was still sharp, but relatively speaking, it had dulled a little. He wasn''t losing his emotional quotient or his humanity. Rather, he was becoming a calculative person that tallied costs and benefits in most cases, except those derived from pure emotions.


    The innocence that he had maintained in his 20 years as Kaushik and the 16 years of his current life was disappearing. Jyorta had a hunch that the remaining traces of innocence would vanish during his first mission. After that, he would become an adult in the truest sense, an adult that lived in a society dominated by the parasites. The safe bubble, which was the ignorant childhood and the protected military academy was about to burst.


    ''These guys would play an important role in my graduation. So, I have to train them to the limit.'' Jyorta looked at the faces of everyone, noticing the three girls blush involuntarily upon the eye contact, "Our detection means are a cohesive unit. As for the attack and defence, we''ll talk about it now. If you have any abilities or specialities, you can tell them."


    Seeing the four members remain silent, Jyorta mentally sighed and continued, "Alright, we''ll now go into the aspects of attack and defence. This is where my ability comes into play."


    Jyorta snapped his finger as the four students were startled, finding themselves seated within the cafeteria. It seemed to be lunch hours, judging by the way the crowd moved in a hurry. The team members then looked at Rakh Veera walking towards them, flashing a thumbs up in their direction before seating himself at a nearby table.


    Followed by clicking sound, the cafeteria now became the auditorium where Madam Mary was talking about the Wisdom and Frenzy Parasites. They then heard Jyorta snap his fingers as they were back in the study room.


    But the weird thing was the figure of a Steel Porcupine breakdancing on the table while flailing its tongue everywhere. Jyorta made it vanish as he commented, "Hallucinations! It''s not Madam Mary alone that can do it. I''m well-versed in this field too, and these are my prime means of attack."

 Chapter 411: Rely on Your Skills to Survive

    "Then," Rishana frowned, "Shouldn''t you have known when Madam Mary made us hallucinate that?"


    "Are you for real?" Jyorta laughed, watching Rishana look stupefied at his sudden comment, "Madam Mary is a Sky Controller. When she made us experience the hallucination, she was just affecting our brain signals to make us perceive that. The five of us were influenced separately. And, the four apart from you in the scene was a figment of imagination that she inserted into the scene based on our actions in the respective illusions. She was manipulating five illusions at the same time and linked them into one scene to make it seem like we were all pulled into it."


    Seeing their eyes widen in shock, Jyorta smirked, "What I do is use the hallucinations through my aura. So, if I make a scene, I am pulling everyone into that one scene. So, if someone breaks out of the hallucination, they can disrupt the whole by interfering with their aura. But in Madam Mary''s case, she was devising it according to the individuals. If a Sky Controller tries something on you, unless you too are a Sky Controller, you wouldn''t even realise."


    "Emotions, thoughts, feelings, desires, etc. Both a Ground Controller and a Sky Controller can perfectly affect all of them without any problems." He looked at Rishana, "So, I was in the same situation as you. Judging by your actions, the time we spent in that was different. You were there for less than a couple of minutes while I was in it for more than 10 minutes."


    "So, there is something like that." Rishana nodded, amazed. She then noticed the figure of a Steel Porcupine stare at her face in close up. Its forked tongue even touched her nose. The sense of touch, the smell wafting from it, the feeling of weight it exhibited, and its presence, overall, made her spring up in fright.


    Duvic fainted, Sreshta sat in shock while Bilena watched it with fear; tears streamed out of her eyes once again as her legs trembled.


    The Steel Porcupine moved back a little, sitting on two legs as it craned its neck, poising its head with a slight forward tilt; from its menacing expression came a comical voice of a three-year-old as it looked at the four students before it, "Hello folks, I am Ridusrebi, your friendly neighbourhood spi¡­child mascot. If you want to hear a song, press 1. If you want to sing a song, press 2. If you want to make a song, press 3."


    "And," Its voice turned comically villainy, "If you want to change your underwear, press 4."


    Its voice turned child-like once again, "The thing is, people don''t take baths much these days. The more you bathe, the healthier you become. I recommend becoming marine creatures. They take a bath All...The...Time!"


    It extended its hand towards Rishana, "Here, let''s shake hands. The bond of friendship we forge now will last for all eternity. Oh, did I really say that?"


    It shook its body in shyness, displaying an exaggerated blush on its face as its forked tongue hissed, "Let''s shake hands, pretty lady."


    Its actions were awkward to say the best, but the way it talked and its constant actions made Rishana drop her guard. She extended her hand hesitantly, inching it closer and closer before the Steel Porcupine grabbed her hand with both its hands, shaking it up and down, "Pretty lady, you may be pretty, but you should eat more. I don''t like them skin and bones."


    "What?" Rishana retracted her hand in reflex, alarmed as she thought it would prey on her next. She then watched the Steel Porcupine wave its hands in a fluster, hiccupping as it tried to make an excuse, tumbling in the process. It hit its hand on the table, "No! I didn''t mean that! Stupid Steel Porcupine! Idiotic primal genes!"


    It then woke up, faced its back to Rishana, and made a human-like coughing sound, turning around as it smiled, "Hello big sister, I hope my brother Ridusrebi didn''t annoy you. He has an annoying habit of talking nonstop once he starts. But fret not big sister, the most pinesome Steel Porcupine in this world will help you."


    "Ugly idiot brother of mine, stop pestering big sister." The Steel Porcupine looked at its left, speaking with an admonishing tone.


    It then turned to its right, hissing as It showed a face of anger, "Ugly idiot brother of mine, she''s your sister-in-law. You have to address her with respect."


    "She is my sister." It faced the left, scowling.


    "She''s your sister-in-law." It faced the right, barking.


    Then it suddenly faced forward, looking at Rishana as it raised its hand, emitting two different voices, "What do you say, sister (pretty lady)?"


    "I¡­uh," Her eyelids twitched as she looked at her teammates, seeing them watch the scene with interest. From an expression of fear, it turned to confusion, and later to amusement. Even Duvic that had fallen unconscious had woken up at some point in time and watched the play with all seriousness.


    She then noticed Jyorta sitting on the chair, eyes closed, sleeping. Rishana looked at the Steel Porcupine, unsure as to what she had to do. She then heard Jyorta''s voice, "Does it look scary?"


    Rishana gazed at the Steel Porcupine that looked constipated for some reason. She saw that despite its spikes being menacing, its struggling expression of holding back something made it seem harmless. It was a comical sight. She shook her head, "It doesn''t look scary this way."


    "Do you know the best way to kill one?" Jyorta opened his eyes, speaking in a tole of calm. Rishana was surprised for a moment before shaking her head.


    "Well, you''ll know soon enough." Jyorta snapped his finger, making it disappear. The study room was back to normal, "It seems all of you have calmed down considerably. Frenzy Beasts aren''t scary. They just look that way."


    "And," Jyorta chuckled, "This is how they behave all the time. Because of the Frenzy Parasite, they are aggressive against humans and other Frenzy Beasts. But within their own race, they aren''t always growls and howls."


    "You mean to say something like before can happen in reality?" Rishana looked at her palm, finding a unique sensation at the place the Steel Porcupine''s hands had touched her. It was a feeling she hadn''t known. The sense of touch was real. She was unable to understand why, expressing her doubts.


    "The hallucination affects all your senses. Unless the level of your detection ability surpasses my hallucination, even your Skills function accordingly to the hallucination." Jyorta smiled, snapping his finger, "For example, how high up from the ground are we?"


    Rishana frowned in confusion for a moment as she noticed something amiss. The wall behind Jyorta wasn''t whole, rather it only retained a small portion that she saw while focusing on him. The moment she looked around, she noticed the sky all around.


    There was faint dangling as her line of sight moved up and down in a harmonic motion. She looked down as her eyes widened in shock, feeling her heart thump louder and louder. Thundering beats resounded in her ears as the thumping equivalent to getting her chest hit by a fist coursed through her lungs.


    Her voice failed to come out as she was afraid. "This is an illusion¡­an illusion¡­an illusion."


    She looked at Jyorta, "Right?"


    Their floor was placed on the tip of a sharp hill, balanced by a contact area of less than a square centimetre. As a faint wind blew, their floor moved up and down a little like a boat on an almost still lake.


    There was only the table and their chairs on the floor. To Jyorta''s back was a piece of wall that balanced against their weight. After all, on one side sat Jyorta alone while on the opposite sat the three girls. Duvic was sitting perpendicularly to both of them, facing the monitor.


    "Use your Skill to find out." Jyorta smiled, watching her activate her Tier 1 Skill. A second later, Rishana felt her head spin as she stammered, "T-Two¡­ K-Kilometres?"


    "Bingo!" Jyorta clapped, "Now that it''s proved your Skills are affected by my hallucinations, I''ll be training you using it."


    "Wait! What do you mean by that?" Rishana asked in a fluster. The others three too hurried to stop him.


    Jyorta smiled, "The key to survival is first mastering your own abilities. Second, you have to adapt to the surroundings."


    Seeing their actions, Jyorta''s eyes shone with intelligence, looking at Rishana, "Remember how you shook hands with the Steel Porcupine. That is how the hallucinations work. Whether you believe it to be real or not doesn''t matter. Your body would consider everything real."


    "I have set two conditions: the first is the desired Skill level, the second is a time limit. Until either one is met, you will be under my hallucinations." Jyorta''s voice rang out as his figure wafted away like smoke; his final sentence echoed like it was omnipresent, "Remember, the only way to survive and meet up with everyone is to rely on your Skills."


    "Wait! Jyorta Bone!" Rishana shouted as the scene broke into pieces, causing a swirling mass of white to wash over her before her vision turned blank.


    The wind blew gently, occasionally turning violent. It was a rocky area, surrounded by rock pillars that seemed to be made from compressed mud. There were indentations and protrusions of all sizes on them, with a portion of the protrusions breaking off at times due to the strong winds.


    Lying atop a protrusion was Rishana; her eyelids trembled as she woke up, feeling a headache as she found herself in alien terrain. She looked around; her heart thumped in tension as she gazed down, watching the rock pillars extend downward beyond a point at which she couldn''t see anymore.


    "Jyorta Bone!" She fainted.

 Chapter 412: They Wouldnt Be Traumatised

    "W-What happened?" Rishana opened her eyes, feeling a headache as she heard an eerie sound of the wind that blew through the rocky terrain. She looked around, eyes widened as the surroundings beyond 30 metres were veiled by fog.


    She heard some faint sounds of a bird echo. She was unsure from where it resounded. But considering the depth of the sound, the animal that produced it surely had powerful vocal cords. Rishana had zero intentions to investigate it; all she thought was in keeping herself safe.


    "This is a hallucination¡­a hallucination¡­a hallucination." She got up, punching the wall lightly to feel a sting in her fist. Everything felt realistic. Loose soil fell off from the point of impact as she felt the protrusion vibrate.


    "Dammit," She noticed the soil come off in thin streams from the place the protrusion was attached to the rock pillar. Rishana swerved her head, looking around to see the top of a rock pillar situated nearby.


    Rishana didn''t hurry in her jump, for the rock pillar''s top only had a square metre in area. If she made a mistake, then she would fall. She took in a deep breath, "You can do it, it is possible."


    The trembling under her legs intensified as part of the protrusion along the sides fell off as sand, making the base thinner and thinner. She only had a couple of seconds before it lost all of its foundation.


    "Ahh," Rishana leapt using all her strength. Her Sync Rate was 56 percent. So, she was slightly stronger than girls her age. In her hurry, despite her mental plans, she jumped with more strength than necessary.


    Her jumping angle wasn''t perfect that she would stop upon landing. Chances are, she would proceed forward until her foot left the surface, no longer having a base to anchor upon. The moment she leapt, Rishana knew, she wouldn''t make the landing safely.


    Her eyes drifted towards the unending chasm trailing past the rocky terrain visible to her as her body arched. Her foot landed on the rock pillar''s top when it creaked under her weight, caving in easily.


    "Aaah!" Rishana screamed in fright as her legs went into the soil, crashing with the rock pillar''s interior as her body slammed into the wall. The wall cracked as part of her foot peaked out while her body leaned over. The caved in part was a metre deep.


    "Ah!" Rishana flailed her hand, grabbing hold of the wall on the other side, using it to pull her back. She barely managed to straighten herself when the walls collapsed on all sides. Some of them fell on her legs while the rest tumbled to the ground, turning into loose soil during the fall.


    There was no sound of their impact as Rishana only heard the sound of the breeze blowing past like always. She panted, looking back to see the protrusion she woke up on, now only left with a small part less than 10 centimetres in length.


    Rishana hadn''t even managed to take a breath in relief when the rock pillar she was on started to tremble. "Dammit, not this too."


    She saw soil fall off from the sides, causing faint sounds that made her heart lurch. Rishana looked around, noticing the rock pillars were farther apart than her reach. "What should I do?"


    The rock pillar began to tremble as a large piece fell off from its sides, causing a portion of the top to become unbalanced. Rishana immediately shifted her body weight to one side when she noticed a rock¡ªthe size of her fist¡ªfall off thanks to her actions. "Why?"


    In her tension, she suddenly recalled Jyorta''s words as her Tier 1 Skill activated by itself. She then perceived her height, "What? It''s only 30 metres?"


    But even that height was more than enough to kill her. So, her situation hadn''t changed. Soil continued to fall off the rock pillar as it destabilised more and more as time passed. No matter which way she moved, small pieces of it still fell off under her action.


    "How will I know if it would fall?" She screamed in frustration as she thought about her discussion with Jyorta, concentrating further with her Skill as she began to sense minor fluctuations in the data she perceived.


    ¡­


    "Ug¡­uh¡­uwakk¡­wah!" Duvic was in a cage of ice, with no hope for exit. His body shivered from the cold as his limbs turned numb. In the beginning, he had flailed his hands by force when a small protrusion on the ice wall cut his hand. It bled now while the pain made his hand feel heavy.


    He had been trapped in the ice cage for the past 10 minutes with no hope for escape. His eyes started to close as he felt drowsy, his body lacking the energy to even move. All he could do was huddle in place in the hope for someone to save him.


    "Please¡­please¡­save me¡­please¡­" His voice echoed like a broken cord as his throat was parched. He lifted his head and saw his reflection on the wall, an ashen pale face that was slowly turning red, a sign of internal bleeding.


    His eyes were red while his nose had turned purple. The ice cage looked pristine like a mirror, except for some sharp protrusions on its surface. It reflected him whole, displaying his pathetic self, furthering his self-loathing.


    "No! Save¡­me¡­" He began to cry, burying his head within his legs as he curled up in the corner, unwilling to look at his reflection anymore.


    ¡­


    Sreshta was on a flat metal platform that was rusting all over. It was square in shape, spanning a side of 30 metres.


    The metal platform was surrounded by metal walls on all four sides, rusting as the paint on them peeled off. It was thirty metres tall, with no room for an exit. There was neither a door nor a flight of stairs leading to the outside.


    Sreshta had already scoured the entire area. There wasn''t anything she could use to escape. She tried inflicting self-harm in an effort to wake up from this place. But irrespective of what she tried, Sreshta was unable to leave the hallucination.


    Among one of her trials, she touched the wall with her hands when a poking rusted part injured her. It was a tiny wound, but the bleeding never stopped. Now, she was applying pressure on the wound to prevent the blood from flowing out.


    "How do I escape from here?" She was afraid, nervous at the foreign place and was losing hope of escaping the longer she stayed. There was nothing in there to help her.


    Sreshta had just stepped forth when she heard a splotch, gazing down to see the floor was wet. There was a thin layer of water on it. She noticed the water flowing in a thin stream, originating from somewhere else.


    She focused on the water trail, concentrating as her Tier 1 Skill, Focus Vision activated.


    ¡­


    It was a dark place, with only the sounds of her heartbeats resounding in her ears. She was afraid to breathe faster, taking slow breaths that hardly produced any sound. "H-Hello, anyone there?"


    There was no reply, scaring her further. Suddenly, there was a whistling sound as an arrow landed beside her, shining with a neon hue upon landing. It faded after a second, causing the place to embrace darkness once again.


    In the short second the arrow landed on the ground, all Bilena saw was a normal ground of mud that had faced a drought. The arrow pierced into the ground halfway up its shaft. Bilena started to cry once again, almost falling unconscious.


    Before she fell unconscious, she heard the whistling sound once again as another arrow landed beside her, this time closer than before. The whistling sound was a tad lower than the first time. Her body jumped back in reflex as she was wide awake now.


    Before she could react, a third arrow landed, this time only 20 centimetres away from her toes, adding mental pressure on her frail mind. The whistling sound was even fainter now that she couldn''t react.


    "Aah!" Bilena screamed in fear, watching the fourth arrow land just a centimetre away from her pinky toe. Her Tier 1 Skill, Enhanced Hearing was automatically activated as all her focus was on the arrows, for they were trying to kill her. Even if she was incapable of having the mindset to use them, under the threat to her life, her body was focusing all its energy on trying to perceive the arrows. That was why her Tier 1 Skill activated on its own.


    She faintly perceived another arrow but failed to dodge on time, watching the arrow land between her first and second toe, making a cut that bled. Her toes weren''t severed, but the flesh on them was cut to a fair extent that they bled without stopping.


    "Argh!" She screamed, retracting her injured leg in reflex from the pain as she noticed another arrow land on the place her leg was on before. If she had reacted an instant later, the arrow would have pierced through her foot.


    ¡­


    Jyorta sat in the study room, looking at the faces of his four teammates that had their eyes closed and were sitting still. This time, he increased the depth of his hallucination, making everything play within their mind.


    He had his eyes closed, his breathing a steady form while his body barely moved except for the breathing action. Suddenly, the voice of a staff resounded in his ears, "Remember, if your actions inflict trauma on them, you would be severely punished."


    "They¡­wouldn''t¡­be¡­traumatised," Jyorta muttered with difficulty as he was soaked with sweat in maintaining four different hallucinations at the same time. "I¡­guarantee¡­it."

 Chapter 413: How to Deal with the Problem?

    "I''ll be keeping an eye on their mental states. If you go overboard, I''ll intervene." The staff''s voice resounded, turning gender-neutral, almost robotic.


    Jyorta used all his concentration to nod his head, feeling the difficulty in even doing that. Manipulating four different hallucinations was already breaking past his limits. He was straining himself too hard to control it.


    It was like performing four tasks at the same time. But here, each task was creating a world and maintaining the elements in play affecting it. Also, he had to cause changes according to the actions they took within.


    The information transfer was too much. Most of the time, he just used superficial hallucination. The target would experience a different world, but their aura would still be within their bodies. So, the signals wouldn''t be cut off. That''s why they were able to move in reality.


    This was the method he used to control the Frenzy Beasts. It was tough, but he was mostly maintaining one or two hallucinations. Moreover, in both, he didn''t change the terrain. He mostly used the terrain in reality while adding some extra elements in place to suit his agenda.


    If he had used that against the four teammates, they would still be experiencing the hallucination world. But the immersion wouldn''t be 100 percent. For, when they activate their Skills, it would activate in reality. And, they would only perceive the data from reality.


    The error would cause their aura to rile up and further reduce the immersion. But, unless they were capable of disrupting Jyorta''s aura, they wouldn''t be able to break out of his hallucination. As the prime reason for his use of the hallucination was to train them, Jyorta had to deepen their immersion.


    This way, their bodies wouldn''t move in reality. So, when they activate their Skills, they weren''t activating it in reality, but making use of that information in their presence. This was part of the essence he was making use of in the creation of his tattoo world.


    A person''s presence contained all information about them. So, when fully pulled into a hallucination, they would behave similarly to how they did in reality. That is how he planned to train them until they become capable Warriors who wouldn''t hinder him in the graduation ceremony.


    He inspected their progress, frowning, ''Bilena and Rishana are faring well since the threat on their lives is active. So, their bodies are forcing the activation of their Skills thanks to their instinct to survive. Now, if I improve that instinct to survive, they would grow faster. But, as the threat to Duvic and Sreshta are passive, they aren''t faring as well.''


    Jyorta wanted to change their situation more but was unable to think up a better answer in his state. If he tried to think, his hallucinations would be disrupted and the four students would return to reality. That would waste all his efforts.


    He could only maintain four hallucinations thanks to the blue soul feeding him four different memory fragment streams. If it was on his own, a single, detailed hallucination was his limit. Maybe when he became a Wave Controller, the drastic improvement to his brain would allow him to multitask without any trouble.


    But as an Area Controller, it was still above him. He could use three aura personifications without the help of his blue soul. But his aura personification of betrayal and insignificance were simple, and one-off abilities. He only had to emit them.


    Most of his concentration would still be on the aura personification of hallucination.


    And, when he used them, he wasn''t changing the terrain. So, the amount of mental power required for the task was still within his capabilities as an Area Controller. If he was only a Line Controller, his hallucinations wouldn''t be as defined or detailed.


    Jyorta anticipated the extent of development his hallucinations would progress towards once he became a Wave Controller. At Tier 3, his Esper powers would finally bloom and he would be able to reap the harvest of everything he had trained.


    A psychic arm slowly slithered out of his brain, crawling like an insect on the verge of death. His body turned rigid, lacking the brainpower to maintain any actions. His involuntary muscles functioned without any hiccups as the psychic arm slowly turned pale blue.


    It released a trace of psychic energy into the air, slowly filling up the room. When they breathed, they inhaled the psychic energy. The psychic energy seeped into their bodies, alleviating the stress, tension, and other emotions they were facing. Jyorta''s condition didn''t improve though, for he had been using a psychic arm from the start to heal and recover his mental drain.


    If not for that, he would have long been exhausted by maintaining the four hallucinations. ''My training speed increased tremendously ever since I obtained Regen. This is indeed the perfect Unranked Skill for me.''


    He was more and more reinforced with his decision to choose Regen. If it weren''t for that, he wouldn''t have been able to train without any problems. His training using the Tier 5 Artifact¡ªthe book that Jyovic Bone had gifted him¡ªcontinued at a faster pace.


    His Trait of Efficiency, Resistance, and Recovery worked in conjunction with Regen and created a beneficial cycle that raised the rate his aura grew up. That was how his hallucinations were becoming more and more profound every time he used them.


    At present, Jyorta had the confidence to trump any Tier 2 Frenzy Beast. He was also confident in going against the geniuses hailed in humanity, those that were the best of the best in their respective military academy.


    ''Once they graduate, they would receive the backing of their respective Aristocratic Families. Normal people can become strong, but their route would be longer and fraught with even greater difficulties. So, every person hailed as a genius is from an Aristocratic Family. As for me, I too will be supported by the Bone Family. Unless they are idiots, they would realise the strength I possess now and the potential for growth I harness within me. At least, grandfather knows it.''


    On seeing that all four were arriving at a checkpoint of sorts, Jyorta slowly retracted his aura, feeling a blissful cooling sensation in his head. His psychic arm started to heal him, first healing his mental exhaustion before it started to recover his presence.


    They were yet to get up, slow in escaping the effects of his hallucination. They were only in Tier 1, so they were unable to use their aura. As the blood circulated in their bodies, it would slowly circulate the aura carried in it, thereby disrupting the foreign aura belonging to him¡ªlike a hammer slamming repeatedly on a wall.


    As time passes, it would fully break his aura before steadily expelling it. It was a passive process that would take some time¡ªfully reliant on the blood circulation and the aura in it. And, only after it finished would they get up. Until then, Jyorta had some free time.


    After all, his aura was in the realm of Tier 3 in both quantity and quality. The targets were at Tier 1, and the weakest of the bunch. So, even on a conservative estimate, they would take at least one more hour to break out from it.


    Until then, they would be living within the hallucinated world that was slowly crumbling. It would be like a dream from that point onwards where they wouldn''t feel pain from hitting objects, wouldn''t bleed from getting injured, etc. Those elements had returned with his aura.


    Jyorta woke up, stretching as he yawned, feeling tired. His head still ached as he left the study room to take in a breath of fresh air. The moment he exited, he saw George walk out from the nearby room. The two stared at each other for a couple of seconds before sighing at the same time.


    "They are the worst," George sighed.


    "You can say that again," Jyorta massaged his brows, "My teammates consist of those that would become free meals to the Frenzy Beasts once they head to the Wilds."


    "Mine wouldn''t even survive 10 metres from the city gates," George looked back at the study room, grunting as he relaxed his clenched fists, "I''m planning to take them to the training centre next and beat them into submission first. At least, that would make them obedient."


    "Well," Jyorta laughed awkwardly, "I was already warned by a staff to not go overboard."


    George''s eyes widened as he looked at Jyorta in surprise, "What did you do to them in place of talking?"


    "I put them under a hallucination where their lives are at constant risk," Jyorta scratched his cheek, watching Dalna Doppler exit from three rooms away. Upon seeing them, she gazed at their faces, understanding their situation based on their expression.


    "How worse are they?" She smiled.


    "Well," George pointed at her, "You say first. I think you would have the worst of the bunch."


    "Well, they are lacking in ability, to be frank," She nodded, "But, they are also lacking the drive to put in the effort."


    "What are you planning to do now?" Jyorta glanced at his watch once, noticing that it was almost 11:00 AM. He wished to eat and recover his expended energy first. He had stopped the hallucination because his psychic energy ran dry.


    He used the remainder to heal his mind and left most of it in the room so that his teammates would recover from the traumatic experience. But this way, he was unable to recover his presence. Moreover, he was exhausted now.


    "It feels like using the test as an excuse, the academy dumped its problems on us," Dalna doppler thought for a moment, "I am not exactly sure of the way to deal with them. Time is short, and I don''t know how we can change them in a week when the academy couldn''t do so in almost a year."

 Chapter 414: Eat, Sleep, and Shit

    "Most of everything the academy has done consists of general education. Only when we try something or require a certain piece of knowledge or technique do the staff take a hands-on approach. As these students hadn''t ever tried to do anything, they weren''t taught personally by the staff." George offered his conjecture.


    "Even otherwise, if they changed their methods or gave a bit of individual attention to these students. I''m sure they would fare better than their current selves." Dalna Doppler frowned.


    "It''s because they cannot afford to do so," Jyorta sighed, "Remember that all these students have the least Sync Rate possible. No matter how hard they worked, they won''t make any difference in the grand scale of things. Only if their efforts led to a qualitative change would it prove worthy. But for that, they would have enough drive from the start to do so. Such students wouldn''t end up at the bottom and would crawl their way to the top no matter what."


    "Cannot afford to do so¡­" Dalna Doppler thought for a moment as she nodded in realisation, "Indeed, if they wish to improve themselves, they would have to tackle the root cause of the situation, that is their low Sync Rate. To increase it, they need to obtain Frenzy Fruits. But Frenzy Fruits are expensive and their supply never meets the demand. So indeed, they just cannot afford to boost the students."


    "Yeah," George nodded, "I think that''s why the ranking, contribution, and rewards system exist. It is their way of providing a way to improve for the ambitious individuals. And, this graduation ceremony is probably their last attempt at correcting these students in hopes they might strive to better themselves after graduating."


    "That should be the case," Jyorta nodded, "But how are you planning to correct them? On my side, I am going to put them in numerous hallucinations and forcefully mould them. I have my Regen to prevent their minds from taking any damage."


    "How convenient," Dalna Doppler sighed, "Your methods are numerous, Jyorta Bone."


    "Not really," He let out a wry smile, "I only have one method that is applicable in a lot of situations in a variety of ways."


    "Which means the same," George retorted, waving his hand as walked away, "Anyway, I am going to round up my team members and try something with them. We don''t have the time to chat."


    Once George entered his room, Dalna Doppler glanced at Jyorta, "One step at a time, right?"


    Before he could reply, she walked away, entering the room with her teammates. Jyorta frowned, "What was that?"


    He shook his head, not putting her expression to mind as he returned to his dorm room, taking out the Tier 3 Relic, Enhanced Healing Salve as he scooped out some healing salve using his psychic arm. He gobbled it, now used to its bland, jelly-like taste.


    ''It would be better if I had something like the River Whale''s Essence of Frenzy to digest my food faster. At least, the Trait of Efficiency is helping me to a fair extent.''


    A Sync Rate of 76 percent. It wasn''t high, but it wasn''t low either. Thanks to his feat in the Labyrinth of Frenzy, he managed to increase his Sync Rate by three percent. It was a lot, considering the Credits he would have obtained had he given the Heart/Brain Crystals to the academy.


    It cost 10,000 Credits to buy a Tier 4 Frenzy Fruit. To increase his Sync Rate by 1 percent, he needed 10 Tier 4 Frenzy Fruits, a sum of 1,00,000 Credits. There was also the option to buy a Tier 5 Frenzy Fruit which was at a 50 percent discount and could be exchanged with 50,000 Credits.


    Even then, that only amounted to a percentage increase in his Sync Rate. In retrospect, using his method, Jyorta had gained more than a three percent increase in his Sync Rate. This difference in efficiency is what caused him to go all out in his exploration.


    ''Traits, Skills, and Unranked Skills. With the right combination, a person''s growth speed would skyrocket.'' Jyorta picked up a box from the bag¡ªplaced within the cupboard overhead. Contained within was the Tier 5 Artifact¡ªa book containing all the Bone Family''s research about Espers.


    He was incapable of accessing the information yet. All he was using it for was as a device to train his aura.


    His psychic arm shot out and touched the box, inserting some psychic energy into it. The box absorbed the psychic energy and created a barrier around him. This was the shield that prevented any aura from exiting every time he trained with the Tier 5 Artifact.


    After taking in a deep breath, Jyorta opened the box''s lid using his psychic arm, feeling a wave of aura crash into him like a tsunami, causing him to suffocate immediately. Unlike before, his aura reserves were almost empty, so the effect of the Artifact''s aura was many times higher than usual.


    The aura caused his psychic arm to break down as Jyorta lost consciousness. The moment his psychic arm broke, its hold over the lid was released, causing it to fall. The aura unleashed from within was cut off instantly.


    The aura lingering within the barrier condensed and coagulated into Jyorta as his body breathed, struggling to inhale and exhale every breath. It was a pure aura, lacking any form and substance¡ªaura personification.


    So, when he inhaled, the aura mixed into the blood in his lungs, slowly getting assimilated into it. The pressure it emitted on the muscles caused them to feel constricted, but as time passed, they got used to it and assimilated the pressure into their internals.


    Ten minutes later, Jyorta woke up, grunting in pain as his head spun. He slowly regained his bearings as he tied up the box, placing it within the bag that he tucked into the cupboard overhead. His stomach digested the healing salve at a faster pace thanks to the pressure dealt by the Artifact''s aura.


    This aura also pressured his Wisdom Parasite, subconsciously increasing the Nurturing Rate. The steady trickle of psychic energy entering his Brain Crystal doubled in the duration of the aura''s effect before trickling down to the usual amount.


    After resting for 20 minutes, Jyorta headed to the cafeteria to grab some food. The nutrition wasn''t needed as he had already consumed the healing salve. A teaspoon worth of it was equivalent to ten meals, so he didn''t need to eat any food.


    The only reason he still ate some food, despite it being of minimal quantity was to retain his sense of taste. Eating, sleeping, and taking a shit; those were three fundamental aspects of being a flesh-body organism. Regen and the healing salve ensured he didn''t need to follow the three. But, Jyorta didn''t wish to rely on them completely.


    If he stopped doing the actions every human did, he would become less human, both physically and mentally. The mental aspect was why he refrained from relying solely on Regen and healing salve to function. He needed to do the activities of humans to feel human, as simple as that.


    It was less efficient this way, but he didn''t wish to become a calculative monster that was completely goal-oriented. There would be no meaning in his life then.


    Jyorta headed towards the White Building, entering the study room to see his four teammates talking with each other. It seemed to be the contents of what they had experienced in his hallucinations.


    Seeing him enter, they were alarmed, springing up in fright. Jyorta laughed, "Relax, that would be all for today. I ran out of psychic energy."


    "Then¡­tomorrow¡­" Rishana looked at Jyorta hesitantly; her expression crumbled when he nodded.


    Jyorta glanced at Duvic and Sreshta, seeing that they were normal now. Their mental wasn''t in a jeopardy; it was thanks to the psychic energy he left in the room after activating Regen. That allowed them to calm down and analyse their experiences.


    "You have mental blocks against many things. The scenes I''ll make you experience daily will allow you to break out of your shell and become Warriors who can defend themselves." Jyorta spoke, seeing Rishana sigh as she nodded. It seemed she didn''t bear a grudge towards him. Rather, she was thankful.


    In the short while she was in that rocky terrain, she had grasped a lot of uses for her Tier 1 Skill. Moreover, she realised a fact; as long as she strived for, she was able to become better than her current self.


    Bilena, though afraid, managed to realise it too. After all, the sense of satisfaction she felt from dodging an arrow on her own was intoxicating. Sreshta and Duvic were still the same as before, showing zero signs of improvement.


    ''At least, two out of four are improving. And this is only the first day. I''ll shape them all before Graduation Ceremony.'' Jyorta smiled, speaking with praise, "All of you have shown improvement. Keep up with it, and your performances during the Graduation Ceremony will shock the others."


    "Can I become as strong as you?" Rishana looked at Jyorta with twinkling eyes, withholding anticipation.


    "Hmm," Jyorta thought through, "Your Sync Rate is less, so your growth would be slower than mine. But, if you work to the limit and reach Tier 2, you would be as strong as me within three years."


    "Three years," Rishana smiled, "If I can catch up to your current strength in three years, that should be more than enough for me."


    "Three years to obtain Jyorta Bone''s strength," Bilena looked happy, "That''s the best I have heard in this entire year."

 Chapter 415: 150 Metres

    When they talked about Jyorta Bone''s strength, they didn''t mean his strength as an Esper. That wasn''t anything enviable. After all, everyone could achieve it as long as they were at Tier 2. As it was their Wisdom Parasite that imbued it in them through the passive Nurturing process.


    What they were excited about was Jyorta Bone''s character, his decision-making skills, and his foresight in planning his moves. They were anticipating his strength that managed to wipe out all Frenzy Beasts in the first three layers of the Labyrinth of Frenzy.


    It wasn''t a feat a regular Tier 2 being could ever hope to achieve. Jyorta''s actions were akin to a Wave Controller dancing around. So, they were excited at obtaining that strength within three years.


    Three years wasn''t long, considering they lacked any foundation to improve upon. Every student that performed well had a foundation to rely on. At least their parents were talented and had groomed them to have a suitable mindset or they were part of a powerful family or organisation that gave them a Trait or something to rely on in the military academy.


    After all, they were resting in their homes for a month after surviving their Induction Ceremony. That was enough time for the families with some foundation to teach or give the student something that would advantage them.


    Moreover, this foundation wasn''t something tangible. Mindset, a person''s mental state, and character; this is what determined whether the person would achieve something or not. After all, as long as the person had ambition, a lower Sync Rate wouldn''t stop them.


    Jyorta''s teammates didn''t possess such a foundation. Neither were their families powerful nor had they tried to teach their kids the ways to have a mindset of someone that desired power. The lack of ambition is what caused them to remain as low as their ranks dictated.


    Jyorta planned to ignite their ambition, and give them hope that they could become strong if they put all their mind and effort into it. After all, where there is a will, there is a way. Once they strive to better themselves, everything else would fall into place.


    "Let''s train now," Jyorta clapped his hands, garnering their attention. For a moment, they were startled if he would do something to them once again, but upon seeing him exit the room normally, they followed him.


    Upon exiting the room, Jyorta muttered, "Sir, what happens if I lack any psychic energy to use during the Graduation Ceremony?"


    "You won''t." The staff''s voice resounded in his ears, curt, and lacking any tone. But, it was enough for Jyorta. The staff meant he won''t lack psychic energy for the Graduation Ceremony. ''So, they would probably refill mine and others through Regen.''


    The nurse Vaika had replenished his psychic energy many times in small amounts, so he knew it was possible. Vaika was just showing her goodwill to encourage the students to work harder. It was her way of showing support. Moreover, she only replenished small amounts each time to avoid showing anyone favour.


    He had heard about it from his friends when they were healed by her.


    Jyorta accompanied his teammates to the training centre in the Yellow Building. There were numerous props and simulations installed in place to train the students. Jyorta had only used it once before. And that was only to test out its features.


    He just experienced everything a few times, retreating the moment he performed a perfect action once, either by luck or fluke. That was enough since the blue soul could make him experience the perfect action hundreds and thousands of times until it became his muscle memory.


    He was making ample use of his abilities.


    The first was a water terrain where the water reached their hips. Some rocks were floating about its surface as the currents were violent. Jyorta led his team into it and started their training. Most of it consisted of making a misstep and getting washed away.


    Their injuries accumulated when the rocks slammed into them, but the monitoring staff swiftly healed them back to full health.


    ¡­


    14th November, the year 334 of the Dawn era. Everyone from the October Batch assembled on the ground as the vice-principal, Cosmi Tumbler stood before everyone. He was hardly the type to speak to the students, being the one who kept all the staff in check and assigned them their respective duties.


    He was the one who managed the functioning of the military academy, so the number of times he had interacted with the students could be counted on one hand.


    Cosmi Tumbler smiled, ignoring the murmuring within the crowd. He cleared his throat, smiling as everyone turned silent, speaking in a soft voice, "You will only be given limited protection in the Graduation Ceremony. The armour you wear will be the most basic, same for the weapons you would be getting. Warriors can choose between a sword and a spear while Espers can choose between a spindle and a chakram."


    He smiled, "Train to your heart''s content and familiarise yourselves with the equipment. As for your energy levels, don''t worry about that. Madam Mary will heal all your injuries and refill your Heart/Brain Crystals to the maximum limit before the Graduation Ceremony starts. She also instructed that everyone empty their Heart/Brain Crystals before the ceremony."


    "As for the details," He smiled, his eyes filled with warmth, "As you all are graduating, this is your final days as a student. So, this is her gift and her blessings for your future."


    Saying his piece, Cosmi Tumbler walked away, entering a nearby building as he went on his usual rounds, checking if everything functioned as it should. The students clamoured, discussing the contents of the information.


    "I hope this isn''t another one of their tests." Haesha muttered, gazing at the Head Office Building as something weighed on her mind, "Why do I feel there is a catch to it?"


    "I hope you are thinking it wrongly," Jyorta replied.


    The students dispersed and continued to train with their teams. From the 17th onwards, they were unable to use the ground, for a massive construct appeared in place. The walls this time surpassed the height of the building, making the students wonder about the theme of the October Batch''s Graduation Ceremony.


    The theme varied every month. This was to prevent the students from getting used to it and developing a pattern for their ease of progression. The military academy didn''t wish to see that. So, they came up with a new theme to test the students. After all, only the element of surprise would determine a student''s potential.


    Most of the times, the walls of the Graduation Ceremony were only 100 metres high. But this time, it was a whopping 150 metres. It was massive. Students of the October Batch already felt the pressure stemming from that size.


    As everything was covered by the yellow walls Madam Mila had erected, they were unable to see what was happening inside. But, they all agreed on one thing. The Graduation Ceremony this time would be different from the usual.


    Days passed as such; finally, it was the 19th of November. Jyorta and his team of four arrived in the auditorium of the Head Office Building, taking up seats as a team. Other students from the October Batch filed in from the six entrances; everyone sat as a team.


    10:00 PM; Madam Rizenne arrived on the dais as she closed the doors upon her entry, "Good, everyone from the October Batch is here."


    "I''m sure you''re all wondering the reason for your summons at this time, but that is the procedure we follow here." She smiled, watching the students become tensed upon her words, "You''ll be here until the Graduation Ceremony starts."


    They felt uneasy immediately, shifting in their seats. But no matter what, not one uttered any words of protest. Madam Rizenne smiled in satisfaction, "All of you have become splendid soldiers that Marble City can be proud of. In your childhood, you''ve lived protected lives. You never came across anything related to the parasites and were only fed details of the superman society veiled by falsehood."


    "But now," Her tone turned grave, "You''ll be thrust into the real Marble City. And I assure you, it is anything but pleasant. But, I''m sure you would adapt to it soon, just like every Batch of students before you."


    Feeling the uneasiness of the students, her tone turned jovial, "Anyways, you will soon become a functional member of our society. Remember the written tests concerning secondary jobs you had taken before?"


    Seeing the students nod with headache-inducing expressions, Madam Rizenne spoke, "The results from those tests are what will determine the secondary job you would get. But, that is only the first round of selection. Your actions in the Graduation Ceremony are what will finalise the job you will get, both primary and secondary. In your primary job, it would determine the unit you will be put in and the field you would specialise in. So, give it your best tomorrow."


    "And now," She smiled and disappeared, "You will have to stay in this auditorium until further notice."

 Chapter 416: Gazing from Beyond the Clouds

    "What shall we do now, Jyorta?" Rishana fidgeted around, feeling tense. It was easy to do something or even take a test. But now that she had nothing to do, she was unable to endure it.


    "Get some sleep," Jyorta closed his eyes, "The Graduation Ceremony would span for 24 hours. We would be fighting to our limits the entire time and wouldn''t get even a second of rest."


    "But¡­" Rishana darted glances at his face, etching the image in her head as she spoke, "I feel nervous. Can you hold my hand until I relax? I think that would help me fall asleep immediately."


    Jyorta opened his eyes, cheerfully smiling at her as he inched his left hand towards her, slowly making his thumb and index finger touch each other.


    Seeing that he was about to snap his fingers, Rishana waved her hands, "N-No, I am fine. I was asking for Sreshta. You know how shy she is."


    "Oh," Jyorta turned around, looking at Sreshta sitting on his right, looking as if he would snap his right hand, "Are you feeling nervous, Sreshta? I know the perfect situation to make you fall asleep."


    Sreshta had closed her eyes before he turned around, acting as if she had dozed off long ago. She looked like she was in a deep sleep, like someone that hadn''t slept for a week and only obtained the opportunity to do so now.


    Jyorta didn''t say anything else, noticing how Bilena used the shoulder of Sreshta as a pillow to sleep. His eyelids twitched as he noticed that Duvic went a step further, sleeping on the floor. He even went to the extent of using the chair as a leg rest. He had folded his hands behind his head, using them as a pillow as he slept as if he owned the place.


    ''Is this really the guy that had a major inferiority complex a week ago?'' Jyorta chuckled. The fruits of their training session weren''t anything drastic. All it achieved was to harden their mentality and firm their decision-making process.


    They also got used to using their Tier 1 Skills and were now able to activate them unconsciously and react accordingly. They were also quick to move their bodies now. He didn''t give them anything special, only making them practice and expertise the abilities they already possessed.


    If they had such a mindset at the start of their academic year, their rankings would have been in the 500s by now. After all, the difference in the lower ranks wasn''t much. A single Credit would allow them to skip tens of ranks.


    In the end, he was pleased by their growth. He was still unsure if they would prove helpful in the Graduation Ceremony, but they at least wouldn''t slow him down or do something stupid.


    Five minutes later, Jyorta noticed how everyone except Rishana had actually fallen asleep. A lot of the students were discussing the tactics they would employ, the battle positions they would use, the formations they would create, etc.


    There was a lot of discussion going on as his eyes trailed after the students once after another, finally landing on Haesha as he noticed her glance his way, as if she had sensed him looking at her. She made a crawling motion with her right hand and placed her palm on her cheek, closing her eyes as she tilted her head to the right.


    Jyorta smiled, nodding as he repeated the same action as her, relaxing as he closed his eyes. Haesha stared at him a second longer to see that he was sleeping before turning around to rest. Her teammates stayed silent, occasionally whispering to each other before they too rested, listening to her orders as they closed their eyes, attempting to sleep.


    Having witnessed the entire action, Rishana muttered, "Jyorta¡­?"


    "¡­Yes?" Jyorta muttered back.


    "Do you like Haesha?"


    "Do you want to sleep in the rock pillar terrain?"


    "N-No¡­"


    "Get some sleep then."


    ¡­


    5:00 AM; the auditorium was mostly silent, thanks to most of the students resting or relaxing. There were a lot among them that were unable to sleep, either due to their tension or were unable to sleep while sitting on the chairs.


    Madam Rizenne silently flashed into existence on the dais, smiling as she looked at everyone. She didn''t speak anything, just staying silent as she continued to stare with an amicable smile. The ones that were still awake noticed her presence after a minute had passed, shaking their friends awake when they looked at the time.


    It created a lot of whispers being exchanged among them that steadily increased in volume as more and more got up. As she hadn''t been a heavy sleeper, Rishana was the first to get up from the commotion, looking around as she was unable to make sense of the surroundings.


    Every time she woke up, the surroundings in her room were what greeted her always. The alien surroundings confused her for a moment before she recalled everything, glancing at the time on her watch to note it was 5:20 AM.


    She looked around, noticing Jyorta sleep like a log while Sreshta and Bilena were in a hug. They used each other as a body pillow, looking like they were sleeping comfortably. Her eyes then darted to Duvic as she only saw his feet. The rest of his body was under the chairs.


    She patted Jyorta''s shoulder, surprised when he didn''t respond. He was literally like a log as his body just shook according to her pats. Rishana then thought of something as her eyes darted to and fro sneakily, extending her hand as she patted Jyorta''s shoulder on his right, adding a little more power. She intended to make him rest on her lap using this as a chance.


    "Time is running short." Madam Rizenne''s voice resounded at this time, causing Jyorta to jolt awake. Rishana''s hand shot back at all its speed, unwilling to see Jyorta learn of her little scheme. Sreshta and Bilena woke up and stared at the faces of each other as they shouted in alarm.


    Spurred by their shout, Duvic shouted as he got up in reflex; his head slammed at the underneath of the chairs as he winced in pain. The three of them quickly noticed the place they were in and returned to their seats.


    Duvic rubbed his head as he winced, watching Madam Rizenne smile, "Madam Mary had informed you to use up all the energy in your Heart/Brain Crystal. But, since you had eaten your dinner, the energy from that slowly flowed into your Heart/Brain Crystal. During the time you were here, I slowly extracted all the energy from them until they were emptied and there wouldn''t be any replenishment."


    "What?" Jyorta was shocked, sensing that what Madam Rizenne said was true. His psychic arms still existed, but he didn''t have the psychic energy required to even move them. Moreover, Jyorta felt a bit weak, sensing that he only retained a fraction of his presence. Based on the amount, it was only a tenth of an average Area Controller.


    As he stared in shock, Madam Rizenne made eye contact with him for a short moment as she continued, "I also siphoned out your auras and only left a tenth of what your respective Tier possessed on average. Now, you might be wondering why, but first, change into these clothes."


    The moment she said, a pair of clothes hovered before everyone. They were fully white, made from cotton, and were fairly tight. Jyorta had just taken a glance at the cloth when he noticed a yellow barrier surround him, creating a partition for him to change his dress without any worries.


    There were both inner and outer garments in it. Jyorta sighed as he changed into them, folding his uniform, keeping them on his lap as he took his seat. The moment he did so, the barrier around him vanished.


    There were numerous barriers around him, with each of them vanishing upon every moment as the student within finished changing into the white dress. It was at this time did Jyorta notice that the garment they provided was actually a perfect fit, including the undergarment. He didn''t continue to ponder as he watched the barriers vanish one after another as all the students finished changing.


    "Your Graduation Ceremony would start at 6:00 AM sharp and end at 6:00 AM sharp on 21st November." She then smiled, looking like she was anticipating the fun that would happen next, "You won''t be provided any weapons now."


    "What?" The students were alarmed, but before they could react, Madam Rizenne dropped an even bigger bombshell, "You also won''t be healed. Neither would your energy reserves be replenished nor will your presence be. You will be entering the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield just like this."


    Jyorta began to sweat immediately after, spurred by her words. Many other students too were in similar situations as him, but none of them could react as their bodies began to float and move towards a hole that appeared in the ceiling.


    They had appeared in this particular auditorium many times to attend Madam Rizenne''s lectures and hadn''t ever noticed something like this. Each student disappeared into the hole, including Jyorta.


    Jyorta activated his senses to their limit, but still failed to sense anything. He was staring at his Batch mates in the auditorium for an instant when he blinked and was staring at the same Batch mates in the same positions, but the auditorium had disappeared.


    Replacing it was a familiar cityscape where the rays of the morning sun cast upon. The 200-metre-high marble walls forming the Sectors and the Rings were clearly visible from this height as they reflected the incident rays of the sun. When the reflection seemed like it would be cast onto the buildings, a change appeared in the walls as they absorbed the sunlight instead, acting similar to a blackbody, but retained its original appearance.


    Hovering in the air next to him were his teammates as Jyorta gazed down, noticing a sea of clouds encompass the entire military academy.


    "The Graduation Ceremony Battlefield." His heart thumped.

 Chapter 417: 12 Developers

    "Good that you''re all here now." Madam Mary''s voice resounded as her figure flashed before everyone.


    Jyorta looked around, feeling nostalgic as he gazed at the military academy from high above. It was a symbolic gesture from the military academy. They had been protected in it all this time. And now, it was time for them to break out of their cocoons and face the whole wide world.


    Jyorta gazed at the scene of the military academy blanketed by a layer of clouds. Underneath it was the Graduation Ceremony the military academy had prepared for them this time. He was getting nervous already.


    Even though he had been through a lot of fights, it was only in the Labyrinth of Frenzy. He had been alone then and was permitted to use all his abilities. But now, he had a team to take care of. Moreover, he couldn''t use the entirety of his Esper powers. He could only keep up with what he ought to have officially been capable of.


    He had entered Tier 2 in December 333. But officially, he had entered Tier 2 by the end of August 334. And, that difference in the Nurturing effect is what he had to hide to result in his official value. Just when he was thinking as such, Madam Mary''s voice resounded in his ear, "Don''t worry about that. Just use your full power."


    It was as if she had read his mind. But upon thinking how a Sky Controller was able to achieve it easily by sensing the changes in the body''s hormonal levels, posture, gland secretion, heat signatures, etc. Jyorta nodded, showing that he understood. ''At least, I wouldn''t have to worry about it. That''s one less cause to be concerned about.''


    Madam Mary looked at all the students hovering in the air before her, speaking with a slightly happy tone, "There are two things you should make note of in the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield. First are the yellow circles; weapons, armours, and the likes are placed on them. They are protected by a barrier that prevents the Frenzy Beasts from touching them."


    "And second," She smiled, "There are green circles that upon reaching would heal all your injuries and recover your aura and energy in your Heart/Brain Crystals to the maximum. Though, you could only access a circle, whether green or yellow once."


    "And finally," She chuckled, "There is a certain item placed on black circles. There is only one per circle. And, that is your quest objective. Every team needs to carry the quest item and reach your target, a white circle. There are numbers on the black and white circles. So, if you pick up a quest objective from a black circle, your destination is the white circle with the same number. The quest item would point you in the direction you have to travel, so fret not."


    ''Yellow for equipment, green for refill and recovery, black for the quest item, and white for the destination. The variables are already higher than the Graduation Ceremony with Rakh Veera.'' Jyorta frowned.


    "That''s all you need to take a note of," Madam Mary nodded as she turned around, causing her voice to resound throughout the military academy. "The October Batch has 35 Amplifiers, 8 Area Controllers, 712 Observers, 122 Line Controllers, and one absentee."


    Her voice turned a tad sharp, "In the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield exists 12 Frenzy Beast races. There are 218 Line Controllers, 3000 Observers, 43 Area Controllers, and 290 Amplifiers, and¡­12 Developers."


    "Developers?" Jyorta shouted in shock. The others too were in shock. The legs of a lot even turned week, for it wasn''t one or two but 12 Developers. Just the number of Frenzy Beasts alone was a cause for concern, but adding in the Developers was just too much.


    Madam Mary didn''t seem concerned about it as she continued, "The Graduation Ceremony will start at 6:00 AM now and would end after 24 hours."


    She then iterated the quest objective to the audience¡ªconsisting of students from all the other 11 Batches. Once it was done, Jyorta and the others noticed a yellow platform appear beneath them.


    But unlike the other Graduation Ceremonies, their platform slowly expanded in size until resembling two massive palms. Having seen the same during Rakh Veera''s Batch, Jyorta immediately understood the significance.


    Beyond the military academy, people heading to their workplaces stopped, simultaneously gazing at the military academy. The heads of powerful organisations directed their gazes at the pair of yellow palms floating in the sky of Marble City, atop the military academy.


    "Another Pillar is born," One of them muttered, smiling.


    "Within a year, our 7th Ring managed to produce another pillar!"


    "My son is actually among that Batch. I wonder how he''s faring now."


    ''A Pillar!'' Madam Mila smiled, gazing at the face of Jyorta as she controlled the pair of palms to descend. ''It''s a shame Laila wasn''t here. It would have been wonderful to see these two pillars in action at the same time.''


    She then recalled how Jyorta fared at the start of the military academy and his exploits by the end of the year. Just thinking about his explosive growth brought a smile to her face. ''In the most dangerous times comes the most valiant hero of them all.''


    The pair of palms slowly passed through the sea of clouds that dispersed immediately, allowing the students of the October Batch to finally see the battlefield made for them. A second later, shocked screams resounded before everyone controlled themselves, behaving based on the military discipline ingrained in them.


    Still, their foreheads were drenched with sweat as their eyes darted to and fro, trying to find solace in their teammates, only to see their expressions were no different to them. Jyorta muttered, speaking to his teammates, "Don''t worry. We''ll proceed as we had planned. We''ll work it out somehow."


    His teammates nodded, having ample confidence in his words. Just the way he had trained them, the abilities he had shown, and the judgement he displayed, Jyorta was already a leader figure in their eyes.


    There was a tower structure in the centre, divided into numerous segments. Each segment contained a certain environment in excess to be spilt out. It spanned a radius of 100 metres. Each segment was 20 metres high, numbering 7 in number. The final one, positioned on the ground was only 10 metres high. But, it too had a total height of 20 metres, for half of it was buried into the ground. Therefore, there were eight segments in total.


    Bridges spiralled out from each segment, numbering ten per each. They connected with a long path at every level that spiralled around the edges of the ground. The long path consisted of 15 spirals, with each ring separated from the other by 10 metres.


    It started from the ground, having more than 30 entrances. It outlined the ground''s four walls, going around and around. The width of the path was 30 metres.


    There were a lot of hovering nests, placed everywhere on the battlefield, at various altitudes. Living within each nest was a type of Frenzy Beast¡ªforming a cluster.


    Finally, there existed twelve platforms at the top, hovering individually. Covering its surface were 15 white circles each. At present, they were unable to see the numbers on them.


    Bridges branched out from the final ring of the long path, with each connecting to a platform¡ªthat was circular in shape. The platform was covered by a globed cage, and housed within was a Developer from one of the 12 Frenzy Beast races respectively.


    The moment they saw the descending students, the Developers growled, expressing their desire to shred them apart. The students felt fear at the fact they had to eventually face them. After all, based on what Madam Mary said, they had to reach the white circle to complete their quest objective.


    There were 12 platforms; 15 white circles existed per platform. And, each platform was guarded by a Frenzy Beast Developer. So, irrespective of what they obtained, they had to face a Developer, a genuine Tier 3 being.


    "J-Jyorta, can we face against something like that?" Rishana stammered as she looked at Jyorta.


    "Of course, we can," Jyorta nodded in all seriousness, "It''s not as if we have to face it alone. There would be 14 other teams with us. If we pool our strength and work out a strategy, we can defeat it."


    He didn''t say something along the lines of ''Leave everything to me.'' For, that would just make them rely on him without trying to fight themselves. And besides, this was a team mission, so they had to complete it as a team.


    The two yellow palms slowly descended, moving beside the central tower. Jyorta noticed how each segment in it conformed to the conditions necessary for a Frenzy Beast race. And, it contained the exact element required by the Frenzy Beast to show the greatest terrain advantage.


    There was a segment filled to the brim with water for the River Whales, there was a segment full of hot sand for the Steel Porcupines, etc. The respective conditions were no different from what he had witnessed in the Labyrinth of Frenzy.


    Jyorta gazed below, noticing that he was barefoot. His white clothes were just soft cotton, giving him zero defensive strength. He looked at his team, "Keep a lookout for the green circles. They are our first priority."


    "There''s one there," Sreshta pointed at the top of a boulder 100 metres away from their position. Normally, 100 metres wasn''t much of a distance. Any Warrior would be able to cover this distance easily under 10 seconds.


    But in a terrain filled with Frenzy Beasts, 100 metres was a long distance to cover. Boulders of all shapes and sizes littered the ground, preventing them from glancing at the surroundings. For some reason, Madam Mary decided to make their surroundings blurry, preventing them from using the height advantage to scout the terrain.


    It only allowed them to get a general gist of things. The two yellow palms turned into a circular platform as they landed on the ground, disappearing immediately. The growls and roars of Frenzy Beasts resounded. But this time, the students lacked the energy to retaliate.


    "It''s starting," Jyorta took in a deep breath, entering a battle-ready state.

 Chapter 418: Thanks for Teaching Me This Technique

    "Alright, listen carefully." Jyorta shouted as he craned strength into his legs, "I have one shot of my basic aura beam. It can give us a time buffer. But as for the rest, I''m the weakest of the team now. When we are near the goal and are blocked by Frenzy Beasts, even if you have to throw me towards the goal, do it."


    "Alright," Sreshta shouted, "We''ll take care of it."


    The four of them immediately formed a protective cover around Jyorta. Rishana covered the front and Duvic covered his back. Sreshta and Bilena covered his left and right respectively. The Graduation Ceremony had started the moment they landed on the ground.


    "We''ll make a path, follow us!" Jyorta bellowed as he and his team shot forth without a second''s delay.


    "Follow Jyorta! He''ll make a path!" Dalna Doppler shouted, trailing right behind him.


    "Yeah!" Followed by a collective shout that thundered across the area, even drowning out the roars of the Frenzy Beasts for a second, all the students made a beeline towards the first green circle. It was the closest green circle they had seen. It was more like the only green circle they were able to see.


    The ground was flat, covered by slightly moist mud that splattered when one stomped hard. The only other variety on the ground was the presence of numerous boulders of all shapes and sizes, ranging to almost 20 metres high.


    They formed large obstructions that blocked their view, preventing them from seeing beyond their immediate surroundings. Moreover, it also created a good vantage point for the Frenzy Beasts to use against them.


    His team had only crossed ten metres when the floor underneath them caved in. They didn''t have enough solid footing to leap away. His teammates were only slightly stronger than regular humans, so they weren''t able to do anything drastic.


    Duvic''s first action was to shield Jyorta as they fell into the pit. The pit was 10 metres in width, having pulled in the teams of Jyorta, Dalna Doppler, and a couple others. Thankfully, its depth was only three metres. But, that was the free depth, for the layer was covered by wriggling Ring Worms, numbering hundred in the area.


    The actual depth of the pit wasn''t seen thanks to them covering it in its entirety. There were Tier 1 and Tier 2 Ring Worms mixed into it, moving about in a degree of freedom only available to their serpentine wriggly bodies.


    Their sheer quantity determined one thing. The moment they fell into the pit, irrespective of how well they fought, they were done for by this point. Without any hesitation, Jyorta collapsed his two psychic arms, fuelling the psychic energy into his body by activating Regen.


    Before collapsing, he seeped it inside his body and covered every inch of him. This way, the Regen made it target every part of his body at the same instant, causing the recovery of his presence to skyrocket.


    It was a technique he learned from the Tier 3 Relic, Wave Formation. It was a dangerous technique due to the fact it strained the body and the mind, making the user enter a state of lethargy immediately after.


    But, it was the fastest method considering the slow speed of movement of an Area Controller''s psychic arm. The collapse of his psychic arm wasn''t done slowly, rather he had forced them to detonate. As the psychic energy was his, it didn''t face any resistance as it flowed through his body. But, this abrupt action strained his body, tearing numerous muscles.


    But in the end, it did its job. The scenario was something he had practiced enough times to do by heart. In reality, he had only done it once. But, he experienced the memory thousands of times¡ªusing his blue soul¡ªthat he instinctively did it in a fraction of a second.


    They had only fallen halfway through the pit when Jyorta finished all the preparations, summoning his corrosion as he unleashed his aura beam using all his presence, this time, from his feet. His feet were facing the pit as he fell, so it was the perfect outlet to attack, considering the time constraints.


    Adding onto the property of corrosion on his aura caused his aura beam to also affect the air, corroding everything in its path. But, this also caused something else to happen. The force of the aura''s ejection, and the resistance it faced in the air¡ªdue to the aura in it and the molecules in the air¡ªcaused his action to become something akin to a rocket thrust.


    The air was blown to such an extent it created a platform, a cushion of sorts that acted as a blanket to temporarily halt everyone for a moment. In the meantime, the aura slammed into the wriggling mass of Ring Worms. Just the force from the thrust air flattened them while the property of corrosion in it melted their bodies.


    Adding onto the aura that annihilated their own, the bodies of all the Ring Worms splattered into a pool of blood. A fraction of a second later, the four teams landed into the pit, getting submerged into the pool. It seemed the depth of the Ring Worms was greater than they had expected, for the gooey mass alone surpassed their height.


    A second later, a student flew out from the pit and landed on the ground above. After every second, two students flew out in the same manner. It was Dalna Doppler who was using her strength to throw them all up.


    The pool in the pit wasn''t water, but the blood of the Ring Worms, filled with their respective Essence of Frenzy. There was also Jyorta''s corrosion in it. So, it became a deadly place for them to be in. Thankfully, Jyorta''s corrosion was acting against the Essence of Frenzy and the Frenzy Beast blood, so they could still manage to survive.


    Within ten seconds, everyone managed to come out as Dalna Doppler climbed out of the pit, gasping for air as she rested on the ground. There were faint burns all over her body, but overall, she hadn''t lost any combat strength.


    Jyorta rubbed his hands over his eyes, trying his best to wipe the layer of blood off so that he could see.


    "Wait, let me help you." Ashten''s voice resounded as he arrived with his team. He removed his shirt and used it to wipe away the blood from Jyorta''s face. "Are you alright?"


    "Yes," Jyorta panted, "Thank you. That was a dangerous situation."


    "We don''t have time to waste. Let''s hurry up." Ashten said, using his shirt to wipe the blood off the others.


    The moment Dalna Doppler cleaned her face, her eyes shot open, looking around to see the figures of numerous Frenzy Beasts growling at them from all sides. They were atop the surrounding boulders, ranging from Spiked Lizards to Spindle Bees.


    "This is just a freaking wave," Jyorta cursed, feeling pain in his chest as he coughed up blood. His quick thinking had saved him and the other three teams, also annihilating all their foes with a single blow. But, it also rendered him weak, unable to fight unless he healed himself.


    "Let''s do it this way." Ashten looked around before offering his suggestion, "I''ll carry you to the green circle first. Let our teams follow us. Once you heal, create some breathing space for us using your hallucination."


    "Alright," Jyorta had just nodded when Ashten pulled him, giving him a piggyback as he nodded at their respective teams, saying, "Keep up with me."


    Plans were useless as they lacked the energy to activate their Skills. As compared to before, Dalna Doppler was a tad thinner. To react on time, she had activated her Tier 2 Skill. Since she didn''t have an iota of energy in her Heart Crystal, she burned her flesh to supplement its activation.


    The quick thinking of her and Jyorta saved them all from failing at the start of the Graduation Ceremony.


    Ashten began with a leap, sprinting through the area as he unleashed a powerful flux of aura. His body was thinning at a slow but noticeable rate. He too was burning his flesh to sustain the activation of his Tier 2 Skill.


    A Tier 2 Life Leech sprang out of the ground and clamped his legs, almost throwing him off. Ashten changed his running posture, swapping the positions of his right leg to his left and vice-versa. This abrupt action threw him off, causing him to leap forward.


    If he didn''t do anything, he would crash face-first into the ground. Ashten slammed into the ground with his hand, using the rebound to push his body up a little while adding torque to his body. Using the circular momentum, his leg¡ªthe one clamped by a Life Leech¡ªshot forth, aiming at a Tier 2 Spiked Lizard that had its jaws open, intending to bite him.


    The force and his aim caused the Life Leech to slam into the face of the Spiked Lizard like a whip. The force peeled its tough skin off while the Spiked Lizard automatically clamped its jaws shut, shredding the Life Leech''s body.


    His foot landed on the ground as he leaped a little, using his free left hand to slam onto the Spiked Lizard''s head, using it as a foothold to power himself up, leaping over its body. He then stomped on a Crust-Mantle trailing right behind, cracking the shell on its head as he used its hardness to jump higher into the air.


    Three Floating Spiders flew towards him at tremendous speeds, clicketing their mandibles as they swished around him through different angles. Ashten used Jyorta''s body, shifting his weight around him to turn mid-air while he curled his hand into a fist, smacking a Floating Spider to a pulp in one hit.


    When the other two Floating Spiders closed in on him, he unleashed a blast of aura, killing them. He saw the number of Frenzy Beasts covering the path between him and the green circle, frowning as there were too many flying-type Frenzy Beasts among them.


    They would just spam attacks on him and severely injure him before he reached the goal. Most of the other teams hadn''t made it as far as him, except Dalna Doppler that was trailing right behind. He then craned strength into his legs and retracted them as close to himself as possible, unleashing them with all his might as he landed on a One-Horned Rhino, sending its heavy figure flying by a metre.


    He landed on the ground as his body rapidly thinned. Ashten''s voice resounded in a murmur, only audible to Jyorta, "Thanks for teaching me this technique, bro."


    "Do it." Jyorta smiled with anticipation as Ashten faced his palm forward.


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    If you want to check out all the projects I''m working on, head here:  bit.ly/wn_venus


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 Chapter 419: Tattoo—Hallucination!

    Tier 2 Skill¡ªAura Burst!


    Aura Beam!


    Ashten''s body thinned considerably as all his energy was converted into aura by his Tier 2 Skill. He then condensed it into his palm and shot it forth. Unlike Jyorta''s aura beam, Ashten''s was slightly different.


    His aura beam had a central cylindrical beam of aura and another beam of aura that spiralled across it. So, it was two beams in one attack. It was a situation brought about by the activation of his Tier 2 Skill. After all, his Tier 2 Skill worked on his aura. It was the reason why Jyorta had taught him that.


    Ashten''s aura beam made a beeline towards the green circle, hitting all the Frenzy Beasts along the path. Even though its strength was tremendous, it had to pass through a lot of Frenzy Beasts. After all, the distance was almost 80 metres. And, it was full of Frenzy Beasts, both Tier 1 and Tier 2.


    So, his aura beam killed those in the first 20 metres, severely wounded the ones in the next 20 metres, only stunned the ones in the remainder of the length.


    "Hold tight," Ashten muttered weekly as he shot a glance at Dalna Doppler, seeing her nod in return. The next moment, his body thinned further as Ashten shot forth. But this time, he wasn''t running, but flying.


    Unranked Skill¡ªFlight!


    Previously during the chaos when the Frenzy Beasts had escaped from the Labyrinth of Frenzy, Ashten realised his prime weakness. He was unable to fly and thereby wasn''t able to save people on time. As a result, a lot of children had died. He had moped about it a lot and in the end, decided to obtain the Unranked Skill, Flight.


    He hadn''t taken flight before because there were too many Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees in the air. Flying consumed energy, and as he didn''t have the energy to sustain himself, it was better to remain on land and move his body. He had only activated it for short movements while he made abrupt turns in the air to evade the attacks.


    Ashten shot forth, zooming past the distance as he wished to reach the destination before the Frenzy Beasts along the path recovered enough to attack him. Dalna Doppler unleashed all her aura, intending to paralyse the Frenzy Beasts as she shouted, "Everyone! Unleash your aura!"


    All the students unleashed whatever aura they had, trying to keep the Frenzy Beasts paralysed for as much duration as they could. Only now did Dalna Doppler notice the students following her were just a portion of their Batch.


    Many large groups like theirs were headed in different directions. With a single glance, she noticed they had split into 7-8 groups. As everyone was facing different directions when they entered the Graduation ceremony Battlefield, they noticed different green circles.


    Jyorta''s side only managed to see one. With a sweep, Dalna Doppler saw there were only about 70 students in their group. Thankfully, there were three teams lead by top rankers on her side. The moment Ashten carried Jyorta and flew towards the green circle, she relayed the command to the rest with her shout as she sprinted.


    Tier 1 Skill¡ªDynamic Acuity!


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªLeap Burst!


    Her body thinned upon every step but she flashed past with tremendous speed. Each of her steps caused her to cover four metres, making her flash through the gaps between the Frenzy Beasts. Whenever she came across large Frenzy Beasts like the Rigordile, One-Horned Rhino, and the Crust-Mantle, she stepped on their backs to travel farther.


    This way, she kept pace with Ashten, grabbing hold of a couple of Floating Spiders that were in her way as she threw them towards the Spindle Bees that had aimed at Ashten from afar. Her Tier 1 Skill allowed her to process information faster and notice every frenzy Beast that was flashing past her¡ªwith startling clarity.


    Blood leaked out of Ashten''s orifices as he was burning through his flesh at an alarming rate. Normally, the energy in their Heart Crystal was a condensed essence. So, the amount stored in it was multiple times greater than what their bodies possessed. The fat stored in their bodies was just a last resort, something extra once the energy in their Heart Crystals was expended.


    So, it couldn''t last long. Ashten had already consumed all the excess energy in his body, now combusting his muscles. If he kept up with this pace, he would end up as a pile of bones.


    Ashten looked forward, noticing the Frenzy Beasts in the final stretch¡ª40 metres¡ªhad already begun to recover. They stared at him, gearing up to attack him. At his current reserves, he didn''t have enough to reach the destination while avoiding and enduring their attacks. Chances were, he would lose balance the moment he was attacked a couple of times.


    The moment he fell, all their efforts would be wasted. After a moment of thought, Ashten gazed below, noticing the massive back of a Tier 2 Crust-Mantle positioned 10 metres away.


    He cranked his speed up, even more, burning through his muscles at a faster rate as he spun thrice in the air, using the circular force to rapidly increase the momentum at which he could throw the body of Jyorta.


    "Dalna, I''ll leave the rest to you!" Ashten shouted as he threw the figure of Jyorta with all his might as an Amplifier. The moment he threw Jyorta, his body lost balance, lacking the energy to maintain flight anymore.


    Ashten fell towards the ground, activating his flight for a moment as he negated his falling momentum just before he crashed into the back of the Tier 2 Crust-Mantle. He then gazed at the figures of three Spiked-Lizards jump at him from the side, closing his eyes as he mentally prepared himself for the attack.


    Though, just before they reached him, the Spiked-Lizards paused, acting confused. It was thanks to Jyorta.


    The moment he was thrown by Ashen, Jyorta knew Ashten was spent and wouldn''t be able to last long enough until he recovered and rescued him. He didn''t wish to see his friend fail at the start. So Jyorta immediately burned some of his flesh and activated his attack around Ashten, planning to buy some valuable time using this.


    Aura Personification¡ªBetrayal!


    It was why the Spiked-Lizards had stopped. They instantly entered a defensive stance, the same for the other Frenzy Beasts near them. They looked at each other with wariness. This was the sole advantage with the aura personification of betrayal.


    Betrayal only needed the thought to function. The moment the thought of betrayal emerged in the mind of someone, even after the effect of the aura personification vanished, they would remain vigilant against others. The possibility of them being betrayed would still be in their minds. It would take valuable time before they would logically eradicate that thought.


    In such a situation, it would at least buy them 5-10 seconds. That was why Jyorta had used the aura personification of betrayal.


    His figure flew through the air as he crouched, defending his body using his limbs. Two spindles pierced through his legs, causing him to grunt in pain. One of them hit his bone, causing it to crack. The pain was akin to his leg getting electrocuted.


    Jyorta felt difficulty in resisting the pain. But, thanks to him living through numerous scenarios hundreds of times, he was still lucid of what he had to do and achieve. Jyorta gazed at the green circle that was now closer than before.


    From this distance, he noticed the colour of the air in its place was also a mild tinge of green. He hadn''t noticed it from afar before. ''So, there is a chance I would be healed even before I land on the green circle, as long as I enter the column of air above it.''


    His body began to arc downwards as the momentum behind his throw was waning. He still had twenty metres to traverse, and there were many Spindle Bees along his path. They instantly aimed his way, intending to riddle him with their spindles when he slammed his aura personification of betrayal upon them.


    Instantly, the Spindle Bees changed their direction, pointing at the Floating Spiders as they expressed their wariness. Upon seeing the Spindle Bees point their way, the Floating Spiders that were about to shred Jyorta turned around, having a standoff against their foes.


    The Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees always fought against each other because of their similar preying habits. Both were experts in the air and often competed for spoils of war. So, they had a lot of enmity between them.


    The cooperation between their races was only among the elites, at Tier 4 and above. And that was because of their common enemy, the humans.


    Dalna Doppler arrived at the scene, leaping as she caught him. She then burned all her reserves, making another leap as she transferred all her strength into Jyorta, "Go!"


    ''Thank you.'' Jyorta flew towards the column of green before him, defending himself against the numerous spindles that pierced through his limbs, cracking the bones. The moment they noticed his figure flying close, the Spindle Bees retaliated immediately.


    Jyorta no longer was able to even use his aura personification of betrayal. His previous actions had severely injured him. He was currently enduring a splitting headache that forced him to lose consciousness every second. Jyorta was desperately gritting through it thanks to his mental training.


    There were more than 20 spindles piercing his limbs as Jyorta barely entered the column of green. Immediately, a vast surge of psychic energy gushed into his body, healing him as he crashed into the ground, causing crunching sounds to resound as the bones in his limbs shattered into numerous pieces.


    Jyorta didn''t have enough mental faculty to prepare a hallucination. Thankfully, he had prepared enough tattoos accordingly. Jyorta blindly poured all his aura into a tattoo, activating it.


    Tattoo¡ªHallucination!

 Chapter 420: The 10-Metre-Tall Figure

    It was something Jyorta had pondered a lot about the uses of Aura Induction. Since he was working on the tattoos and Aura Induction, Jyorta wondered if he could apply the same to his aura personifications.


    The tattoo world was created from aura personification of hallucination. So, if he created a certain hallucination in a tattoo world and induced it into his foes, would it work?


    Jyorta tried it on his teammates and saw that it worked. The only disadvantage was the fact such hallucinations were rigid. He wasn''t able to change any variable in them once he deployed them. They had low levels of hallucination.


    But, they still had their uses. All Jyorta had to do was prepare some scenarios that he could use to turn around a situation or cause a distraction. For that, such hallucinations stored in his tattoos would come to use.


    So, in preparation for that, Jyorta prepared some tattoos. After all, it wasn''t guaranteed he would have enough presence of mind to weave complex hallucinations in most situations. In such cases, his tattoos would save him.


    After all, he could blindly activate the tattoos by pouring in his aura. All he had to do was maintain the supply of aura the effect within the tattoo needed to function.


    When he crashed on the green circle, his limbs broke. He didn''t have the presence of mind to maintain a hallucination. That was why he already thought of the tattoo he would use when Ashten was carrying him.


    Therefore, the moment he entered the green column and was getting healed, he activated it, ensuring that he would continue to pour aura into it without rest. He then crashed onto the green circle. Thankfully, the activation of the tattoo hadn''t stopped as a result.


    There was a fluctuation of aura as all the Frenzy Beasts in the area trembled. One of the Spiked Lizards had coiled its tongue around Ashten''s legs, intending to pull him when it noticed a spark appear on the ground.


    For some reason, its heart trembled in fear as it immediately let go of its hold and retreated. The sparks immediately condensed into the figure of Madam Mary that soon became 10 metres tall. Her gaze was one of disdain as she smirked.


    Her massive size scared the Frenzy Beasts as they retreated, moving back as much as 30 metres from her. They stared at her in fear, noticing five psychic arms emerge from her head and dance in the air.


    None were stupid enough to not realise what it meant. Five psychic arms; it meant the being before them was a Sky Controller, someone that stood only below the Ancestors. If they had been mindless monsters, they would have just charged at her without thought.


    But, it was precisely because of their intelligence did they refrain from attacking her. Becoming intelligent had its pros and cons. In this case, Jyorta made use of their intelligence against them. if the Frenzy Beasts had just blindly changed forth, they wouldn''t have been affected much.


    After all, Madam Mary''s figure was just a projection. As he wasn''t controlling it, it wouldn''t make them feel any pain even if it attacked. The level of hallucination was pretty low. It was only an illusion.


    Another reason it worked was that all of them had seen Madam Mary at least once. It might be when they were brought to the military academy, dumped into the Labyrinth of Frenzy, stored in the storage for later use, or when they were brought into the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield. They might have seen her at least once and would have known her scariness first hand.


    They wouldn''t have actually seen her Esper powers. But, the fact they were completely helpless before her would have been ingrained in their minds. And now, when they saw the five psychic arms emerging from her head, they would have linked their experiences to the data before their eyes, realising why they were as helpless before her.


    Jyorta perfectly used their intelligence against them. Now, even if some Frenzy Beast planned to attack her for whatever cause, it was stopped by its brethren, avoiding the case where they were all annihilated because one of them pissed her off. Mob mentality worked its charm after that, buying the students enough time.


    The battlefield full of roars turned silent. The only sounds that resounded were from the other places of battle in the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield. After all, the presence of the large boulders prevented both humans and Frenzy Beasts alike from gazing afar. So, the silence only ensued in the place where the Frenzy Beasts could notice her.


    Hovering in the air atop the Military academy was a yellow dome. It was hidden from the notice of the students seated around in the stands, positioned atop the 150-metre-high walls.


    Seated inside the dome were around 40 people, with each hailing from an organisation functional in the 7th Ring. They were the people tasked with allotting the secondary jobs to the students. Basically, if they found interest in a student, they would bid for him/her.


    And, depending on their respective organisation''s rank, they would obtain the student. It was in the case an organisation stronger than them hadn''t picked out the respective student. There was a hierarchy established in place.


    And, every organisation led a respective force in the army. So, depending on their secondary job, the unit they would be placed in the army as a soldier varied. To ensure they had tight cooperation, their colleagues in their secondary occupation would be their colleagues from their primary occupation, in most of the cases.


    It varied based on their individual strength. Overall, the people seated in the dome were those that decided which organisation would recruit which student. The dome was maintained by Madam Mila who didn''t do anything apart from that.


    Madam Mary was seated in the dome, acting as the representative that noted down the offers each organisation placed. She was also present to ensure there wasn''t any chaos among the people present in the dome.


    After all, people desired talents in their organisations. With talent, their organisation grew, which in turn led to more benefits for them. So, there was a good chance talks would heat up and even spark a battle between the representatives.


    That was why she was present in the scene personally. In the presence of a Sky Controller, they would control themselves. After all, the representatives were only at Tier 4. Anyone at Tier 5 was usually the head of his/her respective organisation. In some powerful organisations, even a deputy would be a Tier 5 being. But that was quite rare.


    The crowd had been focusing on the scene where Jyorta managed to reach the green circle. They were then surprised when the Frenzy Beasts suddenly distanced themselves from the place. As all of them were Ground Controllers, they extended their domain to the place, noticing the hallucination effective in the region.


    The moment they noticed the smirking 10-metre figure of Madam Mary, most of them reeled their domains in fright. Only then did they realise it was just a figure of her as they shot glances at Madam Mary, screaming in their mind.


    ''Why did he have to use her figure? If this mad lady flips, she would destroy the entire academy.'' The same thought simultaneously echoed in their minds.


    ''This guy¡­'' Madam Mary''s eyelids twitched as she noticed her figure being used to scare away the Frenzy Beasts. ''It was a nice decision, Jyorta.''


    Even though she thought that, Madam Mary frowned. Her subtle action caused everyone in the dome to sweat uncontrollably. Some of them even used all their four psychic arms to form a barrier around themselves. As people in power, they knew to the full extent of how scary Madam Mary would be once her switch was flipped.


    They then focused on the individual that created the hallucination, ''So, it is Jyorta Bone. He''s her grandson, so nothing should happen¡­hopefully.''


    Dalna Doppler grunted, feeling pain in her legs as she had been clawed in the area. Her feet and her right hand had been bitten off by the Frenzy Beasts. After all, she was in a defenceless state after throwing Jyorta. She didn''t get any chance to plan a safe landing as she was hard-pressed for time while the Frenzy Beasts constantly attacked her.


    Dalna doppler dragged herself through the empty path, soon reaching the green circle as she felt strength return to her. She relaxed, sighing in relief as her feet and right hand began to regenerate.


    She looked at Jyorta, making eye contact for a moment before both started to laugh, "That was a close call!"


    Their respective teams arrived soon after, carrying the injured Ashten. The moment Ashten entered the green circle, he made a victory pose as his injuries healed while he was slowly regaining his lost weight. The reappearance of his muscle mass caused him to sigh in relief, "As expected of the military academy to throw us into such danger."


    "If they had also removed the little bits of muscular energy in us, all of us would have failed at the very start itself," Jyorta spoke from his awkward pose. His hands and legs were still healing as he could feel the psychic energy attach his bones to their respective positions. It would take him some more time to get up.


    All the students that were following them managed to enter the green circle. Though, the moment they were healed, a formless force sent them outside the green circle. The least injured ones were sent out within a couple of seconds.


    Jyorta saw the spindles fall out of his body, followed by the Essence of Frenzy and the foreign aura his body had soaked up. Finally, he was fully healed; his aura and psychic energy reserves were now at maximum capacity.

 Chapter 421: Pick Your Preference

    "It feels good to be back to full health," Jyorta slammed his fists into each other as he spoke, getting sent outside the green circle. He then placed his hand on the transparent pillar of green, coming into contact with a tough surface that wouldn''t budge no matter what. ''It is as they have said. We can enter a green circle only once. Just in case I get injured, I should try to find another green circle.''


    "I guess we have to split ways from this point," Dalna Doppler said as she looked around, noticing the narrow paths between the boulders that formed a maze. "A big group would just paint ourselves as a target for all sneak attacks."


    "Indeed," Ashten nodded, fist-bumping Jyorta, "Take care, man. We''ll look for a yellow circle first, followed by a black circle. Hope you find one soon too."


    "No worries," Jyorta smiled, looking at his team of four that readily stood behind him. "Shall we go?"


    "Yes," His team members nodded and enacted a formation, taking positions on his four sides. Jyorta unleashed his stronger psychic arm, condensing it into a sphere as he enlarged it, covering all his teammates into it.


    Their figures slowly disappeared from the vision as Jyorta looked around, watching the figure of Madam Mary flicker and disappear. In their apprehensiveness, some of the Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts had unleashed their aura. It caused the figure of Madam Mary to flicker, no longer looking as imposing.


    They immediately realised that they had been fooled, growling as they gazed at the students. A couple of Spindle Bees shot their spindles at the 10-metre-tall figure, watching the spindles penetrate her without any resistance and fall on the ground after making a long arc.


    The roars of the Frenzy Beasts increased by a notch as they sprinted towards the humans before them.


    "Scatter!" Dalna Doppler shouted as she led her team through one of the paths passing between a couple of boulders, sending a Spiked Lizard in her way flying with a kick. She was fully healed now and was also brimming with energy, so Dalna Doppler moved with unstoppable might.


    She was only using her Tier 1 Skill to keep track of everything, preventing her teammates from falling under harm. The sounds of fluttering wings resounded as tens of Spindle Bees flew over them, aiming the stingers at their faces.


    "Crouch!" She shouted and crouched, touching the ground. Her teammates too reacted on reflex, imitating her actions. It seemed she had trained them to behave accordingly, so they didn''t drag her down.


    The spindles timely flew over them, hitting the ground a couple of metres behind. Dalna Doppler slapped on a protruding piece of rock, breaking it as she threw the piece towards the Spindle Bees, slamming into three of them. The attack damaged them as the rock crashed 30 metres away.


    The Spindle Bees winced as they were unable to fly. Part of their wings had been damaged. Dalna Doppler grabbed the head of one of them and slashed around, severing the heads of the other Spindle Bees by using its stinger.


    She had made use of the Spindle Bee with a stinger larger than the rest. Once she made her slash, Dalna Doppler grabbed hold of the stinger and pulled it out, noticing some internal organs be attached to it. She slammed them on the nearby rock, thrashing them out as she held the stinger.


    She wielded it like it was a knife. Dalna Doppler looked at her teammates that moved without any commands, pulling out the stingers from the slain Spindle bees. They planned to use them as weapons until they came across a yellow circle.


    Ten boulders away were Jyorta and his team, hiding underneath a boulder''s protrusion. It was wide enough for them to hide underneath, no longer having to fear attacks from the air. He had fully unleashed his domain, keeping track of the underground too.


    Jyorta knocked the forehead of Rishana, "Did you sense the pit from before?"


    "I only sensed it when we set foot upon it. I am only able to sense it vertically." Rishana bowed her head, watching Jyorta sigh.


    "If we had more time, we could have increased the range of the surroundings you could detect." Jyorta looked around, watching ten One-Horned Rhinos run before them. As they were shielded by his psychic energy barrier, the One-Horned Rhinos hadn''t detected their presence.


    His barrier blocked out everything except for the passage of air. Even then, he ensured their presence wouldn''t be in it, not to mention the vibration of the air molecules thanks to their conversation.


    "Consider this as your training too," Jyorta looked at Rishana, "Altitude Perception only functions vertically beneath you, but you must try to increase the area under which you can perceive the altitude. Try to develop in this direction now."


    "Yes," Rishana nodded, closing her eyes as she focused on the task, remembering her experience from before. As she had already trained herself in the rock pillar region, she had grasped the functions of her Tier 1 Skill, Altitude Perception. Now, she already understood what she had to do to develop the functions of her Skill.


    A minute later, Rishana opened her eyes, "The range is three metres around me now. Everything under the circle formed by this radius, I can sense the altitude of."


    "Good, continue on it further by using this experience." Jyorta nodded, "We will be stopping here for the time being."


    "Sreshta, scout the farther places. Bilena, keep track of everything in our surroundings." Jyorta relayed his instructions, watching the girls get on to it immediately. "Duvic, be ready to pick up some items now."


    "What items?" Duvic questioned back as he looked ready, raring to go, despite the order being something simple.


    "They''ll be produced now." Jyorta smiled, watching a group of Spindle Bees fly over them. He gazed in their direction, facing his palm towards them as he condensed the range of his effect.


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    There were five Spindle Bees in total. Four of them were at Tier 1, while the last was at Tier 2. The Tier 2 Spindle Bee struggled for a couple of seconds, resisting his aura with its own. Using the insight he had obtained from Aura Induction, Jyorta modified the hallucinations, turning it into something the Spindle Bee desperately wished to see.


    It was its home. As the Spindle Bee longed to return to its home, even though it instinctively knew it was something an enemy had concocted, its emotional self wished to immerse itself further into the place and soak in the warmth of its home. This desire of it pulled it further into the hallucination, proceeding beyond the point of no return.


    Despite possessing enough aura to resist the effect of his hallucinations, the scene caused it to fall into it willingly. This was how Jyorta maximised the effect of his hallucinations. The Tier 2 Spindle Bee hovered in the air as the remaining four Tier 1 Spindle Bees aimed their stingers towards the ground and shot their spindles one after another.


    Even though they were only at Tier 1, their spindles regrew within 10 seconds. So, every 10 seconds, they shot a volley of spindles towards the ground. Once the number of spindles on the ground reached 40, the four Spindle Bees had run out of energy.


    Jyorta motioned at Duvic, "They are our items; throwing knives."


    "Awesome!" Duvic clapped his hand once and exited the barrier as Jyorta opened some space. He quickly picked up all the spindles and hurried back, dropping them on the ground. "All here."


    "Perfect, now all we need are¡­" Jyorta trailed off, looking at Bilena as he asked, "Where are the Floating Spiders?"


    Bilena focused on her ears, using her Tier 1 Skill, Enhanced Hearing as she filtered out the sounds of the Frenzy Beasts one after another, finally latching onto the position of the Floating Spiders. "They are to our 7''o Clock, 30 metres away."


    "Nice," Jyorta gave her a thumbs-up as he controlled the Tier 2 Spindle Bee to move, retracting his control over the other four Spindle Bees. They looked around in confusion for a moment, gazing at the ground to notice numerous holes in it, a sign they had attacked there using their spindles.


    They were confused for a moment, wondering what happened as they noticed the Tier 2 Spindle Bee fly away, buzzing around as they followed it. The Tier 2 Spindle Bee flew for 10 metres and positioned its stinger, correcting its angle as Jyorta made adjustments according to Bilena''s inputs.


    After some time passed, the Tier 2 Spindle Bee shot forth its spindle, injuring a Floating Spider. The Floating Spiders were taunted by this action, screeching as they flew over immediately. As they usually clashed, even the smallest of instigations were enough to spark a fight between them.


    The Floating Spiders screeched in anger as the spindle had impaled the head of one of them, putting it in a critical state. In the current state of chaos, it was bound to die sooner or later. So, it implied the Spindle Bee became the cause for the death of one of their brethren.


    Intending to reap the life of the attacker, the Floating Spiders flew towards the Spindle Bee, coming to a stop when they neared it. After that, the entire group slowly stopped above the path, next to the boulder under which Jyorta and his group were hiding.


    The four Spindle Bees looked at their leader, confused as to why it grouped up with the Floating Spiders. Unable to understand the situation, and as they were out of energy, they made their retreat.


    "Thankfully, all of them are Tier 1 Floating Spiders." Jyorta made a mental count of them, laughing as he totalled, "There are 26 of them here. That makes a lot of silk to be obtained."


    He looked at his teammates, "Now, shall we prepare our armour? Pick your preference."

 Chapter 422: My Plan is Simple

    To conserve his aura expenditure, Jyorta coiled his weaker psychic arm around the Tier 2 Spindle Bee, transmitting his aura personification of hallucination through it. The Tier 2 Spindle Bee was currently sleeping under the boulder, tucked within the safety of his barrier. It had perched itself over the boulder''s underside, dozing off.


    To avoid wasting his energy, Jyorta made it sleep until he wished to make it work once again. His teammates though stared in a daze at the scene that was happening before them. They didn''t even know whether to laugh or cry or applaud or fear at the scene.


    26 Floating Spiders, all at Tier 1 were currently working to the limits as if their lives depended on it and the future of their race was at stake. They readily spun silk from their abdomen, creating various shapes using them.


    They all formed a coiled-rope structure, creating a long rope that they piled at one end and continued to extend it. In the meantime, Jyorta was thinking using his Esper powers, calculating the length of the rope he needed.


    It wasn''t as if he was alien to the Floating Spiders. He had partially comprehended through some of their memories. So, he had surface-level knowledge about them, their habits, their working, the structure their silk followed, and ways to create constructs using them.


    He used them all to make the Floating Spiders create a structure he thought would be helpful for his plans next. There were only 26 Floating Spiders, which clearly weren''t enough for his plans. He soon saw them expend all the energy in their Heart Crystals. With a command from him, they even burned the energy in their muscles until they dropped to the ground as a pile of hardened carapace.


    This was where Bilena came into play. Using her Tier 1 Skill, Enhanced Hearing, she detected the sounds of the Floating Spiders flying past. As the Floating Spiders had small statures, they always moved together in groups to avoid being preyed upon.


    Whenever they moved past, Jyorta would use the Tier 2 Spindle bee to shoot a stinger at them. Everything that happened next was the same as before. He obtained another batch of Floating Spiders to make use of.


    "Preparation is the key," Jyorta said to his teammates, "And, only with careful preparation can we proceed without any hiccups."


    He then pulled in another batch of Spindle Bees that consisted of seven Tier 1 beings. He used them to rain down spindles on the ground that Duvic collected when they were exhausted.


    Every time this happened, his teammates stared in wonder at the construct Jyorta was making, wondering if the person before them was actually a human.


    "What is that?"


    "I can''t understand what goes on in his mind anymore."


    "Who the heck fell for his appearance?"


    "Well, he is even more charming now."


    "Can''t argue with you there."


    The three girls engaged in chatter as they whispered to one another. Duvic, on the other hand, stood in one corner and silently observed Jyorta''s actions, mimicking it. He was learning to be more like Jyorta, focusing on every task that Jyorta had in mind.


    ''How¡­does he come up with these ideas?'' Duvic wondered. He continued to focus on Jyorta, getting more confused as time passed. Finally, he was unable to endure it anymore, approaching Jyorta as he asked, "How are you able to come up with these plans?"


    "I don''t know, to be honest." Jyorta shook his head, "When I wish to do something, a lot of thoughts collide in my mind and I get a lot of ideas. But, if you wish to know the reason, do realise that the brain can come up with a lot of ideas as long as you fuel it with enough information."


    "Enough information?"


    "Yes," Jyorta nodded, "Facts, videos, conversations, ideas people use in the smallest of situations, etc. They all might seem useless at first glance, but everything is stored in our brain. And, when we think of something, all this information is triggered. They collide innumerable times and generate a new train of thought. As long as you have enough information to fuel your brain''s imagination, you can achieve wonders."


    "Keep learning," He smiled.


    "I''ll make a note of it." Duvic nodded and returned to his position at the corner, silently observing the actions of his teammates and the Frenzy Beasts beyond the barrier.


    "Aren''t you expending a great deal of psychic energy because of this? How will you recover?" Sreshta opened her eyes after having expanded the range of her Tier 1 Skill further, speaking as she noticed the many actions Jyorta was performing.


    Jyorta lightly wiped the sweat off his forehead, "This is pretty draining on my reserves. But, I can still manage. Once this is ready, we''ll be able to look for other green circles."


    The Floating Spiders were working on three projects simultaneously. One was in the making of the rope. The second was in the creation of armours. The third was in the production of weapons.


    Jyorta used the spindles as the building blocks to create an array of weapons that would be useful to their exploits by binding them with the floating spider silk. Another rather advantageous fact with the Floating Spider silk and the reason it was tremendously feared was due to its properties.


    The Floating Spiders had devised numerous methods to take advantage of the natural silk produced in their bodies. They created numerous weaving techniques that coiled and weaved the silk in a variety of forms, achieving the effects of solidity over large structures, rigidity over large volumes, elasticity mixed into a perfect radio of hardness and toughness, etc.


    They basically used their silk as a building material to create any shape. Currently, Jyorta used the Floating Spider silk as the base material and the spindles of the Spindle Bees as the necessary parts to create weapons.


    He joined them into a rectangular column, attaching them to one another to result in a sword. The silk binding them had also been hardened to make the sword sturdy. The spindles of the Spindle Bees weren''t like the spindles in their military academy.


    The spindles the Espers used was a rod with two pointy ends that was created to capitalise on the ability of their psychic arms to rotate.


    The spindles of the Spindle Bees, on the other hand, were used to pierce and shred enemies apart. So, they were flat and rectangular in shape with a pointy end. Both its sides were also sharp, like blades.


    The spindles of Spindle Bees varied in design from one to another, depending on their degree of evolution. But, they still followed a general pattern. The moment he had collected a certain number of them, Jyorta quickly thought as he played a game of puzzle using them with Sreshta.


    As Sreshta had the Tier 1 Skill, Focus Vision, she was the best person for this task. He used her to arrange the spindles accordingly to the design he wanted. It did consume some time, but Sreshta completed one design after another.


    Once she arranged the spindles accordingly until they fit each other seamlessly, the Floating Spiders worked on attaching them into one, creating swords, and spears.


    In the meantime, he made the Tier 2 Spindle Bee munch on the Floating Spider carcasses that had fallen on the ground. This way, he ensured the energy in its Heart Crystal was brimming at maximum capacity.


    Time passed in such a fashion as Jyorta was soon panting due to the exhaustion. He had already expended half his psychic energy reserves. He also had to use Regen to replenish his aura reserves at regular intervals, so the expenditure was massive.


    Still, he wasn''t concerned, for his creation was about to be completed. A lot of Frenzy Beasts tried to interrupt the work he was doing. In such times, Jyorta used his aura personification of Betrayal and added a layer of hallucination atop it to cause the Frenzy Beasts to kill each other.


    The Graduation Ceremony Battlefield was a massive place. And, spurred by a mental input placed in them by the military academy, all the Frenzy Beasts were mostly focusing on hunting the students. So, as they were unable to sense Jyorta''s position, the Frenzy Beasts soon parted way.


    As for those that failed to do so, they eventually killed each other. In such cases, Jyorta made a couple of Floating Spiders remove the Heart Crystals from the dead Frenzy Beasts. He then cleaned them using his weaker psychic arm and put them into a pouch¡ªthat he made using Floating Spider silk.


    Every time he put a Heart Crystal in it, he heard a small clink. He had collected quite a few already.


    It had already been six hours since the start of the Graduation Ceremony. Jyorta''s team hadn''t left their hiding spot from the start. But, the expression of his team members was one of shock, disbelief, and excitement.


    "How did it end up that way? We were looking at it from the start."


    "As expected, I blinked for a second, and Jyorta changed it into something else. Are you sure we aren''t under another one of his hallucinations?"


    "Did you think he''s like you? Why would he waste his psychic energy on a prank in this situation?"


    "This is¡­awesome." Duvic held a sword, muttering as he felt its weight and its sharpness.


    "Even if we find a yellow circle, the weapons in it would be the most basic of them all anyway. So, I thought, why not make better ones ourselves?" Jyorta smiled, looking at the finished construct before him with content, "My plan is simple."

 Chapter 423: Battleship

    "We have to travel a long distance while facing the attacks from numerous Frenzy Beasts. And, considering the setup this time, I have a good hunch the military academy made Spindle Bees the dominant race this time." Jyorta spoke, standing before his construct, "So, I thought why not make something that would allow us to move while staying safe and hidden?"


    "It''s a simple thought process, right?" He smiled, gazing at the awestruck expressions of his team members.


    "This¡­is simple?" Rishana sighed, focusing on the construct behind Jyorta. Strewn about on the floor beside it were the carcasses of numerous Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees alike. The only one alive now was the Tier 2 Spindle Bee.


    The construct was a simple boat-shaped structure that was also covered at the top, referencing its design from a Spindle Bee''s spindle to be more aerodynamic. It seemed to have been made to move forwards with the least resistance.


    The structure spanned a length of three metres, a metre in breadth, and a height around 1.2 metres. It was a narrow structure but was enough to seat them all inside. It was what he had intended to do so while making it. It was fully made using Floating Spider silk. Each strand of Floating Spider silk was coiled into a thread. And, five such threads were further coiled into one rope.


    This way, it created a sturdy structure. Moreover, depending on the place where it was elastic, the strength in the coils was adjusted accordingly. And in places where it ought to have been rigid like a solid beam, the coils were tighter and the result was fixed using the adhesiveness in the silk.


    Just like a normal spider, a Floating Spider was able to weave both the sticky silk and the non-sticky silk. Moreover, the Floating Spider was also able to control the tension in the string, making it elastic or rigid depending on its choice.


    Jyorta had used them all appropriately in creating the construct. It only had a single entry point at the centre of the top surface, positioned above a cylindrical shape. There was a hatch mechanism at the top of it that opened and closed. Jyorta made use of the Spindle Bee spindles here¡ªafter they were wrapped with silk to keep their edges blunt.


    "And," Jyorta looked at Bilena, laughing when she reported the presence of Floating Spiders approaching them, "They are just in time."


    Aura Induction¡ªTattoo!


    When Bilena noticed a large group of Floating Spiders approaching them, Jyorta smiled as he readied himself. It was bound to happen since a significant number of Floating Spiders had died after going in their direction. So, the Floating Spiders were bound to notice something was amiss and send a large group.


    This time, there were eight Tier 2 Floating Spiders, not to mention the over forty Tier 1 Floating Spiders accompanying them. Even if he went all-out, he couldn''t guarantee a win. After all, Floating Spiders were fast. Evasion was the field they specialised in, thanks to their Trait that allowed them to fly.


    So, the only way to target them was through an Aura Beam. But, once he did that, he would be expending all his reserves. It wasn''t a wise choice. Besides, according to what he had planned next, he had better alternatives.


    The moment the group of Floating Spiders came in the range of his aura personification of hallucination, he caused them to stop while sending five prepared tattoos into the strongest five of Tier 2 Floating Spiders among them. For the Graduation Ceremony, he had created 10 tattoos in total.


    He instantly took control of them, making them gang up on the other three Tier 2 Floating Spiders and finish them off in an instant. Jyorta retracted his hallucination as the five Floating Spiders flew towards him while carrying the corpses of the three Tier 2 Floating Spiders.


    When the Tier 1 Floating Spiders came to their senses, they saw the strongest of them had either been killed or betrayed them. Jyorta overlaid the aura personification of betrayal in the scene, furthering the effect.


    The Tier 1 Floating Spiders screeched in anger, flying away the moment the five betrayers began to pursue them. They weren''t confident in winning, despite their superior numbers. After all, Tier 2 Floating Spiders were bigger and could move faster. So, they were more deadly.


    Tier 1 Floating Spiders would just be their prey. So, they chose to retreat for the time being and inform their stronger brethren. Jyorta made use of their behaviour patterns against them, sending the threatening group fleeing without engaging in a battle against them.


    He smiled as the five Tier 2 Floating Spiders floated beside him. One of them ripped out three Tier 2 Heart Crystals and handed them over. Jyorta cleaned them and put them in his pouch.


    "Now, take positions." He smiled, watching the Floating Spiders enter the construct by opening its hatch. Within the construct, there existed five containers, small hemispheres weaved using Floating Spider silk.


    The flat portion to each was opened by a Floating Spider each as they entered it. Jyorta then entered the construct and closed them from outside, preventing the Floating Spiders from getting out. There was a tiny hole at the tip of each sphere, allowing for air circulation.


    The hemispheres were each located on the walls of the construct, positioned on the front, back, and the two sides. The final one was placed on the floor, in the centre. As the construct was made using Floating Spider silk, it was levitating in the air, even after Jyorta had jumped in.


    He had calculated it to precisely be as heavy as all of their weight combined. To ensure he wouldn''t make any mistakes, Jyorta had already memorised the weight of all his team members. He also had a good grasp on the levitating property of the Floating Spider silk.


    "Come, let''s go!" Jyorta peaked out of the hatch and shouted, hearing the sounds of Floating Spiders increase in intensity. His actions had already spurred their hatred. And as the scent of the Frenzy Beast blood in the surroundings had intensified thanks to his actions, a lot of Frenzy Beasts were lured over.


    Even his hallucinations were no longer able to keep them at bay. After all, a lot among the incoming Frenzy Beasts were at Tier 2. And, the blasts of aura they constantly unleashed crumbled any hallucination he erected. If he wished to overwhelm them, then he had to expend a lot of aura. He would run dry within a minute in that case.


    Jyorta jumped out as he motioned for Sreshta and Bilena to enter first, "Sreshta, you sit at the front. And Bilena, you sit at the end."


    As the two nodded and entered, Jyorta looked at the other two, "Duvic, you sit behind Sreshta while Rishana will sit before Bilena."


    Rishana nodded, carrying five swords in her hand, entering first as she placed the swords beside her. Duvic held five spears and a bag of spindles, entering next as he seated himself. Finally, Jyorta arrived before a pointy end of the boulder where a thick rope was hooked.


    It was what anchored the construct. If not for that, the construct would have floated away to the sky. Jyorta gave a mental command to the five Tier 2 Floating Spiders, motioning them to move downward.


    The force they unleashed caused the construct to move down, cancelling its natural levitation. Jyorta then removed the hook, rolled it into a bundle and placed it in a small space at the front of the construct.


    He had made a tiny space for it to be put inside. This way, it wouldn''t be used by their enemies to pull their construct down.


    "Take up your position, buddy," Jyorta looked at the Tier 2 Spindle Bee, motioning for it to move as he entered the construct and closed the hatch. It had a lever he made using some spindles that were joined together and layered by silk. He made the mechanism to lock the hatch. Now, they were completely secure within.


    The Tier 2 Spindle Bee flew into a cylindrical container that was at the front of the construct and entered it. There was a tiny hole in its centre through which it poised its stinger. It then shuddered as Sreshta wrapped some Floating Spider silk around its body, confining it to the place and preventing it from moving by mistake when the construct moved.


    She was doing it based on Jyorta''s instructions. She was hesitant at first, afraid the Spindle Bee would suddenly jump on her and injure her hands. But as they were pressed for time, she gritted her teeth and did it, sighing when nothing happened.


    She then closed the lid to the cylinder, grabbing hold of a lever that spanned from it. Now, she could use the lever as a turret.


    "Go!" The moment Jyorta commanded, the five Tier 2 Floating Spiders stopped moving downward. The construct automatically hovered high in the air.


    "Forward!" With his subsequent command, the four Floating Spiders¡ªpositioned within the four walls on the sides¡ªmoved forward, pressing on the walls of the hemisphere that bound them. The final Floating Spider moved up and down when necessary, controlling the construct''s altitude.


    The construct began to move forward, slowly accelerating as it moved through the numerous paths. Jyorta was in a kneeling position, looking around through the holes he had made in the cylindrical column¡ªat the top of which was the hatch. This was how he would keep track of the situation.


    Sreshta had a small hole at the front through which she could see the front. As for the rest, they were mostly reliant on their Tier 1 Skills to perceive their enemies outside. If there were too many holes, it would allow their enemies to target them easily. It would render the defensiveness of the construct useless.


    Thankfully, he was using his stronger psychic arm to block all the holes, filtering the air by preventing the foreign aura from affecting them.


    "Well, who wants to name this?" Jyorta looked at his teammates as the construct zoomed past a Floating Spider group that stared at it in confusion.


    The three girls were interested, intending to think up a name when Duvic interjected, "I think the name Battleship would be appropriate."

 Chapter 424: Causing a Storm

    "Battleship¡­?" Jyorta thought, chuckling as he replied, "That sounds cool enough, haha. Let''s go with that."


    "Che, I was about to say a better name." Sreshta was just about to turn around and comment on their choice when she noticed a One-Horned Rhino charge towards them. "Enemy incoming! 20 metres to our front!"


    "Accelerate!" Jyorta shouted, making the four Tier 2 Floating Spiders on the sides push forward. The Floating Spider on the base moved up, increasing the altitude of the Battleship.


    The One-Horned Rhino increased its speed as it wished to ram into the construct flying straight at it, only to break its momentum as it slid on the ground, watching the Battleship fly above its head. It roared, unable to attack the Battleship that was beyond the range of its reach.


    "That was really cool. We have the power of flight now." Duvic laughed, tracking the entire scene using his Tier 1 Skill, Thermal Vision.


    Currently, the seating arrangement started with Sreshta at the front, followed by Duvic, Jyorta, Rishana, and Bilena at the back. Once the Battleship began to move, Jyorta relayed the instructions to his team.


    He spoke to Sreshta, "I won''t be able to coordinate with you every time since I am already focusing on manipulating the five Tier 2 Floating Spiders. I will solely focus on moving this Battleship."


    He pointed at the entrance to the cylinder¡ªwithin which the Tier 2 Spindle Bee was wrapped around by floating spider silk. As Sreshta looked at the Spindle Bee, Jyorta spoke, "According to the hallucination I subjected it into, every time you tap its head, it would shoot a spindle. Don''t tap it too hard and wound it."


    Seeing her nod in response, Jyorta then pointed at the handle extending from the cylinder that constricted the Spindle Bee, "It can move to a fair variety of angles. So, use it as a turret to aim at the enemies. And, when you tap the head of the Spindle Bee, it would shoot a spindle at the foes. Since it is at Tier 2, its spindle should be powerful."


    "It''s basically a gun," Sreshta tapped once on the Spindle Bee''s head, seeing it shoot a spindle. The stinger had been poking out of the hole in the cylinder. So, when Sreshta aimed the cylinder at a Frenzy Beast and tapped the Spindle Bee''s head, the spindle slammed into the Frenzy Beast, causing a fountain of blood to gush out of the point of impact.


    "This is an addicting feeling," Sreshta commented as her face flushed red. This was the first time she inflicted an injury on a Frenzy Beast so easily.


    "But don''t let it get to your head. Be steady, and don''t waste the spindles. When the Spindle Bee runs out of energy to create another spindle, tell me. I''ll replenish it using the Heart Crystals I have collected." Jyorta said, showing the small pouch in his hand.


    "You can cause it to summon its Caterpillar?" Sreshta spoke with widened eyes, staring at Jyorta with shock.


    "Of course," Jyorta nodded, controlling the Battleship to rise even higher as it flew.


    "In my plans, I made four cylinders. One on the front, one on the back, and one on either side. So, all four of you would be controlling a Spindle Bee to shoot at our enemies." Jyorta looked at Bilena, "Focus on finding the Spindle Bees first. Once we equip three more, our Battleship would be complete."


    "Then what about these weapons we made? And," Duvic tugged the armour he was wearing, "Is there any use for this since we are safe within this Battleship?"


    "It''s better to be safe than sorry. And," Jyorta looked at Duvic, "Don''t forget the fact that we have to face against a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast at the end. So, these silk armours would prove to be helpful then. The weapons exist just in case our Battleship is destroyed and we have to move on foot."


    "I see," Duvic nodded, etching in his mind the factors Jyorta considered in his decisions.


    "So, I no longer need to look for a yellow circle, right?" Rishana spoke while gazing through the hole, keeping watch on their front.


    "Yes," Jyorta nodded, controlling the Battleship, "Our priority is a black circle now. In the meantime, we''ll look for the Spindle Bees."


    "I hear them," Bilena shouted, "They are approaching us from our 4''o clock. They are 30 metres away."


    "How many of them are there? And, what are their strengths?" Jyorta frowned.


    "Around¡­20¡­not 28. Judging by the frequency of their flapping, there are six Spindle Bees at Tier 2." Bilena concentrated, replying after a while.


    Tattoo¡ªAura Personification!


    The moment they came close, Jyorta spotted their positions by peering through the holes in the cylindrical extension, latching onto three Tier 2 Spindle Bees that he felt were the strongest of the group.


    Without any hesitation, he sent his tattoos on them, also adding a layer of hallucination to make the job easier. The tattoos acted as a medium for him to transmit his hallucination directly into their presence, making them fall under his control immediately.


    Jyorta made them perceive varying scenarios, causing them to react accordingly. This way, he controlled their actions, making them fly faster and zoom towards the Battleship. Without a second''s delay, they entered the remaining three cylinders.


    As Jyorta had already briefed them on the method of usage, Duvic, Rishana, and Bilena grabbed hold of the levers attached to the cylinders immediately. They also positioned themselves accordingly to the direction their respective cylinder pointed towards.


    Bilena turned around, facing the back while Duvic and Rishana turned around to face the left and right respectively. They used their Tier 1 Skills to relay everything they sensed, using the data to perceive their enemies accordingly.


    That was what Jyorta used to react on time and manoeuvre the Battleship accordingly. After all, he was only able to see in one direction at a time. Rishana kept tabs on their altitude, telling immediately whenever any Frenzy Beast moved below the Battleship.


    Duvic was able to see the heat signatures of every Frenzy beast that flew, determining their positions accurately. Bilena played the most important role of sensing the sounds produced by the Frenzy Beasts, relaying their positions.


    Finally, Sreshta kept track of their route, focusing on key aspects that lay on their route, also keeping watch for their targets.


    "I see a black circle!" She shouted, "It''s on a boulder, 60 metres away."


    Fighting in a path were two teams that had joined hands. They were fighting against a group of Tier 1 Steel Porcupines. It was an even battle, considering the students were already equipped with weapons.


    "Hah!" A student bellowed as he brought down his sword, severing the body of a Steel Porcupine into two. Another Steel Porcupine showed him its back and unleashed a hail of spikes, planning to impale him to death. One of his teammates rushed in, defending against the hail of spikes using his shield.


    He turned around, shouting as he resisted the attacks, watching some of the spikes poke out of the shield a little, "Are you okay?"


    "Yeah, I am fine." The student replied and leaped out from the cover of the shield the moment the hail of spikes ended, closing in on the Steel Porcupine as he severed its head with a strike. Similarly, he lunged towards a nearby Steel Porcupine before stabbing the sword into its head.


    "Haah¡­haah¡­" He panted, kneeling on the ground as the last of the Steel Porcupines were killed. He then lifted his sword, seeing that more than half its blade had melted from the Essence of Frenzy, "Dammit, these weapons don''t even last through a single battle."


    "Thankfully, we came across three yellow circles and obtained enough equipment." His teammate with the shield replied, grunting as he helped the rest. Suddenly, his Tier 1 Skill perceived something as his expression collapsed, shouting, "Hide! There''s a massive Frenzy Beast group approaching us!"


    Without further ado, they all vacated the place, entering the gap within two boulders as they blocked all the open sides with their shields. The two Espers in their combined team used their psychic arms to block out the gaps, also allowing them to witness their surroundings from inside while preventing the Frenzy Beast from detecting their presence to a certain extent.


    "What the¡­?" The student with the shield was dumbfounded as he watched a massive cloud of Frenzy Beasts, formed by Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees alike swarm around something big that moved through the air.


    It was a boat-shaped structure, made from Floating Spider silk. Peaking out along its sides were the spindles of Spindle Bees, acting as blades that scrapped and injured any Frenzy Beast that drew close.


    Every time the Floating Spiders tried to latch onto the boat-shaped structure, it moved in response, using the spindles poking out of it to shred the Floating Spiders. As for the Spindle Bees, before they could shoot, spindles flew out from the boat-shaped structure and slammed into them, puncturing through their bodies.


    Spindle Bees and Floating Spiders dropped to the ground like flies from the unceasing spindle attacks. But, the damage and slaughter pulled in more Floating Spiders and Frenzy Beasts towards the boat-shaped construct. After all, its surface was already covered by their blood to a fair extent.


    From time to time, there would be a short emission of psychic energy that threw off all the blood from the boat-shaped structure. It was the Battleship Jyorta made.


    The Battleship flew past their hiding position, causing a strong wind along their wake. The student with the shield saw a psychic arm extend from the Battleship as it moved over a black circle and grab hold of the item hovering over it. It then zoomed past, moving behind a large boulder as it disappeared from view.


    "¡­What the heck was that?" The student with the sword stared agape, muttering the words that were in the minds of everyone in their team.

 Chapter 425: A Zagged Star

    The Battleship was a construct created using Floating Spider silk. So, it was capable of levitating in the air automatically. And, if it wasn''t chained down, it would float into the skies until the limit of its levitation was reached.


    This was why all the web-worlds created by the Floating Spiders had a sturdy central rope that trailed from it and was attached to the ground. This was to prevent it from flying into the space, leading to the death of all the Floating Spiders that lived within.


    The Floating Spider silk had incredible uses. Therefore, when Jyorta used it to create the Battleship, he obtained a mobile fortress that was capable of carrying the weight of him and his teammates without trouble.


    He also placed five Floating Spiders in them to control the direction of travel, using their speeds to his advantage. This way, the manoeuvrability of the Battleship was on par with Tier 1 Floating Spiders. He hadn''t increased the speed because it was hard to control such a big construct.


    After all, a Floating Spider wasn''t heavy, even the Tier 2 version. But, on the other hand, their construct was heavy. Just considering the weight of him and his teammates, they added a lot of momentum to the Battleship, the momentum they had to negate and divert for every turn.


    So, if they moved any faster, they would face a lot of difficulties in turning. Still, Jyorta was using his abilities to the best and exploited the Floating Spiders, ensuring the Battleship could keep up pace with the Floating Spiders.


    ''But, this situation¡­I didn''t account for it.'' Jyorta frowned, looking around as he saw the Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees that surrounded the Battleship. They numbered more than 60; even more were coming.


    This was despite the fact his four teammates were shooting forth the spindles and killing a Frenzy Beast with every shot. Their Frenzy Beast blood that splattered onto the Battleship further drew in more of their enraged brethren.


    Jyorta didn''t wish to waste his aura to create an aura personification to throw them off. That worked counterproductive to his plans. He created the Battleship to rely on it until the goal. It made no sense if he had to use his aura to protect it from harm.


    "Duvic, are there any students near us?" Jyorta shouted as his stronger psychic arm grabbed hold of the item hovering above a black circle. His psychic arm slowly moved it towards the hatch as he unleashed his aura personification of hallucination for a couple of seconds, keeping it up in a short radius until he brought the item within the Battleship through the hatch.


    He then closed the hatch and locked it, gazing at the item in his hands to note it looked like a can. A liquid of sorts seemed to have been contained within it, judging by the inertial forces he felt in it as he shook it. But, there was no lid to it. It seemed like a whole object that has existed as such since the start.


    As it was yellow in colour, Jyorta knew that no matter what he did, it wouldn''t open. Thankfully, it seemed the staff had made considerations to this. Madam Mila had probably been the one to make them. She had ensured the can''s resistance to psychic energy was zero. Moreover, it weighed less than 200 grams. That was why Jyorta was able to instantly lift it using his psychic arm.


    "We passed by two teams just now. They are considerably strong since they just annihilated a team of Tier 1 Steel Porcupines without suffering a loss." Duvic relayed.


    "Alright," Jyorta gazed at Sreshta, "When we approach their area, relay this message to them."


    "Okay," Sreshta nodded. If she shouted using all her might, she was confident in the reach of her voice. After all, she was a Warrior. Her physique was stronger than Jyorta, including the volume her voice could reach.


    The Battleship took a turn in the air by doing a backflip. It crashed into five Floating Spiders along the way, skewering them using the spindles that poked out all over its form. The Battleship reoriented itself as it zoomed towards the two boulders that were close to one another. It was where the team of two students was in hiding.


    To ensure they wouldn''t lose balance when the Battleship made abrupt turns in the air, Jyorta had also installed seatbelts within. Moreover, he took great measures in their design, following an efficient seatbelt model''s design that he had researched in the Portal.


    This was a belt design that was efficient to be strapped over at a variety of spots on the body. Moreover, removing it was the simplest and quickest of the lot. It was to the extent he could do it using his psychic arms with a single click and free all of them.


    That way, in the event they had to leave the Battleship, they could do so in an instant. The moment they closed in on the two boulders, Sreshta took in a deep breath and positioned her mouth in the hole she used to see, shouting at the top of her lungs, "The two hiding teams, please collect the Heart Crystals of all the Frenzy Beasts we had slain. In return, we''ll make a path for you until you reach a black circle and a green circle. We are team 6!"


    "Team 6¡­so that''s Jyorta Bone''s team. No wonder they are outrageous," The student with the shield commented, looking at the student with the sword as they made eye contact. They were the team leaders of their respective teams; their decisions affected their entire team''s progress and performance.


    "It¡­doesn''t seem like a bad deal," The student with the sword said as he pointed at the Battleship. "All the Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees are lured over by them. There are no Lava Turtles in this place, and the River Whales are only staying at the top. We only have to face the Steel Porcupines, One-Horned Rhinos, and Crust-Mantles."


    "If they make a path for us, we can replenish ourselves." The student with the shield nodded as he shouted towards the Battleship, "We accept."


    The Battleship then flew over their hiding positions as a small pouch fell out from it. The student with the sword grabbed hold of it, smirking as he commented, "They even gave us a pouch to store the Heart Crystals. Let''s move out."


    "Wow, is this made from Floating Spider silk?"


    "Indeed."


    Their two teams moved out and rushed through the path the Battleship had flown through. They had seen it in action, so they remembered the way it had traversed through. Besides, it was hard not to miss the path lain with the carcasses of Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees.


    The ones that had died, and the ones there were twitching on the verge of death, they swiftly killed them all, reaping out their Heart and Brain Crystals. The Esper on their team cleaned them before putting them in the pouch.


    "Just how many did they kill?" The man with the shield spoke in shock after putting the 40th Heart Crystal in the pouch.


    "I feel like this is just the beginning," The student with the sword sighed as he chuckled, "I feel like we have been made into their porters. Still, this saves us some effort. We can conserve our stamina to when we reach the end."


    They trailed 30 metres behind the Battleship that swerved through numerous ways, looping through the same spot at least 5-6 times as the number of carcasses on the ground increased. Sreshta, Duvic, and Rishana were focused on attacking the flying Frenzy Beasts.


    Bilena, on the other hand, slowly aimed at the Frenzy Beast on the ground as the Battleship flew past them. Her line of sight gave her better aim with a greater duration of focus on her targets, allowing her to pick off the Frenzy Beasts on the ground with greater ease.


    She primarily targeted the Steel Porcupines. For, as long as she aimed correctly, it only took her one spindle to kill one. But, a One-Horned Rhino needed at least three spindles. As for the Crust-Mantles, after aiming at one, she refrained from attacking another ever again.


    It took 10 spindles before Crust-Mantle died. It was because it was too big, making the sharp and deadly, but small spindles fail to damage it critically. This was not to mention its touch chitin armour that caused most of the launched spindles to bounce off with a scratch.


    "Give us that pouch," After 30 minutes passed in such a fashion, Sreshta''s voice resounded as another empty pouch dropped to the ground. The student with the shield tied a knot to the pouch using its extra length, aiming once before throwing it towards the Battleship, "Here!"


    He knew Jyorta was an Esper and was able to catch it. As he had expected, just when it was about to slam into the Battleship, a psychic arm grabbed hold of the pouch.


    Sreshta''s voice resounded once again, "There''s a black circle and a yellow circle to the front. Follow our lead."


    "Well, that makes our work simple," The student with the sword chuckled as he brought his sword down, piercing it through a gap in the chitin armour, causing blood to gush out from a Crust-Mantle. They weren''t simply collecting the Heart Crystals. They too were actively fighting against the foes they met. Only four from their teams were actively collecting the Heart Crystals. The rest were busy fighting.


    After all, they too had to display their strengths and expertise. Soon, the Battleship danced through the air as the teams reached a black circle. The student with the shield picked up the can floating on it. After that, they replenished their stock of weapons through the yellow circles.


    Unlike the green circles, the yellow circles were temporary and spawned at random places. It was just the staff moving them at speeds beyond the students'' ability to perceive, so it looked like they just spawned at various locations.


    "A wriggly star?" The student with the shield frowned, for that was the only shape on the can. "Do we have to search for this shape among the white circles?"


    "A zagged star?" Jyorta frowned, feeling suspicious at the choice of design used by the military academy, getting an inkling that their plot ran deep this time.

 Chapter 426: A Dishonest Fight

    "This will be difficult," Jyorta frowned as he looked at the shape inscribed on the can, "There isn''t even a number. We would have to scour through all the white circles to check for our goal."


    He sighed, realising the plan of the military academy. If the cans had numbers placed on them, then the students would be able to track them accordingly and calculate based on the number of teams to find the Tier 3 Frenzy Beast they had to fight to reach their goal.


    After all, people could easily divide the number of teams by twelve and determine the brackets within which the number on their can pointed towards. This way, they can make plans against the Tier 3 Frenzy Beast they would have to eventually fight.


    Moreover, they could determine their teammates and hatch a solid plan beforehand. It would give them a lot of advantage. After all, the initiative lay in their hands.


    But now, such a scene was impossible to create. After all, they only had weird star-shaped diagrams with limited variations on their respective cans. So, they were unable to determine the target Tier 3 Frenzy Beast they would have to eventually face and the teams they would join hands together.


    They would have to kill the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts one by one and hope their goal is within the area guarded by the respective Frenzy Beast. Trust, camaraderie, and leadership were all tested here. It also pitted their characters to the test by giving them such vague conditions to fulfil.


    ''Of course, they would always try to wring out everything from us.'' Jyorta sighed, holding the can with one hand while he used the other to grab the seatbelt constricting him for extra grip. He was the only one in the Battleship with free hands. The rest of his teammates were all busy aiming and shooting at the flying Frenzy Beasts.


    Jyorta fished out four Tier 1 Heart Crystals as he sent a mental cue through his aura. Immediately, all the four Spindle Bees summoned their Caterpillars. His teammates picked one per each from his hand and gave it to the Caterpillars, watching the tiny wriggling creatures of blood consume the Heart Crystal like it was the most delicious in the world.


    "Let''s keep their energy levels constantly at the top," Jyorta said, hearing everyone express their support. When they had the chance to replenish the energy reserves of the Spindle Bees, it was wise to do so.


    After all, if they were caught in a tough situation, it wouldn''t be possible to obtain enough time to finish the process, placing them at a risk the moment the Spindle Bees run out of energy.


    Jyorta had already placed a mental cue in the tattoos of the Floating Spiders and the Spindle Bees. Every time their energy levels decreased by ten percent, they would tell him. In actuality, they weren''t communicating actively.


    When it was time, they just caused a minor fluctuation in their aura. Jyorta immediately acted upon it. After all, the five Floating spiders and the four Spindle Bees were at Tier 2. So, they were able to manipulate their aura to a certain extent.


    "There''s another black circle to our front, 70 metres away." Sreshta spoke, "But, there are a lot of One-Horned Rhinos surrounding it."


    "Then we''ll take action," Jyorta spoke, causing the Battleship to sped forward as it began to slowly rotate along its horizontal direction, "We''ll be rotating once every four seconds. When it is your window to shoot, shoot at them. We''ll keep up with this until either they are annihilated or run away in fear."


    "What about the Floating Spiders surrounding us?" Duvic shouted, "They have already begun to damage all the spindles lodged on our outer walls."


    Jyorta saw how some of the Floating Spiders had begun to weave their silk on the Battleship, numbing the sharpness of the spindles lodged in the outer wall. This way, they wouldn''t have to be afraid to close in on it. Moreover, as it was made through silk, the Floating Spiders had their ways to bite through the walls.


    The Spindle Bees, on the other hand, had been shooting their spindles at the Battleship from the start. Their spindles sometimes bounced off upon colliding with the spindles poking out from it. But, a significant portion of them managed to land on the silk wall behind, damaging it.


    Numerous thin strands had already been severed, causing weak spots to appear all over their defences. Moreover, the damage was steadily accumulating. At this rate, it wouldn''t be long before they breached the defences.


    "I have a plan," Jyorta looked at Duvic, "Focus on shooting at the One-Horned Rhinos first. Focus on riling them up and agitate them as much as you can."


    "Alright," His teammates nodded and aimed at the One-Horned Rhinos, beginning to shoot the spindles immediately. The spindles landed on the One-Horned Rhinos one after another, piercing their necks most of the time.


    They didn''t die though, for their tough skins allowed them to withstand three to four attacks even when targeted at their necks¡ªtheir weak spots. The One-Horned Rhinos roared and riled up, beginning to run around as they dodged the spindle attacks.


    They bumped into their brethren, tumbled and even crashed onto the ground after which they were stepped on by their brethren. All of them were only focused on evading the spindles. The Battleship was 20 metres before them, positioned ten metres above the ground.


    "Hold tight," Jyorta shouted as he sent a mental cue to the five Tier 2 Floating Spiders, causing them to push the Battleship forward with all their might. The Battleship accelerated to its maximum speed as it made a beeline towards the One-Horned Rhinos.


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    Jyorta unleashed his hallucination, making the One-Horned Rhinos hallucinate the appearance of a metre-wide wall in between them. It wasn''t straight, rather zig-zagged through the crowd. Moreover, a faint aura was instilled in it that caused them to evade it unconsciously.


    Jyorta had imbued in the wall properties¡ªsuch as light, heat, smell, and sound¡ªthat the One-Horned Rhinos disliked. This way, they didn''t try to touch the wall, creating the exact enough gap for the Battleship to pass through.


    This time, it wasn''t flying high, rather was barely ten centimetres above the ground. There was just one reason, it was to ditch the Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees that stuck to them like glue and continuously damaged their hull.


    The path was only wide enough for the Battleship to pass through. As the Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees were busy chasing the Battleship with unabated hatred, they didn''t realise the trap he was setting up.


    After all, Jyorta had subtly overlaid another hallucination, one that prevented them from sensing the One-Horned Rhinos. The ones that hadn''t yet fallen prey to the hallucination swiftly moved up and evaded the chaos.


    But unfortunately for the rest, they crashed into the trashing One-Horned Rhinos, getting either flattened or stomped to death. A significant portion among them managed to survive but were riddled with injuries.


    The Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees had their pride. After all, among the Frenzy Beasts, they were a cut above the rest, having an Ancestor to guard their homes while they possessed a Trait, one that gave them a significant advantage over others.


    So, the moment the One-Horned Rhinos injured them, they retaliated without hesitation. They engaged in a battle immediately. The battleship didn''t escape. Jyorta continued to make imaginary paths in the hallucination that the One-Horned Rhinos avoided.


    He made the Battleship fly through the routes, always ensuring to be within the detectable range of the Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees. After all, the hatred between them was the maximum. The moment the Battleship flew beyond a certain range, all the Floating Spiders and Spindle bees would return to focus their attention on them, jointly planning to deal with the One-Horned Rhinos later.


    The One-Horned Rhinos were land-based creatures, unable to escape from flight-based creatures such as them. So, in the eyes of the Floating Spiders, they weren''t a threat. As for the Spindle Bees, they could easily spam attacks and kill all the One-Horned Rhinos without suffering a single causality. So, they only treated the One-Horned Rhinos as food.


    "This is great!" Bilena laughed as she saw their enemies fight and kill each other. Her task was simple; it was to meddle when the tension between the two parties was about to die down. She would launch the spindle either on the Floating Spiders or the One-Horned Rhinos, always keeping the Spindle Bees as the instigators.


    As the Spindle Bees were the dominant race this time, there was no shortage of strong Spindle Bees. So, even when they were ganged up, they wouldn''t be annihilated, for reinforcements would come to their rescue immediately.


    Jyorta felt mildly suffocated; his eyes felt heavy. His aura reserves were down to an all-time low. He used his weaker psychic arm to heal himself, noting that his psychic energy reserves were about to run out soon enough.


    Considering the current rate of expenditure, he would be able to last for ten more minutes at most. Jyorta shouted, "Bilena, how''s the status of the two teams following us?"


    "They are keeping up with us," Bilena replied as she shot a spindle and reaped the life of a Floating Spider, "They are killing the severely injured Frenzy Beasts."


    Jyorta looked around, noticing that the total number of Frenzy Beasts hadn''t decreased. More Frenzy Beasts were being lured over. Duvic shouted, saying he spotted five Life Leeches that sprung up from the ground and latched onto the legs of a One-Horned Rhino.


    Some Ring Worms were also mixed into the bunch that coiled around the bodies of the One-Horned Rhinos and targeted the Floating Spiders that came close.


    "Tell them to retreat for the moment," Jyorta said, hearing Sreshta shout and relay the message to the two teams. The Battleship had reached the black circle now as his psychic arm shot forth and grabbed the can. Without any hesitation, the Battleship shot towards the sky, rapidly increasing its altitude as it headed towards the top.

 Chapter 427: Becoming the Target of Everyone

    The Battleship scaled up, heading into the sky straight like a rocket. Jyorta was running out of energy to maintain it any longer. So, before he was completely expended, they had to find a green circle. After opening the hatch, his psychic arm brought in the second can as Jyorta swiftly closed it, grunting at the strength he had to use to close it under the air resistance their fast-moving Battleship faced.


    Even though he had built it streamline by referencing the design of a Spindle Bee''s spindle, the cylindrical part with the hatch was still poorly designed. So, this part faced a lot of air resistance as compared to the rest of the Battleship.


    "Argh," Duvic grunted as he strained his eyes, detecting the heat signatures of the Floating Spiders that still chased after them as he shot spindles at them. It was getting harder and harder to maintain his focus, for the number of enemies was too much.


    If they had been simple targets that flew parallel to the Battleship, his job would have been simpler. But instead, they darted to and fro, moving aside when the turret aimed at them. Their random motions hurt his head as Duvic had to keep up with them.


    Otherwise, he would just be wasting the spindles. Once his respective Tier 2 Spindle Bee ran out of energy, their Battleship would lose a means of attacking. Even though all it took was some Heart Crystals to recover its energy to the brim once again, this strategy couldn''t be abused.


    After all, beyond a certain point, the white substance in the Heart Crystals would accumulate in the bodies of the Spindle Bees, causing the flow of their energy to become sluggish. When the situation deteriorated further, they would no longer be able to use their Skills or Traits and would bleed the white substance from their orifices.


    Followed by it would be a drop in their Sync Rate before eventually their Frenzy Parasite gets muddled and dies. It was akin to poison if it wasn''t flushed out by their body soon. And, not every Frenzy Beast''s Essence of Frenzy was capable of corroding them.


    The River Whale Jyorta controlled in the Labyrinth of Frenzy was an exception. But, that was probably because it had evolved accordingly thanks to all the Shoe Fishes covering its body.


    Finding a green circle, that was Jyorta''s target. It was why he controlled the Battleship to fly high up. After all, the large boulders prevented them from seeing anything beyond their immediate vicinity.


    Though, the moment they crossed the height of 10 metres and had surpassed the height of most boulders, Jyorta felt a chill creep up through his spine. He saw how the Frenzy Beasts in the second segment of the central simultaneously noticed their Battleship and had all focused their gazes on them.


    It wasn''t Jyorta alone, his teammates too felt their skin crawl as they sensed hundreds of gazes directed at them with pure desire for slaughter. The ones huddled in the second segment from the bottom in the central tower were Ring Worms.


    Their wriggly mass spilt out of their segment as they moved over the paths trailing past from their respective segment. They planned to approach the Battleship using these paths and throw themselves onto it and drag it towards the ground.


    "It seems the moment we reach the height of their segment, they would spill out to chase after us." Jyorta frowned, looking above as he saw the numerous paths trailing out from each segment in the central tower.


    This created numerous avenues for the Frenzy Beasts to position themselves and attack anyone who tried to fly past them. Jyorta then looked at the long path that trailed along the walls, starting from the ground at numerous checkpoints before heading towards the top where it branched into twelve paths and ended at the domes with the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts.


    The path was only 10 metres wide, so there was a limit to the number of Frenzy Beasts that could occupy it. Moreover, the path wasn''t fully open in the sky, for it was a coiling path that trailed above the previous coil every 20 metres. So, it didn''t give too much advantage to the Frenzy Beasts.


    It was unlike their current spot where the numerous paths trailing from the central tower gave the Frenzy Beasts advantageous positions to launch attacks. Jyorta just thought of this when a massive sphere of water crashed into the Battleship, rocketing them towards the ground.


    "Aah!" Everyone inside the Battleship screamed as it lost balance from the impact and fell like a kite that had been punctured. The attack stemmed from a River Whale that was positioned almost at the top of the central tower.


    It had condensed the sphere of water and dropped it onto the Battleship. As the sphere of water fell, it gained momentum. And, using its Trait, the River Whale had ensured the water sphere wouldn''t break down into individual drops before it hit the Battleship.


    The volume of water pouring on them contained enough momentum to dent their front and significantly damage the hull of the Battleship.


    Jyorta grunted as he tried his best to control the Floating Spiders, making them move opposite to the momentum that knocked their Battleship to reorient it. It was tough; he was getting exhausted.


    The momentum also rocked his insides, causing him to feel some pain in his chest. He had to preserve the little psychic energy he had left, so Jyorta hadn''t healed himself. He shouted, "Sreshta, did you spot any green circles?"


    "No," Sreshta replied, trembling with fear as she felt a bit nauseous.


    "Four metres from the ground!" Rishana shouted, relaying the speed of their descent as she helped point out the Battleship''s alignment with respect to the ground. Jyorta used her inputs to stabilise the Battleship somehow as it crashed into the ground with a mild thud.


    There were some creases all over it as it had scrapped the ground. The spindles lodged on the bottom of the Battleship were slightly bent as it slowly took to the air once again. It was because of the natural levitation capability of the silk used in its construction.


    If not for this, the Battleship would have crashed with enough momentum to become severely damaged while also injuring the ones inside to the extent they would have to be pulled out by a staff.


    Jyorta used the remainder of his psychic energy to activate Regen as he solely replenished his aura, recovering it to the maximum. He then controlled the battleship as his teammates fed the nine Frenzy Beasts some Tier 1 Heart Crystals.


    Some of them were hurt during the attack. But, Jyorta didn''t allow the Frenzy Beasts time to treat their wounds. He judged their wounds weren''t serious enough for treatment and hence controlled them to take action as usual.


    The Battleship flew between the boulders as it resisted the attacks from the River Whales that dropped spheres of water from above. It seemed his action of taking flight had pissed them off. The mud on the ground seemed odd, for when the water fell on them, it slowly evaporated.


    The River Whales recondensed the moisture into spheres of water using their Traits, spamming attacks without any loss in ammo. The Battleship jutted through the paths as it evaded the spheres of water heading towards them.


    This was where Rishana came into play. She perceived the spheres of water falling towards them and relayed the information to Jyorta who controlled the Battleship to evade. The bigger the object flying towards them, the clearer she was able to perceive them.


    The first attack came too quick for her to react. After all, it took some time for her to relay the information to Jyorta who then controlled the Battleship to move accordingly. The transmission of information wasn''t quick enough.


    Everything would have been solved if Jyorta was able to understand the feedback transmitted by his psychic arms. That way, he would have been able to connect one psychic arm to everyone and create a network of information transfer. It would have made everything simpler.


    Unfortunately, only Wave Controllers were able to achieve this feat. Even though he was barely able to make out some stuff in his feedback, it wasn''t fast enough. At present, speaking and listening normally was a faster approach.


    They came across other teams of students who were engaged in a battle with the Frenzy Beasts or were simply hiding to bode for time, before they took action. On seeing that they were put in a passive situation and had become the target of numerous Frenzy Beasts, Jyorta thought for a moment, making the Battleship increase its altitude to a height of twenty metres as it headed straight towards the walls.


    The Battleship rammed into the Floating Spiders that obstructed it, not caring about the damage that was caused as a result as it flew forward, making a beeline towards the walls.


    ''There must be a green circle somewhere around the area where the path starts.'' Jyorta thought, acting based on it. After all, it was odd that there wasn''t a green circle in his vicinity. The oddity was apparent since they had traversed through a long distance and covered a wide area.


    Jyorta had an inkling that the green circles too vanished like the yellow circles after a team entered it. The first green circle had only remained for that long because all of them entered it in one stream. So that was probably why it didn''t vanish immediately. Or it might have been because the academy wanted the students to recover their energies.


    "There''s a green circle on the path." Sreshta''s joyous voice resounded as Jyorta smiled, calculating the distance they had to travel as he opened the hatch and stared at the numerous Frenzy Beasts flying in the air with the intent to destroy them.


    The air trembled as faint sparks flashed around him. Mild sounds of thunder resounded as Jyorta riled up all his aura, even going to the extent of burning his flesh.


    Aura Beam!

 Chapter 428: Field of Lightning

    "What''s happening?" The student with the sword shouted as he slashed the head of a Crust-Mantle, hearing the mild sounds of thunder, "Did a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast make a move?"


    "No, they are locked up in their cages. They cannot come out," The student with the shield replied as he bashed his shield into the face of a One-Horned Rhino, "This seems to be something else."


    Students huddled in many places came out to peek at the source of the sounds. Most of them failed to see anything. As the sounds weren''t loud enough, they didn''t bother investigating it further and returned to their hiding spots, planning to buy time until they were ready enough for the final charge.


    Those who were operating in places nearer to Jyorta could clearly hear the sounds of the air cracking apart. Like the rising tide, the sounds increased in might.


    Had he used the energy in his blue soul, he could replenish his reserves almost entirely. But, that was his secret, his trump card. He didn''t wish to use it in a place where his life wasn''t actually threatened. Besides, he wished to test himself and see how he fared in a battle.


    It was why he was solely using his regular abilities to do whatever he wished to achieve. The air crackled as a faint mist swirled around him, turning black as they coiled around his right hand and approached his palm.


    His ability of corrosion had become stronger than before. After all, the corrosion stemmed forth from the blue soul. And, as its foundation increased, the effectiveness of his corrosion also increased. After all, he had obtained a lot of memory fragments in the Labyrinth of Frenzy, enough to cause his blue soul to burst.


    Even though he hadn''t comprehended them yet, their existence still increased his strength. But, that was only a small reason. The greater reason was thanks to his act of mixing his corrosion in his aura as he launched aura beams every time.


    The first time, the corrosive effect was very little. And it was unconscious. But, as he trained in this regard and practiced it repeatedly, he was able to mix more of his corrosion into his aura. This way, the strength of his aura beam increased. Its current penetrating power had already surpassed the one he unleashed against the Wave Controller Lava Turtle in the Labyrinth of Frenzy.


    Thanks to the corrosion in his swirling aura, sounds of thunder resounded as flashes of lightning appeared. As the ability of corrosion reacted with the elements in the air, they were ionised. The flashes of lightning paralysed the couple of Floating Spiders who were hovering next to the Battleship.


    The Battleship moved towards the green circle as Jyorta peered out, glancing around to see how the Frenzy Beasts chasing after them were scattered about, spanning a wide area.


    Before he unleashed his aura beam, he controlled himself. His hands bulged as the aura converged into both his left and right. Jyorta faced his palms forward, separated by an arm''s worth of distance. His mind whirred in thought as everything he needed was called upon.


    The preparation took time as his body faintly shrunk in size. The psychic energy mixed into his aura while causing his hands to tremble. At the start, the tremble was like his hand was jerking. But, the intensity of the jerking started to decrease while the outline of his hands formed a slight blur.


    The frequency of the trembles continued to increase as his hands moved less and less; soon, his hand''s outlines became almost as sharp as normal. But, in actuality, his hands were oscillating with a very high frequency while the amplitude was almost negligible. It was why his hands appeared unmoving.


    The psychic energy was the one that was able to replicate this feat as it moved through his hands. It mixed into his aura, turning into a powerful medium as he was able to control it with greater precision.


    The psychic energy was smoother and could be controlled to a precise degree as compared to the aura that was rough in everything. With the inclusion of psychic energy, the swirling mass around his hands became streamlined as the blunge on his hands began to steadily decrease. He had taken inspiration for this move from the Wave Controller Lava Turtle he faced in the Labyrinth of Frenzy.


    "Hah!" Jyorta shouted, unleashing everything he had stored. The sound of a thunderclap resounded as two waves of aura radiated out from his palms. The two waves formed ripples in the air as they sometimes hit each other.


    Every time they collided with one other, the air in the point of contact was ionised. And from the ionised air was a discharge of electricity that formed arcs of lightning that danced in the air. It was a classical concept in physics.


    The power behind the waves was unlike the aura beam that packed a strong punch. The waves were just like the ripples on a lake. And, they didn''t contain enough power behind them to damage anything, despite their speeds surpassing his aura beam.


    But, whenever ripples from the two waves came into contact with each other, they formed spots of ionised air, causing discharges to occur frequently. It created a net of lightning in the surroundings, numbing the Frenzy Beasts that fell prey to it.


    "Hide!" The student with the sword shouted as he tackled another student, causing them to dodge a tiny bolt of lightning that landed on their previous spot. When another bolt of lightning headed their way, a shield flew through the air and collided into it, blocking the attack.


    There was a tiny mark on the shield as it fell on the ground. Arcs of lightning continued to flash in the air as a lot of them landed on the Frenzy Beasts moving about on the ground. They became the perfect targets of the discharge.


    The charge behind the bolts wasn''t enough to severely wound a Line Controller, not to mention the Warriors¡ªObservers and Amplifiers¡ªwith stronger bodies. But, the number of bolts was too many. Taking on that many would numb their bodies, causing them to fall prey to the ones that had been hiding.


    Since most of the students had gone in hiding, no one fell prey to the lightning bolts. It was why Jyorta had taken the risk to unleash it.


    Hovering in the air was a large yellow hemisphere. And, seated within it were the delegates from every organisation that operated in the 7th Ring. Currently, all of them stood up and watched the scene below in shock. Their mouths were agape, making eye contact with each other as they saw the massive arc of lightning that had covered one-tenth of the battlefield area. Considering how big the entire battlefield¡ªspanning a length of 1000 metres and a breadth of 400 metres¡ªwas, one-tenth of its area was a big deal to wrap around for a Tier 2 being.


    "No, his aura has steadily reached Tier 3 and is growing through it." One of them muttered.


    They then sighed and simultaneously looked at a certain individual, intending to hear his reaction. The man looked at the scene as spoke after a couple of seconds had passed, "Sir Anruk Light had already instructed me to take him in. Now, I realise the reason. Grapple Force is the perfect place for monsters like him."


    His head spun as Jyorta struggled to rein in his consciousness. Duvic grabbed hold of him and pulled him in as he closed the hatch. A couple of lightning bolts fell on the Battleship, singeing parts of it. A second later, three to four more lightning bolts landed on it, damaging it further. The damage continued to pile up as the Battleship moved through the air.


    As Jyorta was the one to unleash it, their surroundings had the most intense lightning bolts. If not for the Battleship''s rigid defence, they would have been out of commission by now.


    "Kyaak!" Sreshta flinched as a tiny spark landed on her skin from the hole before her¡ªthe one she used to see outside. As more and more lightning bolts landed on the Battleship, its damage continued to pile up. The Frenzy Beasts in it were starting to get affected by the bolts, feeling numb all over their bodies.


    Thankfully, they were Amplifiers, so they wouldn''t be severely wounded by this, for they were still protected by the Battleship to a fair extent. They weren''t taking the lightning bolts in the open using their bare bodies, like the other Frenzy Beasts.


    "Scree!"


    "Eeeee!"


    "Ghuoong!"


    Sounds from various Frenzy Beasts resounded as the lightning bolts landed on them. Moreover, the waves unleashed by Jyorta had affected them, causing patches of their skin to fall off. The Spindle Bees were the worst affected as their wings melted.


    Without their wings, they were unable to fly and began to fall. They were also hit by a couple of lightning bolts before they touched the ground. Their numb bodies slammed into the numerous boulders and were either flattened by the fall or were stomped to death by the stirred-up Frenzy Beasts.


    All of them wished to evade the lightning bolts. Still, a lot of them were attacked by it, causing their bodies to become numb.


    The lightning bolts were caused by the ionisation of the air. Since the energy he had infused wasn''t a lot, the ionised air soon became stable as it absorbed the electrons previously emitted by it. The field of lightning had existed for less than eight seconds before it vanished.


    Still, it caused tremendous damage as numerous Frenzy Beasts were numb or severely injured as a result. The Battleship moved into a green circle on time as Jyorta''s eyes shot open. He recovered from his exhaustion, regaining consciousness.


    Even though he had desperately tried to hold on, he still lost consciousness in the end. The new ability was taxing on both the body and the mind. Without psychic energy to activate Regen and heal himself, he fell unconscious.


    His muscle mass recovered as Jyorta brimmed with full energy, looking up to see the column of green vanish. He smiled, seeing that the Battleship had reached the path that coiled around the edge of the battlefield.


    Jyorta gazed up, looking at the twelve platforms that hovered in the air, trailing from them along the path until he reached the foot where his Battleship existed, "I guess it''s time we reached the peak."


    ---------------------


    Do check out my other novel, "Murim Recurve".


    It follows the story of a blind cultivator set in a low fantasy world with horror and mystery elements.


    ----------------------

 Chapter 429: Every Contribution is Important

    Jyorta and his team had been fully healed from their injuries. Their aura and energy were at maximum levels. They returned to their optimal condition instantly. The moment they were fully healed, the green circle vanished.


    Unfortunately, Regen didn''t work on Frenzy Beasts thanks to their Essence of Frenzy. So, the Frenzy Beasts were still in their injured states. Jyorta inspected their condition, noticing that they weren''t injured to the extent they would be unable to function. So, he didn''t care about them beyond anything necessary.


    After all, he had only prepared 10 tattoos. That was all he could prepare in the limited time frame. And, he had already used nine of them. So, Jyorta had no other option but to control them in their current states to move around.


    ''The Healing Salve would have been useful in such cases." Jyorta sighed, feeling it was a waste he couldn''t bring his Relics with him. The military academy forbade them from bringing in any items of their choice. Otherwise, his situation would have become even easier with the two Tier 3 Relics he possessed.


    Jyorta peered out of the hatch, looking around to note there was another green circle beside. Without any hesitation, he controlled the Battleship to move through the paths, easily avoiding the Frenzy Beasts that were still reeling from the effects of the lightning bolts.


    Soon, the Battleship appeared before the two teams they had cooperated with. Jyorta threw the can towards the student with the sword, "Here''s your quest item."


    "Thanks," The student with the shield threw a pouch in return, "There are more than a hundred Heart Crystals in them."


    ''That should be more than enough for the entire duration of the Graduation Ceremony,'' Jyorta thought, nodding to show his appreciation, "Thanks for your cooperation."


    He then pointed at the base of the path he was on just now, "There is another green circle there. We''ll lead the way. Most of the Frenzy Beasts are unable to move much for now."


    "That''s good," The student with the sword said as he looked at his teammates, riling them up to battle. The two teams then began to follow the Battleship that flew through the paths. Jyorta ensured to maintain a slow pace as Bilena constantly relayed to him the distance between them and the two teams that trailed right behind them.


    This way, he ensured they didn''t fly too fast. Spindles shot forth from the Battleship and impacted the Frenzy Beasts that had been the least injured from the lightning bolts. The attacks prevented them from attacking both the Battleship and the two teams that followed behind it.


    Within a couple of minutes, the two teams reached the green circle and entered it simultaneously. After conversing with Jyorta as he pointed out his observations, they picked up this method and entered it simultaneously. Thankfully, all of them were able to enter it without problems.


    Their injuries were swiftly healed within a couple of seconds, after which the green circle disappeared.


    "Well, see you on the top." Jyorta waved his hand as he closed the hatch, making the Battleship move once again.


    Seeing its trailing figure, the student with the shield commented, "How convenient."


    "The hand-shaped platform at the start was because of him." The student with the sword nodded, "First Rakh Veera, and now Jyorta Bone. I never knew I would come across two pillar candidates in my time at the military academy."


    The battlefield was rectangular in shape. The walls spanned a height of 150 metres, and a path trailed across it, making eight coils as it spanned from the ground to the top. And, at the height of 150 metres, it branched into twelve and connected with the twelve floating platforms housing a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast each.


    This was the only way the students could use to reach the top. After all, just like with Jyorta, anyone that tried to fly straight up would be met with a barrage of attacks from the Frenzy Beasts until they fell.


    The advantage of the path was the fact its top was covered. So, Frenzy Beasts couldn''t drop down attacks using their height advantage. The height to the ceiling was 20 metres. And, the ceiling was the base of the path from a successive coil.


    The Battleship sped along the path, proceeding about at its maximum pace. As it was a long path, controlling it to move was easy, so Jyorta could increase the speed without any apprehensions.


    Moreover, to their right was the walls of the battlefield, while the paths covered their top and bottom, making their left the sole direction they had to defend against. This made their time easier as they only had to look out for in one direction.


    The moment the Battleship moved about on the first coil, the Frenzy Beasts in the first segment were stirred. They were Ring Worms. They immediately poured out from the segment¡ªsituated in the central tower¡ªand moved through the paths.


    Despite the speed of the Battleship, avoiding a confrontation was impossible. After all, the longer side of the battlefield was a kilometre in length while the shorted side was 400 metres. So, a coil totalled to a distance of 2800 metres.


    Traversing this distance took significant time while the Frenzy Beasts in the segments were situated in the centre. They were able to notice the Battleship''s speed of flight and prepare accordingly. They began to move about on the route trailing from the opposite side of the segment, planning to stop it when it appeared there.


    This was the aspect that increased the difficulty of the mission. The Frenzy Beasts were able to see all their actions from the central tower. Moreover, they could calmly move to land in areas of the path well in advance of the arrival of the students by calculating everything.


    So, there didn''t exist a case where students could outrun the Frenzy Beasts. Their only option was to erect a bloody path and traverse through eight coils of the path where each coil spanned a distance of 2800 metres.


    This was the reason Jyorta spent a lot of time at the start to make the Battleship. This would conserve their energy significantly. After all, battling through such a massive distance was tantamount to suicide.


    Jyorta wasn''t even sure of the number of teams that would make it to the top. He did have thoughts about cooperating with other teams. But, Jyorta realised that it wasn''t realistically feasible.


    If he made the Battleship any bigger, controlling it would be difficult. They would constantly have to worry about their weight distribution. And, whenever a student moved or leaned over to the side, the Battleship would tilt accordingly.


    During high-speed manoeuvres, that was suicidal. The Battleship would topple and controlling it would become harder. Jyorta would have to think harder and calculate real-time of the shift in the Battleship''s centre of mass, centre of gravity, and the air resistance it faced. Only then would he be able to prevent it from toppling or crashing.


    Moreover, he would need more Floating Spiders to power it. After all, with the increase in weight came the appropriate inertia they had to negate for every turn. So, the number of Floating Spiders manning it would have to be increased.


    And, to ensure such a large space was protected, even more Spindle Bees should be added. It would become a sheer mess as his aura expenditure would become massive. Jyorta would be unable to react to anything that happened when his mind was occupied to such an extent.


    This was the reason he just stuck to his team and made the current Battleship. Besides, if he carried everyone, he would be the only one that would look good. Moreover, that wasn''t the correct way to deal with a problem.


    The concept of a strong individual carrying a group of weak people didn''t exist in Marble City. Rather, such an act was frowned upon as neither the administrators nor the civilians liked the concept of useless people that freeloaded and acted as dead weights during times of need.


    So, the concept they emphasised on was how people were able to contribute based on their strengths. Using their limited strengths, the ways they used them to present a variety of contributions to the table, such acts were the most desired and rewarded in Marble City.


    That was why Jyorta didn''t help his friends and left them to their devices. It was also why he constantly made his teammates use their abilities and play an active part.

 Chapter 430: Meticulous Traps with Greater Threats

    Flashes of light went on through every area of the battlefield. Jyorta frowned the moment he noticed them, asking Sreshta, "Do you see anything at the source of such flashes?"


    Sreshta peered through the hole using her Tier 1 Skill, Focus Vision. She focused on the point on the ground where frequent flashes of light appeared. She then noticed a team of injured students whose figures disappeared one after another. "They are the students being transported out of the battlefield."


    "That sure is a lot," Jyorta muttered, noticing the flashes of light continue without stopping. It meant a lot of students were injured to the extent they had to be pulled out by the staff. As they were moving on the path, the height advantage allowed them to notice these things clearly.


    And, Jyorta didn''t traverse the path wholly. He took shortcuts. So, the path traversed by the Battleship wasn''t a rectangle but an oval. After all, to ensure he didn''t lose too much speed when they were approaching a corner, he took a curved turn by moving out of the path.


    There didn''t exist any walls on the left side of the path, so it was easy to move in and out of it. Though, only those who were capable of flight were able to do so.


    As they traversed upon the long stretch of the path, Jyorta looked at the central tower, taking note of the Frenzy Beasts in each segment. This way, he would be able to prepare against them.


    Starting from the bottom, the segments consisted of the Ring Worm, Life Leech, Steel Porcupine, Crust-Mantle, One-Horned Rhino, Rigordile, Lava Turtle, and finally, the River Whales at the top. Jyorta was surprised when he noticed how there weren''t any segments for the Spindle Bees and Floating Spiders.


    He looked around, noticing tiny nests created under the paths. Both the Floating Spiders and Spindle bees were able to build their places of residence. Besides, the path created a lot of space for them to erect their homes into. So, at times, they came across the nests of each.


    And, whenever this happened, a battle was imminent. Jyorta was always ready in such cases, taking action the moment they neared the nest of either Frenzy Beast.


    Aura Personification¡ªBetrayal!


    This aura personification gave him one or two seconds, enough time for the Battleship to fly past and vanish from the range that would trigger them. In the meantime, they would be cautious against their own brethren, and wouldn''t be willing to take action.


    Before they recover to normalcy, the Battleship would have flowed far away. Once they see that, they would either lose interest or stay to await for new prey to arrive. And, in the case they do try to chase after the Battleship, Jyorta had a response ready.


    Aura Personification¡ªInsignificance!


    This made the Frenzy Beasts lose trust in themselves, feeling their strength was insufficient to pursue the enemy. And, as this hesitation bud in them, the Battleship further increased the distance between them.


    The two aura personifications worked together magically and prevented the Frenzy Beasts from chasing after them.


    And, when he came across small nests of Floating Spiders, Jyorta wrapped them in his hallucination as he made them land on the Battleship and mend its damage. And, once they exhausted their energy, he simply caused them to jump away from it.


    This way, the condition of the Battleship stayed at optimal levels. Most of the danger in the ten-metre-wide path was from the Floating Spiders, and Spindle Bees. It was because they were capable of flight and could cause the Battleship harm.


    And, as they constantly flew around, Jyorta had to increase the area covered by his aura personifications to control them. This stretched his effect thin, unless he increased the aura usage.


    And, since he wished to preserve his energy levels, Jyorta didn''t even use his aura personifications most of the time, allowing his teammates to attack the foes and kill them using the Tier 2 Spindle Bees they controlled.


    This was the reason he took pains to incorporate them into the Battleship in the first place. Everything was to ensure his energy wouldn''t be expended quickly. Until now, Jyorta hadn''t used his psychic energy at all. His Brain Crystal was at full capacity.


    And, he had only used a quarter of his aura reserves. The Battleship was already at the end of the third coil by now. They didn''t even fight with any Frenzy Beasts.


    After all, the Ring Worms were creatures that lived underground. They usually relied on ambush tactics to spring up on foes moving above ground. Unfortunately for them, even though they planned against the movements of the Battleship by occupying an area far away in the path and had enough time to wait for an ambush, they couldn''t do anything.


    Jyorta smirked as he increased the altitude of the Battleship, moving it 10 metres above the path. And, the ceiling of the successive path was positioned above 10 metres above it. This way, the Battleship didn''t come near any of them, not giving the chance for the Frenzy Beasts to attack them.


    The nests of the Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees always hung from the ceiling to prevent the ground-based Frenzy Beasts from attacking their homes. In such cases, the Battleship lowered its altitude accordingly or moved out of the path for a short distance before entering it after crossing about 10-20 metres.


    This way, the Battleship avoided the nests; and, since the duration it peaked out was a short few seconds, the Frenzy Beasts above weren''t able to attack quickly. Had the Battleship flown outside for a couple more seconds, it would have been met with a hail of attacks.


    The Battleship simply flew above the Ring Worms. The Ring Worms were unable to reach the Battleship that was flying 10 metres above the ground. All they could do was watch in vain as the Battleship flew past them without getting obstructed.


    Followed by it on the second coil were the Life Leeches, who too were crossed in the same manner. Had a team walked on foot through these areas, they would have come across hell as they would have to fight and kill their way through all the Frenzy Beasts.


    And, they were bound to become tired soon enough before their injuries accumulated. It was a vicious cycle. The military academy had strategically placed the Frenzy Beasts in their respective positions. They also modified the coils for the respective Frenzy Beasts to give them a greater terrain advantage.


    First was the Floating Spiders, a close combat-based Frenzy Beast race with a small body that was able to fly incredibly fast. Moreover, they also wove webs to create traps anywhere on the battlefield they pleased.


    So, they had to constantly be kept watch on.


    The second was the Spindle Bees, a long-range-based Frenzy Beast race that could shoot spindles at their foes. They too were capable of flight and could appear anywhere on the battlefield. They had to be closely guarded against if one didn''t wish to be riddled with holes all over.


    Coming to the segments were the Ring Worms at the bottom-most segment; they were strategically placed because of two reasons. First, they sprung up from the ground and usually attacked the legs of the students.


    As the students had to traverse through the eight coils, their leg strength was the most necessary. And, an injury to the legs would slow them down and eventually tire them out before they travelled far.


    The second reason was their appearance that sprunt disgust in the students. Even though the students had trained a bit in this regard, they couldn''t easily overcome their disgust when seeing a Ring Worm. Every action the Ring Worm took would naturally cause disgust in its opponents. That was the direction the Ring Worms had evolved into.


    Moreover, the sense of disgust wasn''t transmitted through visual appeal alone. It was also thanks to the pungent, gut-wrenching smell they emitted, and the constant slushy wriggling sounds they caused. All of them combined to cause powerful disgust in the students.


    And, this disgust caused them to instinctively shut or restrict their senses to a fair extent. This also caused their attacks to have less power in them. One way or another, the Ring Worms made the student prone to mistakes and carelessness that they otherwise wouldn''t have shown normally.


    Followed by them on the second segment were the Life Leeches, a Frenzy Beast race whose actions were more or less similar to the Ring Worms in that they sprung up from the ground and latched onto the legs.


    But, their scariness stemmed from the fact the wounds they caused couldn''t be closed easily. The neurotoxin they produced was anaesthetic and would prevent the student from realising he was injured in an area. Moreover, blood would continue to flow out nonstop until he was eventually pulled out by a staff.


    Even if they had an Esper, it wasn''t easy to pull out all the neurotoxin from the wound. And, when the Esper was treating the injured, more Life Leeches would spring up from the ground and cause even more injuries. This was unless they crossed the coil and then started their treatment.


    But by this time, they would have lost enough blood to faint.


    And, here came the Steel Porcupines on the third segment who unleashed the spikes on their backs to attack, riddling their opponents with holes. This didn''t give the students any time to treat themselves and constantly put them on the defensive.


    And, all the variety of attacks would accumulate damage on them, causing this place to be where most of the teams that reached the path would be defeated and had to be pulled out by the staff.


    Of course, the Battleship directly breezed past the first two coils without making contact with any Frenzy Beasts.


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 Chapter 431: The Ingenuity of Other Rankers

    The moment the Battleship crossed the second coil, the ground in the third coil changed. It was a sandy plain, with tiny dunes that were less than ten centimetres tall. There wasn''t any difference in the temperature though, only the terrain was different. As for the first and second coils, they had muddy ground.


    As the Battleship flew through the third coil, Jyorta noticed faint trails moving about in the sands. They were coming towards the Battleship from the opposite direction. Jyorta frowned, "Are they coming?"


    Duvic sensed their heat signatures as he said, "There are 10 of them approaching us now. Even more are lined up along the path."


    "Then, before they start attacking us, we''ll attack them," Jyorta said as his teammates nodded and positioned the cylinders with the Tier 2 Spindle Bees accordingly. Each of them depended on their Tier 1 Skill as they aimed at the approaching Steel Porcupines before shooting forth the spindles.


    The spindles penetrated through the loose sand before lodging into the bodies of the Steel Porcupines. Most of them managed to hit the body of the Steel Porcupines, avoiding the spikes growing on their backs.


    The moment they were attacked, they too appeared out of the sand and launched their spikes at the Battleship. Jyorta tried to create a shield to defend against their volley of attacks as an experiment, sighing when four spikes were all it took to shatter his shield.


    Unwilling to waste his psychic energy, he didn''t erect any more shields, using the Battleship to tank the spikes. The spikes contained a lot of force behind them, so they scrapped and lodged themselves into the Battleship from time to time.


    Though, most of them only penetrated some millimetres before falling off. Still, they created a lot of nicks in the hull of the Battleship. And soon enough, Tier 2 Steel Porcupines came into the picture, unleashing a powerful hail of spikes towards them.


    These spikes almost pierced through half of the Battleship''s hull, causing Jyorta''s heart to thump in tension. For, the power behind their attacks was too much. He hadn''t accounted for such a level of damage. Jyorta shouted as he noticed even more Tier 2 Steel Porcupines emerge from the sand, "Focus on the Tier 2 Steel Porcupines. Ignore the rest for now."


    Without him saying anything, his teammates directly began aiming at the Tier 2 Steel Porcupines. After all, they too knew which posed a bigger threat. If they tanked too many spikes from the Tier 2 Steel Porcupines, their defences would eventually crumble.


    Jyorta also noticed how there were no nests of the Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees in the third coil. After all, the Steel Porcupines were capable of long-range attacks. They could simply hide within the sand and sprung up to launch their spikes at the nests on the ceiling.


    This way, they wouldn''t suffer any losses while the Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees would be annihilated. Indeed, terrain advantage was of the greatest importance.


    So, even though the Battleship flew almost near the ceiling, the attacks of the Steel Porcupines still reached them. Thankfully, the spikes had less power than if it tanked nearer to the ground. Moreover, the distance gave the Battleship a fraction of time to prepare against stronger attacks that rained from below.


    "Kyaak!" Rishana shouted in alarm as the body-length spike unleashed by a Tier 2 Steel Porcupine penetrated through the hull''s defence and pierced her leg.


    "Bilena, help her," Jyorta shouted as he unleashed his psychic arm, turning it pale blue. Bilena grabbed hold of Rishana''s leg, and yanked the spike out of it, causing some blood to spurt out.


    His psychic arm quickly seeped into the wound and instantly healed it. Thankfully, it was only a muscle wound. And, as the spindle was sharp, the wound wasn''t wide. Just the internal pressure of the muscles was enough to make the gap disappear.


    His psychic arm focused on the Essence of Frenzy lodged into the wound as it pulled them out, not caring if it pulled out some blood in the process. They were pressed for time, and he had to swiftly heal her. So, Jyorta treated her in a hurry.


    As they had quickly acted upon the injury, the Essence of Frenzy hadn''t seeped beyond the wound. So, pulling it out was easy. Within a second, Jyorta was done with it as he began to heal the wounds. The wound wasn''t big, so he was done within three seconds. Moreover, the expenditure of psychic energy was little.


    Rishana healed a sigh of relief as the pain in her legs disappeared, "Sorry for being careless."


    "It wasn''t your fault," Jyorta replied as he controlled the Battleship to move. As it was a body-length spike, they didn''t throw it out. Rather, they pulled it entirely into the Battleship and stored it. They could use it as a sword once they coiled some silk rope on one end to create a handle.


    And, all Jyorta needed for that was a Floating Spider.


    The Battleship was made using the silk from Tier 1 Floating Spiders. So, it wasn''t as good as compared to if he had made it using the silk from Tier 2 Floating Spiders.


    If that had been the case, even the body-length spikes of the Steel Porcupines wouldn''t have been able to penetrate through the hull like this. Unfortunately, controlling Tier 2 Floating Spiders would have been taxing on his aura reserves.


    Besides, he needed a lot of them to finish the Battleship. He also had to consider the weight limit¡ªthat they could lift¡ªthat would have increased now. For, the silk produced by a Tier 2 Floating Spider was able to lift a greater weight than the silk of a Tier 1 Floating Spider.


    That would have proved to be troublesome. And, in the case he didn''t have enough Tier 2 Floating spider silk, he would have had to make do for the remaining with Tier 1 Floating Spider silk. And, that would mean the calculations would have become complex.


    That was why Jyorta just went with Tier 1 Floating Spider silk. Moreover, as it functioned as an armour, it meant it would get damaged from the attacks of numerous Frenzy Beasts. And, repairing was easy using the Tier 1 Floating Spiders he came across.


    "The spike would have reached my bone if not for this armour," Rishana sighed in relief as she looked at the white silk armour she wore. It was a slightly elastic armour and was a single piece that had to be worn from the hole in the neck space.


    It fully covered them from head to toe, including the eyes. There was a thin layer of silk over the eyes that was carefully made. It was weaker than the rest of the silk, but it was transparent and gave some protection to the eyes.


    At present, since they were constantly using their Tier 1 Skills, all of them hadn''t covered their heads with the armour. Now that she was injured once, Rishana didn''t wish to take any more risks, covering her head with the armour.


    Jyorta and the others too did the same. It was slightly uncomfortable; their senses were a bit constricted. But left with no other options, they could only choose to wear it.


    "Just in case the Battleship is fully compromised, you know what to do," Jyorta said as he saw the others nod. The domes housing the Tier 2 Floating Spiders and the cylinders housing the Spindle Bees were retractable.


    So, in time of necessity, they would take one of each and exit the Battleship, acting as mobile units that flew through the air. This was a contingency measure he had placed in the case the Battleship had been destroyed.


    After all, if they had to move on foot, the disadvantages would be too much. So, Jyorta wished to take advantage of the elements he possessed to the best of his capability. He planned to abuse the usage of the Tier 2 Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees.


    Duvic and Sreshta simultaneously aimed at the Tier 2 Steel Porcupine that had wounded Sreshta and attacked it. Both the spindles they shot landed accurately on its head, penetrating it. The Steel Porcupine hadn''t died yet, but it was out of commission. And, unless it was treated, it would eventually die.


    The Battleship was too conspicuous, so it was painted as a target for everyone. As it continued to fly, Jyorta was surprised to come across the team of Haesha and Esina. They had joined hands as they proceeded together as a group.


    Esina acted as the prime damage dealer while Haesha worked in defending and shielding them from harm. She was carried by Esina who strutted around through the sands as her sword flashed, reaping the lives of the Steel Porcupines.


    And, whenever the Steel Porcupines launched their spikes at her, Haesha defended them by using a thick blanket of Floating Spider silk. Judging by its structural integrity as it defended against the spike without getting damaged much, Jyorta realised just where it came from.


    "So, they raided a Web World first," He muttered. A Web World was a large sphere created by Floating Spiders to dwell within. And, unlike normal nests, this was a mobile nest with tremendous defensive properties, housing at least 3-4 Tier 2 Floating Spiders within.


    As the lift generated by this silk was tremendous, the Floating Spiders weaved a sturdy rope that they attached to some massive boulder. This was to prevent the Web World from flying away. So, to contain the exorbitant tension, the rope had to be rigidly powerful. And, it seemed Haesha had used such a rope to create her blanket after turning it into her Refined Object.


    This explained why she was able to use it to defend against the attacks so easily. And considering its levitating capacity, Haesha wasn''t hindered by the weight limitation of her psychic arm. So, she was able to act as the defence of the group and even masked their presence from time to time.


    "Incredible!" Jyorta laughed as the Battleship flew into the scene.

 Chapter 432: In Times of Need, Hallucination and Betrayal Can Be Scary

    As long as they were given a chance and some time to think, people would try to come up with something that would ease their lives. No one would blindly charge forth and flaunt their foolishness.


    After all, just by preparing a little, they would save a lot of time and increase their chances of survival. So, Jyorta wasn''t surprised when he saw the teams of Haesha and Esina work together. Rather, he liked their plans and how they had searched for a Web World first to obtain that rope.


    Only after that did they begin to climb up the path. Jyorta also noticed how all the students in their teams had tied silk ropes around their hips, hands, and legs. This way, they reduced their weight to a considerable extent, decreasing the amount of stamina they had to expend to move.


    Though, they also ensured to not reduce their weight completely. Without making use of the weight, their attacks would lose most of its power. That''s why, they balanced it realistically, keeping their priorities straight.


    Moreover, Jyorta noticed one student who hadn''t fought from the start. He was carrying a bag, within which, what seemed to be rocks were placed. It was the Web World they had raided before.


    Now, after stuffing it full of rocks to prevent it from flying away, they used it as a defensive barrier to rest behind. Moreover, in the case they needed more lift, they would just dump the rocks from it and use the extra silk.


    They had prepared in their own way.


    As the Battleship flew closer, spindles shot forth from it, attacking the Steel Porcupines, killing one every second. Haesha turned around, smiling as she noticed the structure flying towards her in the air, "Only one person makes such stuff."


    "Ohh, it''s your guy." Esina snickered.


    "Shut up." Haesha lightly hit her head.


    The two felt the tension on them reduce a lot as the Battleship came into the scene, causing most of the Steel Porcupines to target it automatically. It was because the Battleship was oozing with a presence that made them automatically target it.


    It was because it had absorbed the blood of a lot of Frenzy Beasts while moving around. Even though Jyorta had expelled the blood on its surface a lot of time, he was unable to do much to the blood soaked up by the silk.


    It would consume too much psychic energy to expel them, and hence, Jyorta refrained from doing so. As a result, the Battleship became the target eyed upon by a lot of Frenzy Beasts. Spindles shot forth from it, attacking the Steel Porcupines that tried their best to dodge.


    Some of them managed to dodge the attacks while most were still injured. As for the ones busy attacking, they failed to dodge on time, getting impaled in the head by the spindles.


    "Don''t worry about us and proceed further. We will reach the top at our own pace." Haesha shouted the moment she noticed the Battleship begin to slow down. She also saw how the number of spikes flying towards the Battleship had increased, as it seemed many Steel Porcupines wished to take it down.


    They were in a state of frenzy as they chased after the Battleship. Jyorta had just peaked out of the shaft when he heard Haesha''s voice.


    ''She''s a strong girl, indeed.'' He chuckled, flashing her a thumbs up. "I''ll wait for you guys at the top."


    "Go!" Esina shouted as she grabbed the tail of a distracted Steel Porcupine and slammed it like a whip on its brethren. She used their spikes to injure each other. Both the Steel Porcupines had impaled each other and were bleeding, on the verge of death.


    That was what she was using. Moreover, the moment she came across a Steel Porcupine with a body-length spike that suited her need, she targeted it first and ripped out its spike. She then whipped out a piece of silk from her pocket and wound it around the root of the spike¡ªthe one attached to the Steel Porcupine''s skin. She then considered it as a hilt as Esina safely wielded the body-length spike as a sword.


    And, thanks to its lower weight and superior sharpness and rigidity, it proved a better sword than the ones she obtained from a yellow circle. Moreover, there were a lot of Steel Porcupines. So, one of their teammates was collecting the spikes to use at a later date.


    The Battleship flew past them; Jyorta said to his teammates after a moment of thought, "Try to trigger any many Steel Porcupines as possible. Let''s make the path as easy as possible for the people that would follow us later."


    "Alright," Bilena nodded as she focused on the Steel Porcupines chasing after them. Before they began to slow down, she aimed and shot her spindles at the tails of some Steel Porcupines, hitting them where it hurt the most.


    On hearing the wails of the injured Steel Porcupines, an even greater portion of them were enraged. Their shouts increased as more and more Steel Porcupines poured out from their respective segment in the central tower, moving to hinder the Battleship.


    "Let''s proceed at maximum speed. Buckle up," Jyorta shouted as he sent a mental cue to the five Tier 2 Floating Spiders, causing them to push the Battleship forward at their maximum speeds. Slowly, the Battleship accelerated, crossing speeds of 10 metres per second. Soon, it hit the ceiling speed of 15 metres per second.


    They were flying incredibly fast. Even controlling the Battleship proved to be a bit of a problem. It was because it was storing up a lot of momentum in it, so for every change, the momentum had to be countered or redirected.


    This was why Jyorta hadn''t proceeded at this speed before. But now, he decided to do it since the attacks of the Steel Porcupines were causing more harm than he had expected. Without any hesitation, the battleship flew in a straight line.


    Though, this made it easy for the Steel Porcupines to target it, so he had to change its positions in the air, trying his best not to topple it while varying its altitude. Thankfully, it was streamlined enough to not topple as long as he changed positions in the vertical directions.


    So, that was what Jyorta did to evade most of the spikes flying his way. Duvic and Rishana had also positioned their respective cylinders towards the front, targeting the Steel Porcupines that were about to attack them.


    Though, Jyorta noticed their aim was slowly going off as time passed. He then noticed they were getting tired from having used their Tier 1 Skills to such a strained extent. The Skills too were like organs. So, as they used them too much, their bodies and their respective organs were becoming tired.


    Followed by a sigh, Jyorta turned his weaker psychic arm pale blue and seeped it into all of them, forming a single line. He used a bit of his psychic energy to heal them to optimal conditions, watching their aim return to normal.


    Moreover, thanks to their experience, their aim was now better than before.


    ''Well, that''s something good.'' He thought, noticing the number of spikes lodged in the hull had crossed twenty by now. As they were getting attacked more and more, the damage on the hull piled up, allowing the successive spikes to lodge in at a deeper depth.


    "We''re almost at the end." Jyorta smiled as he could see the sand dunes become bigger all of a sudden in the path before him. From that point was the territory of the Crust-Mantles. Chasing after the Battleship were at least 60-80 Steel Porcupines.


    It created an imposing momentum. So, the moment they crossed over from their sandy ground to the same sandy ground with bigger dunes, they didn''t realise it. After all, the terrain was almost the same and in their state of frenzy, the Steel Porcupines were unable to spot the minute differences.


    When they had moved 100 metres in such a fashion, the mandibles of a Crust-Mantle sprung out of the sands and clamped a Steel Porcupine, shredding it into bits. Similarly, in many locations, Crust-Mantles appeared and ambushed the Steel Porcupines.


    They swiftly retreated into the sand after swallowing the Steel Porcupines. As the Steel Porcupines was a race with greater unity than the other races, they immediately retaliated against the Crust-Mantles, tracking them through the sand.


    A war between the two races sparked. To fuel it even further, Jyorta overlaid the place with the aura personification of betrayal and hallucination.


    The Steel Porcupines had been chasing a foe that had killed and caused suffering to a lot of their brethren. They had been chasing the entity flying in the air, spamming attacks at it. It had a solid defence and had been able to resist their attacks to a great extent.


    Still, upon noticing how their attacks were slowly going through it, the Steel Porcupines were assured that it was about time before they would slay their foe. And hence, they had chased after the foe into the territory of another race, the Crust-Mantles.


    Since they had a shared foe, they possessed a tacit understanding that they would work together to take down their foe. But in actuality, the Crust-Mantles had betrayed them at the time of need and even began killing their brethren. The Steel Porcupines were unable to endure such betrayal and decided to retaliate, cackling as they called forth even more of their brethren.


    His aura personifications had basically changed the script in play between them and fuelled their war.

 Chapter 433: Another Fluctuation in the Emotions

    The Crust-Mantles were a weak race, always on the receiving end as any and every Frenzy Beast was out to eat them. After all, their flesh was beneficial to the evolution of their Essence of Frenzy and was also able to increase their Nurturing rate by a little.


    Therefore, the higher the Tier of a Crust-Mantle, the greater the tonic it proved to be for the other Frenzy Beasts. It was not to mention their strength was weaker than most of the battle-oriented Frenzy Beast races.


    Therefore, the Crust-Mantles always had to live out in hiding, solely relying on ambush tactics to hunt their prey while depending on their tough carapace to tank out the attacks directed at them during the hunt.


    So, they never tolerated the invasion of other Frenzy Beasts in their territory. After all, it only meant one thing: The Frenzy Beasts had arrived with the intent to kill and gorge on their flesh. So, without any hesitation, the Crust-Mantles retaliated against the Steel-Porcupines, killing them swiftly.


    Even though they were known to be a race weaker than most Frenzy Beast races, that was because of their Skills. But, at the level of Tier 2, the role played by the Skills and their importance didn''t outweigh the natural fleshly advantages the Crust-Mantles possessed.


    That''s why they were able to succeed in their ambush, ripping apart the bodies of the Steel Porcupines using their mandibles with a couple of snaps. Their tough, sharp, and heavy mandibles shredded the Steel Porcupines, including the spikes that grew on their backs.


    This was the sole attacking part of their body and was the strongest. Hence, the damage they dished out through their ambush was tremendous.


    And, thanks to the aura personification of hallucination overlaid by Jyorta, the Crust-Mantles were under the impression that the Steel Porcupines had invaded their territory this time to slaughter them all.


    So, without hesitation, all the Crust-Mantles appeared one after another as they ganged up on the Steel Porcupines, relying on their defences to kill their foes. As the battle had entered a dog fight, the Steel Porcupines were at a disadvantage.


    After all, they always had a habit of dishing out attacks as a group from afar. At close range, they had to control themselves in fear they would hurt their brethren. So, they had to limit themselves to using the normal spikes that grew on their back and were unable to use their body-length spikes that dealt fatal damage. They didn''t have enough space advantage to launch them properly.


    This way, in the war that erupted between them, the Crust-Mantles were on the advantage. Some of the Crust-Mantles decided to sacrifice their lives for the betterment of their brethren. They sprinted through the path, stomping the Steel Porcupines as their foot was impaled by their spikes in return.


    They increased their speed of movement before their legs gave out, using the momentum to roll on the sand. Using their body weight, they flattened the bodies of the Steel Porcupines, either killing them or severely flattening them.


    When they were killed, the Steel Porcupines burrowed into their bodies and ripped out their respective Frenzy Parasites, swallowing them whole as they became invigorated. It was a gruesome scene as three to four Steel Porcupines burrowed into the bodies of the Crust-Mantles and ripped them out from the inside.


    The Crust-Mantles though, on the other hand, were unflinching at the scene, having gotten used to worse treatment. They acted as one unit, sacrificing their lives for the greater good of their race, showing their bravery and camaraderie.


    Even though the teamwork of the Steel Porcupines was impeccable, infinite times better than Frenzy Beast races that acted as lone wolves even while in a group, they were still Frenzy Beasts. So, they had the same trait as the other Frenzy Beast races, which was to prioritise their individual self over their race.


    Only the Crust-Mantles were different, able to sacrifice their lives for the greater good of their race, just like humans.


    "Why are your eyes red, Jyorta?" Duvic frowned as he turned around to look, immediately spotting the point of oddity. Their Battleship was hovering near the scene of war as Jyorta unleashed his aura personifications of hallucination and betrayal from time to time to keep the momentum of the war undiminished.


    As for the rest of the team members, they didn''t have to do anything for the time being, after all, all their attackers were fighting against the Crust-Mantles now. So, they were free. That was why Duvic was able to notice Jyorta''s change in expression.


    Jyorta''s eyebrows trembled as his facial muscles contracted and relaxed at a rapid pace while his eyes had turned red; they welled up with tears, on the verge of cascading out like a torrential downpour. His breathing was also slightly ragged; he seemed to be on the verge of crying.


    "It''s not¡­" His voice choked as Jyorta tried to reply, coughing as he cleared his throat and controlled his emotions. "It''s nothing. Let''s get a move now."


    "Alright," Even though he had his doubts, Duvic turned around and focused on the cylinder¡ªcontaining a Tier 2 Spindle Bee¡ªhe controlled as he activated his Tier 1 Skill¡ªThermal Vision. He kept watch on his surroundings, prepared to spot any thermal signatures that closed in on the Battleship.


    Seated behind him, Rishana shot a look at Jyorta, watching him wipe his tears as he closed his eyes, regulating his breathing for a couple of seconds before he had calmed down to a controllable extent. He then used his aura to control the five Tier 2 Floating Spiders, making the Battleship move.


    ''What¡­just happened.'' Rishana was confused, clearly so. In the short week, she had been with Jyorta, she noticed how he was¡­different from the rest. At times, he was more humane than anyone she had ever met. But at times, he was colder than the most hardened soldier who had been on the battlefield all his life.


    It was a conflicting image of sorts. Any one of them would have been something to note about, but when two conflicting states of the mind were present in one person, situated on either extreme of their spectrum, it baffled her.


    She realised that Jyorta couldn''t be understood using common sense. At times, she was greatly attracted to his character. But at other times, she also feared the same character. She hadn''t yet confided about it with Sreshta and Bilena, wondering if they too felt the same.


    ''Let''s leave it at this. I probably won''t have other opportunities to meet him after this anyway.'' Rishana mentally sighed, feeling both relieved and disappointed at the same time. In the past week, they had been interacting with each other, even though they had become close, it wasn''t the closeness she had hoped for.


    In that situation, he had always kept her at an arm''s distance. It was the same for both Sreshta and Bilena too. After all, the other party was talented, good-looking, gentle-natured, and hailed from an Aristocratic Family to boot.


    Now that they had some time to get closer to him, if they hadn''t tried to make any moves on him, they would have to curse at their foolishness for the rest of their lives. After all, if one of them were lucky and managed to penetrate his heart, they would lead comfortable lives for the rest of their life.


    That was what they had thought. Of course, they didn''t have any ideas about what the Aristocratic Families had to face daily thanks to the power they wielded. But in the eyes of the general populace, people from the Aristocratic Families lead wealthy lives of comfort while also wielding tremendous authority.


    Butt, no matter what they did, Jyorta never looked at them that way, nor did he misbehave with them by using their admiration towards him to his advantage. This character of his further made them steel their resolves.


    But no matter what, Rishana could feel that there was a massive wall that was blocking her from proceeding beyond the zone of being friends. She could instinctively feel it. It was why she was jealous of Haesha from time to time.


    ''But, this is strange.'' She thought, looking at the back of Jyorta that faintly trembled from time to time. ''Nothing happened for him to tear up. So, this is strange indeed.''


    Finally, curiosity got the best of her as she mustered her courage, speaking, "Did something happen, Jyorta?"


    "These Crust-Mantles¡­don''t you think their lives are a pity?" Jyorta''s melancholic tone resounded, followed by a deep sigh.


    "They are Frenzy Beasts though. What''s sad about their lives?" Rishana expressed her doubt.


    Duvic, Sreshta, and Bilena too noticed something amiss as all of them looked at Jyorta. They then saw Jyorta let out a fake chuckle to lighten the atmosphere, "I just recalled the scene from before when the Frenzy Beasts had escaped the Labyrinth of Frenzy and headed into the city. Don''t mind me."


    "Right, you did witness what had happened to the children first hand. Sorry for asking." Rishana apologised.


    "It''s fine, don''t worry about it." Jyorta waved his hand as the Battleship crossed the coil with the Crust-Mantles and proceeded into the fifth coil, flying above the One-Horned Rhinos that could only helplessly stare at them.


    On seeing that his mood had been due to him recalling that horrible incident, his teammates didn''t ask him further. It was silence within the Battleship as Jyorta felt some sweat form on his forehead. The blue soul had overlaid the face mask¡ªthe false persona of calm, optimism, and filled with focus¡ªon him, helping him control his emotions that were spiralling out of control once again.


    ''This is bad. It seems I haven''t fully negated the influence from the memory fragments of the Crust-Mantles.'' The blue soul saw the memory fragments related to the Crust-Mantles break out of their respective soul husks, having used the fluctuation in his emotions as the harness to fuel their reaction.


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    Do support this story by sharing it with your friends, family, neighbours, and co-workers. With a greater readerbase actively reading it, WN would eventually push it for an adaptation. If you wish to see Psychic Parasite on your TV, please do consider supporting its growth. You''ll become a greater part of this journey.


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 Chapter 434: 3…2…1…Go!

    The memories related to the Crust-Mantles jumped out of the soul husk they were stored within. Even though the murkiness in them had been vaporized, the white layer¡ªthe ego¡ªover the memory fragments still existed.


    And, the moment Jyorta felt sympathetic towards the Crust-Mantles, it acted as the catalyst that caused them to jump out. After all, his emotions were controlled by his feelings. And, his emotions induced a change in his thoughts. And a change in his thoughts was accompanied by an adjustment in his blue soul.


    And this was what had sparked their reaction. To obtain details of the grand plan the four major Frenzy Beast races¡ªFloating Spiders, Spindle Bees, River Whales, and the Lava Turtles¡ªsurrounding Marble City had planned, Jyorta stored the memory fragments of the Crust-Mantles.


    After all, the Crust-Mantles were the prime workforce involved in the making of this grand scheme. So, there were higher chances for him to obtain information from them than from the Floating Spider or others.


    After all, Tier 1 and Tier 2 Floating Spiders weren''t privy about the details; they weren''t involved in it. Only their higher-ups knew about it.


    And, every month, Jyorta comprehended some of the details and relayed it to Psychic Ancestor Marble. So, every time he did this, his understanding of the Crust-Mantles increased. Even though he destroyed all their influence on him, the memories remained.


    And, these memories laid a fact before him: The Crust-Mantles were as humane as humans themselves. And, if established, the Crust-Mantles could live in peace with the humans. The Crust-Mantles were averagely intelligent, but the astonishing fact was their frenzy-state was the least among all the Frenzy Beasts, and this was including Frenzy Beast races like the Two-Faced Fireflies that weren''t able to fight.


    So, that showed how peace-oriented they were. And, despite being so, they were cruelly abused by every Frenzy Beast race just because their flesh was beneficial to their growth. So, such memories made him develop sympathy towards them.


    Therefore, the moment he developed second thoughts about making the Crust-Mantles suffer, Jyorta directly made use of the face mask. This was no longer something he could resist on his own. After all, this was an effect on the mind path. So, he had to resist accordingly.


    A Soul Cornea shot forward and coiled around all the Crust-Mantle memory fragments that had flown out, tightening as it applied pressure on them, condensing them into a sphere. It then dumped them back into a soul husk and sealed them tightly.


    The moment it did so was Jyorta able to heave a sigh of relief. Thankfully, the blue soul had promptly acted on it, nipping the problem in the bud. Otherwise, the situation would have deteriorated.


    If he hadn''t used the face mask, then he would have hesitated to act on the Crust-Mantle memory fragments, causing him to counter his actions in reality as he might even proceed to intervene in the war and help the Crust-Mantles.


    ''The more I know and understand, the greater the problem I face.'' Jyorta sighed, feeling conflicted. With each action he took, he felt regret. And, as the Battleship continued to fly forward, the screams from the Crust-Mantle resounded in his ears, generating in him an impulse to just dash out to their rescue.


    Somewhere along the line, the value to their lives he placed was increasing, slowly approaching humans. It was pretty dangerous.


    And, even though they were on the sixth¡ªthe one with the Rigordiles¡ªcoil, Jyorta could clearly hear the sounds of the war. After all, it was happening just twenty metres below them.


    Jyorta opened the shaft, peeking his head out as he felt the wind brush past his face. It allowed him to cool off his head a little. And thanks to the false persona, he could maintain his calm.


    ''I''m being too passive. That''s the issue.'' Jyorta took in a deep breath as he noticed a nest of the Floating Spiders. It was only two metres in size and contained at most twenty Floating Spiders within, all at Tier 1.


    Therefore, the moment the Battleship neared them, the Floating Spiders reacted, beginning to fly out of their nest when Jyorta aimed his palms towards them; his eyes shone with faint killing intent.


    Aura Beam!


    Using a third of his aura, Jyorta unleashed an aura beam. It wasn''t anything impressive like before, but it still packed a powerful punch, slamming into the Floating Spiders as it crushed their presence.


    It immediately caused their organs to fail one after another as the ability of corrosion imbued in them caused their flesh to melt while the blood turned into a different substance. The corroded blood then acted as a poison that further damaged their internals.


    As the Battleship passed by the nest, the Floating Spiders dropped to the ground one after another as the silk forming the nest melted and gave way. The Rigordiles on the ground pounced on the Floating Spiders and killed them.


    But, they dared not devour them for the time being. For, the Rigordile that hurriedly ate a Floating Spider screamed in pain as it lost its voice before a section of its throat and mouth melted, causing the wriggly flesh behind to become visible.


    Jyorta came across two more nests along the way, this time belonging to the Spindle Bees. He slammed them too with his aura beams, using the slaughter of Frenzy Beasts to counter his feelings of sympathy and compassion to the Crust-Mantles.


    ''It''s better now. Still, I have to address this issue once this ceremony is completed. Comprehending the memories of Frenzy Beasts still affect me even after erasing their ego and influence on me.'' Jyorta closed the shaft and took in a deep breath, acting as if what he had done had been for a reason, "It would trouble us more if they chased us to the next coil. I always have trouble against the Lava Turtles."


    Duvic raised his hands, implying he didn''t ask for an explanation and was just willing to follow his orders.


    "50 metres to the territory of the Lava Turtles," Sreshta shouted at this time as she peered through the hole at the front, having activated her Tier 1 Skill¡ªFocus Vision¡ªto sense the positions of the Lava Turtles.


    The seventh coil had a thin layer of boiling water, at least a metre in depth. And, floating among them were the Lava Turtles. And, as long as the water wasn''t emptied, they had free ammo to shoot forth.


    "Isn''t that George?" Sreshta said in wonder, "How did he climb up so fast?"


    Jyorta then focused on the pointed place, noticing George''s team moving through the boiling waters by using the shell of a Lava Turtle as a boat. And, even though the Lava Turtles blasted their hot geysers at him, he used another Lava Turtle shell to defend against their attacks.


    George was pretty calm during the entire journey, a sharp contrast from his teammates who were trembling in fear upon every single sound from their enemies. George''s arrangements weren''t much, but it was enough, considering he had enough strength to carry them using that alone.


    After all, whenever a Lava Turtle''s geysers failed to damage them and one of them approached closer to attack him, he slammed the turtle shell in his hands onto them. The force caused the Lava Turtles to float backward as the defending arms of the Hunter Clams on their backs trembled upon enduring every hit.


    The knockback from the attacks did cause his boat¡ªthe Lava Turtle shell¡ªto move backward, hindering his journey forward, but they were still making some progress. Even though they were delayed by this, it seemed like they would eventually reach the top.


    "Let''s step up our game too," Jyorta smiled as he looked at his teammates, "I''ll be activating their Tier 2 Skills now. The speed of the Battleship would increase even further while the Spindle Bees would shoot at least two spindles per second. Be ready to relay the position of our enemies to me accordingly."


    "Alright!" As all of them nodded and firmed their positions, energy riled up in their bodies, activating their Tier 1 Skills to the limit. Jyorta then took in a deep breath as he unleashed his domain, expanding it to its maximum radius.


    It had crossed four metres by now. His domain created a massive sphere around him, something only he and fellow Espers could sense. This allowed him to know the positions of the Frenzy Beasts that approach closer to the Battleship, allowing him to react accordingly.


    The Battleship whirred into life as the presence it exuded spiked up all of a sudden. Jyorta infused some of his aura into the Battleship using his psychic arms he seeped into them. This way, he would be able to turn them accordingly. After all, its weight was balanced by its lift. So, his psychic arm was able to affect it somewhat, unless it had generated too much momentum.


    His second psychic arm expanded like a balloon, enveloping everyone within it. The psychic energy worked together to negate as much of the inertia that would build up next. This way, the internal damage they would sustain would be less.


    "I''ll count down now¡­3¡­2¡­1¡­" Jyorta took in a deep breath as his aura caused all the nine Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts in the Battleship to become ready, unleashing the brunt of their aura each. Controlled by his psychic arms and the tattoos he had imbued, all the nine Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts shaped their auras into a massive cocoon surrounding the battleship.


    The aura began to spin and mixed with each other, directed by his own aura as Jyorta controlled the entire mass, finally causing the mass to spike further as all nine Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts activated their Tier 2 Skills simultaneously.


    "Go!"

 Chapter 435: 1/15

    The Battleship was indeed high profile with its actions. But, none dared to hinder its progress, getting stunned by the sheer quantity of aura swirling around it. Jyorta''s aura, mixed with the aura from nine Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts who had activated their Tier 2 Skills, causing a spike in the overall aura, the resulting amount created a swirling cluster that had an imposing presence.


    For a moment, the students in the Battleship felt as if they were still. It seemed as if time had frozen around them, for their senses had reached a new high, absorbing enough information from around them that they perceived time slower.


    It was a concept of their relative perceptions and the heightening of their senses for a moment.


    "Ugh!" Jyorta grunted as the Battleship moved out of the path and shot straight up with the fastest speed it could muster. It was tremendously fast, reaching speeds of twenty metres per second. The acceleration caused their bodies to mildly jerk to the back. Thanks to the psychic energy helping them negate the inertia built up in every point in their internals, they didn''t take any damage as the Battleship flashed past.


    The Lava Turtles in the proximity had been busy fending off George and his team, so they hadn''t managed to react fast enough. The Battleship had flown above their coil by the time they turned their heads.


    After all, the distance of twenty metres¡ªfrom one coil to another¡ªonly took it one second to traverse.


    "What the¡­?" George frowned as he looked at the Battleship move out of the path and proceed vertically up. The Lava Turtles hadn''t been able to react fast enough, missing it.


    And, thanks to the imposing momentum built up by it, the River Whales on the final coil hesitated for a second, undecided whether or not to attack the Battleship. By the time they could react, it crossed them and arrived at the end of the path, slowing down to a stop.


    "Huff¡­" Jyorta exhaled a deep breath as he relaxed, noticing how the River Whales didn''t come up. They stayed within the limits of their coil, or more like they couldn''t cross the end of the path.


    He looked around, watching how the end of the path was a circular platform, spanning a radius of 10 metres. And, branching out from it were twelve paths, each a metre wide. Each path connected to a dome housing a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast.


    Jyorta looked behind him, watching a couple of River Whales hovering five metres away. They were situated right behind the line where the path ended, unable to cross it as they bumped into a formless barrier installed in place.


    "Thankfully, this is a safe zone. The Frenzy Beasts from below won''t come up to fight us anymore." The moment he said his piece, everyone relaxed.


    "But," Upon his change in tone, they frowned, becoming serious, "We will be facing our greatest foe next."


    "Let''s rest and recover." Jyorta exited the Battleship and walked on a path, approaching a dome as he saw noticed he was forbidden entry. There was a door installed into the dome. And, inscribed onto it was a number.


    1/15!


    ''So, the entrance would only open once 15 teams have gathered here. This is a troubling concern indeed.'' Jyorta frowned, quickly making the dots as he understood the situation, feeling that it would be difficult to do achieve it. A lot of teams had already been pulled out by the staff. He didn''t know how many were remaining, nor if they would be able to reach the top before the time ends.


    ''Should I take action to help them?'' Jyorta thought, frowning as he looked around, unable to sense any green circles in the place.


    "This is troubling. Without being able to heal, we won''t be able to battle against the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts." Jyorta frowned, "Or I guess that''s what they wish to see."


    He recalled how they sent everyone into the battlefield without a wisp of energy remaining in their Heart/Brain Crystals. So, there was no guarantee they wouldn''t do so for this.


    ''If I rush to help other teams, I would run out of psychic energy. But, if I don''t, there is no guarantee we will assemble 15 teams before the day ends. This is a conflicting choice. So, they are probably seeing as to how we would react when presented with such choices.'' Jyorta thought as he arrived before the other domes, checking the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts inside.


    "All of them are more or less similar to each other in strength. But, they all have the terrain advantage too. Dammit.'' Jyorta cursed mentally as he arrived at the Battleship, frowning as he took a seat on its top.


    He wished to think about his plan of action and decide what he would be doing next. After a moment of thought, he opened the shaft, "Sreshta, come out and look around. Relay the positions of every team on the path."


    "Alright," Sreshta climbed out and sat on the top of the Battleship as she used her Tier 1 Skill to look around, "Dalna Doppler''s team is in the eighth coil, fighting against the River Whales. George''s team is in the seventh coil, facing the Lava Turtles. Esina and Haesha''s teams are in the fifth ring, facing the One-Horned Rhino¡­"


    She then relayed the positions of all the teams until the first coil, where the Ring Worms were plenty. In total, she iterated about 21 teams. Upon calculating the number, Jyorta frowned, "There are too few teams climbing up."


    "See if you can spot other teams in the battlefield," saying his piece, Jyorta closed his eyes, ensuring nothing unexpected happened in his blue soul as he slowly removed the face mask¡ªthe false persona of calm, optimism, and filled with focus.


    "Alright," Sreshta looked around, spending twenty minutes before relaying what she had seen, "I could spot a total of 43 teams, including the ones already on the path."


    "That''s too low," Jyorta sighed, realising how the only teams that were left were those led by a Tier 2 being. All the Tier 1 teams have been pulled out by the staff. It just showed how dangerous the battlefield was.


    Even considering himself, if he hadn''t come across a green circle twice, he wouldn''t have been able to reach the top. And, he had numerous methods to make the Frenzy Beasts do his work. So, it showed the number of foes they had to face before they reached the top.


    And even then, they had to face the worst of them all, a genuine Tier 3 Frenzy Beast that had already Nurtured its Tier 3 Skill. Jyorta gazed at the dome where the Developer Floating Spider was resting, ''I hope it doesn''t also have its Unranked Skill. Winning against it would be impossible then.''


    Even if he were to send a large group of Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts at a Developer, all it would need is a couple of blows to kill them all. After all, Unranked Skills were literally cheats in the current situation.


    "Whether it is the Unranked Skill, Web World or the Unranked Skill, Greater Warlord, both are risky." Jyorta massaged his forehead. The former Unranked Skill would be able to siphon energy from them from touch. And, the latter allowed one to turn humanoid and use a Tier 3 Skill of humanity.


    And, Jyorta knew how scary the Tier 3 Skills of humanity were. Just the Relics alone had proved to be tremendously powerful. And, Relics were inferior to the actual Skill. Suppose the Floating Spider''s Greater Warlord possessed the Tier 3 Skill, Brethren Bait.


    Then, irrespective of the number of people he rallied, they would end up hurting each other the moment this Skill was activated. Even though he could use his false personas to resist the effect, he couldn''t stop the others from trying to eat him.


    That was all it needed to defeat them.


    "Haah," Jyorta sighed as he lay on the top of the Battleship, closing his eyes, "tell the others to rest for the time being. If anyone wants to get some sleep, do it now."


    "How are we going to face the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts?" Rishana peeked out of the shaft and looked around, flinching as she made eye contact with one of the Frenzy Beasts resting within the domes.


    "We''ll think about it once we have 15 teams. We can''t even enter the dome before then." Jyorta sighed.


    "That''s great," Followed by a laugh, Rishana retreated into the Battleship, followed by sighs of relief.


    A couple of seconds later, Duvic exited from the hatch, motioning with his eyes towards Sreshta that the other two girls were calling for her. As Sreshta entered the Battleship, he took her spot, looking around as he saw the droves of Frenzy Beast groups moving about. "If it wasn''t for you, I wouldn''t have even reached the path."


    "It''s called teamwork," Jyorta opened his eyes as he looked at the sky. He could faintly hear the sounds of the hustle and bustle of the city from beyond the academy. He was at an impasse, unable to fight on a battlefield, but unwilling to make a move in order to conserve his remaining psychic energy reserves.


    So, he was stuck in place, having to look at the battlefield from above and watch the ongoing fights between the students and the Frenzy Beasts. To not arouse any suspicion, since he was unsure if Madam Mary was erasing his tracks, Jyorta didn''t try to siphon energy from the Floating Spiders under his control.


    He could easily replenish their reserves with the Heart Crystals in his possession. That way, he could recover to his peak combat strength. But now, Jyorta could only restrict himself.


    ''When will the day come where I can stop hiding and suppressing myself? Probably never, as long as I live in Marble City.'' He chuckled helplessly, closing his eyes to sleep.

 Chapter 436: Jyovic Bone’s Thoughts

    7th Ring, Sector 12, Mansion of the Bone Family; Jyovic Bone walked through a corridor, smiling as the people of the Bone Family greeted him respectfully as they passed by him.


    His back was slightly crouched, but his face was full of pride. His eyes shone with the cunning of a political schemer that had maintained practice for a long time. Jyovic Bone entered a lift and reached the topmost floor of the Bone Family mansion, opening the door to reveal a massive hallway.


    On one side, a massive screen was attached, akin to a cinema screen. All the Bone Family members at Tier 4 and above were currently seated, looking tensed. The air seemed to spark from time to time thanks to the friction between the different branches of their family.


    They seemed to be in chatter, discussing about some matters that decided the future of their family''s line of succession.


    "Jyorta Bone had been in a coma for almost five years. Even if he has some accomplishments in the military academy, his foundation is lacking when compared to the others. He''s not mentally developed enough. Supporting him would be unwise."


    "Indeed, I agree with you. It''s better to focus on others. Even if he possesses Regen, it is of no value to us since we have Bone Devour. Moreover, he''s only an Esper and doesn''t possess our Unranked Skill. So, giving him focus would be a waste."


    "But, he would also become affiliated to the Veera Family because of this. And considering who his grandmother is, that would give us some benefits in the long run."


    The moment Jyovic Bone entered, all the discussions stopped as they all simultaneously turned their heads towards Jyovic Bone, watching him speak, "Is it time yet?"


    "Yes," Hubert Bone stood up and switched on the screen, "We just received the file from the military academy. Unfortunately, we cannot see it LIVE."


    "Highlights are enough, I just want to see his performance." Jyovic Bone smiled as he took his seat in the centre.


    "We have around eight minutes worth of video footage here," Hubert Bone said as he played the clip on the screen.


    There were choices for people to witness the fight of the students on the Battlefield, albeit after paying some homage to the military academy in terms of funds. Most of the time, the people generally wished to see how their children fared.


    There were also times when people from many organisations wished to look at the fights of the students who had garnered their interest. After all, seeing the students use their na?ve but ingenious ways to solve their issues was fun, and sometimes even proved to be rewarding by giving onlookers some insights.


    So, anyone that could afford the price usually booked a slot every month to witness the scene. And, the price they paid was used by the military academy to fund their budget every month. After all, they had to prepare a variety of things for the students in the military academy.


    And usually, it was the staff that worked on them nonstop. So, such funds acted as a bonus for them. Thereby, this served as an incentive for them to work harder. After all, by working harder, the students would profit from it.


    And, because of it, the students were able to better themselves more. And because of this, the number of people who would be interested in watching their fights during the Graduation Ceremony would be higher. So, the funds collected from them would be accordingly higher.


    And, since the funds were divided between the staff based on their contribution to the respective Batch during their stay in the military academy, it gave an incentive for the staff to work harder. This created a beneficial cycle that enriched the military academy as a whole.


    Moreover, based on their performance, the military academies were ranked accordingly. There were 10 military academies in total in Marble City. So, they were ranked accordingly to their contribution. And, this varied based on the quality of the students they nurtured, the strength of their top contenders, their average performance, and the contributions made by the graduates in the future.


    All these factors were taken to constantly evaluate the military academies, giving them comprehensive scores. As to their ranks, only the principal and the vice-principal of the respective military academies knew.


    The screen flashed and displayed the scene of a group of students, numbering around 80 running out of the yellow platform the moment it landed on the battlefield. And, leading them was the figure of Jyorta, accompanied by his teammates.


    There were two individuals worthy of note in the scene. Jyovic Bone commented, "Is that¡­Dalna Doppler? That child?"


    "Indeed, she is," Havita Bone said, "She''s grown to become strong and beautiful."


    "Nice," Jyovic Bone said as he watched the ground beneath them collapse as Jyorta and the group fell into it. On seeing how Jyorta reflexively actuated an aura beam by collapsing his psychic arms, Jyovic Bone smiled, "He''s done well."


    On seeing how his one attack killed almost a hundred Ring Worms and turned them into a pool of blood, some of the Shifters seated at the back felt shocked, wondering if they were able to replicate that when they were in the military academy.


    Upon realising how they were able to do it, they didn''t show any reaction, silently looking at the scenes like a statue.


    Jyovic Bone didn''t seem to mind about their behaviour nor did he seem intent to hear their opinion on the matter. He had a firm grip over every affair of the Bone Family. After all, the Bone Family currently possessed three Transformers, all of which were related to him.


    Other than him, the remaining two Transformers were his children. So, a significant amount of power and authority was solely exercised by him thanks to this. Before this, the other branch families too wielded considerable influence.


    It was because even though they were part of one family, they weren''t entirely blood-related. After all, the first generation of the Bone Family was a collection of like-minded individuals that had come together to create an Unranked Skill.


    They declared themselves as a family and began to operate as one to achieve their common goal. So, they didn''t share any blood ties with each other. Even though there were some marriages between each branch family over the years, the Bone Family hadn''t become unified as a single bloodline yet. Only the Royal Families had managed to achieve that.


    Therefore, there were power struggles. They only never had a conflict of interest. Except for that single fact, there were all sorts of political conflicts waged in the family, both mentally and socially.


    They then saw the scene of Jyorta creating the Battleship and how he used Floating Spiders and Spindle Bees to his advantage by making them do all the grunt work. After every scene that panned, their expressions morphed accordingly, turning grim.


    Jyovic Bone was happy though, laughing, "In the future, our Bone Family would obtain a Sky Controller. Here''s the proof!"


    His statement thundered across the minds of everyone. After all, the weight behind the term, ''Sky Controller'' was of significant importance. With the presence of one, their research capability alone would improve by leaps and bounds. That would elevate their development by another level.


    With the completion of Bone Devour, the Bone Family was already developing at a pace that had long since surpassed the other Aristocratic Families. And, within a couple of decades, it had the potential to become the most powerful Aristocratic Family.


    The appearance of a Sky Controller would further boost this speed. So, despite their misgivings, they were still happy that Jyorta was doing well.


    ''But, how has he become so strong?'' One of the Shifters thought, making eye contact with a couple of Shifters he confided by. He then glanced at the back of Jyovic Bone, wondering what the other party had done to warrant this.


    And if possible, he wished to claim it for himself and give a greater advantage to his children.


    Finally, the scene showed the Battleship flying across the path with a breeze, enduring most of the attacks while killing a lot of Frenzy Beasts along its wake.


    ''He can take charge of a situation, has created multiple solutions and backup plans for himself, and can also use the abilities of others to the limit and imbue a synergy between them.'' Jyovic Bone smiled, ''You''ve grown a lot, Jyorta.''


    ''I guess I should push forth my plan too. I too am running short of time now.'' There was no change in his expression; but, the moment Hubert Bone glanced his way, he felt a chill in his spine.


    ''What is this lunatic planning now?'' Hubert Bone frowned, looking at the face of Jyorta in the scene as he reached the end of the path, ''I wasn''t wise or strong enough back then, Henrietta. But now, I''ll at least be able to protect your children.''


    As the screen switched off, Jyovic Bone turned around to look at all the seated members of his family, "So, what is your opinion on my grandson?"

 Chapter 437: Covering the Sun with the Sea

    10th Ring, Sector 1, standing on the walls was a Transformer, helping the soldiers defend Marble City against the unending Swarm. Noticing a slight disturbance behind him, he turned around, looking at yellow platforms line up in his line of sight, each separated by 10 kilometres.


    The yellow platforms were circular in shape, one that was used to transport students into the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield. They numbered nine in total, since there wasn''t any civilian occupation in the 10 Ring yet¡ªbecause it was still incomplete. Out of its 12 Sectors, only 7 had been completed. And, the remaining five were being constructed simultaneously at a tremendous pace thanks to the involvement of the Aristocratic Families.


    And among the nine yellow platforms, the man noticed how two platforms weren''t circular in shape but were shaped like a pair of palms facing up, carefully bringing the students into their respective Graduation Ceremony Battlefield. They meant just one fact as the man smiled, shouting, "Turn around for a second and look at this scene."


    In the morning, cast amid mild mist, the rays of the morning sun were reflected by the yellow platforms, causing them to look like jewels in the sky, prized jewels of Marble City.


    The soldiers immediately glanced to their backs, simultaneously noticing the two palm-shaped platforms, situated in the 7th Ring and 3rd Ring respectively.


    "Two more pillars, that''s great." One of the soldiers shouted, followed by the raucous cheers from the others. Their morale shot up once again as they slammed attacks on the Swarm with renewed interest.


    ¡­


    9165 kilometres south-east to Marble City was a mountain spanning a height of 2228 metres. It had been patched up once again but was now melting thanks to the smouldering flames constantly ablaze in the place for the past few months.


    The flames spanned a height of 400 metres now, with signs that it was slowly but surely reducing in intensity. But, it seemed the notion of vanquishing it would take a lot of time, possibly decades.


    All the Frenzy Beast Ancestors that had been working on suppressing the flames were currently chilling in the surrounding water, relaxing their selves. The only one still seated on the mountain was a humanoid being that lacked a face but had long strands of hair with suction pod-like mouths. It was Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, or typically known as Mother Parasite.


    At present, it hadn''t used his aura to suppress the sea of flames, broiled in thought as it continued to observe the way the flames flickered and danced. Over the couple of months, the flames had turned hotter and had caused numerous atmospheric changes.


    Lightning sparked through the air constantly thanks to the ionisation of it that happened in massive volumes in the region. Moreover, rain fell in huge torrents. But, even during the rain, the fire didn''t die out, rather caused explosions as it vaporised the raindrops.


    "All preparations are done." A massive bird-type Frenzy Beast came to report, hovering a fair distance above the mountain to shield away from the fire.


    Even though it was at Tier 6, it wasn''t a battle-oriented Frenzy Beast. It was the sole non-battle-oriented Frenzy Beast to reach Tier 6. And it had only done that thanks to being personally nurtured by Rhachis Ancestor Parasite.


    Tier 6 Frenzy Beast¡ªCarrier Pelican!


    It was the Frenzy Beast race that transported the Frenzy Parasites Rhachis Ancestor Parasite created to the rest of the world. Upon its signal, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite got up and made a light leap, landing in the sea of flames.


    It looked around, walking through the flames as it remained undamaged. It then exited the sea of flames, muttering, "That was fairly warm, Dawn. Property damage is all these aura-based flames of yours can do."


    It then made another leap and landed on a wall that had been constructed a kilometre into the ocean, taking a seat as it looked at the water behind be stirred up into a massive sphere.


    A large area of their home base had been turned into a sea of flames by Rhachis Ancestor Dawn using a technique in the aura path that went beyond the understanding of even Rhachis Ancestor Parasite.


    After they tried many methods, all to no avail, they simply decided to brute force it until it was covered up. So, they built a wall surrounding the sea of flames, also extending a part of it into the ocean.


    Now that it had left the area, the swirling of water from the ocean turned gentler as it spread through the air, moving further and further as it branched out into numerous streams. Slowly, it occupied most of the space above the sea of flames.


    And, a massive volume of water was still being continuously siphoned from the ocean to fuel it. After a minute had passed in such a fashion, water began to pour down from the skies as massive columns, numbering tens of thousands.


    The moment the water met fire, steam was generated. But, before the steam could fully move out, even more water fell on it, absorbing all the kinetic energy it had generated, turning it back into a liquid state.


    Even then, steam originated from all over the land as the water fell into it, beginning to spread on the ground. Slowly, the ground turned a bit moist before soon a thin layer of water formed on it.


    Steam was still being generated at large volumes, but the volume of the waterfall was simply tremendous, continuing to fall as the level of water rose up steadily. The process was simple, but it was a viable solution.


    But, after seeing how the flames still burned within the water, continuing to vaporise it into steam, Rhachis Ancestor Parasite didn''t react, having expected it already. If the solution to the problem was so simple, it would have been solved easily before.


    The flames weren''t actual flames. But they were the presence of the land that was fully exhibited. And, the scale of the affected land spanned tens of kilometres and had a staggering depth. So, it couldn''t be stopped. If it had only occupied a small stretch of land, it could have just cut it off and tossed it aside or even thrown it towards the Skeps to trigger them. That would give it enough initiative to war with them and slaughter them until the Skep Primogenitor, its fated enemy showed up.


    But the presence of the land was too deep, and hence, the sea of flames seemed to possess an inexhaustible source. They were purely fuelled by aura. And thanks to the geothermal circulation of lava in the earth, there wasn''t any lack of aura to fuel it.


    This was the prime reason Rhachis Ancestor Parasite was unable to solve it easily, needing to resort to such measures in the end.


    "Still, you got me good this time, Dawn." It muttered, slapping its thighs once as it watched the massive pillars of water descend onto the land that was ablaze.


    It then sensed something as it turned its head, looking northwest, its gaze penetrating Marble City, focusing on a certain individual before its concentration was cut off by something. It was Psychic Ancestor Marble who had sensed its gaze and took the appropriate measures instantly.


    "Bundle Flea¡­interesting." A rare smile emerged on its face, "This would become another powerhouse of a Frenzy Beast race."


    A day later, the piece of land was fully submerged underwater. The water pressure did suppress the flames to a certain extent, but thanks to the tremendous heat generated every second, the water levels constantly dipped and had to be replenished.


    The Colossal Bawling Sheep was the one doing all the work. As all it needed to do now was use its psychic arms to pour water into the tens of kilometres wide basin, it maintained it while resting, something it loved to do. As long as it didn''t need to move, it was fine with it.


    Rhachis Ancestor Parasite gazed towards the sky, watching the tremendously massive cloud that had formed in the region thanks to all the steam that was generated every second. It continued to gaze at the cloud, finally heaving a rare long sigh, "The Silicon Era and the Dark Ages were fun."


    ¡­


    It had become night now, Jyorta just woke up to see Dalna Doppler''s team stagger through the end of the path. The moment they entered, they collapsed in exhaustion. After resting for a couple of minutes, Dalna Doppler recovered a bit as she looked up to inspect her surroundings, seeing the figures of Jyorta and Duvic, both in sleeping postures.


    And, judging by their breathing, they seemed to have been in such a state for quite a lot of time.


    "W-When," Taking in a deep breath, Dalna Doppler adjusted her breathing as she looked at Jyorta, "When did you come here?"


    "A long time ago, to be frank," Jyorta then pointed towards the domes, "Unfortunately for us, only when there are 15 teams can we enter a dome and fight the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts."


    He then jumped from the Battleship, watching it hover 20 centimetres higher before the rope anchoring it prevented it from moving any higher. He had coiled the rope around the path, safely anchoring the Battleship this way.


    "Let me treat your injuries," Jyorta approached Dalna Doppler, seeping his psychic arm into her upon getting her approval. Her injuries mostly seemed to be tensed muscles, abrasions, some burns, and mild cuts all over her body.


    His psychic arm turned pale blue as her injuries began to heal slowly. Within a minute, she was in an optimal battle state once again. Jyorta didn''t heal her teammates; neither did she ask him to heal them nor did the concerned people themselves approach him to be healed.


    They knew they wouldn''t be able to contribute much in the next part. And their injuries weren''t severe enough that they couldn''t move. So, they were fine being untreated for the time being. Jyorta then arrived before the dome to see the number increase.


    2/15

 Chapter 438: Grouping Up

    "13 more to go," Jyorta sighed as he returned to the Battleship, noticing Dalna Doppler look at it with curiosity.


    The moment he appeared, she looked at him with surprise, "Is hallucination able to achieve something like this?"


    "Not permanently like this," Jyorta shook his head, "I have to constantly maintain the hallucination. I would be expending my aura reserves continuously. Moreover, the moment there is any fluctuation in my mindset, there would be ripples in the hallucinations. Most of them would be able to use that chance to break out of it."


    "Then¡­" She looked at him, intending to ask what it was when she realised it must have been something either the Bone Family had created or he had received the inheritance of from one of the staff in the military academy. It was a secret he couldn''t talk about to others.


    She could guess as such because she too had received such an inheritance. But, it wasn''t related to the aura path. Still, it was a trump card that she had been saving up all along. As it wouldn''t be subtle like Jyorta''s, she couldn''t use it simply, for no reason at all.


    Trump cards were best saved up until the time of necessity.


    "What are you planning to do once we have 15 teams here? Have you thought of any plans?" Dalna Doppler looked at the domes, able to see the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts resting within as if they had no care.


    "I''m aiming for the Tier 3 Spindle Bee," Jyorta said, pointing at the respective dome where the Spindle Bee was. Within the dome, there existed a nest of wax it had built while bored. It was currently sleeping within.


    "As long as I can control it using my hallucination, we will have a Tier 3 fighting strength on our side. Even otherwise, as long as I make it spew out enough spindles in the duration I could control it, that would give us a lot of powerful weapons to wield." Jyorta then climbed atop the Battleship, opened the hatch and asked the girls within to give him one of the swords he had made.


    Grabbing hold of the sword, he threw it towards Dalna Doppler, watching her deftly grab hold of its handle before executing a couple of slashes using it. "It works, I guess."


    "I judged it would be better than the weapons we get in the yellow circles. These are a bit more resistant to the Essence of Frenzy in them." Jyorta smiled, thinking of something as he motioned for her to look into a cylinder on the Battleship, "tell me if you have any preference for a weapon. I''ll get it done immediately. The quality would be superior to the one in your hands."


    "Better than this?" Her eyes widened as Dalna Doppler peered into a cylinder, noticing a Tier 2 Spindle Bee situated within. For a moment, her hands reflexively shot forth to kill it. She then controlled her urges, realising that the Spindle Bee was under Jyorta''s control.


    "Will it consume too much of your energy?" She expressed her concern. It wasn''t wise to waste his energy and make him incapable of battling. After all, his aura abilities made him an important battle asset if they wished to fight against a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast.


    "It won''t," Jyorta nodded as he opened the cylinder at the front, making the respective Tier 2 Spindle Bee fly out. He then informed his team as he took out one Tier 2 Floating Spider from its respective dome.


    Jyorta pointed at the sword in her hands as the two Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts hovered beside him, "That sword was made using a Tier 1 Frenzy Beast''s. What weapon do you prefer?"


    "A spear," Dalna Doppler acknowledged as she looked at the two Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts, "A spear allows me to display greater advantage using my speed."


    "Alright," Jyorta nodded as he sat on the top of the Battleship, watching from above as the two Frenzy Beasts hovered close to the floor. The Tier 2 Spindle Bee launched its spindles and lined them on the floor. The Tier 2 Floating Spider carefully connected them as it began to weave its silk around them.


    It used a coiling structure of the thread to make tough wires that stitched the parts into basically one thanks to its adhesiveness. Within twenty minutes, the spear was ready. The spearhead was a longer spindle the Spindle Bee had unleashed after activating its Tier 2 Skill.


    This was the reason he had picked the particular Spindle Bee. It was able to amplify the dimensions of its spindle, a slightly rarer ability among the Spindle Bees. The spear was two metres tall, the exact height Dalna Doppler had specified.


    She picked it up, feeling the shaft was slightly heavier than her expectations. But, it was still wieldable the moment she craned enough strength in her arms. Dalna Doppler expressed her praise, "Thanks, this will allow me to fight better."


    "The pleasure''s mine." Jyorta nodded, making the two Tier 2 Frenzy Beasts return to their prior locations. He didn''t make any weapons for the teams that would arrive next, intending to learn their preference before he made them. That way, he wouldn''t have to needlessly make something that wasn''t the perfect fit for someone.


    That would go against his intentions. He planned to equip them to the maximum first. He then noticed how Dalna Doppler''s armour was in tatters, patched by some floater spider silk she had stuck onto them to prevent them from falling.


    After a moment of thought, he took out two Tier 2 Floating Spiders and began to make an armour for her. Dalna Doppler looked at the scene in admiration, for the Frenzy Beasts were working on to make something for her, a human. So, it was a surprising emotion.


    After thirty minutes, the armour was finished. Jyorta threw it to Dalna Doppler, causing the other part to jump to catch it. For, the armour had started to fly up the moment it left his hand. It was a slight miscalculation on his part.


    "You can change within that," Jyorta said, pointing at the Battleship. Dalna Doppler thanked him and entered it, making the three girls that had been seated comfortably within come out. The moment she exited, they entered it immediately, as if they didn''t wish to be out.


    George''s team finished right at this moment. He was carrying two of his teammates that had been injured in their legs. Upon reaching the end, he noticed the figures of Jyorta and Dalna Doppler, sighing as he placed his teammates down.


    "Let me heal your injuries," Jyorta appeared at the scene, intending to heal George when George clenched and unclenched his fists, feeling the strength in them, motioning for him to stop, "My battle-strength isn''t affected by these injuries. Heal me when they become worse."


    "Alright, that works." Jyorta nodded, then asking him for his choice of weapon. He began to work on creating a sword for him, and an armour while he was at it. When he was working on them, Ashten landed on the platform with two of his teammates, surprising everyone.


    "I was observing this place to see if more than two teams could be here," Ashten smiled as he fist-bumped Jyorta. He then pointed at the bottom with his thumb, "Let me fetch the rest of my team. They''re still waiting on the ground."


    Saying his piece, Ashten took off to the air and zoomed past the area, coiling around a couple of River Whales along his passing. He grabbed one using its tail, and dragged it along with him towards the bottom, using it as the shield to defend against all the attacks aimed at him.


    Since he had the Unranked Skill, Flight, he could move in any direction at any speed he wished easily. It was as if he had obtained free rein in the air, just like the Floating Spiders. He landed on the ground, carried his other two teammates and took off into the air once again. But this time, he followed a different route.


    His teammates had prepared a shield to protect themselves from harm. It was a cluster of weapons, Frenzy Beast bones, etc. tied up using Floating Spider silk. It was crude, but it was light. Besides, they only needed it to last the short few seconds of flight. After all, they only had to traverse 150 metres if they went from the ground to the top.


    Most of its defence was whittled down when Ashten landed on the top, making the entire journey seem easy, remarking in praise, "It''s for the best I took this Unranked Skill."


    The moment he landed, seven more students too did the same, all Amplifiers. They appeared with two of their team members. Instantly, the area at the top became crowded.


    One of them shouted at Ashten, "Your flight skills have improved, Ashten."


    "Your helical flight technique is impressive," Ashten praised in return, "Most of the Frenzy Beasts failed to hit you."


    Followed by a short discussion, they flew away, returning with the rest of their teammates soon after. Now, there were eleven teams at the top. Jyorta helped the team leaders of each by healing their injuries, making a weapon for each upon his preference, and an armour to protect them.


    Thankfully, most of these teams had been hiding like Ashten''s once they finished their preparations and recovered their conditions to the peak through a green circle. So, he didn''t have to waste any psychic energy.


    "Were we late?" Esina said as she and Haesha appeared after a couple of hours.


    "Why did you fly over?" Ashten was surprised, "You too have the Unranked Skill, Flight, right?"


    It was then he realised the reason as he looked at the Frenzy Beast carcass she had dragged over.

 Chapter 439: This Is How We Graduate

    Once they had rested, the team leaders¡ªAmplifiers with the Unranked Skill, Flight¡ªflew away and sped through the battlefield, trying to find any other teams to help. But sadly, the teams they tried to help were either already buried under too many Frenzy Beasts or had lost some members.


    The team leaders of such teams sighed as they were pulled up soon after. After all, one of the conditions of the mission was to reach the top with all the members. So, despite being Amplifiers, they were unable to protect their teammates completely.


    The only teams that still moved on were those led by Amplifiers who possessed the Unranked Skill, Flight. There were 10 such teams in total now, all had reached the top. Among the side of Espers, there were only three teams, Jyorta''s, Haesha''s, and Laekha Walta''s.


    It was only because they possessed the Unranked Skill, Regen, and were able to heal their injured teammates. The rest of the teams lead by Area Controllers eventually fell along the way. Just that alone showed the importance of Unranked Skills and the versatility they gave others.


    Even Unranked Skills like Flight, one that was incredibly inferior to all other Unranked Skills was still useful because of one reason, it allowed one to fly. And, as it was an Unranked Skill, one was able to freely use it and fly at tremendous speeds.


    If a flight contest was kept between Floating Spiders, Spindle Bees, River Whales, and humans with the Unranked Skill, Flight, all at Tier 2, the ones that would be in the lead were the humans. As it was created by Rhachis Ancestor Strongest with the sole intention of making it available to the general populace, he tried to keep as few restrictions in it as possible.


    By maintaining it at one anchor point, even Observers could obtain it by sacrificing their Tier 1 Skill. Moreover, at times, just the ability to fly away was incredibly useful. That was why he had created it in the first place.


    Even if only some students managed to obtain it during their stay in the military academy, the Unranked Skill, Flight was still available to the populace to be exchanged for some contribution points.


    Those that had the confidence to reach Tier 4 usually didn''t choose it, for they could marry into an Aristocratic Family and obtain their Unranked Skill. For those without that option, they still picked Flight in the end.


    As for the rest, they definitely chose the Unranked Skill. As the creation cost of the Unranked Skill, Flight was the cheapest out of all, Marble City was able to cater to the demand. After all, as long as they accumulated enough merit points, even Developers were able to obtain it.


    And, with the ability to fly, the versatility of the Developers using their Tier 3 Skills took another leap. They became meat grinders that hunted down Frenzy Beasts the swiftest. That was why despite only being able to imbue the ability of flight, the Unranked Skill Flight was never looked down upon.


    Ashten looked at Esina in wonder, "How did you drag something of this size through all that attacks?"


    "It was hard, but thankfully, we were a team of two. So, we managed in the end." Esina replied as she patted the back of the Lava Turtle shell. It was a Tier 2 Lava Turtle, one that was alive. Esina had bound its neck onto its shell using Floating Spider silk.


    Without being able to move its limbs, the Lava Turtle had become helpless. Its shell had been stuffed full of Hunter Clam corpses, preventing it from retreating into its shell. As the final two coils had a layer of water on the ground, Esina used the floating property of the Lava Turtle to easily drag it through them.


    Moreover, the sphere of Floating Spider silk they had carried before had been tied onto its shell, reducing its body weight, and allowing her to drag it better.


    "But, why did you bring it in the first place?" Ashten Inquired, noticing Jyorta arrive and look at the Lava Turtle in curiosity.


    "This will work," He nodded, touching the Lava Turtle shell as he retracted it immediately, wincing in pain as the heat singed his finger. "Its shell can be used to defend against the attacks of the Tier 3 Lava Turtle. We can also use its blood to melt through some of the silk of the Tier 3 Floating Spider."


    At this time, all the team leaders that had set off returned with disappointed expressions. They only managed to free up two teams, one of them was Laekha Walta''s, and the other was an Amplifier that could fly. His team had been injured, so he was struggling to protect them while advancing together.


    Once they came to his help, they immediately carried the injured teammates and flew away.


    Jyorta looked around, noticing the remainder of the teams on the battlefield be pulled up by the staff through flashes of light. Now, all the humans on the battlefield were at the top.


    Upon a count, Jyorta smiled, for there were 15 teams. It was enough for them to fight the Tier 3 Frenzy Beast inside. Though, if he said he wasn''t anxious, he would be lying. For they had cut it close, really close. They narrowly made it through for the next and final phase of their graduation ceremony.


    Even though there were 43 teams with a Tier 2 student leading them, not all of them managed to prevent all their teammates from getting injured to the extent they had to eventually be pulled up by the staff.


    In the end, they were only left with 15 teams. The silver lining of this was the fact the team leaders of all the teams, save for two, had Unranked Skills. There were 10 Amplifiers that could fly and three Area Controllers that could heal.


    So, they were able to put up a tough fight against the Tier 3 opponent. As for George and Dalna Doppler, even though they couldn''t fly, there were the strongest Amplifiers of their Batch, so they were able to make do even without flying.


    After a moment of thought, Jyorta changed his plan. It was because the Tier 3 Spindle Bee had exited its nest. A glance was all he needed to determine that his teammates wouldn''t be able to handle it. Just the sheer aura it unleashed would completely paralyse them.


    So, equipping them wouldn''t make any sense. So, he took out all the five domes¡ªinhabited by a Tier 2 Floating Spider each¡ªand stitched them into the armours¡ªthat he made using Tier 2 Floating Spider silk¡ªof himself, Haesha, Laekha Walta, George, and Dalna Doppler.


    This way, everyone was at least able to fly a bit when necessary. Moreover, he also gave a couple of mental cues to the Tier 2 Floating Spiders, making them react based on certain voice commands. He tuned them to the respective person that used them.


    The commands were simple and only consisted of one word each. And, they also made the Floating Spiders move linearly. And, their speed of flight wasn''t too fast, for they were carrying the weight of a person.


    It was only thanks to the armours¡ªmade from Tier 2 Floating Spider silk¡ªthat they could lift the humans.


    He also distributed the cylinders housing the Spindle Bees, making them practice shooting using them until they got the hang of it. The three Espers held one each, while the remaining two were given to two Amplifiers who were the most confident with their shooting skills.


    Once they had practiced to their heart''s content and were ready, it was time they took action.


    All the teammates stood behind and prevented the Tier 2 Lava Turtle Esina had brought from escaping. They then cheered on as all the fifteen team leaders assembled as a group. Only they were going to fight now.


    "This lightness will save a lot of my energy in flying." One of the team leaders said as he felt the thick layer of silk armour that protected him from head to toe. As it was made using Tier 2 Floating Spider silk, it had considerable defensive strength.


    Moreover, Jyorta had taken measures to make them as sturdy as possible since they were about to face a tough opponent. Once he had finished making the weapons and armours for all, he also replenished the energy reserves of all nine Frenzy Beasts under his control.


    "This sword is pretty great too," Another team leader smiled as he made a couple of slashes, feeling that the quality of his sword was greatly superior to the weapon he found in the yellow circle.


    "Just act based on our plan. And if anyone is injured," Dalna Doppler looked at three Amplifiers that were in charge of carrying the three Espers, "You know what to do."


    Ashten, Esina, and one more Amplifier nodded. Tugging the rope extending from the Battleship, Dalna Doppler arrived before the dome housing the Tier 3 Spindle Bee, watching the yellow dome''s door be tinted with a shade of green, displaying that they were now allowed entry.


    Having noticed the change in atmosphere, the Tier 3 Spindle Bee too wasn''t lazing around anymore but had entered a battle stance as it pointed its stinger towards the door, ready to shoot.


    Jyorta closed his eyes for a moment, feeling trepidation as his heart thumped. He sensed the psychic energy in him, taking in a deep breath as he focused his attention on a patch of aura on his skin resembling a tattoo. It was the prime player for their subsequent plans.


    He finished recovering his aura to the peak as Jyorta opened his eyes, jumping on the back of Ashten as he piggybacked.


    "This is how we graduate," Dalna Doppler uttered with a solemn tone as she opened the door.


    --------------------------------


    I started working on the storyboard for Chapter 1 of Psychic Parasite. Stay tuned for the comic adaptation~


    Join my Discord to support its launch: https://bit.ly/venus_discord


    --------------------------------

 Chapter 440: Joint Raid

    "This is how we graduate." Dalna Doppler said as she pushed the door open, sending in the Battleship first. The Tier 3 Spindle Bee had been waiting for them all along, having poised its stinger towards the entrance to bombard them into a sieve.


    That was why, she sent in the Battleship first, leaping behind as she passed through the entrance. She used the Battleship as a shield to defend against the spindles shot forth by the Spindle Bee. After they had discussed their plans, Jyorta filled up its insides with numerous rows and columns of silk acting as rods that propped it up, raising its defensive structure as a whole.


    After that, they poured in some sand to act as a weight, negating most of its lift. It was still able to hover on its own. This way, it made it easy to drag it around. The spindles shot forth by the Tier 3 Spindle Bee were only lodged partway into it before losing all momentum.


    Thanks to the weight of the sand in it, the Battleship was sturdy and used its inertia to resist most of the momentum behind the Spindle Bee''s attacks. Half of the group trailed right behind Dalna Doppler, using the Battleship as a shield.


    "Let''s go!" Followed by a shout, George pushed in the massive Web World Haesha had brought. The other half of the group used it as a shield to enter inside. Moreover, they had also attached the two Tier 2 Lava Turtle shells he had brought on them, raising their defensive strength while increasing the area it shielded.


    This created a wide barrier they could hide behind to tank the attacks shot forth by the Spindle Bee. The two Amplifiers carrying a cylinder each quickly took positions as they shot forth in the air, aiming them towards the Spindle Bee as they shot forth two spindles.


    The appearance of the spindles shocked it for a moment as the Spindle Bee was unable to react. Though, as the spindles closed in on it, its instincts kicked forth as it swerved aside, watching the two spindles fly past it.


    Having known that it wouldn''t be that easy to land a hit on an agile opponent like the Spindle Bee, the two Amplifiers changed positions in the air, targeting the Spindle Bee with their attacks. Every second, they shot forth one spindle.


    In the meantime, Dalna Doppler took in a deep breath as she muttered under her breath, "Move."


    The Tier 2 Floating Spider lodged in the back of her dress, housed within a dome moved up, increasing the strength it exerted as Dalna Doppler could feel her weight being reduced. She was still on the ground, but the amount of force she needed to jump had decreased by a lot now.


    She looked at the Amplifiers behind her, handing them the rope that was used to pull the Battleship, "Alright, take to the air now."


    They nodded and took flight immediately, carrying the Battleship with them as a cover to close in on the Spindle Bee.


    Dalna Doppler took in a deep breath as she crouched a little, shooting her eyes open as her aura spiked, startling everyone in the dome.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªLeap Burst!


    She disappeared from her position as Dalna Doppler covered five metres with every step, approaching the curved dome walls as she scaled up through them, clutching the spear in her hands as she leaped once again, making a beeline towards the Spindle Bee.


    The Spindle Bee was startled and quickly moved to the other side of the dome, unwilling to face Dalna Doppler head-on. From its distance, it shot forth a couple of spindles towards her, aiming based on the arc she made in the air.


    Dalna Doppler thrust forth using the back of her spear at the Battleship nearby, using the force to swerve her body in the air, watching the spindles barely miss her. She then spun once before landing on the ground, shooting forth on the ground immediately, heading straight towards the Spindle Bee.


    The imposing momentum she carried thanks to the blazing aura she emitted caused the Spindle Bee unable to look away, having most of its direction on her. The two Amplifiers flashed around it and shot spindles at it.


    Three Amplifiers, carrying three Area Controllers stealthily moved in the air. The Area Controllers had used their psychic arms to create a sphere around themselves, turning invisible by making use of the chance when most of the Spindle Bee''s attention was on Dalna Doppler.


    Seated on Ashten''s back, Jyorta had completely turned them invisible. Ashten took off to the air as the two of them slowly flew towards the Spindle Bee. The other two Area Controllers were using their stealth to shoot spindles at the Spindle Bee.


    The dome was a hemisphere with a radius of 30 metres. It was considerably huge for their numbers, so there was a lot of room to dart about. This was why they were careful all along.


    The Spindle Bee was getting cornered by the attacks, though it hadn''t been injured even once. But then, it seemed to have reached its limit as it unleashed the brunt of its aura that continued to climb without limit. It had activated its Tier 3 Skill.


    But, just in this time, the bubble containing Ashten and Jyorta arrived right behind it, having exercised stealth all along. Unlike the other Area Controllers, Jyorta had almost been at Tier 2 for a year now. So, he was significantly developed as compared to them, including his ability to wield his powers.


    And, having used the blue soul to practice all contraptions tens of thousands of times, the level of stealth he had displayed was of a high level. Only if they moved too fast would the Spindle Bee able to detect their presence.


    Since they had been careful all along, floating forth like a bubble, and under all the chaos and action brought about by others, and at how Dalna Doppler had garnered most of its attention thanks to the threat she posed, they were able to creep up to its back without its notice.


    ''Here it goes!'' Jyorta faced his hand towards its back, situated only three metres away, aiming right at its head as he unleashed his aura beam by expending all his aura. But this time, the aura beam acted as a carrier.


    Aura Induction¡ªTattoo!


    Jyorta used the last tattoo he had prepared, slamming it straight into the Spindle Bee''s presence. His weaker psychic arm turned pale blue as it healed him, recovering his presence as Jyorta layered another attack over it.


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    And this time, the hallucination made use of the aura unleashed in his aura beam as a fuel to attack, using the tattoo as a medium to directly penetrate the Spindle Bee''s defences. Its aura retaliated against his and was evenly matched.


    "Now!" Ashten shouted as all the students unleashed the brunt of their aura, slamming them all onto the Spindle Bee, forcing it to use its aura to defend against theirs.


    At this time, Ashten smirked, facing his palm at its abdomen, "See you later."


    Aura Beam!


    The sudden change in the method of attacks where everyone switched to aura path rendered it defenceless. All it could do was resist using its inherent aura, trying its best to push away its foes. But, just Jyorta''s aura alone matched it in intensity, not to mention the others.


    Dalna Doppler''s aura was already at the peak of Tier 2, same for George. The remainder were the best of their Batch, so their aura levels were staggeringly high too. It was not to mention Ashten Coorg, whose Tier 2 Skill amplified his aura; his aura beam was the final attack that shattered its defences, allowing Jyorta''s tattoo to take root and grow within.


    By destroying most of its presence, it allowed Jyorta more than enough time to complete the process, laughing at the end, "It''s done."


    He then estimated the time his tattoo could last before it would be eaten up completely by the Spindle Bee''s aura, chuckling, "We got ourselves an hour."


    "Yeah!" Dalna Doppler raised her hand as she shouted, watching the Tier 3 Spindle Bee turn docile immediately. Ashten landed on the ground as he sighed in relief, wiping off his sweat. He had used half his presence in that aura beam, so his defences were weak now.


    Warriors didn''t have any techniques to shield themselves like the Espers. So, they primarily relied on their aura to defend themselves. That was why their aura reserves were pretty important. They had also used the same concept against the Tier 3 Spindle Bee.


    If the Spindle Bee had been a Wave Controller, they would have had to struggle a lot more before defeating it. After all, psychic arms were able to filter out aura too.


    Thankfully, they managed to take action before it activated its Tier 3 Skill. Otherwise, it would have ended up as a pyrrhic victory.


    "Let''s not delay and take advantage of the time we have now," Jyorta said as he noticed the floor of the dome shine before forming 15 circles.


    Each circle had a star-shaped pattern on it with minor variations. Upon seeing it, Jyorta spoke, "Let''s leave this to the rest of our teammates to find. We''ll take down another Tier 3 Frenzy Beast in the meantime."


    "That would be for the best," Dalna Doppler nodded as she glanced at the star patterns on the floor, noticing how they all were almost similar. It would take them considerable time before they matched the patterns on the floor to their Quest objective.


    Besides, seeing as how they just flashed into existence now, Dalna Doppler could guess not everyone would have their Quest Objective in this place. There was even a chance none of theirs would be present, and would probably all appear in the last Frenzy Beast''s dome. Judging by the nature of the military academy, they would have probably done that.


    She glanced at Jyorta and others, noticing from their expressions that they too had thought the same. Followed by a collective sigh, they walked towards the next dome.

 Chapter 441: Breezing Through Most as a Group

    All fifteen of the students didn''t speak much and silently marched towards the next dome. After all, a single thought echoed in their minds at the same time.


    If the dome with the Spindle Bee contained a white circle that was the mission objective of one of the teams, it means they had reached their goal. And the moment they do so, they would complete their Graduation Ceremony and vanish from the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield.


    That would render the other fourteen teams helpless. After all, they needed 15 teams to enter a dome. So, by lacking a team, they would be left stranded. Besides, the allure of finishing first was great.


    Probably no one had the confidence to persevere through difficult fights one after another and risk their lives. After all, they had no guarantee they would survive a fight with a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast. Even though they would be pulled out once their injuries surpass a certain level, it would mean they failed their mission.


    And, failing it after reaching the final phase and having even managed to defeat one Tier 3 Frenzy Beast, almost no one wished to fail at this point. So, the moment they came to know their mission objective was in the Spindle Bee''s dome, they might probably rush to it immediately and finish their mission.


    And, since doing that would mean betraying the others, no one did it. After all, it wasn''t as if everything ended at the military academy. Once they graduate, they would have to team up on numerous occasions for real fights.


    Moreover, if they betrayed the others here, it would become a permanent stain on their record. And there was a good chance their prospects might vane after this. So, none of the fifteen students tried to concentrate on the white circles in the Spindle Bee''s dome.


    They silently walked forth through the narrow path and arrived before another dome as Dalna Doppler took the chance to speak, "I know all of you must be thinking about the same. But fret not, we''ll not think about them until we slay all the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts. With our group, it should be possible. Let''s just focus on our fight."


    "That''s for the best," Jyorta nodded as he glanced at the Tier 3 Spindle Bee hovering beside him, "I''ll make this guy take the brunt of the fighting. Let''s just buy time or make opportunities for its attacks to land on the target. That way, we will be able to conserve a lot of our energy."


    The second dome they focused on was the One-Horned Rhino''s. Among all the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts, it was the easiest. It had detected their approach, gearing up for a charge as Dalna Doppler opened the door and entered, taking off to the air.


    Everyone flew to the air as the Tier 3 Spindle Bee activated its Tier 3 Skill immediately, raining down almost one hundred spindles in a couple of seconds. It was a sea of carnage, the amount of force it unleashed was tremendous.


    Not to mention a pyrrhic victory, they straight up would have been defeated by that attack if they had allowed it to activate its Tier 3 Skill back then. Jyorta and Ashten Coorg made eye contact, noticing the pale expressions of each other, feeling they had barely managed to survive from such a risk.


    The Tier 3 Skill of the Spindle Bee was simple, as it caused the Spindle Bee to shot out a lot of spindles within a couple of seconds. Moreover, the spindles seemed imbued with a strange property.


    Some of the spindles fully lodged themselves within the body of the One-Horned Rhino, causing a sweet scent to be released. It caused its eyes to turn red as it entered a state of uncontrollable frenzy, running around as it rammed into the wall of the dome.


    It continued to do so as the Spindle Bee hoisted itself on its back, shooting spindles one after another on its head before eventually killing it. It made killing the One-Horned Rhino easy. Within a second after its death, its Frenzy Parasite drilled out as the Spindle Bee shot forth and slashed using its stinger, dicing it up into pieces before swallowing it up whole.


    One of the Amplifiers landed on the ground as he fished out the One-Horned Rhino''s Heart Crystal using the hole the Frenzy Parasite drilled out from. He then threw it to Jyorta who cleaned it up and placed it in the pouch he carried.


    He planned to replenish the Spindle Bee''s energy reserves later using it. The Amplifiers grunted as they dragged the body of the One-Horned Rhino over the sandy terrain, pulling it out of the dome as they dragged it to the next dome.


    Upon opening the dome, they exerted all their strength, carrying the One-Horned Rhino carcass as they took off to the air, proceeded inside by ten metres, and dropped it. The One-Horned Rhino carcass dropped with a band, raising a large dust cloud on the muddy terrain.


    This was the dome with the Life Leech, an opponent they never wished to fight against. After all, it was capable of sucking out their life force. They didn''t wish to turn into an old man or woman at present.


    So, all of them were okay with the decision to attack from afar. The Life Leech soon burrowed out of the ground as it pounced upon the One-Horned Rhino carcass, using the hole on its spine to enter its body.


    But, that proved to be fatal as it painted the Spindle Bee the perfect target to attack. Followed by a spike in its aura, it activated its Tier 3 Skill once again, raining forth a barrage of spindles.


    Suddenly, from within the One-Horned Rhino exited a white mist that quickly spread forth, intending to fill the dome with it.


    "Everyone, retreat!" Jyorta shouted as all of them exited the dome and slammed its door shut. They just watched the white mist spread to all corners of the dome as a screaming Life Leech exited the One-Horned Rhino carcass.


    After all, stuffed within it was a concentrated pool of Jyorta''s corrosion and another pool of the venom secreted by the Spindle bee. Both combined were enough to severely injure the Life Leech.


    Thankfully, they had escaped before the Life Leech''s attack reached them.


    "That white mist can suck in our health and replenish its lifeforce. We did good escaping from there." Dalna Doppler said as everyone nodded. They were privy to all the abilities the Frenzy Beasts possessed. They only were unable to guess which Skill they possessed.


    But a single activation was all it took for them to determine it. They then left the Life Leech to struggle as its body became numb while its flesh melted.


    Soon, they attacked another dome, this time a Hunter Clam. It was alone, and without the Lava Turtle, it had a lot of weakness. Everyone just disrupted its focus with their auras while the Spindle Bee finished it off easily.


    Followed by it was the Recrow, a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast that was able to fly. It had high speed but shoddy defences. And their group specialised in agility and attacks. Without any losses, they killed it quickly.


    The next was a Spiked Lizard as the dome they entered was pitch black. But having decided beforehand, all of them activated their aura personifications, putting the Spiked Lizard into confusion as it had sneaked behind them to pounce at them.


    It was then bombarded by the spindles on its head and killed soon after. It launched its attack, only managing to land on the Battleship and the Web World. The aura personifications caused it to assume the two as the people that had injured it.


    They then dragged the carcass of the Recrow and dumped it into the dome with the Ring Worm, attacking it every time it came out to eat the carcass. Though, a couple of Amplifiers vomited the moment they glanced at it.


    Even Jyorta was pale-faced after seeing it just once. Despite his training, the Ring Worm was just too revolting. Thankfully, they didn''t have to engage it head-on. They just hovered in the air and watched the Ring Worm tank damage every time it exited the ground to have a bite on the Recrow.


    And, once the body of the Recrow was fully consumed, they used the Hunter Clam next. And unfortunately for it, by the time it could finish the Hunter Clam, it lay dead on the ground. The Ring Worms had lacking intelligence, even at Tier 4 levels, not to mention at Tier 3. So, they had actively made use of its lust towards Frenzy Beast carcasses to kill it. Not one among the group was na?ve and had experience in killing the same Frenzy Beast over and over in the Labyrinth of Frenzy.


    That, and coupled with the fact they were fifteen attacking one Frenzy Beast, including having the Spindle Bee on their side, caused them to kill their foes one by one easily.  They then entered the dome with the Life Leech after the effect of its Tier 3 Skill had vanished, spamming attacks on it before managing to reap its life.


    Jyorta replenished the energy reserves of all ten Frenzy Beasts under his control using the Heart Crystals he had saved up.


    "7 done, 5 more to go." Jyorta frowned as he looked at Dalna Doppler, "Which one do you suggest we raid next? All of them would prove to be tough opponents now."


    "There''s the Steel Porcupine, Lava Turtle, Floating Spider, River Whale, and the Rigordile." George nodded as he spoke his thoughts, "I feel we should kill the Rigordile next."


    "But, its defensive strength would cause us to expend too much energy." Esina retorted, "I feel we should face either the Steel Porcupine or the Lava Turtle next. We have enough defences to hide from their attacks."


    "We would need to spend a lot of energy flying around to fight the Floating Spider. I suggest we first defeat it when we aren''t exhausted yet." Another Amplifier said. With the opponents becoming tough, their opinions changed.

 Chapter 442: Aura Wave

    "Dammit, any bright ideas, Jyorta?" George shouted as he haphazardly flew behind the Web World, calming his thumping heart as he saw the other side was fully skewered.


    "Let''s tank through it first," Jyorta shouted in return as he hid behind the Battleship. At present, all fifteen of their group were hiding behind the two constructs while keeping them as close to the top of the dome as possible.


    For, they had no other choice but to do so, for the entrance had been blocked by a group of spikes. After a round of hurried discussions, they decided to deal with the Steel Porcupine first. After all, they concluded that the spikes it unleashed could be used as weapons against their subsequent foes, especially the Rigordile, whose hide was so tough their weapons were bound to break with every hit.


    Unfortunately for their plans, the Steel Porcupine they had to face just happened to be their worst opponent. It possessed one of the rarest Tier 3 Skills of its race.


    Tier 3 Skill¡ªSteel Forest!


    It was one of the rarest but deadliest Tier 3 Skills of the Steel Porcupines. Upon activation, the unleashed energy absorbs certain minerals from the ground and condenses a forest of blades. And, these blades act just like the spike on their back but are stronger and innumerous.


    Basically, as long as the blades on the ground remain, they had free ammo that they could shoot without any restrictions. And, when they entered, the Steel Porcupine had been hidden underground, accumulating its energy.


    Only after they had all flown in did it take action, first ensuring to block the exit, trapping them all within. And after this, it wholly unleashed its Tier 3 Skill, changing the sandy terrain into a platform of steel through which blades protruded out.


    Followed by it was the launch of the blades that struck their defensive structures without end, preventing them from even getting an opportunity to land a hit. Moreover, its aura was tremendously strong and seemed to have been amplified by the forest of blades.


    The two synchronised with each other, amplifying the presence of each as the Steel Porcupine erected a solid defensive barrier of aura around it. This thick defensive barrier rendered his aura personifications useless. And, Jyorta was unwilling to waste his aura beam so soon, for that wouldn''t get a decisive victory.


    At most, it could destroy the barrier. But that wasn''t enough, considering the quantity of aura he was expending. Jyorta didn''t have much psychic energy left, only having enough to replenish his aura reserves for four more times.


    "Jyorta," Laekha Walta, having been carried by an Amplifier whispered, "Can you do that lightning thingy again?"


    "I thought of that, but it''s too risky. We would be taking way too much damage when compared to the Steel Porcupine. And, if we fall, we would be done for." Jyorta frowned, shaking his head, "Besides, it consumes too much aura to unleash. I won''t have enough to even control the Spindle Bee if I were to unleash it."


    "Just do it then, we have no other choice." Laekha Walta said, "As for the energy, I got you covered."


    Saying so, she unleashed her psychic arm, turning it pale blue as she seeped it into him. As Jyorta stared with widened eyes, she smiled, "The others too think this would be for the best. Just trust us, we''ll take care of the rest."


    Jyorta glanced around, noticing everyone looking at him, followed by a nod, expressing their trust in his abilities. Taking in a deep breath, he spoke, "I need you to distract its attention for a second so that I can move forward and unleash it. That way, it would target the Steel Porcupine more."


    "Tell us at the time, and we will do it without trouble." One of the Amplifiers said, patting the cylinder held in his hands. Hovering behind him were three other Amplifiers, all carrying a cylinder each. They planned to use the increased reach of the spindle attacks to distract the Steel Porcupine and buy enough time.


    "Fine," Jyorta took in a deep breath as Laekha Walta continued to heal him, pouring in psychic energy in his Brain Crystal, filling up his reserves until it was replenished until 60 percent of max capacity.


    Now having enough confidence, Jyorta calmly riled up his aura, accumulating them in each hand, turning his psychic arms pale blue as he healed himself, replenishing his aura reserves as he pushed them more and more into his hands.


    His hands bulged under the pressure built up by the accumulating aura, making his skin seem as if it was a balloon that was on the verge of bursting. After recovering his aura reserves to the peak once again, his two psychic arms overlaid themselves onto a hand each, ensuring his skin wouldn''t crack and misfire his attack on himself.


    The two psychic arms then infused psychic energy into his hands, mixing them up with his aura as he activated his corrosion, adding the property in both his psychic energy and aura. The psychic energy was fine and smooth while the aura was rough and discrete.


    Both had their respective property and behaved differently with the property of corrosion. Jyorta was completely focused on it, forgetting his surroundings. The Battleship and the Web World were tanking the blades shot at them, getting significantly damaged as a result.


    The Lava Turtle shells on the Web World had already cracked in numerous places. It was only retained by the adhesiveness of the silk web on its back that kept it stuck to the Web World. Its defensive property was wholly non-existent now.


    "It''s ready," Jyorta barely managed to rein in enough attention span to utter as Ashten got ready to carry him forward. Immediately, the four Amplifiers took in deep breaths, activating their Tier 1 and 2 Skills immediately, focusing them on their Unranked Skill, Flight as their speeds exploded, vanishing from the scene.


    They flew out of their hiding spot and darted through the dome, raining down attacks after causing the Spindle Bees in the cylinders to activate their Tier 2 Skill. The spindles shot towards the Steel Porcupine that showed its dexterity, deftly avoiding the spindles by curling its body accordingly, sometimes even using the blades to shield itself.


    Simultaneously, the blades covering the ground shot forth, numbering tens per each of the five Amplifiers, causing their faces to turn pale.


    "This is what you''ve been training for all this time," One of the Amplifiers muttered as he dropped the cylinder in his hand, stretching his hand as all the veins on them popped while his skin turned rough.


    Tier 2 Skill¡ªBody Burst!


    It amplified the functions of his physique overall, a Skill only Nurtured by those with a Sync Rate surpassing 80 percent. After the Tier 2 Skill activation, his eyes shone green, noticing the blades flying in his direction.


    His stretched hands then grabbed hold of the blades flying his way, hitting at their backs as he directed their momentum towards the sides, changing it from linear to rotation as they were sent flying in the same way they came from.


    The Steel Porcupine swerved in alarm as the blades it shot returned to crash into its location. It looked at the blades that had impacted the ground near it, barely missing it. On seeing the crack in the floor they had caused, it hissed in anger, targeting the particular Amplifier as it shot numerous blades towards him.


    "Well, I''ll be damned." The Amplifier chuckled in nervousness as he used his weapon to fend off the attacks.


    In the meantime, Ashten flew out, carrying Jyorta on his back. Placing his hands on Ashten''s shoulder, Jyorta faced them downward, aiming at the Steel Porcupine, causing the air to flicker before rippling as if the cause had been a plasma.


    The air turned still for a moment, as everything became silent, including the noises from the battle. It was followed by a crack sound that was akin to the sound of thunder. Just the rebound caused them to fly away by a couple of metres.


    Two ripples appeared and clashed into one another, jet black, a mixture of rough and smooth energies. The point of contact ionised the air completely, creating lightning sparks in them that increased in amplitude the greater the two ripples clashed into one another.


    The Steel Porcupine was alarmed at the scene as it quickly burrowed into the ground, only to realise that it had turned almost all the sand metallic.


    It then tried to attack the caster, looking around to see all the attacking students had vanished from its vision, hiding behind the two constructs near the very top.


    A massive bolt of lightning landed on the forest of blades, attracted by the metal that acted as a target for them to reach. Soon, lightning sparks flickered one after another as the sounds of thunder boomed within the dome.


    Lightning bolts landed on the forest of blades one after another, creating an arc of lighting on the ground that became a net, trapping the Steel Porcupine, numbing it as all the lightning bolts treated it as the sink to move into.


    "Screee!" The lightning bolts singed it while seeping a certain something into its body, causing its flesh to melt. It also acted on its Essence of Frenzy, corroding it into a substance perfectly useless in its body.


    The pain was overwhelming as the Steel Porcupine stared at the top with hatred before its vision was buried by a sea of lightning.

 Chapter 443: Energy Force

    "Screee!" The Tier 3 Steel Porcupine screamed and hissed in pain, thrashing about as the corrosive property imbued in the aura and psychic energy seeped into its body, damaging it both externally and internally.


    The lightning bolts numbed it, preventing it from reacting instantly. The moment the first bolt of lightning landed on it, numerous others were soon attracted towards it. After all, the entire ground was covered by the forest of blades, metallic in nature.


    They became conductors of electricity. And, the body of the Steel Porcupine became the perfect sink for them, so all the electricity flowed towards it, both as the lightning bolts, and arcs of voltage passing through the metallic surface.


    This amplified the damage dealt by the attack to a tremendous extent. The Steel Porcupine bore all the electrical discharge, including the corrosion that attacked it from time to time. Ten seconds later, the air returned to its base state as the lightning bolts disappeared.


    The sounds of thunder too numbed down before vanishing, making the place echo with the sounds of the wind that had been generated thanks to the attacks. The body of the Steel Porcupine lay on the ground, buried under a couple of blades that had melted.


    The molten blades had melted through its body and had solidified, causing it to become stuck to the floor. Its own attack had caused its doom. The Steel Porcupine weakly lifted its head, looking up to only spot the two white structures.


    Even until the end, its attacker hadn''t come out. Its eyes closed as it plopped on the ground with a mild thud.


    Hovering behind the Web World, an Amplifier''s eyes shone green as he gazed at the Steel Porcupine, remaining in a frown for a good minute before smiling, "It''s dead now."


    "Yeah!" Everyone cheered as Ashten patted Jyorta''s shoulder, "That was impressive."


    "Thanks," Jyorta panted as Laekha Walta continued to heal him, alleviating his exhaustion.


    "I only have enough psychic energy to heal you once more." Laekha Walta retracted her psychic arms as conversed about something with George.


    "Let''s hurry," Dalna Doppler said, causing everyone to pause and look at her. She then gazed at the Tier 3 Spindle Bee beside Jyorta, "How many more minutes do you have?"


    "Hm," Jyorta closed his eyes and sensed the tattoo using his aura, commenting at the end, "Only about 45 minutes."


    "We still have four more Frenzy Beasts to deal with," Dalna Doppler then gazed towards the other domes, saying her piece, "We''ll face the Rigordile next, followed by the Lava Turtle, Floating Spider, and finally, the River Whale."


    Upon noticing the gazes of confusion from others, she said, "This Graduation Ceremony''s endpoint is the River Whale. It does not seem like it, but it is the strongest of all the Developers here. Moreover, we are outmatched in a fight with it."


    "What you said makes sense," Jyorta nodded, recalling the thickness of the film of water a River Whale could make at Tier 3. Moreover, at this stage, its Trait would have developed further, allowing it to subtly modify the shape of its film of water. This way, just its passive ability would be tremendously powerful. It was not to mention its Tier 3 Skill.


    Moreover, it was a tank. And, as the students were only Tier 2, they didn''t have any ranged or energy-based attacks. Therefore, they would have to expend everything they had to fight it. So, fighting it the last would be the best bet they could make.


    Everyone picked up sturdy blades the Steel Porcupine had unleashed, also ensuring to rip out the body length spikes it had saved up. Then, they swiftly flew towards the dome with the Rigordile.


    The dome had a layer of water spanning a depth of three metres. It wasn''t much, but it gave the Rigordile enough water to move around.


    The moment they entered the dome, the Tier 3 Spindle Bee directly activated its Tier 3 Skill and slammed a barrage of spindles through the entire area, immediately causing the Rigordile to go on the defensive.


    The layer of water wasn''t enough to absorb the momentum behind the spindles. After all, even when it lay flat, the body of the Rigordile was barely underwater. Its Tier 3 version was a massive Frenzy Beast.


    The Rigordiles didn''t grow as big as the Lava Turtles, but they were still considerably huge. Moreover, the Lava Turtles only blew up in size from Tier 4 onwards. Until then, the River Whales were the biggest of the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts, followed by the Rigordiles.


    But, what they wished to achieve with their attacks didn''t occur. For, with a flap of its tail, the water started to form currents, causing it to move at tremendous speeds within it. Moreover, the layer of water slowly began to change shape, rising up as pillars as the Rigordile made arching pathways through it.


    Tier 3 Skill¡ªForged Water!


    It was a Skill the Rigordiles typically used to fight against their foe, the River Whales. This was the most common Skill among the Rigordiles but was also the one that allowed them to resist the effects of the River Whales'' Trait.


    The water would be shaped according to the user''s will and would stay in such a state for a considerable duration. And, depending on the energy expended, it varied from a couple of seconds to a minute or two.


    The Rigordile was using this to swerve through the water and build branches as it raised the volume of water as a whole, bringing it closer and closer to the students who were high up in the air. The radius of the dome was 30 metres.


    As the students directly flew to the top, they were beyond the Rigordile''s range. So, to counter it, the Rigordile continued to raise the entire layer of water and close in on them, intending to slam into them.


    Most of the attacks of the Spindle Bee were dodged by it. And the rest directly penetrated the layer of water and fell on the floor. Because of their penetration, they were unable to float within the layer of water and use the water currents to deal the Rigordile damage.


    As for the spindles that did land on it, they only managed to create surface-level injuries. It wasn''t easy to kill it directly, after all, its defences were inferior only to the Lava Turtle''s shell.


    Suddenly, Dalna Doppler and George shot forth, speeding towards it, simultaneously unleashing the brunt of their aura. Their auras spiked as they activated their Tier 2 Skills. Dalna Doppler''s body was covered by a faint layer of energy that turned sublime.


    She then flashed forth with her spear, accompanying George as the two of them clashed head-on with the Rigordile, startling everyone for a moment. But, what happened next startled everyone even further.


    The Rigordile''s eyes burst as its brain fluids leaked out. Having lost control of its Tier 3 Skill, the Rigordile fell to the ground, accompanying the column of water it had lifted. Thanks to the impact unleashed by the two students, it was the first to hit the ground.


    Then, all the volume of water it had risen up fell on it, the resulting weight pressing down on its body, furthering its injuries as even more brain matter flowed out. Twenty seconds later, its Frenzy Parasite drilled out through its eye socket, slithering through the water as it seemed to be struggling.


    Hovering in the air was Dalna Doppler and George, beginning to laugh as they complimented each other.


    "Your mastery has improved as compared to before."


    "Nah, I still have a long way to go to catch up to you."


    The two of them returned to the Web World, watching Jyorta shoot them a surprised glance.


    "You''re not the only one to garner the attention of a staff. We too obtained the guidance of¡­some." Dalna Doppler smirked. Clearly, her competitive spirit was triggered upon seeing Jyorta take down the Steel Porcupine. So, she used the trump card that she had been saving up all along.


    "Some¡­" Jyorta''s eyes widened for an instant upon noticing the choice of words. He then didn''t seem to mind but was internally shaken. He did see what had transpired before but wasn''t able to grasp the concept that had been applied.


    The blue soul immediately extracted the related memory fragments and sent them to his brain, playing them in a loop. Upon seeing them again and again, a thought popped up in Jyorta''s mind.


    Tier 3 Skill¡ªEnergy Force!


    It was a rare Tier 3 Skill among humanity. But, what was shocking here was the fact Dalna Doppler and George were clearly at Tier 2. But despite that, they had been able to use it. Or rather, it seemed they had trained to manipulate their energy to replicate the feat.


    It wasn''t as strong as the actual Tier 3 Skill, but it was still impressive.


    ''Value-wise, it doesn''t compare to my Aura Induction. But, the fact that they could imitate a Tier 3 Skill''s working without possessing the actual Skill, the amount of training one would need is unimaginable. And, the fact that something like this is possible is astounding.'' Jyorta thought. Just the significance of what they had shown was tremendous.


    It meant humanity wasn''t restricted by Skills anymore. And, as long as they comprehended a particular Skill to the limit, they would be able to understand its essence in full. From that, they would be able to devise the way the energy needed to flow, be moulded, the cause that unleashes the attack in a particular fashion, and the muscular¡ªnerves, muscle fibres, modifications in the Wisdom Parasite''s third ring, etc¡ªfaculties required to pull that off.


    If all of them were trained, then a person would be able to pull it off. As the Tier 3 Skill, Energy Force didn''t change the attribute of the energy, it was possible to be replicated, as long as one understood the Skill.


    But, this also meant something important: There was a staff in their military academy that had mastered the Tier 3 Skill, Energy Force.

 Chapter 444: The Lava Turtle’s Strategy

    Jyorta recalled the statement said to him by the nurse lady, Vaika. She mentioned how if compared based on their importance and achievements in the military, she was ranked second, right after Madam Mary who had created the Unranked Skill, Regen, and the Trait of Growth.


    So, it meant there were other staff ranked right after her, having achieved a significant contribution to Marble City. And, since the contracts worked the same as between Vaika and Jyorta for the usage of Aura Induction, it meant other staff too were in search of worthy students to inherit their life''s accumulations.


    First of all, that would give the staff a steady revenue stream. And secondly, the student that inherits their life''s work would look up to the respective staff as a teacher for all their life. It would form a bond between them, a powerful connection.


    And jointly, they could develop the ability even more. So all in all, they formed a collective group between the teacher and their respective inheritors.


    In his case, there was only him and Vaika. There was also Rhachis Ancestor Strongest, who had learnt Aura Induction from Vaika. But he was an Ancestor and wasn''t generally available to discuss, unless something qualitative had been achieved.


    So, if they talked about their group, there were three of them in total. Though, considering how Aura Induction was a peak ability of the Aura Path, it was considered obvious.


    All along, Jyorta had been thinking he was the only one who managed to get an inheritance from a staff. After all, at most one student per Batch, or at times, there wasn''t anyone talented enough to receive an inheritance.


    So, his thoughts were normal. Only after he received an inheritance of Aura Induction did Jyorta realise such a system was in place in the military academy. So, normal students wouldn''t even be aware of something like that.


    And now, he witnessed two others that had managed to obtain an inheritance too. And, it seemed to be perfect for Warriors. The technique they learned was related to the Tier 3 Skill, Energy Force.


    It was a Skill that allowed one to shape their energy and unleash it. It was an emission-based ability where the energy contained a lot of force in it. So, depending on the usage, one could unleash energy attacks without any restrictions.


    As long as they had enough energy to use, they could wield it. Initially, it wasn''t something magnificent. After all, any Developer possessing the respective Tier 3 Skill would be able to result in power that George and Dalna Doppler couldn''t unleash even at Tier 3.


    After all, the Tier 3 Skill was like a fixed faucet. So, activating the ability was instantaneous. And, they could comprehend the Tier 3 Skill and increase its abilities further.


    But, when in terms of the technique they had learnt, the restrictions were higher.


    After all, they had to carefully mould the energy accordingly and retain their physique in the optimal condition necessary to wield it. But, its advantages lay beyond Tier 3.


    After all, the effect of the Tier 3 Skill, Energy Force was limited to the strength of a Developer. So, even if they become a Shifter, the effect of the Skill wouldn''t become stronger. It would be more potent than if used by a Developer, but that was brought about by their superior energy quality.


    When compared to a standard Tier 4 Skill, any Tier 3 Skill couldn''t hold a candle. But, the technique they learnt was solely dependent on these energy manipulation skills.


    So, at Tier 4, they could exert with the technique, power surpassing the Tier 3 Skill, Energy Force. Only from that point would the ability display its splendour. And, at Tier 5, it would become massively destructive, making the Warrior barren of any weakness.


    After all, Energy Force was a versatile Skill that allowed one to attack, defend, evade, and even sense their surroundings. It was an all-rounder Skill that peaked in the energy manipulation category. So, it made sense the staff that was researching picked this particular Tier 3 Skill to master.


    When mastered, this technique would become as good as an Unranked Skill.


    ''So, he/she has pioneered a new branch in the Parasite Path. As expected, every staff in the military academy exists here for a reason. They are all pioneers and have advanced Marble City''s development. Only such people are worthy of teaching here.''


    As every student gawked at George and Dalna Doppler, Jyorta finished analysing everything about the technique they displayed based on all the information he had amassed. Seeing a scene once was enough.


    After all, he could experience the scene in a loop and understand it from different angles and perspectives. This way, he could obtain a tremendous amount of information related to it.


    "How many times can you execute it again?" Jyorta looked at George and Dalna Doppler. Their attacks seemed pretty powerful, but also seemed taxing. After all, even though they looked no different from before, Jyorta could sense a massive drop in their presence.


    Currently, they looked like hollow husks of their former selves. Though, it seemed they still retained enough energy to recover, for their hollowness was being filled up.


    Laekha Walta and Haesha helped heal them, replenishing their energy levels to the limit. At present, everyone had determined the people that would be the prime attackers in their next battles.


    First was Jyorta who controlled the Tier 3 Spindle Bee and had his aura beams and hallucinations to rely on. The second was Dalna Doppler and George who had shown a mysterious technique. The third was Ashten Coorg with his aura beam, the Amplifiers who held a Spindle Bee each, and at the last were the rest. They too had their respective aura personifications to bank upon and some close combat.


    At present, they only had three more Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts to go through. They still had enough strength to fight, after all, most of the Amplifiers had been at full strength before they entered the first dome. So, none showed any signs of exhaustion.


    After he was healed by Laekha Walta, Jyorta had more than half his psychic energy reserves. So, he too was good to go.


    They quickly formed a plan of action and headed towards the next dome, the one where the Tier 3 Lava Turtle resided.


    As for the Tier 2 Lava Turtle Esina had brought along, they planned to use it against the Tier 3 Floating Spider. So, they didn''t bring it with them as they stood before the dome with the Tier 3 Lava Turtle.


    Dalna Doppler opened the door before shutting it immediately. Intense hot water slammed into the door, rattling it a little as she locked it once again. She then looked at the rest, noticing their impatient expressions.


    The moment she tried to open the door, the water geyser slammed into it, preventing her from opening it. If she still managed to open it after all that, then the hot water would burn them all.


    The reason they had become impatient was because the Lava Turtle expressed its unwillingness to fight. It was calmly slamming its water geyser on the door and used the force to prevent it from being opened.


    And, it was only shooting the surrounding water that it had slowly boiled over time. So, it wasn''t expending any energy in its attacks. Even the strength it used wasn''t much. It could persist with the same for almost a day before it got tired.


    And, that was more than enough time for it. Unfortunately for the students, they now had less than three hours before their Graduation Ceremony concluded. Moreover, there wasn''t enough time for Jyorta''s control over the Tier 3 Spindle Bee, which was their prime damage dealer in the situation.


    Once it escapes their control, they had to kill it. Otherwise, it would turn on them and try to kill them. Moreover, if that happened while they were battling another Frenzy Beast, the consequences would be disastrous.


    As they were pressed for time, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle''s actions pissed them off. But unfortunately for them, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle didn''t seem to mind their thoughts. All it focused on was preventing anyone from entering the dome it resided in.


    After all, it had sensed the fights between the students and the other Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts. The military academy hadn''t blocked its senses beyond the dome. Rather, its senses weren''t blocked at all.


    So, that was why all the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts were ready to face off against the students. And, it was the reason the Tier 3 Spindle Bee''s attack wasn''t as effective as the first time. It was because they were already on guard against it.


    That was why they erupted with their strongest attacks the moment chance presented itself. Until then, they were acting unprepared. Unfortunately for them, the students were better prepared and managed to kill them time after again.


    Especially the Steel Porcupine and the Rigordile, Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts that were almost as strong as itself. Even they were killed by bizarre abilities. So, the Lava Turtle had zero intentions to risk its life. Thanks to the innumerous times it attacked the dome, it knew of its strength and sturdiness.


    It knew the dome wouldn''t fall under the attacks of the students. After all, even its attacks failed to scratch it. And, at Tier 3, it was pretty smart, as one of the races whose intelligence matured faster and rivalled humans at Tier 3.


    So, it could guess that it was currently being used as a stepping stone to train the younger generation of humans. Even though it felt anger at such a notion, staying alive was its priority. So, it made use of the sturdiness of the dome and blocked the entrance, preventing the students from setting foot inside.


    All plans become useless without the opportunity to act upon.

 Chapter 445: The Method to Generate an Aura Personification

    "Let''s use the Tier 2 Lava Turtle," Jyorta spoke upon seeing the futileness of their efforts. No matter what they did, they were unable to pry open the door and enter the dome. And, even if they were to open it, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle only had the intention to push them away.


    Moreover, the intense boiling water it unleashed was more than enough to incapacitate them with enough injuries, a staff would have to save them immediately. Therefore, they were caught in an impasse. They had to do something to change the status quo. Otherwise, they were bound to run out of time.


    That was why Jyorta changed their plans. His eyes shone with a cunning glint, for a moment causing the onlookers to flinch. For, it was venomous. It seemed he knew exactly what to do to piss of the Tier 3 Lava Turtle beyond limit and make it lose itself in rage.


    Esina turned around and shouted at the rest of her teammates, motioning for them to drag in the Tier 2 Lava Turtle. The teammates of everyone had been watching their actions, cheering every time they took down a Tier 3 Frenzy Beast.


    So, when Esina asked for the Tier 2 Lava Turtle, it wasn''t her team alone that moved. Everyone who was present helped in dragging the Tier 2 Lava Turtle. Seeing their fights and victories had pumped their blood too. So, they wished to do something, no matter how small or insignificant.


    Once they had brought the Tier 2 Lava Turtle to the scene, Esina motioned for them to retreat. They immediately complied and returned to the circular platform that was situated right at the end of the path. From there, they witnessed the actions of their team leaders with rapt attention.


    "Alright, what do you want to do with it, Jyorta? We planned to use it against the Tier 3 Floating Spider, right?" Esina said.


    "Yeah," Jyorta nodded with a sigh, "But, we have no other choice but to waste it here. Otherwise, we wouldn''t be able to kill the Lava Turtle."


    "Fine, do your thing." Esina patted the Tier 2 Lava Turtle''s shell and retreated. All fourteen of them formed a circle around the Tier 2 Lava Turtle as Jyorta stood right before it. As its head had been pressed backward and tied onto its shell, it was unable to move it.


    The same had been done to its flexible legs too. So, the Tier 2 Lava Turtle was unable to resist. This was the perfect chance for him, so Jyorta gently unleashed his two psychic arms and combined them into one.


    He then smirked, muttering as he seeped them into its head, "Sweet dreams."


    Aura Personification¡ªHallucination!


    The Tier 2 Lava Turtle tried to resist, but it could sense a feeling of longingness stem from its heart. It was reminded of its home, the territory of the Lava Turtles, basking in nostalgia. It saw its friends and family members peacefully floating on the sea waters they had terraformed to their liking.


    A significant quantity of the Swarm, in their infancy period had been captured and locked in the waters underneath them, acting as their food source. They also used the same technique the Skeps had used to create a plant like that grew on the ocean bed.


    And, by absorbing nutrients from the soil and the water, it grew, releasing certain fruits into the ocean waters. And, this was the common food the Swarm fed on to grow in size and numbers.


    As the Swarm members grew, the Lava Turtles hunted them from time to time, having no lack of supply. Whenever the quantity of the Swarm they had amassed had reduced, the stronger Lava Turtles hunted for and brought in new droves.


    Hunting the infants served as training for the younger Lava Turtles. Moreover, only to increase the potency of their Essence of Frenzy did they travel inland and hunt other Frenzy Beasts. Everything they needed, they possessed.


    And thanks to their race''s Unranked Skill, anywhere in the world they went, they could transform it into a habitat suitable to them. That was the reason their Ancestor went by the same name as their planet.


    Rhachis Ancestor Earth!


    It showed the capabilities and potential of the Lava Turtles and the entity that stood at the top of their race. The Tier 2 Lava Turtle immersed itself in the thoughts of its race and became filled with pride.


    But suddenly, it noticed the sky turn pitch black. But, it was a cloud. Rather, as it focused on the jet black cloud-lookalike in the sky, it paled in fear, including the other Lava Turtles playing beside it with their respective prey.


    Humans covered the sky to the extent they blanketed out the sun, causing the entire region to turn pitch black. And from them, a certain figure emitted blinding white light and slammed a powerful beam straight towards the centre of their race''s territory.


    The beam of light impacted a massive mountain that had been floating on the water, cracking the top of its shell. A head peaked out from it, the Ancestor of the Lava Turtles. Immediately, the two entities clashed with each other.


    But, before the Lava Turtles could see how their fight turned out, the top of the Ancestor''s shell turned magenta before shattering like powder, causing their Ancestor to scream. Their Ancestor''s scream echoed in the depths of their soul, for it was their race''s spiritual, and emotional pillar.


    Jyorta looked at Dalna Doppler and nodded, motioning for her to open the door a little. And, just at this time, the expression of the Tier 2 Lava Turtle realistically crumbled. Tears streamed out of its eyes that vaporised within a couple of seconds as Esina severed all its bindings.


    The Tier 2 Lava Turtle gazed towards the sky, trembling as it shouted from the depths of its heart, in the most horrid mourning expression it could make. It had made that in utmost desperation, disbelief, and despair, tearing its vocal cords to express its feelings of desolation.


    Its voice resounded throughout the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield, for a moment turning the entire place deathly silent. Upon hearing the sounds, the Lava Turtles in the seventh coil began to shed tears immediately.


    For, they could understand the message it had relayed. They all felt confusion, panic, and¡­fear. They expressed their disbelief, but something welled up from deep within them, oozing out of them at the fact something might have happened to their Ancestor.


    They were unable to believe, after all, they had been trapped in such a place. So, it wasn''t possible for something like that to happen. But, the sounds of horrid screams of one of them unnerved them all.


    Jyorta gazed at Haesha, "How much psychic energy do you have?"


    "Enough for whatever you have planned." Haesha nodded, seeping a psychic into his after turning it pale blue.


    Slowly, the Tier 2 Lava Turtle could see a massive shard of their Ancestor''s shell fall into the waters right next to it. It then saw the water gurgle as something akin to a island emerged from within. But, upon seeing it, the Tier 2 Lava Turtle lost its mind. For, it was an island sized eyeball, their Ancestor''s.


    Its mournful screams turned even more devastated as the sounds echoed throughout the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield. The sounds were too loud and mournful. Moreover, they echoed from a place beyond their reach.


    So, the Frenzy Beasts from the other races silently retreated into the central tower. They didn''t act, curling up in place as they retracted their aura, even going to the extent masking their presence. For, even they could feel the emotions expressed by the Tier 2 Lava Turtle.


    It wasn''t something a mere death of someone close to it, or an injury to itself would bring. They was something way beyond that, relying on a concept that surpassed one''s individual concern for their life.


    As they could perceive the vocal fluctuations, the Frenzy Beasts no longer acted and only used their Tier 1 Skills to be prepared against whatever was the cause behind the mourning screams.


    Suddenly, the ambient aura in the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield had dropped down to a considerable extent.


    The screams of the Tier 2 Lava Turtle carried forth the feelings that Jyorta wished to echo in the minds of the other Lava Turtles. He then expanded the range of his aura personification of hallucination below him, reaching a range of 40 metres until a portion of the coil with the Lava Turtles was wrapped under the effects.


    There were around three Lava Turtles in the area. Immediately, they too fell under the hallucination, beginning to cry mournfully. Their devasting cries echoed in the battlefield and fell on the ears of the other Lava Turtles, affecting their emotions.


    After all, just the sound of as brethren crying was enough to affect one''s mental and emotion state. Even though the Lava Turtles were a race with greater individuality, they still shared a bond with their brethren, albeit small.


    But in such a situation, it was impossible for them to remain affected. The screams continued as the effected Lava Turtles unleashed their presence accordingly. The aura they unleashed had become an aura personification of hallucination, filled with the scene Jyorta was flashing through his hallucination.


    He was making use of the same concept to unleash an aura personification for the first time. A required through process, mental state, and a connection with the aura emission accordingly. For a normal student, they had to meditate for hours and shimmer the related emotions all the time to eventually unleash the respective aura personification for the first time.


    Now, using the screams of the Lava Turtles under his control, Jyorta affected their emotions and mental states, causing them to unleash their aura accordingly, further amplifying the effect of the hallucination as they acted as relay stations.


    Soon, all the Lava Turtles, whether Tier 1 or Tier 2 were pulled into the hallucination. They all began crying, behaving as if their Ancestor was getting killed before their eyes.


    The eyes of the Tier 3 Lava Turtle flinched as the water geyser it kept producing trickled down to a halt.

 Chapter 446: The Manipulator

    The Tier 3 Lava Turtle paused, flinching every second as it seemed to be hallucinating something at every interval of a second. Its neck trembled as its eyes lost and regained focus constantly. It seemed to be slipping in and out of the hallucination.


    Its inherent tremendous aura reserves protected it from the hallucination. But, the auditory sounds¡ªthe cries of all the Lava Turtles in the area¡ªit heard caused it to hallucinate on its own.


    The mind was a tricky medium. One didn''t even need anything special to affect it. Neither some mysterious energy nor something elaborate was needed to affect the mind.


    Jyorta recalled a post he had read about in his previous life. It was the story of a rather popular dictator. After capturing a spy, the dictator trapped him in a closed chamber. He was strapped to a chair and fully bound to it.


    After piercing his arm with a needle, a tube was attached to it, making its other end hover above an aluminium bucket. From time to time, a droplet of his blood would drip into the aluminium bucket, causing a loud sound.


    After four such drops fell, the spy''s vision was covered. The dictator stopped his blood flow and had kept a water tank nearby, causing it to drip a droplet of water into the aluminium bucket, at the exact same intervals of the blood outlet.


    At every interval, the sound of the blood¡ªin actuality, the water¡ªfalling into the aluminium bucket would resound in the silent room. And, every time this happened, the spy would assume it was his blood that was dripping.


    In actuality, all he had dripped was the first four drops of blood.


    But, as time passed, the emotion would take root in his mind. And, he would begin hallucinating that he was losing blood constantly. After all, he had seen four of his drops drip onto it. The sound it made, and the intervals at which it resounded was the exact same.


    Soon, he would make a mental image of himself, hallucinating that his body was shrivelling up. As time passes, the mental image of himself would become more and more gruesome. He would be so much into his hallucination that the brain would cause his body to think it was a reality.


    And usually, by the next morning, the spy would have died. His hallucinations were the cause, when in reality, all he had lost was a mere four drops of blood, equivalent to some mosquito bites.


    Such was the might of the hallucination. Just a simple sound could cause it. Hallucination wasn''t an external factor. It was internally induced. The brain was both the ally that would save us in times of need and betray us at other times.


    The mind was a fragile pandora''s box.


    And now, it was exactly the same that Jyorta was making use of. If he had only used his aura personification of hallucination, he wouldn''t have been able to affect the Lava Turtle. After all, just the sheer difference in their aura was too much.


    Even though his aura levels were in Tier 3, he had only stepped foot into this realm. As for the Tier 3 Lava Turtle, it was a genuine Developer. It was naturally in such a state. So, no matter what he did, his aura wouldn''t be able to affect it.


    Even for the Tier 3 Spindle Bee, all the fifteen students had overwhelmed it with their auras. And among them, Ashten Coorg had unleashed his aura beam. And, Jyorta added his tattoo atop his aura beam.


    Only combined with all were they able to subdue the Tier 3 Spindle Bee. And despite everything, even after using a tattoo on it, it would only be under his control for an hour. It was thanks to the sheer quantity of aura inside it that was like stopping an ocean with a dam wall. The pressure was too great that the walls would start crumbling eventually.


    And now, thanks to the shouts of the Lava Turtles, the only sound that was resounding throughout the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield were their cries. As it was at Tier 3, it could clearly feel the subtle fluctuations in their tone, their distress, their sense of loss, their fears, and their mind-shattering feelings, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle could feel all of them with resounding clarity.


    Its superior senses caused it to be affected greatly. There wasn''t much its aura could do in such a situation. After all, the one affected was its mind now. And in turn, the mind was affecting its body, invariably influencing its aura.


    In a normal situation, all it would need to do was unleash its aura and throw away all such inconceivable notions. This way, it would be able to maintain an optimal state of mind. After all, by erecting its presence, it would maintain that state of body and mind until the presence vaned.


    But, because of the cries, even if it didn''t wish to, it could understand the content behind it. The contents were devastating to the extent they affected its mental state. So, whether it wanted to or not, its attention was grabbed.


    And, before it realised it, the Lava Turtle''s entire attention was on the cries. It had long since forgotten about the students that were waiting right at its doorsteps.


    In the yellow dome hovering above the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield, the tens of Ground Controllers seated within were currently looking at the faces of each other, feeling a mild chill. They communicated with each other through their psychic arms.


    "At what stage were we mentally capable of something like this?"


    "I was a Ground Controller by the time I did something like this the first time."


    "I was a peak Wave Controller. But the scale of my action was limited to two Frenzy Beasts."


    "I have just slaughtered Frenzy Beasts openly all my life. I haven''t ever done something like this."


    As they exchanged words, they couldn''t help but shoot glances at Jyorta, wondering how a student grew up to be that¡­fearsome.


    But, they suddenly felt threatened, afraid even, upon gazing at the sole individual amidst them that was at Tier 5. Upon seeing the radiant smile on her face that was beaming uncontrollably, their minds shuddered.


    "A family of madmen."


    Jyorta shot a glance inside the dome, watching the Tier 3 Lava Turtle begin to shed tears. For a moment, none of the students spoke anything.


    ''There is this side of him, again.'' Haesha frowned, staring at Jyorta''s back, ''He''s the kindest all the time, but also comes up with the most vicious ideas.''


    Standing in the circular platform situated right next to the end of the path, Rishana shuddered uncontrollably. She shot a glance at her teammates, noticing how they were no different from her. As for Duvic, he was the same too, but also seemed enlightened for some reason. He looked at Jyorta with a gaze of reverence.


    Dalna Doppler and George slowly opened the entrance to the Tier 3 Lava Turtle''s dome. They pushed in the Battleship first as they hid behind it. At present, only the two of them entered, followed by Jyorta and the Tier 3 Spindle Bee.


    The remainder followed suit immediately. It was the staff that were preventing and allowing entry. So, all fifteen of them had to enter. Otherwise, they wouldn''t be allowed entry. The faint flickering of the number ''15/15'' on the entrance was enough of a clue for them.


    Once they entered, everyone remained near the entrance while Dalna Doppler and George pushed the Battleship. Jyorta controlled the Tier 3 Spindle Bee and trailed right after them, approaching the Tier 3 Lava Turtle while staying hidden. This way, even if it attacks them, they would have time to react and something to hide behind with.


    The remaining 12 students had the Web World to rely on for defence.


    Jyorta wrapped the Tier 3 Lava Turtle under his aura personification of hallucination, heaving a sigh after a minute when it was done. As it was already in a hallucination on its own, and since the contents were the same, it fell under his control soon after.


    Now that it was done, he slowly modified the contents of the hallucination little by little. The crying sounds outside began to die bit by bit. The Lava Turtles were still affected, and the emotional blow wasn''t something they could recover from that soon, even if it was a hallucination.


    Jyorta led it out of the dome. Normally, the staff would have prevented any Tier 3 Frenzy Beast from escaping its dome, but since it was currently controlled by a student, they didn''t interfere.


    Jyorta led the Tier 3 Lava Turtle straight towards the dome with the Floating Spider. At first, its dome was empty, with a small nest at the top. But, upon seeing his actions, the Tier 3 Floating Spider spewed out silk like crazy and almost filled up the entire dome.


    It was gearing up for battle upon seeing how it was inevitable. It was just about to spew some silk on the part of the entrance and the dome, intending to attack them together when the Lava Turtle had already arrived. The heat it was emitting caused the silk it haphazardly spewed out to begin melting.


    Startled, the Floating Spider began to reinforce the silk protecting it, filling up the dome.


    In the hallucination, the human that was slamming white light on their Ancestor looked odd all of a sudden. Then, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle''s eyes widened in shock upon realising that all of them had been fooled.


    The humans retracted their auras, changing forms into Frenzy Beasts immediately. It was the same for the being it had assumed to be Rhachis Ancestor Light. It swerved and morphed immediately, turning into an unassuming Floating Spider.


    Floating Spiders¡ªWarlord Family!

 Chapter 447: Thermal Bloom

    Humanity was the strongest race on earth. If not for the existence of Rhachis Ancestor Parasite, humanity would have dominated the earth eventually. It was a truth every Frenzy Beast with sufficient intelligence knew.


    As Developers, they were especially clear about this fact. After all, every time they confronted humans, their numbers had to be at least thrice the opponents. And even then, they had a considerable chance of being wiped out.


    That was the might of humanity, the strongest race.


    Therefore, the moment they were being swarmed by the humans, the Lava Turtles first decided to defend themselves to the limit and seek reinforcements from the other three Frenzy Beast races¡ªFloating Spiders, Spindle Bees, River Whales.


    Only when combined would they be able to resist the might of humans and push them back. So from the start, they had been on the defensive. Even when their strength was evenly matched, the Lava Turtles didn''t notice anything amiss.


    They were just under the assumption the humans were holding back. After all, Rhachis Ancestor Earth was still getting wounded. So, they thought the humans wished to enslave all the Lava Turtles after killing their Ancestor.


    Even though they were desperate, they still had hope that the other races would come to reinforce them.


    But now that it noticed the change, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle seethed with hatred.


    Betrayal!


    The Floating Spiders had betrayed them and disguised as humans to attack them. As the Lava Turtles passively defended in fear of humanity, the Floating Spiders used the fear to their advantage to reap greater benefits.


    The reinforcements they were hoping for wouldn''t come. After all, the reinforcements themselves were the instigators. Normally, no Frenzy Beast race would be able to pull this off. But, there was one family among the Floating Spiders capable of this feat.


    The Warlord Family!


    Headed by Rhachis Ancestor Warlord, they possessed the Unranked Skill, Greater Warlord. So, they were able to use the Tier 3 Skills of humanity, becoming one of the greatest threats.


    And, it seemed Rhachis Ancestor Warlord had disguised itself as Rhachis Ancestor Light to pummel Rhachis Ancestor Earth. Rhachis Ancestor Warlord was stronger than the other Frenzy Beast Ancestors, so taking down Rhachis Ancestor Earth one-on-one was easy.


    The Tier 3 Lava Turtle had ignored the fact that only Transformers among the Warlord Family possessed the Unranked Skill, Greater Warlord. After all, the base material to make it was a human Transformer. It wasn''t something easy to obtain.


    So, the number of Floating Spider Transformers with this Unranked Skill were few and far in-between.


    The Tier 3 Lava Turtle swerved its head, watching the crying figure of a Tier 2 Lava Turtle on its right. It was no longer able to think straight, mentally overwhelmed by what it witnessed. There was a shell floating in the water right beside it. It belonged to their Ancestor.


    Upon seeing the shell, it too was overwhelmed. But more than despair, it seethed with rage. Wrath churned within it as it wished to rend the betrayers apart. Its body turned hotter and hotter when it noticed a Tier 3 Floating Spider fly towards them with speed, accompanied by a couple of Warlord Floating Spiders.


    "I''ll make you a cage. Have fun with those two." One of the Warlord Floating Spiders said as it erected a cage around them. The Tier 3 Lava Turtle was unable to react, for the opponent''s ability was instantaneous.


    Instantly, it found itself to be on the floor, with barely any water around it. All that existed was a small tub made of floating spider silk. And contained within it was water that seemed familiar.


    The Tier 3 Lava Turtle noticed its Tier 2 brethren had lost its mind by now and entered a state of frenzy, heading straight towards a sea of spider silk created by the Tier 3 Floating Spider. It could hear the chuckling screeches of the two Warlord Floating Spiders from beyond.


    Even if it was just one, it wished to kill the Floating Spider. The air around it billowed and caught fire, turning into a sphere of flames as the Tier 3 Lava Turtle opened its mouth, puffed its body hidden underneath the shell, and unleashed a thunderous roar.


    ¡­


    Dalna Doppler kicked the entrance to the Tier 3 Floating Spider''s dome with her leg and stepped back immediately, unable to bear the heat wafting out from the Tier 3 Lava Turtle.


    At present, Jyorta had seeped a psychic arm into the Tier 3 Lava Turtle''s head, controlling it with greater effectiveness. He did the same to the Tier 2 Lava Turtle as he nodded, signalling the Tier 3 Spindle Bee to take action.


    The Tier 3 Spindle Bee gently positioned itself above the Tier 2 Lava Turtle''s neck and pierced it with its stinger, injecting its venom. The venom flowed into the Tier 2 Lava Turtle, causing it to enter a state of frenzy.


    But, the Tier 3 Spindle Bee didn''t stop, injecting more and more venom into the Tier 2 Lava Turtle until it went berserk. Now, until it dies, it wouldn''t be able to recover from the berserk state. It was unless a Ground Controller suppressed it and treated it completely.


    But chances of that happening were none. So, its fate was decided. In the meantime, they used some of the excess silk stored in the Web World to make a makeshift tub that they used to bring in some of the boiling water from the Tier 3 Lava Turtle''s dome.


    Once the preparation was done, Jyorta continued to change the hallucination as all of them entered the Tier 3 Floating Spider''s dome. Immediately, once the two Lava Turtles and the tub with boiling water were inside, they retreated as Jyorta finished the hallucination, leading it up to the current scene.


    This way, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle wouldn''t think of its previous memories. It would only think the dome was a stage created by the Warlord Floating Spiders for the Tier 3 Floating Spider to have some fun.


    Its mind was already overwhelmed to a considerable extent. And it was consumed by fury. The Tier 3 Spindle Bee had also injected it with a bit of venom. Adding all, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle wasn''t able to think straight.


    Moreover, it didn''t have the fortune of time to do so. After all, its Tier 2 brethren had already gone berserk. In such a situation, it didn''t wish to lose another of its brethren. Its desire to protect its race had been triggered.


    A step-by-step plan of action that used the best of his available variables. Jyorta had quickly come up with a plan of action to utilise their disadvantages and act based on their opponents.


    Even though the effects of the hallucination had worn off, the Lava Turtles in the seventh coil were still crying from time to time. So, as the Tier 3 Lava Turtle heard the sounds, it knew their Ancestor hadn''t managed to one-up their opponent yet.


    So, even though Jyorta had completely retracted his aura personification of hallucination, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle was still trapped in that place. It was because he had mixed in bits of reality into the hallucination. Now, when it saw the same bits, in reality, its thought process caused it to think it was still there, in the hallucination.


    And in its current mental state, it wasn''t able to logically counter the flaws in the setup. After all, just a sensory gaze would cause it to notice the students standing outside. But, even if it saw them now, it would first assume they were the Warlord Floating Spiders that had completely disguised themselves as humans to watch the fight.


    After all, at the start, the Floating Spiders had disguised themselves as humans and ambushed the Lava Turtles. Any logical flaws that popped up, it used the bits in hallucination to fill them up. At present, its own mind was working against it.


    Seething with rage, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle roared. The roar was so powerful, it resounded throughout the Graduation Ceremony Battlefield. And, the emotions carried within its voice further caused the Lava Turtles on the seventh coil to cry out louder.


    They took turns to doom themselves further into the illusionary abyss.


    The Tier 3 Lava Turtle looked at its Tier 2 brethren, breathing out a gust of air towards it. The exhaled air caught aflame and swerved around the Tier 2 Lava Turtle, burning all the silk surrounding it.


    Its shell wriggled slightly before forming holes in some nook and cranny, using them as vents to suck in the surrounding air. Its body ballooned before the Tier 3 Lava Turtle looked at the flashing shadow of its detestable foe, opening its mouth to unleash a torrent of air.


    But, the air seemed to be mixed with the fluid secreted in its body. It didn''t burn anything or catch onto fire like before. But, it seemed to be a fluid that turned into mist immediately. The mist seemed throughout the dome as the Floating Spider unleashed something of its own, condensing a formless substance around itself.


    But, the Lava Turtle''s attention latched onto the Tier 3 Floating Spider''s position. Its eyes shone with a cunning glint as its presence vanished entirely.


    Tier 3 Skill¡ªThermal Bloom!


    The mist stopped moving all of a sudden, latching onto all the silk in their immediate vicinity in an instant. Then, they began to siphon all the heat within everything they touched. They didn''t affect the Tier 2 Lava Turtle that crashed into a couple of silk threads, shattering them like glass.


    The entire dome lost every ounce of heat, turning into one massive block of ice. But, a second later, the ice turned into plasma.


    A shadow flashed through it as the entire dome caught up in flames.

 Chapter 448: Brutal Fest

    Beyond the dome, Jyorta and the group rapidly backed away as intense heat emanated from within the dome. Thanks to the Tier 3 Skill used by the Tier 3 Lava Turtle, the substance it had spewed out first had absorbed all the heat from the surroundings, turning it into a world of ice.


    Then, it unleashed all the heat, combusting all the ice, turning it into a plasma world. The heat emitted was intense, moreover, the fire seemed to have no intentions to stop. It was burning continuously and was increasing in heat by consuming all the materials within.


    The Tier 3 Floating Spider had erected a sea of silk. And now, all of it was being consumed to fuel the fire. The ability to turn any substance into fuel, that was the might of the Tier 3 Skill, Thermal Bloom.


    The Tier 3 Skills of every race varied a lot. But each race had a set of Tier 3 Skills that conformed to a certain effect or substance. As for the Lava Turtles, thanks to the Trait they were born with, their bodies were intensely hot. Moreover, at higher Tiers, just their Trait was enough to unleash a sea of flames using the air they breathed out.


    Therefore, their Tier 3 Skills revolved around that, making use of their Trait. This did inhibit the versatility of their Tier 3 Skills, but in return, it increased their might. Moreover, it evolved the effects of the Trait into mysterious effects, giving them greater strength.


    That was why the four Frenzy Beast races¡ªLava Turtles, Floating Spiders, Spindle Bees, and River Whales¡ªwere a cut above the rest of the Frenzy Beast races surrounding Marble City.


    The Floating Spiders were able to fly. So, their Tier 3 Skills revolved around making use of their agility to create numerous effects.


    The dome was in flames, so Jyorta and the group were unable to make sense of the situation inside. They weren''t careless, but instead were trying to sense for anything through their Tier 1 Skills.


    "Did you find anything?" Jyorta looked at one of the Amplifiers who had the Tier 1 Skill, Aura Sense.


    The Amplifier shook his head, "This is beyond what my Skill can sense. At present, the presence of the Tier 3 Lava Turtle has enveloped the entire dome. As for the Tier 3 Floating Spider''s presence, it has vanished."


    Jyorta then looked at the others, finding that they too were the same. The level of the fight itself blocked their abilities to a certain extent. All they could find out was bits and pieces of information.


    Just the swirling energies in the dome acted as a disturbance. Tier 1 Warriors were called Observers. It was because all their Tier 1 Skills did was observe what was shown to them. It was similar to the perception of sight by the eyes.


    All the Tier 1 Skills functioned similarly. They didn''t have any means to penetrate the swirling energies and sense the truth hidden within. So, all they could do was collate the bits and pieces of information they obtained and see if it led to any conclusion.


    Having understood about the Tier 1 Skills, Jyorta didn''t say anything else. He heard their talks, finally able to conclude that the fighting entities within were still alive.


    He then looked at Dalna Doppler, wondering if she could sense something else. The Tier 3 Skill, Energy Force was a versatile Skill. It was even capable of investigation. And, this investigation was a probing result applied by transmitting energy and sensing the changes in it.


    Everything in the world had a force, including a hallucination. If there was a cause, there was an effect. And, if energy was used, albeit its form, thermal, mechanical, potential, psychic, etc. then, it would be registered.


    And when probed with energy, some sort of force would be registered in it as data. And, that was how users of the Tier 3 Skill, Energy Force sensed around. They were accurately able to pick up on and differentiate the type of energy used.


    It was a reason they were highly valuable in every team. After all, with a single user of the Tier 3 Skill, a lot of their bases would be covered.


    Dalna Doppler had her eyes closed the whole time. And when Jyorta asked her, she subtly shook her sideways, motioning that both the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts within were alive.


    After five minutes passed in such a fashion, the flames in the dome started to die down, allowing them to perceive the action within. And, when they saw it, their eyes widened in shock.


    The Tier 3 Floating Spider, one that had been a metre in size at the start was now barely 10 centimetres in size, the same as a Tier 1 Floating Spider. And currently, it was perched on the back of the Tier 3 Lava Turtle''s neck, tearing into it.


    There were numerous substances, akin to shed skin stuck all over the dome. They were slowly burning up. They seemed to be a product of the Tier 3 Floating Spider''s Tier 3 Skill, a reason it managed to survive the fiery hell.


    But, it seemed to have expended most of its energy in the process, looking weak. At the side lay the Tier 2 Lava Turtle, foaming in its mouth, bleeding. On its shell lay a massive hole, with the sides covered by silk while in the inside was another bundle of shed skin.


    Even when it attacked in rage, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle had ensured to keep the firepower away from its Tier 2 brethren. So, it created a small cage to trap the Tier 2 Lava Turtle within, preventing it from entering the sea of flames and dying in the process.


    The heat behind the flames was enough to kill it, despite it being a Lava Turtle.


    And, the Tier 3 Floating Spider was well aware of this fact, having determined the mental state of the Tier 3 Lava Turtle. So, using its Tier 3 Skill, it kept shedding its skin while darting to and fro in the dome, throwing the Tier 3 Lava Turtle''s senses off as it burrowed into the Tier 2 Lava Turtle''s shell.


    Using its abilities, it easily made a big enough hole in the Tier 2 Lava Turtle''s shell and took refuge inside, weathering out the flames. Even then, it had to face the heat emitted by the Tier 2 Lava Turtle.


    Upon getting injured, in its maddened state, the Tier 2 Lava Turtle activated its Tier 2 Skill and amplified the effect of its Trait to the limit, turning up the heat in its body, making it an oven for the Tier 3 Floating Spider that resided within.


    If it killed the Tier 2 Lava Turtle, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle would notice it immediately and attack it. So, it had no other choice but to passively endure the burning flames within. From time to time, it used its Tier 3 Skill to moult and heal all its injuries.


    Though, this action was significantly energy draining. And, it seemed the Tier 3 Lava Turtle was hell-bent on destroying the Tier 3 Floating Spider. So, it continued to emit flames constantly. It even used its tail to absorb all the water in the tub placed nearby, using it to create combustible substances, storing it in its body, planning to use it at opportune moments.


    Five minutes later, the Lava Turtle had expended most of its energy, stopping when all the presences it had sensed were destroyed. The moulted skin too contained the Tier 3 Floating Spider''s presence, imitating the original in liveliness, causing the Tier 3 Lava Turtle to assume them all as the originals.


    That was why it continued to burn the place for so long. Despite everything, the dome walls weren''t even singed. They were still in their pristine state.


    The moment the flames died down, the Floating Spider burst with all its speed, flashing onto the Tier 3 Lava Turtle''s neck immediately, latching on the back as it dug its mandibles within. It had been generating a certain toxin in its body, condensed using its Essence of Frenzy. So, its potency was unquestionable.


    The Tier 3 Lava Turtle shouted in pain as its body was injected with toxins that instantly ruptured its nerves. At this time, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle looked at its Tier 2 brethren, noticing that it was in a state of near-death.


    As it didn''t possess any healing methods, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle had no other choice but to watch its brethren die. Water vapour gushed out of its eyes as the Tier 3 Lava Turtle let out a moan in sadness. The Tier 3 Floating Spider was quickly cutting through its neck, about to sever it.


    The toxin severed its nerves, preventing the transmission of information from its brain to the rest of its body. Moreover, the toxin also made its muscle fibres decompose, becoming a substance that wasn''t able to tolerate its internal body heat.


    It was getting destroyed. The Tier 3 Lava Turtle''s neck moved, intending to clamp onto the Tier 3 Floating Spider. But, it wasn''t as fast as its opponent. Rather, even though it was running low on energy, the Tier 3 Floating Spider''s body was even smaller now, and hence was able to burst with enough speed that it looked like the interchange of two static pictures to the eyes of the students.


    In one instance, it was on the back of the Lava Turtle''s neck. In the next, it was atop its head. In such a manner, it flashed everywhere, tearing apart the Tier 3 Lava Turtle''s body, inching closer and closer to victory.


    The Tier 3 Lava Turtle was unable to even come close to it, grandly failing in the contest of speed. Finally, the Tier 3 Floating Spider flashed in the air, severing the neck of the Tier 3 Lava Turtle, killing it. It had just done so, intending to reap its spoils of war by devouring the opponent''s Frenzy Parasite when it noticed a frightening presence emanate from within the Tier 3 Lava Turtle''s corpse.


    It exploded. And as if everything was planned, the Tier 3 Lava Turtle''s shell collapsed into thousands of minute fragments. And, the explosion sent the shell fragments flying everywhere like shrapnel. It covered everything; there wasn''t any safe zone within the dome, for everything was burned down.


    Drunk on its pyrrhic victory, the Tier 3 Floating Spider had let down its guard for an instant when the explosion occurred. More than a dozen shell shards pierced its body, boring holes as they flew out from the other side.


    The Tier 3 Floating Spider''s expression froze as the injury was critical, severely damaging it. But, that wasn''t all. From the centre of the explosion came another fire, acidic in nature. It latched onto the injured Tier 3 Floating Spider, eating through its body.


    There wasn''t even any screeching scream. Followed by a plop, the melted body of the Tier 3 Floating Spider fell on the floor, submerged by the flames.

 Chapter 449: Tier 3 River Whale

    "This is how Frenzy Beasts fight," A minute later, Jyorta muttered, watching the corpses of the Floating Spider and the Lava Turtles be enveloped by a sea of flames. Even after death, the blood of the Lava Turtle was a combustible material, quickly catching fire.


    Taking in a deep breath, Jyorta looked at the Tier 3 Spindle Bee, "Barely twenty minutes remaining¡­"


    "Let''s get going then," Dalna Doppler opened her eyes, having mentally prepared herself as she looked at everyone, "This will be our final battle as students. Let''s finish it without any losses."


    Everyone nodded in silence, having taken the time to recover some stamina, now brimming with fighting spirit. They didn''t display any showcase of their vigour, silently marching forth as troops that were ready to rend their foe.


    They appeared before the final dome, noticing how numerous water streams flowed within it, in the air. The Tier 3 River Whale had created numerous arcs in the air, making the entire region friendly to itself.


    Upon noticing that it was the final opponent, it had been preparing all along, gearing up for the fight. And, unlike the other Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts, it wasn''t afraid of its foes, rather raring up to kill and swallow them.


    "Keh¡­keh¡­keh¡­keh¡­" It unleashed almost humanoid sounds, making it seem like it was laughing. Its eyes were focused on the entrance, watching Dalna Doppler open it and enter cautiously, taking refuge behind the two constructs of silk.


    All the fifteen team leaders had entered the dome as the entrance closed with a bang. The sound caused faint ripples over the water on the floor.


    Jyorta gazed up, noticing three streams trail from the water on the floor and arc in the air before ending in the floor. The water levels on the floor were at a depth of two metres. Considering how the radius of the dome was 30 metres, the volume of water available in the place was tremendous.


    "This guy¡­" Jyorta frowned, noticing how there were three film layers on the Tier 3 River Whale. And between each layer seemed to be a vacuum, acting as insulators, a measure against his aura wave. This way, even if he creates a sea of lightning, it wouldn''t be affected.


    Until the previous opponent, they had trump cards left to use. But now, that was no longer an option. All along, it had observed what Jyorta did to the Tier 2 Lava Turtle. So, it had already shielded itself accordingly, preventing all manner of attacks from reaching it.


    Moreover, there wasn''t even a tinge of its aura in the dome. Jyorta probed using his aura, noticing how the River Whale had wrapped itself using the entirety of its aura in the innermost water film. This way, even if he unleashes an aura beam, it wouldn''t even be able to land on his opponent.


    All their cards were laid bare before it, giving it enough time and data to prepare accordingly. The River Whale had first protected itself with enough defensive measures. And, as it saw the students, it let out humanoid laughter, making the streams of water follow it as it took the lead, heading straight towards the students.


    "Take off to the air. Amplifiers, try to shave away its defensive layer." Dalna Doppler shouted as everyone took off to the air. The Amplifiers with the Unranked Skill, Flight headed towards the River Whale, intending to distract it while the others¡ªthose flying with the help of the Tier 2 Floating Spiders¡ªflew away.


    Dalna Doppler used her spear to make a slash on the River Whale, watching her spear slice through the water. The water easily refilled the slice in an instant. Her cut was sharp. But that also meant the River Whale didn''t need to do much to repair the damage.


    George took off to the air and positioned himself at the top of the dome, intending to see how the River Whale acted first. In the meantime, Jyorta hovered behind the Tier 3 Spindle Bee, using his psychic arms to shield himself, turning invisible.


    He then positioned himself at a rather safe corner while making the Tier 3 Spindle Bee attack. Before they arrived, they had refilled the energy levels of all the Frenzy Beasts to the maximum. Jyorta still had a couple of Developer Heart Crystals that he could use. So, he didn''t stint on its expenditure, making the Spindle Bee go all out in its attacks.


    Each of the spindles it shot forth was powerful, piercing through the defensive layers erected by the River Whale. But, they stopped right before they hit the River Whale. Moreover, there wasn''t any gap created in its armour layer because of such an attack.


    The Amplifiers flashed past as they attacked the River Whale, causing the water in its defences to spill out. But no matter what they did, they couldn''t deplete the quantity of water surrounding it. After all, it was moving with a stream of water that was replenished from the floor.


    The amount of water their attacks could splash wasn''t worth mentioning. It simply healed the damage to the film of water before their attacks even ended. The River Whale flew towards an Amplifier, intending to ram him into a pulp.


    The Amplifier increased his flight speed for a second and outmanoeuvred it, calming his thumping heart as he attacked its sides. Facing the River Whale head-on was akin to facing a train that was speeding towards them.


    It wasn''t easy to combat it.


    Followed by a sharp buzz, the Tier 3 Spindle Bee flashed behind the River Whale''s back, slamming the entirety of its aura onto the film of water, producing numerous ripples. Its aura further spiked, causing the water at the topmost layer to vaporise immediately.


    Tier 3 Skill¡ªFrenzy Rush!


    Almost one hundred spindles were launched in a couple of seconds, packing thrice the usual power. Each spindle possessed a tremendous reserve of poison, enough to render the sanity of its opponents useless.


    The River Whale seemed as if it was waiting for the attack, immediately unleashing hundreds of bubbles from the film of water. The bubbles looked harmless but moved based on its wishes, heading towards the spindles like bullets.


    And, the moment a spindle pierced a bubble, it exploded. The explosion was simply a result of pressurised air within the bubble exploding. It generated enough power to crack concrete. And now, the River Whale unleashed hundreds of them, making them meet the spindles head-on. All the spindles were destroyed by the consecutive and continuous explosions.


    "Ugh!" Jyorta hurriedly increased the defences of his psychic arms, filtering out all sounds as almost a hundred explosions occurred at the same time. The exploded water turned into mist, covering the entirety of the dome, reducing visibility.


    It was like fog, preventing them from seeing beyond a certain distance.


    "Dammit, it got us good." Jyorta cursed as he shaped his stronger psychic arm into a fan and made it spin, blowing away some of the mist. But, the thrust he could generate wasn''t anything to note about, failing to push away the mist beyond a couple of metres from him.


    The mist was suffused with the River Whale''s aura and energy, hindering his communication with the Tier 3 Spindle Bee. There was zero visibility now, moreover, the aura and energy concentrated in the mist rendered their detection ability useless.


    On the other hand, since the energy was its own, the River Whale''s detection methods were rather amplified.


    One of the Amplifiers intended to fly towards the border when he noticed a subtle fluctuation in the mist, immediately bending mid-air as he slashed with his sword, watching it slam into a thin film of water shaped like a blade.


    But, the speed of the other party, the momentum it carried, and the strength behind its Trait caused the blade of water to cut through his sword cleanly. The Amplifier noticed his reflection in the blade of water as it moved past.


    Riddled with sweat, he hurriedly retreated at his fastest speed, shouting, "Be careful, it shaped its water film into blades."


    But, he didn''t receive any replies, cursing when he realised the mist surrounding him had absorbed all the sounds. It was why the surroundings had turned silent all of a sudden. No matter how much they shouted, their voices didn''t travel beyond a couple of metres.


    Now, all the students were separated, unable to gang up on the River Whale any longer. Having witnessed their abilities numerous times as they battled all the Tier 3 Frenzy Beasts one after another, the River Whale used it to its advantage, obtaining the upper hand now.


    Moving over to the end was the wisest choice now. Jyorta thought everyone too would do the same as he flew towards the walls of the dome, suddenly watching a blade¡ªshaped from water¡ªflash before him, startling him.


    Only when it appeared in his domain was he able to notice it. But, his domain only spanned 4 metres, and the reaction time was short. Moreover, he didn''t have the Unranked Skill, Flight. He had to rely on the Tier 2 Floating Spider to move, and it wasn''t instantaneous.


    ''I won''t make it in time.'' He scowled as his demeanour changed, making the sphere¡ªformed by his psychic arms¡ªlike a blade at the front, taking on an aerodynamic shape before turning jet black.


    The water blade slammed into it, melting like a piece of butter coming across the fire. The water blade was severed as the figure of the River Whale flew past. Its three eyes along the side focused on Jyorta''s figure, staring in all seriousness as the water blade collapsed and fell down to the ground as droplets.


    It wasn''t flustered, calmly condensing another water blade. It hadn''t even expended much energy in this process, making a round as it targeted another student, causing him to scurry at his maximum speed.


    It was simply making them exhaust all their energy until they were no longer able to fight.


    Veins popped all over his neck as Jyorta felt strained, having expended a lot of psychic energy in the short contact. He panted, feeling a mild headache as he quickly filtered out all the mist that had managed to enter through his shield, "Dammit."

 Chapter 450 - Victory

    The dome with the River Whale was completely covered by mist now. Shadows flashed through it as sounds of metal colliding resounded continuously. A couple of Amplifiers tag teamed as they slashed with their weapons, aiming at the water blade of the River Whale along its flat surface, shattering it like glass.


    When they tried to swoop in for another attack, they noticed a couple of bubbles exit the film of water, immediately retreating in fear they would explode. A spindle flew and landed on it right at this time, causing it to explode.


    Moving through the fog was another Amplifier, and held in his hand was the cylinder with the Tier 3 Spindle Bee. They faced difficulty at the start. But as time passed, they were able to react and prepare accordingly.


    Everyone that managed to reach this point was an elite, so they were quickly able to change their plan of action. But, no matter how much they attacked, they failed to even touch the skin of the River Whale.


    All it had to do was rely on its Trait to cover itself with water and condense a couple of blades along the ends while it moved. Considering the difference in energy they expended, they were going to drop before the River Whale even expended half its energy reserves.


    Even otherwise, it had a humongous body. So when pressed for energy, it could simply combust its flesh and obtain enough energy for its needs. And considering its size, it had a tremendous reserve of flesh.


    Comparing sheer quantity, it possessed more energy than all the students combined. The only reason the students hadn''t been pulled out until now was thanks to the Tier 3 Spindle Bee. It was always on the River Whale''s tail, attacking it continuously without rest.


    So, the River Whale had to focus most of its attention on the Tier 3 Spindle Bee. That was why its attacks on the other students were simple.


    The tattoo imbued in the Tier 3 Spindle Bee only made it gaze at the students as its allies and the remainder Frenzy Beasts as enemies. It still retained all its other mental faculties. So, it was able to decide how it wished to fight against the River Whale.


    But normally speaking, the Spindle Bee excelled in speed and attack. On the other hand, the River Whale was a fortress and relied on close combat. So, its lacking speed couldn''t be taken advantage of.


    To injure it, the film of water surrounding it had to be rid of first. And considering the volume of water present in the dome, it was almost impossible. After all, the attacks of the River Whale didn''t deplete its water reserves.


    Even the bubbles it unleashed, when exploded, created mist. And when needed, it could simply condense the moisture in the air into a film of water. Moreover, every attack or damage it suffered, the resultant splash of water only fell on the floor, mixing into the water there.


    And, the River Whale had a couple of streams moving in the air, connected to its body as it moved around. As the Tier 3 Spindle Bee constantly exchanged attacks with the River Whale, a couple of shadows flashed through the dome, meeting up with everyone scattered, giving them some instructions.


    One of them approached the area Jyorta was in, looking around as Jyorta revealed himself. The Amplifier immediately informed him of the details, causing him to be surprised as he gazed at the top of the dome, "Impressive, George."


    "Alright," Jyorta smiled, using his stronger psychic arm to shield himself from view as his smaller psychic arm seeped into his body, turning pale blue. His figure radiated with a pale blue hue as his presence continued to increase.


    Faint tongues of jet-black psychic energy wafted out of his body from time to time as Jyorta slowly flew forward, arriving at his position, muttering, "This would be my strongest attack to date."


    He timed himself, slowly accumulating strength, mixing his aura and psychic energy. Using his greater control over psychic energy, he created a container. In the sphere formed by his stronger psychic arm, his aura spread through it, increasing in intensity as the sphere changed in shape, elongating towards the front.


    It then coiled like a spring while a cylinder formed in the centre, forming an area where his aura seeped and accumulated. Jyorta forgot the passage of time, focusing completely on his construct. Thanks to the rigidity of his psychic arm, he could imbue a lot of psychic energy and aura into the elongated construct.


    Soon, his weaker psychic arm exited from his body, having expended all his psychic energy to replenish his aura levels. It then seeped into the elongated portion, overlapping with the cylinder in the centre.


    Using his psychic arm, Jyorta applied pressure from all sides, condensing the aura and psychic energy to the limit as the weaker psychic arm began to turn clockwise. The stronger psychic arm began to turn in the opposite direction, causing a vacuum to form in between the two.


    Hovering at the top of the dome, George hadn''t moved from the start. All he did was keep his eyes closed while sensing everything that happened below. He was the one who had instructed the couple of Amplifiers while relaying the positions of everyone to them. His eyes slowly shot open as his lips curled up into a gentle smile, muttering, "You have become a bundle of mysteries, Jyorta Bone. I''ll catch up to you soon enough."


    He then took in a deep breath, riling up his aura as he infused it into his throat, imbuing his presence into it as he opened his mouth, shouting to his limit as he unleashed all the stored-up aura, "Now!"


    Aura Personification¡ªKilling Intent!


    His killing intent was a ripple of aura that flashed throughout the dome, having prepared for just this instance. It vanished without making any effect, but George didn''t seem bothered, muttering, "Turn."


    The Tier 2 Floating Spider on his back turned him accordingly and brought him closer towards the dome wall. George craned as much strength into his legs as possible as he pressed down on the dome walls, taking in a deep breath as he activated his Tier 1 and Tier 2 Skills, making a jump with all his strength as he shouted, "Fly!"


    George made a beeline towards the floor, accelerating when the Tier 2 Floating Spider activated its Tier 2 Skill.


    In the meantime, five amplifiers grabbed hold of the Web World while the other five held the Battleship. After taking in a deep breath, they erased their presence, waiting to take action.


    Finally, a tinge of killing intent rippled past them as the eyes of everyone shot open, activating all their Skills and the Unranked Skill Flight at the same time. Followed by a massive gale, they shot downward, carrying the two constructs with their utmost speeds.


    "We healed you to the limit." Haesha and Laekha Walta said, having even shattered their psychic arms while using Regen, seeping everything into the individual crouching in the air before them, positioned right before the dome walls.


    "Kill it, Dalna Doppler!" The two of them shouted as Dalna Doppler''s slightly bulged body slammed into the dome walls, having activated her Tier 1 and Tier 2 Skills. Followed by a breeze, her body shot forward. She had left her Tier 2 Floating Spider in the hands of Haesha, speeding towards a certain direction.


    With every step she took, energy gushed out of her feet and solidified, creating an instantaneous foothold for her to step upon, shattering the moment she flashed past, accelerating to the limit.


    The Tier 3 Spindle Bee appeared before the River Whale, obtaining some mental input through its tattoo as it made a beeline towards the face of its opponent, having activated its Tier 3 Skill. It also activated its Tier 1 and Tier 2 Skills, unleashing the entirety of its aura atop its too, depleting all its energy as it unleashed its strongest volley of spindles.


    It was like a mechanical laser as the attacks slammed into the River Whale''s film of water, piercing through it. The attacks surpassed its speed of recovery as more and more spindles pierced through the layer of defence, rendering it apart as the Tier 3 Spindle closed in, heading for a suicidal attack.


    "Ahh!"


    "Ahhh!"


    The two groups of Amplifiers bellowed as they slammed the two constructs into the two streams of water the River Whale controlled, breaking its flow, cutting off its supply of water.


    The River Whale was startled when its reserve of water fell off. But before it could lift off more water from the floor, the Tier 3 Spindle Bee''s attacks closed in, almost landing on its face.


    But before the River Whale could move away, George fell on it from the top. He craned his fist to the back, condensing all his energy into it, also combusting his flesh to increase the power of the attack.


    "Take this!" Veins popped all over his arms while the blood vessels ruptured from the sheer pressure as the energy condensed into his fist. The moment he arrived before the film of water, George slammed his fist onto it with all his might, emitting all the energy he had condensed.


    The energy was like a wave, a force of nature. It slammed into the film of water, breaking the River Whale''s control over it, turning the water into the tiniest of droplets until it became mist. The resultant force sent all the mist flying away, even pushing all the fog towards the end of the dome.


    It was compressed to the extent water cascaded on the dome walls.


    All the water surrounding its body was eradicated by the attack as the River Whale''s body began to fall. It hurriedly created as many bubbles as it could by expending its energy in an effort to thwart the attacks when the spindles landed on them, causing them to explode prematurely.


    And right at this time, holding a spear while riding the momentum akin to hundreds of soldiers in war, Dalna Doppler arrived before the River Whale''s face, condensing an energy spear in her hands as she thrust forth with all her might.


    The energy in the spear shot forth, slamming into the River Whale, piercing through its tough hide.


    "Get rekt!" followed by a bellow, her body rapidly thinned as the energy she unleashed forced itself through the River Whale, shredding its internals. She immediately lost her footing and began to fall when an Amplifier caught hold of her.


    The Tier 3 Spindle Bee flew into the hole Dalna Doppler had created, combusting all its energy as it shot forth all the spindles it could produce, getting reduced to a pile of bones covered by skin while riddling the insides of the River Whale full of spindles.


    Right at this time, the attention of everyone was focused on the individual that was causing the very air around him to tremble, ionising it from time to time as faint lightning sparks flashed around.


    Facing the falling figure of the River Whale, Jyorta''s attention shot towards the water on the floor, watching it fly up in an effort to reach the River Whale.


    "Take it." Followed by a smile bereft of exhaustion, Jyorta destroyed his two psychic arms, unleashing the vortex he had been building up. Instead of shooting from his hand where he was constricted by the limits of his flesh, he had condensed it entirely in his psychic arms, shooting it like a canon this time.


    Aura Beam!


    A jet-black pillar flew forth like a cannon ball and slammed straight onto the River Whale''s face, completely seeping into its body. Anything he had hoped to see didn''t happen now as the River Whale continued to fall while the water was still pulled towards it.


    But, when the water touched the River Whale, its face dissolved into it, revealing the bones behind. Its brain melted and turned into a coloured liquid, mixing into the water as the River Whale fell on the floor with a massive thud, splashing the water everywhere.


    It twitched a couple of times before turning still. Its bones and muscles were completely riddled with the Spindle Bee''s spindles. And as it had also faced the brunt of the attack, the withered husk of the Tier 3 Spindle Bee melted into a pool of blood.


    "It''s¡­dead¡­" Jyorta gasped for breath as he lost consciousness for a couple of seconds. When he came to, Haesha had caught hold of him, gently hovering a couple of metres above the water surface.


    On seeing her face, he smiled, "Hey there."


    Haesha smiled in return, "Great work out there."


    Ashten Coorg landed on the River Whale''s body, stomping it once to see its bones crack, turning into powder immediately, a resultant of the two energy attacks unleashed by Dalna doppler and Jyorta. And on its back was a massive crater, the resultant of George''s attack.


    Ashten didn''t even have to check, knowing immediately that the Tier 3 River Whale was dead. Its Frenzy Parasite was completely riddled with holes by the spindles, unable to even escape its plight, twitching during its last moments.


    They had won!


    But at present, neither of them had any feelings of joy. All of them only felt one emotion, one of peace. After a year of gruesome training, they had finally taken down powerful opponents one after another, a total of 12 Developers.


    Except for Jyorta, everyone else had only been at Tier 2 for less than three months. So, it was a resounding feat. As all fifteen students landed on the River Whale''s corpse, the dome walls vanished as their platform was lifted towards the sky.


    They could see their teammates rushing to all the other domes while carrying their mission objective, making a sweep as they found out their respective white circles. All the team members occupied their respective mission goals as their white circles radiated with white light, forming a pillar as their figures vanished from the scene.


    The platform with the River Whale continued to rise before hovering above the military academy as the figure of Madam Mary appeared before everyone. She had a pleasing smile, one that turned wider as she glanced at Jyorta, speaking, "Splendid performance. This Batch''s Cadets are by far one of the best produced by our military academy."


    "You''ll bring glory to Marble City and become pillars that support its growth." She spoke with great enthusiasm, frowning when she noticed the gazes of everyone wasn''t on her, but rather focused on her back, in confusion and startlement.


    Alarmed, she turned around and noticed a massive shadow flying towards them before crashing into their city''s barrier. It was a Skep, having lost most of its arms while bleeding tremendously, hovering an inch before death. A second after it crashed into their barrier, all the buildings began to tremble as Marble City experienced an earthquake.


    Psychic Parasite¡ªThe End!


    -----------------------------------


    Author''s Notes: Details of the Sequel are given below.


    Hello everyone, Overlord_Venus here. We have finally reached the end of Book 1 of this series. Updates have been slow for the past month because I was busy preparing for the sequel. I was also taking a short break after finishing this chapter.


    Now, the sequel will be released slightly different to avoid giving away most of the novel income to apple and google. Because of all the cuts, if you spend 100 USD, I''ll at most get 25-28 USD. With discounts, free reading, and fast passes, you know how it goes.


    If I release the sequel, I won''t be able to sustain myself earning-wise. So, all I request you, readers, is to support me on Patreon. The Goal is the minimum amount I require to maintain daily releases. And depending on the support, I''ll increase the update speed. Moreover, chapters will be free to read on webnovel for as long as you support.


    Whether it be in a day, two days, or even a week, the moment we hit the minimum goal, I''ll release 10 chapters for the sequel and will maintain daily releases. As for the quality of the writing, you know me.


    The Sequel will be even more of a blast than everything you have ever read. So, stay tuned.


    If you wish to read the sequel as soon as possible, support me on Patreon and help me achieve the minimum goal.


    patreon.com/overlord_venus


    For any doubts or queries, feel free to contact me on Discord: Overlord_Venus#9364


    See you folks, either in "Murim Recurve" or "Psychic Parasite" sequel.