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.